senile1

The Missouri rules allow Alabama rigs with three lures with hooks and two dummies. Missouri also provides a definition of what a hook is so that there is no confusion if one reads the rules. I have copied the relevant verbiage from the mdc.mo.gov site below. A treble hook in Missouri counts as one hook toward the hook total of 3. http://mdc.mo.gov/fishing/regulations/general-fishing-rules/alabama-rig-regulations The Alabama, umbrella and similar rigs may be fished in Missouri so long as they use only three lures or baits. The remaining attachment points can include similar baits so long as their hooks have been removed or other hook-less attractors such as spinner blades are used. The Wildlife Code of Missouri is written in a manner that can address most, if not all, fishing innovations as they come along. This is the case for the Alabama, umbrella and similar rigs. This rig is intended to be fished using a rod and reel, referred to as pole and line in the Wildlife Code. NOTE: Please see Regulations and Permits Definitions under Related Information below for a full list of the terms used in the Wildlife Code of Missouri. Pole and line is defined in rule 3 CSR 10-20.805 (44) in the Wildlife Code: Pole and line: Fishing methods using tackle normally held in the hand, such as a cane pole, casting rod, spinning rod, fly rod, or ice fishing tackle commonly known as a tip-up, to which not more than 3 hooks with bait or lures are attached. This fishing method does not include snagging, snaring, grabbing, or trotlines or other tackle normally attached in a fixed position. What is important to note is that this definition limits the pole-and-line fishing method to no more than three hooks. We all have a picture in mind for hooks. However, we also have a definition for hook in the Wildlife Code 3 CSR 10-20.805 (30) to establish what we consider to be a hook for regulatory purposes. The use of a definition allows us to address various fishing innovations through time without specifically having to name everything that comes along. Hook: Single- or multiple-pronged hooks and the ordinary artificial lures with attached single- or multiple-pronged hooks and dropper flies. A multiple-pronged hook or 2 or more hooks employed to hold a single bait, shall be considered a single hook in counting the allowable total in use.

My current PB was caught at approximately 11:30 AM. The one before that was caught between 4:00 and 4:30 PM and the temperature was 103 degrees outside. I have listed my results below. Late fall, winter, and early pre-spawn: In the late fall and Winter period here (water temperatures from 45 down to freezing) I catch bigger fish from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. In fact, I sometimes don't get a bite until afternoon when the sun has had time to warm things a bit. During early pre-spawn the afternoon time seems to be the best as well. Late pre-spawn through spawn: As the waters warm into the 50s and 60s I catch my bigger fish between 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM. Post-spawn: Not sure. The times for the big fish are quite variable for me. Summer: Same as post-spawn. I do catch more fish at dawn and dusk which might skew my thinking a bit, but for really large fish it seems variable. My previous personal best was the one caught at 4:30 PM on an extremely hot day. Fall: Bigger fish have been caught at dusk and dawn.

Seriously, there is nothing like repetition and practice to become good at any endeavor. Becoming good at anything worthwhile requires a great deal of effort. Practice applying your knowledge of bass behavior and seasons to the structure in the lakes you fish. Learn where they are by repetitively analyzing your lakes over and over until you truly know them. This applies to finding the bass. Once found, they have to be caught so you also need to practice a number of presentations that will cover the different behaviors and locations that you expect from the bass. This is it in a nutshell. It takes time to be a good angler, but because we enjoy it, it is fun while we learn. Enjoy the journey and become as good as you can be.

Lying has been the greatest boon to my bass-fishing skills.

I agree with the line management idea mentioned by DarrenM and Paul as well. And I've heard a few people who have provided anecdotes that seem to indicate the line doesn't make a difference but I am more confident using leaders. As for the line breaking at the knot with straight braid I have found that even with the drag tightened all the way, my knots don't break before the drag slips. Maybe it depends on the lb-test of the braid but anything from 30 on up for me doesn't break at the knot. I am aware that some of the Revo reels have 20 lbs of drag pressure and the Shimanos I use are even less. Placing the thumb on the spool and pulling straight back works sometimes but I have had numerous instances where it didn't because whatever I was hung on would give too much or eventually that spool will move under the thumb and take some skin with it. Fishing Rhino, that's a good point about the abrasive qualities of fluoro also.

My reasons for using fluorocarbon leaders are two-fold. Number one, they allow me to break off if I am hung up and can't get the lure free. Last year, my Grandson was fishing a jig with my Dobyn's Champion Extreme 703c and straight braid. The lure became hung and before I noticed and could jump in and assist he had broken the rod trying to get the lure loose. Secondly, every website of every guide at the clear water lakes that I fish suggests using fluoro due to the similarity in its refractive index to water. They all use it and fish these lakes daily. While I have no scientific evidence to support that fish can be spooked by the line, they believe it helps and my experience seems to be the same as theirs. I have more confidence using that leader in those lakes.

I face this conundrum as well. Many of the lakes I fish are highly stained and even muddy, especially in early spring. Cold water with highly stained to muddy conditions can be tough when the fish are suspended, though in many cases there will be structure nearby to which the fish are relating. If I recall correctly, while you may be able to see only one foot into the water the eyes of the bass can see much further. Find that structure and you should be able to keep the lure in the proximity of the bass. You obviously want a bait that will reach the depth of the fish but that will stay in the fish's face long enough for them to bite. The jerkbait is still a valid choice if you use a color scheme that allows the fish to find the lure, such as the "clown" color mentioned by J Francho. Keep in mind that if you use a lipless crankbait, a flat-sided crankbait, or a swimming jig you are still faced with the same problem that you faced with the jerkbait. You need the lure to pass very closely to the fish so they can find it. Lures that move water and make noise, but suspend or fall slowly are probably your best choices. Moving in on the fish quietly and dropping a spoon down to their depth is not out of the question.

While I don't base my fishing times on the wind, there is some truth to this. Low pressure systems rotate in a counter-clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere. The northern portion of a low pressure system is rotating from East to West due to the counter-clockwise rotation. The western edge of the system will have northeasterly to straight north winds. These winds coincide with the day after a cold front which tends to be a tougher day of fishing in a lot of cases.

Photoshop some antlers on your head.

What is the brand and model of your trolling motor? I run Minn Kotas and just search for Minn Kota Trolling motor shear pins. The kit contains 2 pins, 2 prop nuts, and 2 washers and there is always a description stating what diameter trolling motor the parts fit and what props they work with. I have bought a lot of shear pins online and never received the wrong ones. It is a bit of a bummer to pay shipping on such a small package but you are better off paying the extra bucks to get the right parts, IMO. You might be able to find yours on a site that provides free shipping if your purchase exceeds a specific amount.

I'm thinking seriously of getting one too. I've read a lot of positive comments regarding the casting distance of these reels.

You will be amazed at what you can feel with today's rods and a semi-slack line. Of course, there are times when the fish are not aggressive and even the most seasoned angler won't feel a bite. That's where the suggestions for watching your line, keeping a finger on the line, and checking for pressure or heaviness on the line come into play. All of us started where you are. It's just a matter of spending time with the baits and experiencing a few bites before it will all click for you.

I failed to mention that it would be good to know what the bass use as forage in that lake as well. If you have good structure and baitfish upon which to feed in the area, the bass will have everything they are looking for.

I answered your questions in a different order than you provided them. It depends. If you are able to fish larger lakes, depending on the size, it may take you longer to locate the fish. The fish may also have multiple locations they can use. Always. No matter the size of the lake apply any knowledge you can obtain about the season and bass behavior in that season. This will assist you in looking for locations that fit what the bass should be doing at that time of year and will help you to avoid fishing unproductive water that may contain no bass. What you learn can be applied to other lakes as well. See if you can locate a lake map with topographical features. If not, you can often determine what lies beneath the water by looking at the bank. Extending what you see on the bank into the water can give you an idea what is there (like fingers, points, creeks, etc.). From your study in the second question above, you should have some idea what the fish behavior should be at this time of year. Find areas on your electronics and from looking at the bank that fit the depths and structure the fish should be using. This is not an exact science and a bit of trial and error is involved. As an example, at this time of year and in your location I would suspect the fish are in pre-spawn. On multi-day warming trends you may find some fish up shallow in areas where they will spawn though the females may be hanging back on deeper structure. This all depends on the water temperature, the amount of daylight, and other factors that are difficult to quantify. However, no matter where they are you want to find structure that provides a path from deep water wintering holes to shallow spawning grounds. The bass will follow that path and could be anywhere along it depending on your weather and seasonal characteristics. Oh, and one more thing. Once you find them you have to determine what is the best presentation to trigger the most strikes or catch the biggest fish, depending on your goals.

Leviathan, I think you are correct. It is probably too early for the OP. I went back and added a bit to my post. He is in central Iowa and I am in Northwest Missouri. We still have water in the upper 30s to low 40s where I am at. His bass are probably still in a winter pattern.

You have a point that huge drops in temperature affect bass no matter where that change occurs in the temperature spectrum. However, with bass being cold-blooded creatures, it is unlikely that a Florida bass in 50 degree water will be as lethargic as a northern bass in water temperatures that are in the 30s. There is a huge noticeable difference in fishing water that is in the upper 40s to 50 degrees as opposed to the 30s. When fish live in water that cold they really slow down and do not eat often. Finding the right presentation to trigger a strike can be very, very tough. It is not the same as going from the 60s to the 50s or even upper 40s. To the OP, I am in Northwest Missouri and water temperatures here are still in the upper 30s to very low 40s. I suspect you are at least that cold or colder since you are further north. I would hope for a few days of warmth to bring the temperatures up a bit, but otherwise, you may have to fish a Winter pattern.

Very interesting post, Paul. I think the biological changes in bass that you discuss in your posts are very helpful to those who fish and aren't familiar with them. Great information!

This is an interesting subject and one that has been discussed a number of times here. There are scientific studies that seem to indicate that bass and other fish can be classically conditioned. (An Internet search will pull up a few. I've pasted one link below.) Even creatures with very little intellect have been shown to have this capability. How long that conditioning lasts is another matter. However, when on the water it all boils down to figuring out where the bass are and what to use to catch them. We can make educated guesses about why the fish aren't biting specific lures but we can never really know the tiny mind of the bass. Whether they don't bite on a particular day because of weather, conditioning, lack of hunger, incorrect presentation, etc is all speculation. Ultimately, we still have to figure out what lure will trigger the fish. http://www.sdstate.edu/nrm/outreach/pond/upload/Largemouth-Bass-Angling-and-Catchability-Mar-Apr-2006.pdf

That's a very interesting point of view, and, being a boater, it is one that I hadn't considered. Thanks for bringing it up.

As some have stated above, it depends on the lake. Almost every lake of a few hundred acres or more will have protected spots and many smaller lakes do also. The problem is driving through unprotected water to reach those spots. I have taken more than my fair share of chances on windy lakes, mainly because I have to fish when I get the chance or I won't be fishing very much. However, if I have a few lakes from which to choose, the wind speed will affect which lake I fish. Higher winds lead me to more protected lakes. If sustained wind speeds are 30 mph or higher I usually stay off the water. One question: I have noticed that when the wind speed is 20 mph at my house, on the lake it seems like it is higher. I have wondered if this is caused by different wind temperatures above land as opposed to above water leading to more turbulence. I have no science to back that up, but I was wondering if anyone else has noticed this or does it just seem more turbulent when I am on the water in a boat. I have read that extremely large lakes like the Great Lakes do have effects on weather due to the uptake of moisture but I wonder at what size that effect would become negligible to nonexistent.

Congratulations on your new PB! That's a very nice fish.

Awesome. To our new sponsors, thanks for your help paying our way. I'm not one to push products but I have no problem with speaking the truth. Seaguar is far and away my favorite fluorocarbon. I use Abrazx, Invizx, and Tatsu for the vast majority of my fluoro applications. I do occasionally buy another brand but only when I'm in a pinch and can't find Seaguar. I haven't used Optima batteries.

Jimmy, I would suggest that you go to the "Fishing Articles" and the "Videos" tabs at the top of the page and do some reading. I don't know how long you have been bass fishing, but if you are unfamiliar with using lines other than mono, or if you need to learn some different techniques like jig fishing, you will find plenty of information on those tabs for those subjects as well as others. You can also use the search function at the upper right to find subjects of interest in the forums. We are more than willing to answer any questions you have, but the articles and videos can really help too and they may even lead you to other questions that you wouldn't have thought of. Between the articles, the videos, and the forums, you can really learn just about anything you want to learn with regard to bass fishing.

That's a nice fish, Bluebasser, and a cool story as well.

Paul, I think it would help if you would be a bit more thorough.