DDbasser

geedavid, Good luck in Michigan!!!! The pumpback is pretty empty right now, they drew it down to do some work on it, not sure exactly what they did though!! We go to Canton to fish for walleyes and to deer and turkey hunt , I have too much good bass water around here to travel very far to bass fish. Unless it's for a tourny. I have'nt fished the pumpback in years!! you can't even unload a boat that has a gas engine on the lake, electric only. And there's not much access from the bank unless they have made some in the last few years. Skiatook lake is the one I've been asking all the questions about, it has a great smallmouth fishery and there's some speculation that the next state record could come from there. After talking to my fishing buddy, I think we are making one real major mistake when we are trying to catch the smallmouth, I think we are sitting the boat right on top of where we should be fishing, in 20 feet of water will that spook the smallies? Do I need to back off and make longer cast's? we've been fishing pretty much straight down with our jigs. Trying to keep the structure i'm fishing on the sonar. Do I need to drop a bouy on the structure then back off and fish it?

Thanks for the reply's!!!! I'll have to give some of your suggestions a shot this weekend!! We've been fishing an afternoon jackpot on Saturdays from 1-4pm on this lake, it's been taking a 4 1/2# smallmouth or better to get in the money, with a good largemouth every now and then (last Saturday a 5.8 largemouth took 1st but 2nd through 4th were smallmouth from 4.2 to 5.0#'s. I know a couple of the guys that are catching the better smallies, in fact they have placed in the money twice 1st once and 3rd once, and both times we were fishing the same bank on similar structure using the same jerkbaits. I'm starting to get a little frustrated with the smallie's. But I ain't givin up!!!! Please keep the info flowing!!!!!! GeeDavid, Where you located in Western Ok??? I get out around Canton and Black Kettle a few times every year. But I live in Catoosa just east of Tulsa.

I have several questions for those of you that catch smallies on a regular basis. How do you go about locating them? The lake i'm fishing on is fairly clear with tons of rocks and lots of standing and fallen timber, the lake is about 20 years old and has 3 main creek channels running through it with several feeder creeks coming into the main creek channels. The average depth of the lake is 32 feet and ranges from 1 foot in places to 90+ feet in places. There are several main lake points that drop off into creek channels and the creek channels have lots of bends in them. I catch a few smallies here and there, but the lake has a real good population of 4-6 pound smallmouth I just can't seem to catch anything over 2 pounds. I've thrown jerkbaits(rouge's, LC pointers, and husky jerks), spinnerbaits and all sorts of plastics rigged every way you could imagine, crankbaits and jigs. Right now, the water is slightly stained visibility is about 3 feet, and the surface temp is 46-49 degree's. Please teach me!!!!!!!!

CJ, Thanks for ther reminder!!! I often get caught up in thinking about my next spot or next cast and end up working a lure the same old way and not varying my retrieve or presentation.

I have a daughter and a son that both love to fish. I have been taking them since before they were walking, not in a boat but from the bank. What was said in another reply is correct, kids just want to catch fish and if you really want them to enjoy it then leave your rods at home and give them all your attention at least for the first few trips until they have learned to bait their own hooks and cast their own lines. You also want to take some snacks and drinks, and if you intend on fishing during the first few trips you may even take some coloring books or some other form of entertainment for the kids, that way when they get bored they can do something else while you fish. A young child under 10, I wouldn't even consider putting in a kayak, I take my nephews out in my 19ft bass boat and it's chore keeping them from falling out of it sometimes. We go crappie fishing with my younger nephews, my older ones love to bass fish and can stay at it all day long. For age reference, I have 1 niece age 11 I have 4 nephews ages 9,11,13,and 16 My kids are : Daughter 20 and married Son 17 will be 18 in March Most fond fishing memory with the kids: Eufala lake NE Oklahoma last spring, the crappie were on the bank spawning,I took my parents my little sister, her husband and 3 boys and one of their friends my wife and I, we went through 2 pounds of minnows and probably caught over 200 crappie, I cleaned 80. Those kids kept me busy retying lines, removing fish, baiting hooks, and running to the bait shop for minnows. It was an awesome day!!!!!

Hey JT, GOOD ONE!!! almost had me too!!!!! Wonder how many guys only read the headline and started having anxiety attacks??

Thanks JT, I can't wait to read your articles.

Now aren't you glad we twisted your arm and made you go fishing!!!!

Ya can't catch 'em from the couch!!!!! Anyday fishing is better than, well just about anything. Whether you catch 'em or not. This past Saturday I fished a 3 hour jackpot air temp was 57 degree's water temp ranged from 46-48 degree's and it rained for the better part of the 3 hours that we were on the water. We didn't get anything in the boat, my partner lost one, but 11 of 18 boats weighed in fish and 1st was a 5.8 largemouth, 2nd was a 4.8 smallmouth. (I had said in an earlier post that the smallmouth weighed 5.8, my mistake.) Go get 'em

Just my opinion, but they can pass all the laws they want and it still want make a hill a beans to some yahoo that wants to get lit and show off his brand new 90 mph boat. We have a ton of traffic laws and still accidents are too frequent. Yes it would keep those of us that respect the rights of others and the law safe from each other( but since we are already watching out for ourselves and those around us we don't need any more laws or restrictions) but not from those that don't care.

Hey Rattletrap, you've got it all wrong!!!!! you just need to introduce them to the great addiction called fishing!!! ;D My wife loves to fish as much or more than I do!!! I can barely get out of the house to go fishing without her!!!! And My kids love to fish also, they've been fishing since before they could walk.

In my mind, : the best fisherman would be the guy that can go out and catch bass regardless of size, whether it's 85 degree's and sunny or 32 degree's and snowing. The guy that can catch bass shallow and deep with a variety of lures and techniques, day in and day out!

Man, and I thought I had problems!!!!!! I've been sitting in front of the TV watching KVD's video's (for the, well I lost count time) while pitching a jig to a cup in the corner of the room. Oh yeah I almost forgot, and fishing every Saturday, Sunday and sometimes in the morning before work. Oh man, I gotta get going I have a winter jackpot at 1:00 this afternoon!! NOPE, No problems here!!!!!

Hey Fishie, If your subdivision has a Home owners Association, you could attend one of the meetings and suggest stocking the ponds, first you need to get some idea of the cost(if you have a fish farm do it) or the other option is to contact your local DNR and see if they will stock it for you. Here in Ok we have a program where the Wildlife Dept. will stock your pond for free, BUT you have to let everyone have access to it and you have to have a state Licsense to fish it. If it's a private pond and you stock it then you don't need a licsense. Most of this info should be on your states DNR website. Good luck ;D

I belong to 4 different clubs, the dues and tournament fee's are about the same for each. Except for the Triton Team Trail it's kind of exspensive(#4) (1) yearly dues $80 per team $50 per tournament 90% payback (2) yearly dues $50 per team member $40 per tournament (3) yearly dues $50 per team tournament fees $50/$100 double up per team 100% payback (4) yearly dues $50 per team $200 per tournament

Hey BBP, Just trying to help get a full field. You know what they say, MO money, Mo money Mo money!!!!!!! ;D

I read an article in Bassmasters magazine about the huge spotted bass in some of Georgia's and South Carolina's lakes. The DNR is attributing their size to a non-native bait fish the Blue back Herring. It is unlawful in most states for an individual to introduce non-native species to a body of water. That could be the reason behind the new regulations. In order to prevent accidental release of a non-native species into a body of water. Or it could be a plot by animal rights activist to reduce fisherman numbers!!!

Anyone with a handle like Triton21 has to be ok!!!! welcome aboard, BTW I own a Triton Tr-186.

I fish for bass around 75 to 100 days a year!! 8-)

I had a lucky hat with a fish hook clipped to the left side of the bill, but like Bass Hammer I donated it to the lake last weekend. So I'll have to find some other lucky piece of clothing or hat to wear!!!

Well, this winter has seen above average temps here in Oklahoma. It's supposed to be 72 degrees tomorrow. Water Temps on most lakes are in the high 40's to low 50's. So we've been fishing the last 2 weekends.

Like several others have stated, I don't let the conditions dictate whether or not I go but rather how I fish. The only exception is severe weather if it's lightning i'm gone!! Can't catch 'em from the couch!!!

I read that article a while back, and can't say that I agree with it! When I was researching the different Trails and Clubs here In NE Oklahoma, I first checked the tournament results from each lake. A limit of 2 pounders in most of our tournaments would place you about midway in the standings. It takes on average 15 lbs to place in the money on most of the bigger tourny's here and 17+ to win.

Hog Hunters bass club in Tulsa Oklahoma has several openings here's a link to their website: www.hoghunters.com

Replica, If you're looking for a bass fishing mag try Bassin it's real good and the people at Bassin are nice and good to deal with. I also receive FLW Outdoors magazine I like it but wish there were more articles on bass and less on saltwater, maybe some day they'll have 2 seperate mags!!! I also like Bassmaster magazine!!!! Good luck!!