cabullwinkle

I just went for the first time last week. We used flys that immitated a shad. They looked good in the water for sure and used a floating fly line. The weighted fly line resulted in a lot more snags. Fly fishing for bass, at least at our lake seems to be a disadvantage. Think about that big fat line slapping the water. Wondering if they are getting spooked. After about 2.5 hours of not catching any bass on the fly, switched to a spinning rod and caught a nice healthy bass within 20 minutes.

I rig them texas style with about a 2/0 wide gap hook. Another great application for these worms would be to use them on a shaky head. They have great action.

I just purchased a fish magnifier. It is guaranteed to increase the size of my fish when I tell stories by 15%. So far it works pretty well. No regrets. ;D

I have found that the best way for me to fish is to impose guidelines. My rules are that I need to fish some sort of a searchbait first (often times a spinnerbait, jerkbait, crankbait, or swimbait), if there is nothing there, I realize, that I change to something slower, either a worm, or jig. When I have about 20 minutes left to fish before I go home, I pick my weakest tackle and work it so that I get my practice in.

Agree with SoCalRob, use a couple different brands. I have come to like Bass Pro Shops XPS Flourocarbon. It seems to be strong, invisible and easy to tie knots with.

To fish a little faster, I might throw a paddle tail swimbait with a weighted hook. Also, a spinnerbait with willowblades with some wind on the pond might help out as well.

Get that line wet.

Look through the Cabela's and Bass Pro shops online catalogue. You should be able to find something similar to that.

The owners are Sharp Sharp Sharp. However, despite how sharp they are, I cannot bring myself to cough up the price they ask for those. I have used Gamakatsu hooks, and they are sharp as well and do great for me, and they are more reasonably priced for good solid hooks. In my opinion, go with the Gams.

Hey Guys, I like to use brush hogs a whole lot, these things have pretty good action. Great idea of using the senko.

You gotta think with a lake that shallow and that warm, cover is going to be that more important. The fish can't really swim deeper for cover. Key on those cover spots, weeds, patches, anywhere there are cattails or trees that cast shadows are probably a good idea.

I never check the fishing reports. You gotta put your time in, even if the bite is weaker than normal. It makes those fish much more appreciated. Also, by going out there more often and actually study the fish you are going to be a better angler. Knowing why a fish doesn't bite is just as important as knowing why they bite, if that makes sense.

Any of you pay attention to astro tables when you go fishing? Is the fishing really that much better during these periods?

Just like the other guys said here. A jig is a fantastic bait that should be relied on. Fish it like a worm and make sure to "match the hatch" also using trailers on these works really well. I have never really had a hard time feeling the bite because it is so similar to a texas rigged worm. However, often times I feel it is easier to determine the jig because it is a solid piece and i think that them biting down on them transfers more energy through the line rather than having a weight and a hook. Another way to fish a jig is to rip it off the bottom and let it freefall back down, pull up the slack and then do it again. If you are using a crawfish color, think about how crawfish move and try to replicate that. If you are using a baitfish color, think about how they move. Good luck, i'm sure it will soon be one of your favorites!

Next time you catch a big one, if you want a easy way to compare you catches, put a dollar bill up next to it. Everyone's got one.

All's I know is that every fish that has ever broken off was a certain world record breaker. Some of them may have smaller bodies, but they were very dense.

This does not sound so good at the spots that have increased fishing pressure. We're all going to have to get better just to catch fish in the future and continually adapt. (Just as they do). .

Fishing should not be considered exercise. You are not getting your heart rate up enough nor are you straining enough for it be considered anaerobic conditioning. You likely lost inches on your waist from being dehydrated. Water loss is very common when fishing because you are out in the sun all day. Once your water levels get back to normal it is likely that your waist will grow back to its normal state. Fishing does wear you out, but that is likely due to the mental factor of it. With bass fishing we are constantly analyzing the situation and that takes work and can tire us out. You are also standing on your feet all day. But this is nothing compared to your more physical jobs such as construction. All in all, don't rely on fishing as exercise, but as a more active activity.

I fished my spinnerbaits yesterday without any hits. It was a good experience though because I became more familiar with different retrieves. Have any of you guys had luck with the spinnerbait, on a wake retrieve (skimming just under the surface to create a wake) in open water?

I choose my lures based on water clarity and forage for the color. For the type of lure I base it on the vegetation in the area. Also, wind is a factor to which type of lure I will throw.

Thanks guys for this input. I always thought that to maximize a spinnerbait, you need to run it into things. If you are fishing a lake that does not have much vegetative cover, how are you guys fishing it? are you slow rolling it? or burning it across the top. I'd be very appreciative of your advice.

It is a great big beautiful lake. You should make your way up there. If you want a fishing buddy, let me know before you go.

Guys, Help me out with something here. Are bass hitting your spinnerbaits at SoCal's big lakes? The forage seems to be high with all of the bait fish and trout at these lakes and it makes me wonder if it is hurting the spinnerbait bite. I also don't see too many people throwing these types of baits. Please weigh in with your two cents, even if you do not fish these lakes. Thanks

I would say that Bass definitely do get conditioned to certain baits. I fish at what can be a VERY hard lake to fish at times. I partially contribute this to the fishing pressure that gets put on the lake. Also, here is a thought for you. It is much more common to catch smaller fish than bigger fish. This could possibly be because they have not seen all of the lures and have not been around the block. There are many posts that talk about numbers vs. quality fish. Numbers are typically smaller.

I don't think function is dorky. I would rather wear a big hat than a sunburn that makes you look like a lobster. 8-)