Bass Junkie

Touche', my friend. I guess I was makin' excuses....... I was brainwashed. I consider myself good, but thats my HO. I know I need to work on my fishin', and it will take me a long time to get anywhere near where I would like to be, so sorry........Now, if I could just find those Culprits.............

WOW!!! I Didn't expect such a response, especially all of 'em bein' positive. Once those marketers force feed ya enough, ya kinda buy into it, even if you doubt it..........The whole conditioning thing kinda makes since, but for me its just one 'o those things that comes to your mind during/after a bad day of fishin'!!! Looks like I'll be stockin' up on the "standards", and concentrate on makin' a good presentation. Anyway, The bad bite at the pond afformentioned and the marketers force feedin' can kinda brainwash a bas fisherman. Even a good one ( I know, shameless, but true........I hope )

We've all heard it, " The fish are conditioned", or " The days are gone when you can win wit a spinnerbait". And the pros seem to beleive it, as you never see a pro throwin' a spinnerbait.The pros also almost never throw any of the older lipless baits, 'cause again, "The fish are conditioned". I am startin' to beleive it to, as it seems Ican never get a bite on the "Standards" of the older or weekend warriors box, such as "Traps", spinnerbaits, or just about anythin' Walmart sells. I have especially noticed this in a highly pressured pond near my house. It seems impossible to catch fish on the normal baits, and 90% of the time it seems you must downsize, burn, or trick out your lures to make them different from what they normally see. Either that or throw baits like froggies or swimbaits, that your average weekend warrior dosen't throw, or that is hard to "Pattern" or become conditioned to. So,do the old baits like Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, 7" Berkley Power Worms, Pop-R's, ect. still produce, especially in pressured waters?? Just somethin' I've thought about lately. I mean, you would see the guys back in the late 80's through nineties throwin' alot of spinnerbaits and absolutely SLAYIN' 'em, but when was the last time you saw a pro take top honors wih a spinnerbait?

Fall is comin' here in Ohio, and I know the fish are gonna turn on. I only had one really good day last year, when I caught several good fish in a couple of hours at a local pond. I can't seem to find what the fish want. Or where they are. I tried several differnt things last year, including a suspending jerkbait, shakyhead, spinnerbait, and several other things. I don't know what the fish are doin' know, though they are rather active, or what they'll be doin' in a month, when the big change should come. So............What should I throw? Sorr if its a dumb question, but I don't get to do much fall fishin', and the fish seem to transition awful fast.....

Get yourself some 8lb mono or 30lb. braid, bobber stops, slip bobbers, #4 lightwire aberdeen hooks and 2 dozen minnows. Go to your favorite lake, find a bridge and fish the pilings. Locate the crappie by tightline jiggin' your minnie, then set your bobber to that depth. Also, try submerged brushpiles in 6-15 ft of water. In spring, try as shallow as three. Once you find the productives spots in your lake, try usin' artificials like chin spinners,curlytails ect. One of the most exciting ways I've used is flippin' and casting a 1/8oz. Blue Fox chin spinner in firetiger. Bluegill, Crappie and Bass.

Hey, at least it taste good. And chill-ax 'bout it not bein' released. The ecosystem isn't gonna crumble 'cause the fish wasn't released. The guys I fish with fish for food. They keep crappie and bass. I have no problem with that. I encourage them to release smaller crappie or bigger bass, but its their fish, they caught it, the state says they can keep it. Chill-ax!!!!!

As stated before, you don't have to use a frog hook, but It helps the frg last longer. Also, if the covers not to thick, try adding a trailer hok, point up, betwen the legs. I catches short strikers and will hook fish even if you set the hook a bit to early. Oh, yeah. Try usin' the trailer hook in heavey cover. You'd be suprised how easy it comes through!!!

Nice fish!!! Did he do some acrobatics???

I fish a reservoir with medium-clear water clarity, depending on what part of the lake your un. It gets to about 30 ft. by the dam, and has some areas tha average around 12-14ft. Its not a really rocky lake, though some areas have rocks, if that makes sense : It does have quite a bit of rip rap though, and plenty of craws. My question i, where can I find smallmouth in this lake? I know they're in here, as I've caugt afew, but not many. Ten at the most. Granted, I'm usually fishin' laydowns with largemouth lures, but I rarelly catch smallmouth. This lake is not the best lake, as there is quite a bit of competition for the food available, but its my home waters, and I don't plan on changin' that : Anyway, how can I catch more smallies. I know its kinda hard to tell w/o seein' the lake, but can you guys offer up some advise?

I got a couple pics if ya don't mind seein' it on a stringer.............. Had to keep it :-[ One of the guys I fish with ues the eye method on these things, and he kinda blinded it :'(

Thanks guys!!! Looks Like I'm gonna pick up around three packages, Baby Bass, Smoky Joe, and Watermelon. I'll go from there. Nice to have plastics as cheap as zooms available so you can get three or for colors no sweat.

to the forum. You'll love it!!!

Yikes!!! You're gonna sink the boat with those!!!! Lucky you.......And good :-? for ya.....I thinkLOL

Any wire cutters will work, and as for heatin' the wire, I've never had to. Hope this helps!!!

Touche'.................I had known of them from the catalogs, so I thought they floate. Sorry.............. :-[

I haven't used it, but its designed to float, so here ya go...........http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_15642_100007001_100000000_100007000_100-7-1. Also, some hand pours: http://www.***.com/descpageSFWBERKLEY-BFWH.html http://www.***.com/descpageZPOURZIPSOFT-ZSHOT.html http://www.***.com/descpageMSB-MSST.html There's several more if ya search "Hand Pour" on Tackle Warehouse. Hope this helps, Bass Junkie

To shorten the arm simply cut the arm to the length you want, leavin' a bit of extra wire to form a loop in the wire to secure the swivel with the blade. As for making a double willow a single, just slide off the blade and beads and stuff while your shortening the wire. Hope this helps!! Also, use needle nose pliers to form the loop, and make sure the blade is attached good, but the swivel can swing freely, if that makes sense.............

and have fun. This sites great!!

Welcome. And boy WHAT A FISH!! You got yourself a hog there. Keep pullin' 'em, nd enjoy the forum. Its ADDICTING!!!!

but I showed him a thing or two with my 10' texas rigged worm 10 foot worm??? I know 'bout big bait big fish, but that to extreme!!!LOL J/K, glad to hear you heard a good day!!! And boy oh boy a hybrid!! Good job. BTW, wheres this pond

Thats just wrong...........................

What do you guys prefer in the way of fluke colors? I have heard just about every color works, but I don't know. I'll be using' them in clear water for the most part, so I was thinkin' baby bass, but would like to know what you guys prefer........... I'll be tossin' them weightless for the most part, maybe with a nail weight for a little deeper waters. But Anyway, what should I get???

Nice fish!! Good to see it. Is that a Red Shad worm???? "Yea the bait monkey was on me hard last night and two nights ago. I restrained knoing i needed to learn the stuff i had but its gonna be hard not to stock up on lots of plastics " You can stock up on 'em. Check out ***!!!

No, You will be promptly arrested upon proceding to fish firetails in clear water. Touche'. But really, it don't seem right...........................

Good Job!!!! Always nice to catch some nice 'uns, and to be out with your dad