Panamoka_Bassin

Vegetation is perhaps one of the best indicators for bass, I think. I find that my best results in the lake come form fishin the weeds. After that, I'd have to say I look for other cover like stumps, logs, trees before I go looking for structure. Many times I have to settle for structure as many lakes and ponds up here don't get "vegetated" until mid-late summer.

So I've been on this site for some time now, and have yet to see anyone mention the use of waders when fishing. Myself, I find it much easier to get to the tighter places in ponds and lakes when in the water when wearing waders. Also, they're a heck of a lot easier to carry around in the back of my truck than a canoe. Anyone else use waders, and if not, is there a particular reason for not using them? I know the basic responses like "They're dangerous" or "You might spook the fish," but these can be dismissed once you KNOW how to fish in waders...

Well, if the Scot is already a seasoned fisherman, then the hard part is done. Just set him up as you would set yourselves up, perhaps making sure he's comfortable, but pretty much let him fish. If after a little while he isn't having any luck, then maybe you should be more active in his fishing. As for lures, I agree that moving lures would certainly be easier for him to use if he's never been bass fishing, so set him up with topwaters, or maybe some cranks. From my own experience, I wouldn't try him out on spinners, buzz-baits, or anything else "fancy" until you're sure what kind of fisherman he really is. Who knows, he might just out fish you without any help from you

Just to play devil's advocate here, a bit, what do you think of "antics" like doing a touchdown dance or a baseball player pumping his arm in the air after a homerun? Is that over the top or is it enthusiasm? Some of it may be showmanship, but for the most part I feel it is a genuine show of emotion, and shouldn't be condemned. Remember Brandy Chastain in the summer Olympics when she pulled off her jersey after scoring the winning goal? Was that over the top? Perhaps, but it was also an unabashed release of emotion, the likes of which are seen in every sport, from tennis to basketball to bowling. Competition gets our adrenalin pumping higher and higher, and at some point will need to be vented. If Ike was a member of a team and gave his partners a high five or a slap on the butt after catching a nice fish, would we disparage him as much? I think not. Just because no one's acted like him in fishing before, it doesn't make it wrong or over the top. What some people feel goes against the grain of the norm is what makes them dislike what he does. But without going against that grain, change will never come, and from there stagnation. And as we all know, a stagnant pond will soon be choked out by weeds and then there will be nothing but smelly swamp water...

"What are we gonna do tonight, Brain?" "The same thing we do everynight, Pinky, try to take over the world" LMAO (Sorry, sometimes I get overtaken by cartoons in my mind)

Good for you, mate! I'll meet you by the back door for some "discounts"...lol

I agree with the thinking here, and have had some success. That's not to say I haven't had BETTER luck before the storm is over, but when the rain does stop, it doesn't mean the fishing has to.

Not that I know these things for sure, but I always thought Sam Rayburn was among the best lakes to fish...or should that be in the past tense?

Well, this actually came up not too long ago, so mebbe people just skipped in and out... http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1135141467

Hey, welcome to a great place with a great bunch of people! BTW, does your wife have a sister? I need a new boat...

This talk about hooks and hook-sizes got me to remember something I read in a book. Shaw Grigsby uses a 1 HP hook in a lot of his plastics. I can't say I really know what this means, but from the picture, it looks almost like a circle hook, but more oval. He says the reason for this is that its easier for the bass to push the hook through the bait and therefore easier to set the hook. I haven't tried this myself, but it may be helpful just to switch to circle hooks rather than a regular worm hook. Could be worth a shot, anyways.

I am probably in the 150-200 days area (I know, its a big swing). I am lucky enough to have a pond and lake adjacent to my house, so I walk out and start fishing every day. Also like rogue, I practice only c&r, with the hopes that when I catch that fish next year it will be that much bigger

I can't say that the weather dictates whether or not I go fishing, but it will certainly determine HOW I fish on those days. If I know a front or low is coming, I'll tend to be more bottom oriented, but if its sunny I'll use different colors and lure types than if its cloudy. I don't let the weather detrmine when I fish, I just adjust to it the best I can.

We have a similar problem up here, but its with the salt water. People think that if they have a house that faces water, they own as far as the eye can see. Here in NY, as far as salt water goes, the law states that a land owner can control up to the high tide mark. I have had words more than once with home owners, and all I was doing was walking on the beach. What they really don't understand is that that high tide mark can be taken and measured during a storm period, in which they lose more beach. The way I see it, if its a natural resource, then everyone should have a chance to enjoy it. Fish the guy's dock all you want, Avid, just don't walk on his property or tie up like Chris said. Throw the anchor and sit there all day, catch "his" fish, and then come back the next day and do it again until the fish are so shy they wouldn't eat if you put a worm down their thoat. Then yell at him when he comes to fish your dock....

Yeah, for real, Long Island has been shut down for over a month now Mebbe I need to take a fishin' vacation...Hmmm...

I think that's PLINKO, but I believe that's about the same as plinking...sounds about right, anyways.

This summer, the level in the pond next to my house (only about .5 acre, a puddle, really) was WAY down. The fishing, though, was way up. Things got really hot in early October, then it rained for a week, and the water level went a foot above the highest level I'd seen. Unfortunately, the fishing cut off VERY dramatically. The only places I've been able to find fish is very tight to the bushes in the water and around one old clump of dead lillies, and those fish are exceptionally shy. Gimme low water anytime 8-)

LBH, I'm out skiing in Squaw Valley in February...Should I bring a rod with me too?

That would be nice...also, I've never seen a senko that looks like the slugs around here, brownish-green with black spots

Lotsa variables to think about there, hop. The best I can tell you now is stay away from the surface plugs...c-rigged worms (maybe with a little tear-drop spinner) or anything that's flashy and makes noise. That is, unless the water is absolutely clear (but that is a rareity in the rain), in which case I would try t-rigging a tube.

Let's look at it this way... We'll put a hook through your lip, drag you fighting 30 feet through the water, yank you up against the side of the boat, keep you out of the water for 5 minutes, and expect you to be fine and dandy. Its amazing these fish live at all after the abuse we give 'em. Sometimes, fish just die.

The way I see it, a "pro" is anyone who makes money from fishing. Period. Whether they be a TV show host, or a tourney pro, or even a guide, they're all pros. None of them could fish in the olympics (well, in the original sense, neways). That being said, my top three choices are: 1) My Dad (spent a lifetime commercial fishing, took the knowledge and applied it to fresh water) 2) Tred Barta (Ugh, I can't believe I actually consider this boob a friend, but as arrogant and obnoxious as he is, he's a helluva fisherman) 3) Jimmy Houston (growing up, he was the only guy on TV that actually gave any information about how to fish [at least in the 3 to 5 minute teaching segment of the show]) -Although the first 2 guys are primarily salt water anglers, the lessons the taught apply to fresh water as well. Jigging is jigging, walking the dog is walking the dog, etc, no matter the type of water or species.

I, too have had some problems getting fish to stay with top-water lures. I tend to have the best luck with a little spook I walk the dog with, usually by just letting the lure sit still after a miss, perhaps giving it a little twitch like rattletrap said. My biggest problem with topwaters comes with the frog I use over lillies, but I generally think of that as a design issue with frogs. I don know, though, that with topwaters you genrally want the fish to get a good hold of the lure before you set the hook. I don't wait as long as I would with a tube, but I will let the fish "run" for a second before giving him a nice new lip piercing. There is nothing that gets my blood pumping more than seeing a bass explode through pads, especially when you're not fully expecting it.

[move]MERRY CHRISTMAS EVREYONE![/move] and [move]HAPPY NEW YEAR![/move]

Last spring I took my 10 y.o. nephew to the pond by my house. I think he'd been fishing once or twice before, so he knew the basics, but I did have to show him some tips. First, I thought something that you reel in, rather than jig, would be a good idea, at least he's doing something active. So I set him up with a little Mepps spinner. Then I made sure I knew there were bass to be caught where we were. We fished for a little while, and as he's looking a little bored, a bass makes a huge attack at his bait, and his eyes lit up like he's going to explode. He didn't set the hook, so I made sure he knew how to do that, and told him to cast right where the bass first hit. This time when the fish went for the bait he set the hook and fought for a few minutes until he pulled in a nice 2 pounder. The rest of the day he had hits and misses, I know he truly enjoyed it. He keeps asking me to take him, and to be honest he's a real treat to have around. In fact, I think I learn just as much from watching him as he does from me. I just wish I had a cool uncle when I was growing up.