Garnet

Raul is telling secrets so I will tell you Kim Stricker has competed with B.A.S.S. and now FLW and has a bait called the Strick9 Shiner it's the best plastic jerkbait. Also Kim DVD Smallies in the Neighborhood kepted me awake at nights the footages is so good. My other deal is to swim a vey light tube usally 1/8 with some lead trimmed off and then it's a case of speed some days slow and steady other days real fast. Garnet

Buck perry desribe deep water as being the deepest water in the area. So if you were up a creek that had a 20 ft hole that would be deep water even if the main lake had 60 ft. Garnet

Smallies are reel bad for being very long and super skinny. This fish could be anywhere from 4 to 6.5 I always look at the width across the back. Garnet

Deep water is a lake to lake thing some lakes I fish 4 ft is deep. Lakes like Erie skinny water is less than 20 ft. and deep is 40 ft. It's mostly anglers comfort zone and I've really worked hard at adjusting my game to bodies of water and style of fishing for success. Garnet

Thats a good point George I never ask guides about tourney success but what clubs they belong to assoc. ect. if they frequent any fishing forums. Then a quick search wll get club results maybe see some post on forums it all helps. I never ask for references because they are for the most part hand picked. Guides are not use to getting clients that have fished a lot so are sceptics on people abilities. The good guides pickup on on this quick the not so good guides are just struck on there abilities. Garnet

Another thing is gas consumption cuts in to a guide margins so I pay the guide fee plus gas and a tip not based on amount of fish but if I got the trip I asked for. The last guy I hired in Florida was the best but have not seen anybody naming names on this board. Garnet

I hire guides when in Florida and you need to really work to find 1 that will fish artificals. They all just want to shiner fish because it's very easy to get novice anglers hooked up. Be very clear what you want and that you no the fishing will be tougher. From the guides side he/she can't believe there luck when somebody can handle there eqipment. I'm even make it clear that I want to run the trolling motor some, helps my winter blues. Also if you want to technic specific fish like matt fishing in Florida this cuts your bites way down and guides get worried. All guides go for #'s spots and take better fish as they come. Be very clear what you want. I like to see resent tourney results and that the guide is actively fishing for enjoyment/competion. I like both phone and e-mail written record. Also don't book the day after a major tourney on his/she lake. If i've hired the right guide they are exhausted from fishing the event. Garnet

Now the answer is how to find smallmouth spots on the eastside of Pts. and Is. Look for pts. on the eastside that allow the waves to role down the shoreline. On 1 of my favorite lakes on windy days the gill fishermen will be just around the pt. in calm water theres not likely a smallie spot down this shore. If you see the gill fishermen 1/3 of the way down Is./pt. because the waters to rough theres proably a spot there. Then I judge how far in a heavy blow the waves will run down the shore and were they will be biggest with practice I've went right to some spots on strange lakes over the years. It's the same reason I like the middle of bays just on top of the drop off and exposed to the wind. Lots of my lakes you looking for sand and gravel because theres solid rock everywere the wind has pushed the sand and gravel up the drop off and on the flat add some weed and happy times. Garnet

I'm not saying that eastside of pts. have no smallies. But the place to start is the westside. The wind for centurys has kept the rock and gravel areas and moved the sand to the eastside. Current will change this but on this lake I don't think it's a factor. Garnet

Not sure of your smallie experince but they will be shallower than you expect. Always with smallmouth fish the prevaling windside of everything. Most of our wids go west to east so you fish on the west side of everything. The wind has been blowing the sand around pts. to the eastside leaving the westside with some rock and gravel. Garnet

Your focus is in the wrong area. You need to no what your jig feels like. When it doesn't feel like a 1/2 oz jig or a 1/8 thats a fish. This is the same with every bait Spinner bugs, jerks, dropshot, slugs.t-rigs,crigs. So learn your baits and set the hook oftened. Garnet

Thats easy just got home from Lake Simcoe Ont. Canada were it took 73 lbs to win a 3 day and 2 bags over 70 all Smallies. The water is like drinking water can see 20 ft. down. Lots of times you see the fish cast hook and watch the whole show. Just Heaven. Garnet

Life was great when I bought rake Sunglasses. Remember the raparound In Fisherman Glasses. Now Presripition and only $375-$425. I tried all the overfits clip ons and will buy the visor things. Had allways worn grey prescripition so it's was a big move to amber but the best move can see way better. Garnet

Color of crawfish and baitfish are related to the general color of the lake. Just look in the water when you arrivve. If it looks Black,Brown,Green, white,Sand no matter what color I see the most of thats were I start. Doesn't matter to me if I think it's BlueGill lake,Shad Lake,or Crawfish I will start with baits like Perch with Black or Dark Green tones if I see White in a Perch lake I'm looking for lighter colored perch tones. Garnet

jb this is the best thing to happen to your fishing. A fast boat,great electronic,cool rods and reels lots of baits are just cake. You work hard at finding fish without this cake and that will last a lifetime. everything you learn in the coves and backwater are just little lakes when you get out on the big water the only differents is you see further and when you get to the right spot it's just that spot in a cove. What Luck. Garnet

Flukmaster no's.......... I would started with a marker bouy and a reasoanably heavy jig. It's called the countdown method 1 mississipi 2 miss..... thats boring I hume a good tune and look for difference. To this day I no depth change without looking at the finder. When you find a depth change you need to mark the spot Look straight at shore and pick a object then to your left or right. Next time out you have a starting spot for now throw a marker and follow the depth change keep working until you have a good mental pic of the area. Keep looking at the relationship to your marker. When you contact fish mark the spot visaully. Now you can try all the different presentations. After some time you will stop using markers (they attract attention) and just work your way to fish. Garnet

Senkos 9 bass 7 in afternoon tourney and finnished 2nd still not to revved it's like the slugo thing 5 years after I'm hooked. Garnet

Avid knows but if you have to!!!!! find clearer water were smaller creeks drain areas. Try the down stream end of Islands if they have a bay and go to the very back. Some times the surface water is muddy and the deeper water is clearer. For me visit friends do yard dutys generally browny pts. with 1 eye on the river when conditions get right those fish will be biting. Garnet

With that slip float get a rubber core sinker big enought to sink the float and go to work. The steelhead guys call it pluming. Garnet

Raul you read Buck to. 25 years ago i could quote the whole book. And christmas trees are cover or objects. Needemp What a great lake that different color bottom or sand to clay could hold every fish in the lake. The fish could suspend and get active when shadows from clouds go by. A little 30 acre lake I'd have my camera down and go over every square inch. Garnet

I'd drop a christmas tree or 2 about 40 ft past the longest shore cast (if) legal. Garnet

Your first thing is water color at normal conditions. If the water is muddy and a lot of junk my first suggestion would cut the grass do a little lawn work couple honey dos. If you have to................ find clear water and the only way to do that is get to the bank even if you are in somebodys back yard or out past the barn there will be clearer water some were. Also with 3 main creeks 1 might stay clear or clear quicker. Also any super small drain ditches will clear quicker there might only 3-4 feet of clear water but it will have fish and replenish. If your lakes water is normally off color then look for water as close to that color or a current break. If the water running into your lake is very cold thats more bad news. Have Fun Garnet

I used all the methods talked about. Last year in Florida a guide showed me the bobber stop deal and I'm sold. Noticed on FLW Live video clips Larry Nixon on tjigs using a bobber stop. That makes me sold sold sold. Garnet

I like using the slip float rubbers a small metal bead then my worm wieght and some times a glass bead. Its a lot of stuff but I can make small adjustments quick. Garnet

In my area we fish both stain and clear water. In either situation i zoom my gps to the smallest scale .1/mile and only then do I enter a waypt. In some lakes I gps my boat position on others were I want my bait. I also enter all cal. gps or hand out gps as a 3 didgit # then when I'm there I scale to the .1/mile screen and enter gps and remove the handout. Even the pos of the antenna from boat to boat makes a Difference. Garnet