RoLo
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Posts posted by RoLo
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Will flukes work the same way as a hard jerkbait? Or is it too early to fish a fluke type bait.
Depends.
Hard jerkbaits are available in three different buoyancies:
> Floating Jerks (lighter than the water they displace)
> Suspending Jerks (weigh the same as water, i.e. neutral buoyancy)
> Sinking Jerks (heavier than the water they displace)
The fluke is a "sinking" soft jerkbait.
Roger
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'Fertilizer' (NPK) is at the bottom of the natural food chain
> Fertilizer provides nourishment for phytoplankton (microscopic plants)
> Phytoplankton provides food for zooplankton (microscopic animals)
> Zooplankton is the staple diet of prey fish (baitfish)
> Prey fish is sustenance for game fish
One thing I really miss are the Pay-to-Fish ponds strewn throughout the state of Georgia.
All the well-managed 'pay-to-fish' ponds were fertilized on a regular basis,
not to cure or prevent any problem, but to maximize population density and average weight.
Lake Butner (now Ono Road Lake) was a private, pay-to-fish pond managed for bluegill production.
It was regularly fertilized (along with alkali) and displayed the characteristic fertile pea-soup green color.
I've never seen so many cab-over bluegills in my life, than those from Butner Lake.
On a trek around the pond (no boats allowed), I encountered a woman sitting in a lawn chair
who had four 1-pound bluegills on a stringer. About 75 yds away was a fellow with five bluegills
that I'd estimate at least 1½ lb each. The lake record was 3-lb, 2-oz and that little pond
also produced monster cats and several 8-lb bass.
When I managed my tiny backyard pond in Georgia, I was able to control water clarity
using fertilizer to reduce clarity (increase nutrients) and liquid barley to increase clarity (reduce nutrients).
Roger
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This is one of those things that you will get a lot of opinions on and many will differ. I will give you my opinion on the subject. First I will suggest Bill Murphy's book it is the best book written on the subject of catching big bass. The lakes you fish may be a little different but the info in the book can still be applied.
1. I fish for big bass with what I consider the best big bass tactics for the lakes I fish. I was only skunked five times last year out of over 200 trips. Part of that is because I use tactics more along the line of Bill Murphy's when they fit and use the big bait tactics at other times. This is where there is a learning curve. Knowing when and where to use each. Bill Murphy's tactics will catch small fish as well as larger fish where throwing big baits culls some smaller fish. Also when it comes to swimbaits six inches is the size I catch the most big bass over ten pounds on. I caught an eight inch bass today on a six inch bait so the six inch bait will catch almost any bass worth catching and will still catch the giants. I hear guys here in the Southeast saying that on thier lake you have to have big eight inch plus baits on the lakes they fish to catch many big bass because of all the small fish. On the other side is guys that say the big baits will not work because they don't have enough big fish for them to work. Well I go to those types of lakes including many of the ones they are talking about and catch big bass on my five and six inch baits. Only time I start on a lake with a eight inch or larger bait is when it is a trout stocked lake or I already know the bigger bass are targeting large baitfish for some reason. If I just used big eight inch baits on all the lakes I fish I would both get skunked more often and catch fewer eight pound plus fish.
2. I have already covered this to a point. You can catch fish on big baits here in the South. But on most any lake I have been on the bigger bass target the larger five, six and seven inch size baits most often with six inches being the best size. Also, my number one big bass tactic is a splitshot rig with a six to eight inch straight tail worm and it works on lakes with lots of smaller fish as well because I have learned to look at structure and lake know where the larger fish live. But if you want to find a true big bait lake go to a good lake with stocked trout when they are stocking and throw big baits till you arm falls off. I know of a couple lakes in GA like this and the big bait (eight inch plus) fishing is almost too easy at times comapared to the lakes I usually fish. I am sure if you look real hard you can find one or two in Northern Alabama.
3. I actually spend less money now than I did in the past. I have finally found the few baits that work best for me and fit into my "big bass system". My swimbaits are mostly those priced in the $20 -$70 dollar range but I don't lose many in a year. With swimbaits don't waste money on junk baits and buy the best ones that work on your lakes and match the forage to start with. Plastic worms and jigs are the other things I use most and they don't cost any more than they would if I were after small fish.
4. Start at Guntersville to get your confidence. I know some people that killed them with swimbaits on Guntersville last year. One guy that I taught how to fish swimbaits had five that went over 40 pounds last year in the middle of summer. He had six fish all seven to nine pounds in about four hours of fishing. The best five were all eights and nines.
5. That would be your best bet or even find a buddy to commit to fishing just for big fish to shorten the learning curve.
6. If you don't ever commit to learning it you will still be fishing the same way years from now. You just have to decide if it's worth it to you or if you have the confidence to fish this way.
Good read Randall.
Frankly, I never get too excited about another angler's techniques or data, unless that is,
we're both fishing the same lake classification, same cover types', same bottom contour',
same 'water clarity', same forage base' and the same seasonal period'.
If any one of those criteria is contraindicative, that lottery ticket may be long in coming.
Randall, I know you've boated more than your fair share of double-digit bass,
so I was happy to read that your swimbait of choice is 6" long.
We've been up-and-down the ladder of length, and found that big bass eagerly hit small baits
and that small bass eagerly hit big baits. Although my wife prefers the 5" length, my favorite by far
is the 6" swimbait. Everyone has heard the oft espoused witticism, "Let the fish
tell you what they want". But if your swimbait is "too" large, it might snuff vital communication.
Roger
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In New York and Ontario we've often fished waters that hold both largemouth bass and pike.
Wherever both species occur, the northern pike is always the dominant predator.
Bass hold their own against hammer-handle pike, but do not knowingly comingle with large pike.
Whenever trophy pike move inshore, largemouth bass take their game into shallow backwaters.
When targeting bass in the backwaters, I'll take my lumps with pike, but it's never a big deal.
When targeting pike along the outer weed-line, I don't use heavy mono or steel,
but only use "titanium leader". Titanium is knotable (no need for sleeves), kink-resistant,
non-corrosive and it's also shock-resistant (it actually stretches.......a lot).
Roger
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Team9nine,
just curious, the lakes you tie braid directly to lure, how clear would you say the water is?
The average water clarity on the lakes I'm fishing ranges from 1.5'-3' typically, especially during summer with algae and plankton blooms, but toward the end of the season last year our water cleared up to the point of having visibility in the 4'-6' range. Even with the higher clarity of water in November and December I still had no problem catching bass on the flame green Fireline and red Power Pro braids. I didn't even bother throwing mono or fluoro those last couple months, or using a leader of any sort.
-T9
I'm in the same camp with T9.
I've used nylon monofilament line for most of my life (Trilene XL)
and when I switched to braided line (PowerPro) I began using a leader.
Early on, I used a fluorocarbon leader (uhh!), but soon switched to a copolymer leader (sufix siege).
Today I tie Fireline Tracer Braid direct to everything, regardless of water clarity
or lighting conditions. If there's any difference in catch-rate between using a leader
and not using a leader, it has eluded me.
Line color?
Line color is only important to me inasmuch as I can see the line.
Braid is very fine line and often difficult to see. Tracer braid is a little easier to see,
and I'm not even sure what colors they use. Bass eat rattleboxes, bullet sinkers
and large treble hooks; does anyone really believe they're afraid of line?
As I've often said, highly visible line helps fish to zero-in on the lure ;D
Roger
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The stick worms in my den cabinet could only be measured in pounds:
Ø Gambler Ace
Ø Yamamoto Senko
Ø Strike King Ocho
Ø Wave Worm Tiki Stick
Ø Yum Dinger
Ø Strike King Zero
Ø Netbait Salt Lick
Ø Bass Pro Stik-O
Ø Manns Freefall Worm
Still and all, fishing with nothing but drop worms would make for one BORING year
I'll give you two outings before you cave.
Roger
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We always take "six outfits" aboard: 3 pre-rigged by my wife and 3 pre-rigged by myself.
Regardless of what lure is pre-rigged, when push-comes-to-shove we both have access to 5 outfits.
We've come to prefer all-purpose spinning rods between 6' 6" & 6' 9" long, and for Florida's heavy cover
we use medium-heavy blanks (1/8 to 1oz lures <> 10 to 20-lb line).
All outfits are pre-rigged at home with the appropriate jig or hook,
but all soft-plastics are installed on the water.
For quick lure-change and experimentation, one of the 6 outfits always dons a snap (no swivel).
The lures chosen for pre-rigging are rarely the same from one outing to the next.
Roger
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The primary purpose for putting sent (lube) on a swimbait is... it lubes the bait. When a big fish gets a bait in its crushers you can swing for the fences and actually move the fish without getting a good hook up. I use megastrike myself but any lube with the consistency of vasoline will work.
Excellent!
Let's hear it for 'Petroleum Jelly'
Roger
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I used to live just minutes away from Lake Nona on Goldenrod Rd.
It sits right next to Orlando Int'l Airport, so I never bothered fishing it (maybe I should've).
I did fish Lake Hart though, a much larger water about 3 miles away,
and can attest to its fine fishery. I'm willing to bet that Nona also offers good bass'n.
California may be famous for its morbidly obese transplants,
but Florida is the only place in the world where a 10lb bass is possible
in ANY one of its myriad of ponds and lakes.
Roger
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I never have, but almost 55 years ago, my father, who was crippled, accidentally kicked his prized Pflueger Nobby and Conolon rod over the side of the boat while on a fishing trip in Canada. About 25 years later, a couple of guys with scuba gear retrieved it while diving near the spot where he lost it. My mother and brother went back there a couple of years later, and the lady who owned the lake gave it back to my brother. Much to all our surprise, the reel still worked perfectly. The rod,while glass showed some deterioration about the guide wrappings. Otherwise, it was hard to believe it had been under water that long.
WOW, that's a great story!
Not for nothing, but my first spinning rod was a blue Conolon 8-)
Roger
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The two previous replies are well stated. Some anglers say the slower parabolic action of glass allows the fish to take a bait deeper. I can't deny or confirm that. But, I can say glass rods are awesome when fishing treble hook lures. The attributes of glass help keep fish from tearing off. Glass absorbs the stresses of a fish that jumps or surges and the slow recovery keeps gentle tension on the fish. I saw my ratio of fish landed on crankbaits really improve since making the transition. It's well worth the investment.
BINGO!
In a word, "forgiveness".
Graphite is lighter, faster acting and therefore more sensitive than fiberglass.
Fiberglass is heavier, slower acting and therefore more shock-resistant than graphite.
For fish with soft keyholing mouths, fish caught on small gap trebles and lightly hooked fish,
fiberglass offers more forgiveness. For bluewater game-fish however,
anglers have another motive for favoring glass blanks. Sportfishermen in quest of giant tuna,
and blue marlin have gotten away from graphite blanks due to their brittleness
(prone to shatter), and tend to favor E-glass blanks.
Roger
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My sunglasses were also prescription (~$250) and though I was wearing a water-resistant watch,
it apparently escaped harm, because my hands spent most of the time hanging on the gunwale,
I also had to lay out and dry every document in my wallet
My watch was OK as it is water resistant down to a few feet. On the wallet, I must have had a premonition as I left it in the trunk of the car :
I'm glad we're having this discussion, because it's an important part of angling.
Though I joke about my age, I was in my teens when I first discovered
that getting back into a boat is a much different ballgame than bailing out of a boat.
The legs tend to float underneath the hull, making it difficult (or impossible with high freeboard)
to pull yourself up-and-over the gunwale. A couple of failed attempts,
and you'll be looking for the transom cutaway. Now...when you interject the loss of muscle tone
caused by hyperthermia, you've only got minutes to get yourself aboard.
Roger
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Reading all these stories I thought I would offer a tip just incase some one falls in and has trouble getting back in the boat. Work you way back to the outboard, using the trim switch on the motor trim the motor down. Stand on the cavitation plate, hug the motor and trim the motor back up all the way. The motor will lift you out of the water and you can slide down along the top of the motor right in to the boat.
Boy, you guys from Jersey are a crafty bunch
I never even thought of that, but that's a super idea.
I was jublilant just to remember the cavitation-plate,
but never gave the outboard tilt-button a thought.
Another good idea is to keep a "roll-up ladder" in a storage well,
which can be hung from the gunwale in the case of 'man overboard'.
Roger
Rage Eeliminator " ? "
in Fishing Tackle
Raul, you need to add two more Rage baits to your arsenal :
You've got to try the Rage Lobster, which is a rage craw with a man card.
You might also want to try the "Space Monkey", which places the emphasis
on the tail instead of the wings. Those big double claws generate big vibes
and stay active almost to a standstill.
Roger