RoLo

For largemouth bass, there's probably no finer region than central Florida, but the question specified a diversity of freshwater fish and that leaves Florida in the lurch. For a variety of freshwater species, I'd have to go with Ontario and Quebec in Canada. (smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, walleye, salmon, trout, etc). For a variety of freshwater fish within the United States, I'm with Roadwarrior. I think an angler would be very hard pressed to beat Tennessee, though I wouldn't care to trade winters! Tennessee has beautiful geography, and an abundance of clean rivers and impoundments. When we stayed in Celina, TN on Dale Hollow, we visited Nashville on several occasions and found it to be an appealing, full-featured city. LARGEMOUTH Kentucky Lake Percy Priest Nickajack Lake SMALLMOUTH Dale Hollow Reservoir, TN (Holder of current world-record and it ain't goin nowhere) Kentucky Lake, TN (In a tournament, Rick Clunn caught "two" 5lb, 10oz smallies!) WALLEYE Tims Ford Reservoir Centerhill Reservoir Dale Hollow Reservoir (Home of the world's second largest walleye: 22lb, 4oz) Roger

Well, it's fun kicking this around, but we'll never know for sure. There are a few things however, that we do know for sure: 1. The Californian phenomenon was only possible through man's intervention, after Florida-strain bass were transplanted outside thier natural range. Fine, but in 1932 there was no Florida-strain transplantation. Indeed it is possible that Perry's bass was a Florida-strain bass, but Montgomery Lake, Georgia is on the "northern edge" of their natural range. 2. We know for sure that record-fish certification was Very Sloppy back then. The 69-lb, 15-oz world record Muskellunge stood for many years. Just before he died, Len Hartman confessed to adding lead weight to his fish. His musky wasn't even close to 69-15. The 25lb-0oz world-record walleye caught in Old Hickory Lake, TN was likewise struck down! 3. There is one other thing we know for sure, and I only learned this recently. It's pretty obvious that everyone wants to believe that Perry's fish is legitimate (me too) Roger

T_Mike, I have to agree. It might well be a legitimate freak of nature (like the smallmouth discrepancy), but I sure have my druthers. Roger

1,300 miles

With the glaring exception of humans, most creatures of nature have an excellent sense of smell. I don't know the answer to your question, but I fully suspect that a dog's sense of smell is far superior to that of a bass. Bass are predominantly sight feeders, whereas canines are routinely employed to unerringly track prey, solely through their sense of smell. In olfactory studies using canines, only humans that were identical twins tended to confuse the nose of a dog. Roger

The closest I can come is Ralph Manns, who published: "Black Bass Myths" another site Roger

I'm sorry....could you repeat that. I was distracted by that boat

Low_Budget_Hookers, Your November video is just too Kool! (pun intended) I'm glad to hear that you and I have witnessed (benefitted from) the same phenomenon. In a recent thread, What is your weakest time to fish, I stated that mine was when the air temperature is lower than the water temperature AND the temperature is falling. I was really shocked that no one else went there, in my book it's the most important variable! If we look around we see plenty of evidence. The all-time heaviest B.A.S.S five-fish stringer was set in 2001 by Dean Rojas (45lb, 2oz). Preceding that tournament was a severe cold spell and Dean Rojas got a water reading of 57 degrees on January 14. Then 3 days later on January 17, 2001, the first day of the tournament, he got a reading of 62 degrees (5-degree increase in 3 days). That was the day Dean caught 5 bass averaging 9 pounds each! It's ironical, everyone seems to understand the negative effects of a cold front, but no one is talking about warm fronts which is just as influential, only in a positive way. Roger

Hawg_Hunter, Beautiful bass! Low 40s, phew that's really pushing the envelope. As you mentioned, "rocks" (and rip-rap) are particularly good in coldwater situations. During a sunny winter day they accumulate solar gain, much like the trombe wall of a solar home. For that matter, trombe walls too generally peak in temperature during the late afternoon. In keeping with both our experiences, I think the influence of water temperature trend is most useful during the winter months. Roger

KU_Bassmaster, I'm glad you brought that up. In New Jersey where I used to live, the metabolism of bass was so slow during the winter, that they were referred to as 'semi-dormant'. It was during the winter in New Jersey when I first suspected the importance of the water temperature trend. My buddy and I were fishing with water temperatures in the 40s. It was a bright sunny day, it was mid-afternoon and it was unseasonably warm and mild. We were about to throw in the towel when my buddy chunked his lure into the shallow stump-line and hooked a beautiful bass. Though it only lasted about 10 minutes, we caught four big bass back-to-back from shallow water like it was springtime. The bass were apparently sunning in 3 feet of water at the ledge of the creek channel that dropped quickly into 15 to 20-foot of water. Of course I realize that a couple of incidents are not enough to prove a theory, which is why I'm looking for more input from the fellows to undermine or reinforce my own experience. Roger

In a recent thread we all disclosed the conditions that personally intimidate us the most. Looking over that thread it seems as though two circumstances tend to dominate the nemesis: > Fishing during the winter > Fishing during a cold front I have a hunch that if we took this to the next level we might arrive at an even stronger conclusion. As we all know, fish are cold-blooded animals and their behavior is dictated by water temperature and not by their own free will. Regardless, I've always believed that the current TREND of water temperature may be more important than the "numeric" temperature level. For instance, even during the wintertime, if the water temperature is rising smartly, you may enjoy fishing that resembles late spring (it's happened to me more than once). Inversely, it's not uncommon to experience poor activity during optimal water temperatures in spring. The reason I believe, is because the water temperature is currently in a downtrend (cold front, etc.). This is usually, but not always caused by air temperature (e.g. wind seiches, coldwater feeder creeks, et al). The theory I'm proposing implies that the water temperature trend may have an even greater impact on fishing activity than calendar season. Since winter is characterized by falling water temperatures, there'll be fewer good fishing days. Since spring is characterized by rising water temperatures, there'll be more good fishing days. I've monitored this theory over the years and have verified it to my own satisfaction, but that's not good enough. It's difficult if not impossible to factor out personal bias and predisposition. It would be far more convincing to me and to you if we all kept our eye on the water temperature trend throughout year 2006. I'd love to hear about the experiences and opinions of the other fishermen next year. I believe this flirts with the key to bass activity. Just more food for thought. Roger

I think the problem you're dealing with is cold water, which is favored by a slow delivery, combined with clear water, which is favored by a faster delivery (less recognition). The type of lure you choose is probably less important than the rest of your presentation. In the situation you described, I'd lean to small, subtle colored lures, and I'd side with the cold water by using a slow delivery. The lure you feel most comfortable with is usually the best the lure to use. If it were me I'd probably twitch a floating Rapala in the shallowest water over the weeds, in deeper water I'd use a suspending jerk plug like the LC Pointer and in the deepest water I'd go with a small, finesse lure, for instance a 4" worm on a 1/8 oz jighead. But as always, there are many ways to go. Hope that helps. Roger

While we're on the subject, it should be emphasized that 'stainless steel' hooks should never be used, in freshwater or saltwater.

Well, based on what we see, an Olympic event may or may not be 'athletic', but it always involves a skill. Good examples of non-athletic events are Curling and Archery. Angling is not athletic either, but why sell ourselves short. Fishing calls for a skillset that includes spinning, casting, chart-reading, lure manipulation, boat positioning, hook-setting and more. If there were enough political pressure, I see no reason why angling can't be recognized as an Olympic event, say in the format of Match Fishing. If you compare the athletic requirements of archery, curling and fishing, I'd give fishing the nod. To me, shuffleboard with granite kettles doesn't appear very strenuous. I've shot 50 to 100 arrows without a break, but right after landing an 80-lb bluefin tuna, a little fishing break is much appreciated

You specified some of the most intimidating situations, with one exception. The exception is midday on a hot, clear, calm day, which actually increases my confidence. I would say that I'm most intimidated by falling air temperatures, when the air is already cooler than the water. Though I won't shy away from this situation, it has often been my undoing :-[

Maineiac, Maineiac, I probably owe you an apology because I took the liberty to delete my own post. If it's appreciated, I don't mind revealing hard-won experiences and knowledge that took me years to gather, in fact it's one of the greatest joys of fishing. I'm not unaccustomed to fishermen approaching me for advice, usually because the lodge owner (who success depends on their success) told them that we were doing well. Unfortunately, that always makes me feel that their success has just become my responsibility, so I always Spill My Guts. When I re-read this thread I felt that the post deserved a little better resting place, that it shouldn't be buried here. It's not that it wasn't appreciated because Roadwarrior was kind enough to give it a 5-star rating. Surely we'll get the opportunity over time to rehash all the same facts and information in other more appropriate threads. Opposition is healthy, and that's what a forum is all about, but not when it's mean-spirited.

Whether you're dealing with a large or small lake, the information remains the same. Large lakes as it were, are like many small lakes rolled into one location. So, if you're fishing in a small bay in Lake Superior, that bay becomes your whole lake.

In the interest of brevity, I'll just skim the surface of "Location", the most important facet: Rock bluffs and hard major points are classic smallmouth structures, but unfortunately they are "Emergent Structures" that every smallmouth hopeful can see with one eye closed. My favorite approach by far is finding structures that no one can see from their boat. Spread your best hydrographic chart on your dining room table and pour yourself a tanqueray martini. You'll be looking for what I've personally dubbed "Compression Points". I call them compression points because they pinpoint the spots on a particular structure, where the depthlines converge most tightly. In brief, a compression point marks the spot where you find the "steepest" drop-off into "deepest" water. The key is knowing which depthlines should comprise the compression points (2,4,6 or 10,15,20, etcetera) The depth lines to employ depends on the Lake Class (hillland, highland, flatland, natural, canyon, et al) and the Seasonal Period. The seasonal period refers to the fish's calendar, not our Gregorian calendar. For starters, the home search might include the following (for smallmouth not largemouth) 1. Compression points on a Diagonal Rock Bank Drop-offs found on a hard slope, commonly called "stairsteps", are not plundered by casual fishermen. 2. Compression points along the River or Creek Channel that adjoin a broad flat (Pure Dynamite!) 3. Compression points in the vicinity of obvious Rock Bluffs and Major Points but away from shore If for example an underwater point is L-shaped, the compression point may be 3/4 mile away from the obvious, heavily pounded structure. 4. The sharpest, deepest drop-off (compression point) on a Submergent Ridge (These are variously referred to as sunken islands, ridges, mound and humps, take your pick.)

Before they filler up, get out there with your handheld GPS and get your coordinates NOW! Better known as a "Golden Opportunity".

No problem

No, I never said that. I'd like to think that your other statements are more accurate. If I made that statement then you will find it in the archives. That's easy, that's what sells best, not necessarily what works best. You match the hatch?? Just yesterday you said that you use big baits in winter and spring and small baits in summer? In my opinion, that's bass ackwards. In the spring of the year the waters are filled with newborn fry that grow larger as the year progresses. On top of that, bass have a small appetite in winter due to their lower metabolism, a time when small lures are most appropriate. As water temperatures rise, so does the appetite of bass, hence bigger lures are more suitable in summer, when the young-of-the-year have grown in size. Of course we could argue what works best, but that certainly isn't matching the hatch.

CJBasswacker, I hold the same view. The larger the bass the smaller the school. Ultimately, the true giants often swim alone or in a very small pod. My point here is that small bass don't intermingle with trophy bass except in Bass Pro Shops Aquarium. Obviously if you catch a bass to your right and another straight away, they didn't come from the same spot. You really have to pay attention to detail, because there may just be a depth discrepancy within the same spot. Larger bass often lie beneath a school of smaller bass (schoolies). This is true of both fresh and saltwater species.

George Welcome, When I lived in Rico, Georgia I had a little backyard pond. I already related this story but I'll run it by again. This is not something that I read, this is something that I personally experienced. I stocked my little pond with bass that I caught in neighboring farm ponds. As I often did, I strolled out to the pond to count noses. On this day though, I noticed that one of the smaller bass was missing, and I immediately thought raccoon. Then I noticed a little something protruding from both sides of a larger bass's mouth, as though he were growing a mustache. It was the caudal lobes of the missing smaller bass, and I will tell you that bass wasn't that much smaller. In fact, the nose of that bass was obviously butted against the anal cavity of his captor. By no means an isolated incident, any bass that gets too close to a larger bass is flirting with death. I don't imagine that too many bass would question the cannabalism of their larger elders, I think the wiser question would be: "How big is a spot?"

Matt_Fly, Timing and Territory is to say that large and small bass will gravitate to the same hotspots but will do so at different times. Have you ever caught a runt and a trophy back-to-back in the exact same spot? I have caught more than one small bass from the exact same spot during the same time frame. I have caught more than one trophy bass from the exact same spot during the same time frame. I don't ever remember catching a small and large bass in the exact same spot during the same time frame.

Chris It's my guess that smallmouth too, tend to school in year-class. One time on the St Lawrence River I anchored-down so I could properly control the glide of a 1/8 oz jig. I caught a few smallies that weighed about a pound each. Then about 15 minutes later I boated a smallmouth weighing 3.5 lb. This fish was followed by a 4-lb, 2-oz smallmouth and another bass that looked about 4 lbs, which broke-off during a jump. I have no way of knowing, but I believe that this was a case of "Timing and Territory". In other words, I believe the school of small bass moved away when the larger bass moved in. Lending to this theory, I didn't catch any small bass when I was catching the big ones, and vice versa. When the big-fish bite ended, I wasn't able to catch any bass at all.