Ratherbfishing

As others have said, if you aren't catching (much), it isn't much of a pattern. A pattern is when you find something that works. HOWEVER, if it's a pattern that isn't particularly good and I think there are ways I might do better or I simply don't care for the pattern I'm on-or the techniques required for it-I might switch. I'm a strong believer in versatility and having a willingness to change however I also believe in playing to ones strengths. Few people are really outstanding at everything. I'm more likely to move TO my strengths than I am to deviate too much from them. Confidence (and competence) are major keys catching fish.

Man! What a chunk! Good catch!

Yesterday I went out for the first time to a large pond which has good numbers of fish. As the south end was closest to where I parked (and because I was lazy and my knees hurt), I started there. I caught one fish but that was all. Worked all the way down the shore but got no takers there. As I predicted, the far north end of the lake is where I got the vast majority of my fish (12 in total). I caught all but one on a greenish "haymaker" Shadow shad Rap (with the other one being caught on a Cordell Spot). Anyway, If you don't try the north side of a lake or pond in the early spring (especially if there is a south wind), you are likely making a mistake.

Fish the North side of the lake where the water is likely to be the warmest. Jerkbaits are my recommendation. Fished slow.

As a parallel which you may or may not have been aware, the name "Boaty McBoatface" was the proposed name of an English research vessel which "won" that name by a fairly large margin in an internet poll. Unfortunately, that name was not chosen (stick in the muds)! I do think Farty McBoat is a great name. Or, maybe, "Farty McBoatface"

Even this current run of warm weather isn't supposed to last beyond Saturday . Last year I fished (and did well) several days in February. This year...it looks like May is the more likely scenario. I need to get another hobby.

Yes, please DO remove the hitch when not in use. My brother (whom I haven't a great history with anyway) backed his truck into a space so the hitch stuck out over the sidewalk and I banged the living Shinola out of my shin. It's a good thing no women or children were present as what came out of my mouth cannot be repeated.

Somewhat surprisingly, I had Yo-Zuri hybrid line wear major grooves in the tip guide of my Pflueger rod so, yes, sometimes line CAN rub guides the wrong way. It depends on the material the line and the guides are made of. There is no one single answer.

Wasn't a tournament BUT went with a friend and his brother down to Pickwick lake one time. While on the way there I'd poured over a contour map of the lake with a fine tooth comb. Had a pretty good idea where I thought they (the bass) might be. After having to wait for the batteries to charge (they'd forgotten to do that), we FINALLY got on the lake. We (friends brother, specifically) motored around for a long while-almost like a pleasure cruise-but without stopping anywhere. I asserted myself and showed some spots we ought to at least try but he ignored me and continued to motor down the lake. Eventually I resigned to riding around the lake (but not without forming a rather negative opinion of him). I chose NOT to fish with him the next day but he hired a guide. Afterwards, he showed us where the guide took him and MANY of the spots were the same as where I'd suggested. Inwardly I just rolled my eyes and vowed never to fish with him again. Not saying your experience was the same (sounds like it wasn't) but few things honk me off more than being ignored.

I bought a couple (because they were on sale) and, disappointingly, they seem to have about the same action as dragging as a soggy cigar through the water. It cannot be attributed to heavy line because I was using 6 lb hybrid line. Anyway, they won't work you too hard. Any jerkbait will wear you out first.

The surest way to eat crow is to say to someone that they "can't catch fish thataway."

When the bluegills are on their beds, there are few things that are more fun! I'm sure dry flies work fine but I have always used poppers and foam spiders. Sometimes color matters and sometimes it doesn't. There's nothing more fun, especially, than having a big bull bluegill get airborne as it socks a fly.

Skipjack are fun to catch. I never knew they existed until my cousin-in law and I watched some guys fish for them in the tail-waters of the Picwick lake dam. We went out the next day and caught several. Fun stufff!

Don't their shafts carry a lifetime warranty?

With fishing, if the weather and other conditions are "friendly", there's more than one way to skin a cat so while certain baits and techniques can be recommended, you don't have to get hung up on details. Try it 'til it works (or until it doesn't) and don't be afraid to try something else. It's more about the location than anything, anyway. Vegetation and weed edges (especially), shade, drop offs, rocks, wood, etc. are always good places to target. Countless volumes have been written about the nuances of bass fishing but, too me, anyway, the "big three" for location are 1) food (availability), 2) safety/comfort, and 3) reproduction. Pretty much everything else falls under those three things. Except swim jigs, most soft plastics are not good "search baits." This is not to say they aren't good/effective baits. You just can't cover a lot of water with them. The more active fish are (depending upon weather, time of year, etc) will often determine how inclined they are to "chase" a food source. To complicate things, sometimes ALL you can get a fish to bite is something they have to react quickly to. But all this you have to let the bass tell you. Try NOT to get fixated on something UNTIL the bass tell you that's what they want-and even then, be willing to change if the bass change.

That there is a little yellow paddle tail jig. Oh! You mean the OTHER one! That's a black crappie.

Even when I'm ON a pattern a really good fisherman would probably think I was junk fishing.

Is it appropriate to respond/answer with what I have READ? Anyhow, I've read that in deeper water where shad are more prevalent, bass prefer them however in shallow water where SOME bass make their home (and where shad don't frequent), they will tend o eat more bluegill.

I seldom add trailers of any kind until there as an obvious need. The craws do tend to come off a little easier than I prefer but I don't think they fish bite them off so much as shake them off.

Texas-rigged Chigger Craws are one of my staples when that's what the situation calls for. I rarely use "normal" jigs but, rather, fish a Chigger Craw almost exclusively-sometimes with a skirt and sometimes without. With the hook buried (texas rigged), they are about as weedless as one might reasonably ask for but hook well. They're a LOT cheaper to replace, however, when you do hang them up. The "flappers" (or whatever you want to call them) do tend to come off but probably not much more than other baits. When they do come off, and I'm running out of that color, a lot of the time I'll just run a flapper from another used bait onto the hook so that it "pairs" with the remaining flapper. I have not tried it but I seriously doubt Mend It will work with any Powerbait product. I don't think it's a petroleum based product. I do think that bass tend to hang on a little longer than regular plastics. Based upon what I have read (that the scent is not as readily released as some types), I am going to experiment this year and try to "rough up" the surface a little and see if that increases the effectiveness even more.

I'm partial to certain brands but the only ones I stay away from (if you can even call them "brands") are the cheap knock-offs and no-names. I don't have any room for them.

Like this but with a fishing pole in my hands:

clear glitter

I stopped at the local Walgreens to get some "hard as nails" nail polish and the checkout gal was like "This color will look great on you!" I blushed.

What's a DVR? I'm still trying to set the time on my VCR. : )