CJ

Just to be clear.So is the sign up list that is posted the list for July and we don't challenge until July 1-14?

My home lake which is over 160,000 acres has had a 4 day tournament w/ 200 boats,a 4 day tournament w/100 boats,starting thursday,a 4 day tournament with 200 boats ,then on saturday,another 200 boat tournament.That's not counting the clubs tournaments and open tournaments that have gone on the last 2 weeks.You could say it is getting a little pressure.The sacks at the tournaments have been getting smaller. BTW,prefishing is a must.Who says you got to stick them?

As Rolo said there are hundreds of different species of crawfish.There may be many of these species in one body of water.The most common on most rivers and resevoirs is the cumberland craw.They are dark green on top with a lighter side and orange on the belly,pinchers and sometimes sides pending on the time of year.One thing that alot of river crawfish have in common is that their belly and tips of their pinchers turn blue during the crawfish spawn.

The best structure I have found for smallmouth on my home lake has been deep humps and points.Smallmouth relate to structure more than cover.Some people will refer to rocks as cover.Anyway after smallmouth have spawned,the rockier the hump or point,the better.I do like to find isolated rocks.Smallmouth are probally considered chasers more than they are ambushers.The bottom contour is critical.The only thing that will vary during the day would be the fish's position to the structure.During the day when the sun comes up they tend to suspend more often.

That's kinda where I thought you were going with this.The members on this forum are out to help anyone who are willing to learn,I know this first hand. As for the TV and "SPONSORED"tournament fisherman,they are leading you to buy a product that they are sponsored by.Now don't get me wrong,there are great tips and techniques on alot of the shows but,some of them have gone to far with pushing their sponsor's products.It is up to you to weed out what works for you where you fish.

I think it depends on what they know and what is going on when they figure out something that they may want to keep to themselves.This mainly concerns tournament anglers. Sometimes a different kind of lure,presentation,or pattern may evolve on a particular body of water.Any smart angler is going to keep his mouth shut.

I agree that I should have gotten a worm from him but,I was being stubborn and in disbelief that it was the worm.I have alot of confidence in the worm I was throwing.BTW,I just paid him back a little.The bite was a different story this afternoon.He was throwing his worm with no production.I started with a jig and had no bites either.I switched up to a 6" finesse worm and started catching them by lifting it high off the bottom.The fish were suspended and in a negative-nuetral mood.Like me,he was to stubborn to switch to a different worm and I handed him his butt. P.S.We really don't fish against each other.We fish togather.In the future I will swallow my pride to help draw conclusions.Thanks for the input guys. CJ

LBH,It looks like your tags are expired, ;D

Welcome to the forum.I think that area has weightless senko and weightless horny toad wrote all over it!Spooks , lightly weighted t-rigged worms,rat-l-traps and ofcourse a spinnerbait waked on the surface.Try working the edges of the grass with the t-riggged worm.Alot of fish should be there waiting to ambush what goes by.Then work your way to the middle with a spinner,senko or surface presentation.Diving cranks are tough to present in the grass.GOOD LUCK!Let us know how you did! CJ

I got a few.There good stuff!

I was in the back of the boat and I was throwing in behind him but,when you are fishing deep structure the guy in the back of the boat is going to hit stumps,brush,ect. that the guy in the front missed.Could it be that the scent of the worm opened up their strike zone?

I know there have been alot of threads about scents in the past.I had an on the water experience recently and thought I would share it and see if I could get some of you to give your input on the scernario. Me and my partner were fishing ledges on our home lake.We both ended up throwing a 10" worm.I was throwing an Luck "E" Strike Original Ringer in plum,he was throwing a Berkley Powerbait 10" Power Worm in blue fleck.The differences between the two are slight except for scent.The Original Ringer is a little bit smaller in diameter and has ribs on the body.The plum color is a shade lighter and a little brighter.The main difference is the Powerbait worms just plain stink.Both of our presentations are similiar for we have fished together for a long time but,HE HANDED ME THE BUTT WHUPPIN' OF MY LIFE!It seemed like every other cast he was hooked up.I was just pickin' up a dink here and there but not much. I know we all get smoked every once in a while,but I ain't been beat like this ever.BTW,we were using the same line.I was in the back of the boat but,we weren't flippin' bushes,we were fishing deep structure. So,what do ya'll think?Was it the scent of the worm?Was it the color or slight size difference?Was it that the fishing gods were blessing him for his loyalty to the BM?Any other thoughts? CJ

Alot of the bass on our lake have the red sores.Alot of them are caused by lamprey or leeches.I have caught bass with a leech attached.A friend of mine saw a nice bass floating last year that had a leech or lamprey on it.I believe alot of the bass are able to rub them off.Maybe if ouchitabass or rolo comes across this post they could enlighten us on it.

My goal is to get a limit of keepers every time I go out.No,I don't reach my goal all the time but,I have been reaching my goal more this year than the years past.

I love the 2 different facial expressions on your stepsons face.He knows when he caught a good one and looks like he could care less about your fish.Did you make him stop fishing to hold your fish? LOL

I fished a pond just like it when I was in Florida except there were no peacocks in it.But,I will bet there is submerged grass out in the middle.We caught are fish on 10" worms and horny toads.

I think it would be your presentation.If you got the right color of worm,try slowing down and casting into the thick stuff or close to it.If the grass is matted try a Zoom Horny Toad late in the evening or on a cloudy day.Throw it right on and over the mats.Use a heavy enough sinker to penetrate the mats with the worm.When I visited Florida last year we had good success with a 10" junebug worm and a watermelon Horny Toad.Good Luck CJ

Well I gotta admit I wasn't alive when Kennedy was president,but it has not took me that long to detect bites on a slacked line.Yeah,I know you gotta give your line close observation.I don't fish vertically much.But the technique works both ways.

This is a topic I have been working hard on.I agree with Raul.I don't think there is a way of knowing excactly how many fish get away with biting your lure,especially if your fishing the right spots(structure and cover).I have worked hard on detecting bites in the last couple of years.I am a tournament fisherman and if I don't miss a quality bite than I only need 5 of em'.

I really think there is alot of gray area here. For one I notice G-Loomisman said "verticle"bottom bouncing.Does this mean you are fishing straight down?If so a tight line would still give you a verticle fall,wouldn't it? I fish jigs on the bottom a whole bunch.Whether I'm dragging or popping it up 1-6 ft.When I am popping it up,most of the time I let my line slack enough,but only enough to give it a verticle fall.I see anglers let their line slack way to much to be able to detect a bite or catch up the slack in time to set the hook. Sometimes,especially with smallmouth who are notorious for spitting the jig out quickly,I stay even tighter on the slack.In other words I follow the jig back to the bottom closely. So in other words I thimk you are both right,but different condition call for change in technique. CJ

The post spawn won't last long. I would guess it may be your lure and presentation or timing.What lures were you using and what are you using now?The best time when it starts heating up to fish ponds are early in the morning and late in the evening.You probally need to be thinking plastics if you aren't already.

Great post Jim!

I go with 3 lure types.Yes,whatever you can get to the fast is best,but if you know there going to be there feeding I would tie on a Sammy 100,a spinnerbait,and a senko. Just walk the dog with the Sammy,try waking the spinner then killing it,and use the senko like a jerk bait.A buzzbait would be a good choice as well.

Alot of this is going to depend on the water you are fishing.In Florida for example there are no deep structure in most of the lakes.The fish will bury themselves up in vegetation to get better oxygen.In my home lake (Kentucky)the biguns' head for the deep stuff. I look for ledges,humps,and points that have cover such as stumps,grass,or brushpiles.I throw deep diving cranks,jigs,c-rigs,and t-rigs.

You must be tournament fishing?I like them to jump,unless I'm fishing a tournament.The only thing you can do is keep your rod down.I do know a couple of guys who lift there rod high in the air and ski the fish in when they come up.