Mainebass1984

I would rather not abandon days of practice... but some times it must be done. If its not working because conditions have changed then I change my approach as well, it could be a lure, presentation, location... A cold front up here in New England is a game changer. Separate's the men from the boys come tournament day

Conditions can change very quickly. The conditions we encounter aren't just water temperature and water level. Wind direction, barometric pressure, frontal passage, just to name a couple, should all be factors when considering conditions. A lot can change in 3 days. The conditions may change during your time on the water. For example you may be out fishing and its is warm, calm wind and cloudy. A front will pass through the wind will pick up and now it is sunny, windy and the temperature has dropped 10 degrees. As the conditions change so do what the bass are doing.

He must have caught it ? right ?

Without a doubt trying a new spot or fishing a new lure can pay off big time. I try and look for new spots every time I go fishing.

I would try a Jig around some wood. Try and find the warmest areas of the lake like the north wind protected coves Shane like suggested, they should be warmer. A square bill crank bait deflected of wood or rocks can be pretty deadly too. I would also try a chatter bait or spinner bait with the 2 foot visibility. The warmer weather could have those fish significantly shallower then you think even in 5 feet or less. I would try to get out of the wind and fish slow. If you have been getting skunked so far I would try something significantly different like in the backs of creek and coves. Think springtime patterns.

You know me I love science and statistics ! Cumberland Bay.... maybe if the ice has melted by then.

Very interesting

I make my game plan for the day depending on the conditions that are forecast for the day. I might have to fine tune this a bit when I get to the lake but based on previous experiences given for the condition, time of year and lake I am fishing I always have a game plan before I make my first cast. I adjust as the day goes on. Every time I go fishing I try and build on my previous experiences, to a point from memory, on what has worked for me under specific conditions before. From memory and experience when I find water temps around 43-47 degrees in the spring I know from memory that on a specific body of water crawfish will be coming out of their winter burrows along clay banks and that a select few lures in specific colors will produce extremely well. It took a long time to figure it out for that lake but I will certainly remember it when given the same conditions. Fishing to the conditions is important. Based on the conditions presented to you, you then you can use your previous experiences to determine what to use. Conditions can chance very quickly. Adjusting to those conditions separates the average fisherman from extremely good fisherman.

Lets make it all year instead of a few weeks

suspending jerkbait, a jig near and wood or rocks, square bill crankbait deflected off of cover, or a slow rolled spinnerbait. Have you caught fish at this pond before ? Max depth of 4 1/2 feet.. Are there other ponds that are open ?

They definitely catch fish. Even if the lake is frozen over and you have to break ice to fish them like I did last Nov. They catch big fish too like last Nov.

It has been 7 or 8 years since I took the tests but I think to be a Maine registered guide you had to pass all the tests getCPR and first aid certified and work under the tutelage of a master Maine guide for a number of years before you could officially be a registered Maine guide. I am not sure if it has changed since then. As far as the competition goes I think keeping it to just New England would be cool, kind of keep it somewhat local thing. It doesn't matter too much to me cause I am all in either way. I know NEjitterbug was brainstorming for this years comp.

After I graduated college I almost became a registered Maine guide. I had passed the written and oral test all I needed to do was pass the field test. An opportunity came up to work in remote Alaska. I was out of Maine in less then a week so I was unable to even take the field exam. Perhaps when I retire 25 years from now I will be a guide. We will see. I just love taking people fishing and see them catch fish. If I take someone fishing and they don't catch fish I feel like I have failed them. Almost 99 % of the time they do catch fish and good quality fish too. I have been a free guide for years...

It is fun fishing. Your allowed 15 tip ups each on Lake Champlain. There are times when you will have 5 or 6 flags at once. You don't sit down all day. I would much rather be bass fishing in my boat though. You are right guides aren't cheap. It basically is a guided trip. We are using all my gear and my truck. All my friends have to do is wake up and pay for half the bait and split gas. So what would a guide charge around 350 dollars a day ?

I am all booked up this weekend. I was on Champlain two weekends ago and the pike fishing was really good. The smallest Pike I caught was 30 inches most were around 33-34 inches. The biggest was 38 inches, 14 lbs 2 oz. I posted the pics on face book and all of a sudden everyone wants me to take them pike fishing. Weird ?

Its going to be another month before any of the waters I fish in Maine or Vermont are ice free. I am going Pike fishing on Champlain this weekend and will be driving the truck out on the ice. I might have to make a couple road trips this April to find some fishable water or find a local river or two. Shane where are you fishing ?

Fishing were I do in the wilds of Maine and Vermont I have the luxury of seeing lots of wildlife. Black bear, deer, muskrat, mink, beaver, a family of 4 otters (they bark), bald eagles, bob cat, huge snapping turtles and moose. One of the more interesting days was when a peregrine falcon killed a pigeon mid air 10 feet from the boat. That was exciting. Poor pigeon disappeared in a big puff of feathers, some landed on the front deck of the boat. I think the rarest thing that has ever happened to me was back 14 years ago. I was fishing a river in Maine for some smallmouth and I caught a 29 1/4 inch 9 lb 4 oz Atlantic Salmon. Only 32 salmon were lifted over the dam that year. Some how I managed to catch that big female in one of that rivers tributaries. Caught and released. I most likely will never catch another one. The Atlantic Salmon run in that river was 3 last year...

Welcome to BR ! Glad to see another mainer on board !

Yeah... We still have over 30 inches of ice.... SO I am thinking ice out wont be til the last week of April... and that sucks

Bring it on Webertime !

Cool, that is good to know. Go big or go home.

Thank A-Jay. I need all the luck I can get. What was the winning "scores" the last couple years ?

I am in. Dwight you are going down.

Heavy inflow from feeder brooks on large rivers or in lakes and ponds can concentrate insane numbers of bass. It can be temperature related or food related. Often times there is also a water clarity change as well, muddy to clear, stained to clear, etc which can create great ambush areas that bass love to use.

I have kept a bass fishing log for 16 years. It is very useful to look back over. Very useful. I use excel spreadsheet.