fourbizz

No dude, Reaction Innovations Double Wide Beaver (5.20") in color: California 420

Double Wide Beavers. They are an inch longer and much much bulkier than a normal beaver. I like California 420.

Swimbait season is about to start! I might not be able to do it, but between my partner and I we could put at least one 5+lb mojo into that mama! I'm game!

What is typically used as a sealer/primer on wood baits? Ideally I would like something white so I can avoid an extra step by not using another base color coat.

If you are gonna due the plastics thing. I would say 10" worms, full size brush hogs, and flip double wides. A seven inch senko wouldnt be terrible either.

My ponds have been frustrating as well. We are in the transition period from summer to fall. At least where I am fishing that means another hydrilla die off. This causes the water to go from 5 ft vis to about 1.5 ft. Some days its 80 degrees some days its 60. I think that in ponds, because they are so small, that these changes affect them alot more. I think that with such a small mass of water, temperature changes are much more rapid and drastic. Large bodies of water fluctuate much more slowly. I think that it just throws the fish off. Wildly fluctuating temps, barometer, water clarity, the whole thing. I have basically been relying on making them eat with reaction baits. Chatterbaits have been good, as well as flukes, and senkos fished really fast like a fluke. I think that the rip bite would be good, but there is way too much vegetation. Spinnerbaits have been kicking down some pond fish for me, I have been burning them so that they wake. Topwater has all but shut down for me. I think that until the transition is over and we start getting our regular chain of storms on the west coast, that fishing, and especially pond fishing, will be tough, at least for me.

How deep is what you consider deep on this pond? I like BIG noisy topwaters on ponds. They have accounted for some good fish for me. I prefer them over slow bottom fishing presentations unless I know EXACTLY where the fish is. But if I was in your postion ( convinced that there is toads, but unable to really figure out where they are) I would force the BIG fish to come to me. If you worked a large topwater bait around that pond, it is just a matter of time. "only in low light", "summer time", "only when it is choppy" forget all of those topwater guidelines and commit to it. They will come to the bait. Sometimes 30 ft or more. Just try weedlines or any other cover or structure and spend some time doing it. I don't know what kind of gear you have but you might try one of these they are *relatively* inexpensive, though not cheap and they might just fit the bill. buy a pattern you like, i dont think it makes much difference. I would prefer to specifically target the better fish than to just hope for the best. http://www.***.com/descpageSWMOPTIMUM-ACM.html

Its not a crank, it is a 9" topwater bait.

I made my first complete bait, and got the clear coat cured yesterday. I took it out on the lake and got bit! It was so friggin rewarding! I didn't hook up, but any time you get bit on a ~6oz bait its exciting. Add to the fact that it was my first wood bait, and my first attempt at airbrushing, it was pretty sweet. I can see now why some of you guys are into it! It wasnt really economical though. By the time I bought an airbrush, paints, and all of the ancillaries it was the same price as a premium swimbait that would look better. They just don't make one like mine!

Sleep?...I didn't know that was an option.

How about a Kevlar hull, Giant front deck, Over 80mph with a 200, I'll use somthing like a 250ProXS , and simply GORGEOUS?!?!?! Allison XB21...me likey!

I used to hunt Elk up around Buena Vista. Fishing wasn't very good, but I sure miss Colorado!

The picture is really deceiving. That pool is no less than 120 feet wide. The waterfall is at least 90ft tall.

This is a picture of the first spot that I mentioned. Pretty gorgeous spot to catch a 5lb smallie eh?

Thanks for all the input guys lots of food for thought!

I've actually fished the 8" Tiger at that lake, but not with smallies in mind. The 8 is huge and I don't really like the Tigers. I might try the 6" tora tube, but I'm afraid that with the water as clear as it is, with spooky fish, that get alot of pressure, that a tube might not get me much aside from reaction strikes. With a reaction bite going, I would rather throw a bait more likely too hook up on a slashing strike. All that being said, I will give them a try. Its a cheap experiment. I have two swimbaits besides Hudds that I think will work one of which being the Mattlures Coho, and the other being...secret ;D

The best monry saving tip I could offer is : Dump your girlfriend. 1 night out is about as much as a swimbait. Go out three times a week. HMMM.. Bait monkey content!

Deuce, I'm originally from the san luis valley! Man, I don't miss that Colorado bass fishing, but I do miss the Elk hunting. I've given some thought to tubes, but the visibility at this lake is nearly 30 feet, and I don't know if the bigger smater fish will go for them. I will definitely try though! Thanks for the input!

I have three sperate smallmouth projects going, and I see alot of you guys holding some bronzeback gorillas! I have had very little success landing smallmouth with any size to them. My PB is 5 but that was a LONG time ago. My best fish in the last couple years is only 3lb8oz. I have 3 bodies of water with good fish in them, one of which has GREAT smallmouth. Literally tons of 6+ fish and I know of at least 6 that were over 8 caught this year. My first little spot is very small. It is the tailwaters beneath a spillway. Steep sided, deep pool tailing out a boulder field about 5 feet deep, gin clear, no shad. My partner landed a 3-3 there, I dumped an easy 4plus both of which were on a TwinVibe 65 lipless crank. I have had no success with sammies or rico's. Big zero on the buzz, chatter, spinnerbaits. Couple dinks dropshotting robo's and 3" *** senkos. I am the worlds worst jig fisherman so nothing there. But nothing on huddlebugs, beavers, or brushhogs. I watched a nightcrawler fisherman get owned by a solid 5+ yesterday, and also had a fish about the same size follow my Matt Coho all the way to my feet without commiting. FRUSTRATING Second body of water is the Reservoir that spills into the first hole. Narrow, very deep sided, gin clear. Rocky banks, some tulies (basically cattails for those that don't know), lots of laydowns. I know people that go their and flip jigs into the tulies for 5+ smallies ALL THE TIME. I had one Huddleston bite, but it was one of the few better sized largemouth there. Basically just a glorified river, with little current and it gets deep very fast. Only real success coming from dropshotting and splitshotting 4-6inch worms near tulies and laydowns. They just dont seem to orientate to the rocks. Weird. The third body is the one that produces donkeys. Typical california resercoir. Deep, ULTRA-UBER-SUPER clear! Has threadfin, trout, and a bunch of crawdads. I fish this lake for trophy largemouth, and often have 5+ smallies take swipes at my Hudd. Even with a stinger set pretty far back I haven't been able to stick one. Does anyone have any TROPHY smallmouth recomendations? I have no interest in smallies smaller than 5 pounds and am content going without a bite for a few trips. But what do you guys think would be a good bait/technique for a toad smallie?

Black! Now there is a shocker!

These are all topwater fish! 6lb9oz 6lb 6lb8oz 5lb 5lbs8oz 4lb7oz 5.1lb