Josh Smith

So... guys... My favorite lake has smaller bass that have been growing along with "keeper size" and above. Earlier this year I latched on to most of these 'larger' bass -- those being 13.75" and above. To keep a largemouth from an Indiana lake, it must be 14" or larger. (Slot limits are in effect for rivers.) It seems they've disappeared. There were several I have watched grow up for the past couple years, and now the same spots are producing around 12" to 13" bass. Nothing bigger, but nothing smaller, either, which is equally strange. My question is -- why? It could be that the larger ones were kept and eaten by someone, especially since the rivers and reservoirs have been flooded and unfishable this year. That doesn't explain the absence of the smaller ones, though. Any thoughts on the subject? Josh

Earlier this year I "lost" a Live Target Bluegill crankbait. Actually what happened was it snagged a very dead, very rotten sunfish and I didn't want to deal with it. I often leave lures I've tried and not liked at that spot for other fishermen, so I went ahead and set it by the base of a tree. I even retrieved the box it came in and set it beside the lure. I hope someone was happy. I did snag a Live Target frog on a dead tree surrounded by mat. I'd bent the hooks out a bit to help hook up, and they snagged a branch. I still see it when I fish there; one day I guess I'll take the boat out and get it back. Josh

Here are the lures I've had the most luck with this year: This is, by far, number one. This River 2 Sea Bully Wa 65 replaces a similar Live Target that I lost. Lots of bass hit this; only the large ones eat it. This River 2 Sea Bully Wa 55 is slightly smaller than the one above. With the stinger hook, I can hook up when the smaller ones ( < 14" or so) hit. It's effective but I've not used it much after modifying it to see what all was trying to eat frogs in this lake. Texas-rigged Jelly Worm, with or without glass bead in front of the sinker. It just works; not much else to say. The Wacky Rig gets thrown after a missed hookup with the frog, and sometimes by itself, depending. I throw this on an ultralight so this 1/4oz Yum Dinger is about the largest weightless worm I throw. Very effective for staying in one spot for a while. I tend to make a lot of noise with these lures. I want the bass to go investigate the noise so it can at least have a chance to see it. This type of fishing is more like hunting, I think, or it might compare to hunting in dense woods vs hunting in a field or on a plain. You have to call in the bass to have a shot at 'em. Regards, Josh

Hello, Ponds and lakes like this are producers of very high quality fish. They're called eutrophic and are often found around farming communities. As fertilizer washes in from the fields, plants grow. The lake I fished as a boy was mesotrophic at the time. In other words, it had a respectable amount of vegetation, but nothing like it is now. After not fishing for a while, I have had to adapt these few years I've been back. Most of my old lures just can't work in the new fertile environment. Soft plastics, as was mentioned, are awesome. Bass are sight feeders but they need to get the lures in sight first. That means noise. When you Texas rig, slip a glass bead on ahead of the bullet sinker. This makes the lure click, sounding like a crawdad. Weedless jigs are your friend. I'm finding the more rattles, the better. I buy rattles by the bunch off eBay. Soft craw trailers with claw action give the bass something to feel on their lines. Time to eat; I'll be back. These are my favorite environments to fish, and I'm sure I'll come up with a lot more before the thread is played out. Regards, Josh

Why is Abu Garcia always left out of these discussions? I don't get it... Josh

Howdy!

None of those look to be much over a pound, but they're fun to catch! Good job. Get a scale. Mine used to tell me my bass that size were 2lbs, then I got called on it here. Checking the scale, I found it was worn out. It had been Grandpa's and was an antique. Lately I've been going to topwater frogs. The smaller bass have a hard time eating those. As for the first big one, no idea. Been fishing since I was two or so. Josh

So what kind of magic jigs are these..!? Josh

What about others, say, River2Sea frogs? Bully WA 45, 55, and 65. What are those numbers? Still length? If so, any exceptions?

What are *** jigs? Why the astericks?

Ambassaduer 5500 with bushings. Upgrade drag, and install bearings on driveshaft and worm gear. Josh

I finally looked up Ashley Madison last night. Read to the wife about it. Shared the shock and the laughter. Josh

I have never seen a reel of any sort I can't hear. If it's not gears it's bearings. Moving things make nose. Heavier lube can mask it but comes with its own price. Josh

I just confirmed those part numbers. Thanks guys!

I believe some of the earlier Ultracast 5600c4 models were 5.3:1, and this is why I want to make danged sure I have the numbers right. Thanks! Josh

Hi Folks, I have an Ambassadeur 5500c3 with 5.3:1 gears for a 26ipt retrieve. I'd like to speed this one up a bit to 6.3:1 from a 5600c4 so as to give it a retrieve of 31ipt or so. The pinion is the two-notch version. (The reel uses dual plastic break blocks.) Does anyone have the part numbers for the 6.3:1 Ultracast gears? I'm thinking 23955 for the drive and 23954 for the pinion are correct, but I'd like to confirm. Thank you, Josh

Hello, I wrote a while back about having access to a private pond with large bass, but that I didn't fish it because I felt that anything I caught would be sort of "cheating" due to light fishing pressure. I was assured that this wasn't the case. That thread is referenced in the post header. I used a sentence to make a link to it. Now, I was reading replies to a question on another post. Bill Dance came up, and then references to how he "cheats" due to filming on private lakes and impoundments. I did not understand how I could claim a personal best from a private pond while Bill Dance was crucified by a vocal few for doing the same. That's all there was to it. Just a point I didn't get. Regards, Josh

My friend and I were overtaken by a storm when we were teenagers. It came in fast and the 15hp motor on Dad's boat didn't have the power to push us fast enough. The rain became blinding and the wind really kicked up. A huge old tree fell into the water close enough behind us after we passed that we rode the waves. It was an interesting time. The only folks who had a slower boat were a couple guys in a john boat with (I believe) a 5hp motor. They disappeared into a cove, or something. My friend and I were not experienced enough yet to know to do the same. Josh

I didn't set the hook because watching the swim pattern was interesting and insightful. Josh

Suspending jerkbait is what I'd go to first. Regards, Josh

Hi Folks, I'm sick. Some danged summer cold. So after I worked yesterday, I went fishing for about half an hour because it makes me feel better to be out doing something. Wind was from the west, but a cold front had moved in and I had blue skies. That was OK because I wasn't really doing anything besides trying out a new soft plastic I picked up and some modifications to topwater frogs. After I got done throwing the frogs (and losing a Live Target in some cover) I threw the soft plastic Rodent bait. With 17mph westerly winds, I wasn't feeling much at all on the line. The line was acting more like a sail, and though I had it between my fingers (something I rarely need to do) the slack was keeping me from feeling anything but sight wind gusts. I noticed, however, that when I reeled I had a heavy feeling, almost like weeds. I then noticed that the lure was drifting against the wind. I should have set the hook. I still wonder what was on there -- whether a sunfish had it or whether it was a bass that didn't know any better. But I didn't. I was curious as to how long a fish would hang on to a soft plastic that smelled of coffee. I also figured that if it didn't spit it, I might see where the fish was hanging out. Sure 'nough, the fish took it to a spot near a downed tree, under lily pads, where I'd caught bass in the past. I started reeling and applying slow, steady pressure, but it took some convincing to make that fish let go of my Rodent! I think I'll keep some of these around and throw 'em after I miss on hollowbody frogs. They seem like they're quality plastics. Josh

Hello, I use braid on a Cherrywood HD all the time. I have more expensive rods, but I gravitate toward that 6' MH/F Cherrywood with modified 5500c3 on it for most fishing. It's my creature rod. It's not grooved yet. Though I'd prefer different guides, the literature advertises that these are designed around the superlines of today, including braid. Josh

Hi Folks, I'd like to have this out. There seems to be a double standard among some of us for folks like Bill Dance and your average hobby fisherman. A while back I asked about a private pond I have access to, and how I felt it would be cheating to claim my personal best from this pond. I was told to go for it, that it wouldn't be cheating, etc. However, it seems that whenever Bill Dance is brought up, he's derided for using private ponds and lakes on his TV show and videos. I don't understand this. I used to substitute teach. It's fun, and I'd like to go back if I can find the time between kids and the shop. Sometimes I'd be asked for specifically by the teacher who would miss because of the lesson plan or content. For example, I was called in to do some Revolutionary War and Civil War lessons. I brought a musket ball an a Minie Ball, and showed on the blackboard why the rank-and-file formations firing into each other were so much deadlier with the Minie Ball. Those projectiles were teaching aids. Likewise, I figure if I'm going to learn something, then I'd like to see it demonstrated under ideal conditions so I know what should happen; what the ideal outcome is. The private ponds and lakes look, to me, like Bill Dance's visual teaching aids. Nothing more, nothing less. When he catches a big bass, sure, he talks about how pretty it is. They are pretty. But, guys, why the double standard? I'm sure that Bill Dance, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, and all the other old timers could out fish most of us on any given body of water on any given day if they so desired. If Scott Martin's "Challenge" is to be believed, Jimmy Houston soundly whupped S. Martin without breaking a sweat, and was funny while doing it. So, why? I don't get it. Regards, Josh

Lots of times factory grease masks gear noise. Does it minimize as you increase spool tension? Josh

Ess, There's no Academy, no BPS, nothing. There is Dunham's and Big R. For a sporting goods store Dunham's has a pitiful selection; it's worse than Walmart! Big R has a respectable selection of quality lures, but their rod selection is a bit lacking. They carry some nice reels, though, Ardent, Shimano, and Abu Garcia can be found there. I might be able to find a Dick's over in Ft Wayne. Not sure what they'd have, though. I really wish BPS would move in here..! Josh