Dogfish_Jones

Almost every summer, I tend to go with the C-Rig or a jig to catch those hard to find bass. I might use top water early in the morning but after 9 am, that bite is over.

Great thing about Chatterbaits is they are so versatile. You can use them as an buzzbait/spinnerbait. You can use them like a swim jig, even on non- grassy areas, like a pitching jig and hop them along the bottom just fast enough to keep the metal paddle going back and forth.

I have it on my boat, I would not want to NOT have it either. Being I have invested over $60,000 in my boat, I sure want to make sure it is covered from any major accidents. Another reason is, I fish in tournaments that require you have insurance on your boat, mainly medical/personal property but I have chose to make sure my boat is covered from everything else. With all my graphs, rod/reels, lures, I also have all that covered in case of theft. It sure makes life a little easier knowing you are covered.

I have seen some places that are "community holes" hold fish year after year. I think if a certain spot holds all the ingredients to attract bass, they will always be there. Now, do they seem to shy away from lures that are used most often? I tend to think not but some may say they do. I have not really found that to be the case. Either way, you find the fish and then throw whatever it takes to land them is my motto.

I fished Logan Martin last weekend, the bass are still in staging, meaning to me in 7 to 9 feet of water. I caught all mine on a Red crawfish color Spro's 50 squarebill in about 7 foot of water, slow cranking. I look for the bass to began their spawning time in 2 to 3 weeks if it stays warm.

I think they still have some good informative articles in them I will take quality over quantity.

Best way that I tell people is, feel for a tap...tap on the end of the line.

That’s me too

Lake Mitchell here in Alabama is super tough and most anglers really struggle during the summer there. Some will say it has big ole spots. The only big spot I have on Mitchell is my livewell.

In fishing the lakes here in Alabama, it seems that you will not do any good until your get current flowing, (I fish the Coosa River chain), so I need the dams to be flowing. The water is hovering between 89 to 92 degrees in the lakes I am fishing. It's been hard for me and most everyone I have talked to around here. Now, what I am doing is fishing the Ned Rig, C-Rig of Texas Rig. I am having so-so luck on the Shaky heads but some will say that is all they are catching them on. I'm finding deep pockets right off the banks that lead into the channel that seems to produce a few right now. But they are coming hard to find.

We have a mix of boaters and non boaters. Our last tournamnet for 2017 is November 4th on Logan Martin but we will be starting our 2018 season in February through November. Our yearly meeting will be in January going over everything and electing new club officers. We do fish the three main lakes on the Coosa, Lay, Logan Martin and Neely Henry. Its up to the members as which lakes we venture out to but all will be in Alabama and on Saturdays.

I'll make you all you want for @19.99 each plus shipping...LOL. I'll even do it in blue Maxwell House color.

From Alabama, and my worse time comes in the dead of winter, January and most of August when it is screaming hot. Now if you night fish, you will have better luck in the summer but I just can't get the urge to fish at night for bass....crappie, yes!

Spending time with my Grandpa in his little flat bottom tin boat. I would sit up front and feel the wind against my face and what then felt like hours but in reality maybe go a few coves away and throw us a line with live minnows on it and catch a few crappie. He always told me about the big fish that got away. I could not swim at the time and had one of those big orange life vest on and sit there and watch for my bob to go under the water.

I will fish either a worm or lizard. Very slow. I remember reading about this certain subject years ago written by Larry Nixon. He said something I have always remembered. If you thinking you are fishing a worm to slow, then you are not slow enough. I have left a worm in one place for well over a minute and as soon as I hopped it.....a bass jumped all over it. It has happened to me more times than I can even remember. so, if I'm in a rut, I fish slower.

My go to setup has to be a Carolina rig with a watermelon seed lizard. Throw it in and around docks, and blow downs. I can usually snag a few dragging it across some main or secondary points. I will throw a Model A flat crank (6' to 12') if I see the bass are wanting a little faster presentation or if the seem to be suspended. Then I'll dig through all my tackle boxes and just find one that just looks like it might be a worthwhile chance.

I remember back in the late 70's and throughout the 80's I watched a lot of great fishing shows. 1- Orlando Wilson Outdoors (Good Georgia boy, fished the local lakes around me) 2- Fishing with Roland Martin ( Back when he did just bass fishing) 3- Bill Dance Outdoors ( Overall this show really got me pumped up to fish) 4- Hank Parker ( Learned a lot of great techniques here) I now just catch a FLW show every now and then when scanning through the channels. Might be I have just about cut my TV watching down to less than 2 hours a week.

Rules such as; 1- fish limit, ours is a 5 fish limit 2- What type of fish count, ours are largemouth, spotted, smallmouth bass. 3- How many anglers per boat, ours is 2 max. 4- Cost of yearly membership, Ours is $100 5- Cost of tournament fee, Ours is $25 6- What lakes, or waters to be fished, Ours are voted on each month for the next month. 7- Pay out for winnings, Ours pay out the top three boats (team) 8- Team or angler competition - Ours is a team (per boat) competition. 9- Winning for year end angler of the year, Our pays out the top three anglers for that year. 10- Elect directors, Our is we voted for President, Vice-president, Secretary, tournament director. Each January we vote for the upcoming year as to who holds that position. 11- Club meeting, Our is we meet every month, the Thursday before our upcoming tournament. To pay tournament fees, to set non boaters with boaters if we have any openings. Go over any new rules and concerns. Accepts new members. These are just the beginning of how to arrange a good club. The main thing is everyone understands and agrees for the most part on things. This will make everything run smoother as at weigh in everyone is not looking at everyone asking questions. This is what the club meeting are for. The day of the tournament should be fun and having a great time fishing with your buddies. We have been very lucky to bring on sponsors that have purchased us all club fishing jerseys and a radio show that talks about us each week. The main objective is we all love to fish and have fun. Yes, the winning of money are just an added bonus but all in all every member we have now it's more about us just having bragging rights until the next month and laughing and joking with one another. All in all we all hope at years end with our banquet we all have won some tournaments, some money and learned a lot from fishing with everyone to be ready to hit the lakes for the upcoming season. At years end all the money the club has brought in via membership fees and tournament fee are paid back out to its members by winning tournaments, big fish, and the angler of the year points standing. We are a non-profit club, it's our members club, no big "I" in this club. Just worm throwing, crankbait cranking, jig jiggling, shaky head shaking people who love those bass on the end of our lines.

First thing is you will need to ask around to those you know that fish if a club is something they would be interested in doing. Second thing is to set a few rules and regulations up for the club. Maybe the cost of each tournament, how much will it pay out to the winner, second place. What about an extra cost for big fish. Weigh scales for weighing the fish, Third, do you plan to elect a president, secretary, treasurer and so on? Any plans to to fish other lakes? Meeting time for the club to meet and where. This will take time to begin the process of setting up a club where everyone knows and understands the rules set forth. It does take some time to do this but once you have the ground floor setup it will go pretty smooth...hopefully.

I use to have that "first cast and making sure I didn't catch anything", but as time went on I had some great days when that happened. These days, I really do not have one thing that stands out as taboo or something I try to avoid.

Loving the outdoors for one thing. Second is the challenge to persuade a fish to bite your lure. Third, the calming effect of floating on the water, water in itself is a calming source. Fourth, the added friendship you can and will enjoy oif you take another person with you. Fifth, the high of pulling in that fish and winning to fight to boat him, then releasing him back into the water to fight again. Of course you just have to like or love the total aspect of fishing for so many reason already listed above. Like why people like hunting, racing cars, playing checkers, anything I guess we can call a hobby.

You can now have your prescriptions put in Oakley

I'm using the Oakley Radar EV Path. I changed out my lens that fit my need. Green is the best for river fishing, blue lens best when the lakes are clear and black is just a good overall daily lens. Of course they have to be polarized to see beneath the surface of the water.

Brad, The bass are doing well near the dam, in the coves you can throw a rattletrap and some plastic worm or lizards you will come up with your limit of 5. The middle section right now is okay but you will catch bass in the 2 pound range. Above Stemley Bridge and I-20, just fish the points and flats. But.... be forewarned, the bass will not be what you will need to win the tournament. Small Spots mainly in this area.

Try to explain to him that maybe fishing slower you can catch some fish. I know I have been paired with a run and gun guy and I never got the chance to fish slower baits. During mid day we didn't have anything in the live wells, I ask if maybe we could try worms and lizards. He said yea, but I've never fished those things. Point is, they may not even know how to fish slow, so try to enhance his fishing tactics. If that fails, try not to pair up with him again. Also if you a non- boater and you can pre select your partners, find out what he fishes, cranks, worms, spinnerbaits etc.