FIN-S-R

Right, but the amount of influence each of the sub categories has is variable and becomes less influential the more you break it down Thats why i wrote earlier that quantifying variables in relation to the amount of influence each has is the only way to ever wrap your head around this. For instance water clarity...do i use 3 categories or 9 or 12. Well what are the differences in fishing clear and gin clear...not much, or fishing dark tannic or muddy...not much, so although there are differences, its a balance of lumping and splitting. I started out with around 500 variables to consider...just brainstoriming up everything I could think of. Then I left it alone for a couple of months and came back to it. I did a lot of lumping, and in some cases Ive done some splitting. I now have my variable set down to a manageable 100 or so, and plan to do some more refining based on peer reviewed scientific stuff as well and my own observations. So it seems incermountable at first, but it really is manageable. Once i get the variables managed down a little further...if it goes that way, Ill start re-plugging them into my system and see if the suggestions make sense. This is a long term deal and is evolving.

senile1: Your exactly right about the over analyzation thing I do it all the time. i just figure if..no no...when I can generally quantify what it is Im aiming at, ill be more proficient. What im trying to put on paper is the same thing that is in the mind of thousands of good and great anglers out there. but not all of it resides in 1 head at 1 time and most of em' dont even know they are using an analytic thought process to catch fish. I want to collect it and see how it works together. It does take alot of time to collect this info, but im lucky to live between two totally different lakes and collect data from both so as not to bias my observations to 1 type of water, but im sure there is stuff Im missing...this is just the first step in a lifelong addiction though, and one of these days im might actually figure out how to catch em'

SAM: Ive seen a few matricies and they tend to go in a different direction than what Im looking toward. You are correct about the variable quantification being tough, but i think it can be done by expanding and tightening your ranges for each variable such that the limits are defined by amount of influence rather than by say for example exact barometric pressure readings. As to the different parts of the country..Ive considered that and since there are documented differences in temp and precip and wind direction and whatever else you can think of, I believe what I come up with for oklahoma can be adjusted by considering lat/long differences and environmental variable average differences as well as the correlation of length of day to spawn (considering h2o conditions are right).

Earthworm77... as an experienced researcher I realize the overall implications a study like this carries with it. First of all I do not intend on predicting what lure to throw on a certain day for a certain fish. What I do plan to do is make my starting place more distinct when practicing for a tourny, taking my son or wife or daughter or anyone else fishing, or just goin' out myself to wet a line, making the first thing I pick up to throw have the highest probability of hooking up. A STARTING PLACE. OK having said that, Ill say this about the seasonal stuff you mentioned...your exactly right. If you dont match up the reaction level with the right place and the appropriate color scheme your not going to see optimal results. So now I have to let the cat out of the bag. The project I am working on correlates general fish position based on time of year...relating to h2o temps and length of day. There is a shallow and deep component to each of 12 different distinct phases of bass movement patterns. There is a RANGE of areas...lake features....to be considered for each of these phases. Next you want t look at less static environmental features like cloud cover/precip/inflow/current/water clarity and so on and so on...all of the things have direct implications on the behavior of a fish...different fish act different to the same changes, and some dont react at all...there are no set in stone rules, only trends. I am attempting to quantify an average and then formulate a strategy on how to most effectively work both sides of that average. i had quite a few folks react to this in the way you did, so im not too surprised to encounter some skepticism, but I have found this to be an un-broken rule in the natural world...There is a trend towards staying alive and reproducing, it can be quantified and it does have exceptions, but there is a trend that can be quantified.

A vibration bait: Yo-Zuri Vibe L.C. LVR Rattle Trap

K_Mac: Dont be giving away my secret system just yet!!! but yeah, I am working to quantify response to a certain collection of variables ie. temp/light penetration/light levels/length of day blah blah blah. And we as fisherpersons know all of this directly or indirectly relates to what will catch bass...not a particular singular hawg of a bass, but bass in general. So like you said you can figure out the place to start in the most efficient manner. Im also finding the data is sorting unintentionally into size classes (>16" class and < 20" class) related to certain types of areas at certain times off the year. Read about how Mike Mclelland won the sooner run this year. I doubt if he really understood the pattern he was running, but Im finding that type of situation in post spawn bass relates to bigger fish on most of my data collection water bodies here in the sooner state.

My baseline for Optimal Stimulation is the technique with the highest cumulative score based on sight, sound, and vibration characteristics. For ex. the vibration bait stimulates based on vibration (tight wiggle), sight (fast moving/ fast falling), and sound (rattle chambers). The vibration bait was the highest scoring lure/technique relative to the group of 20 or so that I looked at (some of them have been phased out or combined because they were near duplicates). The vibration bait scored 20/19/20 for vibration/sight/sound. Having said all of that, I realize my opinion on some of this info may be biased by my fishing preferences and the distance between common sense and attempted science is sometimes great. So give me your opinoin, I want to hear opinions and anacdotal evidence in order to unbias myself and potentially promt a new point of view on some of this stuff.

i appreciate your candour...any other takers!?!?!

Over the past few years I have been emersing myself in researching the Green/Brown fish specifically in relation to how to become a more productive angler. In order to do so I have come to the conclusion that fish are incapable of logical thought processes, and can only react, based on conditioning and instinct. I cannot manipulate a fishes instinct, only can I attempt to accomodate that instinct on a reaction level. Subesquently all an angler can do is understand the appropriate level of reaction a fish will respond to, or to be even more specific...the level of stimulation a fish needs to be provoked into striking. As part of a larger project I am working on i have built what i call the reaction gradation. Its a group of techniques and lures I commonly use, ranked according to the level of stimulation (Visual/Vibration/Sound) they expell when fished in a generic manner, this is to say I am not considering all the possible ways a spinner bait can be fished ie, like a jig/ like a worm/ like a spoon, but just the typical rollin it in slow or fast, deep or shallow, pausing or burning, and the same for all lures/techniques in the aformentioned table "Reaction Gradation". I would like to have some input from those posting here as to the order in which i have these techniques arranged..is it generally correct? is it generally incorrect? does one need to be in a different rank? About 60% of this project is based on documented bio. research and R&D materials, so 40% of it is my observation and collection of observation from guys who i have seen to exhibit high levels of angling skill. This Reaction Table is just 1 piece, but I feel like the most important piece in order to make it usable for actual FISHIN' help. The Guts to the table are included below...I would really appreciate your thoughts. Score Lure/Technique 14 Vibration Bait 13 Horny Toad/ Buzz Bait 12 Spinner Bait 11 Mid-Crank/ ChatterBait/ SwimJig 10 Deep Crank/ BIG SpinnerBait 09 Hard Jerk/ Popper/ Walkin Stick Bait 08 DEEP Hard Jerk 07 SwimBait 06 Carolina Rig 05 Jig-n-Trailer 04 Texas Rig Unpegged w/ Bead (Soft Plastics) 03 Split Shot w/o bead 02 Jig Worm (Shakey Head/ Spot Remover) 01 Drop Shot 0.05 Weightless Soft Plastics If you like I can post some of the collected data and Pieces of the index I am working on (Im sure your all titlated)

In a situation like this, I go through what I have termed the reaction gradation. Its a table i have built where i have arranged a group of lures I am confident throwing into categories from most reaction orented to least. 1. Vibration Bait (Vibe/LVR/Rattle Trap) 2. Buzz Bait 3. Horny Toad 4. Popper/Stick 5. SpinnerBait 6. Mid/Shallow Crank 7. Large Deep Crank 8. Hard Jerk 9. Swim Bait 10. C-Rig 11. Jig 12. T-rig 13. Spilt Shot 14. Jig Worm 15. Drop Shot 16. Weightless (Soft Plastics) Just go through the gradient matching the techniques to your conditions, and more than likely you find what the fish are keying on.

Dead of winter when yo gatta dip your pole to melt enough ice to reel, and the dead of summer when the sweat is runnin' straight down. DEEP main lake structure with ultra finnesse gear or super sized jig and crankin gear

Fish Chris: You are evedently not a bad stick by the looks of that picture, and i made reference to the trophy hunters like yourself in my previous post- Singular technique for singular result. Im not a trophy hunter though i will accept one anytime she wants to get in the boat with me. Conversly, the fish I consider "trophy" fish as I listed above arent double digit monsters, but more or less the joe six pack of quality fish. I hit the water with the intention of learning something new everytime, making an observation and implementing what I have learned to help me either show my son a better time next time we go out, or to hook up with a better paycheck at the next tourny. These are two goals that versatility is paramount in achieving. So I will better quantify my earlier statements: Versatility is paramount in being success at catching more quality fish.

Heres what a few guys have told me who either make their living exclusively or partially by fishing. #1 important thing is how often do you finish in the top 10-20% of the feild in tourneys over 30 boats (Documented), and how many "titles" or boats/ championships/ Charity events youve won. This relates directly to time in the spotlight which relates directly to sponser exposure which is what your being "sponsered" to do being a pro staffer= promotional staff not proffessional staff #2 how many different venues can you exhibit these percentages #3 How long have you been exhibiting these statitstics #4 a well defined and detailed list of your fishing strengths and weaknesses and how that relates to the success you will have in the future #5 What you will persue in the future I tend to finish top 10% about 1/4 of the time (never won an event w/ more than 30 boats) I tend to finish top 20% about 60% of the time I cannot dominate on waters I dont know I only have about a 5yr history to support these statistics I am a solid deep finnesse guy but suck at power fishin I hope to supplement my income with fishing within the next 2 years...not just break even Im not near good enough to go pro...Evaluate your performance not your expectations

KVD caught the lake lewisville record on a shakey head (not too far from a drop shot) and was drop shottin smallies on champ. to take 9th. From the mouths of two BASS pros I have talk to recently came the words (paraphrased) versatility is paramount. If you fish on the same waters pretty much exclusively, then chunkin the same thing that produces well is the way to go. Ex. a little clear lake full of finicky smallies I fish quite often should have a sign up at the ramp "Small Plastics only or youll get skunked". The guys that win the jackpots here throw the same thing at the same spots all year long every year and have done so for as long as Ive been donating. When I go there i throw pretty much the same stuff at the same spots cause thats what works...Ive tried to will these fish into hitting something else and they wont. Now I also fish a half a dozen or so more lakes on tourneys, and in order to stay in the black for the year on my gambling (tourney fishin) addiction I have to be ready to pick up somthin else and be as good as the locals. My personality leans toward finnessing deep structure with my electronics, but I have trained myself to switch gears quickly when the conditions call for it. Trophy hunting is another deal where you stick with what you know, or a collection of lures and techniques that produce a singular result. This next year I am going to really concentrate on increasing my ability to be an effective power fisherman cause I cant cover water worth a darn right now. My partner is a super power fisherman and hates the whole sight fishin with electronics deal, so I have found that I can improve versatility by observing and implementing.. adopting his strengths and maintaining my own. I firmly believe that increasing versatility concerning techniques is absolutley the way to go in order to increase #s and it has put many more big fish in the boat for me this year than the previous years wheras I was not too concerned with techique versatility. This year It has accounted for: 6.0 smallie on popper 8.0 LMB on spinner bait (slow roll winter) 7.8 LMB on Frog 7.2 LMB on jig 7.0 LMB on drop shot 4.8 Spot on frog 4.2 Spot on Jig 5.2 Smallie on Crank 5.74 LMB on Crank 4.0 Smallie on d-shot 4.0 Smallie on Jerk and 6 LMB btw 4-6lbs on shakey head. 2 5.0 lmb on worm 5.4 and 5.3 lmb vibe and thats all I have in my notes for me thats not to mention the hawgs my partner and son and wife caught while with me this year. Versatility is Paramount

Here in southern Ok i find smallies usually will hit the same thing as largemouth for the most part. It really depends on the species distribution in your area though. Id think up there in detroit yo guys would encounter a much larger percent of smallie bites than us here in the south. The only difference I find sometimes btw the species is on size of lure (smallies usually seem to like smaller) and either smallies want very subtle or very reaction type baits whereas Largemouth seem to hang some where in the middle. the same I find is true of color in that smallies either want ultra realistic, or ultra shock, whereas largemouth are sort of median on the color spectrum preference.

Very Tight wiggle- Yo-Zuri Vibe (which I hear is now out of production- What are they thinking) Slightly Looser but still very tight and louder- LVR Tight wiggle- Bandit Wobble- Norman Fat boy Roll- Manns 1-

I get rid of the weed guards entirely and t-rig my trailer to make it weedless...its more weedless this way and hooksets arent much different than what youd do on a shakey head or t-rig

Bottum line- you can catch a fish at any time on anything you choose at any spot on the lake or in a a pond or where ever...if you invest the time to do so. This may not be the most productive way to go about gettin fish smell on your hands though. My intent as a cheifly tournament minded angler is to catch weight. to do so i have found that being proficient with a number of techniques (not nescessarily # of lures) is key. You have to find that point in the gradation between reaction and finnesse that the fish are best responing to at that particuler moment. If your not all that great, or dont try key points in that gradation between reaction and finnesse you will probably miss a few fish you could have put in the boat and for me that means $$$. I try to be VERSATILE, but sometimes get thumped regularly by the guys who only chunk spinnerbaits and blue fleck pw. My theory sounds good, but the results arent always fitting the model..something must be wrong with the results!!LOL

I fish about 3 medium size non-pro team tourny trails a year and then a handful of jackpot charity type deals and this is what i see. Over 40 yr old guys chunkin and windin or wormin', and the sons of that generation tend to do so also in many cases. These guys are "hole" fisherman for the most part, and you can find them on the same spot on the same lake on just about every tourny. Under the 40yr old mark I see quite bit more versatility, or lets say multiple technique utilization. I fit into this 2nd category, and I fish against a few "young" local guys that are touring pros on bass and flw....I run into them quite a bit on the water. One fellow in particular seems to turn up everywhere i fish...I read the conditoins, and fish in as versatile manner as possible to meet those conditions. Its not an original idea, I leaned it from observing the consistant money takers. I can go old school: wormin, spinnerbait, crankin when the conditions dictate, but I can also go sissy wand versitile when I need to. I find that when old school is it I have stiff competition...those guys are good at their game. I find that when it is time for light line, or bizzare niche fishin' I do well. Versatility i dont believe is the key to catching bigger fish, its the key to catching fish more consistantly. I dont look for patterns, I look for trends...to my detriment sometimes, but i am still an infant in this world of hardcore money fishin. I have 15 rigs constantly rigged ranging from pool cue flippin stick to spiderweb silk for d-shot, and Ill probably use at least half everytime I hit the water if for no other eason than to get better at being more versatile (being able to switch gears).

My fishing experience could be characterized as a long slump interrupted by a few good days!!

Im from south central oklahoma, and though you may not think good smallmouth country at first (I didnt)... there are tons. I have fished northwest Arkansas, and southwest Missouri for them also (all in impoundments), and have found a few common threads to all these areas. Smallmouth are much like stripers...just smarter. They move..and are as a generalization from approximately 2ndary points outward whereas I look for LMB from main lake points inward. Ive found them to be more particular about what goes in their mouth, and they seem to be hesitant when encountering "visible" line. My largest have come on hard baits (Diawa Dragger-G Firetiger (5.7lbs), Rico Ice Popper (6lbs)) But I have had my best luck for simply catchin' tourney limit fish on subtle plastics shakey headin', drop shotting, c-rigging, rollin' runner (oversized road runner head) and weightless. I have the most luck for smallies on p-seed w/ chart tip, june bug, ozark smoke (yum color), and clear-light purple-white type patterns in finnesse worms (try manns hard nose 5" whitish color-the head sinks but the rest floats) or senkos, but caught my largest (5.4 lbs) on plastic using a rootbeer green/black fleck baby brush hog (c-rigged). I have never got into the ferocious northern type smally bite I hear about though I have tried. On the four lakes I fish for smallies most regularly, my go to spots for "catchin" are main lake ledges or humps w/ some wind driven current, and most importantly BAIT. Ive never used live bait so cant really say if its a better alternative...Im always fishin w/ a tourney in mind. When I think smallies, I think spinnin' rod 6lb FC and using my electronics.

I have found with my limited experience in swimbait fishing, its all about timing as far as getting bit regularly. I found some 3-6lb largemouth runnin bait on a bridge...big bait (12-14in gizzard shad). I caught a few on 12in Sassy shads, but they wouldnt touch anything smaller. Same bridge different day 2-3 in threadfin and ghost minnows- it took a 3in hand poured finnesse minnow 6lb FC drop shot to get em'. All about timing here in the sooner state.

This weekend I had a tourney that was postponed about an hour due to highwind and about 3" of rain in just a short period of time. Afterward it got fairly calm, but still rained for a while. I was throwin' cranks for the most part and caught a gob of dinks, but couldnt spark many bites from "keeper" size fish...What do you guys throw in a post storm murkey water conditions to garner bites from better fish. (Tourney won rippin vibes on grass edges).

Any Tourney...the only thing that would make it mroe "dream" like would be a better boat (preferably an '06 TR21X w/ 250 Pro XS) and a bank account that wouldnt limit my participation...oh yeah and winning would be nice, but thats really not the point.

Im fairly new to "serious" bass fishing, and after 3yrs of frustrating attempts at observing patterns for tourneys, BP's writings turned a light bulb on in the dark dreeriness that is my bass fishing intelect. I almost never beat the bank anymore, and I catch lots more fish. From BP's writings, I realized the bank and surface are the ends of a basses usable environment, and as a group (ther are unique individuals) bass do not want to stay that close to the edge unless feeding actively chasing or ambushing to feed.....subsequently I catch more, bigger healthier fish now that I see the bank the same way the bass do. In a study ISU completed in '96? on the ?? river they found behavior that suggested "migration" patterns similar to BP's ideas. Its the only Statistically analyzed study I have come across.