king fisher

What are they doing fishing here? I watched some live this morning, and they acted like a 1.5 pound bass was a DD. I can understand going someplace where the fishing will be tough, but tough is when some anglers zero, only a few get a decent bag, and the big fish of the tournament is over 5 pounds. When the controversy over bed fishing it weather or not the angler is targeting the spawners or the fry there is something wrong. The winner of this thing most likely wont even have a 2 pound average and many struggle to catch 5 dinks. There has to be a better place to hold an Elite event. BASS wont hold an elite event in a whole portion of the country because the anglers would be inconvenienced with a long drive and other logistical problems, but have no problem holding a tournament on a body of water where the bass are smaller than the crappie are in many lakes. Go ahead and give a thumbs down for my opinionated rant, but there is no way any one can convince me this isn't completely ridiculous.

I have been sea sick myself, and have seen many guests get sick. My advice may go against what many people believe, but I'm going to give my opinion any way. First of all, motion sickness has nothing to do with what you eat, so forget all the advise on food, eat what ever you want before you go out to sea. Second thing is I have seen more ginger thrown up in to the ocean than any other food item. It may have some settling effects on your stomach, but it will not keep you from feeling the effects of motion sickness. The reason a person gets sick is because their balance with what they see and feel, is at odds with what the level in their inner ear is telling their brain. The inner ear is working overtime and over reacting to the stimulus it is receiving. It has absolutely nothing to do with your stomach, so eating something special will not help you keep from getting sick. It may be less pleasant to throw up some food more than others, but your head is what is sick. You must keep from getting your brain out of balance, or you will get sick. Many times I have a person that is starting to get sick steer the boat. Why? Because they will be forced to watch and feel the waves as they come, making them more in sync with the ocean. I have never heard of someone getting sick on a surf board, or even a kayak. This is because they ride each wave with zero confusion. They sea the wave coming, know they are going to go up or down, and are in tune with the movement. When I a person is on a boat not looking at the ocean, their eyes tell the brain one thing and they feel something else. The balance mechanism in the inner is trying to keep in balance, the brain is trying to understand what is going on, an your eyes are giving their input. When these all are giving different information, your brain gets confused, and for some unknown reason sends a message to your stomach that life is not good, and the stomach reacts the only way it can. I can tell who is going to get sick within five minuets of them being on the boat. They are the ones that stumble, and have a hard time getting their balance. The people that naturally have sea legs, will intuitively adjust and move with the waves. They will not be stumbling and hanging on to rails. They will sway and move with the waves and not get sick. They wont even know they are doing anything, it just comes naturally to some people. If you don't have natural sea legs ( which most people don't) you must work at keeping in rhythm with the waves. The best way to do this is watch each wave come, and consciously try and move with the waves. Don't be stiff, Keep you knees bent. It is like learning to ride a horse. A beginner bounces up and down in the saddle, and an experienced rider moves in unison with the horse until they almost act as one. Do not try and rig your line, look at something on your phone, or lay down and sleep until you have at least started to get the feel for the ocean. Even with all the time I have on the sea, I still will get queasy if I have to read a manual, or try and fix something in the confined space of an engine room, that takes concentration, while at the same time getting rocked around by the waves. I have never been sick while driving the boat in the day light, I have been sick while driving at night in rough seas, where I can't see the waves coming and am having to concentrate on my GPS and Radar screens. After a few hours in rough water, I get my sea legs, and wont feel bad even if I'm not where I can see out. By this time I will be adjusting to the rocking of the boat even while sitting down. My upper body will be rocking and adjusting anticipating and adjusting to the waves automatically even when I can't see them. So I guess instead of sea legs it should be called sea body. After getting on land it can take awhile to adjust to no motion, and get my land legs back. That is why people that have been at sea for a long time, may appear to be intoxicated while walking, but haven't had a drink. Although much of the time the sailor is intoxicated and that is why they are swaying back and forth. In Summary, the best thing you can do is watch the waves and movement of the boat. Try and get in sync. with the rhythm. Keep your body loose, not stiff, don't fight the movement, ride the waves like you would if you were on a surf board or a horse. Watch how the boat is reacting to each wave, anticipate the movement, and don't be afraid to look at the water. Until you get the feel for the water, the only way you can anticipate the movement of the boat is to watch the water and see what is happening. Like I said before, the person driving the boat rarely gets sick because they are forced to watch what is happening. You can go ahead and eat your ginger, wear a band on your wrist, and have a certain diet, but until you get your sea legs you may be in for some trouble. Dramamine will work, but makes a person sleepy. Which is part of the reason it works. By making you drowsy it de sensitizes your inner ear, causing your balance system to not over work itself, helping you keep from getting sick. Besides if you do get very sick, being drowsy and sleeping the trip away is a good thing. There is no way to predict how the sea will effect a person. I have seen the toughest athlete brought to their knees, praying to die, while the most out of shape drunk, take wave after wave with zero problems. Most people will get a little out of sorts, but recover after a few hours. Some people can not recover until they are back on land. If you are one of those unfortunate types, do not go out on rough seas.

While I do get some satisfaction while walking a frog perfectly back and forth, I don't think the bass care if you walk a frog perfectly or not. They will bite the frog just as well while you are learning to walk it as they do once you get good at it. They don't look up and say, I'm not going to hit that frog. He didn't throw enough slack in the line, and it went straight ahead. Find the speed of retrieve the bass want that day and they will bite it. After awhile you will get the hang of making it walk like a spook, but don't get discouraged. You will catch plenty of bass while you learn.

I have a Hobie Outback for five years and love it. I have a small car, and no space for a large peddle drive. The small easy to store and install Hobie drive system works well for me. At first I was a little frustrated with having to pull a cord to go in reverse, but now it is second nature and I don't even think about it. I use my Outback in both fresh and salt water, and am able to launch it in moderate surf on the beach. I can peddle all day at 3 MPH without getting tired, I'm not sure if I get more speed than a standard peddle drive system, but I'm sure I get more low end power when fighting strong current or headwinds. Until last week I would be nothing but positive when asked about a Hobie. Now I do have a major complaint. The reverse broke on my drive last weekend costing me a DD bass and a whole day of fishing. The problem would be simple if I could easily install the spectra line that shifts the drive in to reverse. It was the only thing that broke. I called a couple of Hobie dealers that are certified for repairs, and they both said I had to buy a new spine. It ends up the new spine is $400 and about half of the entire drive. I asked one of the technicians why I couldn't simply replace the line, and he said go ahead and give it a try, but he didn't think I would be succesfull. He told me it was possible to replace it in his shop, but it takes so such much time that it is less expensive to by the new spine. I looked on You Tube for a video for this repair, and did find many videos to repair or replace other Hobie parts, but there were none for replacing the spectra shift cord. My local Hobie dealer in Puerto Vallarta that sold me the kayak does not handle do any repair work. I have learned that this is a common failure if you use are constantly using the reverse, and that replacing the $400 spine is not a rare occurrence. I would probably still buy another Hobie, if I lived near a dealer that also handled warranty and repairs. Having to order an expensive part, find someone to bring it to me, and have to change out the part myself is not what I paid top dollar for. When the Hobie drive works, I believe it is the best drive system available. Sure there is no instant reverse, but a quick pull of a cord is not a disadvatage after a little practice. Not having quality service, and parts that are known to fail, is a big minus for me. I will continue to use my Outback, and hope I don't have anymore problems. With a little luck I will get another 5 good years of service. When I do go to replace it with a new kayak, I will research other manufactures products before I buy. Two weeks ago, I would not have even considered looking at another manufactures kayaks, but $400 for a part has me wondering if my loyalty is not deserved.

Ask him what he thinks you will need, and what his favorite baits are. I would bring one medium light spinning rod, and one medium heavy baitcaster. Make sure you bring enough lunch and drinks for both of you. Bring extra lures that are his favorites and give them to him at the end of the day. Have him stop on the way home at a gas station, fill both the boat and vehicle with gas, and buy some snacks and drinks for the ride home. Remember you are going as a guest on his boat. If you left something at home that you think you needed, bring it the next time he invites you to go. It is better to go with less gear, and catch fewer bass than to bring to much and get in the way. If you have something that works far better than what he has, offer to lend it to him, but be careful not to offend him. His gear may not be up to your standards, but in the end having a good time is what is most important.

Buy a Jitterbug and fish it on a calm summer evening as the sun is starting to set. It wont catch more bass than other lures, but life is never the same after a bass interrupts that subtle blurp blurp blurp sound with a violent splash. Every bass angler should experience this at least once in their life.

Welcome to my world. http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/attachments/f21/489881d1429545472-looking-old-funny-monkey-fishing-pic-image-jpg

My wife is going to the states for a week, so I decided it would be a great time to buy a couple of necessities and have her bring them back home in an extra bag of luggage. Earlier this year I had decided, I had way to much tackle, and didn't need to buy anything. I had determined since I only bass fish for fun, not food or money, than the only thing I was doing was enjoying the challenge of catching a bass. I told the Monkey that the challenge of catching a bass on the lures I already own, was just as rewarding as catching bass on new lures. I was going to have the attitude, that catching bass on the lures I have would be more enlightening than catching a big bass on some new magic lure. Of course he gave me the what have you been drinking look. I did need to replace terminal tackle and line, both of which are not allowed as carry on baggage, so that is where my wife would be able to help. I put some line, hooks, and weights in my cart on Tackle Warehouse. Then I took a look at Siebert Outdoors website, and noticed that I could get 10 tungsten sinkers for the same price as three on Tackle Warehouse. I decided it would be worth putting in an order for 20 weights at Siebert's rather than the three I really needed. While placing the order I noticed a spinnerbait in a color I had never seen, and it looked like a bass would have to hit it even before I could get it out of my tacklebox. Now I make my own spinnerbaits and have at least 100 baits made, and parts to make another 100. The last thing in this world I need is another spinnerbait, but somehow that bait was to good looking to pass up. Since I was already expanding out of the necessity terminal tackle category, I added a pack of Magnum Rage bugs, and some punch weights with skirts attached. It was then I realized I needed to remove the tungsten weights out of my cart on Tackle Warehouse and finish my order there. Thinking that I saved so much money on tungsten weights, I might as well buy a few more crankbaits. After all, I did loose a couple of my best crankbaits on my last trip, and replacing them wouldn't really be like buying something new. I couldn't decide if I needed a DT 15 more than a DT 10 so I bought a couple of both. It was then I realized I had been fishing bladed jigs more than ever this year, and I better buy a couple of them in case I loose some of the ones I have. Of course I needed to buy trailers for the bladed jigs so in the cart they went. By then I was starting to get out of control, but since I already had one foot in the door of the crazy train, I put a Lucky Craft LV 500 in the cart. I have put an LV 500 in every cart then removed it on every order in the past 3 years. I catch many bass on a rattle trap, and have always wanted a lipless crankbait that would work better at deeper depths. It doesn't help that the Monkeys cousins Matt and Tim, catch monster bass on the LV on almost every video they put out. So this time the LV made it past the cart and on to the order. I didn't even stop to think that if the LV works so well at catching bass in deep and shallow water, I didn't need the crankbaits I was ordering, because I would be using the lipless instead. I'm sure somehow I will find time to fish both, of them, equally along with all of the other lures I can't live without. Luckily before the train pulled out of the station with me riding in the front seat I remembered the relationship my wife has with the Bait Monkey and managed to stop, but that is how my resolution of only buying hooks and line came to an end. The Bait Monkey always wins.

I have tried for years to kick the Bait Monkey habit for good. In the end the Monkey always wins. I have come to the conclusion, that nobody likes a quitter.

Depends on the lake and water clarity. One lake I fish the visibility is 4 to 8 ft., and I catch bass anywhere from the surface to 25 ft. deep. Another lake I fish the clarity is usually around 2 foot, and I catch most of my bass between the surface and 15 ft deep. When the visibility is a foot or less, I never catch any bass deeper than 10 ft. deep. Much of the time there is no thermocline on the lakes I fish, but if there is I always fish at or above the thermocline. I have seen the thermocline as shallow as 10 feet, and as deep as 50 feet. I have caught bass in 35 feet of water that were suspended at 10 feet, but the deepest I have caught a bass on the bottom, is around 30 feet deep.

You could try trolling crankbaits. To some trolling is a dirty word, to others it is a great way to present a lure to a bass. Give it a try and see what you think.

I use 1/2 oz Cavitrons with just the skirt they come with now. I have experimented with different trailers with the skirt, and without, and keep going back to a plain skirt. I once had a Lunker Lure that came in a used Lot. of lures I bought off of E bay. That bait made a squeak so loud every coyote for miles would come running to the lake looking for a meal. I have never had a buzz bait since, that was that high pitch and loud. I caught many big bass on that used Lunker Lure. I don't know why the bass liked that sound, but it by far out performed any buzz bait I have ever used. It was a sad day, when a DD bit it right next to a fence post, and wrapped my line around the barbed wire. I was more upset at loosing the lure than the giant bass. I always wonder if the original owner new what a special bait he had. I guess he didn't or it wouldn't have been for sale in a box with a bunch of old Rattle Traps and Rapala minnows. If I ever hear a buzz bait make that sound again, I will buy every one I can get my hands on.

I went fishing at Presa Pocho today. The day started out great, with a 7 pound bass within the first 15 min. of fishing. Then the reverse broke on my peddle drive, and the wind picked up out of the East. I only had a 15 minuet window of calm between the rare morning East wind, and the Afternoon west wind, that was gusting over 30 MPH by 11:30 AM I was going to fish tomorrow, but I was to frustrated with the wind, and not having reverse I decided to pack it up and go home. I know there are many anglers that only use a paddle, and can't imagine getting upset over not having reverse on a kayak, but I am used to fishing a certain way, and being able to reverse is important to me. Twice I lost big bass because I was not able to back away from the submerged trees I was fishing. One time I ended up loosing a giant bass, and one of my best square bills, so I called it a day. I don't give up easy, but some time's it is best to call it a day. I hope to be able to get the part for my Kayak soon. This is my peak season, and I only have about a month before the rainy season starts. I may have had a frustrating day, but I did land 13 bass, including this healthy 7 pounder. A few weeks ago I got skunked making this day not so bad.

I want to catch a bass big enough to eat the deer.

If you didn't catch something on the second pass with the Roostertail, do no make a third pass. I think both lures were great choices. Something bigger on the first pass, and a never get a skunk inline on the second.

Whatever technique will allow you to present a bait to a trophy bass where the bass is at that moment. The right tool for the job depends on the job. Using a Musky Jitterbug may work great at night on a shallow weedy pond on a hot summer day in Florida, but will not be the right bait if the large bass are schooled on a ledge on the bottom in 25 feet of water. Many times a number of techniques could catch the same large bass in a given moment, but only the one you are proficient at will be the one that will work. Almost all techniques can catch trophy bass, the challenge is determining what technique will work for you on your lake, in the conditions you are fishing in.

When I show up at the lake, the bass laugh so hard they usually forget about eating for a day or two. My friend has caught on to this and goes fishing a couple days after me. The bass are hungry by then and he always catches them. The bass in one lake have grown so accustom to this pattern, that they will bite my friends lure the day before I go fishing just to save me the embarrassment of having to go fishing at all. I haven't given up. I have a plan. I'm going to go to the lake dressed like my friend. I will arrive two hours late, already be 5 beers in to a six pack, make more noise than an invading army, fish a floating Rapala with a giant swivel, cast it 5 feet on a $10 rod reel combo with ancient 20 lbs mono, and run out of gas 100 yards out from the dock. If this doesn't work, nothing else will.

I have been watching the weigh in at Fork. Does anyone know why the anglers always refer to how the day went, and how they hope to do the next day as we did ok, and we need to do better tomorrow. Why do they always refer to themselves as we. Who is the other person they are referring to? Not one anger said I have to adjust, or I will try a different strategy tomorrow. What am I missing? Who is the mysterious we? I thought they competing by themselves.

I hate it because I can never find bass on beds. The one time I did, I enjoyed fishing for them. I even would get out of my kayak, and sneak along shale rock slides in order to see and catch the bass. If it is a big bass, and I can see it, I'm willing to give almost anything a try to catch it. Most of the the lakes I fish I never see a bass, and I don't even know what time of year they spawn.

Unfortunately, I keep most of my soft plastics stuck on stumps in the bottom of the lake.

I liked the video, and please don't take offense to my question, but it would be nice to see you do the same demonstration with an unpegged bullet sinker of the same weight, using the same lure, on a T rig. The separation may or may not be the same, it would be interesting to know. You didn't prove your point because you only showed what a free rig will do.

Keep all bass over 10 pounds. If you catch more than 5 over 10 quit fishing. FOREVER

Thanks, but it has nothing to do with skill. I have a pedal kayak. The difference between peddle kayak and a canoe you paddle, is the same as the difference between a horse and buggy, and a car. No comparison.

I went fishing at Presa Pocho all day Friday, and Saturday, half day Sunday. Friday I landed 21 bass, the biggest was 5.5 pounds. Best 5 weighed 16 pounds. Saturday I landed 23 bass, the biggest was 25 inches long and weighed 9.5 pounds. I was sure I had a 10 plus, but was a little light. Best 5 28 pounds. Sunday I landed 10 bass, biggest was 7 pounds, best 5 24 pounds. I have a 45 minuet window, when the morning east breeze stops, and the strong afternoon west wind start. The bass were suspended in trees that are in 30 feet of water, with the tops about 10 feet below the surface. When it is calm, I can slowly fish a 7 inch Senko in the tops of the trees. That is how I got the 9.5 pound bass on Saturday, and I always give this method a try, during the brief wind window. Once the wind starts to blow, I can't keep the kayak in position to let the Senko fall to tree top depth, without dragging it out of the strike Zone. When it is dead calm I can make it work, but it takes all of the patience I am capable of. Once the wind picks up, out come the spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. The Bait Monkey loves to watch me snag lures in the trees with the wind blowing 30 MPH, but I have to fish where the bass are. Today during the short calm, I hooked a 3.5 pound bass on the big Senko. When I got it next to the kayak, a 10 pound plus bass came up and tried to grab the worm out of the mouth of the bass I had hooked. The small bass switched directions, and for a few seconds they both were side by side the Senko still on the hook in the small bass mouth and the big bass trying hard to grab it away. I put the rod in a holder, and grabbed another rod, but by the time I cast another worm, the giant bass was gone. I landed the 3.5 pound bass, and was able to fish with the Senko, the big bass was never quite able to steel. I didn't get a DD but I did go away with a lifetime memory. Pictures are of biggest bass of each day, Friday fish first, Sunday's fish last.

Hire a guid for a day or two on your home water. Book a trip to a lodge in Mexico for largemouth or Canada for smallmouth.