king fisher

I fish two colors of worms. Junebug and Green pumpkin. If one of those colors doesn't work, I fish some other lure. I often fish jigs, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits that are purple or have purple in them. Why? Because I always have. I was catching bass on purple spinnerbaits long before I found out all spinnerbaits should be white. Black would probably work just as well, but after only having black and white TV clear in to the late 80's, I always prefer to have color, and it might as well be purple. Now that I fish lakes where the primary forage is white, I do fish white spinnerbaits, but I still have some purple ones. One lake I fish the crawfish are black and blue so black and blue jigs work well, but I'm going to give some jigs with purple a try. I like some purple on my crankbaits, and I don't know why.

Lure Parts Online has Lumaflex.

A-Jay. You may have retired from the Coast Guard, but you now work full time for the Bait Monkey.

June is the best month for me for two reasons. The most important reason is I can get time off of work to go fishing in June. The second reason is the water where I live is very low in June. Concentrating the fish on predictable structure and cover. It hasn't rained since October. Rainy season is in full spring by July and the reservoirs fill up fast.

Josh Jones was a guest on a podcast a while back. He talked about how difficult it was for him to get big bass to bite in the summer. He said he can find large schools of bass with his ffs. but the bass are not interested in his lures. In the winter it is opposite for him. He finds less bass, but they are aggressive towards his presentations. He also prefers the coldest water temps in the winter. His best days are when a cold spell puts ice on part of the lake. The metabolism of a bass is lower in cold water, and that is a fact, but the willingness to eat a lure apparently has little to do with metabolism. Fishing pressure in popular lakes would have to big a big factor, but the dog days of summer happen on private ponds, where the pressure is the same throughout the year. The theory that bass feed at night may be valid, but the main advantage the bass have for hunting at night is darkness, and that is the same regardless of water temperature and time of year. Water takes longer to change temperature than the temperature on land, so for at least part of the night the surface temp will be just as warm as during the day and the water temp a few feet down probably changes very little from day to night, limiting changing water temperature at night being a major factor. I am more inclined to believe the bass have more to eat, and actually spend less time hunting food, in the summer, but that is only a guess, and like most of my guesses could be completely wrong. One thing for sure is only the bass know the answer, and they aren't talking. As far as how hard a bass can fight in cold verses warm, I have seen zero difference. They can pull drag while biting through a whole in the ice as well as they can when the water is 85 degrees. This does not make any sense to me, but neither does most of bass fishing in general. I live in an area where the water temp. only ranges from 70 to 80 degrees from the coldest time of year to the warmest. The fishing pressure is non existent, and the two big factors for success, are water clarity, and water level. I'm sure the bass feed the same whether the water is high and muddy but my fishing skills are better in low clear water.

Anything with a hook is not useless. Please watch your language. This is a family forum.

I think it is Dworshak, but am not sure

I have never fished for musky, but I am assuming it isn't always this easy.

What is the purple one, third from the right on the third row down. Bait Monkey wont leave me alone until I have one just like it.

I use straight braid, braid to leader, or straight mono on spinning gear depending on what I'm fishing for and fishing with. I use straight braid, straight mono, braid to leader, and straight floro carbon on bait casters, depending on the fishing I'm doing. No one line is best for everything. If I had to I could get by with only any one of them, but I could also get by with only one lure. I have many different choices, and like to use them all. If you tie good knots correctly, and don't try and make one line do what a different one does best, then variety is the spice of life. I would choose mono for bass fishing if restricted to only one line. If I could afford to change line every time I get a backlash or pull hard on a snag, I would only fish Floro on bait casters. I can't afford it, so that is why I often choose other lines on bait casters. Braid to leader is what I use most on spinning reels. Choices in fishing line has made me a hypocrite more than anything I can think of so please don't look at any of my previous posts regarding fishing line types, because over the years, my opinions have changed back and forth as much as the weather If you don't like braid to leader try something else, but don't be surprised if you go back to it for certain techniques.

I use straight braid, braid to leader, or straight mono on spinning gear depending on what I'm fishing for and fishing with. I use straight braid, straight mono, braid to leader, and straight floro carbon on bait casters, depending on the fishing I'm doing. No one line is best for everything. If I had to I could get by with only any one of them, but I could also get by with only one lure. I have many different choices, and like to use them all. If you tie good knots correctly, and don't try and make one line do what a different one does best, then variety is the spice of life. I would choose mono for bass fishing if restricted to only one line. If I could afford to change line every time I get a backlash or pull hard on a snag, I would only fish Floro on bait casters. I can't afford it, so that is why I often choose other lines on bait casters. Braid to leader is what I use most on spinning reels. Choices in fishing line has made me a hypocrite more than anything I can think of so please don't look at any of my previous posts regarding fishing line types, because over the years, my opinions have changed back and forth as much as the weather If you don't like braid to leader try something else, but don't be surprised if you go back to it for certain techniques. I use straight braid, braid to leader, or straight mono on spinning gear depending on what I'm fishing for and fishing with. I use straight braid, straight mono, braid to leader, and straight floro carbon on bait casters, depending on the fishing I'm doing. No one line is best for everything. If I had to I could get by with only any one of them, but I could also get by with only one lure. I have many different choices, and like to use them all. If you tie good knots correctly, and don't try and make one line do what a different one does best, then variety is the spice of life. I would choose mono for bass fishing if restricted to only one line. If I could afford to change line every time I get a backlash or pull hard on a snag, I would only fish Floro on bait casters. I can't afford it, so that is why I often choose other lines on bait casters. Braid to leader is what I use most on spinning reels. Choices in fishing line has made me a hypocrite more than anything I can think of so please don't look at any of my previous posts regarding fishing line types, because over the years, my opinions have changed back and forth as much as the weather If you don't like braid to leader try something else, but don't be surprised if you go back to it for certain techniques.

In the game of life, the person that ends up with the most tackle wins. It is that simple, you can't have to much tackle. If you don't use it, collect it. The next lure you buy will be the magic lure, if it isn't buy another.

Your Square bill collection looks good. Great display. The Bait Monkey has already pointed out a couple baits that I don't have and he thinks I should get.

I went fishing at Presa Pocho yesterday and today. I landed one 10.2 pound bass 25 inch first picture, on a Junebug Zoom Ole Monster( My hot lure this spring), a 6.8 pound bass 23 inch second picture, on a square bill, numerus smaller bass on a variety of lures, and one 205 pound 72 inch fisherman third picture, also on a square bill. My first cast I got a bite and missed, second cast I landed a 4.5 pound bass. Great way to start the day. I continued to catch small bass suspended in trees in deep water. The water temp. was 79 degrees, which is the warmest I have ever seen it at this lake. I was thinking the bigger bass must be still in the trees but deeper cooler water. The trees have large horizontal branches making it difficult to get lures below them. There is a fence line running in to the water from shore not far from one of the trees I like to fish. I always make a cast or two at some of the fence posts just because I have a hard time passing up visible targets even if they are only in 4 feet of water this time of year. I have never caught a bass over a pound on one of these posts, and doubted there were any bass this shallow, but as usual I had to make a cast while I was in the area. First cast I hooked and landed a 10.2 pound bass. It just goes to show how often I am wrong about where the big fish should be, and I usually catch my biggest bass at random times, due to dumb luck. Dumb luck or not, a DD is still a DD, I wont complain. Of course I worked many more shallow fence lines over for nothing but baby bass. I went back to fishing the deep trees. My first cast I set the hook hard into what I thought was a tree but right when I was going to pedal over to try and get my lure the tree almost jerked the rod out of my hands. The bass wrapped me on a limb, and after a few minuets of give and take, she managed to wrap it solid, and snap the line. I guess my dumb luck was over, and I was back to my normal bass fishing style complete, with a giant that got away story. Mid day I hooked a 1 pound bass and reached down to release it. I grabbed the leader, and the small bass jumped over my arm, hooking me with one of the treble hooks. It took a minuet to release the bass a and I have never seen a 1 pound bass fight so hard. Maybe it didn't fight any harder than normal, but my arm just might be more sensitive than any rod I have ever had. Luckily there was a couple commercial fisherman taking a siesta in hammocks not to far away. I pedaled over to the bank and walked over to where they take their brake. They helped remove the hook and I gave them the lucky lure. I was back to fishing with only a small delay in my day. Today was slow. I caught a few small bass at my regular spots, and decided to try exploring a bit down the lake. I always troll while moving and caught a couple small bass after only a short distance trolling. I debated not putting the line out again, because I didn't think I would hook anything of size, and I was wasting time stopping to unhook 1 pound bass. I was travelling over a featureless flat, and didn't expect to catch anything, but I put the line out because it can't hurt to have a bait in the water. I went about 10 yards and hooked a 6.8 pound bass. I spent the next hour criss crossing that spot looking for any kind of cover or structure, but found nothing. The flat was a consistent 8 feet deep, mud bottom, with zero irregular features. Again just dumb luck. The other end of the lake didn't produce any more bass, and because it was raining hard I decided to troll back to the launch and go home. I didn't even get a small bass on my way back. I should have stayed and fished all day in the rain, but it sure is nice being warm and dry at home. Even in Mexico it gets cold fishing all day in the rain wearing only shorts and a T shirt.

Lake Menderchuck should be easy to find. It is no big secret. Just look at the pictures he posts. It is in Michigan, surrounded by trees along with a few cabins, has giant small mouth bass, a few big brown trout, and an over sized musky or two. I recommend calling the Michigan DNR and give them this information. They should be able to narrow the search. Then look for AJ's pick up at the boat ramp. I don't see what the difficulty is.

Before I cast I make sure I have my Hobie kayak pedals in reverse. As soon as I set the hook I start to back up. I have lost some very big bass because I either couldn't keep the line tight after hook set, or a big bass pulls me forward and is able to wrap the line on some kind of snag. I use mono and make long casts all of the time, but I do take a second or two to prepare for a strike before making a cast. It was hard to get used to , but is second nature now.

I bought the Heddon reel in the spring of 1978 it was half the price of an Ambassador at the time. I was sold on the new level wind disengaging design, and the cheaper price sealed the deal. I had an old pen 109 reel made for trolling I had tried to use as a casting reel and because of my limited success with that reel was a sucker for any design that made the reel free spool more. It was my first true baitcaster. My friend bought an Ambassador at the same time. The level wind moved back and forth during free spool on his reel, but it was a much better caster than my Heddon with the new supposedly revolutionary improvement. Now all baitasting reels have the level wind disengage, so maybe they were on to something.

I visited my Mom in WA State this past week, and found some of my old fishing gear in a box she saved. I salvaged three spinnerbaits, and one reel that I brought back to Mexico. I hope to catch a DD bass on one of the baits and maybe even give the reel a try on some big Mexican bass. The smaller spinnerbait was made by Cotton Cordel and was called a Spring Killer. The upper spinnerbait arm was bent in to a spring, giving the bait it's name. It had a black rubber skirt, with a long thin yellow curly tail trailer. I caught a PB largemouth 5.5 pounds with that bait in 1977. That bass was my PB until June 2020 when I caught a 10.5 pounds almost doubling my old PB. I wont be able to find an original skirt, and trailer, but the bait is still good, and I will put a modern skirt on it. The other spinnerbaits were made by Blakemore and called CC Spin. The big Colorado blade had a large cup at the end which was supposed to make it the best spinnerbait for waking the surface. Buzz Baits had not become popular yet, and waking a spinnerbait was a common technique. I preferred a smaller bait I had for waking, but did catch some nice bass slow rolling the big CC spin. A new skirt and the old Blakemore will be ready to go just in time for the rainy season muddy water conditions. The reel was made by Heddon, and is the first baitcaster I know of that the level wind disengaged when the free spool lever was engaged. The reel cast OK, but I had problems with line getting behind the spool. My friend bought an Ambassador at the same time, and never had any problems. I always wished I had spent the extra dollars and bought an Ambassador. The reel is in great shape and if I use 17 pound or higher mono I don't think I will be plagued with the problem that I had when I was young fishing with lighter line.

Bait Monkey is strong with this one.

I have used the Coastal 150 for 3 years, and have never had any issues with the reel. Very solid, great drag, and casts well. I use it in Salt water often, and haven't had any issues with corrosion. I like this real better than my Tatula CT but I have no complaints with the Tatula. I had a Coastal 200 that was my favorite, but I lost it over board. Replaced it with a Tatula 150 and I prefer the Coastal 200 I lost, but both are excellent reels. The Coastal reels held up well in salt water, but I don't fish the Tatula reels in the salt, so I can't say for certain, the extra money you pay for the coastal reels is worth it or not. I only know the Coastal reels are worth the money I paid for them.

The influence LMB has on the Bait Monkey. Other fish species and the Bait Monkey may be friends, but the Large Mouth Bass and the Bait Monkey are soul mates.

They usually miss my bait and inhale my friends bait.

7’6” Diawa Tatula heavy fast. With Diawa Coastal 150 reel. 7’6” Diawa Ardito medium heavy fast. With Diawa tatula 150 reel. 7’ Diawa Ardito medium heavy fast with Diawa Zillion reel. 7’ Diawa Ardito medium fast with Diawa Tatula CT reel. Some days I substitute a medium spinning combo for one of the bait casters. I do not like to have more than four rods in my kayak.

I don’t loose any. Some I don’t bother to bring all the way back to the boat and go through the hassle of removing hooks. Weather I release them close or far, I know where they are,(in the lake) so I don’t consider them lost.

Uni to Uni knot is strong and easy to tie. I used it for 25 years. Alberto is better and what I use now for leader under 50 pound test. Alberto is easy and quick to tie, but takes practice to tie correctly. It will come untied if not tie properly. Both knots as well as many others are excellent knots.