king fisher

I've seen 5 adults in a 12 foot aluminum boat all casting in different directions and drinking tequila. I don't know if they caught any bass but they sure were having fun.

I would have a house on Rock Lake in Eastern WA. This is where I grew up and learned to bass fish. I would trade in most of my heavy Mexico bass gear for BFS and fish every day. Even though I only get a chance to fish there once every few years, I still consider it my home lake. Sometime there is no place like home.

If you fondly think of drift fishing as nostalgia you should have been with me yesterday. The wind blew so hard it drifted me all the way across the lake and two feet up on shore. I could even say it driften me home because I got so tired of drifting I loaded up and drove home.

Bass are territorial, and big bass are extremely territorial. A big bass is not going to let a small bass sit at his dinner table. The small bass will not force the issue, because they don't want to become dinner. Not to say a place might not have a mixture of small medium and large bass. You may catch a dink or two and still catch a trophy from the same location. But if you catch 15 dinks, and don't get any larger bass than there probably is no large bass to be had. Conditions and time of year change, as well as a big difference between day or night, so no place that has bass will never have big bass, but if at the times you fish you never catch larger bass, than there is a good chance that is because no large bass hang out there during the times you fish. I have many spots that I will still make a cast or two, and if I catch more than three very small bass I will quickly leave. I have other locations where I will give it a bit more time if I think the conditions are right even after a few small bass landed. Medium size bass that are too big to get eaten, but can still be bullied, if the prey is there, it will take more effort than it is worth for the big bass to defend their territory. If I catch 2.5 pound or over bass from a location, I am very likely to try different baits and retrieves before giving up on the spot and will most likely come back and try it again a while after I leave. If you are fishing a spot that consistently kicks out bass less than a pound, than it is still worth a cast or two, but don't waste much time. A giant bass is not going to let a tiny bass eat a meal that he feels is his, and they aren't going to let a bunch of children sit in their dining room and eat all of their food. I'm not talking about large structures that will have a variety of bass sizes. A large bass has a small personal space and if the structure is large there will be other size bass. Sometimes the small bass may be in 2 feet of water on a large point while bigger bass are 10 feet deep on the same point. The big bass will be at the prime place on the point, but that doesn't mean there won't be small bass in the vicinity. Sometimes the reason for a place basically being a nursery are obvious, and other times the only ones that will ever know why, are the bass.

I have experienced the exact opposite. I used to yank back quickly as soon as I felt a bite. Sometimes I hooked the bass but usually I didn't get a good hookset. After moor practice I learned not to get in a panic and pull the bait away from the bass, or only get a partial hook set. When I feel what I perceive as a bite, weather a tap, pull, heavy feel, or slack line. I carefully reel in the slack. If I feel the slight weight of a bass, I swing for the fences. I now miss far less of my bites. I do not wait, but I don't just jerk at the instant I feel something. I make sure I feel the bass and am ready before I set the hook. Many times I don't feel the bass when I reel in the slack, and usually If I don't move the bait the bass will hit again and then I'm ready. Everyone bass angler has seen the video where a bass inhales a crankbait spits it out and the angler doesn't feel even know he was bit. I have news for all the anglers that see this and think they need to set the hook at anything. No matter how fast a person sets the hook that bass is gone. That bass spit that lure out so fast by the time of even the fastest hookset, the lure was already spit out and by yanking the bait away the bass will not bite again. Most fish will take a lure, and turn to get away with their meal. If you set the hook when they turn the bass is yours. Many times that is when a person first feels the bite. Other times a bass inhales the lure instantly spits it out in order to reposition the meal. Yank when they are in the process of spitting out the lure and you will not hook the bass. Again, I'm not saying to wait, or count to three or something similar, I'm just recommending making sure the bass still has the bait before swinging for the fence. In my experience those light tap tap bites are usually small bass, that can be difficult to hook. Most of the larger bass I have caught on soft plastics feel slightly heavy or mushy. Those are the bites I reel and set almost at the same time. The Tap Tap bites I take my time bringing in the slack hoping the bite changes to that heavy mushy feeling. Sometimes it does, and I am rewarded with a big fish that bit like a dink. I will say I have always been a very high strung, twitchy angler. My instict has always been set like a trap. Breath on a lure and the trap goes off. There are many techniques, with many different species of fish, that I have had to learn to not pull the bait away from the fish without first making sure I will hook the fish. The one bite that fools me, is draggin a worm into an abandoned gill net. I reel down, feel the bass, sweep set, and even fight the net for a second or two. Nothing feels like a bite better than a net. I have a 98 percent hook up ratio on nets, unfortunately my lure loss rate is almost as high as the hook up ratio.

Congratulations. You can wake up now. That must be a record bag. Please don't tell me it was caught at Lake Menderchuck. I already have spent way to many hours searching for this lake.

I caught my first bass of 2026 on Friday. I didn't get off to the start I had hoped. I was late getting to the lake, because I had to go get some blood work done in the morning. By the time I got to the lake, the afternoon winds were blowing 25 mph. If I really stretched my first bass it would go 12 inches. After catching my first bass my luck didn't improve. The wind picked up to 30 mph and the bass got smaller. Finished the day with 15, best five went 5 pounds. Camped for the night and the dink fest continued in the morning. Usually there is a light breeze out of the East, until sometime in the afternoon, when the wind shifts to strong out of the West. This morning started with a light breeze out of the East but it quickly picked up to 20 mph making it extremely difficult to fish where I had planned. When the midday lull in the wind arrived, I managed to hook a monster. I had been fishing a large tree 10 feet deep in 30 feet of water when the wind was letting up. I landed 3 small bass, and before I left for another tree, I put a Spro Rock Crawler on. First cast while gently working it throw the tree limbs I get bit. At first I thought it might be a limb, and didn't set the hook hard. Instantly the bass came out of the water. I was happy it didn't shake lose, but just as fast as it jumped it dived, and wrapped on a limb. I peddled towards the giant but as soon as I started forward it came off the limb, and swam straight at me. My forward momentum made it worse. That was the last mistake. An instant of slack and the only bass over a 1.5 pounds for the trip was gone. The afternoon winds had picked up to 35 gusting to 40 mph chasing me off the water at 3:00PM. I finished the day with 23 bass best 5 going around 8 pounds. The water level was good for this time of year, surface temperature was 74 degrees, and the water clarity was almost three feet. Perfect conditions for this lake, other than the extreme wind. I always have to fight the wind at this lake, but this past weekend felt like I was fighting Mike Tyson with one arm tied behind my back. Good news was I didn't lose any tackle, and only need to repair a half dozen soft plastic baits. I will have to replace Fluorocarbon on one reel. A long break from fishing combined with high winds and the need for long casts, made for some interesting professional overruns. I hope to go again in May, and will be more prepared when the big one bites.

I Make my own. I get parts from Barlows, and Netcraft. I save the blades, swivels, beads, etc, when one breaks. Now that I have a large selection of parts and skirt material, I only have to order the frames.

I believe almost as many fish have been killed with a camera as have been killed with a filet knife. I'm not saying don't take pictures of your hard earned catch, just be prepared, and careful when you do. I have witnessed far to many healthy fish dropped on the bottom of a boat, squeezed so hard when they wiggle trying to get away, that placing them in a vice would have been more kind. I have also seen so many anglers have to change the angle to the sun, adjust their caps, take their sunglasses off, look at the picture, and do it all over again. A common mistake is to hand a camera to someone to take a photo that either doesn't know how to use the camera, then has to hand a phone back to the angler to put a password in, or change a setting. Many times I have been that technologically inept dummy. All of these examples takes time out of the water or damages the fish in some way. Just because a fish swims away, doesn't mean it will live to be caught again. I have personally been guilty of many of these mistakes, and have been involved with all of these and many more. I once had to change batteries in my scale, change scales, and almost have to reprogram a camera, just to turn it on, all while holding on to a ten pound bass. I was not able to revive the bass and gave it away to another angler to have for dinner. I am now always prepared to measure weight, and take a picture without harm to the bass. It takes prior preparation, and planning to release a trophy. Please don't be guilty of camera kill, and also be careful when you weigh your fish.

Zebco 33 and work less

I have had to get my car out of a ditch a time or two. Have not not slid into a creek yet.

no

Pull tag end and main line together slowly but not hard. Then move all wraps down the line by squeezing them with your fingers. When you have the wraps as far down as they will go, pull tag end tight, then pull main line tight, then pull both ends tight at the same time. This sounds like a lot but really only takes a second. The important thing is make sure the wraps are down tight against the loop in the line. The knot will be just as strong if it is tightened up higher, but has a chance for the tag end to work it's way out of the loop, and the knot comes untied. I put my tag end through the loop an extra time in order to stop this from happening, but I still make sure the wraps are tight against the loop. If you pull the knot to tight while the wraps are further up the line, you can't move them down. If you only snug the wraps enough to keep them from tangling, you can easily move them down the line. Another mistake is not trimming the leader line tag end close enough. If you never leave your rod in a holder then this is not a problem. But if you do leave it in a rod holder with any slack, the main line can constantly catch itself on the tag end. Over time this can weekend your main line. This is hard to explain and the problem usually only show itself, when leaving rods rigged for extended periods of time when saltwater fishing. I have seen it happen and make sure if my mates are in a hurry and don't want to take the time to tie an FG they tie an Alberto correctly, including trimming the leader tag very short. The main line tag end does not need to be trimmed short. This may sound confusing. I suggest you watch a few videos on how to tie the Alberto. Remember what I have said, because I have seen many videos where they do almost everything wrong. Just because it is on Youtube doesn't mean it is right. By watching the ones where they do it wrong, you will understand how to do it right. I have made all of the common mistakes and had the Alberto knot come untied. I have also had the knot get week a couple inches up the main line from constantly wedging between a long tag, and the main line. Both problems have cost me large fish. Tied correctly it is a very strong fast knot to tie. I used a uni to uni for 20 years, but now I use the Alberto, can tie it much faster, and it is far slimer especially if you leader is a larger diameter.

In the wind I throw, a spinnerbait around wood, a bladed jig around grass, and a crankbait in the rocks. As far as clouds go, I usually use the same baits, but may change to more visible colors.

I only looked up the versions that were on TW. I did miss the AL distinction, and wrongly assumed everyone was talking about the MG Ti elite. My bad, I should have read the posts more carefully, and am more than a little embarrassed for my mistake. In my defense, it was not a difficult mistake to make. A more polite way to point my mistake out would have been to only mention the fact that I made a mistake. Adding how in the world to your correction, only made you post condescending, instead of a positive correction for an honest mistake,

Spinnerbait, crankbait, worm.

Don't tell that to Mexican bass. Every bass in Mexico I have caught over 7 pounds jumps more than once. Many jump multiple times no matter how I try to keep them from jumping. All the DD bass I have caught have jumped almost immediately after being hooked, even if I get bit on the bottom in deep water. Usually at least one jump in the middle of the fight, and for sure a jump or two close to the boat. They will also once in awhile go on long runs similar to salt water fish, but do tire quickly. If I keep my cool, get them away from cover, don't horse them and get lucky when they jump, I can easily lip them when they are tired next to my Kayak. Getting wrapped around a tree branch, and jumps are about even on the reason for me loosing a big bass here. Smaller bass jump far less often.

I don't own any KastKing reels, but would like to try the MG Ti Elite. It looks to be a very good reel. I wouldn't think it would be fair to compare it to a Tatula. My Tatula which I consider an SUV of reels, is priced on TW at $229. Far under the price of the MG Ti Elite at $299. I would assume a reel that is one dollar shy of $300 would be better than most of the Tatula line. A JDM Zillion is $225 on Digitika, and would be more of a fair comparison. If the KanstKing is better than the JDM Zillion, than the Bait Monkey will not be letting me get much sleep. I will be keeping track of opinions of those that have both reels, and may have to cave in to the Monkey and give the MG Ti Elite a try in a year or two. Only time will tell, but for now I wouldn't sell the tried and true Tatula short.

"I love it when a plan comes together" Good luck.

What is a Rage Rooster? Couldn't find it on TW

If you talk to a guide and He tells you everything you want to hear, don't hire him or her. For example if you say your brother is a beginner and you are experienced, and he say's no problem you both will crush them, dont worry about experience the bass are easy to catch go with someone else. If you talk to a guide who explains the disadvantages of an inexperienced angler, and what the learning curve may be, he may recommend live bait fishing, or maybe even fishing for another species for your brother, you need to consider hiring this guide. You still have to ask more questions and tell him what your expectations are, how you would like to fish, and if you don't want to fish live bait, FFS , some other technique. This guide will most likely answer your questions honestly. He may tell you he doesn't do well with beginners, or he may say he has perfected a few techniques that are easy for beginners to be successful, and you brother may even outfish you. If he describes a trip you feel both you and your brother would like, than hire him or her. If you feel his style of fishing or success rate isn't what you want look for someone else. If all you do is call up and ask how the fishing is, and what they have caught lately, you will not have enough information to make a decision. Many times people will only ask if they can bass fish, and if certain dates are available. The answer will be yes and the date set. The more questions you ask, the better you will be able to understand what to expect. I have had clients that by the time I was through explaining what I thought the fishing and difficulties would be, it sounded like I was trying to talk them out of a trip. They came and had a great time, but new exactly what to expect. If they only wanted to fly fish, and I felt the conditions were not good for fly fishing, but spinning gear would work well, they would not be surprised if I recommended picking up a spinning rod. The old saying if it sounds to good to be true it isn't true is good advice when picking a guide.

I'm sure I will get some negative comments about this advice, but I'm willing to take the heat. Are there many other bass anglers fishing the lake. If there are ,watch where they are fishing. I'm not saying steal their spots, but you can determine what kind of structure others are fishing. A pair of binoculars has saved my day before, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Every tool in the box can be used ethically, if you are a considerate angler. If there are not many other bass anglers, or the ones there seem to struggle, observing others may not tell you where the fish are, but it sure can tell you where they are not. If there are no other anglers, fish any structure change near wind protected shallow water flats, or other possible spawning habitat. If no success, there may be a reason there are no other anglers.

Alright I lied. One more favorite bait thread. Favorite C Rig and T rig bait and free rig. Size, color, amount of weight, depth fished, hook, pegged, unpegged, and cover structure fished. Bait Monkey is making popcorn for this one

That is what I use, I guess if it aint broke don't fix it. I also use the same worm on my C Rigs.

Do you work for the Bait Monkey?