king fisher

7 inch Senko

I fished a lake this weekend, that the water temp. was 76 degrees. From what I can tell the bass spawn was at it's peak. I don't think this lake ever gets below 62 degrees, and probably doesn't ever get higher than 80. I don't know why they waited until this weekend to spawn, but it will be interesting to see if it is at the same time next year. Bluegill weren't spawning, but Tilapia were.

I just spent 4 fishing dawn to dusk, and sleeping out under the stars by myself. Yes I fish alone. My only regret is I didn't have 10 more days to fish.

Thanks AJ I forgot one other first, on this trip that I'm still having a hard time believing. I fished for four days, and didn't loose a single lure. The bass may have not been biting, but I can't say I didn't have incredible luck.

If you don't want to read the long report, the bass are 9.2 and 5.8 pounds, caught on a Magnum Rage Bug and a crankbait. I went to Presa Trigomil for the first time this weekend. I heard about this lake from a guy I hired as a deckhand this winter. He told me he had bass fished once in his life and caught a good bass. When he showed me a picture of the 12.5 pound bass he caught (a good bass) I decided I needed to give this lake a try. I new the lake would be down, so I studied low water pictures on Google Earth. I assumed it would be post spawn, and planned on fishing secondary points to start. I arrived at the lake about noon Thursday. The water was 76 degrees, with 4-5 foot of visibility, and no wind. I fished a dozen secondary and main lake points with no luck. I tried the back end of a couple of bays and caught a few less than a pound bass. Tilapia were spawning everywhere, and there was an abundance of bait. I could see bait in the shallows, and by marking with my fish finder offshore. At the end of the day I found a point with some bass and landed a 5.5 pounder along with a couple three pounders. The next morning I went back to that point and landed a 5 and a 6 pound bass. I left to try another part of the lake with no luck. I ended the day at my only good point. I decided to try a Carolina rig for the first time in my life. I caught a 5.5 pound bass on the first cast and thought I had found the magic bait. That was the only bass on the rig, and I finished the day with a couple small bass on cranks. The next morning I started at my only semi good spot with no luck. I finally decided it was time to quit beating a dead horse, and come up with a new plan. I pulled over to the bank and climbed up a small bluff to take a break and look at the water. There was no wind so I could see down about 5 feet. I observed all kinds of life mostly spawning Tilapia, along with some bluegill, carp and lots of bait. Then I saw a 5 pound bass cruise the shoreline. The bass would go up and down the shore for about one hundred yards, but would alway return to the same spot. I had pounded this bank earlier in the day and couldn't believe there was a 5 pound bass hanging out that close to the shore. I grabbed a rod from the kayak climbed back on the bluff, and cast a Waky Senko in front of the bass. No interest. Then I saw a smaller bass join the larger one, and finally the light went on. I can be a stubborn fisherman, if I think the bass are post spawn and on points than I practically have to get hit on the head to convince me otherwise, but I was seeing a spawning pair with my own eyes, and I was to tired of not catching fish to ignore the obvious spawning behavior.. It didn't take me long to find the sweet spot and catch both of the bass on a waky rigged Senko. I started walking further along the steep bank and spotted another 5 pounder, and caught her. I went a little further and spotted a pair, and caught both of them. The bank began to get to steep to side hill with my bad knee while wearing flimsy sandals, so I climbed back to the flat spot on the bluff. It was there I spotted a DD. bass. I tried for over an hour to get her to bite, even though I had no idea how I was going to land her, 30 feet up a bluff. I had to come up with a new plan. I started going down the bank in the kayak looking for bass. If I ran over and spooked them, I would mark the spot to return later and try to catch them. Even standing up in the kayak I couldn't see the bass far enough away without spooking them. It looked like more side hilling the steep banks was going to be the only way. I pulled in to shore near one on of my marked bass, climbed 20 feet up the bank and spotted two big bass. They would chase each other up and down the bank but would always come back to the same spot. I couldn't see a nest but their was definitely a spot they liked. Then a third smaller bass started hanging around the same spot, and I new I had a spawning pair plus one. The biggest bass kept trying to chase the other larger bass away, but she kept coming back. Sometimes they both would go as far as 100 yards up the bank but both would eventually always come back. I didn't have any white soft plastics so I picked out a Magnum Rage Bug with bright blue on the top hoping it would help me to see the bait. I now see why the pros use white. Visibility of the bait is key. I drug it in front of all three bass with no response. Their favorite spot was almost out of sight and I couldn't see my bait that deep, but I new I could get close. I waited until both big bass were chasing again, and drug the bait to the spot and waited. The smallest of the big bass came back and I saw my line start to move off. I set the hook and the fight was on. I landed her right when the only other fisherman on the lake paddled by. He pulled over and took my picture and told me he hadn't caught a bass in two days. I told him my new strategy, he looked at me like I was crazy and paddled off. I went back caught the male, but even though I did see the big one I couldn't get her to bite. I found two more large bass including a DD. but by the time I went back to fish for them the wind had picked up making it impossible to see well enough to catch them. The next morning I tried for two of the fish I had spotted. I did find both of them again, but the light was not good when the sun was low, and the wind picked up early making it difficult so I had to give up and go back to casting blind. I did find another point that had bass and caught 2 three pounders before having to make the 5 hour drive home. I didn't catch many bass but was able to catch my first C rig bass, my first bass sight fishing, and once again learned that having an open mind is way better for successful fishing than being stubborn is. I also learned side hilling steep banks wearing sandals will make you feet very sore, but catching a 9 pound bass is worth it. The picture of the bank is where one DD lived I tried for hours to get to bite with no luck.

Plastic worms. Yes, I said plastic worms. Please don't send the bass police to have me arrested or locked away in a mental institution. I bought my first pack in 1976. All I was able to do was snag the bullet weight in the rocks. I didn't start catching fish with them until 2020. Weightless Senkos were the first to score, then finally last year I started catching fish on a traditional T rig with a Zoom Trick Worm.

Please tell me that for $15.00 a pop, Jackhammers are bent at the perfect angle to catch the most and biggest bass under all conditions at the factory.

My Hobie Outback can go 3 MPH. with no more effort than walking. 5MPH = fast jog, 5.5 MPH = full sprint. The Hull is the limiting factor for speed on most kayaks. Most fishing Kayaks are built for stability, with speed being one of the trade offs with hull design. A long narrow sleek hull will go much faster with the same drive system, but you wont be able to stand up and set the hook. There is always trade offs in any boat design.

I'm sure Grandma would love to go to a fishing store, and buy you something for your birthday.

Thanks. I will try and send the Bait Monkey your way sometime.

I prefer fly fishing in streams. Lakes, large deep rivers, and the ocean I leave the fly rod at home.

The only time I second guess myself, is every time I go fishing and most of the time betting on sports.

I had a Winchester model 70 375 HH magnum I used for back up when guiding bear hunters. carried it almost everywhere I went spring through fall.

No Pictures. I was planning on taking pictures of DD bass. Maybe next time.

I can't believe people are using the FG for bass fishing. I have been using it with larger line for saltwater fishing for years. I can tie it quickly a half dozen different ways, in heavy seas, and have taught many deckhands how to tie it correctly. For bass fishing I never had a problem using a double Uni for the many years I tied it. I did use the Albright at times, but tied my last Albright when I saw my first Alberto. I only use the Alberto now, but be warned it will come untied if you do not tie it correctly. I would not feel handicapped if I had to go back to the Uni to Uni, I simply prefer the slimness, strength and quickness of the Alberto. FG know is a great knot, but I don't see any advantage using it with the lighter lines used for bass fishing.

I don't know. I always throw purple worms.

On a calm summer evening, a slow steady blurp blurp blurp of a Jitterbug is like bass fishing magic.

After what seemed like forever, I was finally able to go to my favorite lake by Tepic for two days. I got there at daylight only to see the rumors were true. A lodge at a lake close by had two guide boats taking anglers out. Oh well I guess I couldn't have my own private pond for ever. Two years was more than I expected. I started off looking for fish on a point I like. I found some nice marks at twelve feet, and started casting a crankbait. On the third cast I hooked what I hoped was a decent bass. I horsed it to much and the hook pulled. On the next cast I hooked a bigger fish. I played it easy not wanting to loose another one. I ended up landing a huge Tilapia that was snagged in the side. It looked to be over 6 pounds easy, I didn't even know they could get that big but I realized the fish I marked were not bass. The guide boats gave up and left around 10:30 with only a couple one pound bass. I was glad to have the place to myself, and went offshore to mark some spots with buoys, now that no one would be able to see where I fish. After fishing off shore a couple hours I realized there were no post spawn fish on the spots I caught them last year at this time. The afternoon winds started blowing 30 kts. Most of the time when the wind blows I fish the points with crankbaits and spinnerbaits, but since I had determined most of the bass must still be in spawn mode I chose to fish some shallow protected bays.. As usual I found plenty of small bass willing to hit a chaterbait in 2-3 feet of water. Most of the bass were baby's, but some were a pound and a half giving me a little action while hid from the wind. As the wind died down I started throwing weightless 7 inch Senkos and caught a couple bass in the 2.5 pound range along with many more one pound fish. Along with the 1 to 2 pound fish, the baby 8 t0 12 inch bass were tearing up my expensive Senkos at an alarming rate, but I bought them to fish with so I forced myself to not think about the cost. When the evening came and the wind subsided some, I put a chaterbait on and started working another stretch of shoreline on the other side of the lake. I had never caught a big bass on my only Jack Hammer, and always thought I paid way to much for a bait that only caught small bass for me. Of course on about my third cast I hooked what was easily my PB. The bass jumped once giving me a good look at her, trying to make me panic, giving her an advantage in the fight. I was able to back away from the shore and get her out in the open, where I was confident with a little time I would soon be holing my first bass in the teens. When I got her about 10 feet from the kayak she decided to jump clear out of the water, shake her monster head, and give me back my Jack Hammer. After 12 hours of hard fishing in the wind, all I had to show for my time was another big one that got away story. What was worse, For some stupid reason I decided a Jackhammer was my favorite lure and couldn't wait to order a dozen more. Now instead of giving up on a $15 lure, I am trying to decide how many colors I want to try, and which trailers I want to use on them. I didn't even land the fish and I have a new favorite big bass bait. The next day I hooked and lost one in the 8 pound range on a 7 inch Senko fished in 2 feet of water first thing in the morning. The rest of the day I landed one to two pound bass on the Senkos while baby bass robbed me of all the ones I had. When the wind picked up, I went back to the Jackhammer and baby bass. Two days of fishing with no big bass and an expensive Tackle Warehouse order. It just goes to show even in Mexico the fishing can be slow and the big ones get away, but I can always use more tackle.

I have no problem casting into the trees equally well with spinning or casting reels.

That poor Rapala must feel like a guy with a beer at a wine tasting party. He was just hanging out at the store with the rest of the low rent jerkbaitsl, when he was yanked off the wall and stuck in a box with the uppity higher class. Hope he can hold his head up high and catch a PB.

Make sure you are on the sonar screen not the chart screen. You will be able to scroll back. When you start to scroll cross hairs will appear. Put the cross hairs on the object you want to mark and hit select. I have an echomap 64 cv. It does not have touch screen, so has a select button. I'm exactly sure what one with a touch screen will say, but I know for sure you can mark a spot after you went over it as long as you are on the sonar screen. A manual will explain how to do it better than I can, I just know it can be done.

Wouldn't a Rapala be a cheaper ignition fob? Or is a Megabass ignition fob far superior?

Buy a rod and reel that will cast large swim baits or glide baits. Then the next time you get the urge to buy something you don't need, you can buy some expensive glide baits.

At the price they charge for 110's I would expect them to simply grow a new and improved bill. Put it in a bowl of water, and add some miracle grow to the water and see what happens.

You have to look at the bright side. A lost fish can be as big as you want it to be. You were going to let it go anyway. Why waste valuable fishing time bringing it all the way to the boat? I have found that if you land a fish, it shrinks, you take a picture it shrinks more, you weigh it with your scale, smaller yet, weigh it on a fishing partners scale it wasn't even worth landing.