king fisher

I learned all about torn tendons in my shoulder, third world medicine, along with insurance, and torcher centers( also called physical therapy clinics). I haven't been able to get my kayak out since June but am going to bass fish over the Thanks giving holiday, even if it kills me. I learned that a severe drought can make for unbelievable fishing at my lake in June. Now I will have to learn if the fishing is good at record high water. I learned that buying tackle is fun, but not as fun as using it. Sitting on the side lines can be a learning experience, but I would rather be in the game. I was surprised to learn how many others on this forum have gone through the same experience, and their positive attitudes, has made it easier for me to have a positive attitude. I learned bass don't hit A rigs, they attack them with a vengeance, big square bills, rock, it is possible to loose three buzz baits in one day, and even I can catch fish on a Texas Rig. Great year all in all.

I spent most of my life fishing for trout and salmon with conventional, spinning and fly rods, usually 8 to 9.5 feet long. I had no issues casting accurately from the bank, and out of small boats with rods of that length. The 7 to 7.5 foot rods I use bass fishing seem short to me. It all depends on what you are used to. If you like short rods, than there is no reason to change. If you want to try longer rods, go for it, after awhile I think you will like them. If you really want to cast far, try a 9 foot salmon rod. They load all the way in to the butt section, and have a light enough tip to launch a crankbait in to the next county.

Bimini Twist is the only loop knot I use with braid, and then only for salt water use. I'm sure other loop knots will work fine as long as you don't expect them to hold over 75% of line strength. Which most of the time that will be more than enough to land the biggest fish in the lake.

My work keeps me busy fishing for tuna and marlin. When I do get a chance to bass fish, I fish for big bass with top water lures, and think about how much I miss ice fishing.

I took my wife bass fishing while on vacation in WA Sate when we first started dating. We were fishing a creek I fished growing up from shore. I tied an inline spinner on her line and showed her how to cast a spinning rod. I showed her the best hole, and told her the spinner would catch anything in the creek. I walked up and down the creek throwing every lure in my box and didn't catch a fish. She caught a dozen small bass, a few trout, and a bluegill. She wanted to know why I didn't catch anything because it didn't seem difficult to her. I told her I was after bigger bass so I used different lures. The next day we took a boat out on a lake, and I tied the same lure on her line. Again I fished everything in the box and caught a couple small bass. She caught the most and biggest bass, a 5 pound brown trout, a couple small rainbow's, and a few crappie. Then she snagged her spinner and lost it. She asked how much it cost, and I told her about $3. She lost another one and quit fishing because she felt it was getting to expensive. She then thanked me for letting her use the expensive lure while I fished the cheap ones that didn't catch any fish. I didn't know what to say, but realized some times it is best not to say anything at all. A few years later after we were married I got a package from Tackle Warehouse. She looked at the lures, then noticed the price. All she said was why don't you use the $3 lures that you let me use, that actually catch fish and quit buying all of this junk. Again this was on of those times, when it was best to not to say anything at all.

Bait Monkey took it easy on you. He always makes me spend min. of $50 just to get the free shipping. If I am at a store he forces me try out rods and reels, and look at the new electronics. You showed great restraint and bought excellent baits.

From all the pictures on this thread, I have to assume some people are even better at finding lures, than I am at loosing them. I'm not so lucky. I never find lures on the water. I find all my lures at stores, most of the time their not even on sale.

Shad color crankbaits are close to the same color as many small fish in every lake. Almost all small baitfish, are dark on top, and some shade of white and grey on the sides and bottom. Just like rainbow trout baits can look like suckers and other minnows. When fishing crankbaits, I usually start with chart. and black. If that doesn't work I switch to a shad color. If that doesn't work I fish some other kind of bait.

I have learned that I'm not completely insane for driving 3 hours away from an ocean full of fish, to fish for bass.

How fast do they grow? Not fast enough.

I have a fantastic, wife and I wonderful marriage. She never complains about my time spent fishing. She just doesn't quite understand why I'm such good friends wit the Bait Monkey and to tell the truth neither do I.

I have fished a lake for a little over a year now. The coldest surface temp last year was in mid February at 66 degrees. The temp in Dec. and Jan. was 68- 74 depending on the day. All temps. were taken at 7:00 AM. Afternoon temps. can be as much as 6 degrees higher. The lake level in the winter is high and I caught large bass in 1 to 4 feet of water, on a flooded pasture all winter. The locals think the bass spawn in April but are not sure. Big females I caught in May were thin, so maybe April is when they spawn. Surface Temps in April and May were 68 to 73 depending on the day. I thought the spawning cycle would be equivalent to Fl. but the coldest part of winter is in Feb. When would you think the spawn would be? Best fishing by far is in June, but that is because the water is at it's lowest and the fish are concentrated. I never saw any fish on beds, but the water visibility is not good, and I wasn't able to fish more than a couple days a month in Jan., Feb. March. The fish are in shallow flooded water all winter, so there is no need to move from deeper cooler water to the shallows to spawn. The water temp never gets over 80 in the summer, so really there is very little change in temp. the whole year. Other bass lakes in Mexico have the spawn in Jan. but they also get colder water in Dec. and very hot water in the summer. I hope to get out more this winter. Maybe I will see some beds. Any guess on what would trigger the spawn on this fishery?

Every state has different laws. In Alaska all the water belongs to the State, meaning the citizens of the state. Even the Federal Gov. can't keep you off of the water. On the Island of Kodiak the Feds. tried to make it illegal to land a plane in one of the Federal Wild life Refuges on the Island. They were successful in banning wheel planes from landing on land, but could not keep float planes from landing on the water and dropping people off on the shore to fish. After a few years other pilots figured out they couldn't keep them from landing wheels on the beach below high tide and hunting deer. A native tribe on Kodiak owned some land on a river where a lodge walked guests to catch salmon. The lodge paid the Natives a fee every year to walk a few hundred yards across their land to access the wildlife refuge land to fish. They kept raising the price of the fee every year. When the cost became to great, the lodge owner went to the state and asked if he could buy an air boat to run the shallow stretch of river the natives owned. The state said go ahead, and they would be glad to help out if the natives took it to court. The Feds. said they were not going to allow the air boat in the wildlife refuge, and the state again said go ahead the water belongs to the state. He now has ran the airboat for 15 years, driving the boat through the native section into the wild life refuge with out any problem. Alaska is the extreme on one side of the issue. Other states, the land owner, has way more rights. I imagine most states are somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately, some states have a lot of gray area in the law, and finding out if you are wrong or right, might mean an expensive trip to court, where you might loose. Making friends with the land owner may be a better way to catch some fish.

My wife is very intelligent, but when it comes to logic, sometimes I think she flunked first grade. The other day she asked me why I didn't ever take a big box full of crankbaits fishing me? I told her that the box she was referring to was where I kept me second string baits, and that my starters were all in another box I take with me. She asked me if the second string lures were capable of catching bass? What kind of an illogical question is that. Of course they catch bass. Why would I have bought them if they couldn't? She then grabbed a Bomber 7 A out of the box and asked if it was any good? I told her it was one of the best crankbaits ever made. I told her a person could catch a bass any time of year any where in the country with a 7A. She then picked up a Deep little N. I told her the same thing. She then asked why if they are so good are they in the second string box. I told her it was because I was currently using a newer more expensive crank bait. She asked why I bought more expensive lures if the old ones worked so well? A question that crazy I didn't even bother to answer. She asked why I saved the old 7A and Deep little N if I wasn't going to use them. I told her I never new when I might need to call the old ones back up to be starters. I couldn't believe such a smart person could ask such stupid questions. Then she picked out a very old scared up Bagley Balsa B. and asked if it caught bass. I told her it was the best square bill crankbait I had ever fished. I could work it through trees better than any crank bait made, and it had caught many of my best bass. You could tell by the teeth marks it was a perfect bait. I couldn't believe she had to ask why it wasn't in the starting line up. I tried my very best not to sound condescending when I told her the obvious. I couldn't use that bait because I was scared I would loose it. She looked at me and said what difference does it make if I loose it, if It just spends its days in the second string box. I told her I may need it on a day when nothing else will work. She pointed out I couldn't use it on that day because it was at home in the stupid worthless lure box. Like I said she is completely illogical.

Hard to cast with two hands with a pistol grip. I never did like pistol grips for that reason. Rods made for other species of fish, never went down the pistol grip road. I doubt they will ever be popular again. I don't miss them, but if you like them than that is what matters. I have been out fished by a man with a pistol grip rod and a Zebco 33 for a reel. I new better than to give him my opinion of pistol grip rods.

A few years ago I bought a tackle box of used lures off of Ebay. I bought it for a rare crankbait I wanted but the best lure in the box ended up being a Lunker Lure buzz bait. The previous owner had put an off bend in the blades, and the skirt was melted. I put a new skirt on and it sat in my box for over a year. One day I decided to give it a try. The squeal was so loud, I thought it would scare every bass for miles. It caught so many fish, that I didn't use another buzz bait for over a year. I lost that bait on a giant bass that wrapped me around a flooded barb wire fence. I have never had a buzz bait that worked so well, or made so much noise since. I will definitely try the mods recommended here.

My favorite lake surface temp low this year was 66 degrees in February, High in Sept. was 78 degrees. If my shoulder keeps getting better, I hope to be in my Kayak landing DD. bass on buzzbaits during the Christmas Holidays. Sure do miss ice fishing.

Please say it isn't so

I clicked on the link you gave. This company has gone too far, they are completely in bed with the bait monkey. They offer credit for their tackle. You can buy their rats on time, for four easy payments. I have a hard enough time keeping out of the poor house with my tackle buying without some company offering payment plans for their tackle. Is this legal? I would request you not link this type of porn on a post again lol.

I think I have a problem. I caught my PB on a spinnerbait and this is what happened. I I caught another on a Square bill, and this is what happened. I sure hope I don't catch my next PB on a Jackhammer. I should have never let the Bait Monkey talk me in to buying a $15 dollar bait. At first I was scared of loosing it, now I realize catching a giant bass on it might be worse.

The two big disappointments for me this year were my two most expensive baits. Spro Rat Jack Hammer The Rat caught many bass but they were all smaller than the Rat. A Mans 1 minus wake bait out produced the Rat by a large margin, and was only $5 The Jack Hammer caught bass up to 2 pounds, but spinnerbaits, and crankbaits out produced it by both numbers and size by a large margin. I haven't given up on either lure. I know they work, I just have to use the right retrieve at the right time, but it will be awhile before the Bait Monkey talks me in to buying an expensive bait again.

Years ago, I spent most of a winter living at an aroe tow Hang glider park near Orlando Florida. A young women from Norway, spent a month their gliding. One day she went cross country and landed in a pasture. A women came out on an ATV. and pointed a shot gun at her. She cussed at her and told her to get off her land immediately. She then tied a rope to her glider and drug it off. Being from Norway she already thought the US was the wild west, and was sure the lady was going to shoot her. A friend flew one of the ultralight tugs around until he found the property and the glider. The pilot took the lady to court. The property owner was sure she was going to win, because the pilot was trespassing. The judge felt different. The law basically said that because the pilot had not intentionally trespassed, but only needed to make a non powered emergency landing that the owner could not press charges for trespassing. The owner could ask the pilot to leave, and not allow her to drive on to the property to get her glider, but could not keep her from carrying the glider off on foot. She could not threaten her with a gun, and definitely could not keep her hang glider, or damage it. The land owner could require payment for damages to her property but would have to prove damages. The land owner had to pay for the glider, and was also found guilty of assault . The pilot went back to Norway a month early convinced Americans were crazy. I wasn't happy because I was single, and she was the only female pilot at the park. If you think that bass fishing is mostly a male sport it is full of women compared to hang gliding. I was lucky and never had a bad experience on cross countries. Most of the time a farmer will see you land, come and offer assistance, give you a meal, and let you spend the night. That is the way it used to be with hunting and fishing. A polite conversation, a point in the right direction, followed by wishing you luck catching the big one. It is sad those times may be gone for good. I know it is a to way street, many land owners have had property damaged and trash left, from fisherman and are tired of the hassle. Sportsman should do everything they can to help improve their image. Maybe the future is bright. I sure hope so.

According to FAA regulation. Except for take off and landing, no aircraft can operate within 500 feet of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure. So far that does not pertain drones. Changes to the regulations for drones is a hot topic at the FAA.

I have been on both sides of this issue, and it really depends on your state, and how your local law enforcement interprets the law. Official Federal Navigable water ways are listed, and people are required to obey rules listed by the Coast Guard. If you guide on a listed Federal Navigable water way you are required to be licensed by the US Coast Guard regardless of State. All Federal Navigable waters are public up to the high water line including the bottom. Most rivers and lakes are not listed by the Federal Gov. The rules pertaining to them are different depending on what state, and some laws are not clear cut, they depend on case law from previous law suits. Some states such as Alaska, simply state that all water belongs to the state of Alaska, and is public. If a lake is surrounded by private property it is still legal to land a float plane and fish, you can even go on the land as long as you stay below the high water line. Other states define public water as only navigable water and is open to interpretation by local law officers, and individual Judges, as to what that means. The old colonials definition of Navigable is any water you can float a canoe in. Where this interpretation comes into conflict is many small waters you can float a canoe in places, but may have to portage or walk on the bottom in other parts of the river. The land owner may pay property taxes on the bottom of the Pond Lake or river, and will have a good argument that he owns the bottom and anyone touching the bottom even with an anchor is trespassing. I duck hunted and fished, a small creek for many years, where I occasionally had to get out and walk the boat through the shallows. It was in WA State and the law there was very vague. The local game warded felt I was in the right and would not ticket me. The land owner was furious but there was nothing he could do. I talked to the Local DA and he researched the case law and told me other similar arrests and law suites went both ways. He assured me that if the local law didn't arrest me, than he would not bring a case against me regardless of how much the land owner pushed it. Twenty years later I went back to the same creek bass fishing. The Game warden came out and told me I would have to leave that the I was on private land and the water was not navigable. I asked him if the law had changed, and he said no but the Game Warden had. He was very nice and new I had been a local who had fished and hunted the creek growing up when it was owned by a local family, and he wasn't gong to ticket me. He even helped me drag my boat to the road. I asked a friend what was up and he told me the new Game Warden had become friends with the land owner and was allowed to duck hunt the creek. He tells every one his interpretation of the law. If I was to be arrested, and spent lots of money defending my belief that it is public water, I would have a 50/50 chance of winning. I decided it would be easier to make friends with the Game Warden, and go duck hunting with him. The fact that I had a good retriever and he didn't would be a big help. In the past few years, there have been land mark court cases in almost all the western states with ranchers fighting with rafters over access to rivers that flow through their lands. Again most of the court cases have been split about 50/50 some for the land owner, and some for the rafters. A short answered to your question would be depends not only on the law in your state, but what traditionally has been the enforcement of the law. As long as you don't touch the bottom of the water you described than most likely you're legal. Another thing I learned from an encounter years ago on the creek I mentioned, regardless of what the land owner may think of you trespassing he is not allowed to point a gun at you unless you are some how a threat to his safety. Sitting in a float tube with a fishing rod is not a threat. The game warden made that very clear to the land owner I had difficulty with.

Bait Monkey is responsible for everything in the picture except for the blue bag, that's my lunch, but I have to confess, I have thrown an A rig in with my lunch before. Yes I need it all, and I'm still buying more. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.