Joel W

I actually got to watch both shows today. Zona's show is always 1st class and really entertaining. Dances show today was dead on for the pre-spawn. One of his best.

Rather then working a deep diving crankbait along a rock wall, I prefer to work the same pattern with a Jerkbait.

I've been using Google Earth for more then a year. One of the thing that I've noticed is that the imagery isn't current. Over the summer months the trees on the reservoirs are bare, and the boat sections have way less boats in them then they do now. I've also checked out my home, and the images are from years ago.

Baitcaster with a 1/2 oz Bullet wt unpegged: 4 inch Ugly Otter 7 inch Power worm 10 inch power worm Spinning setup with a 1/4 oz unpegged bullet wt for bottom finesse fishing: Hula Grubs 4 inch Tubes 5 inch Zoom Finesse worms

john, exactly what I was alluding to. Mike's replica is simply amazing.

I'll qualify my post by starting off that I fish the NYC reservoirs. Water temps in the 60's still had the LM Bass in a summer pattern. Jigs, & tx rigged plastics along the outside weed edge, mostly in 8-12 FOW did the trick. As the temps have cooled into the low to mid 50s. we've gone deeper looking for green coontail weeds in 18-20 FOW. 1/2 oz jigs and Tx rigged creature baits with a 1/4 oz bullet weight have produced all the Bass so far.

Mikey, just another outstanding show. Can't wait to here what Rich Z has to say when I see him ;D It's about time that you show yourself catching some decent, quality Bass.

The only time I would ever consider it if I needed to bring the Bass to an official weighing station for what I knew was a state record. Since that's never going to happen, the answer is never. I'll take measurements, and enough pictures for a replica mount. I've seen the work of a master who charges $450 or so. Well worth it. And for that to happen, I'll need to have boated a 10 lb plus LM. or better. And that' I'm hoping to happen before I'm too old to fish any more.

I really like the idea of using a rattle in my frogs. I've already been adding weight to them with loose split shot that also helps create more nose.

I've been a retail drug store manager for more then 16 years, and in the retail industry for more then 40 years. So I can tell you 1st hand that it's not the cost of the returned item that most stores care about these days, it's keeping or making a new customer that will hopefully continue to purchase products from your store rather then a competitor. With a receipt we take back everything including open food items and drugs. Without a receipt we give store credit for the full amount whether it was recently on sale or not. Most national brands are returnable to the manufacture unless the wholesale price was discounted so that they weren't returnable. Two years ago I broke a Capricorn spinning reel, so I called Cabela's to inquire if I could purchase the broken parts. I was contacted by customer service that the reel was out of warranty, but that they would issue full credit, just send the reel back. Which I did, and purchased a much more expensive reel. Shortly after that I received a check for the shipping. I've also received the same exceptional service from BPS. The end result is that I purchase the vast majority of my bulk winter purchases equally from both companies.

I fish weedy waters 95% of the time. With a cloud cover I target the outside edges. In the morning I'll work a Cranbait bouncing it along the bottom, far enough from the weeds not to get snagged constantly, but I get snagged enough so I know I'm still close enough to entice some LMs. From there I go to a 1/2 oz jig and a wt'd creature bait with a 1/2 oz bullet wt unpegged. I look for nice size weed holes and pitch a jig in there as well. Also the waters I fish have a lot of stone walls that run through the weeds, and I target them as well. Usually the weeds don't cover the walls, so there easy to see. I work a spinnerbait over them and along them. Then pitch a jig around them as well. And yes, I do loose a lot of jigs, but I do catch my fair share of Bass as well.

Between the two presentations, I fish a Drop Shot rig 10 to 1 over a Shaky head rig. Why? Because most of the reservoirs I fish, especially in the summer are very weedy, and a Shaky Head rig will just continually get snagged in the weeds being worked along the bottom. Now this also restricts how I work a drop shot rig. Most of the time I fish it nearly vertically along the outside weed edge. Yes, it still gets snagged every now and then, but it does produce fish. I've tried working a 1/4 oz bullet wt'd tx-rigged 6 inch Shaky worm along the bottom in sparce weeds when I really slow down my presentation with long pauses, as the worm tail does float. I've caught fish this way, but really no more then with a traditional 7 inch worm.

Regionally where you fish makes all the difference in the world as to where the Bass are in their yearly cycle. I fish Southern NYS; the NYC reservoirs to be exact. Water temps have fallen into the low 60s. A few weeks ago with water temps in the high 60's I was still fishing my summer patterns. 1/2 oz jigs, & wt'd plastics, along the outside edge of weedbeds with deeper water close by. Also pulled in a few by pitching into some weed holes. The fishing was typical summer methodical, but I put Bass in the boat every time. Now that the water temps have fallen to the low 60s the Bass have started to move shallow and should continue to do so. Saturday I concentrated on the outside weedbed lines but with deep diving cranks bounced along the bottom with a pause every now and then. 1/2 oz Spinnerbaits along the same edge, but also cast to the shore and worked over the weeds. Put 4 nice LMs in the boat on Saturday to 4lb 2oz. Like I said, as the water temps drop, the weeds will get knocked down, and then it fall heaven here. Rattle Traps, shallow cranks, and spinnerbaits over the tops of the weeds just ticking them, then a pause, and usually a reaction strike will happen. Will pitch jigs into weed holes and the outside and inside edge for those big females just hanging around waiting for a easy meal. Come Nov with water temps falling into the low 50s, I'll tie on a Jerkbait as my primary weapon, put the boat in 16 FOW, and cast to the shore working the jerkbait back to the boat. The shorelines I target have steeper drops offs rather then the shallow slopes I target in the spring. Will also work a 1/2 oz jig exactly the same way on the bottom. Backup presentations will be a wt'd tx-rigged creature bait, and occasionally a deep diving Crankbait.

I've broken my fair share of DT-10 & 16 bills while working them along the bottom. They get pretty nicked up after a few outings, but that's about the only way I fish them. Same for the shallower running DT crankbaits. I prefer lipless cranks for ripping them over and out of weeds in the fall. I just wouldn't even bother sending any lures back to Rapala for replacement after beating them up the way I do. Besides, I've lost way more lures being broken off by big Bass then I've ever had with broken bills.

I use a #1 or #2 Gami drop shot hook. I always hook my finesse worm through the bottom of the nose about a 1/4 inch back, then out the top. I've tried starting the hook through the front of the nose then out the top, but the worm just doesn't hang right for me. I use both the Gami hooks and my hooking method for both dropping next to the boat and for casting out.

The NYC reservoirs I fish season ends Nov 30th, so that's the end of my fishing season. Some reservoirs will be open all year as long as they're ice free, but I hate the cold weather and just as soon stay home until the traditional April 1st opening. Even then I still wait until the water temps reach a min of 40 degrees. The Bass are just too hard for me to locate and hook until then, and generally the air temps are just too uncomfortable for me to have an enjoyable day out on the water.

I rarely fish from shore. However, being a certified NYS "Reservoir Rat" I have to carry from the road down to anyone of 5 boats on different reservors all my gear including oars and a anchor. I use a tackle bag that holds 6 full size 3700 boxes, tools, maps, and licenses. I use a standard milk crate with a shoulder strap to carry my depthfinder, spare boat tools & oarlocks, rain gear, a pair of torpedo tubes (each hold 3 rods with clamps that attach to the side of the rowboat), a lunch box, and of course 2 bundles of setups. It usually takes me 3 trips back and forth. And these trips are down small paths through woods and brush. The few times I shore fish, I get it down to no more then 3 setups, a small tackle bag that holds 4 1/2 size 3600 boxes.

Catching Bass that are chasing baitfish has been nearly impossible for me. I've tried just about everything I've read, or saw on TV/video from match the hatch, to use a lure that stands out. I've used Jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, topwater baits, and none worked. But a 5 inch stickbait wacky rigged weightless thrown towards the edge of the school and just left to slowly sink has caught the only Bass for me. I guess it's the slow wobbly fall that tricks the Bass into thinking that it's a dieing baitfish. I also use only Watermelon/black flake or Black with Blue flake.

It's like the old saying "is the glass 1/2 full or 1/2 empty", it's still the same glass of water as seen by all. To me patience is more important then confidence, because I have confidence in my presentation choice, lure choice, location, etc. It's having the patience to find the active fish.

lb for lb a SM will outfight a LM. They just don't know what quit means. The problem with Smallies here on the NYC reservoirs is that the smallies become much harder to target once the summer season gets here as they go deep, suspend in very deep water, while the LM are much more predictable in their seasonal movements.

Mike, Somehow I can't see Ronnie as fine wine. But he's certainly a quality cigar. Do the ice out show with Ronnie, I'm betting it will be absolutely fantastic. Most of us have a hard time during ice out even finding and then catching Bass.

The Hula Grub has been a go to bait for me this summer. I mostly fish it tx rigged on a 3/0 EWG hook with a 1/4 oz unpegged bullet weight. I fish it just like any other bottom bait. hop, pause, repeat. I've also used it as a trailer on a 1/2 & 1 oz jigs. Makes for some really nice bulk with the jig. Favorite colors are Watermelon with black flake and black with blue flakes. Come to think of it, that's mostly what I use for all my plastics with Green pumpkin thrown in too.

for me it's a combination of Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits on the bottom or bouncing off of something, Rattle Traps, and hard Jerkbaits. I'm looking forward to some serious fall fishing after a summer of bottom bouncing.

Mike, You already know how I feel about the Rich Z's two shows. Simply the best yet. Rich is a 1st class guy and a master fisherman. He came across on your shows exactly like he does in person. For that matter, so do you buddy. And to think that I didn't think it was possible for you to top either Marty or Gary's shows. For the show of shows, you need to do one featuring Ronnie (BassStalker). Just be prepared for one long day on the water my friend.

A fish per hour this time of year is darn good, especially for the NYC reservoirs I fish. Went out yesterday. Water in the low 70s, blue bird skies, and little wind. Went 3 hours of bottom bouncing before I got my 1st Bass. Ended the day with just 4 in the boat. Checked with several other res rats during the past week and that's about the average. It's tough out there right now. Go figure !