Fisher of Men

Sorry for the two posts. I'd swear the first one dissappeared. When I went to re-post, there it was.

I saw a video once showing a pet bass who ate balogna. The "owner" would kneel down at the end of the pier and the bass would jump out of the water and take it from him. It's just like Pavlov's dog. All animals can learn to respond to a stimulus. Many folks I have known would ring a little bell before feeding their catfish. The fish associated the bell with chowtime. When fishing, you could ring the bell, and the fish would come up and take your line. Not very sporting, but convenient, if you wanted a fresh evening meal.

I remember seeing video footage of one pet bass in particular. The "owner" would kneel down on the end of the pier and feet it balogney. He would hold the balogney out over the water and the bass would jump up out of the water and ****** the balogney.

One factor to consider is the bass's metabolism. When the water temp. changes, so does their's. When their temp. drops, so does their metabolism (the rate at which they burn energy). Therefore, they don't have to eat as much to live. They become inactive and will only feed occasionally. I would try to fish v-e-r-y s-l-o-w. I agree with downsizing the line. Perhaps try "deadsticking" the drop shot rig. Just let it sit and wait. Have you tried a tube bait, or as a last resort, a live minnow? Was this during a full moon? If so, bass will feed during the night on a full moon and not touch a thing during the day. Then again, maybe you just didn't present the bait on the one day out of the week that the bass feed.

I cannot agree more with you based on what I saw on the bus ride from Orlando International to Disney resort. We flew down to Disneyworld last June. I saw many very good looking bodies of water everywhere. They all looked like they would be loaded with bass. We even had one pond walking distance from our resort. Man I wish I would have taken a bass pole with me!! I don't know about anyone else, but my ability to sneak into a place has suffered in adulthood. I remember just after we got married trying to sneak into a little pond outside my college town. I remember feeling so jittery while sneaking in. Before I could make two or three casts, I heard a car door shut. I high-tailed it up the bank, jumped the fence, and sped away quickly. After turning around and driving around the corner, I noticed the noise came from a utility truck. I just didn't have it anymore. I used to be able to sneak into anyplace to fish. Is that what marriage does to you? ;D

Yes, it's hard to match the ride of a Champion, and it's stability at rest on the water. Even my old '80 model rides really good. I think they were ahead of their time compared to other builders in the early '80's.

Lightninrod, Just how do you set the hook on a swim bait? I was looking at those Matt's baits earlier today and they really do look good. I've often considered using a swim bait. That may be something I try next spring. My story is as follows: I was about 8 years old and using the old Zebco 33 (I learned to cast an Ambassador 5001 a year later). I was fishing a little hole of a pond on a place where we used to hunt and shoot. The little hole of water was only about 50 feet in diameter and I could see the shadow of a fish in the middle of it. My dad commented on the fact that it was a carp or gar and I would probably never catch it. I kept casting an H&H spinnerbait at it. I'd real it this way and that way. I'd throw in front of it and on top of it. The water was just murky enough that I all I could see was a shadow. I'll bet I casted 100 times at that shadow in the water. It was perhaps my 101st cast, I felt as if I'd snagged a limb or something. I reeled it in slowly and never felt a fight. As I reeled closer, I soon began to make out what I had on the line. I reeled the fish to within about 3 feet of the water's edge and saw the biggest spotted mouth I'd every seen. The bass looked three feet long to me (of course, I was only 8 or so). I had never seen a spotted bass before. I reeled for a couple of seconds more and WHAMMMO!! The bass made a turn and SNAP! The line broke. I wished so much that I had jumped in and caught it by hand. That was the biggest bass I'd ever seen in my life. Who knows how big it really was, but it gave me a fever that has never broken. I always imagine that if it was a spotted bass, it might have been a world record. At least that's what I like to think. Don't we all?

I agree with Mattfly. I've always had good resources growing up here in Texas. My wife and I will probably (God willing) move back closer to home (Paris, Texas); maybe Sulphur Springs area. That way your within an hour from Fork, Monticello, and Cooper Lakes. If Texas isn't an option, I agree that the Russlellville/Dardanelle area in AK is nice and might be an option. My in-laws lived up there for about twelve years and there's plenty of fishing (Dardanelle and many other watershed lakes, plenty of deer and duck, and trout fishing within two hours on the Little Red or White rivers).

I knew he had a place somewhere around the Smoky Mountains in TN. We were going to make a trip up their last year and I read something about "Cooter's Place". I saw him in an interview once that he ran for state representative and won. He said that when he served, they immediately appointed him to a "Transportation" committee thinking he was a mechanic. Talk about being type-casted. Now you can go back to talking about transom savers.

That's a great perpsective. When you think of it that way, guiding can be very stressful. One thought I've had is this (and I've done this before several times): Imagine it like taking someone else's inexperienced children fishing. I can imagine that a beginner angler might be the same way, only worse, because they're grown and think they know more than they do. I can imagine tying their lures on, teaching them how and where to cast, untangling lines, unhanging lures, removing fish, etc. I have to agree. There's bound to be better ways to make money than this. You would definitely have to want to serve other people and teach them about fishing to be a guide. Money alone shouldn't be the motivating factor.

Darn, I thought we might have a celebrity in our midst! Come to think of it, I think he might actually live in Tennessee anyhow. I think there's a place near Pidgeon Forge called Cooter's Garage that he runs. (kind of a Dukes of Hazzard museum, I think) Well, it was worth asking though.

Thanks for the 411, Ben! There is no jack plate on my boat. It's an '80 Champion with a 150 Merc. The hydraulic tilt/trim kind of leaks off pressure, so I'd be asking for it if I didn't use a transom saver. Now, I'm going to step out on a limb. Ben Jones. . . from Georgia. . . 58 years old :-/ Are you Cooter? from Dukes of Hazzard? and if you're not, how many times does this make? Sorry, I couldn't resist!!

Ah, posts about fishing video games. Winter must be upon us. Let me think. :-? There has been much posted regarding bass video games. I personally own Rapala fishing on my daughter's (funny, I know) PS2 and like it pretty well, but it's hard at times and according to others there's better out there. I used to have Trophy Bass on computer and liked it plenty, until my old computer quit running it. I think there was one called Mark Davis pro fishing or something. You can probably just go to do a search for Bass fishing video games and find reviews on most of them. AND pmoravek, let me know if that thing's any good or not. Isn't it kind of like those little hand-held LCD ones that had the realistic reel and short rod (only this one has better video on your screen)?

Just Bassresource. I used to chat on Bass Pro Shops' site years ago, and always found it interesting to chat with some guy in Ireland, but since they changed their format to a forum, I haven't been back. I, too, find BassResource.com to be very comfortable for me. Everyone seems to have alot of class and respect for one another, just as all anglers of this sport should have. Keep it up, everyone!! AND, I thank the moderators and Glenn for helping us keep our heads on straight!!

#1- Sharpen factory hooks. I've yet to see a factory hook that is sharp enough for my taste. #2- If you're going to use a trailer hook, ignore #1, and sharpen the factory trailer hook. If weeds are a problem, you can use a wired weedless trailer hook (sharpness is really key on these, though) #3- I agree with what's been said. Use a more limber rod and less hookset. I agree that the line makes a difference. I've used a more limber rod and Cajun line (I find it has quite a bit of stretch) on my cranks and spinners the last two seasons and have had more hooksets (IMO). I've not seen any decrease in bites since using trailer hooks, only an increase in hooksets. I don't think that the fish mind the trailer. A friend of mine re-educated me in spinnerbaits a few years ago and I use them at least 40% of the time (almost 75% in the spring). Keep'em sharp- Fisher

$30 vs. $300+ in transom damage No brainer! Go with insurance. ... and like Ben said, I run mine all the way down. I have an older boat and really wish I had trim control on the transom. It would save alot of running back and forth from the console.

Fish more. Spend more time outdoors with my family.

Ooooh, LBH, I see you've got the video profile thing going!! I just figured out how to load my picture. :-[ I better get with the program. Are you going to put a scrolling "Here Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!!" as your signature. ;D

I started one this year, made several entries and quit using it. I know that a log would be very valuable, but I just can't make myself do it. I like the ideas of using a cell phone and or video/digital camera. But, like one of you said, I get too caught up in the catching that I can't stop to do any of that. I guess the fact that I don't tourney fish has something to do with it. If $$$ was riding on my success, I might make it more of a priority.

I'm with most of you. . . jigs and C-rigs. I've never really felt confident using either one of them, so I just shy away from them. I guess I've never gotten a bite on either of them and changed to something else. I'd really like to experiment with them this winter. That's prime time to catch a lunker here in TX.

I don't know why I know this, but I think the state record bass in Texas was caught on a minnow. The man who caught it, Barry St. Clair, used to work at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. I used to take my students there for field trips. He was the emcee at the dive show and told his story of catching the record bass. Funny he never mentioned that he caught it on live bait. The story from a few years ago was that he caught it on a minnow while crappie fishing in 40+ ft. of water. He reeled the big bass to the surface too quick and it messed up the fish's air bladder. It is my understanding that the hatchery kept it for a few days and it died despite efforts to revive it. None-the-less, he seemed like a pretty nice guy. He was a farmer from Klondike (near where I grew up). I do have to admit, I would have expected someone to have beaten that record by now.

Good pick KU, I own both of these videos and show them to my science students each year. I've seen each at least 20 times and still enjoy watching them. I, too, learned a bunch from Bigmouth and don't take any change in line feel for granted. The last time I checked, BPS had Bigmouth and Bigmouth Forever on the shelf (or at least in Grapevine, Tx.) for the same price. I wish they'd put them out on DVD. Even though Bigmouth was made in the early 70's, I haven't ever seen any better underwater footage of largemouth bass.

Oh, I wasn't looking for an answer. Just the fact that one herd of cows was up and one was down was funny. Maybe there's always been a front line along the highway where I saw these cows. OR, maybe I didn't happen to see the little barometers the cows were wearing around their necks. ;D

RW and abelfisher: That's funny. My grandmother (who was my fishing buddy other than my dad) always used to say the same thing about the cows. We'd walk through the pasture and look at them on our way to the pond. I don't know if it ever made a real difference. My problem now is when I go I'll see cows on one side of the road standing and some on the other side of the road laying down. What's up with that? ;D

No pic from me, but mine's a 12' Tracker Flat bottom with a 43 pound Motorguide. I'm in the process of installing removable seat swivels and pedastals so I can still load it in and out of my truck. KU, I used to fish from a waterscamp and caught some really nice bass out of it. I used to fish a cove in Lake Palestine, TX. These tourney fishermen would come screamin' in in their big boats and rip the trees with spinners, getting not a bite. I'd follow up in my 'scamp and pull out nice bass with a t-rigged worm. You learn to fish slower and be more patient in a little boat because of your limited mobility. AND finally, WOW Glenn, that's a truly beautiful boat. That's the best looking Ranger I've ever seen.