TOXIC

You guys are a tough crowd. ? I put the new logo up in case you see new advertisements and think it’s a fake company. I have been assured that at present, there’s no plans to change anything. I will for sure let you know if anything changes. My association with the company has always been because I believe in the product and not because of sponsorship or paid promotion. If all that went away I would still be buying them at retail. I bought them at retail long before I was offered a position. I have been offered many opportunities with other plastics manufacturers and have turned them all down. If the new ownership does anything to compromise the product I have come to know, I will be the first to call them out on it.

As most know Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits was sold and purchased by another company. GSM. They allowed us to release the new logo today. Be advised I will still answer any questions and keep you appraised with new developments from the new owners. #Yamamoto

Where are you going? As of right now, Okeechobee. We went to Kissimmee 2 years ago and Okeechobee last year. We decided to head back to Okeechobee this year but we had to wait until my buddy got his schedule finalized and now we can’t get rooms at Roland’s for the entire week. We are looking at staying at a Hampton on the North end of the lake and fishing up there the beginning of the week and then going to Roland’s for the rest of the week to fish the southern end.

Depends on who has the best gear?. I never minded when a client brought their own gear but if we were finesse fishing and you brought rods rigged with 65lb braid, you weren’t going to have a very good day. Call the guide.

Amazing how close to a Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm the flat worm looks. But then you could say the same to a Shad Shape Worm and another bait that’s been around longer. I just don’t know what it would be.

Been retired for a couple of years and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a difficult transition for me. On one hand it’s nice not to have the commute and responsibility I had but on the other hand I’ve been working in some form since I was 13 years old. My father owned restaurants and I was cheap labor. From a life of working to being retired was a huge adjustment. My job did not define who I was but the simple fact that I worked for so many years was a big change. As for the wife, we joke about it. When I was working she snipped at the fact that I was fishing all my free time. Now that I’m retired she’s trying to get me out of the house and fish more.?. Another good thing is that I can spend more time on the sponsorship road promoting companies like Yamamoto. ?

There’s something to be said about a pro that is on the water as many days a year as they are. They know what works where and when. Their livelihoods depend on it. The problem is sponsorship. They are also paid to promote products. Take plastics for example. A bait like a Senko. Every soft bait maker makes a Senko knockoff. Obviously Yamamoto sponsored pros throw Senkos but how about the others? Are they really their sponsors knockoff or are they secretly a Senko. ?

Group of us fishing the Wolf river in Wisconsin. Decided to stop at a waterfront cafe for lunch. Locals love to put a good ribbing on out of staters especially bass guys in walleye country and my bass boat was licensed in Virginia. I had an inexperienced friend from Wisconsin in my boat and I didn’t check when he tied us off. Group of walleye guys came in and announced very loudly to the entire place that there was a Virginia bass boat heading downriver. ??

Totally agree, my brother in law had some chompers grubs with garlic scent and while he was fishing from his kayak, I could smell them 100 yards away as I approached him in my boat. Smelled like an Italian restaurant. ?

I can’t foresee anything new that I want to try. I am first and foremost a finesse guy and my last “new” technique was a Ned rig and boy howdy has it been a producer. I would have never dreamed of throwing some of the Ned baits I have and catching the size fish I have. That being said, I’m off to Florida nest month and will have a full truck of baits.

I fish rivers. Rivers have a lot of debris. Even more after storms or higher than normal tides but there’s ALWAYS stuff in the water. Unless you want to idle everywhere you go, you have to accept the fact it’s not the tree floating on the surface that’s going to get you, it’s the one 6 inches under the water that you can’t see. You can’t live in constant fear. You should always be alert and even more so after a rain or any event that will put more debris in the water but otherwise, that’s what insurance is for.

Another thing you forgot to mention……aside from the obviously poor management style, did you deserve the azz chewing? If so then you have -0- grounds to buck a manager. He’s the manager. He has the authority. Just because you didn’t like the way he handled it doesn’t give you the right or obligation to be confrontational. There are a lot of different management styles. You have a responsibility as his subordinate to perform to his expectations. How he manages is not your concern. It is what it is. Don’t like it, then transfer to a different area, become the manager or find another job. I’m not trying to come off as an ahole but I have been on both sides of this situation. You need to accept that you are not equal to a manager. He may be learning how to manage as well but he is in his position for a reason. It bothers me that a lot of workplaces have become more concerned with tiptoeing around sensitive employees and issues rather than getting a job done. It’s a good thing I am retired now even though I had a lot of employees tell me through the years that I was the best boss they ever had.

Just my opinion but you are over reacting and letting your ego get in the way of common sense. I have had my azz chewed in front of co workers and I have managed 300 employees. While I would never criticize in front of others, it’s not the end of the world. The old saying is “Criticize in private, praise in public”. The fact you want to confront him is proof enough you will probably do more harm than good. Let it slide and take the high road. If it continues then you can examine other options.

I don’t like tungsten because it gives me too much bottom feedback and because it is smaller in the same weight as lead, it tends to get hung up more often. I would never dropshot a regular senko, too much plastic for a #1 hook. All of my preferred baits are thin except for the Shad Shaped Worm. It requires a bit stiffer hookset. I cast and retrieve, drift and vertical jig a dropshot. It’s also a great bed fishing bait.

I have been dropshotting for 30 years and have tried all the techniques and the most productive for me is a spinning setup 7ft medium action fast tip, 6lb mono and a #1 gamakatsu ewg hook. 1/4 oz QuickDrop dropshot weight. I Texas rig all of my baits. My favorites are: 1. Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm. 2. Yamamoto Pro Senko 3. Yamamoto Kut Tail. 4. Yamamoto Cali Roll I have caught hundreds of fish on this setup up to 7lbs.

Only go as fast as you feel comfortable going. My advice has always been to know both your and your boats limits. Of course if you are in waters with a bunch of stumps or submerged trees, you aren’t going to be running hard unless you know the lake and the channels. I fish a lot of big rivers that change on a regular basis and especially after a big storm. I’ve seen semi tires on the rims and household appliances floating after storms. Educate yourself get your skill level up but do not live in fear of the water. Virginia requires a boater safety class. My boat will run 70 if I want to play with the trim and run light. I normally only run that speed to decarbon the motor if I have been running at lower rpm’s for a while.

First consideration would be which one is serviced close to you and has the best mechanic. Dealer is also very important.

Since it is the lake I guided on, I have spots all over and it wasn’t uncommon to run from the dam up into either or both river arms. Fishing from a yak would totally depend on fish movement and specific time of year and conditions. For example right now I would say launch at the state park and go out in front of jets island with blade baits. Spring might be totally different. Summer would definitely be different. And probably different week to week. ?

While it seems logical that less fishermen equal easier fishing, some of the absolute best lakes get the most pressure.

I have the same ones. Mine are the anodized black Rapala that have split ring nose and are 20 years old. I have had a lot of other sets as well and none have held up as well.

Got out today and it was 70 degrees here in Virginia. That’s crazy. We also had really heavy winds but the bite was good.

24 this morning but supposed to be 70 and raining Saturday when we are going out. Odd for Virginia.

Sorry, I can’t help much. When in my boat I bring waaay too much and when going in my buddies boat I have a soft side that will hold 7-3700’s and a couple more small boxes. It all fits in the rear box of a Ranger 20 footer. No yak or shore fishing for me. I will pack the soft sided bag with baits specific to the body of water we will be fishing.

When I was doing a lot of wading for smallmouth on the Shenandoah, I always took precautions. #1 Know your water. I memorized a 3 mile stretch of river where I knew every ledge, channel, drop and pool. I would stick to that water when I was out in winter or if the river was raging with high flow. #2 Have the right gear. I wore neoprene stocking foot waders and had felt bottomed boots. The waders were buoyant and would actually help in keeping me afloat if I got swept. They kept me somewhat warm in the winter even with ice chunks bouncing off me. #3 And maybe the most important…..never panic. I’ve been swept many times for different reasons and I never panicked even when it took me a 1/2 mile of floating before I could get a foothold and out of the river. I had a close friend come with me in summer and he pulled out solid rubber waders with built in heavy rubber boots, the kind you would wear on a crabbing boat and I told him in very stern terms to stay no deeper than his waist. Long story short, he got swept, those waders filled with water and he nearly drowned before I could get to him.

I’m telling you the absolute truth when I say that I fish it weightless. DShads are heavier than most fluke style baits and as well as fishing it the normal way in shallow water, with a 4.0 hook I have drug it like a tube in water up to 15 feet. Yes, it takes a little patience to get it that deep but it works. I throw it on 6lb mono. I have thrown it in open water and I have thrown it bed fishing. There’s nothing like watching a smallie rocket off the bed and slam a DShad. One of my favorite baits. Period.