roadwarrior

Really? I fish big water for different species, but I don't find that any more challenging than fishing small water. My most productive pond (especially for size) is in a public pond that might be the most heavily fished pond in the Mid South. I have never seen anyone catch a fish over a pound, although I have heard some stories about people catching 3 and 4 lb bass and catfish up to 5 lbs. Sometimes I do a little better than that.

I'm on board with jomatty. First of all, I fish the Fat Ika in relatively shallow water, <12', and right now the bass may be deeper. For a deeper presentation I prefer a tube, T-rigged. With any soft plastic I QUICKLY reel down, lower my rod and make a quick snap hook set. If you are fishing a GYCB bait, the fish tend to hold onto it longer, they like the taste and texture. A quick, reactionary hook set is pulling the bait away from them. I am NOT suggesting that you let the fish run with the bait, but be methodical: reel down and make a quick snap hook set. BTW, When your Fat Ika comes back that way, it was always a bite, not a snag, and that should be encouraging!

Cheating? A better term might be "catching". At least 90% of my largemouth bass fishing is on local ponds, both private and public. All but one of my 10 lb largemouth have been caught in these ponds. However, I don't encourage a lot of guys to fish the ponds, I prefer keeping them to myself!

Very interesting thread. Good job Aint Texan.

In low light I would suggest fishing a jerkbait. Throughout the rest of the day these are some baits I would recommend: #1 In shallow water, <12", GYCB Fat Ika #2 3 1/2" Mizmo tube, Kent's Classic (squash green) on an inserted jig head 1/8 - 1/4 oz. #3 CYGB Single Tail Hula Grub, rigged on a gig head #4 GYCB Single Tail Grub, also on a jig head #5 Ledgebuster 3/4 Single Willow Blade I would fish isolated humps, ledges and primary points. Large, submerged boulders and rock piles are additional structure to focus on.

Okay, I thought about deleting or modifying the post, but I was already getting kicked around, so I left it up. I think it's silly to talk about winter fishing during the hottest part of the year. If we're just looking ahead to plan a trip, the fall bite is not too far off, but to get all tied up with winter strategies just strikes me as odd. "Who cares?" Well, maybe that comment comes across too strong, so let me restate it this way: For everyone starting to prepare for winter fishing, we have an entire section of the BassResource Library dedicated to this topic. I think it is comprehensive and I hope you enjoy reading the many articles you will find there. After you peruse those articles, come on back to the Forum and ask all the questions you can think of. We have some very knowledgable members that are anxious to help!

cajun1977, Touche'

Chug Bug, I still get to have some fun, too. We haven't had rain in twenty-seven days and are in our 12th day of 100+ heat indexes (107 today). I'm not thinking about all the issues we face in winter, are you? Yep, if you have only been fishing "1 time a month" during the best time of year for bass, then I'm not cutting you any slack for asking a silly question about winter fishing. Like I said... Who cares?

GMAN, You are only 4 1/2 hours away. Buddy, that's when we are going to catch the next World Record. I'm not kidding, January and February are the ABSOLUTE best months to catch monster smallmouth!

Simon Says, This is a pretty sillly thread on August 3, 2006. If you don't fish when it's good, why do you think about fishing when it's bad? I mean really, who cares?

If I don't catch a bass over 5 lbs, I feel like I have been skunked. It happens quite often.

Unfortunately, there are probably no big ones. Small creeks go dry or almost dry periodically and big bass cannot survive.

1/08/05 Smallmouth Fifteen smallmouth on the Tennessee River, seven over 5 lbs. Estimated weight of the best five landed: Something north of 30 lbs. Bait: Live shiners fished on a split shot rig. 6/19/06 Largemouth Fourteen largemouth in two hours, four on the first four casts, seven on the first ten. Four bass over 5 lbs, estimated weight of the first bass: 8 lbs. Estimated weight of the fourth bass: 9+ Estimated weight of the best five landed: Something north of 30 lbs (~33). Bait: GYCB Fat Ika.

Maybe. That's not how I fish them. I am not looking for "action". I fish Fat Ika like a live crawdad. I'll be interested in how they work out for you guys on a C-rig.

Great idea. We'll compare notes. It would sure be fun if EVERYONE here would do this so we would have a great sample of September fishing around the country. I'm in.

The IFGA website has a form you can download and all the details for certifying a new record.

My first memory of "fishing" was going out with my grandfather on Grand Lake in Oklahoma in the mid '50s. After running his trotlines in the morning he would take me to a special dock where I caught bluegill. That was before I learned to cast. Table Rock Lake was completed in 1958, but did not open up to the public until 1960. My dad took the family on a fishing/ camping trip a few months before the lake was officially open. We were there during extremely high water and drifted purple plastic worms over an area that had recently been flooded. The bass were on a feeding frenzy. In retrospect, I'm sure these were Kentucky bass, but at the time we didn't know the difference between largemouth and spots and did not care. We had discovered the honey hole. These bass were HUGE, not a one much less than a pound. I don't remember what the limit was back then, but we were a family of five and we kept whatever it was. Springfield, MO was not the World Headquarters of Bass Pro Shops back then and the road to Branson (population a couple of hundred) was gravel and dirt. My greatest possession was my first fishing pole, a $3.00 Zebco spincasting combo! Well, actually it was free, I got it from Santa Clause ...

Welcome aboard! I would rather bring the bait across a slope. That way you have a good chance of getting the bass' attention regardless of which way she is positioned.

Crimp down the bard on your hook. You will not notice a change in your landing percentage and this makes removing a hook much easier.

YES! Some of my very best days "pond hopping" have been just before a storm. Be careful, when it gets close it's time to head for the barn.

It could be implemented at the professional level, but not in other "money" tournaments.

RockvilleMDAngler, Welcome aboard! The Arkansas DNR has addressed this issue as it applies to trout. If you bring it into your boat, you keep it! I don't have an answer, catch-weigh-and-release isn't practical in competition. I do think tournament fishing is detrimental to bass populations, probably more so than catch and eat.

I usually hit my ponds a couple of times a week and before I go "real" fishing on the weekends. At least once a week and sometimes more, I fish something different. If I were interested in always having the best chance of catching the biggest bass on a given day, I would only fish soft plastics. I've spent a lot of hours fishing jigs this year because I want them to become my "go to" lures. I'm still working on that program.

Number one, it is difficult, inconvenient and often dangerous to retrive hang-ups in current, especially if you are fishing more than two guys. Second, since I fish live bait there is little economic incentive to make the effort. Stiper fishing is done here in very turbulant water and we often have boat traffic, a few other striper fishermen, drifting catfish guys and barges. Depending upon the circumstances and the exact location of the hang, it is usually impossible to move above the rocks. Fishing fifty to seventy-five yards of line on a drift makes a quick break-off important. The key is the right rod and reel matched up with fishing line that striper can't break, but you can. Smallmouth fishing is not nearly the hair raising adventure that striper fishing is, but fishing ridges in swift current creates serious boating issues. Currents push you out and pulls you in, sometimes at the same time! Although the river banks tend to drop off dramatically, the other side of the coin is that they rise just as fast. My partner runs the trolling motor to control the drift of the boat and he is on that motor 50% of the time. The economics do not justify making any attempt to recover a hook, even the relatively expensive Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hooks we use. Here again, we fish line that we can break, but with the way we have our equipment set up, smallmouth can't.

Nope. We had a similar thread running a couple of weeks ago. Tie perfect knots, check your line, check your drag and use the right equipment for the fishing conditions you face- always! Your PB may be the next fish you catch... Be prepared.