roadwarrior

Skeeter6598 has a great response on your other thread: Slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow. Read all the jig fishing articles on this site, there is great information from guys that really focus on jigs, especially Craig Defronzo, aka, earthworm77.

I'm a river rat mostly and the barometric pressure has no impact on river fish. It's all about current. Oddly enough, I have had some of my very best days when the bp has risen dramatically. On the other hand, I was fishing Beaver Lake for striper in the winter and catching some when the weather broke and the bp began to rise. We were all over giant balls of bait with giant arcs all around. The electronics allowed us to watch our bait approach some of these big fish...and turn them away. We didn't have any dynamite, so we called it a day.

WOW! Raul, those are some mighty fine bass. Regarding spinnerbaits, cranks and other fast moving or reaction baits, it's not that you can't catch big bass with them, that's ridiculous. What I meant and what I think others are saying is that your chances of catching big bass are greater, that is, the probability is higher using lures/ baits fished slow. Jigs, plastic worms and live bait catch the vast majority of big bass.

At the top of this page you'll see "Fishing Articles". Punch it up and you will see "For Beginning Anglers". That's where to start. The first article is "Beginners".

I fished Bull Shoals under identical conditions. No one, including the guides could catch a fish, NOT ONE! This was the first week of June, 2002. The water was being held back by the Corps of Engineers who had taken control of the lake (this is a contractual agreement which is determined by the pool level). The lake was at or near record pool and all the flooding occured AFTER the trees had leafed out. Lots of fishermen had full week trips planned, all the guides were booked solid...and NOBODY could catch a fish. When I arrived Wednesday, three parties were leaving because the fishing was so bad. But guess what? I had the best fishing trip of my life! My guide, Tim "Hot Dog" Curtis and I never went fifteen minutes without a fish. We had periods were we both caught a fish on every cast! Yet when we came back to the dock, not one other fish had been caught. The secret to our success was not how we fished or what we fished, but WHERE we fished. Everyone else fished either in the flooded trees or cast up next to them. Dog and I fished 200-300 yards out, in the middle of the frigging lake. Well, actually we were fishing the "normal" shoreline. The smallmouth were absolutely stacked under thirty and forty foot sycamore trees that were fully or at least, mostly submerged. We cast 5-10 yards out from the tops, or where we imagined the fall line would be. It was the first time I ever fished a baby diaper yellow Gitzit, and I've been fishing them ever since.

Not all bass spawn at exactly the same time. I'm not sure where they all go afterwards, but the post spawn is the hardest time to fish. We had some water issues on the Tennessee River starting in mid March which may have contributed to the problem, but we haven't caught a 5 lb smallmouth since then. Whether it's smallmouth or largemouth, I think you continue to fish the areas that have generally held fish or have been productive for you. The bass will be back and they gotta eat sometime. I think this is a more productive strategy than targeting suspended fish that don't want to feed anyhow. The ponds I fish for largemouth warmed up early this spring and they are (and have been) in post spawn. I have been able to catch lots of smaller fish (probably males) and a few big girls on reaction baits. That's another route to take. I always catch fish on soft plastics, but I'm not getting many big fish right now.

My dad is 76 and still gets around pretty well. I take him and a friend of his to the White River twice a year for a trout outing. Although the boys fish almost every week, spring through fall, they treasure the "big" trips the most. I would like to think it's all about me, and some of it is, but another aspect is catching fish. On these two outing each year they both catch more fish in two or three days than their totals for the entire year. It's fun for me and the high point of the year for them. If you're in the region and you want to take someone on a "for sure" fishing trip, the White River in northern Arkansas is the ticket. Now to cinch the deal, I HIGHLY recommend hiring a guide. Then you can spend all your time just fishing with your dad or your kids without dealing with the river and the wind and all the other stuff you'd have to do.

Minnows, live shiners. Another idea might be a jerkbait. Even when they're not in the feeding mode, bass are by nature defensive and you might solicite a reaction strike.

Fishing for big bass is a whole different ballgame. I know guys occasionally catch a lunker when they're just "fishing". But to consistantly catch bigger fish, you have to target them in different water, with different bait and a different presentation. This basically means deep, big and slow.

Rattlinrogue, Deep or shallow? Structure or cover? Big water or pond?

Marty, It won't work for you. Like a lot of guys I have a lot of equipment and I try to use it in kind of a rotation. For example, Sunday I wanted to use my Calais set up which I use basically for Rat-L Traps, Spinnerbaits and medium topwater lures. So, for this particular morning outing, all I took was a Sammy and a spinner, no box. Right now my box is packed with Senkos, Fat Ika, Kut-Tails and Slug-Gos, plus one half section for hooks and the other half section with weights (which I only use with the Kut-Tails). On another day I might carry Gitzits and lizards, but I always have a plan and stick with it. This way I get to use different equipment and force myself to use different lures or soft plastics. Otherwise I might be one of those guys that drives earthworm77 crazy: I might use Senkos and Fat Ika only!

All bass do not spawn at exactly the same time and therefore all the bass are not going to fit the mold. That said, post spawn is a tough period. It seems to me that the reaction bite is about all you can expect and that usually means you nearly have to hit 'em in the head to get a strike. Last weekend I faced the worst possible conditions and on top of that, the fish in my ponds are generally in post spawn. Here's what worked for me: Top water, spinnerbaits and surprisingly, soft plastics. I felt like I was getting a feeding bite on the Fat Ika, not a soft tap, but an aggressive strike. The top water action was mostly a swirle that sometimes hooked up, no smashing, killing hits. And the spinnerbaits? Hard to know, but I caught three big fish Saturday and Sunday morning on spinners. Bottom line: For post spawn I suggest you move into your summer pattern in choosing lures and location.

EVERYTHING having to do with fishing is on THIS website.

My conditions were similar Saturday morning: A couple of inches of rain Friday, temperatures dropping into the high 30's, high winds, overcast and most importantly, bass in post spawn. I was fishing a small pond with high, stained water. The previous weekend I had success with a white Slug-Go, but not this Saturday. Switched to a Fat Ika and slayed 'em.

A couple of recommendations for your smallmouth trip: Baby diaper yellow Gitzit 4" lizard, Carolina rigged Fat Ika, colors 194J & 286 Jerkbaits, colors blue/gold, frog, clown

I like the pegboard idea, but for the most part I give away most of the stuff that doesn't work for me. I keep everything in Plano and Shimano plastic boxes and only pack what I'm planning to use on a given day. Here's a suggestion for Marty and other bank fishermen. I carry a Plano plastic box that is about 8X12. Cabelas has a Safari Vest with pockets for everything and a pouch in the back. The box fits perfectly in the pouch so I don't carry anything but my rod. Works for me.

I have caught all my 10 lb bass between 10 AM and 2:00 PM on the hottest, brightess days of summer. I have caught five in small ponds and one in a big body of water. All were caught on a 6" Senko, weightless and weedless. Two were caught in open water on the back of a hump in approximately ten to fifteen feet of water. Two were caught staging ten to fifteen yards off the bank, five yards or so out from heavy vegetation. One was caught in open water fishing over a freshwater clam bed and the bass caught on big water was staging in the middle of an old creek bed in ten to fifteen feet of water that was surrounded by shallow flats. Here's my point: Big bass may hunt in shallow water in low light and that's probably why you see them there at those times. However, they spend the majority of their time staging in deep water on structure that is close to even deeper water, an escape route. At least that's my theory. I only fish for big fish and I catch my bigger fish, not just the six 10s, in deep water around structure, not cover. That's how I think it works in the Midwest and the Midsouth, but big fish in Florida seem to be concentrated in heavy cover. In the deep, clear lakes of California, I would think the key would be deep structure. Regarding live bait, I fish artificials exclusively for largemouth bass, but I fish live shiners almost exclusively for smallmouth. Live bait catches big fish and lots of 'em!

It doesn't matter as long as you are on or very near the drop. The Tennessee River is maintained for year around commercial barge traffic. The channel is defined by permanent buoys. I fish the imaginary line between the buoys extensively and catch smallmouth on either side of the break.

Weightless, always.

Excellent post Skeeter6598, I must have missed it yesterday. Another point I'll make regarding pulling the lure away or the treble hooks out of a fish, I recommend a moderate or slow action rod for cranks, jerkbaits and topwater.

I'll second the flukes right now. I had a little trouble with getting my strikes hooked up, but I caught a ton of bass in a couple of hours last Saturday on a small pond. I only fished a white Slug-Go, nothing else that morning.

Florida...Now that's funny...

Capter #4 Striped Bass/ Striper/ Rockfish From April until September I fish for stripers on the Tennessee River below Pickwick Dam. This same scenario applies to all the reservoirs on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers and certainly many others river systems as well. My partner and I target 10+ lb fish. We often catch 20s and have boated two 30s. The largest striper I have personally seen anyone catch was 44 lbs. So, that's what we're after. Striper are almost as strong, pound for pound, as a smallmouth, but much bigger. They never give up. The only thing they don't do is jump. Location: Immediately below the dam in what are referred to as the "boils". We drift from the dam downriver a mile to a mile and a half. The water is highly oxygenated and supports a tremendous population of bait fish, primarily gizzard shad, yellowtail (threadfin) and skipjack. Equipment: Heavy bass baitcasting rig, I use a MBR844C with a Shimano Calcutta 300. 17 lb P-Line which is about 24 lb breaking strength and 17 lb test XT for leader. A 3-way swivel is rigged with a 3 oz weight on an 18-24" leader. A #2 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook or a kahle hook is attached on a 3 ft leader. This set up allows us to break off when we get hung, usually without losing the entire rig. Bait: Gizzard shad April through May, yellowtail late May through mid July and then skipjack. Technique: Drive the boat into the boils and begin the drift. Drop your bait straight down when the boat begins drifting downstream with the current. Ideally the weight clicks the bottom rocks. Keep the presentation vertical, at no more than a 45 degree angle and NEVER downstream. That's all there is to it. The big fish are down deep so get down quickly and stay down. Good luck!

On big water I like to focus on points, preferably primary points that extend into the main channel. I want the boat initially positioned where we can cast into 20+ ft of water, dropping into the deeper channel. I'll begin by fishing into the point, moving out to the windward side and fishing the shoreline for fifty yards or so. If this pattern proves unsuccessful, on to the secondary points and a slight change in strategy. Secondary points tend to be surrounded by slightly warmer water. Generally the slope of the land is less dramatic and one side is much deeper than the other. I'll approach a secondary point just like a primary, but fish both sides. I sure don't mind if there are docks or trees or grass around to compliment the rocks, but I'm primarily focused on structure, not cover. And before we stop and fish any of these spots, I want to see fish, preferably some big arcs but balls of bait fish work for me, too.

Okay, what I meant to say is that I don't find any noticable change in fish behavior when it is raining. Whatever I'm using, I will continue to use. Now backing up a little, the fact that it's overcast might affect your lure selection, wind might influence where you fish and how you position the boat. The possibility of lightening associated with the storm might create a whole different outlook on the outing. But given the impending weather conditions, I don't think the rain itself makes much difference.