Mobasser

Catt, I think they left the area, at least most of them. I'm sure they have a way of knowing something is not right. For them it's about survival. In the big fires out west, they say the deer smell the fire before anything happens and take off running. Some can't make it out in time. Cattle on the other hand, don't have the natural ability to survive. They will try, but they rely on man to survive. Not sure if I'm correct on this, but this is my own concept.

ABU Cardinal 4, 1976. Mithcell 308, 1965, and 1980. Both reels get some use, and both still work well. Lews Speed Stick spinning rod, graphite Tennessee handle 1995. One of my favorite rods

Agree on this. The older Japanese made Shimano reels are hard to beat. I still have two Custom X Speedmaster spinning reels from the mid 1990s. Both still work prrfectly

I wish there was more interest in the history of bass fishing, and think there should be. I enjoyed BFA. Loved the photos and info on that site. My dad and I watched Virgil Ward every week also. Always a good show. I wish they would bring it back, so I could record it.

Catt, hope they get your power restored soon. I lost power at my house one winter years ago due to an ice storm. We went 4 days with no lights, heat, etc. I cooked stuff in the backyard on a Coleman camping stove. It's rough. I hope things can improve for you guys soon.

Bass Fishing has a long, rich history. Not just with tournaments, and famous tournament pros, but tackle companies, baits, rod/reel companies, and the people that made it all happen. These days we're lucky. Thanks to the fisherman of the past, we can fish with very high tech tackle, electronics, and scores of baits that can work in any scenario. We can learn a lot by learning about well known anglers from the past. These are the fisherman who paved the way for us, and came up with most all of the methods we use today. Do you think that learning about the history of our sport can make you a better fisherman? And, to finalize, who are some of your favourite anglers from past years, and what have you learned from what you've read about them?

I made a post recently about being ready for fall and cooler weather. Well, I got my wish. This morning was 49 degrees, high today 54. Next week looks good also with night lows around 60, day temps low 70s. We'll warm up again before fall fully gets here. Now, if we could get 3 to 4 days of consistent weather, I'd really be happy. I made a post recently about being ready for fall and cooler weather. Well, I got my wish. This morning was 49 degrees, high today 54. Next week looks good also with night lows around 60, day temps low 70s. We'll warm up again before fall fully gets here. Now, if we could get 3 to 4 days of consistent weather, I'd really be happy.

I don't always intentionally fish for big bass. But, I try to find areas that hold them, and throw baits that I think will work on them.

True. You could give my wife the most sensitive rod ever made, and she would still miss all the strikes. It's just not her thing....

So far no weedgaurd. He'll probably get some bristle style guards to put on some later.

A famous Missouri fisherman, Virgil Ward, when asked what lure he would pick if he could only pick one said" a 1/8 oz black marabou jig". A partner I fish with recently made some nice marabou jigs. His are black, 1/4 and 3/8 oz, and feature a good quality Owner hook with a ball head. He told me he caught many bass on these jigs years ago, rigged with an Uncle Josh U2 split tail eel trailer. I've caught quite a few smaller bass on marabou jigs fishing them while crappie fishing in the spring, suspended under a float. The thing about marabou, is the action. Drop a marabou jig over the side of the boat, or in the shallow water while bank fishing, and try to hold it perfectly still. It's almost impossible. Marabou has a quivering action that responds to any movement. We plan on trying them this fall, strictly for LM bass. Since pork rind baits are all but gone now, well come up with a good, thin trailer to use, and fish them super slow. I have a feeling they'll be good. I know many smallmouth fisherman like hair jigs in general, but has anyone else used larger marabou jigs for LM bass?

My barber has a nice wooden plaque with his dad's old casting rod hanging in the shop. The plaque is about 2ft wide, and the reel is attached to this. The line goes to an old 7lb bass his dad caught years ago. He's gotten a lot of compliments on it over the years.

Over the years I've had the best luck and longevity with Shimano.

After years of use, even if your careful, your reels will probably get some "boat rash". It happens

I would suggest learning to fish a light T rig plastic worm. It's not the easiest bait to learn, but if you can get good at a t rig, other cast and crank type baits will come easier.

I've also come to the conclusion that the bigger fish are the harder strikes to feel. Small bass are always in competition for food, and are more apt to strike harder. Big bass, at least from my own experience, can eat what they want, when they want. They don't have to worry about a dink taking they're food away. They can swim to the bait, and suck it in in a heartbeat. They can also blow it out just as fast.

The thing is, you may not actually feel anything. Saturday I had two bass that were just " there" when I lifted the rod. I never felt a tap, or saw any line movement. It takes practice for sure, because the bite varies day to day.

With jig fishing, regardless of what rod you buy, it's going to take some time and practice to get good at it. If you've ever watched a video of a bass inhaling a jig, and blowing it out, it's easy to see why so many folks struggle with jig fishing. No rod can make us faster than a bass. A top quality sensitive rod is always important, but the best jig fisherman stay in tune with they're jigs the instant they hit the water. It takes some dedication to get good with jigs, no matter what tackle you use.

He keeps and cleans them to eat. The biggest ones he cuts into pieces. Smaller ones he skins and leaves whole. Yea, he also hangs a deer from a tree in his yard every year. He lives outside of town, so he doesn't have any homeowners group to bother with. He cleans and butchers his own stuff. He's an old school guy.

Another good bait for them is to catch a few bream, and cut them into pieces. Leave the skin on them, and wire the pieces into your traps. The skin helps them stay in place. Crawfish seem to like dead fish. If it's stinky, they like it even better.

My grandson and a friend of his caught several crawfish recently, using small wire basket traps. They cut small holes in the wire with tin snips, and drove two stakes into the traps to hold them in place. They use raw meat and wire some pieces into the trap. Set them in the evening and check them in the morning. If crawfish are present, you'll get some. They're using them to try and catch big catfish. Another kid they know caught a 13lb channel cat on a craw a few nights ago, so now they're all fired up about catching some big cats. The kids dad is a big catfish guy, and has caught some whoppers. After he cleans them, he puts the skulls on a tree in his backyard, from largest down to smallest. The biggest head is about 8" wide- a 20+ pounder. There's no baitshop around our area that sell live craws, so they have to catch they're own.

If your catching fish on an older bait, and you're happy with it, fish on! Older and newer can both be good. Use the ones you like. If they work for you, that's what matters.

I never did buy a whopper plopper. Most times, I'm behind on the new stuff.As an example, I wasn't even sure what a flatworm was untill I read this post. I still catch bass on older and a few newer baits. The fish are still doing the same thing they've done since the beginning. It's fisherman who are always looking for something new and better. This is what makes the whole tackle business tick. As has been said here, a jig/ pig has caught big bass for decades, and will continue to work in the future I tend to think most of the best lure designs were invented decades ago. New ones are a slight variation of old designs. It would be very hard if not impossible to invent a totally new bass lure, without borrowing from the past.

I'll have to look at the size- not sure. Ours is the smallest one available.

We've had good luck this summer with a t rigged Roboworm, both the 4.5 " and 6" standard worms. I've been using a Gama straight shank hook, usually 1/0 or 2/0. Last week I picked up a pack of 2/0 Gama G Finesse hooks, designed by FLW pro Shinchi Fukae. These have been out for a while now, but this is the first we've tried them. These feature a "tin" keeper on the shank, which works well, to hold the thin Roboworms in place. I think they're exactly like Roboworm Rebarb hooks. The only difference is the Rebarb hooks have a plastic keeper, as opposed to the tin keeper on the G Finnese hooks. These are good hooks, and, so far, seem.to be perfect for t rigging thinner worms. Theyre not cheap at 7 dollars for 4 hooks, but work well. Thanks to a tip from WRB in another thread, we made several of these hooks using shrink tubing, which you can buy at any good hardware store. Simply cut the tubing about 3/16 long. Cut one end at a sharp angle, and slide it over the hook eye of a standard straight shank hook. I think there's several good brands out there, but we like the Gamakatsus. Slide the tubing on the shank with the angle cut nearest the hook eye, and push it down about 1/8". Heat the tubing slightly towards the straight end. When finished, you'll end up with a keeper that's almost identical to the G Finesse hooks, at much less cost. One pack of shrink tubing will probably last a lifetime, and should it become worn out, it's quick and easy to slide on a new piece of tubing, and make a new one. This is one of many reasons why I like BR so much. Always getting some good info here, and learning something new. This style of hook and keeper is the best we've tried for thinner plastics, and makes them last longer too.