papajoe222

The majority of my outings aren't planned, I just go. When I do plan a trip or for a one day outing that involves a good amount of driving, I plan it around either a new or full moon. Over the years, I have more confidence in being able to catch active fish under those two phases. The fish aren't always cooperative, as we all know there are a lot of other factors to consider, but this is the only one that is predictable so it's the first one I consider.

X2 and BTW, you don't always need to be digging the bottom with a deep crank. Sometimes running a crank above the fish holding on bottom can stir them up. Just add a pause in your retrieve, or raise the rod tip to give it a change in direction/speed.

On my home lake, it's been the Norman Deep Little 'N' and on my favorite lake it's been a Switch Back. Minnow imitating colors seem to out produce the craw patterns, but I still give them a shot before giving up on the cranks.

I wouldn't attempt any strain on that wrist. At least for the first couple of weeks. You could move something out of place and have it end up healing that way. It happend to me with a finger I broke and played out the final two weeks of the season (baseball) only to have the finger permanently askew. Talk to your Dr. about what you can and shouldn't do and then follow his advice. You'll be better off in the long run.

Happened to me last year. Caught my PB (7.3) on a Spook and I'd just started leaving my phone in the car because of all the annoying interuptions while fishing. Wouldn't you know it, I was the only one on the water and I couldn't see putting her in the livewell just so I could get a pic. Luckily I'm past that point where I need to have proof of a great catch. It'd be nice, but I don't loose sleep over it. In fact, I dream about her.

I fish a buzzer first and foremost as a target bait and I've found that I get a lot more strikes if I cast well past my target. I started out just casting to, or a little past the target and caught a few, but my numbers increased big time when I started casting 15+ feet past when I could. I don't know if it's the irritation factor, the extra time a fish can get into position to strike, or whatever and I really don't care as long as it works. This is definately not a lure I cast searching out active fish like I would a crank and if that's what you're attempting, that may be the reason for the poor results. Just a thought.

What I'd like to know is how he maintains contact under windy conditions using a lighter weight?

I'm liking it. It's almost the exact opposite of a short arm spinnerbait where the blade spins freely on the drop. You know it's gonna catch fish. I've been adding a feathered treble to the tail of a few suspending cranks to add a little action while the bait sits at rest. Once you get that first fish, you'll be trying to figure out how to add a spinner to a plastic crank. I'd keep that one a secret until you can get a pattent on the idea

My first was on an original Creme worm. I had no idea how to work it back, so I just reeled it in slowly. That worm was pre-rigged. The first fish I caught on a T-rigged worm was on a Mann's Jelly Worm. Still use them in the BIG size.

As WRB mentioned, largemouth like a jig with a full, flared skirt and one of the things that I do to achieve this is add either a single or double curly tailed grub to the back of the jig. When you push it up under the skirt, it will flare it out. A drop of super glue will hold it there fairly well as most hair jigs don't have a 'keeper' to hold a trailer in place. It's also a great way to add a contrasting color your jig as an attractant.

If you want to use a snap on a buzzer or spinnerbait with an 'R' bend (open) tie, slip a split ring over the tie point and then clip on your snap. the split ring (or even a small O ring) will prevent the snap from sliding up or down the bait's arms. I do this a lot to my bassin; baits when the pesence of toothy fish mandates the use of a wire leader.

During the summer, I always fish the shadey side of structure and cover once the sun is up. It doesn't matter if it's the bank, a building, tree, drop off, weed edge, boat dock, or whatever casting the shadow. In the spring, it's just the opposite. I look for areas that get sun throughout the day and during the fall I concentrate on baitfish locations and around here that's bluegill that love the sun. I'm not saying shade is the only thing I take into consideration during the summer, but it's a big part of the equation for me on the natural lakes up here.

I've had late evening/night outings when the only presentation that worked was a 3" curly tail grub on a bare jig head and others where I outfished my partner by sticking with a plastic worm that was producing in the early evening even after sunset. Many anglers overlook soft plastic presentations under low light conditions and because of that they miss out on some fantastic fishing opportunities. I hope you aren't in that group.

I use a piece of white tape on the underside of the reel's seat and mark the brand, weight, and type of line. On the combo's I use most often, it's fairly easy to remember, but just in case I can always check. I started adding the month and year when I spooled to the info this year as some of my reels only get used a few times a year. BTW, I keep the majority of reels in a padded carrying case and it's just a matter of looking at that piece of tape and I know what line is on that particular reel.

For the second time this season I picked up two bass on the same lure. Both times it was a Spook and both times they hit immediately after the first movement of the bait. I hadn't landed two fish on one lure in over a year and prior to that it was at least five years. I know it isn't a common occurance I was just wondering how many of you have doubled up and on what type of lure?

You can purchase a few cable velcro organizers and use them to hold the cable to the shaft when in use and then just peel them off as you raise and secure the motor. That way, the cable isn't dragging behind the shaft and catching on whatever wants to hitch a ride.

Tubes can be presented in a variety of ways, but the most common are T-rigged, either with an internal or external weight and with a tube jig which is inserted into the tube. An external bullet weight will give the bait more of a straight drop as opposed to the spiralling fall of one that is weighted internally. The other option is to fish them weightless similar to fishing a fluke. Tubes are great for fishing docks as they are much easier to skip than a plastic worm or a jig. Don't be afraid to experiment just as you would with any other plastic bait. I've even used them rigged as a spinnerbait trailer.

First I'll check out a topo map of the lake I plan to fish. I'll mark key areas I want to hit based on the season. I'll also note the presence or absence of service facilities. Next I'll check out the weather forecast for, not only when I'll be on the water, but for a couple of days prior. Once I have that basic information I can beging forming a 'loose' game plan and a back up to it. Then it's time to organize a tackle bag with the lure types I anticipate will be most productive. For the other 4.75 days I just try to keep the shakes of anticipation down enough that it isn't to obvious to the ones around me that I'm loosing it.

A few degrees change in surface temp. during the summer shouldn't affect the fishing one way or another. What will is the presence or lack of cloud cover and wind. If either or both are present, you should expect fishing to be a litle better than it was under the bluebird skies of a cold front. Cold temps. over the past week don't always indicate a cold front and if fishing was decent during the week, the rise in temp. won't make much difference.

There are times, I will admit, that I get so zoned in on a pattern that I'm unwilling to even let the thought of 'changing gears' to enter my mind. Luckily, today wasn't one of them, but I find it happening more and more. One of the biggest reasons is that I like to stay in my comfort zone of power fishing. BTW, I consider top water fishing (the way I do it) power fishing. So when the top water bite died off this morning, the last thing I wanted to do was pick up a shakey head and tediously probe the depths that I knew held fish. The spots I wanted to target were within reach (depth) of a crank bait, but the bluebird skies told me the fish wouldn't be in a chasing mood. I needed to probe deep with something that'd cover a large area in a short time and then I remembered a trick I'd used back in my 'glory days. I tied on a silent crank that would get me down to the depth I wanted, but it was a high floater and I wanted something to stay put when I paused it. Out came the SuspenDots and a few minutes later I was in business. The results surprised me, but shouldn't have as this presentation was something I was sure this fish rarely saw. I experimented with the length of the pause and soon I was into fish. BIG fish. I realized I could switch gears and still stay within my comfort zone AND catch fish. Sometimes switching gears is a good thing, you just need to double clutch once in a while.

I like the balance of a spinning outfit, although I learned by turning the handle with my left hand and feel very awkward trying to switch to right hand cranking (the way I use baitcasters). Try this; Place the rod accross the index finger of the hand you intend to hold it with until it balances. That point should be just in front of the reel's base. Now wrap your hand around the rod handle so your index finger is approximately at that point. The stem that extends from the reel to it's mounting base will lay somewhere between your middle and ring fingers or your ring finger and pinkie. Now try turning the reel handle. If it still feels awkward, switch the crank handle to the other side and switch the rod to the other hand. Most guys like keeping the rod in the hand they have it in when they cast rather than switching it after casting.

Factors other than casting distance are taken into account when a rod is manufactured. Some are designed for power and some just for the exra reach as when flipping. The rod you described, with the longer handle is likely not intended for increased casting distance over the other model, but for the extra control it offers the angler while fighting a fish, or perhaps so that he can lay the handle along his arm to reduce stress on the wrist when cranking. I guess what I'm attempting to show you is that just because a rod is longer than another of the same model, that increased casting distance may not be the reason.

In the summer and fall, I always target the shore, point, etc. that the wind is blowing into unless it just started getting windy. Just the opposite during the winter and early spring.

The more wind, the better when it comes to spinnerbait fishing and a breeze strong enough to put a good ripple on the water is where it starts. Something about the reduced light penetration and the fact that windy days normally have some good cloud cover, really kick starts a bass' activity level and that's why I think a spinnerbait works so well then. IMO a swimbait will get the same response from a bass, but the spinnerbait covers water a lot faster and when the fish are active thats what you want to do/

Cold fronts effect fishing because of the high pressure associated with them (reguardless of the time of year) and to some extent the increased light penetration. Florida strain large mouth seem to be more vulnerable to the change than northern strain and river fish less than both. Not to equate fish behavior to human behavior, but the fish basically become uncomfortable and react in a similar fashion; they attempt to make themselves as comfortable as possible and reducing their activity level is just one way they do so. Their strike zone shrinks, they don't stray far from their 'home', and their appetite is reduced significantly.