papajoe222

Good choices on areas to fish, but depending on the scale of the map, they could be large areas. Regardless, pick an area and treat it like a small lake, or big pond. Pick apart the structural changes, bottom transitions and cover with your electronics. When you find a spot with potential, sit on it and fish the entire water column with a horizontal presentation first, then a vertical one. Vary your retrieve speed/drop rate with those presentations and you'll either find fish, or eliminate the spot. The whole process can be done in half an hour. If you find/catch fish and the spot cools off, move to another similar spot on that small 'lake' and fish the depth and presentation that worked there.

I just finished responding to a post about the old BR Road trips and the idea of forming a local group and getting together for a short fishing trip at a local lake hit me as something doable. I figure a four hour drive for a week-end fishing trip is something I'd enjoy and getting together with other members, putting names to faces, exchanging stories, tips and knowledge about some of the lakes we may have fished that others have, would make for an enjoyable trip. Not to mention, we'd get to fish. If it sounds like something you'd be interested in partaking, PM me and I'll see about getting a group together. There's a few guys in close proximity to me that I'd love to make fun of in person and then kick their butt on the water! I know....................I'm a trash talker, and I'd likely get skunked.

I was disappointed when I first heard that the official BR Road Trips were canceled. The following year, I believe, an unoffical one was held. No sponsors, or give aways, and non-boaters were paired with boaters prior to the event. I recall reading posts about it (I didn't attend). Considering the location I thought turnout was decent, but again, as Glen mentioned, there were no sponsors, guest speakers, guides, or raffles. Kent, Gary, Mike, Bluebasser (sorry, his name escapes me) and I had a very informal road trip on Table Rock a couple of years back. Despite being sick (I never did find out what it was) and the fact that we didn't catch much, if anything, It was a great time. Those kind of gatherings are always fun, you get to put names and faces together and get to enjoy your favorite sport in the process. I encourage all our members to form local groups and plan small, short trips to a location fairly close to others that has never been fished by the group. All it takes is one person to take the initiative to bring a group together. If the idea blossoms, we could have an end of season competition between the groups and 'crown' one as the best for that year. I know, wishful thinking, but you never know.

It’s the only crank my wife will use in water under 8ft. deep. I had two, I lost one, I haven’t heard the end of that, and she keeps the other one where I can’t find it.

I have most of them, and no, you can’t have any.

The general rule is just as you assumed, however what I’ve found is they only move up to newly flooded cover and won’t stick around if there isn’t forage doing the same. As there was no new cover in your situation, unless the forage was using that newly formed inside weed edge, there wasn’t a reason for the bass to be there.

I found out a long time ago that when it comes to taking little ones fishing, especially their first few times, the most important thing to do is make sure they have a good time, even if they don’t catch fish. A six year old that my wife babysat, didn’t catch a thing his first time out, but we had a blast and he wanted to know if his little sister could join us the next time. Eventually, they both graduated from bobber fishing and didn’t stop there. he’s sixteen now, loves fishing with soft plastics and now has a dislike for spinning gear.

So do Italians! I did a build for a friend that insisted on metallic gold wraps. I told him it would be structurally unsound as the epoxy wouldn't penetrate it. He bought my explanation and then questioned when I used metallic gold and silver in the decorative butt wrap I did. LOL, I don't believe he understood, but he loved the finished product.

It's happened to me and if you frequent small bodies of water, it's likely happened to you. You catch the same fish, from the same general area, on more than one occasion. Big fish have spots that are home for them. I do a 'milk run' on a decent sized natural lake, so it's not that unusual to catch the same fish more than once during a season. This year I've caught the same fish four times, oddly on the same bait, but what really intrigued me was yesterday I caught it almost 300yrds. across from where I first hooked it, on the same tube. There is no doubt that this was the same fish as she has a scar on one side,another just below her left eye and her tail is missing a small section. Have you ever caught the same fish twice in one day, on the same lure, hundreds of yards from the first spot?

I just finished the article by John Neporadny Jr on the importance of the thermocline and I realized I missed another opportunity for making money off a bait modification. I've been throwing short arm, single bladded spinnerbaits for years as they are the perfect bait, IMO, for fishing bluffs, drop-offs and deep weed edges. When fished as a drop bait, that single blade will helicopter on the fall and trigger some bone jarring strikes. The short arm positions the blade above and in front of the body/hook, which gets the fish to focus there. No need for a trailer hook as short strikers are all but non-existent. I modify a standard spinnerbait by removing the rear blade, cutting the arm, removing the clevis and blade that rides on the arm and bending a loop on the end. I'll either use the blade and swivel the bait came with originally, or upsize the blade for a slower fall. This isn't a bait with one purpose as it is an excellent, common use spinnerbait, too. Without the blade on the arm, it comes through vegetation extremely easy and, as I mentioned, there is no need for a trailer hook. If you love throwing spinnerbaits, or are looking for something different for targeting those sharp drops, you owe it to yourself, to try one for yourself. You'll likely be cutting up a few of your baits soon.

Go to the home page, You'll see it. Thanks for the heads up Tom

I choose the style of worm I throw based on the cover or structure I'll be bringing it through and the clarity of the water. Unless that cover is a clinging type of weed that catches an action tail worm, my choice is a ribbon tail. If it is, I go with a straight tail, stick worm. If I'm fishing stained water, I go with a paddle tail for the vibration. This season, I got hooked on Big Bite Baits Tour Swim worm. It's not a big worm, only 7.5in. but the tail gives off a lot of thump and you can split it for action similar to a Ultra Vibe. I stick to three colors for worms, Green Pumpkin, Purple (black grape) and black. Peg the weight if that's your confidence way, but I prefer a sliding sinker.

You'll find that at any given time, bass will bite a vertical presentation over a horizontal one and the opposite is also true. That is one of the many attributes of a jig. Without changing baits, you can alternate between the two and as you've discovered, you can do it on the same cast. That's one reason I always have a jig tied on. Read that first line again as it applies to other baits, too. If a crank or spinnerbait isn't producing and you know there are fish present, switch to a vertical presentation.

Always the showman. And no, that fish is a good 12in. shy of being an official dink. I think the gene you’re referring to is the persistence gene. If you’re a quitter, you don’t have it. If,however, as you’re working your jig over a small outcropping of river river rock after five hours of nary a bite and you still envision a monster bass eyeballing your jig, you got it.

Yes, there is a difference and there is a difference between different labels for both types of line. What works best for you depends on your budget and what benefit you see using one over the other. Personally, I only use fluorocarbon for treble hook baits, with the exception of topwater. Less bow in the line during the retrieve, more sensitivity, less stretch (for the line I use) and better abrasion resistance are my reasons. I don't like fluorocarbon for single hook presentation with the exception of finesse. In the end, use what you have the most confidence in. One suggestion; Whatever type of line you decide on, get quality. It costs more, but when that hawg is on the other end, the last thing on your mind should be a concern over the line.

I use a pair of side cutter pliers. They cut braid cleanly and double as hook cutters for those times you need to, you know, cut the end of a hook off for some reason.

No doubt, that's an unusual color. Your best bet is to check out some local hand pours and contact them about making you some. You'd likely have to order more than a dozen, but it sounds like you'd go through a dozen in short order. There are a number of guys here that pour tubes. looking45 just gifted me a few, you could PM him.

I like that term, 'lake lice' mind if I borrow it?

My come back would have been: Dude, I don't cast perfectly. I occasionally backlash and I don't know the water we're on. If I did, I wouldn't need you......would I? Many 'guides' are just good anglers looking to make a buck on their off days. Your best bet is to go with one that's been recommended, or will give you the contacts, or reviews of prior clients.

From shore, I'd target that point and cove on the lower right side. Reason being the slower drop on that point vs.the sharp drops of the points on the left. As there is no scale, it's impossible to figure where a 30yrd cast would get you as 20yrds would be needed to fish the base of those. Also, other than the standing timber noted on the map, there is no indication of any cover.

I just finished up two builds for friends. One spinning with plenty of bling for my Italian buddy. Gold framed guides, gold thread bands on the guides, and a diamond wrap at the base. The casting rod was a patriotic red, white and blue, three thread guide wrap. It was my first multiple thread wrap and I surprised myself with the finished wraps. The base decoration was a fairly simple chevron design, again red, white and blue. Both blanks were MHX. I didn’t think I could post pics, but here ya go.

I just wanted to clarify, for those questioning how to work a C-rig on a point. The lakes I fish are mostly natural lakes and the only cover, if any, is weeds. Working uphill with a lighter weight doesn't present the problems it would in many man made lakes. This is just another example of applying information to your situation. Would my approach work as well if I reversed it and worked shallow to deep. Most likely, it would.

If I'm fishing a point, I work a C-rig a little different. Because I rarely use a weight over 1/2oz. I'll work from deep to shallow, that way I maintain contact with the bottom. I'll begin my search that way and work my way around the point until I contact fish. Then, I'll move out to that depth and parallel cast my way around the point. For weed edges, I stick with a traditional Texax rig (free sliding sinker)

Everyone seems to like early morning and late evening. I, however, prefer mid-day. That's not to say I don't catch them early or late (under low light conditions). The reason I prefer mid-day is because I just seem to catch bigger fish then. My biggest bass this season was bagged at 1:30PM on a hot July day with only scattered clouds. I was working my Spook over a submerged brush pile. Mid-day is also ideal frogin' time, so don't put away your topwaters when the sun is up, give them a shot anytime.

The bait monkey has him on the payroll. Sneaky Monkey