PondBoss

Perhaps there is some science to this or perhaps it is just a load of BULL. Personally I'm going with BULL! Can anyone explain to me about this Cajun line from Shakespeare? It is supposedly invisible to fish because red is the filtered out of their vision by the rods and cones in their eyes. Now I'm ok in believing that. But if that is the case why do all the major lure manufacturers make baits with "bleeding" hooks on them? Seems to me like a catch22. Either Red is invisible or it's bright as well RED. Looks like someone at either Shakespeare or Strike King didn't do their research properly. Anyone know the real truth behind this?

Wanna catch bigger fish in the future get rid of a lot of those small fish. Feed the coons or other wildlife. The fish can't get any bigger if they have no room to grow. Throw them on the bank or take some home to snack on, hell stock another little pond closer to your own home.

I agree with whats been said about the loud abrupt banging. As far as the closeness to the shore I'd say thats a farce. Caught my personal best a 10.7 in pretty clear water not 8-10 feet away from me when he hit. And he was probably closer to me when he saw the bait cuz I saw him go out from a bush and kill my bait. You can kinda camouflage yourself by wearing shirts that will blend in with the sky. That is my best advice on fishing close to the water.

I know what you mean with the accuracy of the formula "or lack there of" about 2 weeks ago I caught what I thought was a monster but guessed it to be a lil over 8 the formula said it was 10 1/2. So when it comes down to it the formula is on our side and I can tell everyone I got me a double digit fish.

The best thing I can say is stay strong and keep a positive mind set, the fish will come. When you're out again tomorrow try throwing a white spinner bait parallel to the bank and slowly start fanning your casts towards deeper water. If you are getting bites on those baits there really shouldn't be a question on when to set the hook. It shouldn't be a bite you are getting it should be a slam! Perhaps smaller fish are hitting the blades such as blue gills or something else. Just stay patient, are you using a trailer hook? If not you definitely should be. If you are going to be fishing it shallow enough that you can see your bait flip the trailer hook upside down no swing and misses that way. Best of luck

This Lake Eufala is in Oklahoma adn it's full of big smallies and spots. Thanks for the tips sounds like a good plan.

Personally I agree with a lot of you in the case of keeping a few fish to help thin out the small ones. Personally I don't keep fish just because I don't want to clean them but I do get rid of fish in some of the ponds that I fish. If you're catching a bunch of dinks give the coons some food. The only big fish you should ever take out of a body of water should be to put on your wall. And with the technology they have today a good taxidermist can make you one that looks even better than the real deal if you want.

I do something similar but completely different from what that diagram shows. If your hook has come out on the other side somewhere this definitely works way better than that diagram. All you do is cut your line and continue to thread the hook around. Just simply grab it by the point with your pliers and gently pull the hook through until the eye comes out. Let the fish go and retie, simple as that.

I go the double jig route. White up top and Chartreuse on the bottom or vice verse that should give the added weight for your float and increase your chances of catching more fish. Biggest one I ever caught though went almost 4# caught it on a 6 inch gold red fin shad stick bait. Also try the small spinners too like blue fox or mepps.

Does this mean they were wrong about dinosaurs too? ;D Maybe the Loch Ness Monster is real!

If you are talking about "white bass" and I think that you are, the guy was most likely fishing suspended fish that weren't real active. Hence the float to slow down his presentation. Growing up all I ever did was catch big white bass, hybrids, and strippers. Typically when we would go out on the lake looking for whites or hybrids we would troll any type of crank bait. depending on the day of course you can catch them on anything, but the main stay for me was a Bill Norman crank bait that ran 5-8ft deep and was silver with blue on the top. (man what bait) Any type of shad imitating bait works well. One thing that we would do was tie on about a foot long leader to the back treble and tie a white or yellow 1/16oz jig definitely increased the catch and doubles are always fun especially when the double is on the same line. Another thing I'd say is look for the birds, where there are birds diving you want to be. Throw a 1/2 oz Little George and zing it as far as you can to the other side of the school more fish on the top of the school feeding in a frenzy means bigger fish down below picking up the scraps of what drifts down. But sometimes the bite is so strong you can't get down to the bigger fish without getting bit. If you get into a school like that I hope you ate your wheaties cuz you'll be tired before the day is over. Anything else pm me I got all kinds of secrets on those hard fighting fish.

Will be fishing a tourney in close to a month and was wondering if anyone out there knows anything about this lake and where the fish are. I'm told that this is mainly a small mouth and spotted bass tourney, and pointers or tactics would be helpful even if you don't know the lake. Thanks in advance

I'm right there with you on this. Except my go to bait and mainstay is the spinner bait. Crazy story here, once I went fishing at a pond that I frequent and left all of my spinner baits at home just so I would have to use other baits. Wasn't really catching anything and just happened upon a snagged bait in a bush that was out of the water during the drought. Tied it on and started catching fish. I figure that means I'm supposed to be a spinner bait fisherman. ;D I fish other baits but almost 90% of my fishing is done with a spinner bait. But at the same time I'll throw many different types from 1/8oz - 1oz in probably 15 different colors and blade styles. Though usually most of my fish come off the same bait. When all is said and done I think you fish one bait more because it's just "your bait" you'll fish that bait with more confidence than any other there by catching more fish what that particular bait. If you wanna learn other techniques go out one day and leave the plastics at home. Good Luck and Good Fishing

I'd say if it's really over populated, and it sounds like it is. Take out a few fish here or there. And when I say a few here or there I mean you caught 50 take out 15-20. They can't grow if there isn't room to get bigger.

yep bailed in from the bank this weekend after my personal best tried to get away before he got measured. Just over 10#

I'd fish it 2 different ways: Fast and Furious Slow and Steady Either of those ways should win the race. You'll get the active fish that weren't turned off by the weather, and then you can slow down and get those lock jawed fish. Personally I'd start out throwing a spinnerbait and run it no deeper than you can see all the way. This will pick up the active fish and sometimes when you stir up the bite even the sluggish fish will come up to see whats going on. Then I'd throw a weightless worm and fish it at the most 2 ft deep, but thats just me.

Just a bit of back ground info: Here in Oklahoma we've had nothing but rain the last couple of weeks and I believe over 5 inches in the last 4 days here in my home town. With a perfect forecast for today I had no choice but to leave my lawn to reach jungle status and go fishing. I have a few ponds to fish in a near by town on my way I stop and get what could have been the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. I pull down the complete dirt road and don't forget all the rain we've had, somehow or another my truck ridiculously 4 wheel drive and didn't even get stuck. I only fish for about 20 minutes or so and it happened. I'm watching my spinner bait on the retrieve and out from a fallen tree only 5-8 feet away I see it. The biggest bass I've ever seen in my life obliterates my bait. After landing the fish and weighing it on my piece of garbage D-liar scale it said only 4 1/2 pounds. Being intelligent I measured it's length and girth. 23 inches long just a hint under 21 around. As I was double checking my measurements he flopped out of my grasp and back into the pond, needless to say like any die hard I went in right after him. Grabbed him and checked again and let him swim peacefully away. The spinner bait was totally demolished needless to say it has been retired. Was able to catch many other fish through out the day but all shorts minus one that was 19 in length and 14 around. I get home only to find the mathematical equation to weight fish by length and girth measurements, tell me I've let go the biggest Bass I've ever caught and always said I'd put on the wall if I ever was lucky enough to catch. Guess I need a digital scale :-? But all and all it was still a career day and with the weather finally starting to get ahold of it's self I'm sure the bite is on.

All of these great replies and I can't believe no one brought up the obvious. On calm days and in clear enough water you can see the fish you are trying to fish a quarter stick of DYNAMITE works great! Go to maybe a half stick on windy more murky waters. ;D

As a golf professional I can understand the reasons stated above. And until fisherman start making the bigger bucks I just don't see how I as a parent could do it. As it stands now I can leave and play for a couple of weeks but earn enough to still come home for the next couple of weeks and can play the schedule I want to. With fishing and the money as sparse as it seems, the weekly grind would just be to much I'm sure.

totally agree with cigarlover, sounds like my kinda fishing fast and furious! If you are fishing your spinner bait just under the surface or not around any major cover turn the trailer hook upside down. Won't get to many swings and misses that way. Good luck

welcome to the forum! I'd say when you are fishing with him just catch some big hybrids and stripers. When you go alone and you are bank fishing, you'll need a few basic baits for Texas Largemouth. White 1/4 - 1/2 ounce spinnerbait, one or two Rapala 6" stickbaits usually in a minnow like pattern, a couple of 3-8 ft diving crankbaits, and of course anywhere from 4-10 inch berkly worm in blue fleck. Can't go wrong with these baits fishing shore line structure and casting parallel to the banks. Good luck and happy fishing.

Why R they waiting until mothers day to show it? Terrible, what am I gonna watch until then? Do any fishing shows come on these days besides on espn2 @8 on Saturday?

The more light penetration , the lighter color the bass will be. I'd have to say that I don't agree with that. In the ponds I fish the darker muddy water always seems to hold light colored almost pale fish, as the clearer water holds darker, greener fish. If the sun can't get through the water to the fish they can't get a nice tan. Makes sense to me. ;D

To answer the question of why not get your hooks at Dick's? I know there isn't a Dick's in Oklahoma at least that I know of. Try Academy they seem to have everything I want and usually at a better price than Bass Pro.

I go to bassmaster.com you can go to the fishing tips tab and find best times to fish. It tells you next to the times what the phases of the moon are. I try to plan my fishing accordingly and 90% of the time the fishing really picks up during those times. (for me anyway)