Muddpuppy

Are you certain that the battery has plenty water or a cell has not gone bad?

I have a feeling that your sudden good luck had more to do with lunar cycles then bait color. I never was really up on fishing with the moon since we always went when we could, moon or no moon. I tried to find something in the articles about it, but didn't see anything. As far as why they stopped and started back, I don't think fish feed constantly through the night, also the school could have moved and the same, when they started biteing again. The color may have played a part, but at night I wouldn't think that it would be a large one. I don't really know for sure. Sound and scent sometimes seems to help also at night.

TritonMan: That mushed crab isn't road killed is it? Otherwise that sounds or at least reads delicious.

Catfish probably roll their own. But I have seen them take gold hooks and tabacco juice too, but in all fairness they also took just the hooks.

It's better to pull out the small ones then the large ones under normal circumstances, where there is competition for food and space. I don't know what the best plan of action is in your case would be. I agree with El. True it might take some regulating on the amounts in relation to fishing pressure. I read they started haveing second thoughts here on some of lakes that at one time discouraged keeping fish, they were over run with small fish and the avg. size of fish caught began to drop and some of the slots were relaxed.

Most herbivorous animals love tobacco try sticking a cigar (unlit) up in front of a horses nose. Bugs love it too. We used to spit tobacco juice on worms thinking it increased their catching ability. I wouldn't take up the habit because of that however. And I have seen bream attack chewing tobacco thrown in the water.

We have some strip mines in this area ( the ones for coal have to be reclaimed and turned back into usable land.) all of our mineing is shallow in nature maybe a high wall of 200 or so feet. Back in the day that iron ore was still strip mined around here it has left the land scared and gouged with a few small resevors (maybe 1/2 acre) but from what I have seen there is so much alum in the water, that nothing can live. They are a really neat clear green color though. But I have read alot of posts about fishing them and they seam like they are hot spots at times. Wouldn't there be a lot of changeing structure in one of those?

We often move a fish or 2 to private ponds. Now if you intend on moveing them to public waters chances are that is prohibited and not neccessarialy without good cause. It's not so much where you are takeing them from that is the issue as the where you are putting them into that presents the problem. Also unless you have permission to relocate the fish I am sure you would have to abide by the same bag limits as if you were fishing for them as food. Private waters may be exempt in your area.

I thought the title was a riot ;D I know they probably don't care much for my cajon cooker. As far as cigarettes go they might not mind haveing one if they wern't what's on it.

Tree huggers aren't they little bushy tailed kritters that knaw on pine cones and cousin to the rat? Ther're good for breakfeast or at least there brains are supposed to be with eggs. If its an envionmental issue I'd be raise'n He- - about my fish then too. Call the radio and tv stations. I would get and Ice Chest and a small battery powered areator they start at about 6.00 but eat batteries so the round 13.00 dollar big bubble one may be better if you use it alot. It wouldn't hurt to put a little ice in with the fish too. Unless you have special permits to transfer I imagine that you will have to stay within local bag limits. A seine or net would faster then catching them by hand. I would not move any that look weak or sick to the new spot.

This is alittle off subject ... wasn't there a magazine that when you subscribed you be came a member of Bass Pro Shop or they put out years ago. It was when they were just getting started.

Does the pond normally dry up in the summer or is this an exceptionally dry year? Maybe it will rain and solve your problem. Transporting fish to put into a different lake is illegal here also, because of the risk of diesese, parasite and even weed control.

I haven't researched any of this but, here fishing can be recognized as theropy, to what extent I don't know. The Corp. or Eng. gives reduced camping passes for the handicapped or disabled. And you also would elgiable for a handicapped vetreran's licence also. I would like to think that if you could round up some other people that like to fish and possibly camp maybe some organization would help pick up the tab. So maybe you could get some help with transportation, watercraft and such. I know it,s alot easier to say then to try to get done. Aren't there some pretty nice lakes out there that would make a nice weekend trip once a month or so?

For me 3:30 is the majic number, and I guess the start of the evening bite around here. I may not have had any luck at all. Then the clock strikes 1/2 past 3 and alot of time it seems to change. In the summer rat l traps and jitterbugs around the weeds.

A good place to start if you do not have specific questions is in the fishing articles. There is a lot of good information by a lot of different people and areas that have posted it. You can find it a the top of the page in the green bar then "fishing articles" it will have a drop box with numerous sub titles. Here is a link to the beginners section. http://bassresource.com/beginner/beginner.html

There are several factors used to select worm color. One relied on is Matching the hatch or trying to match the colors of the baits to the colors of the forage that the bass are feeding on. Anouther is like you are talking about and matching the surroundings if that doen't work try to get noticed and use a contrasting color. In stained water I think most of the natural colors work well or what I call the pooh colored, if pooh turns that color it should catch fish. I like Watermelon, pumpkin, alot of the smokes and shad colors, browns, dark greens and blue with blk flk is a good color in stained water or a mixture of one or more. I probably try to match to the vegitation, structure or surface I am fishing against more more than water color. As far a contrast you can try useing baits with flakes or yellow and bubblegum, and I read on here the other night that white shows up well on the bottom at night. Here are some links to past posts to look though, since everybody is fishing now, some weekends look a little slow in getting new responses, sometimes. http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=Fishing_Tackle_ID;action=display;num=1117738960 http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=Fishing_Tackle_ID;action=display;num=1118795523 http://bassresource.com/cgi-bin/bass_fish/YaBB.pl?board=gen_bass;action=display;num=1117771103 http://bassresource.com/beginner/color_fishing.html http://bassresource.com/beginner/Choosing_Colors_selection.html

I heard that! Or sell you the book, video or kit. We have already bought their rods,lines,lures and mag. Oh well at least we still have taxes. ;D

If you fish the spot often get a rake or a hook and a rope. You won't get rid of the crap if it's like the stuff here but it might help create more pockets later. I think some of it is an accumulation of floating stuff from the top of the lake and sometime a good rain will help to disperes it. I also try to fish along the inside edge and pockets with a weightless lizard or worm. Maybe try useing a topwater bait like a jitter bug or a buzzbait if you can get where you can fish along the edge. And try dragging babybushhogs or like baits off the top into holes and off the edge and let the sink then jig them a few times. Often I have problems useing weights down here since the stuff collects in thick weeds and creates a mass as far line is concerned. The unweighted plastics skim over the really bad places instead of though them. One pond that gets that pretty bad here in the summer. I have noticed I catch most of the fish in the same places, and frequently there will be a twig or different type plant sticking up in the spots. So I suppose there may be a difference in the bottom structure. Also remember that you still have to pull the fish through the muck too. A 1lb. drags like 8 just no fight.

They were probably feeding on the edges of the schools I am sure I would have tried several different lures spinnerbait, rat- l- trap ect, tried to use baits that matched the fish. I have seen them where they will swim around a bait durring the day in open shallow water, tried one after anouther and they could care less. I like to try to find some kind of structure durring the day that they can get against that also offers them some shade. It doesnt always have to be much, and sometime hard to detect. If there is a creek comeing into the lake the channel on it offers a good place, if there is grass growing close or along it it's even better, not to mention if the water is moveing it should be cooler. A fallen tree is a good place, and over hanging limbs that offer shade are great. I don't think I really answered the ? getting alittle tired. Have you tried reading any of the articles on here? Some of them have some really good information in them. Since you get online late at nite that may be a good place to look until you get some more repleys. Look at the top of the page in the green bar click- fishing articles. The beginning section is a good place to start even if you have fished for years. I'll try to do better next time. Look for changes in plant life this sometimes indicates a structure change on the bottom. There maybe a hump or hole.

I know when things get slow I will try a buzz bait a few times and go back to what I was fishing with in the same spot, if I don't have any luck. I have notice alot that it seems to attact their attention and will some time take a different lure. Or if I am fishing with someone and one of us is throwing a buzz bait and the other is useing something else the other bait will sometimes start getting hits.

One of these days the fish may decide for you. You don't always need to use a weight when fishing other baits. Normally use just as little a weight as possible. If you are fishing the Senko without weight you may be trying to fish deeper with the others. So try them without until you need to fish deeper or haveing to punch threw cover. If you are haveing a bad problem with hanging in weeds and can't find or have tried smaller weights like 1/32 or 1/16 or 1/8 try a nail weight or even just part of one. I don't know what size weights you have. You can also try baits like baby bush hogs and I have read several posts on here about cheaper senko clones. Also trim both ends on the senko if it starts to tear or fray to keep it balanced. You may be able to catch a few more fish off of them even though they are shorter. Some tears can be repaired with a lighter ( we had a post recently)

I would probably clean the hook by hand or use anouther rod and bait if I had just missed a fish. Unless it was a stand or small amount. Shad_Master do you know where Clatonia is?

We are also instore for alot of 95+ temps this summer. Pretty much what has been said and early morning and night fishing. Lily pads, are always good, any cool water inlets, creek chanels, and bridges pillings (how ever it's spelled).

I know more expense! I know Eagle claw makes a hook its endorsed by Shaw that has a small wire clamp on the eye that does a pretty good job of holding the bait on when dragging it through heavy cover. I don't remember the name right off, but it should be on their or the BPS web site. You will probably need to sharpen it before useing it. Their not as sharp as some or at least I didn't think so. I think Wal Mart carries these.

Great post as usual, hate it about the shoulder.