IdahoLunkerHunter

Thanks 77, that boasts my confidence a little more. I will keep everyone informed on how I do. Patrick

Nice job Larry! When we fishin' Pot Holes? Heck I'll drive over to Seattle if it means fishin' with you guys.

LOL

Thanks for all the great advice. I have a very good idea of where the fish are going to be this weekend, I just don't want to over step my bounds. Its been 55 degrees this whole week and gonna have a 70 degree friday and saturday... So this Saturday the fishing should be excellent. What about JJ's lol I never leave home without it, is it kewl to bring it? Also I usually supply catch and release with for all my friends when we fish and I can almost guarantee no one carries it around here when they fish either, bring it?

So I have finally taken the plunge to try my first tournament this weekend. It is a club tournament, that I just found out about. I called the club director and chatted with him a bit and he encouraged me to come this weekend and give it a go. I will be a non-boater and weights are weighed individual. I would really appreciate some help as I don't know really what I am doing in regards to tournament angling except watching on tv

Biggest 7lb 2oz & a couple smaller

You can leave the door with four baits in the spring and you will catch fish. 1. 5" stick bait, junebug or watermelon 2. 1/4 oz jig with trailer, pumpkin jig with blue or watermelon trailer 3. Suspending jerkbait, in accordance with your lakes bait fish 4. 4"-5" lizard set up on a S. Carolina rig.

Sounds like a great time! Nice fish

So went out this weekend. Had a pretty good outing on Saturday. Went fishing with the wife. We caught about 10 fish in 2 hours. Will post pictures once I run home for lunch. So bout the story, was anchored at a dock in my little two person jon boat and a guy in a bass boat I notice creeping up the rip-wrap toward the dock. Not a big deal. I was watching him as he motored closer and he threw right into the dock exactly where I was pitching a jig. Thank gosh the wife was there or we would have had something ugly. I politely asked if he could give us some room. It took about five "What's" from this guy to understand that I was telling him to move along. As he motored past him and his partner were chuckling at me. So he motors past and hits the other side of the dock. Oh I lost it! I grabbed my 1 oz crank bait with 40lb braid and hucked it over his line. He didn't notice it and I caught his line and he set the hook into my lure and I set the hook even harder and yanked his pole out of his hands. As I reeled his pole in I asked, "Ya lose something?" He motored over and I gave it back. I couldn't stop from laughing and smiling as he motored away. Edited** Added Photos

Same as I would do. You left out, "Look for pea gravel" LOL

If you fished for 15 minutes and caught those I wouldn't change a thing. I would be throwing a jig and pig/chunk all day long!

Not being from Texas or the South and having any of these situations I might not be the best input. Assuming the fish are post-spawn I would be focusing on main lake points and ledges outside spawning flats. I would also be paying attention to to see if the water temp has dipped. Has the water temp fallen a couple degrees? If it has this will push the fish closer to cover and off flats. If the water has become more stained the fish will hide very close to cover and I would be flipping a soft plastic that has a lot of water displacement. I would also be using a jig that has a loud rattle on it. Even though the water has risen this high, and the fish are in a post-spawn pattern. The fish probably won't be pushing up into the weed lines like they would during the spawn. I would concentrate on the cover that is in the 10-15 foot depth mark. Even though the water has risen the fish probably didn't.

Perfectly Said!

On road trip I heard a story of a boat doing this. The boater who got approached said to the enchrocher: "Hey you guys want come jump on board, we got room" I think this is a perfect way to deal with that situation. Its funny and lets them know they are too close lol

Nice, I can't wait for the top water bite again

Thanks Kelly, I went and bought out the rest of the finesse worms at my outfitter. Will also send you some packages this week. Hope the fishing has been good! Big-O. That 7 lber towed me about 20 feet from where I hook set her. I looked up after the battle and was like... what the heck. I started anchoring after that lol!

Public. Here is a link to some info. Its my backyard paradise. I live in town and most of my fishing is within 5-10 minute drive from my house. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Pend_Oreille

Great Fish!

WHAT A DAY!!! Hit the water about 1pm and fished till 5pm. Started out on a trick stick nothin'. Threw a crank...Nothing. Tied on a Pumpkin jig with a blue ragetail craw (I'm calling it the Big-O Special..haha) and absolutely spaked em! Caught 22 fish. 17 keepers. 5 best went 19lbs 4 oz with a 7lb 2oz FATTY. The wind and light drizzle started to pick up and stopped taking pictures. Another fisherman came up and took a picture of a 5lb and I generously let him know what I was using . ENJOY I SURE DID!

Brian, this isn't the wheeled on. It is called a bass baby. More of a pontoon.

Thanks all! Demon: I think I have about $1100 into it. You can get into a fishing yak set-up for about $600 though. My model has two outriggers in the back that swing out so I can stand up in it without the balance issues.

Went out for three hours today on a mill pond I've been wanting to fish for years. There are always little jons on it when I drive by so I decided to give it a go. Caught a few dinks and this nice football. Water is still pretty cold and couldn't find any pattern. Caught everything from 2 foot of water to 12 foot. Water temp 53. Just waiting for a few more weeks till spawn and its on! Fishing a green jig with Ragetail blue craw. It's new favorite bait! Enjoy.

Yes but there is cover at that depth, especially fishing spring and fall/winter patterns. I have also found that staying within the realm of the natural colors is a good idea but enhancing those colors makes a big difference. There is a reason that animals camouflage into their surroundings. If they can't camouflage easily they are picked off as prey. I think differentiating colors make it an easier target for bass. For example its been proven that my lake may not have a large population of blue craws. But there are facts that craws genetically produce true blue craws. You probably don't see them because they get picked off much more easily. Differentiating colors can sometimes make a big difference IMO.

Great looking trip!

Laying fish anywhere has the possibility of removing the slime coat. Nice Fish!