bp_fowler

I have the spinning model 7’ M/F. Yes it does feel a bit stiffer than other medium spinning rods. I don’t mind though. I’ve found it’s niche for me is Wacky rigs, Shaky Heads, Tubes and such around somewhat heavier vegetation than I’d normally be comfortable using a spinning rod.

Went out early this morning. I caught 5 in three hours between two different lakes. Low 60s and mostly cloudy. Winds out of the SW at 15 mph and gusts up to 35. First up was Flagdale lake. This was only the third time I’ve fished it. It’s a tough one to bank fish with limited access. Fortunately that access is on the eastern bank which has a large shallow flat extending all the way to the upper end. Normally this is covered in pads and weeds but this early in the year it’s still relatively sparse enough to fish. With the wind blowing into it I thought it was my best shot. I caught a decent one on the Mayor a few casts in. But after that my only other fish was a dink closer to the end. Frustratingly I could see fish busting bait on the surface outside of my casting range. I’m guessing they were hanging out closer to break line and not really up on the flat like I had hoped. After that it was still relatively early so I decided to check out Flagdale’s sister lake Twin Churches, which I had never been to. Pulling up to the boat ramp I could see this lake was even more weedy than its neighbor. I walked the service road back towards the dam hoping to find some open water to cast to. I found a gap between the bank and weeds closer to the overflow that I was able to get the Mayor into and was rewarded with another dink. Made my way up onto the d**n and noticed the weeds were somewhat thinner near the spillway and that was open and had some current. I sent the Mayor into the spot in front of the spillway and got maybe two turns of the reel handle before something hit it. after a bit of a struggle getting the hooked fish through the weeds to shore I was pleased to see another decent bass. Working my way back towards my truck I decided to change it up. I tied on a wacky rig and began tossing it into gaps and holes in the weeds. I almost made it all the way back to the ramp with no bites. But got another one that hit it so quickly and hard I must have dropped the Senko right on its head. Called it a day after that. Figure I’ll be back. Probably with the canoe. Place definitely looks like frog country.

Wasn’t planning on fishing today but plans fell through so I hit up the first pond I was at yesterday and brought my nephew along. Much cooler after yesterday’s front rolled through. Low to mid 50s. Still overcast with a lot breeze. I caught five with a few that probably would have been better had they not been spawned out. Caught my first one a dink with the light 1/15 oz Ned. It did a good job staying on top of the weeds as I had hoped but after the first fish I decided to try a light Texas rig, 1/16oz on a 2/0 hook. I tried a finesse worm, speed worm, and trick worm all in green pumpkin with the speed worm winning out. My nephew out fished me however and got two PBs in row with a 2.18 and a 2.8.

I will do my best going forward to do so. As for bait selection that’s a subject that has been constantly evolving as I have grown as an angler. Here’s my template as things stand right now. First thing I tend to look at is what the predominant cover is in a given body of water. I group this into three categories: hard vegetation (wood), soft vegetation (weeds/grass), and rocks. I then select baits in three different categories: bottom baits, moving baits, and finesse/light line presentation. Each different category of cover has is own techniques that I prefer. For example: soft vegetation I would start off using a vibrating/bladed jig for my moving bait. For a bottom bait a Texas-rigged worm would get the call. As for finesse I would start with a shaky head. For wood cover I would go with a spinner bait for my moving baits and a jig for bottom contact. Rocks? Crankbait and Texas-rigged craw. Color is of course dictated by water clarity and predominant forage. Unfortunately it’s not that always that simple. Some bodies of water have none of the above or all of the above in some combination. I also have to take into consideration weather, light conditions and fishing pressure. Which as you already know is a concern here in my part of the country. I think it’s also worth mentioning that these templates are just a starting point. I’m going to change things up if my plan A doesn’t work. That brings me to today. Previous experience had shown me that the big baits either mid water column or on the bottom were not working. Fishing pressure combined with clear water meant that I was pretty much going to have to grind it out with finesse presentations if I expected to catch anything. This is why I only brought two spinning rods with me. To me, it was only a question of which finesse presentation was going to work. Granted, it’s debatable whether or not things like fluke or soft plastic paddle tail swim baits are “finesse”. I think as anglers we tend to think of clear water as a negative. Understandably so because in most cases it is. But today it allowed me to experiment and see how the fish reacted to various lures and through process of elimination select the ones that gave me the best chance of getting bit. Especially since the ponds that I were fishing didn’t fit neatly into my templates.

I’m impressed too!

The curly tail grub is definitely an underrated bait.

It can be. I have two spinning rods, a 6’8” Shimano Sellus and a 7’ Daiwa Tatula XT. Both are Medium power, Fast action rods. The Sellus is rated from 1/8oz to 3/8oz. The Daiwa is 1/8oz-3/4oz and is noticeably a bit stiffer. The moral of the story is not all medium rods are created equal. Sometimes even within the same brand but different lines you’ll notice a difference between rods that have the same nominal rating.

Got out ahead of another round of bad weather today to do a little backwoods bassin’ in the AEP. Low 70s and overcast with winds out of the SSW at 10MPH. I decided to target a couple ponds that I had located on Google Earth and to see if it was possible to get in there. These ponds are ultra clear like most of the others in the wildlife area. I’ve struggled to catch decent fish out there possibly because of the combination of the clear water and fishing pressure. I figured I could mitigate the latter by going with lighter line techniques and the former by getting further off the beaten path. I was able to get to the first pond after a one mile hike. The descent to the bank was steep enough to force me to shuffle slide my way down. Once I was there I had easy access to about half of the bank. I spotted numerous small and medium sized bass cruising shallow as well as one larger fish that appeared to be on a bed. I left him alone and I started out fishing right there having resolved to not move until I got a bite. In about 45 minutes I tried a Mayor in both 3” and 4” varieties, a Fluke, wacky rigged Senko with nothing to show for it. I didn’t want to use the Ned rig because the bottom of the pond was covered with bright green grass like a shag carpet that constantly snagged the Neds. But I was running out of options so I tied one on and tried my best to target the edges of the weedless hard bottom spots. Doing this I caught a dink and then another and finally what I believe to be the largest LMB I’ve yet to catch with the technique. I rigged my other rod a M/F Tatula XT with a 3.5” stupid tube and got a hit. My bait choice confirmed I began to work my way down the bank. I came to a section of cattails who deeper water in front of it. I thought it looked bassy but I was worried about my 10# f/c leader holder up against the tough stalks of the vegetation. Figured what the heck and I gave it a try. My first cast along the edge of those cattails I watched a dark shape dart out from below them towards my tube. I didn’t feel anything at first but saw my line take off so I set the hook. The fish took off back towards the safety of the cattails while I tried desperately to keep that from happening with the medium stick. I did manage to land it and another one which mercifully took off for deeper water instead of trying to bury itself in the cattails. After that I walked about another mile in to another larger pond. This one was more of the same with the smaller bass active shallow with a handful of larger fish appeared to be on beds. I caught another couple dinks here including the last one pictured that looked like it was beaten up from spawning already. By that time I was running short on time I didn’t get to fish it as thoroughly as I would have liked. On the bright side I think I could definitely lunch my canoe at the second pond. I’ll probably need to invest in a cart to do so as round trip it was a little less than 4 miles. Also I need to look at purchasing some lighter weight Ned heads that won’t bury themselves as deeply in the green weeds that cover the bottom in most of the ponds around here.

Fished from a gym buddy’s boat today at Burr Oak. We caught a dozen dinks between the two of us. I didn’t know it but it was an audition of sorts. Despite not boating any sizable fish I landed the role of tournament partner for him in a couple local events this summer. So I’m pretty excited about that.

Where did you find a picture of my wife and I?

Favorite to fish? 1. Spinnerbaits 2. Jig 3. Texas Rig Other stuff might get me numbers but these three are what catches me the big ones.

So it begins!

New list from ODNR.

Did some work for my Aunt at her place today. After I was done I got to fish her neighbors pond (with his permission of course) for a few before heading home. Both caught on a T-rig craw.

Not yet, I’ve got my BPS ones for now. So I’m not in a hurry and can wait and see if I can get a deal on one of the above mentioned ones. It seems like the NRS is the more recommended option for now. I’d also like to get a chance to wear test a couple different models that folks mentioned on here before I make my decision.

Am I mainstream? Yeah probably. I have yet to master many of those generally accepted practices and methods out there. Since I don’t have a great command of the basics then there’s no real need for me to do anything outside of the box.

Zoom Trick Worm Ned Rig Zoom Super Fluke 3.3” Keitech 4” Crush City Mayor Zoom Mag II 1.5 Squarebill 3/8 Oz Baby Structure Jig 3/8 Oz Mini Max 1/2 War Eagle Double Willow …and of course all of the associated terminal tackle for the above.

Does anyone use this rod as a dedicated Ned rig set up? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Shimano_Intenza_Spinning_Rods/descpage-SINSR.html

I can’t wait for this thread will be filled with pics of your Maine Linebacker bass.

Any topwater bait.

Oh boy, today was a day. Temperatures are still cool with overcast skies. I returned to the ponds I fished earlier this week. This time better equipped to fish the stumps, laydowns, and standing timber. Still too cold for reaction baits so I only brought my baitcaster and a fanny pack with some jigs, terminal tackle a bad of 5” Dingers and a pack of trailers. I worked my way down the south bank of the first pond casting and pitching the jig in and around the wood cover. Nada, nothing. The water is super clear here and I didn’t see any fish shallow, bass or otherwise. At that point I figured I was in for a long day. Continued to the beaver pond that feeds the first one. Fished the first 2/3 of that with not even a nibble. Made it to the upper end where most of the standing timber was at and finally got a follow. I slowed down my cadence on the retrieve. And I mean S-L-O-W. The smallish fish pecked at my jig trailer but refused to eat it. I missed one hookset and then another. By this point I noticed several other fish had gathered in the shallows near me. So I gave up on the follower and I presented my jig to them one by one only for them to refuse it and even run off if I hopped it too aggressively. I guess that it was the rattles on the jigs that were turning the fish off. Probably already gunshy be cause of the cold clear water as well. I switched the Texas rigged Dinger and resumed working my way back down the bank the way I had come. Right out the gate the T-rig got me a dink and saved me from the skunk. With that weight lifted I proceeded to a part of the bank that is a shallow rocky flat with a drop off close enough for me to cast to. By this time a lot more fish were active in the shallows but they were all smaller fish so I focused on working my bait up that ledge. I had no less than four separate fish follow my bait from deeper water up the ledge. They were bigger smarter bass and they examined my worm from a distance before slowly moving in picking it up softly and swimming away casually. I was stunned. Mostly because if I hadn’t seen them do it I probably wouldn’t even had known they had the bait. Each time I swung for the fences and each time I ripped the bait right out of their mouths with nothing to show for it. Being able to see the bass take my bait was making me trigger happy and I was missing hooksets according. Finally I took a deep breath casted back out there and reminded myself to wait an extra second before slamming the hook home. This time a group of three bass followed my bait up over the ledge. Two of them were in the 4-6lb range easily. I think I held my breath and I could hear my heartbeat thudding in my ears as I repeated under my to myself “please let the big one take it…please let the big one take it”. The runt shot in and gobbled my worm. I counted one-Mississippi reeled down and set the hook. After I brief fight I landed this fish. Decent, but nowhere near as big as the other two. I’d like to end it there on a high note but of course I tried in vain to catch the bigger bass I had just seen but in the commotion of fighting the fish I had caught they must have spooked and vacated the premises. I fished my way back to the first pond and had a couple bites but once again no fish. Lessons learned: Clear & cold water = fish slow, less sound, less action, Last but not least wait an extra beat before setting the hook if you think they doing a soft take.

I’m a fan of the Tatulas and own a couple myself. Shame that Daiwa stopped making the full cork versions.

Same place, same lures, different pond. Even colder today highs in 40s overnight lows in 20s. Bite was correspondingly slow. Only managed 5. Biggest fish of the day.

I have a Daiwa Tatula Elite 7’3” MH/F Ehrler that I love. I throw swim jigs, casting jigs, football jigs, vibrating jigs, spinner baits and Texas rigs all in the 3/8-1/2 oz range. $189.

AEP again today. The wind was not cooperating so I decided to bank fish. I went to a series of three ponds that I had been studying on google earth. The weather had cooled down considerably so I only brought my spinning setups intending to go finesse figuring bits would be tough to come by. At the first pond I caught a dink on the first cast with a small paddle tail. I kept catching them after that but also losing my lure to snags. I switched to the mayor rigged weedless on a weighted belly hook. I wondered if they would still bite the 4” bait but they did and I caught several more dinks and my best fish of the day. I saw a bigger bass, probably around 4 lbs at least follow in a dink that I had hooked. Not sure it was also chasing my bait or if it was attracted to thrashing fish I was reeling in. It took off once it got shallow but I caught another fish on the next cast and what I presume was the same fish followed it in again. This time it stayed put while I unhooked the fish I caught. I froze, not wanting to spook it but I didn’t want to kill the fish I just unhooked so when I put it back in the water the big bass reacted to my movement and took off again towards a lay down. I moved on to the second pond which had a cool beaver dam. I saw tons of small bass shallow but there were so many lay downs, logs, stumps and standing timber I knew it would be dicey try to fish it with my lighter gear. I was kicking myself for not bringing a casting rod because I would have loved to have had a jig or spinner bait at that moment. The last pond was much bigger but I was only able to fish along the dam. It’s about half a mile in from where I parked and I figure I could portage my canoe that far the trick will be doing that while also carrying a rod or two. I’ll figure it out soon since I’ll probably be back out later this week.