WRB-2.0

Right lure in the wrong place will get the same results regardless how often you try. Spinner baits are reaction lures, if the bass are not reacting to the lure, you need to change someting. That something is uaually the size, speed, depth and location. The next outing that you are catching active bass, try the spinnerbait during that bite. If you are using a 1/2 double willow model, change to a 1/4 oz single or double brass/nickle colorado in chartreuse and white. Tie it on and wait for active feeders, your luck should change. Trying to force feed inactive bass a reaction lure doesn't work very often. Tom

That's a s-t-r-e-t-c-h!

In Florida the LMB can grow year around, the rate of growth is dependant on several factors; availble prey, water temperature, water quality, number of bass per acre and available shelter just to list a few. Females bass continue to grow, males slow down after a few years; size also depends on the sex. Genetics, you could have Florida strain LMB or northern strain LMB or intergrades. The different strains grow at different rates. With abundant high protein prey the bass should grow about 1# per year on average the first 3-4 years; males top out around 4#, females 10 to 12 lbs, anything larger would be extremely rare in a small lake/pond, in NW Florida. Tom

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef015432281678970c-pi Pending world record Redear caught by Robert Lawler, lake Havasu AZ on a power worm; 16.75 long X 19 girth. Tom

Fishing memories is a big mistake and every successful bass angler has learned that lession. If the bass are not biting, something has changed and you need to accept that fact. Fishing from the bank limits your mobility to locate bait because you are on the bank. Be aware of what is going on around you; are fish eating birds nearby, splashes or swirls in the water, bait fish schools? Look for activity. Be extremely aware of whatever strikes you get and what the lure was doing when the strike of bump occured. Sometimes it's a long pause because you stopped retrieving the lure for whatever reason or a faster retrieve to make another casts. These are the clues to let you know when to hold them or fold them . Change is the basic rule of bass fishing, when and how you do it is the difference between success and being skunked. Tom

Every bass angler has a preferred lure or bait and spends more time on the water fishing it. Time and place to catch giant size bass simply is; the bass is located where you are fishing at that time. The reason I caught all my giant bass on the same type hair jig over a 22 year time period is; I fished that same jig the majority of the time, because I have complete confidence that during pre spawn, where I fish, big bass are feeding on crawdads and at times planted trout. I also fished swimbaits the balance of that same time period and continue to fish both jigs and swimbaits to this day. The difference is; the giant bass population where I fish has been over harvested and very few are in the lake today; wrong time and place to catch them. Tom

+1; all 3 of those species spawn at different times; crappie first, bass second and bluegill last. Crappie are the best eating fish, so start keeping and eating them. Unless these ponds have good weed cover, the panfish will keep the baby bass population in control and the bass should keep everything under control. Are you sure there isn't any catfish or carp in these ponds? Both are prolific egg and small fry eaters.The ponds should be fairly balanced and have a few well fed big adult size bass. To catch these larger bass you need to fish at prime feeding times; low light dawn or dusk and use 5" to 6" wake baits, buzz baits or 7" to 10" soft plastic worms that can be fished from shore effectively. Good luck. Tom

FLMB strain are limited to 45 degree or warmer water. When the FLMB popularity exploded in California back in the early 70's, the bass were planted in lakes across the state. The lakes that froze over or had core water less than 45 degrees, the FLMB didn't survive. Ray Scott also makes a living at small lake/pond mamagement for trophy LMB. The book Sow Belly has a chapture on folks trying to raise giant trophy size LMB, none have been successful to date that I know of. The state of Texas has the best program; Share A Lunker. California doesn't have a trophy bass management program outside of local clubs transplanting FLMB finger lings occasionally. Consider hundreds of lakes in California have tried to establish trophy size bass, less than 10% succeeded. Tom PS; Colorado state LMB record is 11 lbs 6 oz.

+1, wrong lure in the right place at the right time may catch a bass, the right lure your odds are much better at catching several bass. Nothing can catch bass that are not located where you are fishing. If you know bass are eating the lure you are using, then fish it all day and change locations and vary the retrieve, depth etc. Tom

I did send you the 18 lb 11 oz picture from Casitas (old bass with a worn out tail)and you tried to help me with a photo bucket link that I managed to screw up! This stuff just baffles me. Your bass is a giant for the lake you fish. It's all about being in the right place at the right time and a lot of luck!

One of these days I will learn to post a photo. Reading Nate Fullmers tutorial and hope that works! Just hate to reply without a photo. Back in the dark ages we only carried throughaway Kodak pocket cameras and the film usually went bad by the time we needed a picture. The few I have are photos taken usually by a bystander at the dock as the fish was being released. Today I have a digital camera, just haven't caught any giant bass lately. Both you and Matt have awesome photos of your giant bass, beautiful fish! Tom

Personal best; FLMB; 19.3 lbs, lake Castaic, pre spawn on a jig, 3 March 1993 FLMB; 18.6 lbs, lake Casitas, pre spawn on a jig, 9 Feb 1981 FLMB; 17.6 lbs and 17.4, lake Castaic, 17.4 lake Casitas Feb to Apl 1991. NLMB; 12.4 lbs, lake Casitas, pre spawn on a jig in 15', 2 Feb 1971 SMB; 6.3 lbs, Crow lake, Ontario Canada, split shot worm, 5 July 1980 You are fortunite when you get to fish lakes that have a good population of giant bass. Haven't caught a bass over 17 lbs in the past 18 years! Tom

Within 3' of the thermocline when present or whatever depth the bass are actively feeding in; surface to 40' is my normal fishing depth range. Tom

The diffierence is active feeding bass and inactive suspended bass. The prey fish like the few shad swimming in the aquarium are of no interest to inactive bass until it's feeding time. The feather circulating with the current was a distraction, a curiuosity to the captive bass. Feathers have life like movement in the water and make good additions to several lures like spoons, jigs and top water plugs. Toss a hand full of feathers into the aquarium and the bass may react for a moment, toss in a hand full of live shad and the bass will react like a dinner bell went off, become instantly active because they are conditioned to being hand fed. Wild bass stay alert to their surroundings, however are inactive most of the time and become active feeders when the conditions are right or an opportunity for a easy meal is present. Flashy noisy lures work well when bass are feeding, not so good when the bass are inactive. Swimbaits and slower moving lures close to the bass may create a feeding opportunity to an otherwise inactive bass....like the slowly moving feather accelerating speed near the pump out let. Change of pace or erractic movement can make a big difference. Tom

I believe reading Chris's PB smallie was caught off deep structure with a (bluegill) swimbait. The classic method is double anchoring inside migration routes, casting out into deeper breaks working the livebait back to the boat. Bill Murphy illustrated this technique in detail in his book "In Pursuit of Giant Bass". Anchoring; setting out the anchor and rope the boat becomes less intrusive ounce everything settles down. Saturating a potential big bass zone takes time and more dedication to one spot than the majority of anglers have. It's easier to be more mobile using a trolling motor or power poles and effective method for the vast majority of bass anglers. When you are fishing fly lined or very light weighted live bait a stationary plateform like an anchored boat is a big advantage. Using power poles on deep structured lakes is difficult, anchors work. Tom

Did you see the 5.5 lb Redear (shell cracker) caught by Robert Lawler at Lake Havasu recently; 16.75L X 19.G fishing for bass with T-rigged Power worm...talk about a football! Chris I haven't fished live bait in decades but I ounce did and very effectively. The Quagga issue has curtailed transporting livebait, some lakes sell it at local tackle shop. I believe if you catch crawdads out the lake, you can fish them without penalty. The problem with a leader is the added knots, a swivel adds 1 more and you have 3 knots. Good luck with your pursuit of the 9+ lb smallie and look forward to seeing the picture. Tom

Nose hooked small soft shell 2/1/2-3" crawdad will swim down to 20 to 25'+ without a weight or aided by a small round 1/16th oz split shot on 8 lbs FC line. Crawlers get eaten by everything...just a thought. Tom PS; to eliminate line being weakened; pull line through the crimped split shot to create a hole, trim off the line, then tie the hook on.

Read Bill Murphy's "In Pursuit of Giant Bass", he has a chapture dedicated to fishing bugs (crawdads). Tom PS; bacon works IF the crawdads are around the area. The string method works IF you are patient, pull slowly. Traps work as long as someone doesn't find the traps before you do. A simple trap is 1/2 hardware wire 36" long X 30" wide, rolled into a 9" diameter cylinder and wire the seem. Fold one end of the wire tube flat, opposite into a inward funnel with a 3" to 4" opening. Wire a few piece of bacon inside, tie a cord on the open end and you are in business. Just unfold the flat end and dump out the bugs. Lots of ways to catch, fish and eat crawdads.

Michigan may still have cold water less than 50 degree's. Crayfish maybe still be burrowed in soft clay areas until the water warms above 55 degrees or so before they start to migrate into shallow water. The easiest way to know is get a flash light and walk the shore line or shallow streams looking for red eyes in the water and seeing if crayfish are in the area. You can put on waders and use a long handle fine mesh net to catch enough crayfish for fishing. Tom

If you are catching young adult bass in the 2 to 3 lb range you need to change location as mentioned above. I would add a top water swimbait like a Lunker Punker or Punker Jr., in baby bass or golden shiner color; Google Lunker Punker for a source. Matt lures Ultimate Gil fished around any deep structure or open water would also be a good choice for early summer period. Get a map of this lake that has bottom depth details and locate deep structure elements like humps, rock piles, ledges or channel breaks outside of the lily pad flats. Fish a double buzzer around the pad lanes and around any weed or pad mats that are isolated in deeper water, Punker along the break or weed mat edges and over the top of any open water strucure areas. Fish a 12" or 13" Upton's Customs worms in June Bug in all the above areas. Fish the Ultimate Gil around any deeper structure or areas it doesn't hang up in. You will increase your odds if you fish at night. Tom

The cold night air affects the surface water, little affect on the overall water column, unless it's windy. Sounds like you need to stay with your strengths and fish slower and deeper; fan cast the area and out into deeper water and work up hill until you locate the bass. 21 lbs (7 lb average for 3 bass) is impressive, someone is on them! At least you know where they are not located. Your down looking sonar is only about 3' diamter in 10' of water, very difficult to meter bass without spooking them by the boat approaching them. A bass would be a good size arch at 10' depth, you more than likely metering bait fish or other small fish like the ones you are catching. Good luck. PS; spinnerbaits and worms was good advice.

May come from the use of topographic maps before the area was dammed and flooded to create a reservoir, that what I did back in the dark ages. Interesting map sites listed under bathymetric maps, mostly coastal ocean types. Thanks for the correction, learn something every day. Tom

Look at the surrounding terrain where the lake is located. Florida lakes are mostly natural or shallow sloaping low land type reserviors. The topographic maps available should have elevations in 1 or 2 foot increments to be of any real help beyond what you can see or meter. Man made channels, added rip rap break walls that may be submerged and shell beds make most of the off shore structure in Florida. If you have a deep structured lake, then a good topo map or chart helps a lot to locate off shore structure or river bends type of elements. Tom

Common problems with T-rigged worms;#1 the worm slides down the hook shank, balls up and fills the hook gap covering the point. #2 using the wrong size hook or using inexpensive dull hooks. If your tackle is set up correctly for T-rigged plastic worms, you might want to consider using an aide to keep the worm head on the hook eye and skin hooking the worm. Mustad Ultra, Owner, Gamakatsu and others make excellent worm hooks. I prefer the straight shank sproat or forged round bends in size 3/0 to 4/0 for most T-rigged worms; the gap should at least 2X the worm diameter. Products like The Hitch Series Texas Rig hitches work good to keep the worm on the hook eye. Tom

Crappie spawn before bass, so that indicates your fish are pre spawn and should be in deeper water near the spawning sites. Bass eat crappis, so try a crappie color deep diving crank bait, Matts bluegill/crappie swimbait or deeper running "slow rolled " spinner bait. The channel should hold some good bass and the inside secondary points where two bays join near any spawning areas. Use you sonar to locate bass, they should be groups roaming the deeper breaks. Good luck. Tom