WRB-2.0

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom I wasn't even thinking dam wise but rather Pickwick north or upper & Wheeler south or lower. Wilson appeared running west to east; water in water out via dams; above the dam being a lake below the dam a river.

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom I wasn't even thinking dam wise but rather Pickwick north or upper & Wheeler south or lower. Wilson appeared running west to east; water in water out via dams; above the dam being a lake below the dam a river.

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom I wasn't even thinking dam wise but rather Pickwick north or upper & Wheeler south or lower. Wilson appeared running west to east; water in water out via dams; above the dam being a lake below the dam a river.

The gauntlet a bass must survive the 1st year is traitorous; adult size bass and other predator fish, birds like cormorants, grebes, herons, gulls etc. Ounce a bass gets to be over 4 lbs it is relatively safe from everything except man and disease. Any LMB that grows over 15 lbs is a giant and extremely rare anywhere. For every pound over 15, the rarity becomes exponential. A LMB over 20 lbs is so exceptionally rare in nature to be considered nearly non existent, until the FLMB stain was exported to California and now Japan. The Perry record bass was not ever documented properly, we must take George W. Perry for his word*. The fact that the Perry bass came from a small oxbow lake without a good food supply violates all the above arguments of genetics, food supply and deep water sanctuary. Genetics; north of the FLMB range at that time period? Food supply; limited to bream and crawfish in a 100 yard wide 1 mile long shallow oxbow lake. The Weakly/Dottie bass was officially weighed at 21 lbs 15 oz, Weakly weighed the bass on his unofficial scale at 25.1 lbs. Kurita's 22 lb 5 oz bass is the world record until someone somewhere catches a heavier LMB and that may be a very long time. WRB * Remembering George W, Perry by Bill Baab. PS: added note on genetics; before FLMB were stocked onto California lakes the state record bass was 14 lbs 7 oz. 14 years after the FLMB were stocked, Zimmerlee set the CA record at 21 lbs 3 oz. Same lakes were stocked with planted trout before the FLMB were introduced, the only change was FLMB grow larger due to 1 factor; genetics.

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom

Gettin older. Googled Wilson to take a quick look before the above post and the dam looked like it was above Pickwick, whatever it's still a big power generation lake and should be a good structure lake. Hows things going at TB? The winter bite will soon be transitioning to pre spawn out my way by mid Jan, so I will be fishing a lot soon!!! Happy New Year. Tom

The first thing to do is study the lake via Google Maps or similar satellite over head view. The second is get a good sonar down / side scanning unit with Navonics or equal mapping. Wilson is located above Pickwick on the same river system, this would classify the reservoir as a power generating highland lake. Multiple bass; largempouth, smallmouth and possible spotted bass gives you more to think about. Current is going to be very important. This being a large reservoir will require you to break it down into manageable sections; lower 13/rd starting by the dam during the cold water period, middle 1/3rd and upper 1/3rd, plus the river or large creek arms...a lot of water to study. Look for any long points that intersect the main river and or large creek channels and high/low (humps/saddles) area on those points at the depth you believe the bait/fish are using. Follow the bass seasonally. WRB

The first thing to do is study the lake via Google Maps or similar satellite over head view. The second is get a good sonar down / side scanning unit with Navonics or equal mapping. Wilson is located above Pickwick on the same river system, this would classify the reservoir as a power generating highland lake. Multiple bass; largempouth, smallmouth and possible spotted bass gives you more to think about. Current is going to be very important. This being a large reservoir will require you to break it down into manageable sections; lower 13/rd starting by the dam during the cold water period, middle 1/3rd and upper 1/3rd, plus the river or large creek arms...a lot of water to study. Look for any long points that intersect the main river and or large creek channels and high/low (humps/saddles) area on those points at the depth you believe the bait/fish are using. Follow the bass seasonally. WRB

The first thing to do is study the lake via Google Maps or similar satellite over head view. The second is get a good sonar down / side scanning unit with Navonics or equal mapping. Wilson is located above Pickwick on the same river system, this would classify the reservoir as a power generating highland lake. Multiple bass; largempouth, smallmouth and possible spotted bass gives you more to think about. Current is going to be very important. This being a large reservoir will require you to break it down into manageable sections; lower 13/rd starting by the dam during the cold water period, middle 1/3rd and upper 1/3rd, plus the river or large creek arms...a lot of water to study. Look for any long points that intersect the main river and or large creek channels and high/low (humps/saddles) area on those points at the depth you believe the bait/fish are using. Follow the bass seasonally. WRB

Chris, when I fished with live bait years ago, I use a paper clip taped to the rod between the reel and first guide, open end facing the first guide. Make loop in the line and slide the loop between the open clip end. You add pressure with how tape the clip and where you place the line in the clip. Tom

We have a run on American shad in the Sacramento river. The fly fishermen catch them for sport, on light tackle the shad jump like miniature tarpons. American shad can get to 10 to 12 lbs in the Sacramento river and believe they are transplants from the Hudson in NY. Gizzard shad can get to be 5 lbs, usually they are smaller under a 1 lbs. Threadfin are smaller maybe 5" long and a little over 1 once. The shad pictured that started this thread looks to be about 8" long and that is why I believe it to be a Gizzard shad. WRB

We have a run on American shad in the Sacramento river. The fly fishermen catch them for sport, on light tackle the shad jump like miniature tarpons. American shad can get to 10 to 12 lbs in the Sacramento river and believe they are transplants from the Hudson in NY. Gizzard shad can get to be 5 lbs, usually they are smaller under a 1 lbs. Threadfin are smaller maybe 5" long and a little over 1 once. The shad pictured that started this thread looks to be about 8" long and that is why I believe it to be a Gizzard shad. WRB

We have a run on American shad in the Sacramento river. The fly fishermen catch them for sport, on light tackle the shad jump like miniature tarpons. American shad can get to 10 to 12 lbs in the Sacramento river and believe they are transplants from the Hudson in NY. Gizzard shad can get to be 5 lbs, usually they are smaller under a 1 lbs. Threadfin are smaller maybe 5" long and a little over 1 once. The shad pictured that started this thread looks to be about 8" long and that is why I believe it to be a Gizzard shad. WRB

Could be a gizzard shad, big threadfin shad or a blueback herring. If the small lake/pond freezes over, shad are not likely to survive; the herring can withstand colder water. More than likely bucket biologist at work. WRB

Could be a gizzard shad, big threadfin shad or a blueback herring. If the small lake/pond freezes over, shad are not likely to survive; the herring can withstand colder water. More than likely bucket biologist at work. WRB

Could be a gizzard shad, big threadfin shad or a blueback herring. If the small lake/pond freezes over, shad are not likely to survive; the herring can withstand colder water. More than likely bucket biologist at work. WRB

The odds of a bass surviving being poked in it's vital organs, causing bleeding, are low. Take a look at the largemouth bass anatomy; the organs that are close to it's airbladder; liver, kidney, spleen that would bleed are more than likely fatal injuries when poked by a needle. It swam off to live another day, maybe 2 or 3. Sure-Life Please Release Me is a good topical treatment to stop bleeding in the gills, not vital organs.

The odds of a bass surviving being poked in it's vital organs, causing bleeding, are low. Take a look at the largemouth bass anatomy; the organs that are close to it's airbladder; liver, kidney, spleen that would bleed are more than likely fatal injuries when poked by a needle. It swam off to live another day, maybe 2 or 3. Sure-Life Please Release Me is a good topical treatment to stop bleeding in the gills, not vital organs.

The odds of a bass surviving being poked in it's vital organs, causing bleeding, are low. Take a look at the largemouth bass anatomy; the organs that are close to it's airbladder; liver, kidney, spleen that would bleed are more than likely fatal injuries when poked by a needle. It swam off to live another day, maybe 2 or 3. Sure-Life Please Release Me is a good topical treatment to stop bleeding in the gills, not vital organs.

It is better to try new lures and techniques during an active period when you know the bass are feeding in that zone of the water column. Fishing a new lure all day long can be both unproductive and boring, you are more than likely to put it away. The best method is to fish with someone who has already perfected the new lure or at least talk to them and learn how and where they fish it. WRB

It is better to try new lures and techniques during an active period when you know the bass are feeding in that zone of the water column. Fishing a new lure all day long can be both unproductive and boring, you are more than likely to put it away. The best method is to fish with someone who has already perfected the new lure or at least talk to them and learn how and where they fish it. WRB

It is better to try new lures and techniques during an active period when you know the bass are feeding in that zone of the water column. Fishing a new lure all day long can be both unproductive and boring, you are more than likely to put it away. The best method is to fish with someone who has already perfected the new lure or at least talk to them and learn how and where they fish it. WRB

Activity level or how aggressive the bass are feeding plays a roll on the line size you can use. Water clarity and light conditions; wind defuses/bends the light rays, low light conditions or cloudy/rainy weather, cover and structure are all factors to consider. Bass are only active for short time periods, we fish for them for several hours when they are inactive. It's the inactive bass that are affected by line size the most by shadows and noise. We tend to go with smaller lures to increase our odds of getting strikes and if you over power the lure with too heavy of line, your strike odds go down in clear water. The average bass lake, slightly stained water (depth of light to 6') with good cover of weeds, brush, trees, docks, etc., the size of the line isn't a factor as long as the lure action isn't affected. I can remember the high vis era and 20 lb line that looked like a neon rope and we still caught bass is clear water using it! WRB

Activity level or how aggressive the bass are feeding plays a roll on the line size you can use. Water clarity and light conditions; wind defuses/bends the light rays, low light conditions or cloudy/rainy weather, cover and structure are all factors to consider. Bass are only active for short time periods, we fish for them for several hours when they are inactive. It's the inactive bass that are affected by line size the most by shadows and noise. We tend to go with smaller lures to increase our odds of getting strikes and if you over power the lure with too heavy of line, your strike odds go down in clear water. The average bass lake, slightly stained water (depth of light to 6') with good cover of weeds, brush, trees, docks, etc., the size of the line isn't a factor as long as the lure action isn't affected. I can remember the high vis era and 20 lb line that looked like a neon rope and we still caught bass is clear water using it! WRB