WRB-2.0

Adult size bass prefer cooler water around 70 degrees and that could be the temperature below the surface; look for the thermocline to determine how deep. The old rule; "find the prey and the bass will not be far away" is true! Bass eat year around, night and day. Bass also change what they want to eat nearly every day, it's a what is available menu. Try different things until the bass start to eat what you are offering. WRB

How long until adult size bass take to relate to new structure and cover depends on when the prey locates there. The only time that bass don't relate to prey is during the spawning period. Bass eat year around and the dock provides cover and structure for prey, some local bass will find it soon. WRB

Sun Protections, Inc http://www.sunprotections.com Sunday Afternoons http://www.sundayafternoons.com WRB

RoLo, the pre and current baby boomer generation are now at the age where sun skin damage is way too common. We are living at a time that we have good sunscreen products available. Most of today's quality sunscreens will have UVA/UVB protection from micro zinc oxides,Octinoxate and Octisate; 4% to 9% depending on the brands. Eltamd.com & sunprecautions.com are a few more high quality products. To me this thread shows that younger generation fishermen and women are serious about protecting their skin from sun exposure. Thank you reminding us about SPF ratings and UVA/UVB. WRB

Tried the SPF 85, same product as the SPF 55, and it wasn't water proof or resistant and it really stung my eyes and had to wash it off. Good product for general use, other than my face. Glad to read that so many fishermen are using sunscreens and wearing good hats. It may be too late when cancer or pre cancers start to show up, the younger you start, the better off you will be. WRB

Out west we call this presentation doodling or shaking. Think small little 1" to 2" inch little hops and bounces. You rod tip is held about 2 o'clock position and moving about 3" to 6" for about a 5 to 10 second period, then stop, lower the rod and retrieve the slack line and repeat. This type of retrieve is very effective when combined with a glass bead between the weight and worm. Worm fishing should be a slow presentation, you are more than likely fishing way to fast. WRB

Your best Texas night fishing advice will be from Catt. I do not like to fish in the wind at night, it's very difficult to control the boat and fish with poor visual references. Suggest you take an anchor so you can hold the boat and fish when you find a good area. WRB

22.5" LMB that weighed 11.2 lbs is questionable. The length may have been measured from the closed mouth to were the tail starts for example; the method biologists sometimes measure fish. I measure bass with closed mouth to the center of the fork in the tail for length, eliminates the variance in tail damage some big bass may have. If we add about 2.5" for the tail, then 25" length makes more sense. A 22.5" bass with 100% girth of 22.5" would weigh about 9.5 lbs +/-.5 lbs. I have never seen a largemouth, even trout feed, that had a girth over 100% of the length. Tom

Chris, good tip on the scale cert, will do that next time. The IGFA is a pain in the arsh sometimes. You have big hands and that makes the bass look smaller and hard to judge in a picture, love that smallie, what a pig! Paul, have a photo of my 12.3 NLMB and 19.3 FLMB mounts next to each other for girth comparison if interested, both are nearly the same length. Tom

That is a big northern LMB young man, congratulations. East coast; Professional Fish Taxidermy http://www.fishtaxidermytaxidermist.com/LargemouthBassMounts.html West coast; I use Roberts Fish Mounts; trophyfish@tmail.com WRB

The difference between a 4 lb and 5 lb bass is an accurate scale. WRB

We have had a few recent posts on this topic, see; http://fishlab.nres.uiuc.edu/Documents/FME%202008.pdf This study refutes solunar tables affects, with the exception of some increased activity during spring and summer. We know from observing our environment that animal activity is affected by a daily rhythm, however scientific proof is another matter. WRB

The other day I was looking for a specific lure and decided to take my tackle our of the boat to reorganize it. 20 full rod/reel combo's, 17 large Plano soft plastic boxes, 5 soft tackle bags filled with jigs and terminal tackle, 3 large swimbait boxes and 7 large crankbait boxes. My night fishing tackle is kept in a cabinet, not in my boat, along with the salt water tackle. Oh well. When fishing in a friends boat I only take 4 or 5 rods and one large tackle bag. Trying to figure out what to take is one reason I fish alone most of the time. You only need one rod/reel and what ever the bass are biting. WRB

Heavy rain run off can have a few different affects on bass. If the rain water flowing into the lake is colder than the lake water, the bass move warmer water, if available. All predator fish like bass face into the current to ambush prey. Largemouth bass do not like heavy current and will move away to areas with minmal current. If the lake level is raising due to the run off, the bass tend to move up into newly flooded areas and use ditches or channels to funnel prey to them. WRB

The IGFA today certifies hand held digital scales for a $35 fee, however it can take several weeks turn around time. Chris that is an unbelievable smallmouth, beautiful fish. If you look at FC giant smallie it is obvious a heavy body bass; the girth is over to 80% of the length, very unusual for a smallmouth. I have no idea what the measurement where? maybe 23" to 24" long with a 19 to 20" girth would put that bass in the 8.5 to 9.0 lb ball park. Fishermen nearly always over exaggerated fish weights, it's human nature. After a lifetime of looking a big bass, you get a good idea of what the bass weighs, but only an accurate scale can verify the actual weight. And only an impartial expert witness can verify the fish didn't swallow something heavy and one reason length and girth measurements are needed for record catches. Nothing but a decent photo is needed for bragging rights. I don't know if it's jealousy or lack of experience for other fishermen to down play someone catch. Most people that I have experience with are usually awed when they see a big bass for the first time. WRB

Agree. WRB

Before Florida LMB were introduced to California a lunker bass according to B.A.S.S. was over 7 lbs when they had their lunker club. In-Fishermen came along in the mid 70's and established an award program based on regional areas and types of bass; smallmouth, largemouth and Florida strain LMB, don't recall if spotted bass were included or what the regional weights were? I remember California and Texas and Florida was 12 lbs. and 8 lbs for LMB everywhere else and that weight is generally established today for a trophy size bass. My personal weight for a trophy size FLMB caught in California is 15 lbs., NLMB 10 lbs. What is a good size bass; anything over 4 lbs. WRB

What is the first question when someone wants to know the weight of the bass they caught and released. How long was the bass and did you measure the girth? Without knowing those details, you then try to determine the measurements based on objects next to the fish and hands are usually in the picture holding the bass. I think we are repeating ourselves. Why bass fishermen tend to get offensive when discussing the sport the love is beyond comprehension. If someone ask what do you think this bass weighs and you make an educated guess, don't be offended if the answer isn't what you expected. Lets put a fork in this and call it done. WRB

If we know the length and girth, then it's possible to get within 5%, otherwise it's a guessing game.

The 25% was based on the hand size; 4" in the photo, average size hand due to angles holding the bass. Do those smallies look like 15" or 25"? Lets see what those bass weighed. If we know the length and girth, then it's possible to get within 5%, otherwise it's a guessing game.

When I fished in Canada, Lake of The Woods, we always sprayed out clothing before going out and loaded up on vitamin B12 30 days before going up there. My wife used Avon Skins So Soft lotion and that also worked to keep everything except deer flies off. WRB

Lets analyze those beautiful smallies you are holding, just for fun. Not much to judge the length by, only your hands; give or take about 4". Would guess those bass to be 20" to 22" or 5 to 6 1/2 lbs. This is only an exercise in guessing based on one object, hands and could easily be off by 25%. When someone claims to catch a giant bass, like the 18 1/2 lb Georgia bass recently, then that gets my attention. Giant bass are so rare anyone making a claim should be scrutinized. Way off topic. As the old sign read; "Everyone is a lair, except you and me and I'm not so sure about you". Good fishing. WRB PS; how much do the bass weigh?

Bug sprays are good fish repellents. The ThermaCELL mosquito repellent looks good, does it work? We are blessed with few bugs, except when night fishing. WRB

Jbmaine asked the question; does it look funny to wear a wide brim hat and put on sun screen? A friend of mine was the late Bill Murphy, author of "In pursuit of Giant Bass". Bill died of skin cancer from sun exposure. I'm not too far behind Bill and must wear those funny looking hats with the wide brim and neck shades, clothing with SPT 30 rating and good water proof sun screen, zinc oxide based. SPF rated clothing is expensive; Solumbra, SunDays and Lands End are a few good brands. Sunscreens; SolBar Zinc SPF38 used on the face around my eyes, SolBar SPF 50 for general use. BullFrog is another brand that is popular out west. I have gotten over the funny look when wearing my hats and long sleeve shirts in hot weather. Sun damage to your skin is accumulative and not reversible. WRB

Thanks, that is why it was posted.