WRB-2.0

Fished AZ lakes for a while, Roosevelt and the Salt river chain, Pleasant, Alamo, Havasu, San Carlos, etc. It's been in the 80's in most of the state for about 2 months, so that is why I believe the spawn could be over in the warmer lakes, unless the water has been cold in some of those lakes. A cold front that has cooled the surface water doesn't mean much, in regards to seasonal periods. Otherwise, if the water is just now warming up, 64 degrees down to 4 feet or so, then the bass in those particular lakes should be trying to spawn, IMO. WRB

Pre spawn cruisers can be tough to catch, if bass run off and don't come back within a few minutes, forget them. You are better off fishing the first break line where the females should be staged. WRB

The moon's position effects nearly all animals, including bass, and is an important factor to be considered. It's a lot easier to catch active bass, then inactive bass. I try to be at my best locations during the times when bass are most active; and lunar, solar, weather, water temperature, seasonal periods, other bass fishermen, all factor in to my day on the water. Do I fish on poor lunar times? Yes, I fish whenever I can, like everyone else, but I take lunar affects into consideration. WRB

You are fishing in Arizona from your info, so it's possible the spawn is over and you are measuring colder surface water. If the water is still warming from the cold water period, then the spawn should just be underway at 64 degrees, or in the very late stages of pre spawn. Water temperature is very important, but it's the water temperature at the depth the bass are using, not the surface water. If the clarity is clear enough to see down about 3 to 4 feet, go check the spawning areas, with the sun at your back and look for bedding bass. To answer your question; pre spawn; 55 to 62 degrees has been best for me over the years. The bass are feeding before the spawn, the don't feed during the spawn, recover during post spawn and then go into summer period, where they scatter and feed whenever, usually at night in hot AZ. WRB

You are at least a month away from bass moving up into shallow water to stay. Late afternoons on the sunny side of the protected areas that has deep water access close by, that is another story. Isolated structure like rock piles or any stumps would be my choice, if located on or very near a deep water breakline. That is where those larger bass should be and I would be spending a lot of time casting a jig to those spots. Find the fish and stay on them. WRB

The northerns and walleyes tend to be nearer the inlet and outlet areas and closer to weed cover. The smallies tend to stay out on deeper breaks during the day time and move up a little tighter during low light periods. Both smallies and walleyes will eat smaller baitfish, the smallies preferring crawdads if available, but baitfish also make up a part of their prey. Smallies like to be around rocky areas. Jigs with craw type soft plastic trailers work well, just keep the trailer under 3" long for best action. Tubes are always a high % lure for smallies. Underspins like Swarming Hornets are also a good choice with a tiny fluke trailer, everything in that lake will eat that. Small 4 1/2" to 6" Roboworms, drop shotted, in Oxblood/red flake and Aarons magic w/red flake will work and Gulp minnows on the drop shot will also work. Flashy jerk baits and spinnerbaits work except the small northerns may be a pest. I would work the entire 10 to 15 foot break area around that drops off into deeper water. Good luck, looks like a fun little lake to fish. WRB

I would generally concur. You factor in the lake classification; reservoirs are very different from natural lake and rivers. Reserviors also differ due to the terrain they are build it; high land and hill land reserviors fall into Catts pre spawn description and are the most common types of bass lake the majority of us fish. Low land reservoirs located nearer the coast and Florida have less deep water areas and more shallow flats, the bass are less concentrated. deep canyon reservoirs like Colorado river lakes, will seek any suitable spawning area, even in the main lake in flat rocks. Natural lakes tend to be bowl shaped, little structure, so the bass tend to migrate to the areas with the warmest water and protected areas. Rivers; the bass move out of the current areas and into protected pockets and shallow flooded areas. Big reservoirs can be divided into at least 3 sections; upper, middle and lower dam areas. plus big long creel arms that are several miles long, each can be like a separate lake by itself. WRB

\ Snagging any fresh water fish outside the mouth is illegal in CA. The law was intended to prevent fishermen form snagging salmon when migrating up rivers and streams, however applies to all game fish. WRB

Don't give too much credit, the observers standing on the nearby dock blew the whistle on him and that was why the bass was immediately released...before being officially weighed. The heaviest weight is commonly reported as 25.1, however that was on the fishermen's digital hand held scale*, on the dock scale the was 21.8 lbs, so there are several issues with Dotties weight also. * The scale tested accurate weeks later, however the fish was never examined for added weight. It's very important to follow all the rules to establish a new world record. You got to wonder why the immediate release if everything was right. The scene had to be a circus and it's a shame how that catch played out. WRB

I wasn't going to reply to this trick question and that is what it is. The value of big bass should be obvious to nearly everyone who bass fishes. The goal for most fishermen from the first time out is to catch a big bass. A limit of bass is important to a tournament fishermen, but a big bass is important to all bass fishermen, it;s what we fish for. Kill a big female during the spawn or any other time and you remove a rare fish for ever being caught again or growing even larger. Big bass are the most valuable asset to bass fishing, they fuel the sport. WRB

Look a little closer; his right hip is actually behind the bass and arms reaching forward and holding onto the mouth. WRB

Agree with Catt, the whole island area and that long point over by the two islands. Fish the break line around that deep 35' hole, look for gravel bars and rocks, the smallies will be on those. The high % lure is a 3" Gizit or tube bait rigged on a 3/8 oz stand up or Gizit jig. Green with red flakes work well. http://www.canyon-plastics.com/ Good looking lake, you shouldn't have any problems locating the smallies, start with that long point and fish all around it. WRB

I can't tell you how manny times I have flip flopped on the Perry bass over the years. 60-40 might be a good number for most trophy bass fishermen who have acttually caught giant bass. The bass in the photo looks like it's about 18+ to my educated estimates. 5 lbs heavier, serious doubts. I can have a 5 year old stand behind one of my mounts, but what would that prove? Big bass and small boy, the bass would look a lot bigger then the one we have been debating. The thing to keep in perspective is George Perry didn't enter his catch back in 1932 as a potential world record, it didn't exist for nearly 20 year after he caught his bass. Perry entered a Field & Stream contest for a prize and hopefully some free tackle. I did the same thing back in the 50's, it was the only game in town. Did he exaggerate the weight with the help of his friends, who will ever know. The northern bass verses PURE Florida strain bass is also a mute topic, as Florida and Georgia are connected physically. It's no stretch of the imagination to have FLMB near the border of Georgia; F1, F2...F10, pure Florida that some other fishermen brought up and plated, it's still a FLMB, not a PURE northern LMB. If the 22 1/4 lb bass was a NLMB, George cheated, take your pick. WRB

Catt, as I recall the letter and a photo was sent to Field & Stream for Perry's entry in to their contest. I know from experience that sending entries and letters to various contest and lure makers was about the only avenue available to try to earn something from catching a big bass, even back in the 50's. Field & Stream apparently did not have any pictures of the Perry catch when the IGFA asked for information for their records. In regards to the rain, Perry didn't work his farm due to a storm, not just a passing rain shower. Perry was into sending catches into fishing contest, that is why he had a witness and weighed the bass at a post office. If there was a picture, you can bet it would have been published, even back in 1932. The IGFA accepted the catch and that is all that matters. The Perry bass stands as the record, until someone catches a heavier bass. WRB

Thanks, WRB. I'm in a boat using two LMS520C sonars. I have marked fish at the first break which is what I would see with normal clarity and I have caught some of these fish, but as I said it has been a struggle to get bites. Funny thing is the water is very muddy but the lake is still a half foot below normal pool. There has been a lot of run-off from the upper end of the lake and the siltation has actually caused problems at a ramp up there. It's too shallow to put larger boats in at that ramp. A few weeks ago they opened up the gates and ran a lot of water through to keep the lake near normal pool and it has been very muddy ever since. This is a 7200 acre lake and from the dam to the end of the riverine portion of the lake is about 16 miles so it drains a pretty good area. In addition to rain some of the main points of the lake have been washing away over the years and it is becoming an issue. They have started a project where they are placing rock around some of the points to protect them from further erosion. Even near the dam the visibility wasn't over 6 - 8 inches last Thursday. Passing cold water through a lake can turn it over and mix bottom silt with the already dirty water and that can and has caused fish kills. The bass aren't going to be too happy of campers until things settle down somewhat. I would find and target any isolated rock or wood that maybe on or near the breaks or points at the depth you have metered bass and caught bass. Difficult conditions, slow down and saturate the best areas. WRB

Barlows Tackle offers a plastic worm paint that works very well and can be used to highlight swimbaits or any soft plastics. http://www.barlowstackle.com/ WRB

The flashy spinnerbait in #2 was suggested to determine the depth of light with. You can use a white disk, however most fishermen don't carry one in the boat. If the water has less than 3 feet of light penetration during a bright sunny day, the water is extremely dirty and the bass will try to avoid it due the silting their gill rakers. If the dirty water is only surface water, the deeper water maybe clearer. I don't know if you are bank fishing or in a boat. If in a boat, use you sonar to locate bass. If you can't meter any life, then it's usually up tight near the bank or a clearer creek arm. Storm run off water clears fairly quickly, within a few days. The bass are staging somewhere and will move up when the water warms. Black grape with blue neon stripe worms with a paddle tail or big curl tail and jigs in the same colors are a good choice in dirty water. Lots of scent, rattles and go fishing. If the water is rising, the bass will move up into new flooded areas, otherwise they hold back on the breaks. WRB PS: Using the spinnerbait to determine depth of light; reel it up to the rod tip and stick the down into the water and move it back and forth. You should see flashes about 1/3 to 1/2 the rod length.

If the Perry bass record was disallowed, for whatever reason, who's catch should replace it? With all the talk about Dottie, she was never officially weighed and validated by California DFG. The next largest bass; 22.1 lbs, caught by Bob Crupi, doesn't qualify for the same reason. The California state record bass was caught by Mike Arujo, on a Renoski 8" swimbait, Lake Castaic, March 5th, 1991; 21 lbs 12 oz or 21.75 lbs. This bass was put on ice and offically weighed and examined by the DFG. WRB

Deciding to keep my day job after fishing the 3rd All American tournament and target trophy bass. WRB

For the sake of argument; keep in mind the boy is standing behind the bass, the man is holding the bass by the lower lip with all the weight of the fish. The bass's length could measured from the lower extended lip to the tip of the tail, longest measurement, or could be measured from the closed mouth to the fork in the tail, about a 3" to 4" difference. How a fish is measured is very important when trying to determine the bass's weight. Today we measure the fish in accordance to IGFA rules; mouth closed to fork in the tail. The bottom line is; this picture isn't a picture of the Perry world record bass. The photo was taken in the early afternoon on a sunny day, the record was caught late during heavy rain, weighed and eaten, according to George Perry's account of his catch. WRB

Actually the bass looks bigger than it is! The boy would need to be about 5'8", the man around 7'6" for the bass to be 32" long. I would estimate that bass to about a 75 to 80% girth bass, typical for Florida bass in caught Florida. The bass shown is about 14-15 lbs, IMO. What has never added up is George Perry's account of the conditions during the time he caught the bass...stormy rainy weather and didn't get back to weight it until after dark. No one has ever located George's fishing partner, he disappeared and was never interviewed. The Perry bass; 32" long is 3" longer than any bass ever officially recorded, including Dottie the *25.1 lb bass. Back in the day that Perry entered his bass, the only prize was fishing tackle and lures. Authentication wasn't strictly adhered to for fresh water bass contest until nearly 20 years after the catch, when the IGFA decided to list fresh water world records. Whatever the Perry was, it is the official world record, the bench mark to break. WRB *Dottie official length and girth has not been disclosed to date. The 25.1 lb weight was weighed on the anglers digital scale, unofficially. Whatever Dotties weight was when caught last, it was over 21 lbs., was she over 22.25 lbs.??? we will never know.

It is hard to imagine how possessed bass fishermen are out west with plastic worm colors. Today's hot colors becomes tomorrow's dead color. Natual night crawler brown was the first color, followed by black, then purple; 3 choices. Today we have hundreds of choices. If the bass are targeting thread fin shad, use shad colors: translucent pearl/blue with light purple blood line and gold/silver/black flake. Crawdads or night crawlers; cinnamon with blue blood line and black/red flake. Bluegill; green/cinnamon with blue blood line and black/blue flake. Low light off color water; use black with blue or purple blood line and red flake. The combinations are endless and at times make a big difference, at other times color isn't as important as profile, length and contrast. Almost forgot my favorite; translucent purple with neon blue blood line and red flakes...no idea what bass think that represents, but they eat almost anywhere, anytime. WRB PS; do you remember green weenie? hot color for a long time.

It depends on the regional area you fish; East of the Mississippi river: watermelon with red flake West; all colors known. WRB

The state people are interested in mosquito abatement, not stocking bass free. Some DNR/DFG will stock small lakes with the permission of the owner, then they plant Juvenal bluegill, catfish and bass for a balance. Fish get transported by people or floods, not birds or any other animal. WRB