helms83

I just noticed a few of you guys are from IL, I'm originally from N.Illinois (Rockford area). But I've lived in KY since 2005 cause of the Army. always nice to see fellow Illini here

I'm still trying to get a grasp on this "channel" thing, I'm fairly new at this. Is there anyway you could explain this with what you previously wrote? It took me a little while to catch on too - as you look down a row of trees - they may seem scattered and random - but if you look at them individually you will notice that some of them tend to have larger trunks - these were the ones closest to the water (i.e. the creek or stream) before the lake or pond filled up - this will help you mentally map out how the channel runs. You can also see where road beds and fence rows were as the trees will be lined up in a fairly straight row. Ok, so if I'm starting to get this, then a 'channel' is the main 'underwater current' of the lake? With what you just said, I gather that the beginning main flow of water, before a lake becomes this massive body of water, could have started as a creek or small stream. This is where trees were lined up by the small shoreline. But over time, the stream flooded and became this lake, and that once small creek/stream is still there, but now it's the underwater current or channel. The trees haven't gone anywhere, they're still where the creek/streams' shoreline and current use to be, but now they plot a course above water of the underwater channel. Is this correct?

I agree with the last two posts completely. I'm fairly new to bass fishing. I have been reading alot and taking everything in. I feel to become a much better fishermen, I should learn how to fish without electronics first. The only reason I want it now is 1) my lake is so small there is no topo contour map 2) it's summertime, a good chance to learn some about deep water bass fishing, and a depth finder would be helpfully. But I'm trying to learn by using my senses. There's just so much to try to take in, and I'm not sure exactly what I'm seeing or feeling. Here's what I've learned: -The nature of bass and why they are at certain locations, and not others -Seasonal effects on bass -Feeling the bottom: I can tell mud from rocks from grass (somewhat, lol) -Visually looking for possible depth changes; points are easier to notice -Types of fishing: searching, fast, slow, changing retrieves, positioning -And loads of other info This site and its' members have been helping alot.

I have fluke in pearl w/gray back and blue flakes. I'll give that a shot, and if it works, many thanks will be headed your way. Thanks for the response.

I found a topo, however, it had no contour lines to indicate depth. I haven't been able to find anything else either.

I'm still trying to get a grasp on this "channel" thing, I'm fairly new at this. Is there anyway you could explain this with what you previously wrote?

I'm still basically a beginner bass fisherman. But I'm attacking my lake (by boat with no depth/fish finder) tomorrow morning. After getting skunked my first time out, I'm determined to catch something. I've developed a plan: -Start the day by focusing on a long cove that holds a nice area of above timber structure at the end (two spots in fairly shallow water), while on the way casting toward the shorelines. Mid-to-late morning, I'll focus on two points at the opening of the cove. I'll search areas by using crankbaits, spinner/buzz baits, swimbaits, and weightless soft plastics. If I find something, I'll stay in the area with the same bait. If I can't reproduce a strike, I plan to slow down and switch to jigs/rigs with different soft plastics, colors, and retrieves. If still nothing, I'll move on. I studied the lake the first time out. The cove and timber is on the eastern shoreline. So this gives extra time before the sun will be above the treeline, giving extra shade and somewhat cooler water temps (in comparison to other areas affected by the sunlight). The lake doesn't open until 0700, but sunrise is at 0631. The weather tomorrow will be sunny, 70 when I start fishing, 85 by 1200, with calm SE winds. I'm trying to teach myself how to plan/study before a fishing trip. Of course, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." What else am I missing or do i need to focus on?

I don't own a boat, but a small lake in a near by town has jon boat rentals and only allow trolling motors. So I bought a battery, a small trolling motor; and rent a jon boat every weekend to get my fix. (I'm thinking of buying a cheap portable depth finder, but for now I'm fishing by sight/feel.) What clues am I missing to determine possible fishing "hot spots"? How do I find drop offs, weed beds, determine rock ledges, or other structures? What else am I missing?

Everyone talks about pre-fishing and during fishing, but what do you do after your day of fishing to prepare for your next trip? I don't own a boat yet (hopefully after my next deployment, I'll buy a basstracker ), but I have a trolling motor; there's a smaller lake to rent jon boats, so I hook it up. But post trip, I clean off my trolling motor, reorganize my tackle boxes, clean my lures, check the hooks, cut off any line left on my lures, check rods/reels/line, and will recharge my battery the night before the next trip. What do you do or don't do?

Today was the first time I really focused on c-rigs, t-rigs, and jigs. At times I thought I might have had a small hit, but I couldn't tell if it was a fish or the bottom (I don't believe the bottom of the lake is completely rocky, but I'm not sure). My line would tighten as if my weight was stuck among rocks, but then loosen again. My question is how do you know if you have a strike using these setups? Are they subtle hits or strikes like when using crankbaits? Do the fish simply swallow the baits and not run until you set the hook or will they ****** and run? I don't want to be the type to say, "when in doubt, set the hook." I want to learn the feel, and not tire myself out hooking rocks Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Today was the first time I really focused on c-rigs, t-rigs, and jigs. At times I thought I might have had a small hit, but I couldn't tell if it was a fish or the bottom (I don't believe the bottom of the lake is completely rocky, but I'm not sure). My line would tighten as if my weight was stuck among rocks, but then loosen again. My question is how do you know if you have a strike using these setups? Are they subtle hits or strikes like when using crankbaits? Do the fish simply swallow the baits and not run until you set the hook or will they ****** and run? I don't want to be the type to say, "when in doubt, set the hook." I want to learn the feel, and not tire myself out hooking rocks Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I'm basically a beginner bass fisherman. I've learned alot from this site, tv shows, and the few times I've been out. Today was the first time on my own and I was skunked. I started shallow in timber on the eastern shore, working north and south. I then worked two points, I then moved to the south shore, which has rocks and good drop offs (guessing 5' to 25'+ depth in the matter of 20' off shore). I ended the day back on the two points. Freeman Lake (roughly a 170 acre lake): (http://www.trails.com/topo.aspx?lat=37.7153&lon=-85.8700&s=50&size=s&style=drgsr&name=Freeman%20Lake) I threw everything from swimbaits, cranks (ranging from 4'-17'), c-rig, t-rig, whacky rig, jigs, spinnerbaits; an assortment of plastics, colors, variations of retrieves. Nothing worked at all. I see pics in the office from March to the present of nice sized bass: 3-6lbs; so I know they are in there. Any suggestions?

Another one here. I'm up in Radcliff (FT Knox). I go to Rough, Nolin, and Taylorsville. When I don't have alot of time, I'll fish Freeman Lake in Elizabethtown (which isn't too bad, gets a quick fix).

I've never played a PC version. However, the best bass game I've ever played was Super Black Bass on the SNES. What are the PC versions like: Game mode, story mode, difficulty, realistic nature, etc.?

"What's mind blowing and sad" is your response to an 11 year-old. The kid never stated he wanted a sponsor or was looking for one. He was asking what a sponser does, are there age restrictions to tournaments/sponsorships, and how does one obtain a sponsership. He was just curious about how the whole "thing" worked.

Thanks for all the great tips! Another question... What are good techniques/lures for deep water fishing? We were using carolina rigs with different soft baits, jigs, and deep diving crankbaits (although I had none at the time but I do now!). I had no luck, although my buddy caught 6 keepers with 2 dinks and I caught a sunburn (although in the outings forum I tell about the one that got away). I'm just looking for more advice (I have read the seasonal articles).

uhmm... maybe they weren't bass feeding then. What I am talking about looks much more exciting with some bass jumping clear out of the water. Sometimes it can be indicated by birds diving into the water at one spot, or waves of minnows jumping trying to escape, or bass coming clear out of the water. But the random slow roller by himself doesn't sound right. I have seen a gar/ pickerel (I can't tell them apart) do that. But I can't say one way or the other what you saw. I was fortunate to see all of what you described the other day. I saw gar coming up, slow to and under the surface. But i'm sure what i was witnessing were bass coming to the surface. Not in a feeding frezy though. It was like one would come up, get what it wanted (whether found or air), then go back under. but it was all over the lake. Next time if the same thing happens, i'm going to try some sort of topwater lure.

so if the bass are on top, go ahead and try (which makes sense to me) by using a lipless crankbait or rat-l-trap? It wasn't like they were feeding (I don't think). Some were slow rollers, like getting air or something. Cajun - 83 degrees was on a foggy/cloudy morning. Past 2 weeks it's mostly been 90's and sunny here in tuckessee.

I went fishing the other day for the first time in the heat of summer. The water temp was 83 degrees, air temp was about the same. I noticed something throughout the day; alot of bass were coming to the surface. It seemed like every where I looked, there was a bass in the vacinity on the surface. My buddy who I was fishing with told me to keep fishing deep (carolina rig and deep diving crankbaits). But I was very tempted to throw some topwater lures to see if I could get a bite (I was getting nothing all day). Is this a dumb idea or am I missing something?

During the summer months, what is your fishing routine for sunny and cloudy days? Please discuss areas fished, baits & techniques used, and timeline for these routines. I'm trying to develop a strategy and looking for opinions.

So I was supposed to work today, but that was cancelled. By buddy is using our LTs boat and we got out this morning. For the record, I've only caught 2 bass in my life time... It's cloudy, foggy, and cooler than the past few days. We start shallow and my buddies pulling fish in like crazy. In 45 minutes he caught 3 keepers (2 2#ers and a 3#er) and a dink off a rat-l-trap in the shallows. In fact, we were throwing the same bait with a slight color variation and I didn't even get a bite. Well, the morning goes on, the sun comes out so we move to deeper water. We're in our spot for 20 minutes and he catches 2 more keepers (another 2#er and a 3.5#er) off a deep diving crankbait. I'm throwing the same crankbait and not so much as a bite! We move locations to deeper water and I throw my deep diving crankbait with no success and decide to throw a carolina rig. I shortened it to a 2 ft lead, a 1/2 oz weight with a large red flake watermelon brush hog. I reel in twice, feel tension and set the hook. At first there was nothing, so I thought I was snagged. Then the thing takes off! I'm reeling in, the fish is going the other way, and then it just stops. Yet my pole was doubled over. I get the fish 10 ft from the boat and my buddy drops his pole and states, "holy s&*t!" I couldn't see anything but the tail. Then I see it. The biggest LMB I've ever seen! I realize his tail is wrapped around my 10 lb test (the reason he quit fighting). I try to be ever so gentle while bringing him to the boat when he kicks his tail hard, snaps my line, and swims away. My buddy says he was at least 6 maybe 7#s. But I'll never know. I didn't get another bite and I didn't catch any fish. At least I got my "the one the got away" story. Somewhere in Kentucky lake there is a huge LMB swimming with my brush hog and hook in the side of its mouth...

I'm in clarksville, tn. I don't have a boat, I just began bass fishing (grew up saltwater fishing), as away to escape military life. I have alot of learn, but I consider myself a quick learner. I would like to partake in tournaments for fun, experience, and competitiveness. I would be more than happy to split whatever cost is needed; entry fees, gas, food, etc. I figure on the job training is the best way to learn and why not make it potentially worth something?

One day, getting out on the water will be enough to make you happy. Enjoy it while your young, everything changes in the real world.

I don't know much about engines, so here's another question: what size motor would I need (I fish two big lakes) and how fast will a 25 hp motor go?

Thanks for the great advice and links! I have another question: I was piecing together a boat from www.akmccallumco.com and boat/trailer came to $2700, w/motor was $6100. Does a motor really cost this much or was I looking at the wrong motors? The motor was an outboard 4-stroke Tohatsu MFS25BEFGS. If so, the boat recommended by catt is only $2400 with more options.