Bass_Akwards

Perfect, thanks guys.

Question #1 If someone catches a state record largemouth, or what they think might be a state or world record(not that I've had to worry about it) would the fish have to be killed in order to become an official record? Meaning do they have to disect and/or autopsy the fish? Question #2 If the answer to question #1 is yes, would any of you who caught what you thought was a state or world record, have a problem killing the fish to make it official? I think I'd have a hard time letting the fish be killed, and would perhaps let it go after an official weighing and measuring, but who knows.

Everytings relative. If you're catching 30-50 fish a day, all one pound or less, for most days of a specific summer, I'd imagine catching one HUGE bass would be the answer. It a tougher question for guys who don't catch much I'm sure. Take it to the extreme though. I'd be willing to bet that nearly no one catching 50 fish in a day all 1 pound and under, come home and say "That was the best day of fishing of my life!" Whereas, I'd be willing to bet most guys who were skunked for 7 hours, only to land a 15+ pound LMB on one of their last casts of the day, almost definately came home and rode that buzz for months. When I caught my world record, I couldn't stop grinning for a year. Okay fine, I never caught a world record, but I've always wanted to say that, so thanks for the opportunity.

Is there actually a "difficult" lure to throw? Meaning, if you suck at fishing a swim bait for example, can't you just watch someone who DOES know how to throw a swim bait, and learn how to do it in about an hour or less? I might sound nieve(sp) but seriously, by reading two articles on this board about how to fish a swim bait,, then maybe watching Kevin van dam on TV talking about and fishing swim baits, and then maybe fishing with a person who is good at fishing swim baits, shouldn't anyone learn how to fish a swim bait, or any lure for that matter, properly? Maybe not. Just an opinion.

If you're fishing from a boat, you really want to be out BEFORE the cold fromt hits, when the barometer is dropping like mad. The 1-10 hour period before a cold front, especailly in the spring, can be some of the best fishing ever. Once the front moves through, it can crush the bite into nothing. A great way to fish during a cold front, is first to know where the bass go when a front hits, and then fish VERTICALLY. Many times they will nestle up the top of their backs, to the underside of thick weeds. Especially the BROWN weeds as opposed to the green. The Brown stuff keeps the water warmer and the bass like it better. Pitch a jig, a heavy jig, through the thick mats, and let the jig drop a few feet and then pick it up and literally tap the bottom of the mat. This is where the fish are, and many people fish to deep at this point. Let the bait smack the underside of the mat. Not only is this where the bass are, but by tapping the mat, your releasing all sorts of microscopic, and non micorscopic food in the water for the smaller bait fish to frenzy on. If smaller bait fish come, the bigger fish should follow. It's eaiser for a bass to eat a feeding bluegill than one that isn't. T

I'm looking to buy a new rod and reel. I don't want to spend a ton. 150 bucks or so. I fish all sorts of stuff, from heavy slop, to open water. Jigs and plugs and buzzbaits and frogs and crankbaits etc etc. I know everything is relative, but what's the best rod&reel combo for me to pick up for the money? I know there's meduim action, heavy action etc etc, but I'm looking for the most versatile rod reel combo. Help? I fish from shore and like to be able to cast far. T

Boulder Colorado here! 25 bucks for a license. Another 5 bucks if you want another license so you can have two poles in the water.

This is going to sound stupid, because there's so much more to fishing than just one lure or bait. It takes years to figure out bass behavior and the right combinations of fishing tackle to land lots of bass consistantly. But if you want to go on the boat tomorrow and don't have a clue still as to how to catch anything, at very least, read an article, or google how to texas rig a soft plastic worm. I'd google "texas rig photos" Texas rigging a worm is super simple, and once you do it, you have a bait that you can fish in almost any type of water. It's weedless so you will find it difficult to get hung up. After you learn to texas rig it, pick a worm that works great traditionally, like a Senko or *** worm(i think they're called trick sticks but im not sure) After you learn to texas rig, and after you go buy a bag or two of darker colored Senkos like watermellon w/black flake, or black with blue flake, read a 10 minute article on this board about the correct way to present your worm and retrieve it. All this should take about 30 minutes of reading and a 10 minute trip to the local tackle shop. Traditionally, soft plastics are a crushing way to catch fish anywhere. Good luck

Top 3 for you in no order.... 5 inch Senko or ***. 3/8th oz Jig with either a Yum super chunk trailor, or a GYCB creature bait trailor(thanks roadwarrior) Your favorite black buzzbait

Amazing info guys, but I'm at a loss. I guess I became a terrible fisherman over night and it scares me. The ponds I fish at are all different. The thing is though I see schools of minnos and bluegill all over the place and I still can't catch anything. For example... Pond 1. No surface weeds, 50 acres. I fished it yesterday for 5 hours. Walked around a TON of shoreline and fished it. Many times, when I'd cast way out there, my bait would hit the water, and right when it hit, it looked like the shotgun blast on the top of the water. This was my lure, scaring the crap out of a school of baitfish. i KNEW I was in a good spot. I threw senkos in there, I matched the hatch and threw a crank bait and jerk bait out there. I threw jigs. I threw tubes. NOTHING! 5 hours of nothing, when on the same pond I'd catch at least one 1.5 pound bass every 45 minutes all summer. Pond 2. 25 acres or so. Lots of nice surface cover. I caught a bass out of there every 30-60 minutes all summer. If I hit an isolated weed bed with a senko, you could bet I'd get some taps and or a fish. I fished this same pond on Monday from 4:00 untill 7:45. It gets dark now at 6:30 as opposed to 9:00 in August. In any case, I hit open water, and all the weeds I fished and was successful on all summer. I caught NOTHING! I did catch a 2 pounder on this pond on Saturday. His body was cold to the touch when I pulled him out of the water on a 75degree day. I was in the water up to my knees and saw many bluegill and little bass and minnows. I feel like at least theres some forage around here and still NOTHING! In any case, I'm at a loss. There's literally a hundred amazing ponds here on the front range which i just discovered within the last few week and I feel so helpless because when I go try them out, I suddenly cant catch anything. People have been slaying them all summer at these ponds and now when I go and talk to people at all these new ponds, and ask them how their doing this fall, no one is catching much. I talked to a guy who's been fishing the front range in Colorado since 1971 and he said the fall here is usually spectacular. He said he's had 20 fish days in 5 hours many times in the fall in Boulder, and is having the worst fall he can remember and can't figure out why. I'm going to cry now. Todd

Got my answer to Q's 3,4,5. If you wanted to know the answer as well, here ya go..... http://www.riversmallies.com/images/fatikaarticle2.jpg

Studies have shown that fishes smell is 1000x as strong as a dogs, so I started using Yum craw scent lately. I've been wondering how long that stuff really lasts though. It really does stink when you put it on, but when I cast it, and then retrieve it, and pull it out of the water, the smell is all but gone when I try to smell it. Maybe the fish can still smell it, but I sure cant. I really wonder how long the craw smell will stay on that bait, so a fish can smell it. 1 cast? 20? I've thought about maranading some of my lures in some scent over night to see if it makes the scent last longer. t

1. Have any of you guys had a chance to compare the fat Ika with a Yum Mega tube? From what I've read the Ika is the absolute crusher, but 2. what are the differences between the two? Also, I know rigging these baits skirt up is a great way to fish them, but how is it rigged? 3. These 4 inch tubes seem to small to T-rig them weedless, is this true? 4. Is your hook therefore exposed when you fish them? 5. Anyone have any pictures of a correctly rigged Ika or Yum Mega tube? Thanks!

If you guys go back and read all of my posts, which isn't many, perhaps 60 or so, and then read the replies, you'd have an entire, amazing fishing book, to become at very least, an intermediate level fisherman. Absolutely amazing info guys! I tried very hard to come up with one thing I've learned from this board and it's highly respected members, that I felt was most important, but just couldn't do it. One thing led to another, and then another, and then another. I guess what that tells me is this. The most important thing I learned here, is the fact that fishing is a super complex cocktail of many things. It's about having a vast knowlege of a particular species of fish, by fishing hard and studying hard about it. It's about taking the time to read, and listen, to the great fishermen on this board. Learning about baits, weather conditions, retrievs, water conditions and much much more. It's not just about bass either. It's about having experience and knowlege of the very complicated suroundings and environments in which bass live in. What I've learned mostly from this board however, is that fishing is all about having fun. It's about camaraderie. Fishing, like this board, is all about community, family, and sharing knowlege, that can be handed down from one angler to another, and one generation to another. Thanks for all the help! t

I live in Boulder Colorado and the nights have been in the 50's the last month or so, with days being in the 80's. In August, I'd go in the water up to my knees and fish, and the water was nice and about 76 degrees. The last month or so, when I go in the water, it's cold to the touch. Not freezing, but noticable colder. Corresponding to the colder nights the fishing really slowed down. It's been super slow for about a month. This summer I was catching a bass every 30-40 minutes and now I get maybe one every three hours, no matter what ponds I fish. The same thing is happening to a few anglers I've talked to. The guys I've talked to said they've been fishing in Boulder and the for 20 years and fall is traditionally a great time for them, but not this year. Anyone have any reasons why this might be happening? Some say it's the water temperature, some say the barometric pressure. Tonight is supposed to get down to 36 degrees outside. This is the first time we've hit the 30's since Feburary or March. We should be seeing many days in the 70's to come. Should this perhaps trigger the fish's natural instinct to gorge for the winter? Will this over night drop to 36 degrees even effect the water temperature overnight?(water is denser than air) I haven't seen the fish start "gorging" for winter, so when does this happen? Also, how does barometric pressure effect LMB? What's considered a "High" barometric pressure compared to a "low" one? Lastly, What makes the barometric pressure go up and down? Cold fronts? I really feel like I'm missing some great fall fishing action and I dont know why. I'm doing the same things I did all summer to catyche them and a lot more. I'm using everything I can. Carnk baits, Jig n Pig, Senkos, Brush hogs, fishing the slop, isolated weed beds, and everything else you can think of. I fish at night, morning and weekends during the day 3-5 days a week. Heeeeeeeeelp! Thanks t

Once again, this board shreds. Thanks guys. T

2.3 questions.... 1. Are you guys fishing these everywhere, meaning, near brush piles as well as open water? 2. How do you fish them? I've never fished a jig. Is it little twitches and pauses so it jumps across the bottom? Do you ever let it rest on the bottom for an extended period of time? t

Is there a way to rig these set ups weedless? Or do I just hook it through, so the hook sticks out the back? Is the traditional jig setup easy to fish from shore at my local ponds? Should I be targeting thick cover with them and twitching it back to shore, or can they also be fished in open water without any cover? t

I'm gunna throw a jig and trailor tomorrow for the first time ever. What combo should I use for catching some fatties? I'm going to Bass Pro Shops today! Todd

If I was on an island stranded and needed to catch fish to survive, probably a jig or a senko. But for the sheer beauty and exitement of true bass fishing, there's absolutely nothing like a buzzbait or frog strike to make your day/night. I think I'd have to chose a buzzbait though. It can be fished over weedbeds and many other places. Daytime or at night. It's not as versatile as some lures, but I'd rather catch 7 fish on a buzzbait, then 12 on any other bait ever made. The explosion. The agressivness of the strike. The heart pounding exitement of the moment, when a big ole bass gets super ticked off, and slams a 3/4oz, all black buzzbait at dusk, is absolutely what fishing is all about to me. Crush T

Guys please give me some advice, I'm blown away, and speechless. \ I was catching a bass all summer at my local ponds. The days have gotten much shorter the last 3 weeks. I don't think the temperature change in the water has gone down enough to really slow the fishes feeding habits to a crawl, but I can barely catch a d**n thing anymore. live in Colorado. The ponds I fish are old gravel pits ranging from about 15-30 acres in size. They rarely get deeper than 12 feet or so. 85% of what I fish is no deeper than about 9 feet I'd say. It's nearly impossible to fish with a crank bait because theres lots of vegatation a few feet under water. I caught 2 bass an hour this summer averaging about a pound, getting up to 4.10 pounds. For the last 3 weeks I can't seem to catch a d**n thing. I'm fishing from shore, and I'm fishing both the places I fished all summer, as well as trying other spots. I'm usually targeting isolated weed beds with Senkos, Yum Dingers, or Brush hogs. At dusk or dawn I'm fishing black buzzbaits and jitter bugs(trying to avoid getting hung up) nothings working! I feel like I'm in fishing hell. What do I do? Can a color change in my soft plastics actually be the difference? Did the fish move? Theres no shad in these ponds so I cant exactly follow the shad, nor do I know the topography of the ponds. It's like the fish learned what a Senko is, and won't bit it any more. Anyone have any advice to put me on some bass? Like I said, I went from about 2 an hour, and an average of about a pound, to getting 1 every three hours, and it's usually small. I just don't get it. Thanks! Todd Days usually sunny and in the 80's. Nights in the 50's

From now on, for a general weight, do this. Take measurements as follows: Girth at the thickest point, length of fish. Multiply the square of the girth in inches by the length in inches and divide by 800 For example: a fish measures 38 inches in girth and 59 inches in length, so 38 x 38 = 1,444 and 59 x 1,444 = 85,196, then 85,196 divided by 800 = 106.39 or 106-1/2 t

... You're psyched to be out there at 5am, sun rising, and fish just waiting to be caught. You've spent over 1000 hours on bassresource.com, and have learned so much, you feel like you can crush LMB at any lake or pond in the world, at a moments notice. You find a nice point where you think some bass might be. You make your first cast with whatever bait you love to start the day in whatever conditions you happen to be fishing and.... NOTHING! You make a second cast. You're twitching or jerking, or crankin', or flippin, or whatever and again... NOTHING! 1. How long in terms of casts, or time, do you keep fishing that same spot with that same bait? 2. If after that certain period of time, you still catch nothing, do you leave that spot, or do you try yet another, different bait? 3. If you stay and use another bait and still get nothing, how do you know if it's correct to leave and go to another spot, as opposed to either throwing a different color bait, or changing baits alltogether for the third time? Sometimes I feel I'm "On fish" but using the wrong color/bait/ or presentation, and I waste lots of casts trying different baits when I'm not "on fish" at all..... I think,, Todd

I've heard two things. One. LMB are totally effected by a few degree water temperature change. Two. LMB aren't effected by water temperature until the water gets to be very cold.... 50-60 degrees. Which one is it? Nights here in Colorado for the past couple months have been in the 80's, or high 70's, but are now in the 60's. Days are still in the 90's. I've noticed a big dropoff in the amount of fish I've been catching the past couple weeks as nights have gotten cooler and the water temps have dropped a few degrees. I can't figure out if the lack of fishing production is because the water temps are lower or because the bass are sick of my Senkos. Either way, I'm not slaying them like I have the past two months. I'm very confused. People are telling me that in the fall, fishing is amazing because LMB are stocking up for winter, but how can this be, if lower water temps make them slow down their eating habits, and slows down how active they are? Lastly, how do you measure water temps? Do you put the thermometer 3 inches into the water? 3 feet? All the way to the deepest parts of the lake? ALSO, I don't get how anyone can say what the water temperature is when it could be completely different in a matter of just a few feet. I was watcing a fishing show where the water temperature went from in the 80's to in the high 60's just in the span of a few seconds, as the boat traveled very slowly. Help!

Well I live in Colorado 6000 feet up. The water temp is now colder than it was amonth ago. I can tell just from going in the water up to my knees. So what now? They don't seem to be biting on my Senkos anymore, and only got 1 last night in 3 hours with a buzz bait. I'm fishing the weedbeds with texas rigged Senkos and Yums, and nothing lately! I've been slaying them off this point I love to fish all summer. Do you think the fish have become used to my Senkos? Or is it just the water temp change? I'm so confused! If it IS the water temp change, what do I do? Different lures? Fish a different part of the lake? This whole water temp thing is freaking me out because some say it wont effect the bass until the water gets REALLY cold, and I've head others say just a few degrees change will effect the movement and metabolism of the bass big time. I just don't get it. T