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First off, I wanna thank Glenn for putting together such a great topic on senkos. I can truly say that I'm sold on these great soft baits. Well under an hour of starting fishing these and I had 2 bites (which I missed setting the hook on) but finally I had a bite and set the hook reallu well, I don't have a scale or tape measure for checking size but I'm really happy with it being my first catch. Also proud of myself for stick to the same bait, I have made it a bad habit of switch out lures after 10-15 min, and not truly using the bait to its potential. Well worth standing out in 90+ degree heat for a few hours. Needless to say I'm definitely hooked on bass fishing and I don't see myself not spending any spare time around some body of water holding fish anytime soon. On a side note, does anyone have any experience with melting down used torn up senkos and molding them into new ones here? If so, please shoot me a msg I have a few questions.

Couple custom S-wavers & Sons arrived.

Just get a good running start, and then Happy Gilmore that sucker.

We fished 5:30 til 11. Enough time to get in some fishing, and get off the lake before the heat and the drunks hit the water. Had some drunk jagleg talking crap from his dock as we were trolling by around 10am. Guess he thought he was cool standing next to his half million dollar Formula. No fish near his dock either. I figure bass don't like douchebags either

i stayed home this morning because of the intense heat (waaah). but the next best thing is scrolling thru all these pics. we all share this common bond, a passion and appreciation for fishing. thanks to every one of you for sharing your experiences from all across the nation. keep them coming.

I started fishing off-shore structures back in the late 70's for smallmouth. We didn't have a sonar but we knew the bass were out there on humps in deeper water. So, we used old topo maps of the res before it was flooded and, most importantly, a hand line. Simply a heavy weight on a line, with knots and ribbons set at 10', 15', 20', etc.. We'd triangulate the visible land marks and hone in on the structures using this hand line (or depth line if you rather) to pinpoint the areas we knew were productive. A few years later, I got my first "Green Box" which was truly an eye opener. Things progressed quickly after that.

nice trip gary and troy. we were the other 4 guys that were there. we had a good trip too with 4 over 8, 5 over nine and yes we only had "1" 10+ but we still won the tournament! 12 pound 2 ounce BRUTE! LOL great time down there with you guys catch you soon!

Thanks for the plug Turkey! It's a bit of an old thread, but thought I'd chime in with my two bobs worth ;-) First, this is my book. I wrote it because there are lots of misunderstandings when it comes to lure color selection. Tom, just so you're aware, I teach lure making, I'm not a manufacturer. So I have nothing to gain from steering people towards one color or another. This book was merely an attempt to inject some science and objective thinking into an area of fishing where it is usually lacking. Before I was a full time lure making teacher, I was an aquatic scientist. Actually, I have a degree with double majors in Aquatic Biology and Aquatic Chemistry, Honors in Aquatic Science and a PhD awarded for my research thesis in the fields of Aquatic biology and water chemistry. I spent 20 years working as a professional scientist on areas of fish management (among other things) and ran my own niche aquatic ecology consultancy employing a number of other scientists in the fisheries field. I have personally made numerous measurements of light and color in saltwater - and even more in freshwater - using some pretty sophisticated equipment. I've also been an expert witness in my professional capacity as a scientist. And before I wrote this book I did an extensive review of scientific (not popular fishing) literature on the subject. I reckon I'm probably qualified to give a scientific perspective ;-) Yes, I'm Australian. I've worked and fished around the world though, including in the US. And had you read my book, you would have seen that there are links to references to other scientific work from around the world too. Actually, in scientific terms, what I present in my eBook is very old hat, scientists have known and published this stuff around the world for years. Fishermen have just never caught up. You are quite right that different species often have the capacity to see different colors, or at least different shades than other species. But you have completely missed the point that environmental conditions often preclude fish from seeing a particular hue, or any color at all. These environmental conditions are physical, not biological, so they are the same irrespective of your geographical location. In terms of the capacity for fish to see color: Most freshwater fish species are hundreds of times better at seeing shapes and shadows than humans are. And many (but not all) are many times worse than humans at detecting color. We know this from the anatomical structure of their eyes. Walleye, to pull your example, have a retina is packed with rod cells. These are the photochemical receptors that are super sensitive to light. They're present and have the same function in every living vertebrate on the planet - they allow us to see shapes and outlines in low light. Human eyes have relatively low numbers of rod cells, which is why we struggle to see much when the light fades - fish can often see silhouettes sharply when human eyes fail. The other photochemical receptors in eyes are the cone cells, which detect different wavelengths (colors) but need much higher intensity of light to do their job. Thats why we can often see silhouettes but not colors at dawn and dusk or on a moonlit night. The ratio of rod and cone cells tells us a lot. As already stated, walleye have loads of rod cells. But they have a low proportion of cone cells. This reflects the environment they live in, as well as their nocturnal hunting habits. They don't see color as well as other species but they can make out shapes in low light when other species can't. Bass have a higher proportion of cone cells because they tend to live and operate where there is better light. Color can play more of a part here. But compared to humans, they still have a high proportion of rod cells, so they still see better than us in low light and worse (less color distinction) in bright light. And yes, before you say it, some fish can see colors that humans can't, such as UV. As for the penetration of light and the visibility of color at depth, I've worked on tannin lakes where the blue and green wavelengths are absorbed in the first 6 inches and only red colors are visible. I've worked on algae lakes where the red/orange wavelengths disappear within 12 inches and only greens and yellows are visible. So light penetration and color visibility can vary tremendously in a lake as deep as 20ft. Hope this sheds some light (pun intended) Greg

The topic of Night Time Bass Fishing came up in another thread – this builds on that. The BR articles section has solid info regarding the subject and interested members can & should definitely check that out. I’m offering & directing this information to those bass fisherman who may have never tried it or even considered it. I say you may want to. Though the majority of this will revolve around angling from some type of vessel, some can be applied to fishing from the bank as well. Safety ~ Right off the bat. It's very important to understand that fishing at night - especially by yourself & in a remote area, is no joke. Safety is the primary mission every trip: Day or Night. Night time Bassing isn’t in my estimation, dangerous per se, but small problems have a way of compounding & becoming magnified at night. So it’s important to follow a few “rules”. Wear your Life Jacket all night. Only Fish bodies of water that you are Very Familiar with. Always operate at a slower speed than you normally would during the day. It’s Very Easy to lose situational awareness at night and speed in that situation is your arch enemy. Just like any trip on the water, make certain someone responsible (insert adult) knows where you’re going, what you’re driving, where you’re launching from and when to expect you home. And if you change plans – Let Them Know. Additionally, I’d encourage you to also leave them with the number & info of who you want them to call if you don’t return on time. (Police, US Coast Guard, Fire Rescue etc). Lastly, I do not recommend fishing at night on rivers, tidal water or any place with a moderate to heavy current. It certainly can be done, but Is No Place for a beginner. An organized / neat boat is a must. It will help keep you from tripping & going over the side and stray trebles will inevitably find some skin at night. Both are highly undesirable. I carry and use only 3 or 4 rods & reels at night. Without going into detail, this is much less than I’d normally use during the day. When I find the right night bass, they are usually very cooperative and experience has shown that a ton of gear on deck is rarely needed. (Probably could say that for daytime operations as well, but I will not because the bait monkey would blow up my house). A couple of flashlights & two head lamps are a must (I like red lenses to help maintain night vision integrity). Let’s discuss “Night Vision” - what the heck is it ? Basically, once you’re eyes have not been in the presence of white light, they are able to see surprisingly well. It takes upwards of 20-30 minutes to fully develop and each human’s adaptive time & final ability is different. But what one must remember is that once the eyes have full adjusted, ANY white light – even for 1 second, erases this ability and you’ll have to start the acclimation process again. So using a red (some use blue or green) light is helpful. Additionally, I’m always under the assumption that I’m alarming the bass to my presence using a white light even for a second. The Why ~ My night time operations were born more out of requirement than desire. As a younger human with family obligations & a career, the little & only “free” time I had available to fish was at night. And so there began a journey into an aspect of angling I personally feel is so awesome and so beneficial to day time fishing, I can easily state that I would not be even half the angler I am, so many years later, had I never tried it. More about that a little later on. Besides the above, the reasons one may choose to night fish can be many. To escape the heat, to escape the crowds, to catch more or bigger bass, all of these can apply. For me, I do it mainly because bass fishing at night is Intense. It’s a chance to experience the sport at a whole different level. If you do it enough you really come to trust & depend on your electronics, your intuition & your instincts. Because in the black of night, that’s about all you’ve got. The reduction of vision will allow one to tap into the senses that remain. Hone these at night and your day time ops can only get better. So there's no line watching - but all of this makes one so much better during the day - it's unmeasurable. When you can get them good in the dark of night – a bright sunny day might feel like cheating. When ~ A good way to start out fishing at night is to get out on the water before sunset and just stay out there. This offers an angler the chance to acclimate to the Night as it falls. Sort of like the opposite of getting to the lake before sunrise & waking up with the lake. I did the sunset to night deal several times in the beginning but as my abilities & confidence grew I shifted gears. I now prefer to arrive after dark. There seems to be 90 minutes or so after actual sunset where the bite is pretty slow. So I’ll arrive after that. If the fishing’s good & I have the gas, I’ll stay for the grey light & sunrise bite too. If not, I bail. I don’t think there is a “Best” night fishing season. If I can catch them during the day – I can catch them at night. It just depends on if I want to be out there. Very early & very late in the season are clearly less comfortable but I’ve had some very successful nights in both April & October. These results will vary depending on one’s local & legal fishing season. Once the dog days of summer hit - and the lakes are getting a fair share of recreational boating, jet ski & fishing pressure, mid-week night ops are often present the best opportunity for any decent action. Then there’s the Moon. Is it good or bad? Does it help or hurt ? And what about artificial lights like dock lights and street light etc. May be No definitive answer. The water's here in northern MI are for the most part Very Clear - often 15 feet plus of daytime visibility. As much as this plays a role during the day, it matters at night as well. Fish can still see me on nights with a big moon or in areas where there is sufficient ambient light. And the Shadow the boat makes on a brightly lit night sticks out like a sore thumb. If I disregard this, it definitely negates the effectiveness of being there after dark. Moonless nights are by far The Best for Fishing but were hardest to learn to fish in. Even nights where I can be out there before the moon comes up or after it goes down are always much better for both numbers & size. However, some my best nights have been Full Moon events BUT there was sufficient cloud cover to obscure it. Even a partially cloudy condition is often enough to do the trick. Clearly, some full moon nights are almost like day time. You may not even need a light of any kind, it’s so bright. These times are definitely easier to get around in, cast and fish in. I say cast because there may have been an occasion or two where a lure was launched across two or three docks or even 50 feet or so straight into the woods. If the waters you fish have color & / or limited visibility, you could be golden & be able to hammer fish while having the benefits of the moons brilliant glow. The Where & How ~ This may actually be the easiest (and that’s a relative term) aspects of night bassing. I use the same rods & reels at night as I use during the day. I can & do bump up my line size / mono leader a little at night – just because I can. When I first started my night ops, I fished the tried & true night time baits. The Black Baits ~ (Jitterbugs, Buzz baits, Spinnerbaits etc.) and they worked well and I still fish them today. But what I have found is that any bait (and any color) that will catch them during the day, will catch them at night. The caveat to that is, whatever bait you choose, still needs to be presented effectively. The reason many choose the baits I just mentioned is they are for the most part “Easy” to fish. The topwaters stay off the bottom. Out of weeds & snags and only need 2 inches of water to run. I can’t tell you the number of times in the early days I fished topwater and wasn’t getting bit. Come to find out I was fishing in 6 inches of water for 30 minutes. Laugh if you’d like, but it’s very easy to do on a pitch black night. Same thing with a spinnerbait - - strike detection is easier. Blade stops vibrating – set the hook. Crankbaits offer the same benefit. But learn to present the right jig, at the right place & time at night – you may never fish another bait at night again. I will admit that the spinnerbait is still one of my favorite / effective night baits. Although night time does hide some of the boat’s & the lures negative cues, please know that night time is not some magic witching hour for bass where all the trophies become suicidal and will attack any & every lure with reckless abandon. This is simply not the case. Lures still need to be presented with the same Stealth & Care at night as they do during the day to be effective. I’ve noticed a couple of things here. Bass seem to relate more loosely to cover at night (except in the presence of bright moonlight or artificial light, then it’s just like day time). They can & do still tuck into places but often times they’ll be “around it" rather than in the middle of it. This is a good thing because it’s not easy to make pin-point presentations when your depth perception is all but non-existent. Shadows are just as important at night as they are during the day, fish like them. Tips – in no particular order and this is especially important on the blackest of nights. Fishing down, along or over any weedline, surface (lily pads) or sub-surface (coontail, milfoil, cabbage) is best done without treble hooks. Handling a hooked fish is tricky at night. The bare handed reach is not recommended – use a net & a light to remove hooks. Windy nights are very tough to fish in effectively. Super long casts are generally not necessary and in the beginning should be avoided. A swimbait, paddle/boot tail type trailer on spinnerbaits, swimjigs & chatterbaits seems especially effective at night and the slower I can roll it - the better. Keep “Tools” accessible ~ pliers, scale, camera. If you take pictures of your catch, your “Flash” will Toast your night vision. If fishing conditions permit, set your trolling motor speed to “slow”. If you avoid that sudden burst in the wrong direction, you may also avoid wetness. That’s my story & I’m sticking to it. A-Jay

I had the chance of getting my dad down to Mexico for the 5 night/4 day package. We ended up getting rained out on one of the evenings so we fished 4 days, 3½ nights. I wanted to do a detailed write up to share the experience with anyone who feels like reading. While this wasn’t an epic trip in the sense that we blew away Lake Baccarac records or standards, it was incredible for me and my dad. I also wanted to give a special thanks to Dwight, A-Jay, and Jeff for providing me details to consider for the trip. The flight out was long, but the destination was on your mind at all times. We flew commercial and arrived in Los Mochis around 7:30 PM on Memorial day. We had Rodrigo the cook pick us up with a cooler of drinks ready for the 2.5 hour drive back to the lodge. Rodrigo was a humble man and an incredible person to meet for the beginning of our Baccarac experience. At the lodge, Yessi and Senolida (I know I am probably not even close to spelling their names write, let alone pronouncing them right, but we tried nevertheless), had a pina colada waiting for us. They were a bit confused when we told them that we did not drink alcohol, but they quickly made a virgin pina colada and gave it to us. The adrenaline was rushing in us just being at this lodge that seemed like it was tucked away on a mountain in the middle of nowhere. But wow, you could feel the excitement that surrounded this place. We were greeted by Narlin who mostly manages the lodge now. We quickly realized that he was an incredible man and sincerely wanted us to have a great week. Despite getting in late, they made us some dinner. We walked around the dinner area and admired the pictures of giant fish and the huge mount on the side of the wall. The bass looked 30 pounds, but was just a very very big bass from the lodge. We decided to rent the poles there at the lodge instead of bringing our own. That was a tough decision, but realized, if the airport broke my rod, I would have to rent anyways and would have spent the extra couple hundred flying the poles there only to break them. We selected the rods that fit the needs of our fishing. They were really cheap rods and I am still trying to decide if that was the right decision. I believe I lost some fish because of the rods that I had selected, but I also landed some good fish with them. The rods were 10 dollars a day so I rented 3 a day. It fit my needs and quite frankly, they did the job well, just made certain styles of fishing more difficult. So we told Narlin that we wanted to fish early in the morning and requested to have Manuel (known as Mexico’s finest). He told me that we would not be able to have him but said he would have someone for me the next day early on. I was too excited to sleep. The air was hot, the lake was nearby and all I could think of was 5 hours from then, I was going to be fishing a world class lake. Comparitively speaking, I really don’t fish much (especially while getting my degree the past 11 years), and when I do, it is usually out of state in Minnesota at our cabin, so I have never had access to waters that have a lot of big bass. 5:30 AM arrives and of course I was awake before my alarm woke me up. Luckily the room had AC so I did get a catnap in. Baylar was ready to pack our bags when we walked out. We were too excited to eat breakfast so we skipped it. This seemed to confuse Rodrigo the cook, so he eventually made sandwiches and had Narlin bring them out to us on the lake around 9 AM. The drive to the launch ramp was exciting. It was dark, the road was very sketchy, but everything was just right. We arrived to the ramp to see several boats in the dark and then noticed these dark silhouettes sitting in each boat. The guides were sitting there quietly, all ready to start the day. We introduce ourselves to our guide and informed him, “no mucho pescados, yo quiero grande pescado.” In my mind it made perfect sense and in spanish, it probably sounded stupid, but that was the best I had, and I think he understood. We always have 100 to 200 fish days in Minnesota. That experience can already be checked off my bucket list. I like hunting for relatively big fish and so does my dad so we were all in agreement. For lure selection, I had kept in contact with Terry the owner of the lodge and had read every fishing report from 2005 – 2016 in the months of Mid May to Mid June. I had decided that the swimjig, jig, and crankbait would be the bed I slept in. Of course I made sure I had a plethora of other lures as back up. Nevertheless, picking your starting lineup was almost as hard as picking the right women to marry. You finally had to make a decision and stick with it. A short 5 minute ride brought us to our first spot. Still dark outside, we passed 30 tilapia boats trying to pull in their nets for the morning. We probably passed 4 or 5 other bass fishing boats who were there from a different lodge. At our first spot, we parked adjacent to a point, cast down in 30 feet, and dragged up our baits. Dad was using his jig, I had my swimjig. Within the first 10 minutes, I had already missed a fish and had another 5 pounder jump off right next to the boat. But this was not painful. We had already decided that we will only weigh and keep track of 6+ pound looking fish. Within the next couple of minutes, I hooked into a better one and the first fish in the boat for our trip was a 7 pound 7 ounce bass. I just giggled to myself, high fived my dad, and smiled because I knew that this would be an incredible trip for us. By the end of the first day, we had probably caught a total of 25 to 30 fish combined. This would actually be the most fish we ever caught in one day. There are stories here of the 100 – 300 fish days. That will just have to be for another trip. There were some spots where we would start to catch little fish (4 pounds and under) on every cast, but would then leave those pesky fish alone and quickly leave. I think it is tempting to fish these areas and hope to catch big fish with them, but it seemed like a trap and I think our guide agreed with us. So we left and searched for other spots. Fishing with Sixto was a different experience. He was more of the run and gun type and the jig fishing I wanted to do, I soon realized that I would have very few opportunities to do so. There are so many spots on the lake and he knows that if he keeps running, we will run into spots (in theory) that will be loaded with big bass; however, we never found a spot the whole trip that produced as such. When it was lunch time, we ate quickly and were back at the ramp within the hour. I don’t think Sixto liked being back on the water so quickly, but he was a good sport. While we were fishing a point (very quickly), my dad found a good position to fish the jig that even with the boat moving, he could get a few lifts in. Using a ¾ ounce jig with a green pumpkin brush hog, he caught the first giant, a 10 lb even fish. This was the first time I had seen one in person. Let me tell you, for those who say they have caught one and never weighed it, or to those who have never caught one, they are a different looking animal. Earlier in the morning I had caught an 8 pound 5 ounce bass that I thought was 12 pounds. This fish looked different. Its body just kept going and going and it’s mouth seemed fake. Looked like a tarpon of sorts. My dad was so excited. He of course did a celebratory dance, high fives were thrown everywhere, and then length and girth measurements were taken. The fish came in at 26.5 inch length and 19.5 inches girth. What a beauty. We just wanted to hold it for a while, but knew it was time to let it go. None of the Baccarac boats had livewells, so we had to take pictures, measurements, and then let them go. We ended Day 1 with our top 5 fish being: 10 lb (dad), 8.10 (dad), 8.5 (me), 8.2 (me), and 7.7 (me). Top 5 Total= 42 lbs 5 oz Day 2 was as awesome as the first. We did not catch more than 20 fish the whole day. Sixto was confused with the numbers and let us know throughout the day that it was rare for the fishing to be this slow. We didn’t care, we were still getting a decent 5 fish limit. Perhaps my favorite fish this day was one I caught pitching a 6 inch lizard in a 40 foot forest of trees. This one came in at 9 pounds 2 oz. But of course, my dad had to out do me again. As he slow rolled a swimjig over a tree in 30 feet of water, a giant struck it again. I watched to see what would surface. I then watched this giant fish come out of the water so far, but still manage to have half of it’s body still underwater. Never had seen that before. After a good battle, he gets it in and it is a 10 lb 3 oz bass. Wow. I was becoming the paparazzi. The top 5 fish of the day: 10.3 (dad), 9.2 (me), 8.5 (dad), 7.14 (me), and 7.14 (me). Top 5 Total= 43 lbs 6 oz. Was funny, I wanted a 10 pounder so badly that when I hooked the 7.14 and got him in the boat, I had truly convinced myself that this fish was over 11 pounds since it truly looked like that to me. I would like to think I am good at guessing fish within the ounce at times, but I was playing a big boys game here with big fish and was clearly not acclimated enough to guess within 4 pounds!!! I must have sounded like an idiot to the guide. Day 3. Started real rough. We had 4 fish by 11 AM and nothing was over 4 pounds. No bueno. We pull up to a wind blown island. We cast the same time and my dad quickly hooks into a decent one. I hear him saying it is nice and to get the net. At the same time, I got a good bite, fight him for a second and then see him surface...his head was huge. It was just so big...was it my turn? Si Bueno! Get him in after shouting at the guide and I am literally shaking I am so excited. Weigh her in at 10 pounds 10 ounces! So excited. It was literally everything I had hoped for it to be and more. My dad’s fish was 6 pounds. It was our first real double of the trip. I swore to myself that i would never use the word "Grande" when in Mexico fishing since every white person says it and it must get extremely annoying to the guides and staff....but, when i started catching bigger fish, the word just kept coming out. I now no longer judge when i hear it on the Baccarac fishing videos and accept that it is a side effect of catching bigger fish down south. Later that evening, we had another double with each of us having a fish over 8 pounds. Top 5 of the day: 10.10 (me), 8.8 (me), 8.7 (dad), 8.5 (me), 7.10 (dad). Total weight = 43 lbs 8 oz. Day 4. Last day and half of the evening was rained out. It was my last day and it seemed that the fish had lock jaw. They wanted nothing unless it was dropped on their head or if it was swam past their face at lightning speed. So I went with the crankbait. My fingers were already swollen from fishing the previous 3 days. I ended up making a good choice. I fished that crankbait till it hurt and then I kept casting more. Towards the end of the night, my dad tied on the crankbait and happened to snag me in the face on the cast. Lucky and unluckily, the crankbait slid up my face and snagged my gopro and threw it in the lake. Lucky that my face was ok, unlucky that it ruined my new gopro. But, it was at the end of the trip. All my footage was already saved on my computer and the memories were already documented. I missed several of our big fish on the camera through not filming when I thought I was. But still got most on film. By the end of the day, good ol’ cranky got the job done. I ended up catching our top 5 and another grande!!!! Top 5 fish of the day was: 10 pounds 12 ounces (me), 8.12 (me), 8.5 (me), 8.3 (me), and 7.11 (me). Top 5 fish= 43.11 Again, we did not catch more than 20 fish for the day. Altogether, we caught less than 90 fish combined the whole trip. Our top 5 fish went 50 pounds 11 ounces. My top 5 fish in one day was 43.11 and my top 5 for the trip went= 47 pounds 12 ounces. A 10 pounder was seen in the boat each day. That is living for me. I know others have better luck there at times, but for it being a slow week according to the guide, my dad and I were happy. I guess I am not sure how well we could have done there. I guess all you can do is compare yourself to the other boats present at the lodge. There was another group of 4 there that fished in two other boats. They were there the whole time we were there (and had an additional half day) and only one 10+ was caught. They also reported very few 8s and I think only one 9 between the 4 of them. A lot of it is luck and they were all great fisherman. Point being, I think my dad and I made out well given the slow fishing conditions. As Sixto stated, “me fish here for 30 years, me no understand this place...no se why it is slow this week.” According to him, a couple weeks earlier was on fire. He stated that every spot had biting fish. He believed it was because the water levels stopped dropping and leveled out, which just put the fish in a weird funk. For the bigger fish we had, we went really slow or really fast. It was a grind and those bigger fish did not come for free. I loved this place. It was hot. Very hot every day and in the 100s. But, they had water and a cooler so we just kept drinking. I loved every bit of this trip. It was a dream come true. As others stated, you cannot wait to come back and just hope you arrive there when the bite is on and they are loaded at spots. Lake Baccarac should be on everyone’s bucket list. Even if you live in Florida, Texas, or California, there is just something about being in a different country, being tailored to by people who are TOP CLASS, and catching fish. I loved it. It was another life changing experience and having my dad with me was better than any fish caught. The fellowship, the fishing, the pictures, the food, the people, the culture...start saving for this place and I hope to see you there some day. We will be the ones taking short siestas. Videos Here: and Part 2

Since nobody else has mentioned it yet, you'd have to throw out the name Buck Perry and his spoonplugs/spoonplugging. Buck is credited with coining the term "structure" along with several others still commonly in use. The spoonplug, which was developed and patented back in the mid 1940s, were a series of metal crankbait equivalents for lack of a better description, each designed to run in a very specific depth range regardless of speed. The smallest size ran as shallow as 2 feet, while the largest ran up to 25' on a pre-stretched monofilament line called "No-Bo." If you ran them on wire line, which Buck also made for his lures, you could easily reach 40'-60' of depth. By following a defined protocol of fishing from the shallows to deep, you could find all types of structure such as ledges and channels, points, humps, roadbeds, etc. This was also all before there was what we consider "pros," at least if you define pros as organized and recognized tournament angling which arguably began in 1968-1969 with the formation of B.A.S.S. and their national tourney circuit. By then, flashers were well popularized and available, and paper graphs were soon to follow. -T9

In my best infomercial voice........It really is...just that simple. Plop it next to a stump or or something and let it fall, IF it hits bottom, raise your rod straight up, reel in the slack and let it fall again. A lot of guys use the Watermelon/Green Pumpkin colors, and I do too, but don't rule out bright colors either. I've caught a LOT of bass on Bubblegum Senkos on a wacky rig.

That curved mark is from your front treble hook. Drag the hook along the bait and see if the mark does not line up perfectly.

Picked up an Outdoor Research Sombriolet Sun Hat, for those looking for good sun hats backcountry.com has some good sales on sun hats.

The first multi-sheet topographic map series of an entire country, the Carte géométrique de la France, was completed in 1789. In the United States, the national map-making function which had been shared by both the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of the Interior migrated to the newly created United States Geological Survey in 1879, where it has remained since. I have topographical maps of Toledo Bend from the 1950s with 1' contour line. These maps are more detailed than modern maps because they were made as the lake was being built. It shows where boat lanes were bulldozed & where they piled the trees. I started fishing offshore structure in the early 60s using a map & chart plotting instruments. We fished structure 100-150 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. I bet there aint a hand full of people here that know how to plot a course with out electronics.

Took advantage of Kistler's summer sale. Helium 3 w/ Lews TPG. Get to try it out for the first time tomorrow, pretty pumped! Helium 3 7'4 MH/XF Lew's Tournament Pro G 8.3:1 Izorline XXX 15lb

The starting line-up for the summer is now complete: Add that to some offseason acquisitions: ...and the yak is now full.

Been a terrific week on The Delaware, wading every day, fishing flats in Bucks County. Thought I'd include a few of my better fish from this week thus far. Smallies have been very active under mid day bluebird skies. Best numbers have been on soft paddletail swimbaits on a light weighted hook. During overcast periods or when the wind has made finesse less effective, walking baits have gotten big blow ups worked nearly as fast as I can retrieve on a 7:1 baitcaster. Short strikes or slaps mean I go into hyper-speed and burn, burn, burn - they come back for it ticked off. First cast of the day on Tuesday, I just about jumped outta my shoes when this channel cat whacked my swimbait. Fun fight on 6lb fluoro. Caught several more channels on swimbaits while casting for smallies. Striper have been blistering walking baits on breaklines beside flats all week. I like the Strike King Sexy Dawg, again - fast as I can burn it. Lots on large paddletails and four on a Lucky Craft Pointer 100sp, always on the pause. All fish released as always. Hope you guys are hammering them wherever you’re at!

Picked up my third Mojo Bass rod in the last two weeks. I'm really impressed with the sensitivity of these rods. Unbelievable for a $120.00 rod. Oh, that is the second generation Mojos I am talking about. Hootie

Being a Destroyer sailor (and radarman) in the ship's CIC, I do know how to plot a course and Catt is absolutely correct in his assessment of early plotting techniques. Folks have it too easy these days! LOL! And, of course, who could forget the venerable Buck Perry. Thanks for flashbacks Team9nine. I have 3 complete sets of spoonplugs we used to "verify" our depth sounding discoveries. Perry was the "Man" (and still is!). Sometimes it's amazing to me to witness the blazee attitude of the newer fishing populace, with regards to all the work that has preceded them. Buck Perry, Bill Binkleman, Al Lindner.....those are the folks that truly paid their dues. Hopefully we will never forget.

There really is a big difference between the rods IMO: much lighter and more sensitive. You'll definitely like it

Trip #38..........another 7am unti noon affair again this morning.............and another trip in the mega windz. Oddly enough, today was 100% better than yesterday Did the same thing I did yesterday, bounced around and fished all different depths and caught 23 bass. Healthy mix of largemouth and smallmouth. Better size today too with my best five being a 4-10 (LM) 4-1 (LM) 3-12 (SM) 3-8 (SM) and a 3-7 (SM)

called hook rash.

This is the only reason I didn't get a console motor kayak... To hell with registering my kayak!! Also a big help for me was figuring out which bodies of water around me are better when it's gusty. Bigger open places or spots adjacent to open fields will ALWAYS have more wind. A skinny slot reservoir or pond nestled between hills and surrounded by trees will be a far more manageable choice on a windier day, so I typically save them for those times. One more ore thing about the wind... It's out to get you. It will ALWAYS spin you the wrong way, be gusting at inopportune moments and will have timing you'd SWEAR was malicious and conspiring against your every move. Don't let it get you ticked off. I swear the days I let it get me mad I beat myself and never catch fish like I want. Always either be able to shrug it off or call it and head home. Never let it ruin your day.

I hate you for posting this. My wife's gonna kill me when I bring this up...

I knew there had to be a cause. I really had a hard time believing it could have been from a pike or muskie, but I had absolutely no other ideas. Wow do I feel dumb! I don't know how I've never seen that before, and I use Skitter Walks all the time! You learn something new every day I guess! Thanks Fellas!

That circular scaring is from your hooks . A-Jay

Alberto knot........Learn it. Know it. Live it. My stubby little, sausage-like fingers have trouble tying knots. I can tie the Alberto without much hassle. If I can do it...you can too.

ALBERTO KNOT !!! ALBERTO KNOT !!!! ALBERTO KNOT!!!!! look it up and never worry again

I'm gonna have to pick up a Mojo. I still have a first generation Mojo, and while it is an ok rod, I'm not in love with it. I have heard a lot of good things about the Mojo 2s. It's about time to buy another rod anyway...

Haha, good to hear from you man! That 12 was huge. It was crazy, we were fishing some spot and all of a sudden we hear someone scream at the top of their lungs, "12.2!!" If i remember right, the name was Justin? If anyone does not know him, he is also apparently on lunkerville so we need to keep our eyes open for that. It was great seeing you guys there and it was fun hearing the stories every lunch time and dinner. And for the record Justin, you won big bass, but i got you on the 5 fish limit and my two over 10 right?! Haha. You were able to drag that jig in the weeeee hours at night and it was awesome it paid off. That place is fricken awesome. Sounds like you guys fished another 2 days and caught some more good ones. It stinks the other guys didn't get a 10. It was interesting to hear from the guide how often groups go down there and not catch a 10. I know the biggest fish i had on is still sporting a 10xd crankbait in its mouth and swimming around living it up.

I was trying to go this direction, until I realized that a spinning setup Was sooo much better suited for finesse!

And so on?? I may have to set aside $949 for an order. Seems like I can't lose!

Only got out for two hours Friday afternoon but picked up a channel, too Only abut 6-8 pounds (didn't weigh it), but chunky. They get pretty feisty this time of year and will bite lures pretty readily if you get one in front of their face long enough.

For those of you looking for a good hook, the Gamakatsu Split Shot/Drop Shot hook is a fantastic wacky rig hook.

Sometimes. Don't expect it to work every time even though it is a good finesse technique.

Caught the friggin things that were stripping all my carp rigs. And ate them! Pulled alot of meat off these 11 fish. Still have some in the frig.

One of the reasons I switched from the uni-uni connect in favor of the Alberto is the bulk of the knot. There is no way to tie it and have it come out as slim as the Alberto, although some people say they tie it without the bulk. The Alberto, which, in reality, is actually a braid and not a knot, makes a slim, very reliable leader connection. You just have to get past the intimidating instructions which portray it as being very difficult to tie. After a bit of practice, it becomes easy. JMO.

You know, I've been told one way is better than the other (and vice versa). My results do not prove this out however. And it's just easier to hook them inline, as opposed to perpendicular, or cross ways. Never had an issue hooking bass either way. But I'm using a large Gammy 1/0 Inline circle hook for this technique.

Shimmy once you drink the lake Baccarac kool-aid it gets in your system for good. You & your dad had an outstanding adventure. Congrats to you both. I'm really glad it worked out the way it did. Those memories will be with you both for a long time. Its really interesting how big an actual 10 lb bass is the first time you see one. Everyone always over estimates. LOL. Great trip for you both. Like Jeff already mentioned Sixto is a lot of fun & a great guide.

Thanks everybody, going to go ahead and get a better Rod than I was originally going to buy. A lot of wisdom gleened from you guys. AND IT WAS FREE? Boy im in trouble if you ever figure out how to charge me for all this good advice?? Seriously though, THANKS, I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TAKING THE TIME TO SCHOOL ME! Now then, do I go Fenwick HMG, Duckett Ghost, Dobbins Fury, or BPS Titanium?

Went out to Lake Geneva today. My buddy fished there the last 6 days and the smallies are on fire. However there is a small window that has been working there and that is from 3:30 am to 5:00 am that's it. Anyway we were on the water on our spot at 3:30 am. We got 20 smallies from that time till 5:00 am and then they shut down like clockwork. I assume they just moved out. Anyway 15 feet of water with a 1/4 oz dropshot , 1/0 hook and a dropshot worm. Smallest was 16" largest was 19". Once they shut down we moved around, and picked up some largies, biggest was 17" on drop shot and jigs. Everything shut down at 9:30 am. We fished till noon with no fish after 9:30 a.m. Excellent day on the water.

Heres the big one for the day. Fishing was slow compared to last week. Thought it was going to be a great day. We caught 5 right away off the same point. The rest of the morning we'd get one here and there. 11 for the day 4 were keepers.

Bass fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you make it . The vast majority of the time I use a six inch plastic worm . Shallow ,deep ,wood , rock ... Craws, Lizards , tubes ... will all work in the same places too . Whatever floats your boat .

WOW ~ How Great was THAT ~ ! So glad you went and super happy for you & your Dad. Great decision to go. It's a bit of a logistical challenge getting there & back but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO worth it. btw - the Private Air option is quite a bit better but of course a little more $$$. I will totally agree that despite ones best efforts to explain & describe that place - it's just very hard to do. So few places offer a truly legitimate opportunity to take serious huge Double Digit Bass on each & every cast - one has to experience it to know what that's like. Once you get a "Grande" there - Everything changes. Everything. You'll go back. Like Jeff said Shimmy - YOU ARE RUINED ! Your bass fishing will never be the same. Lake Baccarac will be how you measure all your Bass Fishing and nothing else will ever compare. I really love the huge amounts of just crazy Laughter that always accompanies Lake Baccarac big bass video's - you just can't help it. And do those fish PULL OR WHAT ! Congrats Shimmy - so happy you had a super time and you were able to share that with your Dad. A-Jay

My first Ned Rig lmb. Caught 3 or 4, all dinks. Had a nice one hit a hula popper about 11 o'clock, but I couldn't connect.

I just got a Pflueger President from this guy for only $45.99 It arrived brand new and in two days. Looks like he has two left. http://www.ebay.com/itm/262472595526

15 Aldebaran BFS XG Limited Poison Glorious BFS Hardbait Finesse

We often give too much credit to the bait we use. Regardless of what anyone says bass are not the brightest critters on earth. Bottom line is if you can put it in front of their face, they will often bite it. When things get tough, go too the bait you have confidence in, and enjoy throwing, and work the crap out of it. My go to bait is the 4" senko. I can fish it deep, fish it shallow, I can fish it fast, or I can fish it real slow. I can throw it weightless, or with different size weights depending on the wind. I can throw it the thickest stuff, or in open water. I can wacky rig it, Texas rig it, or Carolina rig it. I can flip it or pitch it using a spinning rod. It will catch fish of ALL sizes. If you throw it in front of a ten pounder, she will slam it just like a 12 inch worm. The key factor is placement, and targeting spots. There just is not one magic bait, there are just better fisherman that get it done with what they like to use. I used to be a top water guy and then turned to plastics. As a Devil Horse, Rapala guy, I enjoyed the top water explosions but was neglecting a vast amount of the water column. I turned to plastics and never regretted the change.