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Lesson number one: Fishermen are liars.

By far the biggest drum I have ever caught at 9.2lbs. I was shocked by how well it fought! Thought I had hooked a musky!

I have a nice clear water lake I have been fishing a lot since this July. I have been sticking to it and two spots it holds in particular because I have a high rate of success there with LMG's and smallies. The problem is, 90% of them are 3 pounds and under. I have found a bunch of very large pigs in a certain spot that will not bite on anything I throw at them, all kinds of lures in all kinds of colors and fished in all kinds of ways. Got them to chase a couple times, then once, one of them finally slammed a small black and blue jig with a Yamamoto craw against the sea wall and I thought I was in business. But no, she would not bite it after nosing it to the sea wall twice and left it alone. One morning I went out to this spot and realized just how pressured it was with a bunch of boats in this small spot, all of them giving it all they got with no luck at all. After I was able to get in a good position I noticed that there was at least 15 of these really big donkeys in there underneath docks and positioned against the sea wall. So again, I spent almost all day trying everything with not one of them biting. I gave up and decided to watch them to see what they were feeding on. Everyone kept saying craws and small minnows, but that made no sense because I had not seen one craw there ever, and the only fish feeding on the minnows were bluegill and perch. After going out there to watch them after a while and over two months with no luck with these pigs that all looked 5 pounds and bigger, I was not lucky enough to see what they were eating until three days ago. Finally, found them all the sudden position themselves and trap a nice size bluegill against the sea wall and work together to take it for an early lunch! So I went straight to the nearest tackle shop and bought the biggest bluegill and perch soft swim baits I could find. I went out yesterday morning and put on a bait fish scent to the bluegill swim bait and caught a 6 pounder and a 4 pounder in 5 minutes! Then no bites for over an hour, so I tied on the perch swim bait and caught another 6 pounder and felt like king of the world! Did not get another bite besides a few 1 and 2 pounders. It took me over two months to learn this lesson, but well worth the wait and frustration.

We have just added our Morel Jighead! The Morel Jighead is built on an 5313 Owner hook . The head is a mushroom shape to help stand the bait strait up. These are perfect for fishing the Ned Rig. http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/Morel-Jig-Head-1022.htm We also have released our Sexy Shad color in all of our jig styles.

For anyone interested in review of these heads (while they aren't Mike's specifically, they are my own from the same mold), they're even better than I'd hoped. I fished almost exclusively with these heads from the new Do-It mold yesterday with @Drew03cmc and their performance was off the charts. I fished a 1/16oz with a Hula StickZ and caught dozens of fish. Once that bait is secured over the keeper (which does take some pushing, but nowhere near the hassle of glue), it's staying on there, period. Not only did it withstand a large quantity of smallmouth and largemouth, but also dealt with an never ending barrage of bluegill and sunfish pulling on the tails of the bait and it never even thought about letting the bait slide down the hook. The head being flatter also allowed for a slower fall and it still skipped under the docks with ease. I'm using a different hook with mine, and it hooked fish well as expected, so the Owner hooks that Mike is using should be even better. They are a hassle to pour, I think it's easy to justify the asking price per head ( setting that tiny wire keeper in the mold is going to make my hair fall out), especially with a premium hook. I'll be doing some of the larger ones with larger hooks to fish the Diesel MinnowZ and GrubZ also. You guys that are gluing, throw it away and order some of these heads instead!

I know nothing about bass fishing for big bass in Mexico. It´s been a while since I´ve caught a big momma like this one: But don´t sweat it, I caught that one with a 4" senko, I´ve caught a lot of biguns with a 1/2-3/4 oz jig with a Brush Hog or large crawfish ( a Rage Lobster would do the trick ) as trailer. Do I own swimbaits ? yes I do, so far swimbaits have not produced big mommas for me ( big momma in Raul´s vocabulary means 10+ lbers ).

No matter what I throw at them, the ones here will swim up to the bait, kiss it, and spook! I have only caught one sight fishing with an artificial. Live craws on the other hand.... I don't think there's a fish out there that won't hit a shad rap! I caught the fish on a medium extra fast spinning rod.

Its pretty difficult to identify by pictures only. It looks like Chara ( also called musk grass). If it is indeed chara it should have a strong sulfur odor.

10# suffix siege mono for bait cast, and either 6lb fluoro or 10lb braid for spinning using small jerkbaits.

That sounds like the right sized lake to start winter fishing on. You can spend a lot of time out there when the water is cold and the bass are just not in the mood to feed. On a huge lake it is easy to get discouraged, start moving around, fishing too fast and missing that days window of opportunity entirely. I fish a 100 acre hydrilla lake a lot in the winter. Over the course of the winter here in Maryland the weeds on this lake completely die back. I try to simplify presentations when the water temperatures drop to 45 degrees or less. suspending jerkbait: LC Pointer 78's and 100's, cast out, sweep down to depth and let them suspend for up to 45 seconds jig: 3/8th ounce football jigs are the staple of my winter fishing, I present the jig at the speed that a crayfish would walk across the bottom with frequent long pauses

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^................... Also, just my .02, but I have found that with a lot of "clip on" drop shot weights......the bigger the line you use, the worse it holds. I seemingly never have them fly off 8lb or less line, but anything else, and I think the larger diameter lines bigger than 8-10lb test, spring the little clips open a little and they don't hold as well. I do a lot of power shotting in cover with 15-17lb line, and have given up on using clip on dropshot sinkers for this, because of that issue. Instead I use a tungsten bullet sinker, pointy end up, with a split ring tied to the tag end to keep the weight on, and a sinker peg/bobber stop above the weight to keep it from sliding up the "drop' line.

I was looking to make my own worm binder as they are too pricey for me. I looked online to get some ideas for this. I saw where someone suggested to use an iron and tin foil to seal plastic bags, of which I could not get to work. Thus I decided to figure it out on my own. I have some things lying around that will be perfect for doing this. First is an old 3 ring binder. If your pouches are not wide enough, which I doubt they are, simply use only two of the rings for the first page and alternate top and bottom. Next are the ingredients for the pages. They are: zipper bags (size and mil thickness is up to you) some printer paper or cereal box (chipboard?) a clothes iron small towel parchment paper something to cut the paper. I started by laying out the towel to protect the countertop and turned the iron to the cotton setting. I cut my paper pieces to roughly 3/4" wide and slid the strip to the bottom of the bag. Next I took a piece of parchment paper big enough to sandwich the bag between. You want the part that will be fused to have the parchment on both sides. If using the printer paper, it will be easily seen through the parchment paper and this makes staying on track a breeze. After the iron has heated up, use only the tip of it (approx. the first inch) at about a 45 deg angle and go from one end to the other at a rate of about 3 to 4 seconds. Your time will vary depending on the width of the bag and the thickness (mil) of the plastic. After you have done one side, flip it over and to the other side the same way. I used both walmart brand double zipper and some I got at work which are more durable than the walmart ones. Fusing the bag to the paper really was about the same. I think the key is to keep the iron at a steady pressure and pace and don't stay on the corners too long at all or you will melt the plastic away. I plan on taking the binder and putting some fabric around it with a zipper. I will have to employ my ma-in-law to see if she can sew a zipper for me. Otherwise I will have to learn to be a seamstress...:rolleyes: Another approach would be to take the ringed spine part and place it in some kind of container with a lid. Bags I used. Paper inserted into bag. Position of iron and heat setting. Paper fused into bag. Heavy duty parts bag with chipboard paper fused, same heat setting.

These heads will be replacing all of my older glue on heads for the Ned rig. The baits stayed put and never slid on us at all. We didn't count, but if our total was under 65, I'd be shocked, mainly on the Ned with these heads. Grab some, you won't be sorry.

God bless you guys for upholding the honor of the northeast fishermen. Time for me to get to the chores around the house so they won't interfere with the next season. I went to the Nip once, back in 208. Spent most of the day in my canoe and didn't get so much as a tap. Never went back. The posts have got me curious. May have to try it next year, preferably with someone who knows how to fish the pond. My Nitro might be overkill, but I can run it all day on the trolling motor, and move around in it without doing a balancing act.

Bone is my favorite but my BIL does well with lite trout even though we don't have trout in our lakes. I did not like the 200 size (and not because it was too big, it just didn't glide very well I didn't think), but the 168 has been good.

Cool pictures! I hear you on the lawn care. I've mowed "for the last time this year" about 3 times now and my grass needs cut again

Good golly Miss Molly that is a biggin'. I'd give my left big toe just to catch a bass half that weight.

The smallmouth bite was awesome again today on Mille Lacs. My pops and I put about 16 fish in the boat during the day (plus two monster walleyes), mostly in 15-20 feet of water slowly fishing swimbaits over the rocks. Our average was 3lbs all day, we couldn't find any of the 4+ pounders but my buddy caught a few in his boat.. so somebody got them! I'll take a bunch of 3lb smallies all day, anyday. I'm so glad I got to spend a couple full days there this fall, the fishing there is just ridiculous. I tossed tubes, drop shot, lipless and spoons and didn't get bites. They sure liked the swimbaits though. Smaller the better.

Turbo Crawz in pumpkin/orange and sprayed grass. Zman jigs in orange/black and black/blue Missile mini jig in some sort of craw color Crawbugz in pumpkin/orange. Looks pretty good

Simply tie a overhand knot at the end of your line below where you slide the line through the the weight clip and slow pull the knot up against the clip. Tom

Thats a nice fish. Never heard of Liquid Mayham:)

As I always say when I get that comment, the reason that the garage looks clean is that I have a 30 foot long attic above the garage that is, shall we say, not clean................

Can't link the video - but here's some info https://lockerdome.com/6601924556364353/9240757295010836 A-Jay

I'm more impressed with how clean your garage is than how you can drive it in on top of your car. there is some serious garage *** here.

Another beautiful day in Southwestern Ohio. No lunkers, but still had a great time fishing from the shore. A 180 acre lake with no boat rental. Hootie

Ya'll are giving me a little different respect for the tin cans. All the rednecks I know around that have them are the Tracker's and Lowe's and such or Pontoons, As you said, the cookie cutter models. The largest aluminum I've ever been in was a 17.5 Tracker with a 115 Merc on it and I have a couple friends that have them with 90's, but I've always tried to avoid going with them in theirs. I always come up with an excuse to take mine. Which it never takes much arm twisting because they had rather go in mine also. It's so nice to be able to run 10 miles in choppy water and your eyeballs are not still bouncing 10 minutes after getting there and have to get your kidneys and insides back in their proper place. To be honest with you, I've messed with boats for about 55 years, owned at least 20-30 (with jons and all I have seven now) but have always looked at aluminum in the class of jon boats and canoes. Very few people I know even own them. I have never even seen or thought of an aluminum boat anything like Dwight's having a 250 or like Slonezp with a 225. I'm glad I got on here and asked, because even though many of ya'll know, I know a little more than the average bear about boats and motors, but finding out I'm dumber than dirt on tin cans.

Small, shallow, with lotsa cover. Fish where you have been doing well, but likely a bit deeper. Watch to see what happens to weeds. Do they die back? Are there beds that remain green? Presentation: Slow your horizontal retrieves, or go vertical.

Yeah, reds are addicting. If I lived closer to the salt, I wouldn't bother messing with bass anymore.

I kind of doubt he even caught it. You can easily find pictures of big bass on the internet without a person in it, and claim you caught it. Or you could just photoshop yourself into the photo.

what size topwater and spinnerbaits? go with GLX over IMX. I love my old MBR 783 for 3/8 and 1/2oz spinnerbaits. Its a different animal from the 843. Not sure if the 2016 783 GLX MBR is similar.

Personally for me, the best time, is any time you can go.............don't matter the season. With a job, family, etc...I don't get to pick my spots often. So any time I can go after work, on days off from work, or when I have no family stuff going on I go. I adapt to the conditions I am given that day. I have some times/conditions I prefer NOT going fishing in, like thunderstorms, extremely cold/wet conditions, or holiday weekends where the boat traffic on the water and at the launch ramp make for less than a good time, but even then, I still often go (except for the thunderstorms) If you wanna learn something, go fishing when ever you can...............any one can catch them when they are biting, it's who can catch them when they ain't biting good that sorts the good fisherman out from the average Joe's.

My first boat was a 18' Lund with a 150 4-stroke Yamaha & a T8 kicker. 96" wide & very stabile. You could stand on the gunnel and it maintains level. My current boat is a Starcraft 20' 2" and has a 100" beam. Powered by a 250 Pro XS with a 9.9 Pro kicker. It is a heavy boat at 1734lbs, boat only. Top speed is 60 mph with two guys & gear. Also very stable in the water. Both boats are rivet construction. Lund, Starcraft, Crestliner & Alumacraft are the most popular brands around the great lakes. The debate about welded hulls versus riveted still goes on but the the riveted hulls are still most popular.

A fella would do alright anywhere smallmouth swim with just six classic and basic lures/presentations.............in no particular order: Suspending jerkbait silver buddy style blade bait tube drop shot with a nose hooked 3"-4" minnow type bait 4" single tail grub on a ball head compact football jig with small craw trailer

Because Mike has long supported Bass Resource. He provides great products at a fair price; your only contribution here is to complain about the price of something you will never buy.

As always several interesting & thought provoking response to this one. I'll add this - I file repeated "Follows" under the heading of Curiosity; and for me this situation rarely result in a strike - at least not right then. Having been in this situation more than a few times, I've decided that the bass will strike when it's ready. Occasionally, and I mean occasionally, something can be done to illicit a strike response but it's not the norm. A reduction in line and / or bait size can do it. A change in presentation speed, either very fast or even super slow sometimes can do it. Additionally, the younger (insert smaller) the bass the better the odds that any one (or more) of these modifications can work. None of this applies during the spawn or when guarding fry as the fish are often in a different mode. On a positive note - this is not a totally bad thing, as I have at least a decent chance of returning to the scene of the crime, when the bass may be in a feeding mode and putting some of these previously frustrating bug-eyed donkeys in the net. Another tactic I've used to successfully get strikes from repeated followers is to change up the approach / presentation angle or direction. By changing up boat position either right then and especially when returning to fish the bass later, casts come to the fish differently which has worked. Shallow to deep, Deep to Shallow and even parallel to structure / cover try them all. Followers can be frustrating but in my mind they are a whole lot better than going long periods of Nothing. Edit ~ This response is covered rather succinctly by WRB's post above - Tom's routinely beating me to the punch A-Jay

Using the handle to shut the bail on a spinning reel isn't a good idea. Use your hand to shut it just like you did to open it.

Grabbed 2 new squarebills, one can never have enough right?

Catt is spot on about negative clues, anything. And I'll repeat ANYTHING thats negative will deter a hit, and that goes whether its clear water or not. I smother my lures with the proper scents, to mask the human scent, I use light green mono line, (although flourocarbon should be used) Im used to the mono's and very rarely do I exceed 12 pound test. The point about cadence is important because that is often what attracts a fish to a lure. If your cadence of twitch, twitch, RIP,.is what attracted the follow, continue it. When the fish gets close, pay close attention to how it reacts to your lure. If you feel a faster movement will entice a strike, as if you think the bass will think the prey is scared, try it. If that works,.. great. If it doesnt work, stick to the original cadence and see what happens then. Its a game of "what do I need to do" The fish's reaction could be of territory, impulse, hunger, or even competition.,.. within all of these, scent, sight, vibration, and sound will be what triggers the initial reaction, if that sense is negatively altered, the fish will swim away,..But If you can produce a positive que to the correct sense, the fish will be more likely to strike. Using the clear water can actually be your friend in this way. So be very attentive to the fish's reaction, in whatever you do, or even use for that matter. A jerkbait offers many different looks and sounds. This may be why it was more effective than other lures that day. If you are returning to the same lake? Id use the same lure that produced before, covered in a scent that matches what the lure looks like. and watch what happens, then mimic what works everytime you see one coming for a follow. Good Luck, I hope this helps some Keep ya line wet

Great choice for your #1, mine is a tube. More specifically it's an internally weighted tube rigged weedless. I can present it anywhere in the water column with any number of different actions, plus I can go with a vertical or horizontal presentation. I guarantee both yours and mine will be tied on one of the five rods on my deck for the remainder of the season here.

Ryan Renolds caught and released a 19 lb Largemouth for a small 350 acre Northern Cal lake on Oct 28 using GYCB black blue Hula grub. Considering this a fall period bass, not pre spawn the bass could be 20 lbs+ in 3 to 4 months during the spawn. The is probably the heaviest ever weighed from NorCal! Photos on line Lake Chabot record bass. Tom

I saw that video last night - impressive to say the least. I really like it when an angler gets as much enjoyment & satisfaction in a successful release as he does with the record breaking catch itself. Congrats to Mr. Renolds. A-Jay

Nice Boat Buying weather right there ~ A-Jay

I catch LMB and occasional SMB from 30' at both Castiac and Casitas during the summer period for decades and never had the need to needle (fizz) a bass with over inflated air bladders. DVL lake is another matter, the bass are down to 45' to 50' during the summer due to,a deep thermocline and extremely clear water, the bass air bladders always need to be needled (fizzed) caught that deep. After the fall turnover our winter period bass are often 60' to 80' deep, fizzing those bass is essential for survival. You would need to fin clip weight a bass for several hours to loose a tiny amount of gas, it dissipates through the digestive track along the spline, no valves to release the gas! Keeping a bass swimming upright doesn't help them release air bladder gas, releasing them quickly allows the bass to swim back down if the air bladder isn't protruding out the basses throat. Hoping the clips help doesn't change the physical facts. The only thing I can think of is the clips may help to keep the bass swimming around in the live well and oxygenated therefore healthier and stronger allowing those bass the ability to swim back down after being in the livewell for hours. Tom

The site I use to post photos is down. They'll be back; I hope. TnRiver46, I'm in Northern Colorado.

Janderson45's late season success got me curious about 'the Nip' so I diverted from my original plan and gave it a whirl. It sure is a BIG, SHALLOW place. It was very windy and appeared significantly lower than normal from the dark lines on rocks I saw. Surface temps were 54.X. I cruised past the big island to see what was to see. I turned back about 100 yards from the farthest shore from the launch because it was so shallow and worked the 3-3.5' areas around the big island where my Lowrance marked skads of fish. I started with a little gold Yozuri square bill I did well with at one of Fishing Rhino's haunts and a Perch flavored Shadow Rap. The Rapala didn't pan out so I switched between my go-to Zoom U-Tail and a white/chartreuse spinner bait. The Yozuri got me a bass, roughly a pound or so on the NW side of the island. I continued, without luck for the rest of the afternoon. I tied on a Mepps spinner to see if I could coax ANYTHING out of hiding. No such luck, but I didn't get SHUT OUT. It looks like a good place to fish. Perhaps I'll give it another shot in the Spring. Hopefully we'll get a lot of rain/snow this winter and water levels will come back up.

Unless the dude is just terrible with numbers and has no sense of weight I don't see how this makes sense.

have you been drinking Crusty?

Any deep structure where bait fish tend to be located at should also hold a few big bass. Long points that drop into deep water, humps, isolated rock piles. Knowing the depth the bass are at is very important when working deep swimbaits. Make casts that run paralell to the deep structure making bottom contact occasionally. Casting over points and working up the opposite side and back down the towards you. Casting out into deeper water and working side or up hill, then doing the opposite direction. Swimbaits are a slow presentation that takes a lot of dedication to cast for hours with a few strikes, but the strikes are usually big bass. Tom

6lb is low when you factor in today's diameters with everyone fishing Japanese lines. I fish my jerkbaits with 8lb sniper generally, but if I'm losing to you in the boat, I may risk it with 6lb.

A-Jay - I know you will keep at it until your bait bounces off the hard water ... Good luck up there It's nice that we have mild winters here in Tennessee...