bigbill

Yesterday it was humid, plus we had a warm light rain. These are the days to be fishing even if you can go in the evenings. I would be in my favorite spot at 4:30pm. Fish till dark. They do turn on as the sun starts to go down. Don't let this unusual warm weather slip by.

I see more deer while fishing than I ever see hunting. I pack heat but it's because of the bears. I don't like interruptions while I'm bass fishing. Lol I'm too slow to run and can't climb trees. Just too old to fight.

I toss the casictic 10" trout on occasion. It's one of there first large swimbaits I'm not sure how the boy does it but it's tough even for a few casts.

Joesfly in his spinflys. Blackgnat silver or gold blade. I'd scale down baits at first till you see what's there. sometimes I'd swear there are no fish in a new spot till we break the ice. Do you know the depth? I would wait till the ice was on then poke holes to learn the layout of the bottom. But now they have the hummingbird portable fish finder I use to find out were the drop offs are, flats, the depth, the holes. Etc. it's a big help knowing this info when no topology maps are available. Not knowing the layout of the pond were fishing blind. Once I know the depths I can adjust the depths of my baits. We can fish it top to bottom. i did find out during ice fishing before the portable fish finder the water was only 4' deep. Plenty of bass, pickerel plus the 32" pickerel. i can't judge the body of water by its size.

When we use a boat we fish we're the submerged weeds are. We find the weeds then back off to deeper water as the weeds disappear we anchor the boat and cast towards the weeds and shallows. Using a split shot rig with a 6" black creme worm. We're talking tactics from the early 70's that still works today. Fishing points from shore. I fish up them starting at the deeper water. I cast to the far side and bring my bait over the top of the point. Or I fish parallel to the point about 2 to 3' on each side. Don't be afraid to hop a jig around the point too. Don't fish too fast.

Here I fish three or four places locally. I find all of them hold bigger bass. This tells me it's not the 3 to 6lbers keeping up the bass populations. How do I know? I lost a few bigger bass plus seen them swim by me at the drop off. My jaw drops in awe. if your fishing from shore, have your tackle box set up so your baits are easy to pull out. Grease your reels. i would fish in the dark starting at 5:00am. But be very very quiet. Be very very stealthy. I'm so quiet I swear I'm not even there. Walk softly don't step on tree roots or rocks sticking up out of the ground. It sends sounds into the water it's natures alarm system. I use spinning reels too and open and close the bail by hand again no noise. I avoid the baitcaster click when the spool engages after a cast. you want bigger bass, be stealthy. Fish early mornings and evenings. The bass turn on during these times. In the dark, early mornings the bass are at the shoreline looking for a easy meal. Onetime I used a flashlite at the waters edge and seen eels at the waters edge. I'm thinking the bass are near the shoreline feeding on these eels. A plastic worm could mimic these eels. its not luck in fishing it's our skills that catch fish.

Losing big bass sounds like me. I been cursed ever since my PB of 10lbs was caught. I have lost probably four or more bigger bass. I can't control them. I just can't land them. There like hooking a freight train. Every time I change the rear hook on my baits I go up one size larger. the one in my picture is 6lb 1oz. I was watching a fish tearing up the pads within my reach from shore. I casted away from the weeds to draw the fish out. It worked I landed her. As she was in my hand the action in the weeds continued. There was another bass in there. This was around early September. I hit this spot again in November just before thanksgiving. It was snowing lightly. I fished near the pads again. I could just see my money minnow doing my dying minnow twitch presentation. All of a sudden fish on. She bent my rod like it never bent before. She's a big one. The fight lasted a little while then the heart break began she spit the minnow. i been so close to a new state record. I won't record it to the state not to report where I caught it, I don't want the place hammered.

I'm disabled. A five year prostate cancer survivor, spinal stenosis, three bulging lower discs in my back, a golfball sized kidney stone in my left kidney, worn out knees, bad hip. I refuse to let this stop me from fishing. But there's no good handicap spots anywhere. I have a walker with a seat. My local hot spot was this swamp. It's private land on both sides but there's a road and a bridge to fish from. The law states we can fish and body of water if we can cast into it from a road. No one owns the water. I fished this spot for decades. The land was sold and I was told to leave, no fishing. I asked our local fish and game service and told him what I said here but he won't do anything. It's a tough call, like don't rock the canoe. my thoughts are to get into the politics and push for places where the handicapped can fish. I'm not fighting just for me but for every disabled/handicapped person and for the future when someone becomes disabled. There has to be away to fight this. anythoughts? I'm thinking about the ones who are worse off than I am. im still getting around slow. I have no clue where this pic of this fish came from

How about the forces of the strike between LMB and SMB.? i find the river bass are stronger than the pond and lake bass.

My ritual of baits I toss on any given day searching for bass is, topwater popper rebel blue mepps #3 inline spinner silver blade gray tail rapala #f7 orginal floater blue manns classic spinnerbaits 1/4oz white or chartreuse manns baby 1 browncrawdad Strike King #3 inline spinner silver blade, black tail bomber FAT A crank, redapplecraw size 05 bomber FAT A crank, baby bass orange bottom Topnocker in chartreuse #25 color jointed rapala black gold panther marten spinfly rapala orginal floater black c-rig senko wacky rigged c-rig brushog split shot rigged black worm 6" add a bass scent. when I first started bass fishing we used live minnows that would show us exactly what's there at a new spot. You could try throwing small pieces of bread? my misses went to the gym were they had a drainage pond. She was feeding the ducks bread when she seen the fish eating it too. We went there and caught dinks, but as the years progressed the lastime there they were 3lbers. I have no clue how the little bass travel but there is a spring feeding the pond.

I fished a swamp like this, besides bass of all sizes I landed a 32" pickerel too. But my spot has stumps as far as the other side. fact, Jimmy Houston caught his first double digit lmb in candlewood lake in ct in we're the stumps are. He has family here in the area and visits to fish often. My point is fish stumps even in small places, they are the best like a box of chocolates you never know what you will get. Tip, inline spinners, spinnerbaits,,,,,,,

sorry Tom, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Anglers_Sportsman_Society jerry with our own Glenn, https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/jerry-mckinnis-bass.html I loved watching the Fishing Hole tv show as a kid and a adult. Jerry would build his own boat, one a year. Way before bass boats were offered.

Cover the bass as predators. Like a cat they may strike or sit back. Bass aren't much different. Each cat is different and some can be aggressive or laid back. physics, it it looks alive they will strike it. Maybe? Think like a cat it could take many casts to make them strike. But a attacking frenzy may occur too. ever play with a red dot laser with a kitten? how about adding Dr. Loren Hills ten year research into what colors the bass sees and the development of the color C lector and combo C lector? You know the bass are there but not biting. Just some ideas for you.

I would toss a panther Martin, a mepps inline. Start out with small baits. Fished slow. The panther martin silver blade orange fly is a hot one here. http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/panther-martin-pro-guide-anywhere-6-spinner-kit?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions

I'll add my PB 10lbs was caught with a bubble pack quantum spinning reel and a Shakespeare's rod from Walmart. I used excaliber silver thread 8lb test line. The bass didn't know the difference but maybe it did and didn't say anything it felt sorry for me, lol. i use fin nor, globe, viva, us reel, okuma spinning reels. im not cheap, don't call me cheap, I'm frugal. I'm eating above the dollar menu now. I miss those days of the $0.25 cheeseburgers. No happy meal for me but I do miss the toy. Lol

I used Mitchell reels back in the day. I still have a Mitchell reel on its orginal garcia two star rod. This was my bass rod setup back in '74.

Fish before the storm you might catch the feeding frenzy I been talking about. During this frenzy inline spinners are hot.

Fish a few days before the full moon and a few days past the full moon.

First, I only fish smaller places. I notice the fish can be very wary. The least little noise can spook them or put them on guard. I'm very stealthy when I walk up, put my tackle box down, handle my rods. I only use a spinning reel and operate the bail by hand avoiding the click of the baitcaster when the spool clicks in. I do not step on exposed rocks or roots on top of the ground as I walk up to my spot. Stepping on roots and rocks sends sounds into the water it's natures alarm system. I cleared my throat once and watched a large bass swim away from shore right in front of me. Next I find that turtles can shut the place down. The minute I see turtles on the topwater infront of me it's time to move. If they are on the bottom clawing it up you can tell by the line of bubbles. Again move. As the weather turns colder I change my presentation. I like to use the dying minnow twitch with yum money minnows(example). Make it look like an easy meal. I don't weight the minnow.

Try to set the hook and play the bigger fish. Tire them out.

I was in a local bait shop in town and always hit his marked down baits. A orange spook and a green n yellow spooks caught my eye. I figured for $1.99 each I'd buy both. One morning while fishing I would try the orange spook. Well five bass later I'm thinking I need more orange colored baits. Besides the rapalas there aren't many other orange colored baits. How come we don't see more orange colored baits? Time to breakout the spray can soon I guess. I have a air brush setup somewhere never used it yet. i knew before this the crankbaits with the orange colored bottoms seem to be hotter.

I like my crankbaits and topwater baits with rattles it's ringing the dinner bell. Using a scent is a plus. With plastic worms I use a worm rattle in the head. If the worms aren't scented I add a scent sometimes. Twitching the rod tip makes the rattle ring the dinner bell. I like to use the 10" & 12" culprit worms too on occasion. my Carolina rig I use a brass bullet weight with a brass clicker. Again I either let it fall or twitch my rod tip to rattle it. changing to different spots. Fishing from shore I can gun n run faster than a boat, lol to different nearby spots. If the heavy rains stirred up the bacteria on the bottom and shut the fish down. It happens where the PH level is bad. If your in a boat there are PH meters you can use. confidence levels, I'm so up beat nothing can lower my confidence when I'm fishing. I know from fishing there for decades the fish are there. They sometimes can be testing my skills too. lol it's up to us to figure it out. Try different colors. when I was logging and cutting trees the work put me all over the forests. One job took me to a popular lake not far from two dog leg coves. I watched two great northern pikes chasing bait fish in both dog legs. I was in awe watching this action. They were constantly breaking the surface, my point is in a cove think topwater. To me covering a area quickly is a spinnerbait or topwater spook. In fly fishing they say match the hatch. In bass fishing I'd say match the baitfish.

But my heart is pumping faster when I watch a bass slap my topwater bait silly as it passes by, then turns to inhale it. Now other times I'm depending on the feel of the rod or watching the rod tip for the slightest nibble. Using a split shot rigged worm they can sneek up on it with no feeling on the rod. Either way when in doubt set the hook.

Jerry McKinnis is one of the investors? He's the one who started bassmasters. And brought bass fishing to what it is today. This could be a good thing to maybe revive it? I'm saying we don't fully see what's going on. Sometimes a sport needs a shot in the arm to take it to the next level. Pay for view I hope not. After the Tyson vs Spinx fight I don't do any pay for view. Lol for years hunting and fishing shows are on Saturday and Sunday mornings. When do we fish and hunt dah? I wish we had prime time fishing and hunting shows then we could see what the sponcers have to offer too.

Don't forget gin clear water? Lol Tom I've seen the bellys of bass in the spring with mud on them. There might be some truth to what your hinting at.