senile1

If you look at any Buck Perry diagrams for lakes he analyzed they always had a lot of detail. I don't think you can make it too detailed when you are talking about the bottom of the lake as there are specific tiny structure features that you may not be aware of that could be very important to bass. Your diagram is one way to begin breaking down a lake and I don't find fault with whatever method suits you. However, I would carry your analysis further as it currently does not provide enough detail for me, though I could work from your diagram to add those details. Your lake breakdown should eventually show you where the bass are likely to hangout in each season, or as @Catt stated the structure that connects shallow spawning flats to the deepest water. Bass will be found somewhere along this path, depending on the season.

That's terrible. It sounds like you need to go back to 1 - 3 lb fish that have some fight in them. Right?

Amazing! Those are some extraordinary fish! I am curious what is the main forage that these bass are chowing down on. The post above mine arrived while I was typing. I think maybe I have my answer on the forage?

I am a good swimmer; however, as some have stated that will only get you so far in a boating accident. Wear the PFD and be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially on a busy body of water. You want to avoid mishaps if at all possible. Cold water spills can lead to hypothermia quickly. For dangerously cool water, always have dry clothes nearby - preferably in your boat.

Nice work!

Awesome bass x 2! The two monsters you caught would make any day a good day. Fishing in the temps you were fishing in just makes it that much sweeter. I'm sure the two flatheads didn't roll over and play dead either.

Thanks to all of you for the kind words.

Deleted.

My Dad passed away yesterday morning. Some of you may have seen a couple of posts (listed below) I have made in the last year about his Alzheimer's disease. He was just diagnosed a year ago; however, he was also diagnosed with mini-strokes that contributed to his dementia. We think that a stroke took him though we are not sure. He passed peacefully in his sleep. He still knew who we all were so I feel this is in some way a blessing because he didn't have to endure the worst years of Alzheimer's.

Where I live, water is typically frozen hard by the time we have single digits and lower. However, lakes of a few thousand acres will sometimes have some open water if the temps haven't been consistently that low. The problem is breaking through the ice to get to that water. And of course you have your powerplant lakes.

Nice ending to your story! I am glad everything worked out. Unfortunately, FishForDollars (Jack?) passed away a few years back. I only knew him through the forums but some of the members knew him personally and they will vouch for what a good man he was. I think @Catt and Jack did some fishing together if I am not mistaken.

Nice pics. Love that sunset!

And there's another Arizona football! Nice fish.

Nice work A-Jay! I don't know that I have seen that many "tank" smallmouth on one page.

As I get older I learn more and more to not worry about what I cannot control. I think bass fishing will be around for a while, more or less. As for information sources I have used books, magazines, this forum, YouTube, other anglers, etc. As I have progressed as a bass angler I discover that all of these sources provide less and less information that is new to me, though I still find the occasional helpful nugget. More and more, any improvements are made by thinking about the environment and the conditions I face on a body of water and adjusting my presentation and the location I am fishing.

I can only speculate as to why others would buy a high end rod because I am not a mind reader. I bought my first high end rod at a lower price on Ebay, out of curiosity. Like a few have stated, once I bought that rod I realized the incremental improvement in sensitivity for jigs and soft plastics was definitely worth it to me. I own a few and I can afford them. I highly suspect they have allowed me to catch a few bass that I would have never had any awareness had bitten. And I think because I can feel the bottom better, I hang up less. Like a lot of anglers I did not buy them before because I couldn't imagine the small improvement over a mid-range rod would make a difference. I was wrong.

Oh man. That is an absolute beast! I wish your scale had been functioning.

I would probably use it to help replenish any lures, line, hooks, weights, etc. that I have used up.

Welcome to BR!

Nice first post and nice, solid fish in that pic! Welcome.

Thanks for the update on the boat, Clayton. Looking forward to future updates.

Are you saying that fish . . . . "got small."

What a blast! Even on a cold day that activity will keep the fire burning.

I started using Mike Siebert's jigs about 11 years ago or so before they became the "it" jig on this board. At that time he didn't have all the different styles but he had a well built jig at a very nice price. I still use Mike's jigs almost exclusively and the Gridiron style football head is my football head of choice. Having said that, there are lots of good quality jigs out there though I think you would be hard pressed to find a better price for the same quality as Siebert's. And I think the anglers that make their own are definitely able to create exactly what appeals to them in a jig.

I had a similar situation a year ago. I made the post below about a 23.5 inch fish I had caught that was only 4 lb 10z. It had a huge mouth and long body but was skinny as a rail. I no longer use this photo hosting service so the pic is no longer visible. If I don't weigh it on a scale I don't make any definitive claims to weight. As for the subject of this thread, I am a DD virgin. In the future I plan to take a few trips to areas where my chances are better so hopefully that will change.