Bankbeater

I realized that I learned something that I practice about every time I go fishing, and that is just because they angler in front of you didn't catch anything in a spot does not mean the bass aren't there.

The free rig has been around for a while, but it never had a name. Years ago I heard of guys fishing free rigs with crankbaits, to get the bait down near the bottom, and keep it down there.

Snow doesn't bother me as long as I don't have to shovel it or drive in it.

Most of the bass I caught in November were around submerged vegetation. They were either in shallow water or in shallow water that was near deeper water. It seemed the thing that made them bite was the wind. If the wind was blowing I got bites.

My PB was caught locally. Maybe 20 miles or so from home. I think to break that I will need to either do a lot more fishing or fish someplace where the pressure is not so intense.

A rainy day during the summer months means it's time to fish a buzzbait.

After each trip, everything gets taken down into the basement for storage until the next trip. Rods get stored vertically in a holder. In the winter I remove the reels from the rods for cleaning. Once everything is cleaned I put the reels back on. Around here you never know when you'll get a warm winter day.

I learned about the rate of the fall, that sometimes it's not the bait but the presentation turning off the bite, and that bass fishing in the winter is an actual thing,

I start off by pitching a craw around wood, exposed brush, and submerged grass. If that doesn't work I start going finesse with some Dingers and finesse worms on a split shot rig, or weightless depending on the wind.

I have a couple of baitcasting rigs that are nearly the same. I put the iced-up one back in the car and while it is thawing back out, I use the second rig. This will work fishing from the bank, but not from a boat. Also, this works better on sunny days.

Cold weather with a light drizzle doesn't bother me. When we get a hard rain this time of year I will go fishing if the rain is off and on. Add some wind to the hard rain and I don't even consider going out.

Good video. A lot of good info and history.

Maybe around 6 to 6-1/2 lb. That bass has been eating good.

Happy Thanksgiving Bass Resource.

Jig and craw on the bottom and around any vegetation, lipless crankbait, bladed jig when the spinnerbait bite starts falling off, and jerkbaits.

A couple of baits from this past weekend's trip. Arbogast Buzz Plug and an old Daiwa crankbait.

I just saw this. Very sad. R.I.P.

My helper likes to remind me what the speed limit is. I tell her that I'm doing the speed limit, and I get told to slow down. We've had some discussions.

My dad had a bunch of old Lazy Ike lures in his tackle box. These are the ones with the metal lip on them. I remember him saying they worked in the river. I've never used them.

I fish Big Game on everything except my punch rig. I tried braid some years ago, and didn't care for it.

I've probably caught more bass on a Smithwick Rogue than anything else.

I've been lucky this year. I have been able to get out on the water so far this month. In some years past I've had to wrap it up in the middle of October.

The Shimano SLX-150. I didn't think for 99 bucks it would be as smooth or last as long as it has.

White, black, or chartreuse and white. Same with buzzbaits.

Last year I started using my dad's old double edge razor from back in the day. After using a Gillette Atra for 30 years there was a bit of a learning curve, but it is easier to clean and the blades are cheaper.