Ratherbfishing

It just varies from lake to lake and from season to season and even day to day. Lately, with more limited access, my numbers (and size) have dropped considerably. The last pond I was at, in two hours of fishing I caught 2 bass which I considered an accomplishment. But other lakes (in previous years, anyway) usually promised 4 or 5 fish an hour. Even that was subject to the mercy of King Neptune. Only rarely do I have 40 plus fish days.

I must be getting OLD (and stuck in my ways). Half the lures I hear about, I've never heard of before. But I need them too!!!!!

There ought to be a "dislike this" button.

Talk to John Bobbitt. I bet he knows.

You might as well be asking me how often I get appendicitis. True lunkers are few and far between. Fortunately, I'm happy with even small fish. Not AS happy, but happy.

I'm not a walleye fisherman but it seems like an extremely soft tip would be good for light walleye bites, etc. Just guessing, though.

I'm beginning to understand why alcoholics go to bars-to find people that are even bigger drunks than they are. Thanks, fellas! I feel better now.

My older baits tend to fall into two categories: 1) Trusty and reliable or 2) Too pretty to get rid of. I use the former more than most of my newer baits until they aren't working-then I reach for the new baits-which then either become trusty and reliable or too pretty to get rid of. Then, when my box exceeds it's carrying capacity, they go into the "museum".

When a guide enters a contractual agreement to take YOU fishing and to assist YOU in catching fish, their entire day should be with the thought of putting YOU on fish and then helping YOU catch them. Sometimes, particularly when the fishing isn't easy, a guide may feel compelled to fish some in order to establish a pattern and find productive cover. BUT when they do so, they need to communicate this intent/behavior with the client and even go as far as determining if this is acceptable. Personally, I don't want to pay hard earned money in order for someone ELSE to fish.

As far as paying a guide goes, just do it. If the experience was poor, just don't use him (or her) again. With regards to a TIP, that's another story altogether. My thinking is this: IF you as a guide are factoring in the tip as what's necessary to meet basic living and equipment expenses, than you are charging too little in the first place. If you think a tip is simply what's coming to you (regardless of your performance), sorry charlie. I've tipped well for things and at times I've scarcely tipped at all but in each instance, there were reasons for it.

It's perfectly acceptable to "lip" bass. Just don't tongue them.

Not saying you would do this but if you do offer some money, make it sufficient to not seem like an empty or pathetic gesture.

One lure to rule them all. One lure to find them. One lure to bring them all. And in the darkness bind them. Yesss, my precious wantsssssss!!!!

Usually the time it takes to position your body, the rod, and to take up slack for a proper hookset (and retrieve) is all the time which is required on soft plastics. Perhaps, on a tight line and especially with an extremely stiff rod, if you immediately react (jerk) without giving thought to the aforementioned requirements, you could ****** it out of their mouths. There will always be a few missed fish but as others have said, some of those are going to be pesky bream, etc.

What he said. But hey, there'll be more opportunities. This one just fanned the flames.

Me thinks on windy days when boat control is difficult, the guy in the back can have an equal or sometimes better chance of catching fish. Otherwise, it depends on the "courtesy" of the boater. Usually when I'm in the front I try to place the boat so that everyone has a good opportunity to hit a target. It's supposed to be about fun for all. But that probably explains why I don't fish tourneys.

For sheer involvement in the catching process (from A - Z), few things beat a soft plastic.

Limp braided line, short strikes and windy days are a recipe for wrapped guides. My guess is that the 832 is limper than the Power Pro.

Keep that friend!

Lighter fluid and a match should do the trick. Joking! : ) Burning is a generic term for moving the lure very quickly through the water and is especially effective when the "reactive bite" is on. This can be applied to just about any lure although some, if you "burn" them too quickly will do cartwheels or other undesireable acrobatics in the water. A favorite lure to burn is the spinnerbait where you retrieve it at such a speed as to create a "bulge" in the water film and sometimes have the spinner "spit" water onto the surface. As mentioned already, burning a lure is good when the fish are "reacting" to a fast moving bait. It can also be good if/when you don't want the fish to get too good a look at your bait. How, you may ask, do you find this out? Trial and tribulation, I suppose.

You said the lake was very shallow. HOW very shallow? WHERE is this pond located? In northern climes, if it's too shallow it may get too cold (and the ice too thick) in the winter to support much fish life. Same, goes, I think, for (hot) water temps in Southern climes. There has to be enough oxygen to support fish.

This is cool (not for the mouse) but i doubt bass specifically target mice. A buddy and I fish white Moss Mouse's (mice?) over slop all the time and while we catch fish, it's questionable if the fish know (or care) whether they are mice or just SOMETHING which is edible. I do sometimes jokingly suggest that my moss mouse which still has all its whiskers catches more fish than it's whiskerless cousin.

To me the "reasonable" fee would be cost of parts but no labor. He hadn't fixed it.

cigarettes, chocolate bars, and some panty hose.

Numbers: Behind Size: Way behind Lost access to several fishing holes It's probably mid-life crisis issues. I've had rough years before but I'm having a tough time shrugging this one off. Anyone want to buy a boat?