Spankey

My biggest pet peeve has not been the sales or stock of items but the password situation I’m into to log into my account. My password doesn’t stay maintained. Gonna have a call to them. Don’t know if y’all agree but I find since Covid has really diminished many many retailers and on-line no longer have stock of a lot of items I use. It’s not a matter of anglers buying these thing up but just nonexistent. Can’t buy line the way I want to.

The local river I fish, and if history repeats itself my nicer fish are gonna come in September and October. I’ve gotten nice ones during the spring and summer months but that transition comes easier to deal with.

I haven’t been on the Delaware River yet this season but will be. I struggle with spawn time so I don’t try to pinpoint it. The tidal sections I structure fish, fish feeder creeks and flats with drop off same as non tidal. Can’t say I ever fished the main body of the river. Would not know how. The D is a mixed bag of Smallies and Greenies from the same areas. They seem to take the same things. But again I’ve never tried to figure out Smallie spawn in the Tidal areas. The D is not too far from my location but I’m fishing non tidal closer to home. Have fun with it.

In the almost 50 years of fishing for them the spawn time has been my toughest thing to figure out. I blame myself. And even when you think you have it figured out the next season(s) it seems like you have to start it all over again. In a river situation I believe they can move for miles because I believe they winter in the deepest holes. Spring/Early spring to me they are a tough bite. I find it very frustrating. Small hair jigs, countdowns, and Shad Raps are some that work for me. Then at the turn of a dime they show up. Where have they been? Most likely under my nose. Good Luck. You are a hard working Smallie Master.

Hope y’all got through the winter or at least working its way out of winter for you. Winter is trying to end for me and I’m ready to pick up where I left off in October. Did not go stir crazy or pull a scene from the Shining on the old lady this winter. She’s lucky. Got some ducks and deer hunting in and I shot in a winter trap league that I’ve been shooting for years, ended on Sunday w/ 13 deg. air temp. in the AM. Finishing up a couple indoor winter projects. Snow runoff should help water quality this season on the river along with moderate spring rains. Been dream a lot lately of those little bassturds. Pretty common occurrence for me to do that. It’s do to the sickness. But woke up this morning in a different light after some good smallie dreaming and had a song pop in my head that stuck for awhile that reminds me of summer smallie fishing on the river. Not sure if you guys know the tune “Rain In The Summertime” by the Alarm. Sure makes me think about those Smallies. Drifting with the current at sunup already 90 deg. praying for a passing shower. Small fishing in the rain is good stuff, usually something good comes out of it. Looking forward to my smallies, BS’ing with you guys, and hopefully can help out some newbies on here. I’ve loved this site for years and you guys are a good bunch.

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Across the country all rivers are not created equal (they can’t be). I’m not an expert by a long shot on bass behavior. I don’t think a rattling bait spooks them. Might make them shy away from a bait but maybe tomorrow that same bait they may take. I believe this happens all the time. They sort of survive on instinct. Can’t think of anything I use that covers more water better than a crankbait. But other baits probe the water better.

I’m glad you had a good time. I’ve never been to a baby shower or bridal shower but had my arm twisted to go to events that I had no desire to go to. The other dudes there have been decent guys. Some fish, some hunt, some golf. It’s all good. The party didn’t start at 6:00 in the AM. I would have gotten in a few hours of fishing in. Been home before noon. I’ve had to make that clear a few times over the years. Just those few hours makes that party less miserable.

Here in the NE we have been getting our share of rains. Lake and river has been in some degree of stain. A cool night here and there is not a fall spark here. After the holiday I see we are getting hot again (90’s). Might still be weeks out. Loosing sunlight but not much of a water temp drop. The first couple of weeks in October over the years have gotten me my bigger River Smallies. Hope it holds true this season. Cottons, Rapalas and Rat-L-Traps and worms. Blues don’t work well for me through out the season. Clearer fall water and blue patterned baits draw some attention.

Crankbait fishing is a big part of my fishing on the river and the lake. I have confidence baits that both rattle and don’t in squarebills and rounded lips. I believe majority of my fish have been caught on a rattling crankbait. Rattling by a wider margin. My waters are stained more than they are clear and most likely my reason for throwing rattling by a wider margin.

That’s great to hear. I have not had any experience with academy but I was super shocked with an order from TW. An over $50.00 order. Was told it would be shipped from two locations by the 29th. The stuff from GA I got in two days. Heck it usually was 10 days and I never really complained about that before because I’m never in a big rush for anything. But this fast is great.

I fall right in there with you guys. I’m sure you’re about like I am and feel. That you are an accomplished fisherman on your local scale but don’t know how you’d be on a new and strange bodies of water. But most likely would do ok by just applying everything you know and pull off some fish. I feel the pro’s have fished so much that they excel in getting that extra couple of bites when things seem to totally turn off. I’m probably not saying that correctly but that’s what I see these guys doing. Pro’s have days where they struggle but it looks like at the next Tourney they flip it around. Almost impossible to compare yourself to a pro but don’t sell yourself short on your skill and ability. Fishing hard and not giving up and keep hanging in there will get you fish. I wish I would have had the resources to pursue fishing as a way of life. Or at least been able to try. I’d love to fish with Greg Hackney and Mark Zona. Have them give me the biggest humbling experience ever and call me anything they wanted to.

Done the truck sleeping thing while fishing on the Chesapeake Bay a couple of times. Others were doing the same thing. Once I stopped at a local Wally World to take care business and plugged in my charger. I straightened up some tackle in the parking lot and grabbed some dinner within walking distance. Than went back to the ramp. I’m ok doing this for one night. But not multiple days. Sleeping in the truck is not that comfortable. The one ramp has campsites. I may look into that the next time I want to fish that area.

Thanks for sharing that.

For me that’s when I have to really slow things down and fish soft plastics. Fish a bit deeper. I’ll do this before I make I make the location change.

I’m one to get kidney stones. Have not had many issues the last couple of years. But I drink more water these days than ever before. Not sure if it does any good or not but if I drink a coffee or an iced tea I chase it with a water. I have to stay away from Gatorade, doesn’t agree with my system. If I do drink it I have to cut it 50/50 with water.

I’ve never used it on my bass lure blades. Why? I don’t know. But I’ve been doing it to blades on my trout lures for years. I had heard of the tooth paste trick moons ago but I use Scotch Brite.

I’m pretty much a creature of habit with many of my bait colors. On a very productive bait of mine I bought it in Goby. Base color is basically Green Pumpkin w/ larger gold and purple flecks. I’ve been setting on it and have been reluctant to use it. As of late the bite has been off and was time to work with this color. On the river smallies it has been less productive (but works), but is being taken by bluegill, sunfish, and rockbass. Some have been nice size. Why does it seem the smallies are less attracted to the gold and purple fleck and the panfish are more attracted. If I were to fish this bait tomorrow my results could flip flop. I think the bait is well designed for most fresh water fish. It can be rigged many ways and you can’t fish it wrong.

Could make one out of PVC. Variety of cap options. Multiple diameters.

Tom you are correct also. I’m sure there are a lot of us throwing things we like and sometime throw them for too long before switching up. I like switching up baits but admittedly I think I don’t do it quick enough.

I think I’m going to agree with this. It’s been a tuff bite for me all season. I’ve been catching bass but just not catching many of those respectable fish. Not PB fish just plain respectable fish. Crankbait fishing is almost in the toilet over the last few weeks. I’ve been fishing soft plastics for the most part as of lately. On the river I don’t fish many big plastics, mostly a finesse style of baits. If a lite T rig bite stops, switching to a slider of the same bait sometime things pick back up again, change to a drop shot/split shot rig or jig rig it. I’m seeing this now on some of my preferred (bass preferred) soft plastic. I’m throwing pumpkinseed, green pumpkin, green pumpkin water melon laminate and black. No particular color results are pretty much the same.

I’m usually solo and most of my outings are not more than 8 hours. Unless a road-trip. Waters Fruit Cups Raisins Turkey Sandwich Oatmeal Cookies

They loved it. I was sort of lead to believe they had fished before. I didn’t pick up on that at all, a kid(s) a lot of times sing like canaries. I heard nothing of the sort of prior fishing. They were smart enough to know what fishing is. I had a good time with them. At first I felt bad about catching that big cattie, wanted the whole day to be about the kids. If by chance they hooked it it would not have turned out well. Would have gotten ugly. Probably would have lost that St. Croix rod and Shimano reel. They liked the diner. That was a plus. You can get breakfast there 24/7.

I don’t really set out to fish for catfish. I’m usually good for a couple a year though caught on my bass baits. They will slam a crankbait like a freight train. Not necessarily a firetiger pattern either in a stained water condition. Majority in clearer water on natural colors. I caught one yesterday 29.5” 12 pound channel. Fishing a finesse rigged PowerWorm on 6 lb. test. What a fight. Can see you getting pulled around some.

Nice pics and great fishing. We fish water that is quite a bit different. I have an addiction to fishing crankbaits and the patterns center around bluegills, shad and herring. Lake forage. Can usually make something happen with them. You have a top water haven.