Bassun

I'm with you weather wise, I'd choose Saturday. But, I don't really like crowds. If there is a tourney going Saturday - I may would go Sunday anyway lol. I love midweek fishing, too bad I have to work in order to be able to afford fishing, lol.

Another option "may" be if there are any civic or conservation groups related to the lake -- they may have a map available.

While not part of the Smallmouth vs Largemouth debate, this is the best breakdown I've seen for the even more confusing Spotted Bass vs Largemouth ID. It really makes it easy to see the differences once you know what you are looking for. Ok, not sure what's going on with that image ... I tried to delete the weird one, but apparently cant.

Me and Rat-L-Traps have a love hate relationship. I almost made my partner jump out of the boat during a night tournament fishing a trap. It was about 2am or so, dead quiet. I was paralleling a shore with this big ugly striped trap (used to be a White Bleeding Shad before the paint and stuff flaked / beat / rubbed off. horrible paint but it worked!), basically chucking it as far as I could and retrieving it just fast enough to keep it off the bottom. Bump something, skip a crank or two then pick up the speed a tad. Caught a few bass and a couple hybrids doing that... Anyway, I rare back to rip another cast and something went wrong. I don't remember what I hit during the cast, but it sounded like gun going off! It scared the devil out of me, but really scared my partner lol. A few seconds later you could hear all the BB's hitting the water. I swear that thing cursed me... 6 more hours and not even a bite. Since then, I have never caught another bass on a Rat-L-Trap...

I admittedly spend way too long in one spot. I change lures too quickly, and locations too slowly...

We were fishing a local tourney years ago. Partner had a crank on and back lashed. He's fighting with the line while I fish on. Then I notice his line swimming off. He was just finishing getting the mess cleaned up so he reels like a mad man and sets the hook... on a solid fish! It's dragging off line and he's hooting about it being a bigg'un. I didn't really believe him too much until it almost surfaced and I got a glimps and it was definitely a brute! Ended up going about 10 pounds! The only problem is it was a bass tourney and he got ate up by a crazy channel cat! A couple casts later, dragging a worm I had a flat head chase it down. I don't know what they were doing, but if we had been fishing for fun it would have been awesome! He had another cat chase his crank and we left the cove. I hate leaving fish, but cat's don't pay when you're fishing for bass money lol.

Completely un-fish-related but similar fail story. It was two days after summer let out in school, 6th grade going into 7th. I was out riding my bike doing "wheelies". My uncle said that I shouldn't do it because I would get hurt. I replied, "Nah, I've been doing it for years..." Fast forward about an hour, rode a beautiful wheelie across a parking lot and down a little drop off - like i'd done many times before. Bike flips out from under me, and I would just land on my feet. No biggie. Except, this time my left leg just gave out. Nothing hurt too bad, but I couldn't get up or move my leg...then it started to hurt. Really hurt. Here I am alone, in an empty parking lot and having to holler for help. Did I mention it was behind a funeral home? Yeah, well in a small town you know everyone. The guy from the funeral home came out then called my dad. Yeah, and he started with, "This is so and so (whom dad knew ran the funeral home), you're son has been in an accident." Needless to say, there was some quick explaining and I ended up in a cast from 4 breaks in my leg for the entire summer. Not fun. But, it did break me of thinking it would be fine because it was before... but... didn't break me from riding wheelies lol. Hey, you can only learn so much from one lesson...

Clothes, rod and reel combo (cleaned it up and it works fine to this day), lures, rocks, etc. My "oddest" was on a charter boat off the coast in Florida as a kid. Something hit, and I started fighting. And let me tell you, it was HEAVY! At first I had no idea what it was, only that it must be something HUGE! A few minutes later the captain is laughing and playing with the throttle, which I assumed was to help me. Then it got closer, and I finally saw it. Looked like a giant jellyfish! I was totally confused and then everyone was laughing and cheering me on. Get it to the boat, finally, and it was a freaking huge, thick plastic bag. I had hooked the side of it and it was opened up like a freaking umbrella. It put up 10 times the fight of the 'cuda I caught a little later. My niece takes the cake though. She hooked a bluegill...via the line that had already passed through it where it had swallowed a hook! So she literally snagged the line that he had passed and drug him in by his butt!

Sam's dead on the money. There are other good publications out there like In-Fisherman etc. especially if you are not exclusive to bass. Years ago, I did just what he said and saved EVERY issue of anything fishing related. I went a different direction, and was a little "over the top" so to speak. I kept a little index of all the articles and what they focused on so I could pull them back up as needed. I'd highlight stuff, then label the article content to a useful category, maybe "Fall Pattern" or "Chatterbait Tips" etc, the Magazine, Issue and Page. I was amazed at how often I actually went back and skimmed over articles before or sometimes after a trip or tournament. The wife made fun of me, but I can tell you my fishing improved dramatically!

It's hard to make a decent guess without knowing where you caught it. There are a wide variety of bass out there... https://thefisheriesblog.com/2016/09/19/black-bass-how-many-species-are-there/ I saw a few here that I had not even heard of, much less would have ever identified...

lol - If I had a dollar for every time I've heard this debate I would have a few more LH reels. I 100% agree that it "seems" most common that people tend to reel left handed if they started with spinning gear, and right handed if they started with casting gear. Which makes me ponder -- why, if "right handed" retrieve is the "better" way would so many use a left hand crank on a spinning reel when you can swap the crank from one side to the other... if "right" is better wouldn't everyone just swap to a right hand retrieve on the reels where they can swap sides? I get that many of the casting reels are designed as RH only retrieves, so I can understand better how that would start you out reeling with the wrong, ahem, I mean "right" hand, lol. But now days, you have plenty of offerings in either configuration so pick what works for you. Whether there is an actual advantage of one over the other is going to be completely offset by your comfort level using one style vs the other. If you feel clunky reeling / casting with one hand vs the other - then swap. Don't get caught up in what is right or wrong, do what feels most natural and you will have better success.

As a secondary consideration for "why here", bass seem to gravitate toward a change. So, all things being equal - if you have a grass line, then a small area with lilly pads, then more grass -- I would generally start around the pads. The same is often true with docks - the first and last dock in a row - or a significantly different dock in the middle of a row of docks tend to produce more for me. If I'm blindly fishing, I look for some "feature" that stands out. Could be a lay down, change in bank structure, odd hump or point, etc.

If bites are coming, probably a fluke. If things are tough, probably a grub. On moving water (open river or creek), a Broken Back Rapala. Generally a J7 but I will size up and down depending on the size of the water.

I've always had the best luck with either black (colored tail or not), or june bug. I used to fish them a lot for smallies especially smaller sized lizards.

Wakes and jet skiers. I hate when people don't have the decency to avoid someone fishing. There's ton's of open water, why the heck are you 30 yards off my bow! Encroachment. Give me room, and I'll give you room. You get too close, I'm casting at you. Especially if it's getting dark. The worst are the local tournament fishermen. I don't know why, but over the last few years it has gotten worse. They will buzz right up on you and cut in front of where you're going. I get the water is free to fish wherever, but geez. And a relatively new one is the jackrabbit that moor's his boat IN the launch slip to go get his truck or park the truck after semi-launching. There's a whole dock open, but instead they tie off right there blocking the ramp. I got aggravated the other day at a dude perched at the end of the launch slip with his mini sail boat half blocking it, while I was idling around with my trailer ON THE RAMP waiting to load! @$$hat was taking selfies, and pictures of his GF. I finally decided I could / would make it fit and fight the wind off... he finally moved once I was about 15 yards off and coming in. I guess I could sum it up with entitled, disrespectful people. Off the water, add to that list every commercial or tv show that has the poor dude with the upside down spinning reel. Drives me bonkers. Out of all the people on the set you would think ONE would say, um yeah --- that's not right.

I've always had the best luck at night on flats near drop offs. Generally I would start around the drop with a shad rap, or other deeper diving crank and work my way more shallow. I try to upsize both in size and noise at night, and if I go to the surface I either fish black or something really highly reflective, especially around lit docks. Not surprisingly, I've had the better luck on the surface not right "on" the doc, but around the perimeter of the light range. I'd generally cast towards the doc and get bit way off, or if perpendicular I'd cast well past the doc and light, setting my retrieve to be about 20 or 30 feet off the front of the docks as it came by. I had an ugly ugly ugly torpedo looking thing, with reflective paint on it akin to what you see on a safety vest. Never caught a fish off it during the daylight, but along the edge of the light at night, it worked wonders. Lost it to what I am sure was a record breaking bass... although it could have been a striper or cat or beaver, I have no idea lol. All i know it hit like a monster and I set the hook into something as solid as a sunken log. That was the end of my ugly lure. I hate losing a fish, but I hate not knowing what I lost worse...

Echoing RoLo - any channels in the pond can hold and produce, sometimes for the same shade reasons, sometime just being a bit deeper and cooler, and naturally by offing a breakup along a fairly smooth bottom. I used to have great luck swimming a black with orange tail 6" worm across or along little creek channels mid day. Didn't do anything fancy, just slowly worked it down or across.

I've went in once. But, ironically not fishing at all. At the docks. I had just launched and just kind of pushed the boat off the dock and out of the slip to make room for another boat to launch, when a dude pulled right in behind me. I had not even lowered the motor yet. I grabbed the dock to stop the boat, but there was more momentum than I had strength and grip, I slowly stretched out until i was almost horizontal with my toes trying to hold the boat... and then they slipped over the edge, and that was that. I can only imagine how comical it was. I grabbed the tow line and handed it to a very polite woman on the dock (ie she didn't laugh in my face), and did a walk of shame back up the ramp, plodded dripping wet back down the dock, and back on the boat. The guys apologized for slipping in behind me, which did little to help the embarrassment. I pretty quickly dropped the motor, fired up and headed off. In hind sight, it could have been dangerous as I didn't even have my jacket on yet and I should have seen them coming before I pushed off. but, it was busy, I was rushing, and accidents happen. I got lucky that it was at the dock, and not mid lake --- its a devil for a short guy to get back on a boat in open water. I have since bought an emergency ladder I can use in that event.

Not a weird question at all, and has elicited some great stories. And nostalgia... nostalgia rocks! I started fishing with my dad using literally a stick and line for blue gills. And I mean a literal stick with a line tied to it. Not even a cane pole, lol. Dad had a few spinning reels, but I was way too small to use them so we used what was around. I LOVED IT! Fast forward a couple years, and I was probably 6 at the oldest and had gotten a "Snoopy" pole. So, I went up to my aunt and uncles place, who had a small, muddy, farm pond. My aunt tied on a 6 inch red creme worm, and told me there was a huge bass in that pond that no one had ever caught. They had hooked him a few times, but none had landed him. I, being 100% boy, was just positive I could catch him, lol. I cast out a few times, and BAM something tried to steal my pole. It scared me. I jumped, and threw down the pole, lol. Someone grabbed it, and gave it back and told me to reel. So I did. Like a mad man. I just reeled the devil out of it. I'm sure it was high quality line (ahem) but luckily the drag must have been set decently as I never broke off. And, eventually drug this huge fish out of the water. The adults were all going crazy, so I got excited. Turns out, my first fish on a real rod was a citation sized Largie that no one had ever landed before. That was that, hooked for life! It was a few years after that when I discovered this feller on TV catching fish like that on every cast, I still blame Bill Dance for me having too many lures lol. I saved up and ordered my first set of lures from Bass Pro, and the lure craze has been on ever since.

I've always skipped docks, brush, under overhangs, basically anywhere I could really put the bait way back out of the way. But not with jigs, or baitcasters, lol. Flukes and spinning gear, lol. Ok, maybe it's easier --- but it works! I always had trouble with casting gear, but, after watching his video it dawned on me --- I may just be using too long of a rod. All of my casting rods are longer, and I'm short. My favorite rod for skipping with the spinning real is just under 6 1/2. Why I never thought about it before baffles me... time to pick up a shorter stick and get to practicing!

I would not even consider trying to find your "best technique" yet. No offence at all, but, there are so many different techniques out there that one simply cannot find their best in a few months. You will likely find that your "best" changes with time... both seasonally, and in the long haul. The best advice I can give about finding confidence is just catching fish. Learning what to use to get that started is where you are now. The advice above on some specifics for your area is a GREAT starting place! K.I.S.S. and stick with a lure long enough to let the fish tell you they don't want it, not the other way around - especially when you are first learning. Regardless of all else, smaller lures generally catch more fish. So, when in doubt, downsizing is usually an OK decision. Right now you are not hunting Moby Dick, you're trying to catch "something". Don't be afraid to toss smaller stuff to learn how they work. A smaller crankbait may entice more, but often smaller, fish. Same with any lure. 2-3" grubs, for example, are a very plane and boring selection to many... but... they flat out catch fish all year round. And, you just about can't fish them wrong. Slip em on a jig (debates rage about tail up or tail down -- pick a side and fight, lol), and cast it out. Pretty much any retrieve "can" work... the fun is figuring out what the bass want.

Another way to think about it, is instincts - not "thinking". I personally do not believe bass possess higher level thought processes to "think" through a problem or situation. Instinctively, however, good and bad can be learned. That has been proven numerous times with numerous different creatures - I can cite studies but I think we all agree with that. Can they learn that a specific lure type is associated with a "bad" experience... sure, why would a lure be different than any other negative reinforcement? Now, as for many pros and others saying fish are stupid, and that you should keep it simple... is that really wrong? No, I don't think it is. And I don't think it is for a couple of reasons: A: You SHOULD keep it simple, Occam's Razor shows the simplest solution is usually the best solution. Catching fish is the problem, location, basic lure selection and presentation is the solution. If we "try" to theorize 100 different variables, invariably we will over analyze instead of just catching fish. I'm not saying to never adapt, one should always adapt based on the information given -- but start simple. Basic location based on weather/time of year, basic colors, basic lure types. Then refine. Another reason I don't think it's a bad philosophy to apply is B: Confidence. Plain and simple. If you genuinely believe fish are simple, then you will have greater confidence. Confidence, unlike arrogance, will certainly help you catch more fish. That's part of why so many pro's preach a confidence bait. But that mentality can extend further than one bait, and into confidence in catching fish overall. And, systematically, if you are more confident that you CAN and WILL catch fish - you will naturally make more simple choices. You will not be questioning every nuance of every lure you own - rather you will make a simple selection automatically because you have confidence that it will work. That selection process inherently becomes the K.I.S.S. principle in action, with no stepping back to make that realization. Naturally from there, you will begin to refine your presentation through adaptation. On the converse, instincts are hard to beat. And that goes both ways. All of us have probably been "in the zone". Where everything is just happening, you are not thinking about it - you are just doing it... instinctively -- and that is probably when you are the most effective angler - maybe by luck, maybe by nature, who knows. Fish live by instincts, we do too at the most basic level of our existence --- but we supplement it with a higher knowledge. Instincts are hard to beat...

Grubs are fantastic baits, and I personally think largely under appreciated and overlooked. While they may not be as effective for largemouth, they are killers for smallies. If you happen to be on a river and find some rapids -- try tossing a 3 inch white twin-tail mister twister right in the throat of a current and see what happens If that doesn't work, start dropping it into some eddies along the current breaks. Something, maybe bass, maybe bigger... will end up chomping down eventually. I almost always have a grub tied on to something, they are great when the bites get thin or you just cannot seem to find the fish. They are even better for just fun fishing for smaller fish with the 1-2" versions. But don't let their small stature fool you. As mentioned above, they are quite capable of coaxing huge bass into a bite. Especially around docks...which creates a bit of a mess if you're tossing 4lb line on an ultra-light and expecting gills... But beyond that, if you have someone new to fishing, or a kid with you --- these are a fantastic bait for them to use. Constant retrieve keeps them busy, so they are not as bored, and they are a true multi-species lure -- and can be worked shallow, mid, deep, bounce the bottom, as a fall bait (like on bridge pylons, etc), fast, slow, trolled, jerky, etc. It's a great introduction lure, that anyone can use with success. As a bonus they cast great, because of the jig, and if you lose one your out all of about a dime. I've had more than one fish hit them hanging over the side of the boat even, although I've never managed to catch one that did, oddly. As for the "bettle-spin", although usually rigged with a tail-less grub - they are one of the best baits I've ever used for farm ponds. And I will 100% attest to largemouth not being the least bit hesitant to inhale them!

Since Ghost is only available in 12 - 50 I may just go with Premium instead in 10lb.

Just to fish - not to get lessons, or improve any particular skill set - Bill Dance. There may be better fishermen, there are folks who have shown to be great teachers in any area, and there are some who are funnier, more exciting, more whatever. But, I grew up watching Bill Dance. His show inspired me to go beyond the fishing I was taught as a small child and because of him I saved up money (birthday, Christmas, etc lol) and put in my first order of "Bass Lures" from the Bass Pro catalog over 30 years ago. Now, I had no idea what I was getting - but I had about $100 dollars worth of gear that I just KNEW would put me on fish like Bill caught on TV. Never mind I wasn't fishing lakes. Never mind that we didn't have those lunkers in WV that he caught on TV. Nevermind that I thought he was catching all those in half an hour... I had the big jerkbaits, and whatever else I got, and just KNEW I was going to slay them. Well, it didn't quite work out that way...lol. But, when it comes to fishing icons, there is just no one like Dance. Roland, Shaw, Hank, KVD, Ike, and ton's of others are great, and would be a ball to fish with, but if I had once chance it would be no contest. I would be gone fishin', with Bill Dance today!