BASS fisherman

I finally caught some bass during the winter time up here in Pa. I have gone out I'd guess 50 times and not caught more than 2 bass all those trips. Today started early for me. I got up around 7am and went to the eye doctor to pick up my new glasses. As I was sitting in the doctors office, I decided to run into the Walmart across the street when I was done at the doctors and grab some Stanley finesse jigs they had on sale for $2 bucks a piece. Being the bait junkie that I am, I ended up buying way more than I went in for, but it paid off while at the pond today. I bought all the stanley jigs they had. ;D A pack of 1/8 oz ball head jigs, and 4 packs of $1.50 3X finesse worms. On the way to the pond I stopped at Dick's sporting goods, and got my 2007 fishing license, and went looking for some football head jigs. I didn't find any packs of football jigs, but I did find five packs of Storm hula grub type plastics that come with 2 football jigs each, and they were marked clearence for .57 cents each. I got all five packs, and I got a couple packs of terminator 10' ribbon tail worms @.97 cents each for when it warms up some. I get to the pond and I start off with a YUM wooly beavertail on a football head jig, flipping it around a ledge that goes around part of the pond, nada. After I make my way about 1/4 of the way around this pond I deide to give the shakey head a try, so I rig up one of the 1/8oz ball head jigs, and rig one of the 3X finesse worms on it weedless. I found this small creek that goes into the pond where I thought would be a great place to catch a smallie or two. I cast out a few times and on the fourth cast I felt a bite. I reeled and set the hook on a nice little 15 inch smallie. I cast again almost to the same spot, and this time I catch a LM bass on the very next cast. After trying my luck for another 10 minutes or so I moved on down the pond to where there are 3 sunken brush piles. I tied on one of the finesse jigs that are black and blue with a couple stands of green, along with a black craw with blue pinchers. The very first pitch into the brush pile I felt something "funny" and set the hook, and out came about a 15 inch LM. After another few pitches to different holes in the brush, I caught another Lm bass about the same size as the last one. I caught 4 bass today, which really surprised the heck out of me. They seemed to be pretty active but wouldn't take any crankbaits or spinnerbaits that I tried here and there in fish holding spots. Unfortunatley you all have to take my word for it since I only carried a small amount of lures with me. No camera, no scale, and no tape measure. I'm going back out tomorrow so I'll take the camera with me. A cold front is blowing in so we'll just have to wait and see if the fish are hungry tomorrow.

I prefer to use snaps for cranks. The rapala knot and a snap do basically the same thing: give the lure the best action available.

Color pretty much depends on the water condition at the time your fishing. If the water is clear, go with something natural like a craw pattern, blue gill, or shad pattern. If the water is stained go with something bright like a firetiger pattern.

Where ever the bass are holding at is my favorite depth range.

http://bassresource.com/fishing/iaconelli_crankbaits.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/iaconelli_deep_crankbaits.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait1.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait_fishing.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbaits_bass_fishing.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbait_bass_fishing.html http://bassresource.com/fishing/crankbaiting.html There's a start.

You've been talking to Lane haven't you. I was thinking the same thing! ;D

Thanks Mike! Isn't the XR-14 a deep diving model? I think it is. I got me a XR-8 in the Olive color early today. I never did try it out though. I got 4 bass today, more than the last 30 trips combined, literaly. I got 3 LM, and 1 SM. Using a shakey head worm I got 2 LM, and using a finesse jig and flipping brush I got 1 more LM and the smallie. All of them were 15 inches give or take an inch or so.

You betcha! Gotop the top of this page to the green bar. Move the cursor over the far right "Links" link. When the menu opens, highlight "Bass Clubs", and click on it. Then scroll down untill you see SC. South Carolina Cast Your Faith Fishing Club Carolina Christian BassMasters Easley Bassmasters Five Lakes Fishing Club Santee Cooper Bass Club Shaw Basser South Carolina B.A.S.S. Federation St. Andrews Bassmasters Summerville Bassmasters Upstate Bass Anglers

I would definatley pick Ike. Most of you probably saw that comming a mile away though. :

I'm glad someone said it because I was going to, and I tend to loose the tact the more irritated I get.

Sheesh, I must be blind. Hopefully you just put that there, and I didn't miss it the first time around. Thanks for letting us know.

I looked up the X-rap last night, and they have three sizes, not two anymore. The XR-10 is the middle size, or the old large size. I'd still like to know what the length of the pauses were though. And what color X-rap?

That is one beastly senko! Where could you get a pack of those things? I don't think Bass pro carries them.

I too caught the shakey head show. I like shows that actually show you how to do something rather than just people catching fish. I think watching those guys just catching fish is a tease.

RW, the Ika is maybe one of the only baits I have never experimented with. I have always found that tubes will do the job, but, I'm always open to new baits. Can you, or have you, posted a thread on how you fish an Ika? Will be anxiously waiting . http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1167774211

How long were the pauses? I have been going fishing like a mad man since it has gotten cold here in Pa and have had very few fish to show for. I have even tried live bait. I tried jerkbaits too. Just out of curiosity, is the XR-10 the smaller X-rap, or the larger one? To my knowledge they only have 2 sizes. Good job on getting those bass. Winter fishin' is tough to say the least.

I fish the 4" alot more than I fish a 5" senko. Like LBH siad thought, the 4" are good for numbers, not necasarily size. But I have caught big bass on 4" senko texas rigged before. I prefer to use a Gamakatsu size 1 Offset worm hook. They provide the senko with a better fall rate IMO, and I have found that I get alot more strikes with a slower fall. When the bite is on and the fish don't mind a little faster fall, I will usually use a 3/0 or 4/0 repectively for the 4"and 5" senkos.

I agree with the above post about not being able to only pick one. A few good ones- "Bass Wisdom" by Homer Circle, Largemouth bass by In-fisherman, "Better Bass Fishing, the Dave Ramero way" by Dave Ramero, If your into tournament fishing, Ike's book is a good one too, but I can't remember the name of it at the moment. I'd say that it really depends on what "level" your at in bass fishing to as what book I would suggest. "Bass Wisdom" and Dave Ramero's book are both good for a begginer to start with but they also have some great tips to garrantee some bass. The In fisherman books are full of information that I think would be incredibly overwhelming to a begginer to try and absorb. But for someone who has fished a few years, they have alot of great info that would coincide, or mesh with what you already know. And if you don't know that much, sit down to read those books. Tons of great info.

I guess what they say is true then, everything starts is Cali. Like RW said, I don't ever run into anyone throwing the Fat Ika either. I do know of people who fish them that are diehard bass anglers, but no weekend warriors who fish em'.

Thanks for the excellent post Brian. Glad to see your doing well, and you remain in my thoughts and prayers. Take care over there.

I'm as easily sucked in by the bait monkey as the next guy, but I don't know about those things.

I lost it when I read that LBH, too funny.

Over a year ago I got some bargin big senkos that were 99 cents a pack and they really are senkos too. I got two packs, in two colors... yellow, and a white/grey color with silver flakes. I haven't caught a single bass on either color, and I have given them a good try too. I stick to watermelon seed for daylight, and black with blue flakes at night.

I've caught bass on Ika's when nothing else seemed to work. I always fish it "skirt up" too. Around here it seems to be one of those baits that not alot of people know about or use, so when you do throw one they work.

Talk about a visual image! That gave me a good laugh, thanks.