"hamma"

No,.I truley believe in what I call "bass highways" that they use moving into and out of shallows..with the one exception being weeds.,..In northern states during spring, after the ice melts, last years weeds are now dead, and either actually sucking oxygen if still present, or completely gone/decayed. Some are even dead and decaying before the ice arrives in fall. So in this one instance the highway may vary between spring and fall as they may use some weedlines to come in during fall, then said weedline be non-exisistent in spring. Now,.. being that weeds will generally grow at certain depths, the depth change itself may still contain the "highway", but in spring the fish will gravitate to, say,... a brushpile on that depth change, or a rockpile there, or creek channels bend,.. etc. These "highways" are what I target during prespawn/spawn/postspawn to avoid bedfishing. The cover on these highways,... can be pig magnets. And considering that the males make the beds? These magnets I consider a little slice of heaven, and where the grub, or j&p shine. You all can fish all the beds you want, and you may come across a few big girls doing so,... While Im out a bit deeper, hunkered down on one or two "spots" within that area, catching mostly females. Not "all" females, but usually more than the smaller males. And I dont mind one bit,..lol

I take a couple files and stones with me whenever I'm fishing. I don't make a initial cast with any lure without checking the hooks first. Whether its a jig, or 3 trebled jerkbait, EVERY hook gets checked and sharpened to a razor sharp extent. I test it via fingernail as others attested. And if need be?,... It gets filed first then touched up via fine stone. Even if its a brand new lure or hook, it still gets checked as some hooks will loose its sharpness from being bounced around during transportation from factory to your hands. Time will also dull some hooks as well Usually, during the previous night, when im setting up the boat for a outing. I will tie on the baits I think I need for the day, and sharpen them then. So I'm ready in the am, and I only need to sharpen hooks again if i need to change a lure. And, here's a tip for ya,... small trebles present a issue for fat fingered anglers like myself to sharpen. They move around some and can stab you easily.,.. I adopted a process of using a locking pair of hemostats on the trebles shank to hold the hook still while sharpening. Works great, and avoids the chance of digging a point or five into your digits.

It should be straight vertically, And quite importantly,.. these lures should be either, tied on with a loop knot, connected to the line with either a snap or a split ring, for them to walk correctly. Tying directly to the loop with a polamar knot, improved clinch knot, etc.,..will hinder its action.

I cant vouch for other areas of the country, (especially in your area Catt) but, up here its the lures used. I can "almost" go fishing with just three rods set up for both seasons and leave the rest at home. Which had taken me a couple years to get to this point. A jerkbait, a grub on a jighead, and a jig and pig. These 3 are responsible for more checks being cashed during these times, than any other lures that I know of up here. In the Fall though, its difficult to negate a topwater. But then yet, Catt "wondering" anything about bass fishing is begging the question,...Are you messing with us?,.Did I get sucked in by still being half asleep and heavily medicated?..lmao

Catching a personal best twice ?,.no wonder you were singing. Good story and congrats on the continued success. Living down south your in a good place to bump up that Personal Best,...Good luck and keep that scale close. I have a feeling your going to need it.

I miss that show, great read nonetheless, Its good to see a son and dad spending "quality time" together. That last bass pic looks like a nice one. Congrats

Nice fish!, I hope she gave you a good fight.,.... And isnt it a shame your thumb and palm need more recouping, than you do yourself? Got to love those days. Congrats blue!

This ^^^^ its the hinge thats keyed me to spots. smallie mouth on a largemouth's coloring. and they fight hard

Often when the fishing is slow, and times are tough? Seems you cant buy a bite? Is when the pigs are the active fish. If you can find them. They seem to follow rules of their own. It was this time of year, with weather patterns almost mirrored, 22 years ago I got my personal best. If my health would allow it, Id be out there right now. Unfortunately for you all, Pain rules out and Im stuck spending my am's here with my coffee and breakfast, bugging you with long drawn out posts. So,...to avoid my incessive rants, get out and fish! If nothing is working???,... go after the pigs. Although I know my 3 lures I mentioned above work well for me in these clear water northen lakes. When they dont? I tie on a big spinnerbait, utilize my jig and pig on a flippin stik, a 10 inch worm on another, and break out the huge deep diving 20+ manns crankbait. and go into big fish mode.

I used to have alot of wrist issues, and it was due to my excessive fishing. I just stretched the painful muscles as much as possible every day, and kept up with good eating and good health. Of course my right hand and wrist ended up larger and stronger than my left . But after a few months, the pain disappeared. Stop fishing? wasnt gunna happen

try a topwater, even though both will hit topwaters. Smallies seem to really like them especially in the morning and evening, or anytime the suns not beating down on them

If you dont know other lures the best way to learn them is to fish them,...definately read up on them here,.This site is the best for that stuff. go to the tackle forum and read up. then aquire a few and try them out. Fishing from shore you are at a disadvantage,..If you can get out on the water,..do so.,..Im sure alot of us started from small rigs and moved up. A crawdad, basshunter, small jon boat are good starts,...just some thoughts

I like many others will state,... alot, and thats because of the interest that we all have, to be here to begin with. With that said,...A-Jay cuz he seems to fish alot like i do and lives closeby., Gets to fish northern waters, like myself. And although he bought a awesome rig that doesnt come into play here. Its his attitude, integrity, and due dillegence. Catt, because he's extremely knowledged, and I once had fished with a guy named Larry from Lake Charles LA, and we had a blast. Cuttin up and catching fish with him was a day I wont forget. (And Catt "seems" to be like Larry), But that aside, I think I'd be learning some lessons, and I can appreciate that, as Im usually providing info. Nitro,..because he is a standup guy that offers his time, resources, and patriotism to get veterans out fishing. (kudos to you sir) and he seems to be attentive on really understanding bass. Reminds me of myself many years ago. WRB because he knows big bass are a different animal. Most anglers think that Big bass are "just" bass that guys get lucky catching. I know different, catching big fish is a extremely dilegent task, If you make one mistake, even the smallest one, your done. Fishing with anglers that dont know this? make those mistakes, and it can really ruffle your feathers, when you put them on big fish and they screw it up. Any of the mods,... because first of all, they have put forth the effort to provide this site for us. I for one, cant thank you guys enough. They obviously have grasped enough bass angling knowledge in their areas, most likely have a well rounded list of techniques, and Im sure, I would enjoy their company, as I too am as passionate about this diverse sport as I can be. I have yet to meet a truely passionate about this sport angler I didnt get along with. Sure you wont agree with everyone, and when you first meet not everyone gets along.,..But In general, its easy to sit back and talk fishing with another angler.,.to invite them on my boat? I usually need to meet them first. But my list? These guys are welcome on my boat anytime, They have earned my respect ,..and like I stated up front,..alot more. This "list" is just the guys off the top of my head, there are more and you know who you are,... but I dont wanna go to long with this post as I always do.

I "used to" powerfish many years ago til I realized that slowing down caught me more and better fish. My powerfishing method was only used while bankfishing,. I'd cruise down a shoreline with a dozen rods ready, If I came to a dock a jig was employed, lilies between that dock and the next? frog them,.. next dock? Jig,.. submerged weeds? spinnebait or jerkbait,.. three downed trees? jig,..rocky with scattered weeds? worm or jig,... and so on. It was the terrain that determined what I used and how fast I moved I then one day fishing clear watered Squam Lake I saw 4 fish chasing my jig and the small fish is what I ended up lipping. Smaller fish are usually quicker, therefore first to a lure. It was then that my powerfishing was about to be challenged, and eventually trumped. The need and desire to catch bigger fish during a tourney was the so called "nail in the coffin" for my powerfishing during tourney's and even funfishing. I ended up powerfishing only during a prefish. I'd find my area's powerfishing, then switch over to a more detailed attack. And it worked well. So good that each year I fished club t's, I made it to the state fishoffs and even the team the first year. My point and drawn out post is that powerfishing has its place. To prefish for a tourney powerfishing can be used, (and pay off), if done right., and during the right season.. But, if you just fish for fun? slow down,..enjoy the day at a slower pace. Not only will you end up less exhausted, but you just may pull your personal best over the gunnel,.. and this I can attest to.

From experience I can tell you that not much will get your heart pumping a mile a minute other than, that still dark, first thing in the morning, waiting for sunrise, tossing a topwater, beavertail slap 4 feet from the boat. So many times I almost soiled myself, while closely having a mild heart attack, jump from the deck to a seat, shaking from fright, til I realized "Damned beaver!" Those who have experienced this know what I mean. And being a gigantic fan of early morning topwater fishing in Maine? I've been there, done that, got the t shirt and wore it out. But they still get me every once in a while, and it still has the same effect. Dive bombed by bats? eh,... thats kinda scary. Huge herons screeching (and its not softly done) 10 feet above your head as they flee the shoreline,... scared. Is something you'd rather go without.,. But that beavertail slap? is the worst by far.

Thats a nice set up you have there. I have a old 1980's 8' basshunter and I use the same type bag/plano's as advantage,... mine takes 4 plano's and holds the essentials IE: pliers, sunglasses,scents, lineclippers etc.,.. But my boat I can take one of the seats away, and I put the bag under the seat i use.,..Seems like this tackle solution is just right

Strike king and Stanley usually does ok off me this time of year. The SK bitsy bug jig and Stanley's 1/8 oz vibrashaft wedge spinnerbait are staples for me. I'll "start" by buying a dozen or 2 of each, and "tweak" them the way I do. Handtie on the custom skirts I painstakingly make 1 strand at a time, touch up the hook by bending it upward just a touch, and sharpen it to the point its almost surgical. clean up the weedguard on the jig (no paint allowed ty Mark B.) then acquire the proper color trailers for both. Usually zooms salty chunk jr for the jig, which I trim to give a smaller profile,..or a 101 pork rind (again trimmed), and a 3 inch curly tail grub for the tiny spinnerbait. These 2 and a certain 1/8 ounce Yo-zuri pins minnow are my main baits for this "tough" time of year. But, using them you wouldnt think it is a "tough" time. It takes light (8 or 10#) line, and a 6'6" or 7' med lite spinning rod to throw the spinnerbait and minnow. And I use a old 5'9"shimano med heavy xl spinning rod paired with a old semytre 4000 reel spooled with stren 12# for the jig. And do they work? OMG! you'd think it was late fall, and your tossing "the magic lure" while they're feeding up for the freeze. Smallies really go bananas for them, but buckets like them too. These are lures that those "blah days"??? I use to put some fish in the boat. Its taken a awful long time for me to come up with these gems. They kick butt up here, when nothing else seems to work, and I know its the size of the smelt/shad/herring right now thats the key. But, I cant help but wish I had them when I was tourney angler. I know things would be different, as it was those "tough" days back then that really stumped me, and forced these solutions. I got tired of being a "contributor" and sought out articles on this time of year and read, and read, and read.... Everything pointed towards smaller offerings so I did so, and these are what I ended up with. Did my grub/jighead work? yeah but sketchy like, I wasnt cashing any checks with it. But by the time I found these 3 I was done with tournies. This "blah days" scenerio seems to be a fickle thing though. Some years its early, some late, some even seemingly non-existent. Maybe its a yankee thing as our temps are generally cooler than say Texas, or Florida. And the upper atmospheres jet stream plays a varing "game" with us up here. But I imagine that you southern anglers are faced with this as well, just maybe in a different manner, like maybe a longer period, or a higher degree of figuring out those finicky bass. I cant be sure as I only fished wilson and pickwick one spring. So, I can only imagine what you deal with this time of year. Some year I will get down there to fish the fall season, and I actually look forward to it. But this year? I will hopefully get out on the boat and be fishing these three "light solutions". Its a gratifying feeling when you end your day, and at the ramp you get that famous question. "How'd ya do?",... years ago?,..I learned to just say "I did ok,.you?" as I didnt want to give away my secrets. But nowadays?,... I'd just as soon offer them to you all here, they have done good by me, and hopefully one of them may just turn someone's "tough day" into a day to remember. And trust me, when you're out all day, burnt out from the sun, exhausted from tossing huge deep diving cranks. Stumped by a few hits, but no takes. Switching over to these lighter options, is a godsend. But keep in mind,..it takes "Light Line" no hauling them over the gunnel type fishing. Much like the dog days finesse fishing, but different

This is an excellent topic and you should be proud of the way you discribed it. Kudos to you Logan! Im sure this will be something you wont soon forget, the chance of a lifetime, handed to you on a "chance" is awesome. Kinda wonder what your thoughts were the moment you found out you were to be on his boat for a day. Just to watch him fish from afar would be a bass anglers treat, but to be on his boat, simply incredible. Again, good read Logan !

Dont allow us to intimidate you, we all had to start somewhere. The points stated above are good points, and things to consider. But, If this is what you really want, I highly recommend that you seek out a "draw" format club in your area. It will be a good format to learn the tourney scene and isn't anywhere near the pro circuit. You may have to join B.A.S.S., or some other org. Then pay up club fees and dues, usually to cover permit costs, and any other fees saw fit by the perspective club. Usually a couple hundred or even less should get you in and a good start. Check out the tourney circuits nearby and give it a shot., At the very least you will learn some things you dont know now

A spinnerbait rod, for windy days,... a frog rod, for summertime weed bed bashing,.... a jerkbait rod, fall is coming and this will really shine,.... a jiggin spoon rod, late fall they will head deep. I dont know what rods you currently have (specifically per weight limits and such) but these are what I think you will need going by your list.

For a little more money the shimano saros is what I replaced my 20 year old symetre with. It has the aerowrap so it casts a bit better. the old symetre's had aerowrap but the new ones do not.,...I love the saros it has a larger diameter spool and has yet to disappoint.

Theres some really nice Largemouths in Belleau, be careful though. The lake is loaded with stumps and at times the water is just stained enough to hide them,.. My buddys family has a cabin on the lake and we fished it some. Black/blue jigs did well. He did catch 1 smallie, but in all the years he's been fishing it,.. it was the first and only, He figured someone transplanted it.

Id go with the white spinnerbait next to the bettlespin, burned under the surface, slow rolled, or even yo yo'ed. I prefer a single blade for yo yoing but thats what your offering. Actually Id prefer a white underspin with a shad patterned swimbait on it, smaller profile and flash

I have caught bass as far north as Maine that I thought was actually a spotted bass. There's a pond in North Andover's Harold Parker state park (Massachusetts) that back in the early 1900's was a bass hatchery,...I talked to a park ranger there and he said that they got fish from Florida, Georgia, and "other" southern states to stock it when it was created via the dam. They were of the idea that different strains would insure success and actually sent bass throughout New England to stock ponds. So The fish you and I caught very well may be transplanted spots. Have you ever noticed some lakes have bass that seem to be on steroids? They fight like a smallie, but are green? I have,... several lakes on Maine and NH's borders are so. And I have suspected its these (what I like to call) NE spots

got one on a torpedo cast next to lillies once, put it on a weightless hook and caught a 5+ with it.