"hamma"

S So true !

Wow!, Fishing Facts Magazine,....now there's a blast from the past. I used to look for them at the pharmacy's magazine rack every month. Probably still have a few around somewhere. Many different (and usually large) predatory fish will cruise under "baitballs" waiting for one to flutter down. Letting the smaller predators use up their energy running thru the bait, the pigs just lie and wait the easy pickings to flutter down right to them. Big saltwater stripers are known to follow schools of bluefish just for this scenario.

I dont use a-rigs,.. just havent bought one, I do have gear i could toss one with, but like you I havent pulled the trigger either. Amazingly , I dont use senko's either,...lol

OK, One good bait for that is one of those larger underspin jigs with a good sized nickle willowleaf blade, (like a large road runner) and a blueback herring slugo, or swimbait. Toss in or near the middle of the mayhem, and steady retrieve it back just like a regular spinnerbait. If its a small school of bait they will just disperse. If the school is huge enough, this bait should work. I bought mine at a local tackle shop, but im sure basspro or one of the other "large" tackle dealers online should have some, mine aren't road runners, dont remember the make, saw them and instantly knew what to do with them, so I bought him out of the 1/2 oz size he had. I have used them a few times and actually had some good success with them Another trick I used to do in Salems harbor (saltwater) when the herring were busting the surface being chased by stripers, as far as you could see, millions of herring filling the whole harbor.,...(May be considered dirty, but very effective) drop a line in the baitfish with a treble hook and snag one, leave it there. And hold on, that struggling herring is gunna get slammed hard. Not allowed in any tourney mind you, but it sure is alot of fun when you match the right rod reel combo to it. I was using a 6'6" med action shimano bullwhip (old slow action whippy rod) with a 2000 sized reel and 12 pd mono and averaging anywheres from 2 to 20 pound stripers, what a blast!,...This was years ago before the herring ban up here....But,...that sure was a great season, I plum wore that reel out, caught a few "keepers", and every evening after dinner i'd hit the docks with that one rod, a small box in my pocket with swivels and trebles, a pair of needlenose,.. and have a blast

This man is the one i posted in the thread asking what pro you would like to fish a day with. He was instrumental in my bass fishing back in the very beginning for me, and will always be remembered in my eyes. It was a long time dream of mine to catch a smallie as the ponds and lakes I had access to in my area when i was young contain largemouth,.. Now, I have found the smallie waters in new england and fish them with the same tenacity, intensity, and dilegence I learned many years ago watching his show, with unparaleled intent. Being that smallmouths are well regarded as strong fighters, fiesty and tenacious advisaries, its no wonder that his legacy shall live on as these fish will always be considered #1 by top pro's .Just Like Billy himself. May your casts be long, your line be tight, and your quarry be bronze,...R.I.P.

I make it a point to try something new,. be it a new lure, technique, or area. every time im on the water, unless im entered into a tourney.

A friend of mine is a pro target shooter and being one he re-loads his own bullets. He bought a mold for a 8 lb downrigger ball, filled in the fin part of the mold and made his own 8 lb round ball anchors, for his canoe, and a couple for me as i was supplying him lead at the time, and have a bass hunter. They work great in mud or weeds, and somewhat in rocky areas as well as sand

Do any of you tracker owners have a cover that came with your boat? I called Bass Pro to replace mine and they refered me to Tracker. I ordered a new cover for my boat, as I wanted the right one. One for a boat with a trolling motor. They charged me over $400,.. sent me one and I dont believe it is the correct one, as it doesnt have the protective fabric all the way down the length of the trolling motor, like my original one had. I called Tracker about this and they are giving me the run around telling me that this is the right one, and its a special order, so its my problem that my new trolling motor is bigger than trackers "ORIGINAL" offered product. (the one they usually sell with the boat) So I ask you,... does this cover look like one for a trolling motor?

The raised water is what located that fish to where she was. She probably will drop to its usual location as the water drops. But in the meantime,. she wont likely hit anything un-natural for a while, and i mean days, depending on her size and angler interaction, maybe a couple weeks, a month. By then, the water will have dropped. You've heard the saying? "Big fish dont get big by being stupid",..that holds especially true in northern waters as northern fish take much longer to get big, therefore they have seen more lures to get to that size than a southern fish of same size.. And in Maine? they are smart, believe me I know, many of my Maine outings have ended much like yours, and I've been left scratching my noggin wondering, what the next move is. My assessment is? let it go, its not going to happen like that again, unless next year your facing the same water levels and conditions, then maybe,..MAYBE.,.. otherwise, its a learning situation. Could that fish be hooked again tommorrow? possibly but highly unlikely Was it your hookset? doubt it.,... the way you played her?,..probably. When you see the line show that she's about to surface, stick the tip of the rod into the water and reel like a sob, trying to force her to stay under the surface. This will "sometimes? keep her from jumping and changing the lines tension. thats what they are attempting to do when they jump, change the lines tension, allowing them to shake the hook, or at least loosen it. Im assuming this fish has been hooked before and successfully got away, seeing that this pond has a campground. She knew what to do, and played you like a fiddle. Just when you thought you were in control? She taught you a valuable lesson, Maine pigs are smarter than the average bear! "yeah hay hay, Boo Boo!" Sorry for the shameless yogi refference,..it just fit

Trolling motor batteries are usually JUST for the trolling motor, the bilge would run off the starter battery,.. Make sure you have the "auto float" type bilge pump. most bilges for bass boats are activated by a switch you have to switch on and off. the float type will work without you being there. As for the cover? i dont know, my tracker sits on my trailer, so its got the trailering cover like you get from tracker when you buy the rig

If you plan on fishing a river in a pontoon style rig you will need all the power you can muster. I think 36 pd thrust is like 2.5 hp I fished the merrimac river in my rig before i put the 55 on it,..did ok but wished i had more juice,.I dont know what kind of current you will be facing, the merrimac isnt all that bad where i was..just make sure your batteries are at 100%, and if you have any doubts dont launch. better to be safe then stupid

those are some healthy maine buckets,...sweet deal, maybe next time you'll find the mega monster.

UPsmallie, I send my pics to facebook , it will downsize the file,..then to my email which i attach to my desktop, or downloads,.. then i come here and attach them,.... it worked for me for my boats pic,..thanks to a thoughtful Bass Resource member that posted this tip on another thread.

try the storm 3/4 oz swimbait in the greyish color for schoolies, i kick butt with them. The white bomber 1 1/2 oz jigs with the trailer attached are a good bet too.

Before I answer, its a good day, any day, I get to fish. Sometimes its a daunting task, just making it to a lake, that has a open spot for the truck/trailer to park in. Having everything fall into place and actually getting to float the boat and pick up a rod to make that first cast. The body of water chosen, conditions, and chosen tactics are what determines success for me meaning,,, If im fishing a smallie lake on a day the conditions are good id expect, 50 or over,..100 fish days happen here too but that also depends,..... a tough conditions day?,... over 10,. just because smallies are fiesty. A small largemouth pond with good conditions, 10+,... tough conditions? 5 or more. I usually expect myself to exceed a limit no matter what, after all the years of fishing ive done I should at least get a limit of fish that exceed that states size requirement. Do I always pass this "test"? No, but its a very rare occasion that I get skunked anymore. Now that im thinking of it,..I cant remember my last skunking

If your shallow tidal waters actually have muddy or sandy bottom composition isnt really going to be a "major" factor. Your attention should be directed more to the cover areas that have standing water nearby even at low tide. IE; say you have a large patch of grasses, that run right out towards the channel edge, OR, old pilings that abutt water at low tide, Or a jetty that runs out to the channel. You should be seeking things that have access to water no matter what the tide is doing. Any tidal waters Ive ever fished, bottom composition might play a role during spawn, but thats about it. In tidal waters its the current, bait, structure WITH cover, channel edges, submerged logs caught in a outside bend of the channel,.. Objects that still have water during low tide, these I consider highways that the fish use to travel in and out of areas that "will hold forage" during the high tide,.,... so,..a huge expanse of weeds may be dry at lowtide, but be just barely visible at high tide and the bait will use this to hide in. But may not be used by bass if it doesnt have contact to hard structure. It may be a good area if the fish have hard structure to use while the tide is dropping,...like a sunken barge, or something like that, or a old jetty,... They prefer a hard structure in tidal water to relate to because the waters depth itself is not viable cover, they like that security of hard structure within that weedbed. In some capacity the change from mud to sand may hold "certain" weeds. which may hold fish or bait.,, but in the big picture of tidal waters its not really the bottoms composition thats the draw,..its the fact that weeds may be the right spot at the right time coupled with hard structure to follow at any tide Bottom composition doesnt have as much of a determining factor in tidal waters as one may think, there are many more important parts of the picture in tidal waters. If you follow the idea that composition is a factor in a tidal situation, you may be seeking flounder, but as far as bass? look for hard structure with cover. Just my opinion, not stating scientific fact.

It really comes down to personal preference.,... BUT Upsizing with a shorter shank hook typically isnt going to hinder the action, maybe on "some" lures, when changing the rear hook that "might" change action slightly.,..A heavier gauge wire is offset by the shorter shank as far as weight goes. And if a lure comes with real fine wire hooks I will try to stay close to that gauge. Although I dont care for lighter wire trebles, they are quite sticky, and good for lighter strikes. I did like and miss the old excalibur rotating trebles, they were exceptional as far as light wire hooks go, sticky as could be When I buy new lures I make the decision to swap out hooks once i open the package and get to really check it out. Depending on what lure it is, and what size line im going to use for it,..I may change them all, one, or none at all. I like the mustad triple grip short shanks, they are a sturdy, quality replacement. And typically doesnt mess with baits action while gaining in size. Its a win win

I've had 2 motors on my bass hunter since the eighties. And when the wind whips up, or a storm moves in? You'll be glad to have that extra power. Plus, while fishing its easier to maneuver a bow motor than the transom, it's right in front of you, not behind. A variable speed up front has its advantages as well, you can slowly cruise down a shoreline flipping and pitching at the speed necessary and actually steer with your knee. When i first bought my boat I had a 10 lb thrust minn kota up front and a 36 in back, Later on, i got a 55 pd and replaced the 10, the 36 is variable speed, and the 55 has the 5 forward and 3 reverse speeds. It couldnt of worked out better. I dont know why some of the guys here use a rudder, other than a weight issue,...but then yet, my hunter is a 7'11" model and doesn't have a huge weight limit, and Ive been out with me and my brother (both 250 lbers) with both motors 2 batteries and tackle, its tight but a blast. Personal preference i guess. But the best part of having 2 motors and batteries is? Ive NEVER, ever, in over 30 years,. had to paddle back to the launch. Ive seen guys paddling in crawdads, jon boat, and raiders that only had 1 motor and 1 battery with them, because the fish were biting and they got caught across the lake when the battery died,... DOH!,. Ive actually towed most of them, (its really required) the others wouldnt allow their ego's to get that crushed. I also own a 16 ft deep v tracker which i had a12 volt, 60 inch shaft, 55 pd thrust powerdrive (foot controllled) bow mount on it, i just replaced it with an ulterra and im now actually contemplating rigging the powerdrive on my bass hunter, by welding a clamp on the bottom of a minn kota quick release plate to mount it, and trimming the shaft down. to like 30 inches,.. I figure that the quick release mount is about 50 bucks, and a clamp cant be more than around 25 bucks for around 75 bucks total,... versus buying a brand new foot controlled bulldog motor for a several hundred. (Bulldogs are the only foot controlled motor ive seen with a clamp for transom mounting) Then id have a foot controlled variable speed to fish with, and a total of 110pds of thrust combined to get across the lake and such Good luck with your rig,..they are a ton of fun when set up right

I remember the time i was in your shoes,..heres what i did. when you are still at home, and evaluating the conditions, and figure what lure you plan on using. take just that lure, no tacklebox, just the essentials; pliers, sunglasses, hat, etc. and THAT one lure. If you choose a worm bring a few, or if you choose a spinnerbait?, just 1,.... Go to your pond and fish that one lure almost blindly, as if your not really fishing at all, no concentration about whats going on with the conditions, where the fish are, or what else will work. JUST FISH IT! Eventually you will start to catch fish , be it that first day's outing, or the twenty first days outing. you will sooner or later hookup. and over a few successful outings your confidence will come back. then you can start bringing the tacklebox again and fish with confidence Often times our thought process will get ahead of itself, and it takes some "training" to get back to normal. Forcing the situation is often what it takes. When we bring our small "tackleshop" of lures we get anxious, accustomed to all those opportunities available to us, and misplace what brought us there to begin with, replacing it with technicalities and the seemingly endless disertion of choice Basiclly,... go back to when you started bass fishing and had only a few lures, it was a easy choice figuring what to tie on. and if all failed we went home, or to the tackleshop getting more options to choose from. But it was easy. And what drew you to continue with the sport You need to get back to whats easy and eliminate the technicalities, the choices...,........ and just fish

it cuts pretty quick with a metal cutting sawzall blade, I used one long one and one shorter one with duct tape around it for a handle and a pry bar to pop out areas i didnt reach with the blades

get another motor instead of the rudder, trust me, its worth it

I usually soak my shirt and hat in the water, and wear swim trunks to dunk myself when it gets to stifleing

I use both, i use whatever i can get away with as long as it has the ability to penetrate the plastic enough to create a hookup. Generally it breaks down like this: ewg's for thicker plastics, size depending on size of plastic,.. zipperworms, frogs etc. Straight shank "j" hooks for normal proportioned worms, smaller hook? 4 inch worm,... bigger hook 6-8 inch,...large hook 10 and 12 inch worm offset straight shank,.slugo's only, again size proportioned. I do prefer a straight shank though, and always will But there are a few exceptions, for example i texas rig a 4 inch grub with a small ewg ,...I always liked the screwlock weights by water gremlin. a straight shank is too long for this. But, now I have a lead ban up here im truly "screwed",...lol I think a missed fish is just that, I blame me, not my gear

I have those wraps to keep them wet all day, works great if you turn them sideways they slide right off,..its just a small slit cut into them. think about it I still use them, and have had no issues whatsoever, when cared for properly. I have some twin tails, and zoom salty chunk jrs. Yamamoto hula grubs, etc. Which I use in the dog days of summer for the quicker fall. But in spring and fall i reach for no.11 pork rinds and in winter even the smaller 101. "Yall keep fishin ya plastic, whence i gets me back on my feet an back in tournies, we'll see what fishes so well!",...lol.,,, Almost like I belong in the bayou, old greybearded stuck in his ways ornery cuss! Ok maybe not,...but i definately dont fit in up here in boston,...more like alabama, fishin pickwick, and wilson, wheeler and guntersville, etc. I liked that chain...or out in the woods of wisconsin or michigan fishin some of those hidden smallie gems, with a few muskie on the side. oh how quickly the bucket list grows when you take up fishing

get a bigger tacklebox,...lol,,j/k,...I actually shine in these times exhaust every finesse technique you can, usually its one and not another when the bite just stops,..Im speculating that they are keying in on one type of forage, After the spawn this can happen where they wont eat anything else, could be crayfish, shiners, shad, herring, (bluegills are a good bet),..mayflies. caddis, mosquito larvae, etc. I have a couple clear planos and tacklewraps that are full of probably 50 different finesse plastics and hardware just for them. Considering my location I start with a 1/4 oz jighead and a 4 inch grub, then a 1/8 and 3 inch grub, then the pleathera of 4 inch straight tail worms, tiny craws, slugo's, and so on and so on. once you get 1 hit you stumbled onto something, if you missed that hit, try right back at it, if nothing again shorten the bait a little and try again but slower, you have to feel them out from here on in,..its a game,..ok,..its "THE" game and can continue as long as they decide so. I just looked and noticed your in GA,... they could be hiding in the weeds, or suspended in deepest water, one or the other this time of year,..in a small pond thats probably quite warm by now, in your locale.. does your pond have a stream running into it? or is it spring fed? have you sprayed bug spray on yourself while near your fishing rod? that will ruin a summer right there, a lil bit on your line and your done,... There are a myriad of things that will hinder success, and its more often than not a easy solution, just unthought of. Due diligence and persistence will eventually surface whats going on. dont give up.,...IF everything is as it should be, continue with the finesse, or you could go the opposite and try one of those new adult sized swimbaits in a bluegill or other present baitfsh pattern. Like I said, A myriad of things can hinder success,..it becomes a process of elimination, keep trying different things til you've exhausted all options good luck