king fisher

I have never caught a fish on land or high up in a tree, but I have tried. I have never said, I wished I had spent the day working instead of going fishing. I have never doubted my ability to cast a lure in an extremely tight spot better than any pro, even though I know I can't, and will most likely loose my lure.

I have never rounded down the weight of a bass I caught or lost. A 5 and 3/4 pound bass has a good chance of becoming a 6 pounder with time, but a 5 1/4 pound bass will never be referred to as being 5 pounds.

1- night fishing. Because it is dark. 2- Time and money Time- I haven't been bass fishing since June, and don't see any opportunities coming up until Late November. Money- I would love to have a boat, with the latest electronics, and stay in nice motels, but I doubt I will ever have more than a Kayak, and camp in a cheap tent. Not complaining. I have more rods, reels, and tackle than I ever dreamed of having when I was young, and I catch my fair share of bass out of my Kayak. I don't mind camping, and have zero debts. Life is good, but I have to admit, I wouldn't mind having more time and money for bass fishing. 3- Patience. I have never been a patient fisherman. Having zero patience has many times helped my success as a fisherman, but at the same time, it wouldn't hurt, if I developed some patience one of these years. I am working on it.

If you are catching to many fish, and the fish are to big, then maybe you have to many rods.

One day last year I was catching big bass on a shelf in 15 feet of water on a Chart. and black deep diving crank bait. The night before I had been catching them on the next shelf up in 5 feet of water on a chart. and black square bill. After about 10 bass all over 5 pounds the bite stopped. All the bass had completely choked the crankbait so I assumed the area was beat up, and I was going to move, but decided to try another color of the same crankbait and see if I could pick up one more bass. I put on a shad color crankbait and on the first cast I caught two 5 pound bass, then proceeded to catch another half dozen bass between 5 and 8 pounds on the shad colored crankbait. I don't think the shad color was as important as simply the bass were tired or chartreuse. I would suspect they would have hit any more natural color. That day I learned it never hurts to switch colors for a cast or two just to see if the bass are tired of the color you are throwing.

If you want to be treated like a hero, ask your guide's if there is anything you can pick up and bring down with you. Check as big of a bag as you can bring stuffed full of fishing gear, and anything else they may need. Every guide likes a big tip, but sometimes bringing gear is appreciated more. I live in Mexico, and every time a friend is coming down, I beg them to bring down fishing gear. Many times people that live in the States do not understand how difficult it can be to get bass fishing tackle in other countries. When someone goes through the hassle of checking a bag in order to bring me some gear, they are more welcome than Santa on Christmas morning.

Black single Colorado spinnerbait, night or day, deep or shallow, muddy or clear.

When I was a kid I had very few lures. I was on a camping trip with the boy scouts and lost the only couple bass plugs I owned. After loosing my lures, I was walking along the shore when I found a Heddon River Runt. I tied it on and started catching bass. I fished that lure every time I went fishing the remainder of that summer. If I hadn't found that lure I would have been back to only fishing bobber and worms, for trout. I still fished the worms for the trout, but every chance I got I was throwing my plug for bass. That found lure helped kick start my passion for bass fishing, and caused an addiction to bass tackle that only gets stronger as the years pass by. I don't still have that River Runt, but I bought one exactly like it a few years ago, off of Ebay and I have it in my box every time I go bass fishing.

Spinnerbait, because that is what I have always used. When fishing from shore I don't like to use a chatterbait, because the Monkey talked me in to buying Jack Hammer's, and I am scared to loose them. A jig from shore has never worked for me. I always think of one as a spinnerbait that's top wire broke, and no longer works.

I agree with Pat, the Storm Cover Pop is excellent. It is inexpensive, casts a mile, can be popped and skittered, as well as being very easy to walk and you don't have to change out the back hook if you are around large bass. I landed multiple bass over 7 pounds, including one over 10 pounds around heavy cover in one weekend with mine , and never had any issues with hooks. I lost it when a big bass wrapped my line around a tree and broke off. I finished the trip with a Pop R which worked but didn't cast as far, or walk the dog as well as the Cover Pop. I am scared to try the Pop Max, if it is only half as good as it's reputation, I will end up with a whole box of very expensive poppers. I may go down that road some day, just not today.

There is a chance your hook is ok, your rod is good, there is no problem with your line, and you don't need to change your technique. You can't land every bass you hook. Sometimes they just get away.

First thing I change is my expectations, then my attitude. I go from thinking I'm going to catch my PB on the first cast, to realizing I am going to have to work for my bites.

I consider myself still a rookie, at modern bass fishing, but am at the top pro level with bass fishing BS.

Why is it I am the one that always has to change? The bass are part of the relationship, maybe they should be less selfish, and change once in awhile.

If the bass wont bite Green Pumkin, and they wont bite Junebug, then that is their problem, not mine. I gave them a chance, and I will hope they are in the mood for a crankbait.

I like the way my rods look when giant bass have them bent almost to the point of breaking.

Lunch is the only time of day I can force myself to slowly fish a soft plastic bait. I make a cast, take a few bites of my sandwich, then slowly work the bait back, make another cast, and eat an apple, then slowly work the bait back. If I get a bite, lunch is over. After half my lunch is gone, I'm back to fishing way to fast, and eating even faster. I fish minimum of 12 hours so I bring a big lunch, most of it is eaten while peddling to new locations.

For bass only, 6th Sense. For multi species, Normark which includes Rapala, Storm, VMC, Blue Fox, and Luhr Jensen.

Diawa Ardito. I have three, and have no trouble fitting them into the carry on compartment on planes. I like them so well, that I use them even when I don't need multi piece rods. When I fish out of my kayak, the only one piece rod I bring is a heavy fast Tatula, and that is only because they don't make a heavy fast, Ardito.

I don't know what the bass like, but I throw purple worms. That is my story and I'm sticking to it.

The way I abuse my fishing gear, nothing I have will be worth anything, and the Bait Monkey will be sure I have the latest mid priced gear I can afford.

When I was a kid in the 70's I had a spinnerbait called a Scorpion made by a company called Bass Buster. It had a short arm with a single Colorado blade. Not only was that bait great for slowly crawling along the bottom, but was the best spinnerbait I have ever owned for bulging a wake on the surface. It stayed on top at a slow speed, and wouldn't roll on its side when on the surface like other long arm spinner baits I had. I may be wrong, but think the same company also made the original Beatle spin.

A guides number one job is to make sure you have a good time. If you do not have a good time, than they did not do their job. Does not matter how many fish you did or didn't catch, if you did not enjoy your day, the guide has failed.

I can get by with one rod, but more is better.