king fisher

I wont be there, but my good friend the Bait Monkey will. I would appreciate it if you could show him around, introduce him to some new friends. He isn't allowed in my house any more, and I worry he might get lonely.

I have no idea how to teach some one to catch bass, I sure wish some one could teach me. I am an expert at teaching people how to get a lure out of a tree, untangle a back lash or the very hard to master long distance release. A day at my bass fishing school will not teach some one what to do, but they sure would learn what not to do. Fun will be had which after all is the most important thing anyone can teach a beginning angler.

I go fishing for a (pig). I set the hook in to a (big un). While fighting the bass it is ( beautiful or sweat heart as in please don't jump you beautiful sweat heart), When I land the bass it becomes a (hawg). Later when I tell the story it is a ( giant).

I called the last one I hooked, an S.O.B. as it wrapped my line around a tree, and stole my popper.

Sell rods! Watch your language this is a respectable forum. Such sacrilegious posts should be avoided at all times.

Buzzbait.

In the Winter of 1996 I had a job offer from a client working construction for a few months. I thought it would be a fun adventure to fly the cub down. I flew down to WA in late October, visited family until after the holidays then flew to Tallahassee Fl. Worked until the end of March then flew the cub back to Alaska. On the way down I took my time, and saw many friends along the way. On the way back I was in a hurry, and pushed the weather way more than I should have. On the way back I was able to make it back to Wasilla Alaska in 8 days from Florida. Cruise speed was 80 MPH. and I flew as many hours as I had daylight. The old plane had no electrical system, so all hand prop starts, and limited instruments. The next year I flew it to CA and back. A friend loaned me my first hand held GPS for that trip. GPS was a real game changer and saved me considerable time and fuel. The biggest thing I remember from the Florida trip was how sore my butt and back were after being crammed in the front seat for so many hours. I made the trip from Alaska to WA many times over the years, tried many different routs, and met many friendly people along the way. Great times, and memories.

It's not the history, but the interpretation of the history that is important. I have a friend that never tries to find a pattern. He knows his lake well, and only fishes his hot spots. One of his favorite places is a long point with lots of bulrushes. He is going to fish that spot every time on the lake because he has caught many large bass there. We went fishing one day in June, and the wind was blowing to hard to get to that point. We tried a rock bank close to the launch and caught many nice size bass. When the bite slowed I recommended some other rock banks, I thought would produce, and was eager to give them a try. He decided the wind had died enough to head to his favorite weedy point and was in a hurry to get there because his theory was the bass were biting and we didn't want to miss out on the bite. We beat our selves up crossing the lake only to catch a few small bass. I suggested we go back to the other side of the lake and fish some more rocky banks. He only wanted to fish his other hot spots on the side of the lake we were at. All of his hot spots were identical bulrush filled points, and we had zero success on all of them. He couldn't believe our luck. He was sure his favorite places would be on fire. After all we crushed them there in June the prior three years in a row. At the end of the day he was convinced we would have caught big bass if only we could have gotten to his favorite point in the morning. It was a morning bite, and the wind had kept us from going there until it was to late. My take on the day was the bass didn't want to be hiding in bulrushes, they were hunting bait along wind blown rocky banks. Beings we didn't try any other rocky banks, I will never know who was right, but I do know a person can use history to their advantage, or it can be a hinderance depending on how the history is viewed. My lesson from history on this lake is, if they are not on the bulrush points, it would be a good idea to try a rocky bank. My friends view of history is the bass only bite well in the morning on windy days in June. Same history, different view.

The combo I use punching in my Kayak is a Diawa Tatula 7.5 foot heavy power fast action with a Diawa Coastal SV reel, spooled with 50 pound braid. I also use this combo for A Rig, Crankbaits that weigh over an ounce, and large swimbaits. It works very well for punching, but is only ok for the other three applications.

It is a sad day, I just sold my 1947 Piper Cub. I enjoy living and working in Mexico, but giving up my Alaska pick up, was hard to do. After thousands of hours, many adventuresome flights, from Alaska To Florida and some epic fishing and hunting, I had to bite the bullet and sell it. When I first came to Mexico I only planned on helping a client out for a few months. I lived in Alaska, and planned on living there for the for the remainder of my life. The next thing I knew, I was maried, living and working in Mexico full time. I left the plane in WA and held on to it for over 10 years turning down offers to buy it simply for sentimental reasons. The cost of maintaining something I only used a few days a year, eventually became far more than the sentimental value. Selling the aircraft isn't what really hurts. The plane was only metal and fabric, but it was the last symbol of a lifestyle, in the Alaska wilderness, that I know is forever in my past. My Mom is fond of saying she is glad I finally grew up, and now that the last reminder of my carefree youth is gone, I guess I truly have. I landed at a friends place last spring and had my wife take a picture.( posted here) I didn't know that was going to be my last flight, but I am glad I was able to get a picture on a nice sunny day. I flew over the rivers and lakes I fished in my youth, making it memorable last flight. Sale was done over the internet and phone, so I didn't have the expense of flying to WA to complete the deal. I was glad I didn't have to take time off of work, and spend money going to WA, but I sure would have liked to have piloted, one more flight around my old stomping grounds. As the old saying goes, one door closes and another one opens. I may not be able to fly in to fish remote streams in Alaska, but my dream of catching DD bass in Mexico is no longer just a dream. The Bait Monkey is all over my back now that he thinks I might have some extra cash. The Monkey is going to have to wait. My wife and I have bought a small piece of land in the mountains near Puerto Vallarta, and we are using the money to build a cabin. The land just happens to be a mile from a lake with large bass waiting to see their first lure. I may no be able to fly high above the ground, but every time a catch a trophy bass, I feel like I can touch the sky.

When I say I'm to make my one last cast and am still fishing an hour later.

A cruise is something people do that don’t bass fish. Maybe getting Covid will keep you from ever having to go on another cruise. Every cloud has a silver lining. Go fishing. Next vacation Catch a bass not a virus. Hope you feel better soon

I keep looking for Menderchuck on the list.

I don't know why they work, but I sure am glad they do because they are one of the few lures that Megabass doesn't have a $20.00 plus version that the Bait Monkey claims catches ten times the number of fish compared to the cheaper versions I own. At least I am assuming they don't. I haven't seen an AJ tackle porn picture post of a tacklebox crammed full of ultra expensive Buzz Baits.

One medium spinning rod, with 8 pound mono. A few #3 inline spinners with some silver, and some gold blades and a couple original floating Rapala's.

King Salmon

My first Bait Casting combo was a Fenwick Lunkerstick with a Heddon reel I purchased in 1977. I bought the combo with money I had made raising pigs. I picked the Heddon reel over an Ambassador because the level wind disengaged for casting. I assumed this would be a game changer on how far a reel would cast. It was a great Idea, and almost all bait casters now disengage the level wind, but unfortunately one new concept, doesn't necessarily make a reel great. My Heddon didn't cast well, and the line would constantly get behind the spool. My friend paid a few dollars more for an Ambassador which the level wind kept going back and forth during the cast, and he still uses that same reel. The Lunkerstick rod was short, and heavy. It cost $22 which to me was a fortune for a rod. I compensated for the shortcomings of my new combo by only fishing larger lures that would cast well. Unfortunately there were many days on my home water when the best baits were a floating Rapala, and a # 3 Mepps spinner. I eventually went back to spinning for most of my fishing, and didn't buy another bait caster for 10 years

Some people get by with dull hooks, and dull knives. I'm not one of them. I sharpen my hooks with a hook file often.

I'm not sure it really matters. Josh Jones has caught a nice size fish or two without any trailer.

Thanks for the replies. I decided to not buy the Shower Blows. I'm sure they are fantastic lures but I already have top water baits that have performed well for me in the past. If those lures are not working it is probably not the lures fault, I simply need to improve my skill level with them or switch to something below the surface. I'm also not buying the LV 500 for the same reason. If one of the dozens of rattle traps I have isn't working, maybe I should try a diving crankbait, worm, or jig. I don't feel bad for the Monkey. He did get 6 months supply of line, terminal tackle, skirt material, and a couple less expensive hard baits. He can still watch the Tactical Bassn' videos with me, but I will be concentrating on learning their technique, not drooling over all the cool lures they have.

I just cut a Bacca Burrito from my order but still have to trim some fat if I'm going to be under my budget. I'm down to deciding between a lucky craft LV 500 a bait I really don't need considering I have many Rattle Traps but I would like to try a lipless that can be worked more effectively in deeper water. Or the Shower Blows which would be unique to my top water arsenal but again I have top water baits that seem to work well already. Both baits are more expensive than other similar baits. Any opinions on weather a LV 500 would up my lipless game, more than a Shower Blows will help my top water bite? Maybe I should scratch them both, and continue to fish my old school baits. The Monkey says buy a few of both, but the monkey must not remember how he got kicked out of the house the last time. I can't believe I put so much thought in to how to spend another $20 but I have found if I don't set some kind of limit, $20 quickly turns in to $200. My wife will be in the States next week, and can bring a tackle order back with her. I don't often get this chance, so I had to make sure I got a few months worth of line and terminal tackle which puts me at the limit of what I can spend. A package with just line and terminal tackle is kind of like getting clothes for Christmas when I was a kid. I may have needed the clothes but they sure weren't what I was hoping for.

Just when I was thinking I could cut the SB out of my tackle Ware House order both you and WRB chime in and say it is a great bait. Then you happen to mention they work well south of the border and the Bait Monkey is telling me to order a half dozen of them. I might have to scratch some other items off my cart before I place my order tomorrow. Maybe I will skip buying the terminal tackle, the cost of one Shower Blows could buy lots of hooks, but I like to fish top water more than soft plastics.

I realize the Jumping minnow is strictly a walking bait, which I have had great success with over many years on many species of fish. I owned a Cotton Cordel pencil popper once, and never had any success with it. The Shower Blows looks to be a similar lure long with a small popper shaped mouth. It may have a completely different action I am curious. Being cautious of spending $17 for what looks like a pencil popper to me. I currently own many walking baits, Spooks etc., and a few poppers, trying to decide if I need to buy an expensive lure that combines the two, or just stay with the inexpensive lures I own.

I'm thinking of buying a couple Shower Blows. They seem to be in almost every Tactical Bassin' video lately. I already have numerous walking baits as well as poppers. I'm not sure if I need any more, especially at the price. The bait looks to be nothing more than a standard pencil popper to me. Do members here use them? Does any one think they significantly out perform other similar baits? Bait Monkey is pushing hard for me to upgrade my top water baits, but I don't know if these are truly an upgrade or just the next new thing. I trust the members here will be far less inclined to encourage me to spend my money than Tim and Matt are. Currently my most used walking bait is a Rebel Jummpin minnow, and a Rebel Pop R is my popper of choice. Both of these baits are not new or cheap. Should I stick with the cheap classics, or listen to the Monkey.

I finessed a magnum square bill through the middle of very snaggy trees the last time I was fishing.