king fisher

Cant be you or your gear, has to be the moon phase.

Most of the time when I fish a topwater, I am casting to a specific target, grass clump, stickup, etc. I like to bomb cast past the target, wait to let the splash settle down, then retrieve to my target. When I get to the target, I pause, twitch, while trying to keep the lure in the strike zone of my target as long as possible, while still giving the lure some action. Poppers are easy to work in place, other baits not so much. I get most of my strikes as the lure enters the strike zone of a target, or on the first pause. Once the lure is past where I think the fish are I reel in quickly and make another bomber cast. Sometimes I get hit when I start to burn the lure back, usually causing me to jerk the bait out of the fishes mouth, then have a small heart attack, followed by profanity.

Next time leave your wife at home and take the Bait Monkey instead. Skip the salad and have a burger.

Maybe livescope sonar? Have you been good? I have been asking Santa for a bass boat for Christmas for the past 40 years and always get a new sweater instead. Better than a lump of coal, but I am starting to doubt the existence of Sant Clause.

This is the first year that my answer isn't some type of hard bait. I started the year off with a 10.3 pound bass caught on a weightless 7 inch Senko rigged weedless. ( T rig with no weight for those that are not offended by that terminology ). No more DD. but the 7 inch Senko caught most of my bigger fish. My best numbers bait was a 1/4 ounce T rig with a Zoom Magnum Trick Worm. Same bait fished on a C rig came in 3rd. I always start off with moving baits, but this was definitely the year of soft plastics for me. A few years ago, I didn't even catch a single decent size bass on any soft plastic, and this year both of my top baits were plastics. I am not sure if the bass have changed, or if it is me. If next year my top producer is a Ned rig, I may have to move out of Mexico.

All lakes have cycles. Baccarac is on a down cycle right now. In the spring and early summer of 2021 there was a sever draught that may have caused the start of the downward turn. A larger than normal rainy season in the fall of 2021 brought the lake back up, but the fishing suffered all of last winter. Even with higher than normal water level to start the winter, higher than normal irrigation, brought the water level down to almost the level of the 2021 drought again in the spring of 2022. Lots of rain in the fall of 2022 brought the water back up but so far this fall season has been slow, for big fish. The tilapia nets effectiveness in the low water may have been the cause of the decline, but there isn't a lodge owner in all of Mexico, that even mentions the word nets. Baccarac is still a phenomenal lake, and the fact that it has the largest abundance and variety of bait, of any lake in Mexico, and a healthy population of smaller bass with excellent genetics, It may return to it's number one status of big bass producing waters within a year or two. You can still have a great day catching large numbers of 2- 5 pound fish, with a possibility of a DD on any cast. The days of everyone catching a bass 10 pounds or over seem to be gone for awhile. El Salto while not as good as Baccarac is on the upswing. Auguamilpa bass size average while not huge is going up, and the catch rates of 1 to 4 pound fish are still phenomenal. Auguamilpa for years has struggled with extremely high catch rates, but small sized bass. If the size of the bass keeps improving, it may be an unbelievable lake when it hits its peak, only time will tell. Chapala, a lake I predicted 3 years ago, would be the best trophy lake in Mexico, is actually down from what it was when I was making my prediction. My poor ability to predict the future is why I don't bet on sports or invest in stocks. Presa Calles in Aguascalientes is probably your best shot at catching a 10 pound plus bass in Mexico this winter. There are no lodges at the lake, but there are many hotels and a few good guides. Unlike many lakes in Mexico, this lake has an abundance of aquatic vegetation, and bass can be caught all year in grass mats, as well as on deep water structure. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to fish this lake myself, but the reports I have gotten are from highly reputable sources, and there are many videos' on the internet with people catching double digit bass. To answer your question, Baccarac trophy fishing is not what it was a couple years ago, but I wouldn't write it off yet. It is still one of the top bass destinations in the world, and will probably be back on the very top of the list in a couple years. It is still worth the money, so if you get a chance to fish there, don't pass up the opportunity, just go and have fun.

Yes it works. I have caught bass Carolina rigging floating Rapala's and square bills. If you have the patience you can use a flatfish, or Lazy Ike and reel as slow as you can stand it. Years ago this was my skunk buster technique. Once when I was a kid and my friend and I couldn't get the bass to bite our top water baits, my friend decided the bass were to deep for top water. He didn't own any other baits so he put an egg sinker a foot in front of a Jitterbug. Of course I told him that had zero possibility of working. He caught three bass on the crazy Jitterbug Carolina rig. It took me years of watching him use crazy junk that shouldn't work, before I quite telling him something can't possibly work.

I bought my 2021 Zillion SV from Japan for $230. The most money I have ever spent on a fresh water reel. Worth every penny, by far the best reel I have ever owned. The only way this reel could be better is if it found the fish for me.

I like black lures in all categories. I don't know if they are more visible or not, but they do catch bass. Especially fond of black spinnerbaits. I do wonder why if black is more visible, than why do people recommend coloring the last few feet of braided line black in order to make the line less visible? Black makes lures more visible, and line less visible, kind of like a thermos, keeps cold things cold, and hot things hot but how does it know.

I fished a small lake that got almost zero sport fishing pressure for 2 years. Every time I went I got a bass of 7 pounds or more. I landed many over 10 pounds, and I thought I had found paradise. Eventually the word got out, and I started seeing a few kayak anglers, as well as some people fishing from shore. I was still catching trophy bass, fishing offshore where the other anglers were not fishing. I had a fish finder and was able to find offshore structure and cover so I wasn't concerned about the shore line getting some more pressure. The other anglers were occasionally catching large bass, so life was good for everyone. Then the owner of a lodge at a nearby lake found the lake. He started taking clients there 3-5 days a week. Now the fishing for large bass is difficult at best. I still can catch many small fish, but getting the trophy's is no longer easy. I just got back from fishing there for two day's, and the biggest bass I got was 2 pounds. The water clarity was a little over 2 feet, which is perfect for this lake, and the surface temp. was 74 degrees. Conditions couldn't have been better, but I couldn't buy a bite from a bigger bass. At the time I was catching giant bass every trip, I started thinking of myself a great big bass fisherman. Sadly now I have been forced to realize the truth. I am not a great trophy bass guru, I was just fishing a lake that had lots of very stupid big bass. The bass are still there, I simply have to improve my angling skills to catch them. I will probably take the easy road, and fish another lake I found that is further away, but has many large stupid bass, that never see a lure. Should be a good ego boost to catch some big bass, even if they are dumb. I will try to improve my skills, and go back to the first lake, and hope to catch some more giants, but for now I am humbled. From my experience I am certain finding less pressured waters is the easiest way to catch large bass. I have great respect for those anglers who are able to catch larger than average bass regularly on pressured waters. They are truly great anglers. The Bait Monkey just informed me while I was typing, that I am a good big bass fisherman, I only need to quit being so cheap, and buy some expensive large swimbaits, and glide baits. I think I will go to the stupid bass lake, and catch some big bass on one of the thousands of lures I already own, before going down the swimbait road. I might even try fishing at night, before I let the Monkey drain my bank account.

The River Why is a Fantastic book, but I believe A River Runs Through It is better. The book A River Runs Through It, is about a fisherman, and his struggles in life. The movie was about a mans struggles, and he happens to fish a little. Both books are good and worth reading.

For the bass fisherman in the far north, who are already in winter mode, you may need one more to argue over. Palomar knot. I wont have time to chime in, because this is prime season, and I am going fishing for the next two days. By the time I get back I probably will have thought of another word to get the thread going again. You snow bound anglers have to have something to do.

Once everyone agrees on this pronunciation. You can start the discussion all over again with Rapala.

Not instructional, but a great book about fishing and life is A River Runs Through It. I know they made a movie, but read the book you will be glad you did.

When I was a teenager, I fished a jitterbug every time I went fishing, mainly because it was one of the few lures I owned. My friend had a Crazy Crawler, which had similar action and sound, we had many arguments over which one was best. I haven't fished a jitterbug in a few years, mainly because most of my topwater fishing is done with buzz baits, and spooks. I don't know if other topwaters are more effective in the evening, but I would recommend every angler get a chance to fish a Jitterbug on a hot summer day, as the sun starts to set, the wind stops, the only sound in the world is a few frogs, crickets, and the blurp blurp blurp of a Jitterbug. The sudden sound of a big bass crushing a Jitterbug in the silent evening, is as good as life can get.

You had to do it. Post a nice bass with a burrito. The Bait Monkey has been on my back for a few months, trying to get me to buy one. Every other Tactical Bass video has them using them. I kept telling the Monkey to calm down because they have their own color of burrito, are simply pushing their product. Then the monkey shows me this picture and screams black Friday in my ear. I think I have lost the battle, and will order two for Christmas.

Outside arms jackhammer chatterbaits white and chartreuse. Center mega bass vision 110 clown.

I stopped yesterday when the surface temp. was 75 degrees, because it was getting dark, and I had to go home.

The only for sure travel rout for bass that I know of. On more days than I like to admit to, they travel in a straight line away from me.

I heard from the cousin of a friend of a friend, that Idaho fish and game biologist electro shocked a new world record small mouth a couple years ago, somewhere on the Snake River. Has any one else heard this story?

The year started well. I landed a DD. first day on the water in early January. After that my job got in the way of bass fishing until April. I found a new lake in April, and landed some nice bass including one over 9 pounds. Work and health issues kept me off the water until Sept. First trip in Sept. I landed a few small bass, and lost two rod and reel combos over board. I replaced the gear and was able to go fishing last weekend. I landed lots of small bass, but couldn't find the big girls, but at least I came home with all my gear, minus one Jackhammer. My biggest bass have been caught on a variety of soft plastics, which is a first for me. Lost a giant on a jackhammer, making the bait monkey happy. I may never hook another giant bass on a Jackhammer, but I can guarantee I will have a couple spares in my box from now on. I have some time off from work the next couple months, and am in good health. I hope to catch a couple double digit bass before the end of the year. Who knows I might even catch my PB.

I was fishing with a friend and we weren't catching much. We both started thinking we would have more luck if only we had a couple lures we didn't have. When I got home after the poor fishing day, my wife asked what we caught. I told her not much, but we both were sure we could have done better if we had bought some other gear. She looked at my fishing gear and said if we couldn't catch a bass with all gear we had, than we probably needed to learn how to use what we had. She asked me if a pro fisherman could have used my gear and caught fish that day. I thought about it for a minuet, then I had to admit that the truth hurts. I'm sure that between my friend and I we had everything we needed to catch bass that day. The only thing we didn't have was the skill needed to catch bass that day. I have no doubt that someone who makes there living fishing could have done far better using only what we had. It's not the gear it's the fisherman using it that matters.

Bait Monkey say's all you need is a new rod and reel, to cast the new Vixen a mile.

I don't feel the names are associated with the style of baits, I believe the terms reflect the cost of the baits. Small soft baits that come in a package of 5 to 7 and cost under $10, I call paddle tails, and if they are very soft and only hold up for one fish I call them Kietech's . Soft baits that cost over $10 and come in packages of two, I call hollow bodied paddle tails, because my head must have been hollow at the time I bought them. Hard baits that are under $30 per bait, I call glide baits because I may have to quietly glide out of the house when my wife finds out how much I paid for one bait. Hard or soft baits that cost between $30 and $1000 I call swimbaits because if the Bait Monkey ever talks me in to buying one and I snag it, I am going swimming until I retrieve it, regardless of water temp, depth, or current. Needless to say I may never own a swimbait, but a couple years ago I said the same thing about A rigs.

My finesse rig on my favorite lake here in central Mexico is a drop shot, with a 3/8 oz weight, and a wacky rigged 7 inch Senko. I cast this finesse presentation with a BC. The remainder of the time I'm power fishing with a bait caster. A spinning rod and floating Rapala have saved the day more than once, but most of the time I'm all in on bait casters.