papajoe222

It's difficult to distinguish suspending fish from fish that are using a certain depth for their movements. In clear water they may follow structure, but not be directly on or adjacent to it. Your electronics may indicate fish at the 10ft. level, but won't tell you if they're stationary or on the move, so it isn't a waste of time to probe the area before moving on. It's a better use of time, IMO, than setting a way point and returning to it to see if the fish have moved.

One of the goals I set for myself was to catch fish on a rod that I'd built during the off season. One of those rods spent the entire season in the company of many different rods on my deck and helped produce some fine catches. My other goal was to ignore the impulse to abandon my search for big fish when the going got tough, which it does more often than I had anticipated. I caved in on a number of occasions, but was mostly successfull and that mindset paid dividends. I caught more bass over 20in. in one season than I'd caught in the previous three fishing the same waters.

Using my ultra-light spinning outfit more. I've been concentrating so much on catching big fish that I almost forgot how much fun it is to catch the small ones on light tackle. This kind of goes hand in hand with the other thing I really need to work on and that's slowing down.

I have a custom rod built by John Nutter that I stole from a fellow angler for a song. It's 6'6" med. action and I don't know how to describe the tip, but it was made by John solely for jerkbait fishing. He still makes them and some of the older pros still buy them. They're affordable compared to some of the rods mentioned.

I caught my biggest bss of the season a few years ago on one. I quit using it because of the poor casting qualities. One bait I've yet to see mentioned on this site is a JiggingRap. Though mainly used for ice fishing these things will catch bass in just about any situation, but shine when used as a drop shot alternative. If you think a tube has great action on the fall, you gotta see one of these in action. The come in sizes from 1/8 to 7/8oz. For topwater action, give the Crazy Crawler a shot. Not too many guys use 'em and the action is totaly different from a JitterBug.

They are also a great bait for skipping and when rigged on a weighted swim bait hook. C-rig them with a piece of styrofoam inside for a presentation that will keep it up off the bottom. Fish it weightless like a Fluke........ I think you get the idea, about anything you can do with other soft plastics you can do with a tube and them some.

1. Know your quary. By that I mean recognize that big fish don't act like their little sisters and don't be fooled into thinking they can't be caught on small baits. 2. Search out the 'spot on a spot' that most anglers would overlook. (eg.a small outcropping of rock on an extended ledge with many larger ones) 3. Be prepared to spend hours on and off the water without anything to show for it.

For me, it depends on what size worm and line I'll be using. It's normally an EWG style hook, but if I'm using light line and smaller worms I'll almost always use a light wire hook as it penetrates the worm easier and gives a good hook-set. I like Mustad for that situation and Gammys for most other situations. Either way, I'll choose the size depending on the thickness of the worm I'm choosing.

My two favorite top water hard baits are a Spook and a ChugBug. I also fish some gin clear lakes and strip pits. For years I never fished any mono heavier than 10lb. and rarely lost a fish. The last decade or so I've switched to heavier (12&17lb.) mono and have found I can work the baits almost as well, but I haven't lost a fish and landed my PB with the heavier line. There is a difference in lure action though, as the larger diameter line does have more drag coming through the water. The big reasons I switched were a better hook-set on long casts and the better abrasion resistance of the heavier line. I haven't noticed much of a difference in numbers of fish, but I believe I'm missing fewer.

I had something similar happen to me a year or so ago. I was fishing a ChugBug late in the fall. When the surface exploded and I'd set the hook, I thought for sure I was into my biggest bass ever. After the first good run, I thought maybe a northern, but when it took off for deep water I realized it was a big channel cat. Nothing as big as this monster, but at just under 10lb. it was fun.

Awaiting my kit the wife is buying me for Christmas. Hopefully I'll have it finished by then. This will be my third complete build and I'm anxious to start it. I've already practiced the butt wrap design I intend to use and I'm also adding an aluminum winding check and trim rings for the handle. The customer service prior to purchase was fantastic. The guy really took his time in helping me decide on, not only the right blank but handle, guides, etc. He even helped me pick out the thread colors. Just wait until you catch your first fish on the first rod you build. Nothing like it and all the fish that will follow will also have special meaning. Don't forget to post some pics of the finished product. Tight Wraps!

For me, it's a C-rigged lizzard. Worms, creature baits, tubes, and just about any other plastic will at some time or other produce for me. I totaly gave up on lizzards last year and stuck with the above mentioned baits.

Stick with the bait you're using. Tickin the top of the weeds is exactly what you want to be doing. A pause allowing the bait to rise and a short rip with the rod tip will free the few strands clinging to the hooks and has the advantage of triggering stikes.

Another vote for Bagley Bang-O-Lure. BTW, you can distinguish a suspending vs. floating Rattlin' Rogue by the color of the eyes. Red eye versions suspend. Both these and the Original Rapala are true floaters and are the predecessors to sinking (Rapala Count Down etc.) and suspending (Husky Jerk etc.) jerkbaits.

Another 4star read!

Don't forget, there is a BIG difference in the aggressiveness of northern strain bass over their southern siblings. Water temps in the 50's down south call for a finness approach while up north spinnerbaits and cranks will still produce. The water temp won't drop much lower in southern regions where as up north, it may still drop 20 degrees. This is one of the reasons you get different responses to posts about activity levels during different callendar periods.

The spring movement of bass is driven more by the need to spawn than to eat, although up until the actual spawn they do forage. Thus the presence of baitfish in those areas as they, too are preparing to spawn. Not all fish will retreat to the depths in the winter and summer and the perception that the move is prompted by their looking for a comfort zone is errorneous. Fish are cold blooded and as such are comfortable at whatever the water temp is. That move is made more for security reasons and the availability of forage. Generally speaking, the moves you mention are correct. Just remember that not all fish make those transitions and the ones that do don't all move at the same time.

My most thankful moment this year had to be the moment I finally caught up to my boat on a cold, breezy, rainy day in April after falling overboard. Without my PFD and knowing I was alone on the water, well aware that I am out of shape and the cold water would sap what little strength I still had, when I finally grabbed the transom and was able to hoist myself aboard (with the help of the power trim) I can honestly say that it was not only my most thankful moment this year, but in the top ten of my life. Thank You Lord!

This question is for all of us that see ourselves as experienced anglers. What one piece of reading material would you recommend to a not so experienced angler? It could be a book, magazine series, state or local publication......any hard copy reading. I'm eliminating on-line forums, etc. Not that there isn't a ton of recommended reading to be found on the web, but I'm looking for something you can pick up and read. My recommendation is: 'Lunkers Love Nightcrawlers' This book was put together by the publishers of Fishing Facts magazine and although the title implies (and there is an abundance of information about) fishing nightcrawlers, this book was one of the first 'comprehensive dissertations on structure fishing.' Buck Perry's focus on structure, when attempting to determine fish location, is very evident in the sections that target that subject and not surprisingly as Carl Malz, Spence Petros and many of the writers for that fine magazine were the authors of the majority of those chapters. If for no other reason than to obtain an understanding of how, why, where and when bass and other gamefish use structure, This book is a 'must read' Oh yea, it's also available in PDF format.

I had one of those days, late this summer, that I dream about. I found an active school of big fish (18in.+) holding just offt he bottom on a small ledge that dropped from 10-12ft. It was a perfect set up for cranking and my Norman Deep Little N was getting the job done. Add to the fast action the fact that I'd built the cranking stick I was using and had my favorite reel (Daiwa Sol) spooled with 12lb. flouro and it was a cold winter night's dream come true. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten into good sized fish that were schooling other times this year. This one was special as these were the first fish I'd contacted after two hours of chucking and winding some of my favorite structure. The biggest was just under 21in. and the smallest was almost 19. Every one of them engulfed that crank and took off for deep water. I thought the others would follow and made a couple of casts deeper, but the rest of the school stayed put and I was able to pick off the majority of the fish I'd marked. I kept that crank tied on that combo until my season was over and it produced consistantly for me.

I forgot to mention a favorite spawning area in a lot of Wisc. lakes with muck bottoms......Beaches The swimmers aren't testing the water until the temps. get around 70 and by that time the bass are long gone. On my favorite lake, despite the presence of abundant hard bottom shallows, the smallies love the beach areas despite the lack of cover. Go figure.

You're describing my favorite type of natural lake. A few generalities may help you. When pike are present, they are the dominate species and the bass are second in pecking order. As bass can be forage for the pike, they tend to not use the same areas and cover. Pike, because of their stature need more room to navigate and so will gravitate to cabbage weed vs. say millfoil. If the forage isn't there, they'll cruise the edge of thicker weeds, including the top.. This leaves the bass inside the weeds or, as you've discovered, the inside weedline where the docks are. I prefer baits that will call the bass up out of the weeds. Topwaters and weightless plastics that will sit atop the dense weeds when paused. My favorite for the inside weedline is a Reaper on some sort of stand-up jighead or shakey head. For spawning areas, check flats having docks with wood pilings. Most docks where there is a muck bottom will have metal posts and the larger base of a wood piling is a great spot for spawning bass and bluegill. Minnows and bluegill are the major forage as are small perch, so pick your colors based on that. A frog pattern from late spring through early fall is also a great choice.

Set up the reel as Mike mentioned and remind yourself not to attempt long casts with light baits and you should be casting like a pro in no time. BTW, provided the reel was maintained well by it's previous owner, it's a great entry level reel.

I'm with you when it comes to sensitivity in my cranking sticks. I like to be able to feel the line draging over a limb, or be able to feel the difference in bottom composition during a retrieve. I also swear I can sometimes feel the change in a bait's vibration just before a fish hits. The down side to more sensitive rods is their action. Most have Mod/fast to fast actions and that makes it easier to miss fish that don't totaly inhale the bait. I use a stretchy mono on my graphite composite sticks and flouro on my glass rod for that reason. The flouro adds a little sensitivity and the mono slows down the rods ability to unload as quickly.

I rely on three baits when the water temps. drop into the 40's all the way until there's ice covering the surface. A Mepps in-line spinner, a suspending FatFree Shad or Norman Little N, and a white jig with a smoke colored Kalin's grub. That Mepps Aglia is something that they rarely see, can be fished relatively slow and it has a different vibration and flash than a bass style spinnerbait.