Flatrock

I've been on this site for about 6 months and I've watched just about every video Glen has posted. Problem is 99% of all his videos are around some type of vegetation. Where I mainly fish has very little grass, never mind reeds or Lilly pads... Imagine fishing the baron landscape of the Grand Canyon. You have rocks, hard bottom and some sunken debris like and current. Try fishing slow while being carried away, today I actually caught a 1 gal plastic landscape pot that someone threw out to create some type of cover for bait fish. To compound this challenge, in a matter of 100 feet you can go from 3' to over 150 plus feet of clear water. Today I could see better than 10'... it was beautiful. Ever since I got back into bass fishing this yr, I have been trying to use every tip and trick I've been learning.. throwing frogs, spinner baits, jigs, crank baits and I've been disappointed every time. I start this pattern again this morning and then I said screw it and decided to get back to basics and to slow my roll... I mean throwing my what I like to call my chunky crawfish... ugly looking bug and just fished it slow like the waters was 65 degs (surface temps was actually 84/86 degs) . I'm almost tempted to throw all my lures away and stick to soft plastics because I had the best day ever with quality size bass for me and my area. Ok I only caught 3, missed 2, but this was on a lake that is hard to fish... because there is little structure, clear water and extremely deep. I think the most fun I had was when my biggest fish swallowed my bait but when it did, she was swimming towards me... I'll give Glen credit for talking about this on several of his videos and I was prepared. Oh and I caught every fish on my 7' Powell M/H Ex fast and Lews Tourn reel on K9 Poly.. another first for me. Finally I know how it feels to catch a fish on a B/C. I can see all the eyes rolling now.. Hahahaha Its ok... Not fished for 25 yrs, never owned a boat, never mind know how a fish finder worked, hell I never seen one in operation before... 6 mos ago I couldn't cast one without backlashing or a major bird nest. (Still working on flipping and pitching) And I've only been out fishing maybe 3 times in the last 2 mos so its not like I'm going out couple times a week like many. So yea, its a big deal for me when I score on a lake that most around here don't fish because its too hard to fish. Imagine what I could do if I was able to fish every weekend like most here. I'm gonna shut up now... I just want to say to the guys like me, that when all else fails, just go back to the basics and leave the fancy fishing to the TV fish pro's.

10' of water is not deep.. I would have dropped anchor and did a little diving for it, maybe with a life vest tied to a rope to follow me in case I got too tired to float back to the boat.

I don't know about anyone else, but I watch 95% of the vids that are posted. I understand it takes time to create these videos, but I would really like to see under water action of the lures in action. Doesn't have to be every video. but some would / could really help when seeing the bait in action.

I've heard several sides to this subject but I'm curious as to if anyone has noticed fish becoming spooked because of your in the shallows and you have your depth finder or sonar is on, I mean fish are very sensitive to their environment, why not the ping of a fish finder ?

The 3rd situation or crossing is what scares me the most cause most times people think their boat is faster or fail to judge distance properly and believe they can cross before the other vessel gets there... god for bid they have to adjust their path.

I want to thank everyone for their input.. I've gone back to my incandescent lights for now. They aren't as bright as the LED's, but I have noticed these lights are more spot orientated, to be honest they look more like driving lights with a flat line beam. I did read the regulations and my take is that lighting cannot interfere with the main navigational lights. So I think as long as one can see the reg/green lights, one should be fine... I mean look at the size lights a barge uses in its navigation... You could call batman with it.. LOL

Where I have been, absolutely.. The fastest I go is high idle most times although I have witness a few that like to show their ars.. I like my boat too much for that. Are you kidding me... I live by my chart, I especially use the trail to find my way back to the ramp and to follow the channel in the bigger open areas. There are two lakes J Pecry Priest and Old Hickory that will destroy your hull if you're not careful.

I hate Old Hickory.. with the exception of the southern end. You either have 40-50' channel of you're in the shallows with hull damaging stump, logs and god knows what else just under the surface.

Thanks... I would have never thought about yo yo'n a lipless. I have seen them or something deep and sat there trying to figure out how the heel do I go after them... So I would toss a jig and work to them. I do have that "One" R/T that looks like a bluegill that has produced results so far... I suppose you can call it my go to lipless... but I never though about jigging it. I don't care to do tourns, don't have the confidence or knowledge or time.. I'm just trying to figure how to approach the process of making the right lure/bait choices... am I making sense here ? Again Thanks

Reel Ess thank you for your detailed response. I realize weather conditions, season, sun or clouds, barometer pressure, temps, ph level, O2 or if the guy in the next boat had beans the night before and can call a bull alligator during mating season with a fart... All have something to do with how a bass will react that day. But more experienced guys have a system they use and getting to talk about it is like talking to a politician... they love to beat around the Lilly pad, god forbid if they accidentally cough up some knowledge. Maybe I'm not specific enough... So lets say Tenn river / lake system. 2-3' visibility, air temps 75-85* water temp 75*, water brownish color, minimal vegetation, more submerged trees, rocks and mud bottom. Depts can go from 5' to 40+ feet in a 100 or less feet. Lots of shallow 5-10' to 35' deep coves followed by rock bluffs water 40' deep. Sunny / Cloudy you choice... how would you fish this day from sunrise until 2 pm, heat of the day... And Go.....

I'm curious as to what lures do people switch to at what time of the day.. I get top water works nicely at first light, but spinners, jigs, worms, cast baits,ect.. I would be curious to hear what Glen does when and where

Well gentlemen I don't disagree with a lot that has been said. However in the state of Tenn, night time lights are not illegal. With that said I mounted my new lights yesterday and went out last night and I can say I was disappointed in the results. I experimented with lights on and off and I understand the night vision thing perfectly... but where I went last night had a lot of surrounding city lights.... On the river where I live is pitch black. I don't know if its the fact they are LED's or the fact they are combo flood,spot or mounted too low... but I just couldn't see as well as I had hoped. I'm going to mount them higher and see if that helps. Bass Pro shop has a light that is a spot GoBee navigational light system I might look at... maybe.

Last Friday 2 boats collided during a tournament at one of the lakes I fish. It was reported that both boats (a Nitro and a Skeeter) was under powered (not running wide open) at the time of the collision, sadly one fisherman was killed, another was transported to the hospital and a third was ok. It happened during a evening tournament... Navigational equipment didn't help them a bit. Now I'm not talking about being obnoxious running lights, but the areas I fish are so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face and the Cumberland river system thru Middle Tenn is loaded with debris and logs which included Dale Hollow, Cordell Hull, Old Hickory and Priest

I'm currently installing some LED flood lights on my boat for night fishing... well more for navigation and self preservation from other boats, especially while anchored for cat fishing. I went out the other night on the local river with a single incandescent light which I felt was inadequate but it kept me from running aground and into floating debris. Why would anyone want to get out on the water without some kind of driving lights... You don't drive a car without lights, why a boat ?

eBay

In one of Glens video's he spoke about using LUMAFLEX for skirting material. So I found some and ordered White, Black and Purple for obvious reasons. I made up a skirt of white with a touch of black. I've not had a chance to throw it yet, but I'm wondering how something that looks like dental floss can really make any kind of presentation. What are your thoughts about LUMAFLEX ?

I was throwing everything.. white spinners, white chatter, pumpkin jigs / crawfish trailers in about 2-3 feet of brownish color waters... I just not sure what I'm doing wrong. But its obvious I'm fishing my jigs too fast

According to most of the responses here, I've been fishing my jigs way to fast. With that said, I went fishing yesterday and I wasn't sure what I was seeing was correct or a trick of the eye, but it looked like fish flash by my lure when it would get about 10 feet from the boat as it was on the upward retrieve.

I get you... In my teen to mid twenties, if I wasn't peeling out or sliding to a stop, I wasn't moving in a built 302 in a F100 SWB.. Loved drifting on dirt roads and back trails... So I'm no stranger go going fast... I"m not sure which finally broke me of driving like an idiot, but now I just sit back and relax, but at the rate I'm going, I figure I'm going to be that old man in the left lane going 10 under the speed limit in about another 10 yrs.. LOL

Maybe you're right, but to be honest it was more of the instability of the boat. My boat remains in the water and his ..? I think only the prop was touching.. LOL

Don't get me wrong, he knows his boat and I felt safe. But as someone that drives for a living its hard to be second seat and not have control... that includes riding in a 4 wheeler as a passenger. My post wasn't so much about the experience of going 70 mph for the first time in a boat. I mean it was exciting... I was going on the philosophy that fishing is supposed to be laid back and relaxing. Your not relaxing when your adrenaline is in over drive... LOL Like I said earlier, I'm not judging just wondering.

Those are Asian Carp... LOL

I write this purely for discussion sake and not to judge... I had the privilege of meeting up and fishing with a new friend a few weeks ago, we live a half a state apart. Actually I have to say he has helped rekindle my love for fishing and convinced me that buying a boat is not a bad thing, expensive but well worth the expense when you factor the benefits from a high stress profession. Which leads me to boat speed and the need for it. Now I purchased my lil ole Bass Tracker PT 175 TXW with a 75 Merc. Top speed 40 mph. Considering 30-40 yrs ago I have always fish off the bank, or fishing in a old v bottom alum boat with a 15 Evinrude with my father. So to me my Tracker is like, "yeehaaaa" look at me go... Which leads me to my friend which owns a Triton with a 200, without a doubt a beautiful boat and no I can't even begin to compare it to my Bass Tracker except the fact it gets you on the water. I'm sure my buddy was doing a little showing off, but here I found myself hanging on for dear life while he opens her up and we're doing 70 mph across the water. I'm finding myself hanging on to what I call the "Jesus Handle" with one hand and the bottom of the seat with they other hand while we're literally just barely skimming the waters surface. In fact I'm not sure we were touching the water as I felt the ass end of the boat going side to side. I'm thinking we're gonna die if this flying machine goes air borne. (I could think of worse ways to go though) Why does a boat need a "Jesus Handle" ? 30 yrs ago I'd of been on the bow of the boat face in the wind hollering... "can't you get this barge to go any faster" ? Now in my silver yrs of life, I'm happy with my nice stable sure footed 40 mph water craft... Now... With the understanding that when in a tournament, it's important to reach your spot across the lake first, I get that... but for the weekend fisherman, why does one find the need to run so fast ? I'm asking this with the mindset that fishing is supposed to be relaxing and fun. Don't we run the rat race enough with our daily grind ? I suppose it could asked why I bought a BT 175 w/ 75 hp when I could have bought a canoe or a yack. All I can say is one can't stand up and walk around in a canoe or a yack and a Tacker is lighter craft compared to a fiberglass barge... I'd say its a compromise between all the choices from a canoe to a $70,000 top of the line Ranger. I will admit during a catfishing tourn, I was rather thrilled when my aluminum boat with a 75 was able to keep up with a fiberglass being pushed by a 115 Johnson. I had figured he would have left me in their wake, but he couldn't out run me. But still why does anyone need a 60,70,80 mph "Bass Boat" when this sport is all about the environment and relaxing ?

I went thru my old worm box the other day and found a lot of my worms are still pretty supple... However they are all very old.. I'm talking like 30+ yr old. Are they any good still ?

SO me and a bud are walking around a small local bait shop where this guy make great spinner baits, real quality stuff all using top notch hooks. I'm sure even Glen would approve ... lol Any how, I've been hearing a lot about chatter baits but not having any I by 2, one white and one black for obvious reasons. My question is fishing technique used when fishing a chatter bait..? Looking at this lure I'm just having a hard time figuring out how it works and what about it make the fish strike it. Do you bounce along the bottom, jig it, cast and retrieve it like a spinner.. Any input would be welcomed for this returning old fisherman to bass fishing.