Torn between the simple, ol' days and today

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 11/13/2022 at 12:31 PM, Woody B said:

What's the lure pictured?  I've got several of them.  I caught a few bass on them last Winter.  

 

I try to be different that the other people I see fishing.  They're all fishing spinnerbaits, buzz baits and wacky rigs.   I used to fish a spinner bait quite a bit but don't so much now.  I've never fished a wacky rig.   I've caught multiple 5 pounders this year on a devils horse.  1 was right behind a guy fishing a buzz bait.   He come flying up and cut in at a lay down that was less than 30 feet in front of me.   He was 50 feet away when I caught the 5 pounder right behind him.  I held it up and yelled "hey, you forgot this".

 

Glad you showed him the fish! That was durned rude of him to cut you off but we've all seen it so many times. Wish there was more consideration for our fellow anglers but that's for another thread!

On 11/13/2022 at 5:03 PM, T-Billy said:

Umm... Those five tricks catch you more bass than the rest of us soo...... ?  ?

 

 

T-Billy's right! Whatever five tricks you have get you 70 bass per day in your honeyhole! You could market those five trick and I'll be your first customer! I've had a 70 bass day once......just once in over fifty years of fishing, and most were so small I think they were born that morning!

[Swamp Girl]

@Blue Raider Bob is my Mepps brother. I'm his Mepps sister. 

 

#Meppsisthickerthanblood

 

Bob, I trolled them this summer with great success, which really surprised me. In the past, I'd always cast them.

 

Thanks for the tip, @WRB. I'll be watching that video.

 

@AlabamaSpothunter, if you rig a camera to your line, we'll all be panting to watch!

 

30 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

The mystery and magic below the surface is one of the first things that drew me to fishing.  

 

[Blue Raider Bob]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

The more I watch Matt from Tactical Bassin, the more I realize how important reaction/feed response baits are if you fish anywhere that other anglers do. 

 

Bass are incredibly quick to adapt to realism approaches and won't even bat an eye at them when they aren't in feeding mode, however, force their hand into a reaction situation.....50/50 that fish at least bites your bait.   

 

I imagine it would blow our minds if we could see underwater all the fish that follow or acknowledge our bait's presence yet never commit.  

 

These are the baits that I'm focusing on learning currently, big hard swimbaits, chatterbaits, A-rigs, and my next is speed cranking.   All four of these baits trigger a reaction many times regardless of if the fish is hungry, they simply can't help themselves from lashing out at it.     

 

This reaction/feed response is a nuanced subject.  I imagine many anglers believe all lures are reaction/feed response ones, and in some ways they'd be correct.   

I have a good sized pond on my place which doubles as my outdoor classroom. I study the fish every chance I get. The water clarity is very good this time of year and the fish reveal their secrets. There are a lot more followers than takers! You are exactly right in your suggestion of all the fish following our lures. One big thing I've noticed is the "competition situation". I've seen uninterested bass suddenly attack a lure when it notices another bass showing interest. Kind of like your video when the Spots were schooling. The bass were competing with each other. 

11 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

@Blue Raider Bob is my Mepps brother. I'm his Mepps sister. 

 

#Meppsisthickerthanblood

 

Bob, I trolled them this summer with great success, which really surprised me. In the past, I'd always cast them.

 

Thanks for the tip, @WRB. I'll be watching that video.

 

@AlabamaSpothunter, if you rig a camera to your line, we'll all be panting to watch!

 

 

I've tried trolling the Mepps but I get bad line twist. Do You?

[Swamp Girl]

@Blue Raider Bob, no, but I did use a snap swivel. You use one too, don't you? 

 

All this talk of how wary bass are has me deciding to load some light line onto one of the reels next year and use it at the ponds with fewer weeds. I used 12 lb. and 17 lb. mono this year, but I'm going to revert to 6 lb. on one outfit next year...just to see.

[Blue Raider Bob]

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

@Blue Raider Bob, no, but I did use a snap swivel. You use one too, don't you? 

 

All this talk of how wary bass are has me deciding to load some light line onto one of the reels next year and use it at the ponds with fewer weeds. I used 12 lb. and 17 lb. mono this year, but I'm going to revert to 6 lb. on one outfit next year...just to see.

No I don't. The spinner is made to swivel. I guess maybe a snap swivel should help.

Thanks I'll try trolling again as soon as we get some warmer weather. I don't get out unless I'm expecting a high near 50. I know.......southern boy can't handle the cold! It's true but I just don't like that cold wind off the river numbing my fingers. I ain't that mad at them smallies!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

2 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

I have a good sized pond on my place which doubles as my outdoor classroom. I study the fish every chance I get. The water clarity is very good this time of year and the fish reveal their secrets. There are a lot more followers than takers! You are exactly right in your suggestion of all the fish following our lures. One big thing I've noticed is the "competition situation". I've seen uninterested bass suddenly attack a lure when it notices another bass showing interest. Kind of like your video when the Spots were schooling. The bass were competing with each other. 

I've tried trolling the Mepps but I get bad line twist. Do You?

Great observation, and I'd agree with the premise for sure.

 

Your pond is awesome, and you've made it even cooler with your carpentry skills.   There are some really talented folks on this forum like yourself 

[TnRiver46]

22 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Heck yeah, 45 min video is on youtube.   Watching now, how they got those scenes in 1996, let alone 2022 is crazy.   Wonder where it was filmed 

A spring in Florida. We wore that tape out back in the 7th grade 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

29 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

A spring in Florida. We wore that tape out back in the 7th grade 

Watched the whole thing before bed last night.....amazed at how much of the modern day Bass knowledge that is almost daily discussed on here was first caught on camera in this documentary.  

 

That place is magical, and unique.   

[KSanford33]

I'm never one to dissuade someone from learning something new, but it reminds me of former NY Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera. He basically threw one pitch: the cutter. The opposing batters knew what was coming, but still couldn't hit it.

 

 My point in bringing this up is, if you have confidence in what you throw and it works, why change it?