04 May 2023 ~ Nice Smallie & My Last Fishing Video

[roadwarrior]

Well, all "my spots" are well documented on the net by locals, professional tournament

guys and guides. You have to move 5 miles below either the Pickwick or Wilson Dams

ro get away from community holes. It actually surprises me that I catch any big smallmouth

with all the pressure "my spots" receive. 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Well, all "my spots" are well documented on the net by locals, professional tournament

guys and guides. You have to move 5 miles below either the Pickwick or Wilson Dams

ro get away from community holes. It actually surprises me that I catch any big smallmouth

with all the pressure "my spots" receive. 

 

Seems we each live in fairly different worlds, just in population density alone.

Not sure we can compare the two.

For instance, as of the 2020 census, Shelby County, TN

which is 785 sq miles, had a of population of 929,744. 

It's the largest of the state's 95 counties, both in terms of population and geographic area.

 

I live in Otsego County, MI which has a total area of 526 square miles and is the fifth-smallest county by total area in Michigan.  As of the 2020 Census, the population was 25,091.  

There's over 370 lakes in the county but 37 times Less People. 

And I like it that way. 

A-Jay

 

 

 

[Tim Kelly]

Where I fish, on the River Thames in London, it's not exactly possible to be discrete about where you're fishing, so I've given up worrying about it. The fishing gets more difficult with people fishing the area, but I can't control it, so I just enjoy doing what I do. 

Population density in London is fourteen and a half thousand per square mile. ?‍♂️

 

I think I need to move to Michigan. 

[12poundbass]

7 hours ago, gimruis said:

I am guessing that newly-installed moderator @12poundbass is using his wizardry behind the curtain on you.  I call for an immediate investigation of this espionage

Nah I never would’ve done that. A not so friendly visit from Boris and Sergi assured @A-Jay I would stay quiet. There’s a reason you’ve never seen those two gigantic men show up on his videos. ?

[Swamp Girl]

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Most people don't have the head to crack a code to begin with, or the willpower to grind it out when that's just what it takes nearly every single time.

 

[T-Billy]

I as well will miss your vids A-Jay, but I 100% get it, and don't blame you a bit. Thanks for sharing with us what you have. Public waters are public waters, but parasites are parasites as well, and there's not an ounce of honor in them.

 I tease my muskie guide buddy about the crowds he draws when there's a casting bite on. I tell him, Elvis would be jealous of his crowds. We met last November at the ramp, and had a nice, mutually beneficial conversation. I clued him in on the A-Rig and how I fish it. He clued me in on a pattern that was setting up. We both had instant success, shared info daily, each did our own thing with it, and both had our best fall ever.

Within days, he was surrounded by leeches throwing rigs just barely out of his clients casting range. He told me he'd never seen any of those guys throwing it before they saw him throwing it. It's one thing to see someone having success and trying to emulate it. It's another thing to follow them around and try to capitalize on their hard earned knowledge. Some folks just have no shame.

 That said, that bunch didn't have nearly the success he and I did, and neither will those currently feeding off of you. I'd wager you could follow those on "your" spot around and haul fish from their used water. You're a very good stick my friend. 

 Anyhoo... Good talkin to ya. ? Looking forward to some big brown bass pics and fishing reports.

[A-Jay]

38 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I as well will miss your vids A-Jay, but I 100% get it, and don't blame you a bit. Thanks for sharing with us what you have. Public waters are public waters, but parasites are parasites as well, and there's not an ounce of honor in them.

 I tease my muskie guide buddy about the crowds he draws when there's a casting bite on. I tell him, Elvis would be jealous of his crowds. We met last November at the ramp, and had a nice, mutually beneficial conversation. I clued him in on the A-Rig and how I fish it. He clued me in on a pattern that was setting up. We both had instant success, shared info daily, each did our own thing with it, and both had our best fall ever.

Within days, he was surrounded by leeches throwing rigs just barely out of his clients casting range. He told me he'd never seen any of those guys throwing it before they saw him throwing it. It's one thing to see someone having success and trying to emulate it. It's another thing to follow them around and try to capitalize on their hard earned knowledge. Some folks just have no shame.

 That said, that bunch didn't have nearly the success he and I did, and neither will those currently feeding off of you. I'd wager you could follow those on "your" spot around and haul fish from their used water. You're a very good stick my friend. 

 Anyhoo... Good talkin to ya. ? Looking forward to some big brown bass pics and fishing reports.

For sure and thank you.

I've got some things up my sleeve and we'll find out how it goes.  Big Fish Jeff will be in the boat with me starting next week.  Like you, he's a hammer and the two of us can break down water in half the time.  He knows the deal and seems genuinely excited for whatever comes our way.  Got to get him a fur bomber hat though.

A-Jay

 

 

[T-Billy]

2 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

For sure and thank you.

I've got some things up my sleeve and we'll find out how it goes.  Big Fish Jeff will be in the boat with me starting next week.  Like you, he's a hammer and the two of us can break down water in half the time.  He knows the deal and seems genuinely excited for whatever comes our way.  Got to get him a fur bomber hat though.

A-Jay

 

 

I wanted to say thanks, like, and use the laugh emoji for this post, but we can only use one so... The laugh emoji won out for BR's most popular hat. LOL.

[PhishLI]

51 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Public waters are public waters, but parasites are parasites as well, and there's not an ounce of honor in them.

I sometimes wonder whether fishing brings out the worst in some people, or if it simply attracts some of the worst people.  

[T-Billy]

3 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I sometimes wonder whether fishing brings out the worst in some people, or if it simply attracts some of the worst people.  

I'd say both, and add, some people are just clueless. I had a clueless/bunghole encounter today. I was fishing a cove about 50yds wide, pitching into pine tops on the sunny side, when a pontoon comes roaring in full throttle right past me. He goes near the back, runs smack into a laydown, throws his anchor in, fishes that tree for 5 min, and leaves. Full throttle right back out, couldn't care less, or is oblivious to, how he's affecting me.

 A younger me would have lit him up. Today, I just laughed, shook my head and went on about my otherwise enjoyable day. 

 

[gim]

3 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

He goes near the back, runs smack into a laydown, throws his anchor in, fishes that tree for 5 min, and leaves. Full throttle right back out, couldn't care less, or is oblivious to, how he's affecting me.

Did he really expect to catch anything on that party barge??

[T-Billy]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

Did he really expect to catch anything on that party barge??

Dude... What he did is standard operating procedure for the amish around here.

Sorry for getting sidetracked here A-Jay. I'll leave it at this. Back to A-Jay's regularly scheduled programming.

 

[A-Jay]

10 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Dude... What he did is standard operating procedure for the amish around here.

Sorry for getting sidetracked here A-Jay. I'll leave it at this. Back to A-Jay's regularly scheduled programming.

 

No FFS on that rig !

A-Jay

[Bankbeater]

Sorry to hear this. Your videos are always detailed and well put together. Nice catch by the way. 

[Dwight Hottle]

Sorry to here about the loss of your well appreciated videos but I well understand. At least you know I’m not a guilty party because I only disclosed your location to our buddy big fish Jeff. We are still expecting more still pictures of your trophy fish. Beside it will give you more fishing time. 

[RipzLipz]

Sorry to read this @A-Jay

 

I am blessed to have & have had access to some d**n fine private fisheries & am currently revisiting a public lake that was a hidden gem 40+ years ago & has finally had some decent efforts at proper management. The public place can get inundated with non-fishing kayakers who can on occasion absentmindedly venture right where the fishing is best but a bit off the beaten path for a typical kayaker. Sometimes I just grit my teeth - others I can’t keep my mouth closed. I admire how you’ve chosen to handle this particular inconvenience/intrusion - probably much better than myself.

 

As always, wonderful catch!

[pdxfisher]

Sorry that your video days are over. It was fun watching you catch so many nice fish! At least you went out with a bang, that was a beast of a smallmouth.