The clinic

[Chris]

If you have a technique that you have mastered post a clinic so others can learn from your knowledge. This should be interesting.

[roadwarrior]

Okay Chris, here is my contribution:

I'm a recreational fisherman who likes to catch big fish and lots of 'em. So I fish live shiners in 5-15 ft of water on a big river. Here's the gear and the technique:

Spinning combo, medium power, fast or medium action ( I use both), a reel with a GREAT drag system, 4 & 6 lb Yo-Zuri Hybrid, Gamakatsu #6 Octopus Circle Hooks and #4 or #5 split shot (sometimes heavier, you have to be clicking rocks).

Position the boat so you can cast to within a few feet of the bank. Cast at a ninety degree angle and fish at no more than a forty-five degree angle upstream - NEVER downstream. Your goal is to make the minnow look as natural as possible, so your bait should drift at the same pace as your boat.

Buy big minnows, I don't think they can be too big.

Position the split shot 2-3 ft from the hook (this will be determined by your casting skill).

DO NOT set the hook when using a circle hook, it sets itself and generally in the jaw.

That's all there is to it. Good luck!

[roadwarrior]

Chapter #2 Fishing Ponds From The Bank

I fish metropolitan ponds, both public and private, during the week and when I can't get to the river. On average I expect to catch at least one 5 lb+ largemouth a week and here's how:

First of all, you need to do a little homework. Target a handful of ponds and find out when they were built and if they were professionally stocked, DOW or privately. I don't care how good you are, you won't catch a bass if they aren't there! Look for ponds that are at least 5 years old, newer sites may have aggressive fish, but they're going to be small.

When you fish the water be alert to what other people are doing. I catch big fish at little public parks where everyone that fishes is using worms or crickets and a cork. If there are bass fishermen, 99% are throwing spinner baits. I rarely see any good fishermen and never see anyone catch a decent fish. But I know they are there.

So you found a pond where you're pretty sure some quality fish live. Okay, that's a big hurdle, now what? This is my plan and these are my methods.

First, I only fish for big fish. I throw 6 & 7 inch Senkos, big tubes and for the last year or so, the Fat Ika. Second, I get out early morning or late evening OR...either side of noon (all my 10s have been caught between 10:00 and 2:00). Third, walk the bank and fish parallel to it, out 5-10 yds. I know largemouth prefer cover and structure, but in a pond they are forced to cruise around looking for prey. Fourth, be patient and fish slooooooooooow, even in the summer!

When I get comfortable knowing the water holds fish, I'll use other equipment. I rotate my rods and try to use every lure I own, just for fun. Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't. When I really want to catch fish, it's back to basics.

[roadwarrior]

Chapter #3 River Smallmouth and Deep Structure

The Tennessee River is managed for year-around commercial barge traffic. Man-made riprap bank reinforcement, thousands of tons of boulders and wing dams have been built to maintain a navigatible channel in the river. Barrels are permanently anchored throughout the river system, visually defining the channel. During prespawn, this is where the big girls stage.

On the inside of nearly every bend, the river deposits gravel and silt to form vast flats, the perfect setting for bedding bass. In late February and March the males begin to build nests in hopes of attracting a mate. I don't fish the flats in the spring, I don't fish bedding bass. But I do fish the transition or the channel drop because these fish are huge, aggressive and not yet on the nest.

We drift the river and fish either side of the imaginary line running from buoy to buoy. I generally fish live shiners, but grubs, tubes, lizards and jigs should be effective along the drop. The key is having enough weight to stay on or very near the bottom without continually hanging up.

In the spring, we catch the largest smallmouth in this deep water and as an added bonus, we generally have it all to ourselves. Get away from the shore and get away from the crowd. The trophies are out deep.

[roadwarrior]

Capter #4 Striped Bass/ Striper/ Rockfish

From April until September I fish for stripers on the Tennessee River below Pickwick Dam. This same scenario applies to all the reservoirs on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers and certainly many others river systems as well.

My partner and I target 10+ lb fish. We often catch 20s and have boated two 30s. The largest striper I have personally seen anyone catch was 44 lbs. So, that's what we're after. Striper are almost as strong, pound for pound, as a smallmouth, but much bigger. They never give up. The only thing they don't do is jump.

Location: Immediately below the dam in what are referred to as the "boils". We drift from the dam downriver a mile to a mile and a half. The water is highly oxygenated and supports a tremendous population of bait fish, primarily gizzard shad, yellowtail (threadfin) and skipjack.

Equipment: Heavy bass baitcasting rig, I use a MBR844C with a Shimano Calcutta 300. 17 lb P-Line which is about 24 lb breaking strength and 17 lb test XT for leader. A 3-way swivel is rigged with a 3 oz weight on an 18-24" leader. A #2 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook or a kahle hook is attached on a 3 ft leader. This set up allows us to break off when we get hung, usually without losing the entire rig.

Bait: Gizzard shad April through May, yellowtail late May through mid July and then skipjack.

Technique: Drive the boat into the boils and begin the drift. Drop your bait straight down when the boat begins drifting downstream with the current. Ideally the weight clicks the bottom rocks. Keep the presentation vertical, at no more than a 45 degree angle and NEVER downstream.

That's all there is to it. The big fish are down deep so get down quickly and stay down.

Good luck!

[Phishn_Phool]

RW...All very good advise...but how do I get bass out of the grass in Florida LOL...You should have written a few more pages and had it published....all very good reading and advise though ;D ;D

[GobbleDog]

how do I get bass out of the grass in Florida LOL

Power Pro

[roadwarrior]

There have been a couple of posts asking about fishing on a river, so I thought this old thread might be helpful.

[Sweetwater]

Excellent work RW.

[BASSMAN1301599783]

RW you should write a book. I always like to see your posts they come in handy for the "just starting to take bass fishing seriously" kind of guy.... like me. Thanks.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

I'm not sure which conditions this works best in but when it's working, man,...is it working.  I throw a super fluke to the rear of the reeds.  Keep tip high and reel quickly as to keep fluke "snaking" through the reeds.  When you get to the edge of the weed-line, kill it!  Just let it drop in front of the reeds and WHAM!

[roadwarrior]

I brought this up again for Jake and other guys that are new to the forum. Maybe there are some ideas here that will help you.

Good luck!

[Phishn_Phool]

Still good advise whether Feb or Oct thanks again, and everyday I am still learning about Florida grass(the kind you fish in of course)

                                   CPR ;D

[flyphisher #]

Use the force.....

Think like a flyfisherman

If I tell you anymore I will have to kill ya :-X

[Hamlet]

RW, you should be writing for an outdoors magazine, your posts are always very clear and instructional, you have a good writing style.

Some of these articles I read in magazines have lots of words but they're not really saying anything. You could be the big fish guru! 8)

[Bass Hammer]

RW thanks for that!

Hammer

[sodaksker]

There have been a couple of posts asking about fishing on a river, so I thought this old thread might be helpful.

RW.,

Thanks for the help.  I am a newbie who has been fishing a tourney on the missouri river between Iowa and South Dakota(with little success).  Very few largemouth and mostly smalleys, and not much size to boot.  The current is 5-7mph ??? and fishing is pretty tough.  depths are about 9-15ft in the channels and up to 50ft on some wholes after wing dikes.  I would love to take you out fishing if you ever make it out this way, or if you would rather save your gas, just  keep sending me the good advice.

Thanks

Rob

[sodaksker]

Position the boat so you can cast to within a few feet of the bank. Cast at a ninety degree angle and fish at no more than a forty-five degree angle upstream - NEVER downstream. Your goal is to make the minnow look as natural as possible, so your bait should drift at the same pace as your boat.

RW,

How fast is your current moving? How deep is the water at the bank?  I fish the missouri river, where the current is 5-7 mph and the water is very muddy.  I'm looking for some ideas on how to fish it successfully.  Maybe I should pay attention to your previous message on "catching big bass"  I think you sd something about, " if they aint there you can't catch them" ;D