Bass Madness

Largemouth Bass

2010-03-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

Also reffered to as black bass, wide mouth bass, green trout, or lineside bass, can grow up to 4-6 inches thier first year, 8-12 inches in thier second year, and uo to 16 inches in three years. No of corse these are just general figures, it can differ habitat to habitat. Thier colors range from a dark green on the top side to almost white in most cases on thoer bottom side. Large mouth also have a black stipe horizontaly in thier sides.

Except for humans, adult largemouth bass are the top predators in the aquatic ecosystem. Fry feed primarily on zooplankton and insect larvae. At about two inches in length they become active predators. Adults feed almost exclusively on other fish and large invertebrates such as crayfish. Larger fish prey upon smaller bass.

Generally spawning begins in the spring when water temperatures reach about 60°F. This could occur as early as February or as late as May, depending one where one is in the country. Males build the nests in two to eight feet of water. Largemouth bass prefer to nest in quieter, more vegetated water than other black bass, but will use any substrate besides soft mud, including submerged logs. As in Guadalupe bass, once the female has laid eggs in the nest (2,000 to 43,000) she is chased away by the male who then guards the precious eggs. The young, called fry, hatch in five to ten days. Fry remain in a group or "school" near the nest and under the male's watch for several days after hatching. Their lifespan is on average 16 years. Largemouth bass seek protective cover such as logs, rock ledges, vegetation, and man-made structures. They prefer clear quiet water, but will survive quite well in a variety of habitats.

Fishing Rods

2010-03-27T23:19:00.000-07:00

Fishing rods come in all different brands, sizes, stiffness, materials, and so on and so forth. Its really hard to find a fishing rod that has the right price tag and enough sensitivity or durability to make do. There may not be one specific brand that is right for all styles of fishing but I have a few that get the job done with a price that works for my fishing budget, which happens to be pretty small these days. Below I have listed a couple fishing rods that I prefer and they cover any type of fishing you may do.

If you like the peace of mind of having a warrenty on your fishing rod i would suggest St. Croix fishing rods, the avid series and the mojo bass series. They are all durable rods with good price tags. I have broken two avid series fishng rods by my own stupidity. I told the nice people at St. Croix exactly what happened, not expecting them to uphold thier warrenty because it was not a factory defect. They took care of me no questions asked. The Mojo bass fishing rods come with a five year warranty. The Mojo series is priced anywhere from $100 to $130. The avid series rods come with over 20 different bass fishing techniqes styles. It comes with a limited lifetime warranty. The price ranges from $170-$230. Also in addition to the warranty, St Croix has an upgrade program where at any time you can send in your fishing rod ( as long as you are the original owner and warranty shows that) and pay only a few more dollars for a higher model. For example; I purchased a avid sereies drop shot rod. After breaking it by wacking it against the side of the boat i sent it in broken to be repaired. I pad only the difference from the price I paid orriginaly which was $120 and paid $75 to get the legend elite fishing rod that cost around $200 at the time. Plus shipping and handleing.

The newest fishing rod that I have started using is the Skeet Reese series fishing rods by Wright & McGill. Now besides being used by arguably the best fisherman on circuit, Skeet Reese, Wright and Mcgill have what they call Tessera S-Curve blanks and the Tri-Gressive S-Glass. The price of these fishing rods are priced at around $89. They are also technique specific. Thier crankbait rod is my favorite by far. To boot it has a limited lifetime warranty.i dont ows any of the finnese fishing rods from Wright and McGill but the crank bait rod and the jig rod are hands down best ive ever fished with. I could spend $300-$400 and get the same quality but that dosnt make much sense.

Well this is just my two cents. Hope this will help in your endeavor to find a good fishing rod with a nice price tag.

Spring Bass Fishing

2010-03-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

Spring is big bass time. Nationwide, most of the big bass will be caught between February and May. During spring, the spawning instinct causes fish to move from deep to shallow water to spawn. When big bass move shallow they are easier to catch because you can present a lure more effectively in the strike zone in shallow water than you can in deep water.

To catch big bass in spring, think shallow water close to deep water, from mouths of major creeks all the way to the back ends of creeks. Points, coves, and banks with deep cuts or breaklines, and creeks running close to shallow water will also produce. During cold fronts, fish the deep breaklines in the 10- to 15-foot of water range. During warming trends or consistent weather patterns, work both the shallow, four- to eight- foot and deeper breaklines, 10- to 15- foot. The closer together these breaklines are the better.

Cover a lot of water, but stay on or near a breakline. When you connect with a good fish, slow down and work the area thoroughly. There will be small and large schools of deep-water bass staging somewhere from the mouth of a creek to the back end. When you locate these staging fish you are in for some awesome bass action. Don't count on these fish being in the same spot the next day. They might be there, but most likely they will have moved to another location.

One good tip for early spring is use larger lures. Big lures catch big bass. Your equipment needs to be on the heavy side for rods. Use medium- heavy to heavy actions reels, bait casting or spinning, capable of holding 20- to 30-pound mono or 50- pound braided line. The best superline on the market is Power Pro by Innovative Textiles, Inc. For tough rods & reels, Team Daiwa's rods with one eye, that's right one, is awesome. I have been using them for months now and the castability, toughness and light feel is hard to beat. Matched with Team Daiwa's X reels, this is one of the best combinations on the market.

Weaher Fades For Bassmaster Day 1 at The Delta

2010-03-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

STOCKTON, Calif. — As 93 Elite pros idled away from the Weber Point Events Center in downtown Stockton to start the TroKar Duel in the Delta Thursday morning, the winds of change were blowing.
Or, rather, NOT blowing.
James Overstreet

Boats circle into position for their designated launch time.After three wind-blasted, grind-it-out practice days that featured everything from morning frost to 35-mile-per-hour winds, dawn broke clear and quiet this morning in northern California, the leading edge of a 24-hour forecast that calls for 63-degree highs, clear, sunny skies, and a not even a puff of wind.

It's a welcome change that the field hopes will shake loose the Delta's recalcitrant largemouth. Although fishing has been scratchy, enough big fish have been caught -- including a 14-pound fish caught by Guy Eaker on the first day of practice -- to keep the field's attention focused on the quality of the Florida-strain largemouth tucked into the Delta's sloughs and back bays.
"If it warms up enough, I think it could get nasty … good nasty," Delta veteran Dean Rojas said.
Now it's up to the field to decipher what exactly "nasty" means.

Cold, colder, coldest: With below-average water temperatures hovering in the low 50s at launch and pushing only to the mid-50s during practice, the Delta's largemouth are still on the cusp of moving up to spawn.

"It's dropped 4 degrees since we got here, and these Florida-strain fish don't like that cold," Mark Davis said as he prepared to launch. "The nights are still darn cold around here. When I left this morning to come in, it was 35 degrees. It's going to have to warm up pretty good for these fish to bite."

The prevailing school of thought is that the water temps and unsettled weather have spread fish away from the banks onto deeper outside weed edges -- 9 to 15 feet in most places -- but with morning sunshine soaking into exposed wood, rocks and heavy vegetation on the outgoing and low slack tides for the first 3 to 3 ½ hours of the fishing day, the field will likely have a better chance of fishing on pockets of slightly warmer water created by the ambient heat of that structure as the tide overtakes it.

James Overstreet

A late flight of boats idles past the morning boat inspection. "Half the reason they're not biting is because of the water temperature," Aaron Martens, the 2007 Delta winner, confirmed before take-off. "The grass gets a lot of heat, though, and (last night) felt 10 degrees warmer than it's been all week. Hopefully the water is 56, 57 at least.

"It's still one of those high-pressure feelings where it still doesn't feel right for the fish to bite well, but I'm thinking it might be pretty good in the afternoon."

Dirty, dirtier, dirtiest: The Delta's waters were already stained because of heavy rains the week before the tournament, but the clarity took another hit during the wind-blown three days of practice.

"Yeah, (the wind) tore it up pretty good," Davis said. "It's going to be harder to find cleaner water now, so a guy's going to have to cover a lot of water today and go back to places where he found some good water in practice."

Fortunately, the Delta is loaded with small hidey-holes which weren't likely as affected by the wind. Locating one subtle divot or break on the side of a protected bank -- especially if it holds the right kind of cover and water that's 2 to 3 degrees warmer -- might make a dramatic difference in the Day One leader board.

The same gnarly conditions that challenged the field early in the week will have killed and dislodged vegetation throughout the Delta, giving big fish fewer places to hide. And with a rising tide and high water combining with warmer weather the last half of the day, flipping or punching through matted cover could produce some of the biggest fish of the day.

"You're one cast away from a personal best, no matter where you are out here," Arkansas pro Stephen Browning said. "There are very few places you can go catch fish this big, so you just have to keep fishing 'em."

Bassmaster Pros Pick Cal Delta Winners

2010-03-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

STOCKTON, Calif. — Surveying several of the competitors preparing to blast off Thursday morning for Day One of the TroKar Elite Series Duel in the Delta, you get the impression that the tournament is Ish Monroe's to win or lose. Of course, when the nearby Hughson, Ca. native is made aware of the fact that he's been singled out by several of his Elite peers, Monroe does his best to dodge that tag: "Oh, great, put even more pressure on the local kid. Thanks, thanks, I really need that."

Here are some of the Elite pros' picks:
Ish Monroe

"I'm going to pick Mark Tyler. He's also an old Delta rat like myself, and he's fished these conditions before. He's not the record holder (for the 14-9 biggest fish caught in a BASS tournament) for no reason at all. He knows this place, and knowing his style of fishing, he'll catch them. But that's only if I wasn't fishing the tournament, right?"

Kevin VanDam

"I think the guys from out here will do well. They know the fishery, they understand the tides. I'd expect Aaron Martens and Skeet Reese to be a couple of favorites, without a doubt. I wouldn't be surprised to see Greg Hackney and Denny Brauer do well, because this is flippin' country. Gary Klein should do well, too."
Greg Hackney

"Kevin (VanDam), man. Kevin's always the favorite, no matter where we fish. He's just in the prime of his career. He's always fished well, but nothing compared to the way he's going now. He had good tournaments before, but now he just flat out wins 'em. When you get in the zone like he is, you go unconscious. He just figures out exactly where to throw his bait, he makes the right decisions, and there's no doubt that, when he's out there, he has one concern: catching fish."
"A darkhorse might be Cliff Crochet, a kid who (lives) about 45 minutes from me. He had a good Classic, and he's a Delta fisherman. When he was growing up, the only place he'd fish was the Delta at home. He knows what to look for. This Delta is similar to the one at home, but it's deeper. He's never fished for fish this big, though — I talked to him before we came out here, he was asking me 'Man, when we're out in California, is it going to be BIG poles and BIG hook sets?'."
Denny Brauer

"Without a doubt the California guys: Skeet, Aaron Martens and Ish. Those three will do well here."
Mike Iaconelli

"Well, your first pick has to be Ish. He's the local guy, he has a lot of history and a lot of experience here. It'd be pretty easy to say another California guy, but I'll go out on a limb and say Matt Reed. He's a helluva fisherman as far as finding concentrations of fish. He'll get into an area, camp out and just fish 'em. I think he could do pretty good here."
Byron Velvick

"It'd have to be Ish Monroe. He has a lot of confidence and experience on this fishery, and he should: He has a lot of success on the Delta. If I had to pick a darkhorse, I'd say 'Me'. If I don't go out there believing I can win, I don't have any business being here. I haven't won on the Delta before, but I've had some good tournaments. A lot of guys wouldn't think of me as a guy to win the Delta, but I think I could go out, run some pretty good spots and surprise a few people."
Dean Rojas

"Ish Monroe has a real good chance of doing well or winning. Kevin will probably hold his own here — I think he'll probably finish in the top 20. I'm sure that Denny Brauer and Tommy Biffle are going to do well here because it suits their styles. It's the flippin' Mecca, so I think those guys will probably do well. I think those are a couple of guys who are going to catch them better than they think they are."
Gary Klein

"Everytime I make a prediction, these guys make me look bad. I've been to tournaments before where these guys were all crying the blues in practice and they go out and catch the heck out of them during the tournament. It's really hard for me to predict one guy. I'll tell you what, though: The guys that settle in and fish through the tides will figure it out."
Cliff Crochet

"The whole California gang. Outside of them, almost anybody can do it. Hackney, Tracy Scroggins, Kelly Jordan & all of those guys are flippin' guys. And Denny Brauer or Tommy Biffle. If it has anything at all to do with a flippin' stick, you gotta throw those guys in there."

Shaw Grigsby

"I'd have to give the nod to Aaron, not just because he won last time, but because he has a lot of (history) out here. Also, Skeet and the other local guys. When it's tough — and I consider it to be tough — then you have to give the nod to the guys who have that knowledge to fall back on. Where do you go, what do you do? Those guys know. And a darkhorse? I don't have a clue, buddy."

Power Outages: What else is there to do but go fishing?

2009-12-10T23:15:00.000-08:00

So we got a little bit of snow and it kept the power out for 4 days. Me and the father in law got out on the lake for the day to freeze our tails off. We had a good time though. Here what we were onto all day......

a limit a 4's is a fun day on any body of water. It was well worth the pain and suffering.

Skeet Reese F650 Monster Truck!

2009-12-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

Unconventional Florida Bass Fishing

2009-12-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

Master Series on Power Fishing with Kevin VanDam

2009-12-03T21:57:00.000-08:00

Simply getting a strike isn't good enough for me. I want the right kind of strike — the kind in which the bass gets the bait deep into its mouth and stays hooked up all the way to the boat.

Sure, there are instances where that doesn't happen due to uncontrollable circumstances, but I want to control all the variables I can.

I do that by analyzing every strike, every caught fish as to precisely how that bass attacked the lure. These clues guide me to the best lure, size, color and presentation I can offer on that given day.

It compliments my power fishing style. By covering water quickly, I gather more information and this helps me dial in the most efficient pattern faster, and, ultimately, gives me the best opportunity to boat more bass.

Any contact with a bass — even the one that follows but doesn't take the bait — is important. When a bass follows, I know I'm in the right area. I just have to find the presentation that will get that fish to commit 100 percent.

A lot of times all that's needed is a simple lure change, subtle color adjustment or retrieve speed to make him react.

It's not unusual for me to change lures even though the one I was using caught fish. I'm always tweaking my lures and presentations to attract the most aggressive strike.

The first step to choosing the appropriate lure is identifying the forage and seasonal pattern.

Knowing the forage tells me whether the bait should be on bottom to emulate crawfish or bottom feeding baitfish or worked above the bottom to emulate baitfish roaming around. Bear in mind that can change from place to place and there may be days when the fish are feeding on and above the bottom.

Most of the time we can determine the seasonal pattern, but in the spring that's not the case because of the blend of prespawn and spawning fish.

So, if I run a spinnerbait by a bush and a bass smacks it without getting hooked, that could mean it's spawning or guarding fry.

Rather than pummel the area with a spinnerbait, I'll try a vertical presentation, such a jig or soft plastic lure, and probably get that same bass to bite.

Color Matters

Lure color becomes a top priority when I'm getting mediocre strikes, especially in clear water.

I've seen days when I could get a few fish on a pearl white Caffeine Shad, but a change to alewife or watermelon would make them eat it better, and I catch every one of them that makes a pass at the lure.

Bright, colorful lures may be better in dirty water, but I've also seen situations where a change to a more subtle color triggered more aggressive strikes in stained water. Be prepared to experiment.

When fishing crankbaits, pay attention to how each bass is hooked. If the hooks are outside the mouth or you're losing them, a color change may be in order.

Colors can vary by seasons and different waters, too. In springtime I use a lot of orange-bellied jerkbaits because bass tend to eat that better than those baits with white bellies. Yet, in summer, white tends to be better. My assumption is that around the spawn, orange-bellied bluegills and sunfish are predators around nests and bass' natural instincts are to chase them away. During the summer, they're focused on shad.

Some of the most color-conscious bass I've ever seen are those in clear lakes where blueback herring exist. You can use a chrome/black back jerkbait — a color that is excellent anywhere else — but they only get half-hearted looks in blueback herring waters. Switch to a translucent jerkbait with a green back and they gobble it up.

I've seen similar things happen on the smallmouth lakes around my home. Throw a green pumpkin tube with red flake and they won't bite it, but use one with purple flake and you're going to get a lot more bites.

Monitor the Fall

The rate of fall is critical when fishing vertical lures.

Choose your style of bait or jig trailer based upon how the bass are positioned on the cover or structure. If they're suspended off the bottom, a bait with swimming appendages is my first choice because it sinks slower, stays in their face longer, and has more action. When bass are on the bottom, or protecting a nest, a tube or jig is better.

And another thing, if the fish are biting the legs or tails off your creature bait, try a tube or another compact soft bait that they'll get in their mouths better.

It can go the other way, too. If you're losing fish on a Texas rigged tube, they might eat a 6-inch lizard better. It's all about trial and error, and it can change from one day to the next.

When fishing shallow targets with pitching or flipping techniques, pay close attention to where the strike occurs. If the bass bite as the bait is sinking, they probably aren't on the bottom and a lighter weight or slower falling bait might be more appropriate. If they bite on the bottom, go heavier.

Refine Your Tackle

I also make adjustments in treble hooks on hard baits. If I'm missing or losing fish, I change the hooks to increase my hooking percentage. Mustad offers a large variety with extra short shanks, round bends and Triple Grips. One of my favorite adjustments is to go to an oversized Triple Grip hook with short shanks, wide gaps and more holding power.

During spring when the water is cool and fish are swallowing the bait, it doesn't matter. But during summer and fall months, when they are trying to kill the bait by attacking it before eating it, extra wide gap hooks improve your odds.

Also, make sure the hooks you are using aren't flexing too much. I've seen smallmouth pull off a jerkbait that has flexible hooks. You need a stronger hook for bigger fish so the hooks aren't giving way under pressure.

However, don't overcompensate and hurt the action of the lure. In some cases, heavy hooks can cause a jerkbait to sink or a topwater to sit too deep in the water and that will restrict the action.

Your rod is another consideration. When burning a crankbait over the bottom, I want it deflecting erratically when it strikes an object. The way a rod "unloads" after the bait deflects can make a difference.

That's why I'm not a fan of pure graphite rods for cranking. When a bait fished on a graphite rod hits something, the lure tends to straighten up quickly and move forward. With glass, or a blended glass, it works more like a rubber band and enhances the erratic action.

I'm convinced that small details are critical to getting more strikes and try to stack those details in my favor. It makes a difference in how many fish you land, and if you're a tournament angler, how many checks you cash.

Ike's beard goes for charity

2009-12-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

Michael Iaconelli has put his beard, more accurately a long-whiskered soul patch, up for public auction. As you read this, it's on eBay, available to anyone who wants a fishing collectable and who wants his or her money to go to a worthy cause.

The whole thing started when Ike agreed to shave his beard for his wedding. Becky — his fiancée at the time, now his wife — wanted it removed. Ike, being a reasonable man, at once saw the wisdom of her thinking. He told her she could shave it off the night before the wedding. She did just that.

Never satisfied unless he's helping someone less fortunate, Ike immediately began looking around for a charitable opportunity. He found it in his friendship with Eli Delany, whose son, Luke, suffers from autism.

Luke is schooled at the New England Center for Children, a nonprofit that specializes in the treatment of autism. They're "dedicated to bringing out human potential and creating productive lives for children with autism" and are generally considered to run one of the best autism programs in the country.

"It's a great program and a great school. They've been in business since 1975 and are considered first-class by everyone in the business," says the 2003 Bassmaster Classic champion and 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. "That's the kind of charity we want to be involved with and one you can feel comfortable with when you bid.

"Autism is a serious problem confronting our society. Some estimates put the rate of affliction at one child out of every 91 born. That's a diagnosis every 21 minutes. It's out of control. We have to do something. This is one way to help."

The auction will also promote the "Fishin' with a Mission" decal program that began in 2009, a program designed to promote autism awareness among the fishing public.

Bidding ends on December 3, 2009 at 17:56:57 PST. As of this posting, the highest bid stands at $405.

Ike's whiskers, mounted in a professional display case along with a signed Certificate of Authenticity will be shipped to the winning bidder free of charge. Your purchase may be tax deductible. Settlement can be made through PayPal.

For more information about Luke Delany, the auction or the Fishin' with a Mission decal program go to www.mylittlebuddysboat.com. For more information about the New England Center for Children and its programs, or autism in general, check out their Web site at www.necc.org.

2010 Bassmaster Tournament Trail Schedule

2009-12-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the link for the 2010 Bassmaster events.

proxy.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/media/print/schedule09

Bass Masters Christmas Guide

2009-12-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some gifts that espn put together for all price ranges. Something I would add to this list though is a pair of eye surrender sunglasses. Great glasses with a life time warranty with no questions asked for only 39.99..... check them out. http://www.eyesurrenderonline.com/

Gifts for less than $15

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Plano 4642 Liqua-Bait Locker ($14.99)
This nifty bait keeper by Plano is designed for simulated-live baits like Berkley Gulp! It (along with the whole Liqua-Bait line) features corrosion-proof latches and rubber O rings to seal in odors and liquids that would otherwise leave a funky smell in your boat. www.planomolding.com
Stick Jacket ($6.99)
"Tame the tangle!" is what Stick Jacket says. These nifty sleeves fit over your rods and keeps your combos separate when transporting them. They also protect eyelets and tips when taking rods in and out of you truck or rod locker. www.stickjacket.com
Lazer Trokar flipping hook ($8.99)
These are the highly-anticipated hooks that make a serious point. These surgically-sharpened hooks easily penetrate bass' jaws, and the unique keeper holds plastics in place until you decide to remove them. www.lazertrokar.com

Gifts from $15-$50

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Remembering George W. Perry ($19.95)
This book is a must for big bass chasers and history buffs alike. Bill Babb — the preeminent historian on all things Perry and world record bass — details Perry's life before and after his world-record catch. www.whitefishpress.com
Ardent Reel Kleen reel cleaning kit ($19.99)
This kit has everything you need to keep your reels in tip-top shape. It features a brush, Allen wrench, synthetic swabs, degreaser, Ardent's Reel Butter and Reel Grease and a silicone-treated cloth to keep them looking their best. www.ardentoutdoors.com
QVC LaserLure package ($34.99)
On Friday, Dec. 4, Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mike Iaconelli will be on QVC (the home shopping network) offering a limited edition package containing two of Ike's signature color LaserLure baits (a deep diving crankbait and a floating jerkbait) in a Plano tacklebox with a letter from Ike himself. The package will be available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m EST — when Ike is on! www.QVC.com

Gifts from $50-$100

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BASS Insider Membership ($59.88)
With BASS Insider, you get exclusive content such as how-to articles, videos, blogs from top pros and Digital Bassmaster. Got a question? Ask the Experts gives you answers from Elite Series pros and experts in every field. Sign up today for a free trial: www.BASSInsider.com
Wright & McGill Tessera rod ($89.99)
New from Wright & McGill is the Skeet Reese Tessera rod. These yellow rods take design cues from the old Eagle Claw rods, but everything about them is new. Bassmaster Classic champion Skeet Reese designed these rods to outperform sticks costing more than twice as much. www.wright-mcgill.com
Abu Garcia Vendetta rods ($79.95)
These Berkley rods adopt Japanese styling with split grips, no forward grip and an emphasis on balance to create a lightweight, easy handling rod tuned to Garcia's Revo series of reels. www.abugarcia.com

Gifts for $100 and up

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Costa Del Mar Zane ($139.00 - $239.00)
Polarization is a must for angling shades, but looking good doesn't hurt, either. Costa Del Mar's newest addition is the Zane, available in multiple lens and frame combinations. www.costadelmar.com
Motor Guide Kayak trolling motor ($279.99)
This short-shaft trolling motor gives 'yakkers and canoe-bound bassers more range than paddle power alone. It sports 45 pounds of thrust and Motor Guide's digital technology. www.motorguide.com
Abu Garcia Revo Premier ($279.00)
These sleek new low-profile reels are Garcia's flagship for the new year. Gold trim, along with upgraded drag and braking systems, makes this reel a hot item for the holiday season. www.abugarcia.com

P Line

2009-11-01T17:18:00.000-08:00

So I have been a user of p line for the last few years and Im starting to wonder why? There are so many types of fishigig line out there why do I seem to keep coming back to the P Line? Well I dont want to rag on anyones product but here are a few things i founf while using P Line.

PROS...

1. P Line is wallet friendly. It is far more cheaper than say Seagar, Yozuri, and Berkley.

2. Like I said, i dont want to sound like im bashing P Line but thats about all its good for as far as Im concerned.

CONS..

1. It seems to be very fragile. As soo as you spool it no matter how careful you may be, you can feel small little inperfections in the line by sliding your fingers down the line.

2. Knot stregth is horable.

3. If you get one little back lash its over.

Anyways, just wanted to share me 2 cents.
If anyone has anything to add feel free.

Bass Boat Accidents Getting To Familiar

2009-10-30T23:12:00.000-07:00

It seems to me to me that in the last couple of years it has become a regularity to hear about bass boat crashes. Reading the bulletins online it a topic that seems to be repeating itself. Well I have a story to add to it. My in-laws were involved in a boating accident recently and I feel I should share that story.

While fishing a tournament out at one of our local lakes my mother and father in law were having a great day on the water. It played out just perfect. Pre-fishing was a success in that they located the bigger bass in late summer. Tournament day started off all to well, they had an early blast off, only person even remotely near their first spot, and they put five in the boat before 10 am. They had about 21 pounds and on this lake is good enough for a check any day of the year. So it comes time to return to weigh ins and they hook up the kill switch, put their life jackets on, and begin the 10 minute ride back. There was a lot of boat traffic on the lake, mostly skiers and jet skies. They were up one of the arms so there was no waves and no wake. To shorten this story up, a wave came out of nowhere at an angle and sent the then traveling 60 mph boat into the air. Landing at an angle they were both thrown from the boat. Mother in law had a broken arm and ribs, and my father in law was nearly knocked unconscious. She was wearing a normal life jacket and floated waiting for another boat to pass meanwhile trying to find her husband. He fought to find his way out of the jacket that had entangled his head and he didn't know up from down in the water. Also the pill in his self inflating life jacket failed to work properly.

Now they were lucky and got a ride back to the ramp, the boat was not hurt at all, they lived, they had life jackets and the kill switch was hooked up. The worst part of the day being they had the winning weight and didn't get to weigh their fish.

90 percent of people involved in accidents on the water and drowned, were not wearing life jackets.

7 out of 10 fatalities are in boats less than 21 feet in length. (most bass boats)

Wear you life jacket even when your not fishing a tournament, and have your kill switch hooked up. Ya just never know.

The Quagga Muscles are Coming!

2009-10-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

This is an article by the L.A. Times regarding the quagga muscle. Very interesting and its on its way to northern California, to the delta, and neighboring waterways. There has to be something to treat these things. From what Ive read it sounds like its not just the west that is having a problem with them.
From the Los Angeles Times:
An invasive mussel first detected in California less than a year ago has surged across the state’s southern counties, stirring concern that its spread will inflict costly damage to public water systems and fisheries statewide.

The infamous fresh-water quagga mussel, which has wreaked havoc in the Great Lakes, multiplies so quickly and prolifically that it forms large masses that can clog water pumps, pipelines, power plant intakes and farm irrigation lines. Its rapid-fire invasion this year from Lake Mead — which straddles the border between Arizona and Nevada — southwest to San Diego is alarming water officials in a semi-arid region that heavily depends on imported water moved through a vast network of pipelines and canals. The quagga already has infested the 242-mile-long California Aqueduct, five San Diego County reservoirs and two of the three largest reservoirs in Riverside County operated by the Metropolitan Water District, which supplies Los Angeles with most of its water.

The mussel’s microscopic larvae can swiftly and invisibly move through waterways and the pest is typically found only after it has implanted itself. There is no known method to eradicate the thumbnail sized mussel, but at least one agency is attempting chlorination in the hopes of killing larvae.

Although the quagga does not make water unsafe to drink, officials are concerned that it could infiltrate the State Water Project that delivers water from Northern California to Southern California as well as expansive irrigation systems that feed the state’s agricultural industry. “All of that is subject to disruption by quagga,” said Edwin D. Grosholz, an expert on invasive mussels and Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Davis. “There’s nothing at all to limit their spread north to Northern California.”

Why are water officials so concerned?

The quagga and zebra mussels have caused an estimated $100 million a year in damages in the eastern United States and Canada, according to a May state report. Mussels can grow in densities of up to 750,000 per square meter in layers more than a foot thick, the report said.

The quagga can alter the underwater food chain, weakening fish and other aquatic species and settling on clams so densely that the clams starve. It can eat so much microscopic plant growth, or phytoplankton, that water turns clear, allowing sunlight to quicken the growth of bottom algae. That algae can cause taste and odor problems in drinking water supplies.

It can also create other problems. The FitzPatrick nuclear plant in upstate New York on Lake Ontario was forced to shut down three times this fall because of clogged filters blamed on mussel-generated algae.

Fishing Line Composition

2009-10-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I didn't write this article but found i very interesting. The guy actually has some other articles that I think you should check out. It has some fun facts about the history of fishing. Ill put the link at the bottom of this post.

Braided Dacron

The fishing line of choice prior to the late 1930s was made of braided Dacron, a synthetic fiber, but this line broke easily and did not stretch much. Braided Dacron is used today mostly by anglers who fish for catfish.

Monofilament

Monofilament line, composed of nylon and introduced in 1939, was a great advance in fishing line. It is made using a complex process that produces a line from a single strand of fiber.

Stren

Stren line, a much improved type of monofilament, was introduced to the American fishing public in 1958. It is more resistant to abrasion and has superior knot strength.

Braided line

Strong heat-resistant fibers, such as Kevlar, Dyneema and Spectra, are braided together to create what can be best described as superior-strength fishing lines. This line's features, such as coloration and knot strength, have improved over time to fulfill an angler's needs.

Fluorocarbon

Fluorocarbon fishing line is made from a polymer known as polyvinylidene fluoride and is nearly invisible in the water. It will not absorb water as other lines do and stands up to abrasion and corrosion from forces such as sunlight and chemicals.

visit www.trails.com for more fun facts

My Hollow Bodied Swim Bait Tweaks

2009-06-28T22:26:00.000-07:00

These little baits have become all the rave, and for good reason. Awesome little baits that are versatile and actually catch a ton of fish. Im not got ramble about brands and colors and all that cause I believe as long as they have action they are all good baits and they all have a purpose. Here are a few things to try when fishing these little guys that might get a couple more bites.

1. Fishing these weedless is the obvious and most common. But what about in open water? Rigged with a treble hook is a must. There is not a ton of ways to rig the treble but it will improve hook ups.

2. Don't alway swim these baits. I have drop shoted and jigged these baits as much as I swim them. Jigging these baits with a fish shaped lead head is lethal on my home lake. Try it where you are.

3. Use red hooks. Mix it up now and then, when you know the fish are there but not biting use a red hook. That one little tweak could blow the bite wide open.

4. Belly Spinners! Belly Spinners! Belly Spinner!

This is a good time near the rocks. You can also swap they blade out on some brands and use a smaller colorado blade. With a colorado blade you can now fish these baits in semi muddy water.

5. I always use some type of scent, always! The brand doesn't matter much as long as the smell matches the forage of the bait.

Hope my little tweaks will help in your swim bait success.

Fishing Knots

2009-04-24T14:52:00.000-07:00

This is something that so many people overlook when they are fishing. They may have all the right components to catching fish but if your not is insufficient then you will not have a fun day of fishing. Here are a few things about knots.

Fluorocarbon is a great tool that should be used at least in any situation where you are fishing bottom baits or baits that require extra sensitivity. Sometimes I swear I can feel the fish breath on my bait. Anyways, here is the knot I use and I believe most other anglers use as well called the Palomar knot.

Keep in mind that Fluorocarbon line does tend to get damaged a lot easier then monfilament line. This not needs to be wet before cinching it down. If it is not wet in some for or fashion then it will have a stretched or twisted look to it. In this case that not is not good anymore, cut off and try again. This knot works extremely well with monfilament line as well. I once watched a fishing show where this knot, on fluorocarbon line of 10lbs test, when pulled on, broke at 30 lbs of pressure.

Another knot I use for monofilament line is the Triline knot. A solid strong knot that is very fast to tie just like the Palomar knot above.

This knot does not have to be wet when tied either. I will also use these same two knots, depending on the bait I'm throwing, on braided line as well. These two knots listed above should help you lose less fish and have a more enjoyable experience out on the water.

Monofilament Fishing Line

2009-03-03T15:58:00.000-08:00

Monofilament fishing line has been around for years and are the most popular kinds of lines. they work for a wide variety of fishing applications and can be made to have specific qualities that help under varying conditions.

A mixture of polymers are heated until fluid and then extruded through tiny holes to form strands of line. The size of the hole controls the diameter of the line as well, to some extent, the pound test of the line. These strands are cooled quickly and would onto spools.

The type of chemicals in the mixture can control qualities of the line like limpness, strength, toughness and other desirable casting factors. The color of the line is also controlled by added chemicals. Lines can be tailor made to fit a wide range of needs.

Lines come in a wide variety of qualities. The more expensive lines have better quality control and will be consistent in strength, color and diameter. They will hold up longer on the spool and in use.

Monofilament line stretches, which can be bad or good. Stretch makes line more forgiving when a big fish makes a strong run, but it also makes it harder to set the hook. The amount of stretch can be controlled by the additives but all monofilament will stretch some.

Monofilament is cheaper and works in a wide range of fishing needs. It is very popular and will probably be your best choice for general fishing activities.

Crankbait Gallery

2009-01-17T22:30:00.001-08:00

My First Crankbait

2009-01-16T20:00:00.000-08:00

So I went out today and picked up a new airbrush. The last one I bought was practically useless because is would only spray a 3/4 inch pattern. I picked up the Iwata airbrush and I'm in love. It will do everything I need it to I just have to learn how. I picked it up pretty fast and the createx paints I used were a lot easier to handle and clean than the laquer im used to.

So I did up a couple of cranks for the first time and thought I would show them. I still need to get some techniques down and get some more creative patterns but this is what I got so far. The picture quality is not that great, I took it with my cell phone.

Mono vs. Fluorocarbon

2009-01-12T21:58:00.000-08:00

MONO:

Monofilament is popular as a line material because of its low memory and suppleness, which make it easy to cast and handle. Furthermore, mono boasts excellent knot strength and abrasion resistance, and has an inherent stretch that makes it forgiving when subjected to sudden strain. It's also fairly inexpensive. But stretch can also be perceived as a disadvantage of monofilament, since it may reduce the sensitivity needed to detect subtle strikes, as well as limit the angler's ability to set the hook solidly in certain situations, such as when bottom fishing in deep water. Mono also absorbs water, and can lose as much as 15 percent of its rated breaking strength when saturated. Lastly, mono weakens considerably under repeated exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. Fluorocarbon's biggest selling point is its low visibility. This is due to its refractive index - the degree to which light bends or refracts as it passes through a substance - which can be as low as 1.42. That's very close to the refractive index of water (1.3). The refractive index of nylon monofilament is higher than that of fluorocarbon, coming in at about 1.52. Braided lines have virtually no stretching capacity. On one hand, this has the great advantage. When you are fishing at greater depths you always maintain direct contact with the bait. On the other hand, when you are fishing with the light power rods you must adjust the drag more softly than when using monofilament lines of the same breaking strength. Braided lines are 3 – 4 times stronger than monofilament lines of the same diameter. They are perfect for sea and surf fishing.

FLUOROCARBON:

Fluorocarbon also contains more material than mono, is non-porous, and has a harder finish. It's virtually a solid material that's denser than water. That means it sinks and doesn't absorb water, the latter quality enabling it to maintain its rated breaking strength whether wet or dry. Furthermore, it has a diameter that's comparable to or smaller than monofilament of the same strength, and also has very little stretch. Both features enhance fluorocarbon's sensitivity and hook-setting ability. Lastly, fluorocarbon is very abrasion-resistant and less susceptible to damage from the sun and chemicals. On the down-side, original fluorocarbon is much stiffer than nylon monofilament and retains a fair amount of memory. That's why fluorocarbon has excelled as a leader material, but hasn't been manageable as a fishing line. Another drawback has been price, since fluorocarbon leader material costs considerably more than monofilament and braided lines.

Lake Beer

2009-01-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

One day Jon and Joe went out fishing. Joe decided to catch some bait fish and threw out his cast net. When he pulled it in he saw a golden genie lamp. Joking around he rubbed it and out popped a genie.

"I will grant you one wish, and one wish only." said the genie.

Joe said, "I wish the whole lake was beer!"

Just like that the lake was beer.

"You idiot!" said Jon. "Now we have to pee in the boat."

Three Old Men

2009-01-12T21:36:00.000-08:00

Three old men were sitting on a park bench. The one in the middle was reading a newspaper and the other two were baiting imaginary hooks, and then proceeded to fish.

A few minutes later an officer approached the man reading the newspaper and asked, "Do you know these two guys?"

"Yes, they are my buddies."

"Well can you get them out of here? They are scaring people."

At that moment the old man set down his newspaper and furiously began to row.

Fine Tune Your Crankbait

2009-01-12T21:26:00.001-08:00

Can a Guy Get Some Rain?

2009-01-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Not only do we need some rain to fill up our water ways, but I like to get out and do a little fishing when we have a light drizzle. I don't know about anyone else but I always seem to do well with a sprinkle hitting the water. I don't know if its because of lower visibility, the light hitting the water, oxygen at the surface, or maybe all these combined. So the bait fish become more active in the rain? I'm not really sure, I just know that we better get some rain to help fuel my addiction and to fill up these damn lakes.

More and more tournaments are getting cancelled or postponed. Not goo for the sport out here.

Moon Effects On Tide

2009-01-12T16:08:00.000-08:00

This is a piece of an article that tacked about the moon and its properties in relation to bass fishing. If you can't quite grasp the concept of tidal waters (like me) this should be a good start. I didn't get the whole article because the rest of it is pointless. Let me know if this is of any help.

Moon Effects

Please keep these facts in mind as we explore the effects of the moon: The moon and the sun have been timing instruments used by the earth's creatures since the beginning of time. It is only in the last few hundred years that man has used a clock, and man is the only creature that has a clock. All other creatures still keep time by observing the sun and the moon. There are two mechanisms that creatures use to keep track of the sun and the moon. The first, and by far the least obvious, is sight. Animals see the sun and the moon and react accordingly. The second, and far less obvious, is gravity. The moon has 1/6th the gravitation pull of the earth and it is close enough to our planet to have major gravitational influences. In some ocean bays the tide can vary as much as 50 feet! The sun has 2 million times the gravitational pull of the moon, but the sun is so far away that it exerts only about 1/3rd as much gravitational pull on our planet as the moon.

Tides are caused by changes in local gravity due to the positions of the moon and sun, primarily the moon. High tide occurs when the moon is directly overhead, and low tide occurs 6 hours and 12 minutes before and after high tide (when the moon is on either horizon). Ocean creatures have been timing their activities on gravity and the tides for millions of years. And bass evolved from ocean fish. There is much circumstantial evidence that suggests bass have retained their gravity/tide reading ability.

Shavin Crankbait Lips

2009-01-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

After watching "Wining Ways" the TV show where Timmy Horton stated how he shaved his crankbait bills, I gave it a shot. He uses a belt sander but I just used a normal hand file. I wouldn't recommend it though, it wasn't easy. Anyways I got the bait to swim straight eventually and I cant wait to take it out to the Cal Delta. Here's the article if your interested.

Timmy Horton's Crankbait Cure

By Tim TuckerBASS Times Senior Writer, September 2006

Former BASS Angler of the Year Timmy Horton is a crankbait fanatic.
In tournaments, diving plugs have long been one of the Alabama pro's mainstays. In his workshop, cranks are often the objects of considerable tinkering.

"One of my favorite things to do is modify crankbaits like a No. 6 or No. 7 Fat Free Shad, or a 6A Bomber," he said. "I'm always working on them and experimenting with different things."

One of Horton's tinkering tools is a handheld belt sander."The first thing you want to do is make sure the bait is tuned properly before you start to sand it," he explained. "After you sand it, you might mess it up and have to make adjustments then."

With the big Fat Free Shads, Horton shaves about a 1/32-inch swipe along both sides of the plastic bill at the point where it enters the nose of the bait."And then I go back to my swimming pool and make sure the bait is still running properly," he noted. "If it's running off to the right a little bit, I need to shave a little bit off of the left side of the lip. If it's running off to one side, I shave off the opposite side."

Why would you give a crankbait a shave? "It makes the bait run a lot tighter," Horton replied. "It makes it roll instead of the usual action. And it gives it a lot tighter wiggle. It also gives you a unique lure that nobody else will have. And you can really toy with them by making a Fat Free Shad that will run 10 feet instead of 14 feet or vice versa.

"The reason I want a No. 7 Fat Free Shad that will run shallower with a tighter wobble is that I still want that big-bodied bait. I remember Rick Clunn winning a tournament at Lake Texoma. He was fishing shallow, but he still wanted to fish that big-bodied crankbait. This is the same situation. That's what this [modification] does. And you usually don't see a lot of big-bodied baits with a small lip. But I can take a belt sander and modify them and get them down to the right size."

By shaving off the kick-out points on the bill of a Fat Free Shad, Horton believes the transformed tighter wobble makes it an excellent cold-water cranker. With a Bomber 6A, he shaves the front point of the lip, giving the lure a more subtle action that pays dividends on waters where the bass receive substantial fishing pressure.

"Bass feed on a crankbait by the feel of that thing wobbling through the water. And what you're actually doing is taking some of the action off of the crankbait, which is what you have to do in high pressure situations."

A word of caution: Horton says it's best to practice these modifications on spare lures first, rather than on your favorite crankbaits, "because it takes some time to get used to doing it."

If anyone has anymore tid bits on this I'm all ears.

Fishing Still Hot in the West

2009-01-11T17:12:00.001-08:00

Besides the frigid cold winds, I absolutely love fishing in the winter. I got out today and struggled at first locating the fish. 3 hours into the day I found them on a main lake hump in 4 feet. I didn't expect them to be there being that the water temp is in the 45-47 degree range. We caught 7 fish with the smallest being 2.5. I'm very fortunate to live where the water doesn't freeze. We have the opportunity to fish all year although I don't take advantage of it as much I should.

Bass Fishing Catching On As High School Sport

2009-01-07T17:31:00.000-08:00

By Emma Graves Fitzsimmons September 27, 2008

Brian McDonald understands why people snicker at the mention of Vernon Hills High School’s new bass fishing team.Even McDonald, the school’s athletic director, has trouble promoting the coming Cougar Bass Fishing Classic tournament without cracking a smile.“I’m still trying to say it with a straight face,” he said. “To put bass fishing out there as a sport, it makes people chuckle a little.”But students across the state are casting out lines in search of a big catch now that Illinois has become the first state in the country to adopt bass fishing as a high school sport.

Teams have formed at more than 60 schools, and a state championship will be held this spring.Coaches acknowledge bass fishing is viewed more as a low-key hobby for older men in khaki vests and floppy hats than as a competitive sport for teenagers. They too have been surprised by the enthusiasm among students. At Oak Lawn Community High School, an after-school meeting to gauge interest last spring drew 50 students.

Bass fishing attracts some students who might not otherwise be involved in athletics and teaches them about conservation, coaches say. It also provides opportunities for parents and children to spend time together, lots of time—say, 8 hours in a boat.That’s the major appeal of fishing for Sarah Warner, a Vernon Hills senior, who will join her team in its first tournament Wednesday against Libertyville High School at Independence Grove Forest Preserve near Libertyville.“It’s a good time for us to talk and bond,” she said of fishing trips with her dad. “We go up to my uncle’s lake house in Wisconsin and bring food and music.”The high schools are catching on to a larger trend. Bass fishing has become a multibillion-dollar industry with magazines, television shows and clubs dedicated to the sport.

A collegiate championship has been around since 2006, and professional tournaments dole out prizes of up to $1 million.The Illinois High School Association voted last year to add bass fishing to its official list of 35 sanctioned sports and activities. Officials expect at least 100 schools will join the spring tournament. Teams can sign up until Nov. 1.“We were looking for some other activities that could get kids involved,” said Dave Gannaway, IHSA assistant executive director. “We thought we could get at a whole different group of kids with this.”At the two-day bass fishing state championship in May, students will be on the water for at least 5 hours each day. The winner will be determined by the total weight of their five best fish.

In the winter when students can’t fish, they will study the contour, water temperature and clarity of lakes to determine the best places to fish. “This fits in with other curriculum areas: the sciences, math, ecology,” Gannaway said.Oak Lawn Community High School athletic director Pat Keeley doesn’t fish, but he has been learning about the sport since his school started a team. He never knew there were so many fishing spots nearby, such as forest preserve lakes and the Des Plaines and Cal-Sag waterways. The club will do cleanup projects and build fish cribs in the forest preserves.“Fishers take the conservation aspect pretty seriously,” Keeley said. “Otherwise, their sport goes away.”The Oak Lawn school board voted last week to add a bass fishing club mostly in order to recruit more students to after-school programs. Research shows involvement can boost academic performance, school officials noted.“The bottom line is, it’s an opportunity to reach out to students who are not involved in traditional sports,” Keeley said. “We’re interested in anything that gets kids involved.”Craig Warner, whose daughter, Sarah, joined the Vernon Hills team, is thrilled he can now root for her at a school event.“Everybody else gets to watch their kid at football games,” he said. “Finally this is something she can do, and of course, dad will be sitting right there.”

On Thursday, students practiced shoreline fishing during a regular physical education class at a pond on the Vernon Hills campus. Coaches incorporate fishing into class periodically to build interest and recruit students while giving team members a chance to practice.The teenagers were catching only water plants until 17-year-old Sarah Manning squealed with delight. She pulled a small fish from the water before it quickly dropped back into the pond.“It’s OK, I’ll get another one,” she yelled to the coach before casting her line again.Coach Jerry Miceli drove a golf cart around the pond passing out live worms and fake maggots for bait. He said they want to reach students such as Dan O’Roark, a 16-year-old who isn’t involved in other athletic teams this fall.“Fishing is for everyone,” O’Roark said. “It’s nice to be out by yourself—no cities, no cars. It’s just peaceful.”Miceli tells students fishing is something women and men can do their whole lives. Meanwhile, like everyone else, he defends the decision to start a team.“All my buddies are busting my chops,” Miceli said. “They say, ‘you’re coaching fishing?’ I still can’t believe how many kids want to get involved.”

Freelance reporter Janice Neumann contributed to this report.

Fishi In The Livewell

2009-01-07T13:00:00.000-08:00

For anybody that lives or fishes in a state that has hot summer temperatures, I have a few tips as to not only keep your fish alive for the tournament or day of fishing, but to keep the fish healthy after you release them. I once had a fish die on my live well during a tournament. Though I got penalized half the weight of the fish, I felt that I should have had a bigger punishment. I don't even eat bass so I didn't know what to do with it after weigh in. The only thing I could do is go home and do research so as this would not happen again in an effort to preserve our fisheries.

During those hot summer days, water in the live well can well exceed that of the water in the lake. Sometimes its not enough to just recirculate water to the live well. Fill live wells early. This usually will be colder water earlier in the day. Always bring extra ice. Ice in the live well is a great way to keep the water cool. Remember though, once you have cooled the water in the live well down, if you bring water in form the lake its most likely warmer than the live well water, thus will melt more ice. Do this a couple of time and next thing you know your out of ice and have no way of cooling down the live well water.

So if your not recirculating water to bring in fresh oxygen, then you must put some type of oxygen supplement into the water. There are a bunch of different brands out there, but I use catch and release formula. I have heard of people using hydrogen peroxide to but I would do my research on that first.

I keep a thermometers in the live well. Its a little cheapo that I pucked up at Wal-Mart for a few bucks. Most of the things I read say to try and keep the live well temp between 65 and 68 degrees.

Don't just take my word for things. Do your own research and you may just learn something new.

Mojo Bass Rods

2009-01-06T19:27:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of hype about this new "Mojo Bass" rod that's sold by St.Croix Rods, so I'm gonna jump on the band wagon. I bought one of these babies for myself for Christmas and just got it in the other day (the 6'6 MH). At the I CAST show this past year the VP of St.Croix stated that these were good rods for young anglers that want to turn pro someday. For the money you cant beat these rods. They are sold in 12 different technique specific sizes. I Have only flipped a senko in the local pond with no luck, but the feel is amazing. There are no other rods that can compete with the Mojo Bass for the price.

They run anywhere form $90-$120 dollars (most of the 12 rods cost $90) and comes with a 5 year warranty form St.Croix. Give these rods a look next time you go into a tackle shop that carries them.

High School Bass Fishing?

2009-01-06T19:21:00.001-08:00

Check out this article from FLW Outdoors about high school bass fishing.

Illinois sanctions high school fishing curriculumMidwestern students afforded opportunity to hit the lakes, go bass fishing and earn high school activities credits in the process

By Vince Meyer - 17.Dec.2008

When the bell rings to end the school day in Illinois next spring, high school students will go outdoors to practice baseball, softball, track, golf, tennis, soccer and bass fishing.Bass fishing?Yes, the game that recalcitrant students once played hooky to pursue is now sanctioned in Illinois, making it the first state to offer fishing as an official high school activity. But today’s student won’t head out with a cane pole and a can of worms, but with all the gear a serious tournament angler needs to succeed. And he or she won’t fish just for bragging rights, but for medals and first- through third-place trophies.

Bass fishing has been sanctioned by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) in an effort to reach students who otherwise might not participate in extracurricular activities, said Dave Gannaway, IHSA assistant executive director.“We’ve added journalism, water polo, cheerleading, and now the board has approved bass fishing,” Gannaway said. When word got out, the phone started ringing with calls from people offering help, Gannaway said. And schools were quick to sign up – 217 so far. The new program will need financial help to succeed, for the IHSA is a nonprofit organization that relies on revenues it generates at state tournaments and sponsorships.“It’s common that we will look for sponsors to help offset costs that come up in any of our programs,” said Kurt J. Gibson, IHSA assistant executive director. “In a new program like this, we won’t know with certainty what the annual costs or generated revenue will be until we run the event once. But we’re confident, based on conversations we’ve had with a number of potential sponsors, that we’ll have no trouble putting on this event at a minimal cost, if any, to our association.”Already the IHSA has received commitments from Country Financial, an insurance company, and Plano Molding Company, a tackle-box manufacturer, Gannaway said.Of the 217 schools that will compete, many will enter two boats in sectional tournaments that begin April 24 on lakes statewide. From those sectionals, 48 two-person teams will qualify for the first state championship May 8-9 on Carlyle Lake.Tournaments will run for at least five hours and no more than eight. The state final is a two-day event with a five-fish limit per boat per day. Culling will be allowed. The winning team will be determined by overall weight, with big-bass awards going to the individuals who catch the biggest bass. A separate casting contest will be included.

TV coverage is planned, Gannaway said. Each school will provide its own boat and an adult driver (coach). Students will not be allowed to operate the outboard motor, but may operate the trolling motor. Students must provide all equipment, such as rods, reels and bait.Bass clubs throughout the state have offered their services, Gannaway said, and many have offered to provide adults to serve as boat captains.“A person only needs to be approved by the local school board as the IHSA considers bass fishing an activity, not a sport,” Gannaway said. “Therefore, the coaches do not have to meet the sport-coaching bylaw.”So for now, at least, bass fishing is considered an “activity” and not a “sport” in Illinois. Just don’t tell that to the hundreds of students who will brave cold weather in the coming months to practice for the state tournament.High school fishing serves as bridge to college fishing leaguesCoincidentally, starting in January 2009, FLW Outdoors – the nation’s leading tournament fishing organization – is launching the National Guard FLW College Fishing tournament circuit. The innovative circuit is slated to offer the most comprehensive, competitive and lucrative collegiate fishing tournament trail ever unveiled. And just to make sure that students learn the true value of an outdoor education, FLW Outdoors will award a $100,000 prize package to the eventual collegiate national team champion.As such, the new Illinois high school bass-fishing program couldn’t have been unveiled at a better time.“(The Illinois program) definitely will be a feeder system for our collegiate (bass fishing) program and an even greater opportunity for The Bass Federation,” said Kevin Hunt, FLW Outdoors’ director for college fishing. “It will give the students an opportunity to better their skills. I’ve talked to several people in Illinois, and they’re all excited about it.”

2009 FLW Schedule

2009-01-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

The 2009 FLW schedule has been out for some time now, so here it is.

Feb 12-15 Lake Guntersville Huntsville, AL

Mar 12-15 Table Rock Lake Branson, MO

Apr 23-26 Lake Norman Charlotte, NC

May 14-17 Beaver Lake Rogers, AZ

Jun 11-14 Kentucky Lake Benton, KY

Jul 9-12 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, NY

Jul 30- Aug 2 Forest Wood Cup Pittsburgh, PA

Getting the Most for Your Money

2009-01-05T17:23:00.000-08:00

Like most guys out there who get married, I got out on a budget for fishing. So I found myself saving all the money I could when I'm out fishing. So below is a list of things you may or may not already due that can save you a few bucks along the way. In this post I'll be talking about soft plastics.

Get the most out of your baits. I see fisherman all the time using soft plastics that just change their bait because they got a bite or caught a fish. Unless the bait is just completely destroyed or ripped in half, this really is not necessary. I understand that in a tournament situation you need every edge against your competitors. Ok, so change your baits out as much as you want then, but for fun days out on the water use that sucker till it can't be used anymore.

Lets take for example the senko. The average price for these per pack is about 5-7 dollars. So if your going through packs and packs of these things start asking yourself, "do I really need to be changing baits all the time". I use my senko's until they wont stay on the hook anymore. I don't miss bites and I still catch fish.

So how do you make the life of your bait last longer? Here are a few little tips to make your soft plastic baits go a little farther.

1. Shrink Tubing

Shrink tubing can be an excellent way to make your senkos last a lot longer. Slide the shrink tubing over your bait, heat it up so that the tubing is snug against the bait, then slide your hook right under the tubing so that it does not Peirce the bait. You will find that the bait last 2-3 times longer than normal.

2. A Good Keep

Use dart heads or jig heads with a good keep on them. This will keep your bait positioned snugly on the hook so that the baits don't fall off. Hooks are one place not to cut corners. Make sure to buy one that has a good keep.

3. Super Glue

I always keep a good old bottle of super glue with me. This has so many purposes to it. It can be used to glue your baits to the jig head or dart head, secure knots in your braided line, or repair torn soft plastic baits. There are a lot of different types out there, I use mend-it.

4. Boil Your Baits

Some baits can be referbed to new by just simply taking them home and boiling them. It will ofter fill in all the fine holes made by your hooks.

Top 4 Top Water baits

2009-01-03T21:55:00.000-08:00

Here are my favorite 4 top water baits that I like to throw, and a tid bit on how I like to throw them.

1.
The frog has been for a long time a big fish bait. If you have never fished one of these baits I strongly recommend it. I like to fish this bait in the thickest nastiest vegetation I can find. The two retrieves I use are walk the dog and your regular twitching retrieve. This bait is also very effective near standing timber.

2.
The wake bait is a lure that has really started to make a name for itself in the last 5 years. There are a hundred different types of wake baits made today. This one is made by 3:16 Lure Co, Wake Jr. These work great near long point near deep water, and over the top of shallower rock piles. When using the wake jr a normal cast and slow retrieve is most effective.

3.
The Zara Spook is one of the oldest top water baits on the market. This bait is a very simple but effective bait to use. Cast out as far as you can, and walk the dog back. It may be necessary sometimes to kill the bait and let it sit there for a few seconds.

4.

Finally the buzz bait. These baits have there place in history. There are many tune ups and adjustments you can make to these baits to make them preform better. The trick to the buzz bait is finding the speed to fish it. The fish are either gonna like it burned fast or slow rolled. fish this bait over structure, grass, tulle's, etc. I like to keep the bait in the strike zone for as long as possible so my preferred method is reeling as slow as I can but so that the bait stays functional.

John Crews: Hook Selection

2009-01-03T21:42:00.000-08:00

Bass Fishing with Stephen Pineau

2009-01-03T21:37:00.000-08:00

Kelly Jordon: Kentucky Lake

2009-01-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

Skeet Reese: California Delta

2009-01-03T21:34:00.000-08:00

Bass Fishing Tips: Skeet Reese Drop Shot

2009-01-03T21:33:00.000-08:00

Bass Fishing Tips: Lure Selection

2009-01-03T21:31:00.000-08:00

Bass Fishing Tips and Techniques: Lucky Craft Pro Staff

2009-01-03T21:29:00.001-08:00

Never Give up! Mike Iaconelli. 03' Classic

2009-01-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

Say what you want about Mike... He gets me pumped up every time!

Skinny Dipper

2008-12-31T18:13:00.000-08:00

The skinny dipper is made by reaction innovations. Its about 4" long and has this little paddle like tail on it. I have to admit that at first glance this little bait is nothing more than a glorified senko. I just so happened to have a rod in the car with me so I stopped by the lake on the way home from the tackle shop. (if your married I don't recommend having a lake on the way home from the tackle shop). The only thing I had was a couple of dart heads so i rigged the little dipper on a 3/16 oz. dart head from the shore.

I was bouncing the bait like a dart head. It was almost an hour before I got my first bite. Shortly after that I stuck the first fish. It was no more than a pound on its best day. Non the less it was more than I was expecting to catch. So I called it a day after that.

All in all I give this bait a thumbs up. It definitely deserves another chance off the boat instead of the shore.

Cost: $4.79/pck 9

Fish: 1

Make it or Break it

2008-12-31T18:04:00.000-08:00

I was at my local tackle shop the other day and I was thinking about my blog and what I can do to generate more topics and maybe some more discussion. I decided that I would buy something I have never used before, go out and fish it, then come here and post how I did. The catch is that the lure has to cost less than $10. You will find the post to the right labeled, "Make it or Break it".

Start The Year Off Right

2008-12-31T15:03:00.001-08:00

So with the new year usually comes colder weather in most areas of the country. This is one of my favorite times of the year to fish. All the fish start stacking up in groups so that finding them may be a little more of a challenge, but once you do, hang on!

First and foremost, during these months you don't have many recreational boaters. So the lake is all your except for the occasional extremist bass fisherman like yourself. If you don't find the fish, at least you get a peaceful relaxing day on the water.

I find that electronics come in very handy in the beginning of the year. The fish start to move deeper and really start to school up. I have heard people say that these fish don't eat in the winter months. I find that to be very untrue. Fish will eat all year long, yeah they're cold blooded but that doesn't mean they don't eat. I like to find channels with rock piles, stumps, trees, or anything else for that matter. Most channels can run for quite a ways, so look for irregularities in the channels on your electronics until you find that sweet spot.

As far as the baits I use, its the same ol same ol. I try and search with a crankbait, if no takers, I go straight to the jigs. Usually its a Gary Yamamoto hula grub. These tend to have a small profile in the water and still give good movement. Let that jig sit there for a while, then a while longer, and then a while longer. Sometimes when I find myself fishing to fast ill start to count. I move the jig, count to a certain number, then move the jig a little bit again. If all else fails, pull out old faithful rubber worm. I usually will use a drop shot because of the depths I'm fishing.

So stay dry, stay warm, and good huntin!

Spro BBZ-1 4" Shad

2008-12-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

So I picked up a couple of these little guys after watching some videos on youtube. Took it out to Folsom Lake yesterday. This thing looks good in the water. It has the perfect swimming motion to it and a good size to boot. Only fished It for about 20 or 25 casts but in that little time I had one little bump and spooked another fish when it hit the water once. Though I didn't catch anything, it was a promising outing for the lure. I cant wait to take this little guy to the delta. I would have thrown it more but I had other things to try.

They have about 5 or 6 colors now and three rates of fall. They have the floater witch I would guess floats and weighs 3/4 ounce. They have a slow sink witch has a ROF of 3 inches per second and weighs 7/8 once. The one I was throwing was the fast sink which is 1 foot per second and weighs 1 once.

Don't be afraid to pick this swim bait up. It has a price of about $18-$21.

Crankbaits: The Perfect Body

2008-12-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

After I've headed out to the lake and have decided to throw a crankbait, how do I choose the perfect one. Well I'll have to admit, I started writing this post and found out that I don't really know as much as I should about crankbait selection. So I did a little research and this is what I found.

There are other important factors to the cranbait other than color, the rod, and line you use. Colors are going to stay for the most part the same no matter what type of bait your fishing. Colors tend to be based on water conditions, weather, and bait.

Running depth is critical. You could have all the right equipment in the world but if you are not putting that bait where the fish are, your missing out on more bites. So this brings us to lip styles. Here are a few different types of lips you'll find on a crankbait.

It is important to know that abilities of each one. The angle of the lip tells you how your bait will dive and can give it a little more wobble in the water. The size of the lip will determine some of the running depth. Get familiar with crankbait lips. Once you have taken a crankbait out of the package it doesn't tell you the running depth anymore. Know what size lips go how deep will save you some time.

The bodies of your baits are really where the wobble comes from. Fat bodies are going to have wide wobble and skinny bodies are going to have a skinny wobble. Also keep in mind that there are wood crankbaits and plastic crankbaits. People will argue that wood cranks are more durable and give a bigger wobble. Plastic cranks tend to be a little cheaper cause they can be mass produced. Wood cranks tend to be less popular than plastic ones.

Notice the body difference...

Do you want your crankbait to sink or float. There will come a time when both of these come into play. Say you have a school of bait that is being engulfed by bass, sometimes I will reel that bait into the ball and then just kill it. At this point I don't want my bait to float to the top. That wouldn't be realistic. I want that puppy to sit there and act confused or injured. This will work with the lip less crankbait as well. When you kill the bait it will not suspend, but slowly flutter to the bottom like an injured fish.

I hope this article is help to someone wanting to learn more about crankbaits. Also use the web, there are some great articles out there about selecting cranks but I didn't wanna plagiarize them.

Spinnerbaits

2008-12-26T20:57:00.000-08:00

The spinner bait is by far one of the most popular lures for bass anglers. Think back to the last time you were out on the lake and had a hard time getting that first bite. If you didn't already have a spinner bait tied on, I bet you thought about tying one on. This bait is really one of the most versatile lures in our sport. It can be fished at most depths needed to catch those bass and under any conditions. You can throw it anywhere on the lake, into cover, flats, bait balls, you name it.

So lets understand the spinner bait a little more here. Most spinner baits are composed of wire formed into an "L" shaped pattern. Attached to this wire will be a swivel and a blade ( or multiple blades), a weight, a skirt, and a hook. Now there are variations to the basic spinner bait but for the sake of descusion in this blog well just stick to these components.

The most important features when selecting a spinner bait are going to be water color, bait or forage your imitating, and blade shape. Lets start with water conditions. In muddy water I throw my blacks, chartreuse, reds, and sometimes white. Fore clear water try to match your bait fish as close as possible to color and size. I use my salt and pepper, rainbow, chartreuse, purples, and greens.

The main colors I tend to use.

Blade shape can be very vital to the productivity of your spinner bait. There are two types of blades you will see on these baits. One being the willow leaf blade and the other being a Colorado blade. Each of them are equally as important and its important to have both styles in your box. Now these blades vary in size as well.

The willow leaf blades is more sleek and slender. It has a skinny profile that allows it to sink faster and be retrieved faster.

The Colorado blade is more rounded and allows the bait to sink slower. It also allows for more vibration to be put into the water for the bass to feel. They are generally used for slower retrieves.

Hopefully this helps next time your out and want to pick up that spinner bait.

Lure Making

2008-12-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

If anyone has ever tried to make a lure, no matter what kind, shape, or size, its not as easy as people make it look. You have probably read articles or watched video on this subject that fool you into thinking that you can just whip one of these babies up in just a few minutes. Truth is, the people that actually sit down and write articles about making lures, do so because they have done it time and time again and have a good system to do it in a timely manner. With that being said, I'm not trying to disparage anyone from making their own lures. Its a great hobby, a means for a little fishin cash, but most importantly there will be that one creative person every now and then that comes up with their own little twists and end up inventing this new lure that takes the fishing world by storm.

There's just something about catching a fish on a lure that you have made from beginning to end, it's very very rewarding. Ive only made a few lures that were actually successful, most of them jigs. Jigs are probably the easiest to make and as far as time goes. For very little money you can buy some lead, mold, hooks, rubber or silicone, and some powder paint, and be on your way.

I'm currently working on getting more supplies so that I can put some post up with picture of the process and the final results. Stay tuned for that.

When the Bite Gets Tough

2008-12-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

Most people say that when the bite gets tough, slow down. Well I like to take a little different approach to tough times. I go to the polar opposite and speed up. For instance the other day I was out at a local body of water that is fed from the bottom of another lake. This water is cold year round but being that its December, its down right frigged. I knew the fish were there somewhere but I couldn't seem to get them to bite on anything.

Originally I was fishing fish a Zara Super Spook and had no takers on the top water. Switched to a small baitsmith swim bait that has a slow rate of fall. No taker there either. Next thing I tried was slow rollin a spinner bait near the bottom. No taker again. Now I know this body of water well so I knew the fish where there, I just wast giving them what they needed. By this time I'm very frustrated and ready to call it a day. Well what the heck, I'm gonna tie on a speed trap and just give her hell.

First cast with the speed trap I catch a 3# smallie. Second cast burning that speed trap, another 3# smallie ( thought it was the same fish for a second). I said to myself, "well that was fun, lets do it again". So I cast out to the same spot and for the third cast in a row I get another 3# smallie. I couldn't believe it. After that I found no more fish but it sure made for one heck of an outing.

I thought outside of the box and did something different and I was rewarded for it. Remember when times get tough to go to the polar opposite of whatever it is your doing. More times than not, I think you'll find that it will produce.

Top 4 Rubber Worm Colors For Clear Water

2008-12-23T21:16:00.002-08:00

Most people don't care for the idea of having to finesse fish. For me, there is no other way to go after fish once they are located. I fish mostly the west coast and therefore a good majority of your waters are clear. There are four colors I turn to in these crystal condition.

My first color of choice is the Margarita Mutilator 3 (above). I'm not sure what this is supposed to imitate but my guess is a bluegill. This one here is a Robo Worm but the brand does not matter to me. Fish don't know brands, they know color and size. This is a highly effective color.

Next is Aron's Magic. It is mostly green but does have some brown and purple in the belly. Again not sure what is imitates but bluegill and bass would be a logical guess.

Prism shad makes for a great alternative when other colors don't work. The name speaks for what is imitates. Almost every body of water anywhere in the U.S. has some type of shad in it. Think of this when deciding what colors to use.

So my number four color in my box in Oxblood. It tends to have a real earthy tone that fish love. Earth tones work great in clear water.

If your having trouble catching em in clear water, try these colors out. They are all very common and can be fond at any local tackle store including Walmart.

Rigging The Huudleston

2008-12-23T21:16:00.001-08:00

So let me start off by saying that there is no right or wrong way to rig your hud. Here's a few things that I do to my ROF12 that seems to improve my hookup ratio. notice I say hook up ratio, I have yet to really find a way to get the fish to bite the bait a bunch more, but when they do it seems that I hardly ever miss them. Take the tips you might like and use them, and just disregard the rest.

Most people like the Huddleston ROF12. In most cases these baits are gonna be swimming pretty close to the bottom in most lakes. Therefore I don't care to have hooks on the bottom of the bait. It doesn't make sense to put hooks where they can get snagged more often.

1. I cut off the stock hook.
(If your want to leave the stock hook I would recommend sharpening it.

2. Then I use 60lbs braid and tie a double clinch knot.
Also glue the knot with sum kind of strong glue.

3. Then I tie a size 4 Gamagatsu treble hook so that when the knot is clinched, it sits right next to the dorsal fin on the bait.

4. Now just rub on your favorite scent, give it any last minute touches and start chuckin that puppy.

The only other recommendation I can give if this doesn't work, repeat the steps twice so that you have two hooks on two separate leaders. Then put one hook on the each side of the bait. This will help when the fish are attacking from the side.

My Favorite Swim Baits

2008-12-23T17:52:00.000-08:00

1. By far my favorite swim bait would have to be the River 2 Sea bottom walker. It comes in five sizes and 12 colors. I use the 4'' silver side mostly. This is a small profile bait that swims right along the bottom and in my opinion is the most versatile. Another good thing is that this bait is only about 10 bucks for a 3 pack.

2. My second favorite swim bait is the ever popular Huddleston. This has the perfect size for my local trout. Its 8 inch profile makes for a good meal for a spot of large mouth. These are a little more pricey making me weary of fishing them near cover. These run about 25 dollars now. What I like about these is that there are many way to tweak and tune them to your fishing style. One thing I always do with these baits is cut the gill with a razor blade and color it red. Then you stick a little piece of a toothpick i there to make it stay open. To me this looks more realistic to fish that may be trailing the bait.

3. Finally the last swim bait I use is the basstrix. This little bait can be fished in the thick cover. I love fishing this little guy in the Delta because of the numerous amounts of tulles and thick vegetation. They come in 5 and 6 inches, and about 15 colors. I have also had great success using these baits in shallow flats. I have had more hit on this bait than any other swim bait in my arsenal.

Law Inforcment and Fire Tourney

2008-12-20T13:06:00.000-08:00

So in May 2008 we traveled to Clear lake for a law enforcement and fire tournament. This was a great tournament put on by Sonoma County Sheriffs Department. It only cost $100 dollars per team. That included payouts to about 5th place, as much tri-tip and hot dogs you can eat, a raffle with literally 100 prizes, and free beer. Not to mention half the money went to the sheriffs department.

I'll make a long story short for you. My fishing partner ken and I started out in Soda Bay. I was throwing a 6" osprey and about 20 casts into the day she hit it, an 8.66 lbs giant, the biggest bass I have ever caught. Needless to say the bite turned off after that. Ken was able to put 4 more in the boat that day as I tried to be a hero with the swim bait. I guess it worked out for us. We took 3rd and big fish of the tournament by one tenth of a pound. It made for a good little payout and an even more enjoyable experience.

I will defiantly be at this tournament if it is held again in 2009. Great atmosphere for the whole family, good food, great raffle, and a good time.

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Strugling Economy

2008-12-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Man oh man have times become hard. With the tough economy how does anyone afford to go fishing anymore? The truth is a lot of people don't. So what are us fisherman supposed to do? Well I've come up with a few things that may or may not help you out. It works for me so maybe you can tune this to fit your lifestyle.

My planning before a fishing trip starts long before I even know the day that I wanna go. It starts with saving money everywhere I can in order to keep a little extra change in my pocket. Where I noticed the biggest saving for myself was cutting out coffee and energy drinks. Everyday I go to work I would stop to get a coffee for now and an energy drink for later. So that alone was close to $7.00 I was spending before I ever got to work. For all the mathematically impaired people out there that adds up to $35.00 a week. For me that's half of a tournament entry, or gas for the boat, or a swim bait, or, well you get the picture. Cutting out on things that are not something you absolutely need can go a long way.

Another way I started to keep a little change is eliminating bank fees. Taking money out of the ATM for most people costs about $2-$5 dollars. I was getting money out one time a week so that saves me about $10.00 a month right there. I just go into my bank to get money out now. They don't charge me for that. Figure out how you can get money out of your account without being charged by the bank. It your money, you should have access to it when you want it for free.

I also found that I was getting lazy with my bills. I would wait until my bill was late before I got around to paying it. Not because I didn't have the money but because I was being lazy. For instance my cell phone bill would cost me about $60.00 dollars a month. When I'm late paying it I get charged $10.00 from Verizon. All adds up doesn't it.

So these are just a few ways I start saving for a trip before I even know I want to go. Keep track of that cash your saving so that when you go fishing you know that its with money you have saved. Also it makes the trip more enjoyable knowing that I worked for this chance to catch that donkey bass.

I would love to hear how other people save a little change. If you have any good ideas just post it here, thanks.

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