Category Archives: fishing basics

What Is the Most Important Improvement In Bass Fishing?

Unlike my picture taken in 1994 that accompanies my Griffin Daily News article, I have aged a lot in the past 30 years.  I have also seen many changes in fishing, especially bass fishing, during my life.  Some I like, some others like but I don’t appreciate.  To each his own, I guess.

    I think the most important change in bass fishing is the development of the electric trolling motor.  I will never forget the fun I had sculling an old wooden jon boat for my uncles.  Back then one person sat up front and fished while the other in the back used a paddle to move and position the boat for casting.

    That back seat job often went to us kids. We learned a lot watching and listening, but it was frustrating, too.  Sometimes we got to make a few casts, with the adult taking over the paddling, but usually it was expected our turn fishing would come when we were adults.  We were not spoiled like kids nowadays.

    Sometimes we tried fishing by ourselves and sculling from the front. It worked pretty well, but it meant positioning the boat, putting the paddle down, picking up your rod and reel and trying to get a cast in before the wind or waves moved the boat out of position.

    Now with the touch of a button and rock of the foot you keep the boat in position perfectly, freeing your hands to cast at all times. Newer trolling motors even allow you to push a button and the trolling motor will hold you in one place, allowing you to move around the boat to fish or sit and tie on a new lure without worrying about where the boat will go.

    My first ‘depthfinder” was a heavy cord with a used spark plug on the end. Knots were tied every foot, and every yard a double knot marked it.  I even used freezer tape to put a numbered tag every yard to keep up with how much string was out.

    My newest “depthfinder,” a Garmin Panoptix Livescope, shows everything in front of the boat out to 100 feet in detail, even showing fish as they move in the water.  With a little practice I have learned to identify the kind of fish I am seeing and make a pretty good guess if they will bite. Most of the time.

    The Panoptix cost a bit more than a ball of cord and spark plug weight.  A paddle is a little cheaper than a spot-lock 36 volt trolling motor.

    Fishing line is another huge improvement.  I will never forget Edgar Reeves, Mr. John Harry’s son who was 15 years older than me, taking me with him to Clarks Hill in May. I mostly skulled his boat while he cast a Devil’s Horse topwater plug to flooded button bushes and sweet gum trees.

    He told me I could cast some but when I picked up my Mitchell 300 spinning reel loaded with monofilament line, he said it would not work with topwater. The new-fangled line was not any good compared to his braided line.

    He was right in a way.  Monofilament has improved a lot over the past 60 years since my trip with Edgar. It is much thinner, stronger and limper than the old stuff.  But I use much more fluorocarbon line when fishing since it is not visible underwater and does not stretch as much.

    Unlike monofilament, fluorocarbon sinks so it is not suitable for topwater baits.  But I seldom use mono for topwater, new kinds of braid, very similar to what Edgar used, are now the best line for topwater most of the time.  What goes around comes around!

    Spinning reels were introduced to eliminate the problems with bait casters. The first bait caster I tried to use had no free spool, the handle revolved backwards when you cast. It was called a “knucklebuster” for a very good reason.

And there was no level wind, you had to move the line with your reel holding hand thumb across the reel spool as you reeled in to keep it even.  And there was no drag system.

Spinning reels had problems of their own, from loops forming when you cast that made a mess on the next cast to line slipping under the spool and jamming.  But they were much easier to use.

Then spincast reels, also called closed face reels, were developed to make casting even easier but the first ones jammed way too often, and dirt and debris collected inside the closed face.  New ones are much better.

I fell in love with bass tournament fishing the first time Jim Berry took me to a Sportsman Club tournament in 1974.  I still fish three club tournaments each month.  But the intensity of many young fishermen, “grinding” it out and not having fun but turning it into work while fishing, worries me.  There are hundreds of other great developments in fishing. I hope I am around to witness a few more! 

Can You Be Successful Wading for Speckled Trout 

Wading for Speckled Trout 

In most of the Gulf States, the speckled seatrout is one of the most popular targets for anglers because they are often plentiful, aggressive, and willing to bite various lures. There are many ways to catch them, but wading for them is an excellent option as they typically stay close to the beach and allow anglers to be as stealthy as possible as they target them.

Noted Texas guide and tournament angler, Capt. Brett Sweeny of Matagorda specializes in inshore species such as redfish and trout and guides clients during the “trophy season” for trout in the winter. One of the best ways to target these spooky fish in shallow water is by wading and making precise casts to their hiding spots. It’s a nice change of pace for anglers accustomed to fishing from a boat, and Sweeny says it gives anglers the best chance at catching a trout of a lifetime.

Trophy Trout Time

Sweeny is looking for fish that weigh seven pounds or more or are twenty-eight inches long on the Texas Coast to classify as a trophy. He says the winter months are best for these fish, primarily because their diet changes and where they live.

“The trophy season usually starts around the first of the year, and by February and March, those fish are the heaviest they will be all year,” he said. “When it gets colder, they adjust their diet and eat more mullet. Plus, in that colder water, they don’t swim or travel as much to burn off as much of that food.”

Whether he’s guiding clients near his home in Matagorda or spending time further south in Port Mansfield as he does for long stretches every winter, the chance for a trophy trout is real every trip, and wading offers an excellent opportunity to catch them.

Wading for trout can be as simple as gaining access to a beach, walking out into the water, and casting, but Capt. Sweeny takes his clients to prime locations via boat, where they enter the water and stalk the shallows. He’s a huge fan of fishing this way because it’s effective and adds a hunting aspect to fishing.

“It’s more like hunting because you are creeping up and making casts to specific targets instead of just blind casting around,” he said. “Getting into the water makes you much more efficient than fishing from a boat and lets you work the holes in the grass more efficiently. The other benefit is less noise because these fish are very spooky, and they won’t hear the waves slap on the boat’s hull or anglers making noise as they walk around in the boat.”

What to Look For

Grass beds are critical habitat, and there is plenty to fish on the Gulf Coast. Sweeny looks for ambush areas, holes in the grass that they call potholes.

“In those big grass beds will be big sand holes in the middle, about the size of a truck, and it’s not just a bare spot but a little depression with slightly deeper water. That’s what you want to find,” he said. “Those fish are going to lay in there, right on the edge of the grass, and when mullet come into that pothole, it’s the perfect ambush point for a big trout.”

The water depth they fish ranges from “knee deep” to “belly button deep,” as Capt. Sweeny puts it. Even minor depth changes are enough to attract trout, and like everything in saltwater, tides make a difference. 

“These depressions could only be 8 inches deeper, but that’s enough to hold those trout,” he said. “When it’s sunny, they’ll be in the shallower stuff, and as it gets colder, they’ll be in deeper holes. The best tides are typically incoming in the winter, but if you have some movement either way, it will be better fishing.”

Walking in waders, Sweeny and his clients move from one pothole to the next, and he says the anticipation of each new target is part of the fun.

“It’s easy to lay out a plan together as we creep up to the next pothole; it’s very visual, which is why everyone I take out likes it so much,” he said. “We can ease around and not make a bunch of noise, and it gives you a better chance to catch these fish since the water can be pretty clear this time of year.”

Targeting Trout in the Potholes

The aggressive attitude of trout, even in the colder months, allows them to be caught with several lures. Capt. Sweeny prefers suspending baits such as a MirrOlure Paul Brown’s Original or a “Corky,” as many know them, or Down South Lures Southern Shad paddle tail swimbait. He prefers natural mullet-imitating colors and fishes both on medium power rods with extra fast tips and a Bates Fishing Co. Salty reel spooled with 30 lb Seaguar TactX fluorocarbon with a five-foot leader of 25 lb Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon leader connected by a Double Uni knot.

“I like Gold Label because of how much thinner it is. I can go up a size and not lose anything, and I feel like it ties better knots because of how supple it is,” he said. “I also like the feel of TactX because I’m a four-strand guy, and it’s a very strong braid that casts great. It’s a personal preference, and I know some anglers doing this with the Smackdown braid.”

When fishing these lures, especially the suspending twitch bait, Capt. Sweeny mixes up his retrieves based on fish activity, but the pause is where many bites happen.

“I always like to go with two twitches of the rod and then a pause, almost like working a jerkbait for bass in freshwater,” he said. “You want to twitch the bait over that grass, and then you want it to sit as long inside that pothole as you can before you twitch it again.”

Casting accuracy is also critical for getting the best time inside the strike zone possible. “It’s important to make a good cast because if you miss the cast by a few feet, you’re going to be up on top of that grass bed, and they probably aren’t going to eat your bait,” he said. “That’s another reason why your line is so critical, and having a good casting line like TactX makes you that much more efficient.”

For a change of pace and a chance at a massive speckled trout, jump in and wade as you stalk the shallow water. It’s a surefire way to have fun and catch big trout during the winter months when they are at their biggest sizes of the entire year.

Seaguar TactX Camo Braid is available in 150- and 300-yard spools in 10 to 80 lb tests.

Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader is available in twenty-five and fifty-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 lb tests for freshwater use, complementing the 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leaders available for saltwater. 

How Many Bass Do You Have To Catch To Find A Pattern?

A few years ago a friend fishing with me caught a small bass and said “Now we know the pattern to fish today.”  I just laughed.  I am no professional fisherman, but I do not think one fish sets a pattern.

    Bass fishermen search for a pattern each day, the kinds of structure, cover and depth fish seem to be holding and feeding, and what kind of food they are eating.  Discover a good pattern and you can catch fish all over a big lake doing the same thing. Pro fishermen are pros because they can usually find a good pattern.

    On the other hand I work to catch every fish I can find.  In my mind there are always some bass shallow and they are more likely to be feeding and easier to catch.  Sometimes I find a small pattern, maybe fishing the front edge of a grass bed, the back post on a dock or a rocky seawall. 

    In a recent tournament a club member stated, “The bass are not in the grass beds today, I never got a bite in them.”  My response was that was odd since my biggest three fish hit in grass beds.  Patterns are elusive for fishermen like me!

    The Sportsman Club Classic last Sunday at Bartletts Ferry proved this to me.  In the tournament that 8 fishermen qualified to fish, we landed 29 bass weighing about 29 pounds.  In eight hours of casting, there were three five-bass limits and no one zeroed.

Wayne Teal won big with five weighing 10.69 pounds and his 3.85 pound largemouth was big fish. Raymond English came in second with five at 5.86 pounds, my five weighing 5.49 pounds was third, Jay Gerson placed fourth with two sat 5.09 pounds and Kwong Yu came in fifth with four weighing 3.77 pounds.

Two weeks ago I fished Bartletts four days, three in practice and one in the Potato Creek Tournament.  Last week I camped and fished Friday and Saturday and then the tournament Sunday.

Bartletts Ferry has many water willow grass beds and are usually a good place to find bass feeding.  In the 7 days I fished I tried many of them and worked a variety of baits through them. I never got a bite.

Of course, Wayne said all his fish hit in grass beds on baits I had tried!

Finding a pattern is great and I have found a few over the years.  At Guntersville a few years ago I caught four bass, three over four pounds each, by pitching a jig to the right front post of docks in less than three feet of water. My partner and I never got a bite around other posts that day!

Sometimes two fishermen can be casting the same bait to the same places but only one will catch fish.  Often there is a slight difference in the way the bait is worked or some other unnoticed factor.

That is why I find it difficult to figure out a pattern. I get frustrated and think maybe the fish are there, I am just doing a little something wrong.

Once again I camped at Blanton Creek Georgia Power campground. Knowing their discriminating rule against boat owners, I reserved a site on the water.  When I arrived after 4:00 PM there was a map on the board with my name on it.  A sign said set up and check in the next morning.

When I went to my site the wind was blowing fairly big waves into the bank, so I set up and parked my boat on the site, completely out of the road and off the grass.  An hour later the campground host drove up in a golf cart to tell me I could not park my boat on the site.

We talked for a while and he was very nice, explaining a few years ago someone with a boat caused a problem how they parked, so Georgia Power made a rule no boats in the campground.  So they punished every boat owner for the past four years for the actions of one.

He let me leave my boat there for the night since it was Thursday but insisted I move it first thing the next morning.

Unfortunately, two club members that had reservations to camp but not on the water had to cancel since they could not charge their batteries.

    Maybe someday Georgia power won’t punish all boat owners due to the past action of one slob.

Why Do We Go Fishing

Why Do We Go Fishing

  • By The Fishing Wire

By Bob Jensen

Sometimes I ask myself, and I’m sure other people who enjoy fishing ask themselves, “Why do we go fishing”?  I’ve found in recent years that my reasons for going fishing have changed.  In conversations with other anglers, I’ve learned that their reasons for going fishing have changed also.

When I first started fishing many years ago, I went for one reason:  To catch fish!  I enjoyed being outdoors and didn’t enjoy being around people that much, so I would park my truck, put on my waders, and walk up and down area rivers by myself.  I usually caught some fish.  Mostly smallmouth bass and northern pike, but every now and then a walleye would bite my bait.  And when a carp would try to eat my jig with his tail, that’s when things got really exciting!

Somewhere in the passage of time, my priorities while fishing changed a bit.  Maybe more than a bit.  I still like to catch fish.  The more and the bigger the better.  But I’ve discovered other elements of fishing that are taking on a larger role in my enjoyment of fishing.

It was in my late teenage years that I learned that sharing the fishing experience was enjoyable.  I started inviting a family member or a friend to accompany me on those walks along the river.  I also learned that it was as much fun to watch my partner catch a fish as it was for me to catch a fish.

As I got older and started fishing from a boat, I realized that not only was it more fun to fish with a partner or two, it was also easier.  Two people putting a boat in the water and parking the truck was easier and faster than one person doing so.

It also sunk in that when a couple people were fishing, we could try different baits.  One angler would use a faster moving bait, the other a slower moving bait.  Or one angler would use a bait of one color, the other used a bait of another color.  We could figure out faster what type of presentation the fish were most likely to respond to when we had more lines in the water.  We caught more fish.

I learned that every now and then, I truly enjoy setting my fishin’ pole down and just watch the wildlife or water fowl.  On a fishing trip a couple of years ago, for the first time, I saw a family of otters on a small rock island.  I had never seen this many otters(6) this close.  It really added to the day on the water.  I’ve watched otters, beavers, deer, loons, and a variety of other critters since then and, every time, it’s enhanced the fishing experience.

Some anglers say they go fishing to catch a meal of fish.  They say that it helps stretch their food budget.  Going fishing probably isn’t the most economical way to obtain a meal of fresh fish, but it is definitely the most fun way to do so.

So, back to the original question:  Why do we go fishing?  I don’t know!  It’s not one big thing that encourages me to go fishing, it’s a bunch of big things.  But the biggest thing is that fishing is something that I enjoy and helps me get away for a while from the things that I and many others need or want to get away from.  For me, that’s enough of a reason to go fishing. 

Photo Caption—This above all:  Never forget that fishing is supposed to be fun.

Z-Man Chatterbait Tips On How To Catch Fish In Them

Top 9+ ChatterBait® Commandments – A Masterclass in Bladed Jig Fishing

  • By The Fishing Wire

Ladson, SC – Any time your angling goals include personal best bass or top-10 tournament checks, chunking and winding a ChatterBait® bladed jig carves the straightest wake to success. It’s a simple, self-evident fact that continues to prove itself across North America’s waterways, almost every day of the year.

In the years since the Original ChatterBait ascended to dominance on the national bass scene, a new lure-category sensation emerged, evolved and snowballed catch rates. Newer, refined Z-Man® bladed jigs offered subtle variations in vibration and unpredictable hunting action, as well as delivering select situational tools, such as the ChatterBait Elite EVO™ and WillowVibe™, which shine both shallow and deep.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=g8vFShDPd0M%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Seems like a no-brainer now. But the enchantment of a ChatterBait and its propensity to produce epic outings often depend on the details. A quick change in the cadence. Reading the blade’s musical language. A little tweak in lure or trailer selection, color or jighead weight can bring about radical results. Read on and learn more . . .

Top 9 (+1) ChatterBait Tips

ChatterBait
Top 9+ ChatterBait® Commandments 1

(1) Color Coordinate – A common head-scratching bladed jig puzzle, color-coding your chosen ChatterBait with the right soft plastic trailer is usually easier than we make it. Sure, you can run wildly contrasting combos like a pearl-pattern ChatterBait MiniMax™ with a chartreuse/red tail MinnowZ™, or a ‘glitter-bomb’ ChatterBait Elite EVO with a fire-craw ChatterSpike™ for a different look.

Or, to follow the lead of pro anglers who face this riddle every day, you might opt instead to color-match your chosen ElaZtech® trailer to the bladed jig itself. For imitating crayfish, give ‘em a double dose of green pumpkin. In stained or tea-colored water, try black and blue all over. In high, dirty water, especially in spring, it’s all fire-craw orange, all the time. Or, for mimicking openwater baitfish, a one-two punch of shad-white to shad-white’s just right. You get the idea. The goal should mostly be to create one cohesive, color-coordinated critter—a continuous lure that impersonates nature rather than a cosplay convention.

ChatterBait

(2) Pattern-Matching Trailers – While color coordinating your bladed jig and trailer can be critical, many anglers overlook the role the soft plastic bait plays in altering ChatterBait action and depth. For bottom hugging crawfish patterns, go slow or ‘stop-and-go’ with a double legged creature like the Gremlin™ or GOAT™. To imitate a bluegill in shallow cover, try a subtle, super realistic RaZor ShadZ™.

For probing slightly deeper—and for medium retrieve speeds—rig a slim-profile paddletail. The 4” DieZel MinnowZ™ or Scented PaddlerZ™ pair nicely with a ChatterBait Elite EVO or a JackHammer™.

To kick up the speed or max out a ChatterBait’s random juking movements, dial back tail action to a nervous little wag. A slender ChatterSpike™ or a 4- or 5-inch Scented Jerk ShadZ™ take a backseat to blade action, empowering the lure to perform those evasive, unpredictable moves that incite angry strikes.

PRO TIP: Try ‘vertical rigging’ a Z-Man GOAT, creating a cool scissor kicking double-tail swimbait trailer.

(3) Multispecies Mods – The ChatterBait’s prowess with big bass is undeniable. And yet, just off the radar, anglers seeking walleye, pike and redfish continue tapping alternative bites, thanks to the power of the blade.

Reserve your abused, naked (skirtless) ChatterBait JackHammers for walleye or pike duty. Add a paddletail swimbait and go to work around cabbage and other toothy critter cover. Or, kick up the visual attraction factor with an Eye Strike® ChatterBait. This eye-catching, naked bladed jig is the perfect vehicle for spicing your favorite redfish or walleye swimbait with flash, wobble and those good vibrations.

PRO TIP: Try probing deeper and slightly slower for walleye or bass with a ChatterBait WillowVibe / Slim SwimZ™ combo. This little ChatterBait offshoot has become a secret weapon among top river smallmouth and walleye guides.

ChatterBait

(4) Go Deep – Quietly, select bass anglers are also mining deepwater bass with unconventional ChatterBait techniques. Instead of fishing shallow and horizontal with the crowd, consider grinding deep river channels, bluff banks and boulders. Think big bass. Untapped spots and smallmouths. Grind bottom just fast enough to keep the blade pulsing. Sweep the rod forward. Stop and reel slack as the lure “chatters” on the drop.

The money move for going deep remains a ¾- or 1-1/4-ounce JackHammer, dressed with a craw or creature bait trailer. Heavier bladed jigs hug bottom, traversing deep, rocky terrain, and alerting bass with audible collisions and amped up blade music.

ChatterBait

(5) Tackling Up – While no single ChatterBait rod matches every application, pro anglers often favor a 7’1” to 7’4” casting rod for traditional horizontal retrieves. For ripping cover and controlling big fish, Z-Man pros prefer rods with stout spines. The tip section should be moderately fast, just soft enough to read yet absorb blade vibes with ease. Some anglers prefer a glass crankbait rod.

To match a variety of retrieves, consider a casting reel with a 7:1 or even an 8:1 gear ratio. Among pros, consensus is to opt for 30- to 50-pound test fluorocarbon for abrasion resistance, sensitivity and slight stretch.

(6) Cut the Grass – Turn angst with inevitable grass snags into bonus bites. When the lure comes up tight to a plant stalk, give the rod a fast, forceful rip. Not only will this power play immediately clear the lure of leafy debris, the sudden speed burst often coerces nearby bass to take a swing. Pay particular attention to what happens to the lure as it settles, immediately after attaining escape velocity.

image 49
Top 9+ ChatterBait® Commandments 2

(7) Off the Rails – As noted, ChatterBait trailer selection can impact lure depth and action, particularly the ease with which it enters ‘hunt mode.’ Empowered to randomly “go off the rails,” the ChatterBait Elite EVO becomes an evasive, juking machine when you suddenly speed up, slow down or give the rod a fast pop.

PRO TIP: Tournament anglers often use the gears of their high-speed casting reels—rather than rod action— to make the lure cut and dart randomly.

(8) Speed Demon – To big bass, there’s something irresistible about a fast-fleeing baitfish. It’s why burning a heavier, streamlined ChatterBait-trailer combo over skinny water can produce electrifying big fish bites. Be sure to rig it with a low-action, low-drag trailer for minimum water resistance and maximum speed. Scream a ½- to ¾-ounce bladed jig alongside a grassline. Shoot the lure past and parallel to boat docks. Don’t be surprised when a supertanker suddenly warps in and grabs the lure right beside your boat.

PRO TIP: If you enjoy arm-jarring eats, try burning a heavy, compact ½-ounce ChatterBait MiniMax with a 3.5” Jerk ShadZ or Finesse ShadZ™ across shallow rock or weed flats—especially sweet for jumbo smallmouths.

(9) Blade & Bite Music – If you’re paying attention, it’s impossible not to detect the musical, melodic vibration of a ChatterBait bladed jig. But “listening” closely to these sounds through your line down to your hands reveals what’s happening down below. When you hit the sweet spot, speed-wise, the blade sings, producing a pleasing rod-strumming cadence. It tells you when a piece of grass clings and comes aboard. And most importantly, when the blade suddenly stops thumping in its usual rapid drumbeat pulse, it nearly always means a bass has crashed the party. Reel down fast and sweep the hook home.

image 50
Top 9+ ChatterBait® Commandments 3

BONUS TIP: Auto (Instant) Activation – Anglers who choose a non ChatterBait bladed jig often realize the lure requires them to “activate” the blade—to get it pulsing— usually by popping the rodtip or briefly reeling extra fast. As pro anglers know, bass often sit tight to the bank, or within inches of cover. They’re waiting to ambush an animal. And if your bladed jig isn’t auto-activating and vibrating right out of the gate, if could be a long day.

Conversely, if you’re casting the real deal—a ChatterBait Elite EVO, JackHammer or StealthBlade™—the lure’s blade self-engages. No need for extra tricks or standing on one leg to get the blade to engage. Simply tie on an original ChatterBait bladed jig and get bit on those critical first few cranks of the reel handle. Easy like Sunday morning.

Is Forward Facing Sonar Unfair?

A meme on social media shows a fisherman with his head hinged opened and his brain on the floor. The caption reads “I don’t need you anymore, I have Forward Facing Sonar (FFS).”

    Every time something new comes out many fishermen condemn it as something that gives the fisherman an unfair advantage. Of course they mean it gives “other” fisherman an unfair advantage.  It’s fine when they learn to use it.

    Forward facing sonar is amazing. It will show you everything within its range under the water, much like having a video camera under the water. It is directional, sending out a “wedge” of sonar blips covering about one foot wide for every three feet of distance, so at 30 feet the wedge is about 10 feet wide.

It takes a little time and effort to learn what the sonar returns look like on the screen.  The screen looks much like an ultrasound screen at the doctors office.  Fish look like little dots moving around but you can see the limbs of a tree or brush pile and even individual fish in a school of crappie.

A muskie tournament trail has banned FFS in their tournaments and some other tournament trails like BASS are actually discussing what to do. It does give an angler that studies and learns how to use it an advantage, but it does not make the fish bite.  I have had one for three years and it has helped me catch some fish, but many more times I have wasted too much time watching fish follow my bait and not hit it.

I can only hope every fisherman I compete with that has FFS quits using their brain.

A Good Example Of Why I Have Problems With High School Tournaments

I was told “90 percent of our boat captains are safe.” In a 200 boat tournament that means that diretor knows there are about 20 dangerous boats out there!!

At Lanier the second weekend in November, on Saturday when a clerk at Hammonds told me there was an 80-boat high school tournament the next day I instantly wondered what dangerous, stupid and inconsiderate actions I would witness.


On Sunday I didn’t see many boats, I guess most stayed up the river due to the cold wind.

BUT – I had gone back to Balus Creek to finish up the day. I was fishing the bluff bank past the ramp at 1:00, about 3/4 way out to the point. I had been fishing there for about 15 minutes, slowly working out toward the point fishing a jig.

A bass boat came out of the cove on the other side of the ramp with one kid riding illegally in the butt seat up on the front deck and the other illegally in the chair on the back deck.

The “captain” was at that speed where the front of the boat stays way up, half on plane and making the biggest possible wake. And no way he could see ahead of the boat with the kid up there, too.

If I had been tournament director, they would have been disqualified for illegal and dangerous boating.

They came by me about 100 feet away, rode past me halfway into the cove, made a U turn without slowing down, passed me a second time and stopped on the point ahead of me and started casting. I guess I was fishing where they wanted to fish.

I had to hang on to the butt seat to not get thrown out of my boat from their wake.

I don’t know what they caught, but when I got to the point where they stopped and started casting ahead of me, I caught my third keeper and two 13.5-inch throwbacks.

    I try to support youth and high school fishing teams, but things like this are all too common and make it difficult.  I don’t blame the kids, the adult boat captains drive the boat and make the decisions where to fish so safety and courtesy are up to them. But too many of them are teaching the kids bad habits.

I fear it is “when” not “if” there is a serious problem.

Is Fishing The Carolina Rig The Anytime Big Fish Technique

Fishing The Carolina Rig The Anytime Big Fish Techniqu

from The Fishing Wire

Whether competing in a bass tournament or simply fishing a weekend afternoon, all anglers are constrained by one element: time. This time constraint has led to the strategy known as “power fishing,” epitomized by the run-and-gun approach introduced by Kevin Van Dam, who recently retired with the best track record in competitive bass fishing history.

Power fishing is not just fishing fast; rather, it’s about covering water with improved time management and efficiency in order to get a sense of how the most active bass are behaving on a given day. Once located, an angler can slow to a more methodical means to catch more bass located in an area.

image 30

What if you could utilize a technique that offered the best of both worlds: long casts to cover water relatively quickly but also a means to efficiently probe the lake bottom and surrounding cover for bass? Such is the appeal of the Carolina rig, aka the “ball and chain.”
The Carolina rig shot to the national spotlight in the 1985 Bassmaster’s Classic when Jack Chancellor dragged it across river sand bars for the winning catch. He called it the “Do-Nothing Rig,” which is appropriate given the simplicity of the technique.

The Carolina rig is a heavy barrel weight, such as Epic’s ¾ or 1 oz Tungsten Barrel Weight, separated from the hook and an 18-36” leader by a barrel swivel. Most anglers will include a series of plastic or metal beads above the swivel knot to cushion it from the heavy sinker and add an audible component to attract a bass’ attention.

If you want extra cushion and less clack, use the XL Blue-Colored Weight Peg from Epic. Place the peg right above the swivel so that when the weight comes down, it will bounce back. If Epic’s Tungsten Bead is on there, then it will have a different sound than glass beads.

Soft plastic choices for the Carolina rig are a matter of the angler’s imagination and preference, with creature baits and craws a popular choice, as are the more subtle 5-inch “french fry” worms or even the ubiquitous Senko. Choices in hooks can include a 3-4/0 EWG (extra wide gap), such as the AlphaPoint® Assault Tactical Wide Gap Hook, or the offset round bend hooks in the same size.

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Typically, the Carolina rig uses 30-50# braided line to eliminate stretch on a long hookset. The leader material is usually 12-15 pound fluorocarbon to reduce underwater line visibility and increase abrasion resistance.

The Carolina rig can be fished on the bottom from shallow to deep, stirring up sediment as the heavyweight drags along the bottom with short bursts from the rod tip. The efficiency of the setup comes from the ability to bomb the rig great distances with long casts due to the heavy sinker. The sinker also impacts structure along the lake bottom as it drags, which draws fish to the commotion. It also offers feedback to the astute angler about the composition of the lake bottom. One can feel the tactile change in feedback through the rod tip as the sinker drags through the muted feel of a silty bottom to the more “crunchy” sensation of gravel or shell bottom. These little patches of gravel and shell are what is known as a “hard bottom” among accomplished offshore anglers and is considered “the juice” when searching for schools of feeding bass.

Among all the components of dragging a Carolina rig effectively, the rod is front and center. The technique requires a specialized rod long enough to heft the heavy sinker and extend leader a great distance while also maintaining the sensitivity to feel those subtle bottom changes through the rod tip. The new KastKing Assegai “Sweet Caroline” is aptly named, as it checks all the boxes for defining the perfect rod for lobbing and dragging the old ball and chain.

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At 7 ‘6”, the Sweet Caroline has the needed length to fire the Carolina rig to its maximum range, as well as move a lot of line in a hurry on the hookset with a sweep of the long rod. Considered a “fast/medium/heavy” action, this technique-specific rod from KastKing also offers the tip sensitivity to feel the bottom and detect the bite, but has the power to drive the hook home on bass from a great distance.

Want a wide spool reel that eliminates backlashes and also lets you know the distance of your last cast? You can pair the Assegai rod with the new KastKing iReel, which is an incredibly smooth reel that casts the Carolina rig a country mile. At ICAST ’23, all the buzz centered around the iReel’s ability to provide audible feedback for the casting distance, as well as retrieve speed, both important metrics when fishing any lure. Should you choose to turn off the audio capability, the iReel records all the casting data to your phone via the KastKing app for your review at a later time.

The Carolina rig is a versatile technique that can be fished fast or slow, shallow or deep, regardless of the season. When searching for schools of bass away from the shoreline, drag ‘em up with the “ball and chain.”

THREE WAYS TO CATCH THE NEGLECTED ROCK BASS

TRY THESE THREE WAYS TO CATCH THE NEGLECTED ROCK BASS FOR SOME GOOD EATING FISH THAT ARE FUN TO CATCH

Three Ways to Catch the Neglected Rock Bass

from The Fishing Wire

The tiny spinnerbait hit the water with a delicate “plop” a scant foot from the shoreline as we floated silently down the Shenandoah River. The current swirled backwards in an eddy there, making it a prime hangout for the fish this river is famous for—the smallmouth bass. The instant I engaged the spinning reel handle, a sharp strike telegraphed up the thin graphite rod. Setting the hook with a solid sweeping motion, I felt steady resistance from a stubborn quarry on the end of the line… surely a tail-walking smallmouth.

But something was different. This fish felt strong, but somehow not as powerful and full of the leaps and runs I had come to expect from a pugnacious smallmouth bass. Welcome for sure, as any gamefish would be on a hot sunny day on a river. Just not what I was expecting.

As I worked the fish in, I realized why the fish felt different. A plump rock bass had nabbed the small spinnerbait I was using. Reaching down, I twisted the hook free and released the plump, brass-colored panfish back into the glass-clear water, none the worse for wear.

No, the humble rock bass won’t win many popularity contests among anglers. These fish are not sleek and powerful like a landlocked striper. They don’t jump like a belligerent largemouth bass or streak wildly through the currents like a silver-sided rainbow trout. And their fight definitely won’t match the antics of a sassy smallmouth.

But despite their lack of spectacular credentials as a gamefish, these stocky little panfish are strangely appealing. Maybe their dependability is what makes them so attractive as a quarry. Rock bass can almost always be counted on as a fill-in for those days when other gamefish develop a case of lockjaw. They have saved the day on many a smallmouth outing for me on waters such as the James, Potomac, and Rappahannock, not to mention my home water—the Shenandoah River.

But rather than just relegating rock bass to the role of fill-in or “day-saver” when other species are not cooperating, consider this proposition. Try focusing occasionally on this quarry for its own legitimate value as a gamefish. After all, the rock bass is a stubborn, if not spectacular, fighter when an angler uses light tackle.

Often called “goggle eye” or “red eye,” the species is also a handsome fish. Well… in a rugged sort of way! The fish’s Latin name, Ambloplites rupestris, gives a clue to the habitat the rock bass prefers. Rupetris means “of the rocks.” Stone and rubble-covered rivers as well as some rocky lakes are prime rock bass fishing grounds.

Rock bass don’t grow large. A five- to seven-inch fish is typical. Studies have shown it takes six years for a rock bass to reach eight inches. As for weight, a 12-ounce fish is absolutely a trophy. The world record rock bass was a tie between one fish caught in the York River in Ontario, and one taken in Lake Erie, Pennsylvania. Those fish weighed just 3 pounds. The Virginia state record is a 2 lb. 2oz. fish caught in 1986 by Larry Ball in Laurel Bed Lake.

Rock bass can be caught with just about any angling method imaginable. I’ve even caught them when downrigging for stripers with large diving plugs that were almost as big as the rock bass were. That’s certainly not the ideal way to take this diminutive fish, though. Ultralight spin tackle with four- to six-pound line and light fly rods in the four- to six-weight class are much better gear for this quarry.

In lakes, you can find rock bass in coves, around rubble and rock-strewn points, reefs, and any areas where hard bottom is found. In rivers, rock bass favor deep pools, eddies near shore, pockets behind boulders, ledges, and shaded shoreline spots where they often hover within inches of the bank. Besides stones, rock bass also hang around logs, deadfalls, and underwater stumps.

Lure

Top artificials for spin fishing include grubs with plastic twister tails, jigs, in-line spinners, soft-plastic jerkbaits, banana-shaped wobblers, thin-minnow plugs, and small spinnerbaits like the Beetlespin. Four-pound test line is perfect, but opt for six-pound if you might latch onto some black bass as well as the targeted quarry.
Three things are vital for success with rock bass. The first is that your lure falls close to the shoreline on days when fish are holding near the banks. The second important point is to retrieve slowly. Rock bass don’t like to chase down a fast-moving bait. The third rule for rock bass fishing is to keep the offering near the bottom when fish are holed up in deep water. Let your lure nick the lake or river floor occasionally for the most action.

Live Bait

Natural bait works extremely well on rock bass. Hellgrammites, earthworms, and two-inch long minnows are all excellent. Use them with a small bobber and split shot or two for weight. This is a great way to introduce a youngster to fishing. And chances are you’ll pick up some largemouths and smallmouths this way as well.

Fly Fishing

Using flies is another great way to catch rock bass. If fish are hovering near shore they’ll nab a small sponge rubber spider, deer hair bug, or cork popper cast close to the bank. Allow it to rest, then twitch the fly gently. Strikes will be soft and delicate, a lot like a bluegill nails a fly.

Use an eight- to nine-foot rod, four- to six-weight forward floating line and four-  to six-pound tippet. If fish aren’t cooperating on top, go with small sub-surface offerings such as the Hare’s Ear, Montana Stone, or Yuk Bug. Small streamers such as the Zonker, Matuka, Muddler, or Clouser Minnow in sizes 2-8 will also fool rock bass. Keep the rod tip low to the water and fish those minnow-imitating flies with short, sharp strips of line.

Don’t be surprised if a few smallmouths nab these offerings as well. Be ready, or they might just jerk the rod out of your hand!

It would be hard to think of a more fun-packed way to spend a warm, sunny afternoon than floating or wet-wading a shaded stream casting to willing rock bass mixed in with bonus smallmouths. And if your son or granddaughter are free or a neighborhood kid wants to come along, take them, too. This is a great fish to focus on when introducing youngsters to the sport of angling!

– By Gerald Almy

THEY CAN’T ALL BE BIG ONES

THEY CAN’T ALL BE BIG ONES so enjoy every one you catch, no matter how big

People go fishing for varied reasons. Some want to be outside; others want to spend time with family or friends. Anyone who goes fishing wants to catch a few, and some want to catch a really big fish. Some of those goals are easily accomplished, some are more difficult.

It’s easy to spend time outdoors when you’re fishing. Fishing is done outdoors. If your interest is spending time with family or friends, you just have to invite them to join you. Another easy task. If you’re not concerned about species or size, you can usually catch a few fish. But the big fish goal, that’s an entirely different deal. The reality is the chances of catching an enormously big fish of a certain species every time you go fishing are minimal. However, there are things that an angler can do to increase the odds of catching a gigantic fish of the targeted species more often.

First off, if your primary goal is to catch a lunker of a particular species, you need to go fishing where the lunkers live. Some bodies of water are home to lots of fish, others are known as big fish lakes. For instance, the biggest walleyes usually are found in lakes that have oily baitfish as a primary source of walleye food. Do some research to learn which bodies of water have a history of turning out big fish.

The next thing to do to catch a trophy is to use baits or techniques that will appeal to the larger fish. Much of the time, big baits catch big fish. A trophy can certainly be caught on a small bait, but for most of the open water fishing season, big fish want a big meal. If you want to catch a bunch of bass in the summer, find a deep weedline and tie on an eighth ounce jig head and thread on a four- or five-inch Ocho worm. You’re going to catch’em. Maybe not the biggest ones, but you’ll probably get bass-thumb, and every now and then, a lunker will eat your jig-worm. But if big ones are the goal, find the heaviest vegetation, tie on a Hack Attack Heavy Cover Swim Jig, attach a KVD Rodent plastic, and work it in and around that heavy cover. You won’t get as many bites as you would on the weedline with a jig-worm, but your big bass odds are going to go up.

Last thing: Remember that big is relative. A five-pound bass in some locales is a big one. In other places an eight pounder is needed to turn heads. And, in a few regions or bodies of water, it takes a ten pounder to get a bass-chaser’s attention.

Really the last thing: Fishing is supposed to be fun. If a lunker is your goal, go for it. But also remember that with some luck, that little fish that you just caught will one day be a big fish. Also remember that it’s just fun to catch fish. Many, many fishing guides and tournament anglers have had successful and profitable careers by catching lots of smallish to medium sized fish. If you are set on catching the biggest fish of a particular species, use big fish baits and techniques in big fish waters. But never forget, they can’t all be big ones. It’s fun to catch fish of any size any time, and fun is the best reason to go fishing.