Catching Bass In Cold Water
August 6, 2008 on 2:24 pm | In fishing | No Comments
When I talk cold water, I am talking about water 50 degress or less. The bass don’t quit eating at this temperature but one thing is for sure, they slow down. As the water temps fall so is the chance that a bass will chase a bait for a meal.
When the water temperature gets in the 40’s, your bait has to be right in front of the bass and they have to almost be forced fed just to get them to take the bait. This is when you might want to put those big lures away and offer them something small.
So, what kind of lure are you going to use? How about small hair jigs and soft plastic grubs? These imitate cold water pray in cold water. Deer hair is hollow and allows the jig to fall slower. These do good in the rocks and bluffs where water is at least 10 feet deep. If the water is less than 50 degrees try these jigs with a little piece of pork.
Here’s the deal, when fishing these lures in cold water, the bass aren’t going to chase it. So cast, let it drop and bring it along the bottom very slowly for 10-12 feet then reel it in for another cast. The pick-up of the little lure will probably be subtle.
Everyone seems to like dark colored jigs but if the water is clear or the bass’ main food is shad then try a white hair jig. If the bass are feeding on crayfish mainly in the summer then try a brown or drab green color in cold water.
Also, remember this, rocks radiate the sun warmth. Fishing rocks with these jigs can be deadly. Some other good material to use for jigs is badger, rabbit, coyote and squirrel hair.
Light to medium light rods are good for fishing jigs and grubs. Line 4-6 pounds seem to be the thing but if fishing a lock of rocks then you can go to 10 pound test line.
Just remember to fish slow, don’t think the bass are going to chase your bait very far, if at all and leave the bait in front of them longer than you normally would.
Try fishing with hair jigs and small grubs, it may just surprise you.
Good Fishing To You.
Charles E. White has fished 50 years for bass from California to Florida. In his lifetime, it is estimated that he has caught over 6,000 bass. His biggest bass is a 12 pound 14 ounce that hangs on his wall in his office. His tips and techniques have helped many people who have never fished for bass before become successful anglers.
He also has fished with the Pros in Florida.
His website is at:
http://www.bassfishingweekly.com/track/tracker.cgi?freecontent
Fishing Secrets You Should Know
August 6, 2008 on 3:13 am | In fishing | No Comments
Fishing is a great sport. It is both a relaxing sport, as well as a very taxing sport. When I say taxing, if you have done much of it, then you know what I am talking about. Not only does it tax us physically, but more important, sometimes, is how it taxes us mentally, and emotionally.
I don’t know about you, but I have spent thousands of hours over the last 35 years, chasing that seemingly impossible big one, to hang on the wall. I have spent my mind, I think sometimes, trying to get that big one to bite. When it does happen, it seems like I am always unprepared.
I can think of a dozen times or so when that big trout , or that big striped bass , or that big smallmouth hit, and they would tax my mind again. We often times spend thousands of dollars buying tackle, paying for fuel, sometimes even housing, at a lodge, or camping spots, chasing that ever elusive fish, no matter what the species. Only to be disappointed again.
Sometimes I ask my self, why do I do it? The answer is simple really. It is an obsession. I am happy that my wife is good natured about it all.
Fishing holds many a secret from us all. However the more you get taxed, the more a person is driven, to finding that most guarded secret, that we are all convinced, is out there. Fish, sometimes I think, are smarter than I am, and I even have to tax myself, about that.
After all, I have never heard a fish biologist say, That fish can think. Have you? Nor have I ever heard another fisherman dare speak them words, though I believe we may all think that quietly, somewhere in the back of our minds.
Secrets, we sometimes think, are revealed to us, everytime we hear about a new lure, or dryfly. Just think about how excited you get, when Bob, down the road calls you, and says he just caught a lunker bass, on his brand new lake-clear wabbler.
You think to yourself, what to heck is a lake-clear wabbler, all the while listening intensely to Bob telling you every little detail. You soon get impatient, and can’t wait for Bob to hang up, so you can beat it down to your favorite sporting goods store to by your lake-clear wabbler, only to find out that they have no idea what you are talking about.
See how fishing taxes us. So now, you are off on a journey, across the whole state. Well Bob didn’t tell you, that the lake-clear wabbler only played a small part, in him catching that lunker. Even your next door neighbor, is taxing your mind, and it is all because of fish.
Bob didn’t tell you the real secret behind his success, But I was watching him, and I will share his secret with you. About a week ago I was fishing at the same fishing hole Bob was. Guess what, He brought his boat onshore, got out and sat in the shade of a big old tree, to eat his lunch. I was onshore across the way from Bob.
He finished his lunch and when he got up, I saw him tie the remnants of something on a branch that was overhanging the water. This got my curiosity up, so I waited untill Bob Left and I went over to investigate.
What I saw baffled me for a long while. He had tied a porkchop bone to the branch. At first I thought it was just a little treat for the birds. But it still seemed odd to me. It wasn’t untill a few days later that I discovered the real reason for that porkchop. And if you can guess what that reason was then contact me.
Your turn to be taxed. LOL
No, I can’t do that to you, you see when I returned a few days later, I was fishing my favorite deep hole from shore, and I noticed a lot of activity in the water. Bet you can’t guess where. You got it. Bass were really active, over by that big ole tree that Bob had placed the pork chop in.
So I kept watching that area for awhile and after a bit, I decided to go and investigate. As I crept up to this spot, on my belly, I immediately noticed a bunch of bait fish swimming around under the branch of that big old tree.
My first instinct was to jump up and start fishing, but I decided to just watch for awhile. After about 10 minutes or so, my patience paid off. Along came this big ole bass after his lunch. I concluded that he was the reason for all the activity that I had witnessed earlier.
Then I got really excited, as I figured that here was another chance for me to hang the big one on the wall. Boy was I sadly mistaken. I did my best that day to catch that old lunker, but to no avail. I should have known.
So after I had given up trying to catch him, I was setting on the bank, under that big old tree, just staring into the water, for awhile. All of a sudden I see a little dimple in the water, as I looked more closely, I realize the dimple was created by a maggot.
Uh Huh. I discovered Bobs secret. The porkchop wasn’t for the birds to pick at. Clever, I thought to my self. He placed the pork chop there to attract the blowflies. Then as the blowflies landed and placed their eggs on the pork chop, they developed into maggots, and fell from the tree.
And what do you suppose was waiting in the water for them maggots? Baitfish. Now the picture in my head was clearing up. Porkchop, Blowflies, eggs, maggots, baitfish, And finally Big Daddy, the big old lunker, that I am sure Bob has hanging on his wall now.
This is only part of the secrets, that fishing has for everyone. Who better to learn from, when you go fishing, other then a local fisherman that has fished all the hotspots in his area. This is why I am Creating my series of e-books. There will be 52 in all. One for every state in the United States. Each state is taylored to the resources for that particular region.
There is many a secret in each volume, from local anglers, and I will add a few of my own well guarded secrets. These manuals are resource oriented and are invaluable to any fisherman.
You will also learn where you can get a free membership to the company that started me on this journey. You will be able to learn, for free, to do, as I am doing. Take your passion to the next level, by Joining me in this venture. Learn free, how to take your passion, make it into an ebook and learn the little known secrets, to retiring early, so you may fish more.
Fishing is my passion, creating e-books on this subject, is a passion also. I find creating e-books on this subject less taxing then going fishing. If you are an avid fisherman, then you know what I mean. I love to write about this sport, as well as participate in it. I hope you enjoy reading this article, and please don’t tell all your friends about the secrets that are presented here.
Have A Grand Day!
Alan Jackson
These are the kind of secrets that are available to you, when you order my e-book titled: {Fishing Secrets @ Short Stories}.
Subtitle: Learn The Secrets To Fishing Success For Fun And Profit.
To Order Or Find Out More Click Here
Tags: Amature, bait, Catch, fishing, Flies, flyfishing, Fun, Hole, Profit, Pros, secrets, Success, tackle, Tricks, WaterLake Erie Football Season
August 5, 2008 on 3:01 pm | In fishing | No CommentsFall normally means the beginning of football season. To the Lake Erie bass angler it means jumbo-size, `football’ shaped smallmouth bass. August to late October/November is when Lake Erie’s fat-n-sassy bronzebacks begin to put on the feed bag and begin to stock up for winter. Now is the time to catch one of the lake’s best game fish and certainly regarded by many as Erie’s best battlers.
With the unexpected introduction of the Zebra Muscle in the late 80’s, the Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass really took off into something just short of spectacular. With the cleaner and clearer water resulting from the zebra muscles, bass will encounter with a vengeance any preferred bait when presented
correctly. Tip: Smallmouth bass are generally sight feeders. Which means once the bass visualize it’s prey, it will attack and devour. Unlike Lake Erie walleyes, smallmouth generally are not boat shy and are not bothered by
sunlight. This makes them an accommodating and easy target when located in both shallow and deep water most any time of the day.
Catching Lake Erie Smallmouth Bass takes nothing more then a bait box of soft-shell crayfish, a bucket of minnows, leeches, or a tackle box of properly selected artificial’s (tube baits, crankbaits, spinners, etc.). While you can anticipate summer walleyes to roam the open, deep water flats, smallmouth prefer
hard structure. Bass in most cases are easy to locate. If you can find rocks,you’ll find smallmouth.
Tip: A little pre-planning with a lake chart, a couple minutes of questions at the bait shop, or simply book a charter and pick your captain’s brain for information, will remendously add to your success. Remember to always have a game plan when
smallmouth or “Jumper” fishing.
Some great areas to begin searching for fall Smallmouth Bass would be around the famous Bass Islands, Kelley’s Island, Ruggles Beach off Huron, and of course the angler’s choice at Pelee Island in Ontario waters. Tip: Remember when
locating bass they are territorial fish. Smallmouth rarely roam open waters and will not migrate twenty miles like walleyes do each fall. When the bass move, they tend go deeper or even shallower around their home! If you find structure that is good for bass, expect to find them in the neighborhood again and again within close proximity on your next trip or even next season. If you locate a prime bass spot mark it with your Loran/GPS, landmarks or a means that will allow you to return another day. Good smallmouth spots aren’t here today, gone
tomorrow like walleyes! Keep in mind you’ll not want to tell other serious bass anglers!
Once you have located a suspected prime bass hide-out, where do you begin? You have to decide if your going to anchor or drift. Drifting is preferred and you can drift with any bait that can be presented to a hungry smallmouth bass. If it’s to windy in the area your fishing or your boat drifts so fast to properly present your bait, anchor safely at your spot and fish your area
thoroughly. To cover more water while anchored, occasionally release or bring in anchor line. It’s best either to fish shallow then move out to deeper water or deeper to shallow water, never in-between. This important step allows you to
work over areas to eliminate unproductive waters. Tip: There is never any water to shallow or to deep for smallmouth. Any day of the fall season smallmouth could be found in any depth ranging from a shallow 8ft. to a deep 30ft. or at a
depth in-between. Locate a good school of bass and to duplicate the drift each time, drop a marker at the beginning and at the end of your drift. This will keep you in preferred water and allow you to be more productive.
Markers or floats that are visible to boats are like a blue-light special. They tend to attract alot of people looking for a bargain or your easy fish! Tip: When in a crowd or around unwanted uncourteous anglers is to use your Loran/GPS to mark your spot when you reset your drift.
When fishing live bait such as soft-shelled crayfish, minnows, or leeches, you’ll need proper hooks and have sinkers of various weights. Use of a sharp #1 to #4 hooks are the most common. Due to the rocky structure and occasional snags, wire hooks work best. The type of weight you use is optional. Slip
sinkers, wrap around sinkers, and rubber core sinkers all work well. Placement of the weight should be 12″ to 18″ minimum above the bait for best results. Tip: Use only enough weight to keep the bait near the bottom. To big of weight for the conditions will result in lost strikes from the fish feeling the
weight and dropping the bait before the hook set.
To avoid loosing bait to snags and bottom, drop your baited offering over the side of the boat until you feel bottom, shut the reel and simply fish. Remember, smallmouth are not boat shy! You’ll often catch them right under your drifting
boat! Occasionally lift and lower the bait to allow for extra movement similar to perch fishing. Wait for the pickup, feel the weight of the fish for a second, and set the hook! Tip: When using live bait, don’t set the hook to hard. In
other words, don’t use what I refer to as the “Bassmaster Whack”. Use just your lower arms, keep the line tight, and have a correctly set drag. To much hook set with a heavy action rod can pull the bait and hook right out of the fish’s mouth. To tight of drag will cause many broken lines or pulled hooks.
Keep your drag on the loose side. Don’t be greedy when the hard-fighting fish need line. In most cases your only lip hooking the fish. A good rod of choice would be nothing heavier them med/med-heavy or a rod action with a moderate to fast tip spooled with 6 to 10 lb. test line. If you do miss a strike,
immediately drop your offering back. Many times there’s competition for food within the bass community and there may be following fish which may strike any offering remaining on the hook. Tip: Bass anglers should constantly check your
line for nicks or cuts resulting from zebra muscles. These small scratches will weaken your line and you’ll breakoff many fish! You are fishing a bottom covered by the muscles. Line can be weaken by the sharp edges of the mollusks shell. After each fish is landed, run your finger over the line a couple inches above the weight to the hook to check for bad areas. I’ve seen many big fish lost to damaged line.
In the Fall months, smallmouth generally prefer a more natural live bait presentation. As the water begins to cool, bass begin the stock up for the long winter. This is when these little `footballs’ put on the weight and really show their muscle. If the angler is hardy enough, and doesn’t mind missing alittle
hunting, the angler can catch a real trophy. The 1994 fall Smallmouth Bass season was spectacular with the average fish falling between 14″ to 16″, with many over 17 to 21 inches and four pounds plus! Why miss out on the “best” of the “best” when it comes to fishing Lake Erie.Lake Erie’s fall football season is just around the corner.
Fishing guide on Lake Erie for 21 years. I specialize in catch and release bass fishing all season long.
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