Guiding You In Your Quest For More And Bigger Fish
February 24-26 will see the most prestigious bass fishing tournament in the world head to Louisiana.
The Red River will host 49 elite anglers who will all be gunning for the sport’s largest prize. Three days of fishing, with the winner walking away with the title of Classic Champion, and a huge payday.
We are going to give you a preview of the Bassmaster Classic—from the water to the anglers—and then offer a few predictions as well. [Read more…]
"There is no spoon."
Today, we got another great question from one of our readers that I wanted to address as I strongly believe that there are others out there that may have the same concerns but are hesitant to voice it. To paraphrase, “Do we do any spoon fishing and why, and, could we give them some recommendations on spoons?”. I’m going to answer this in the order it was asked. [Read more…]
We got a question from one of our readers about solunar tables and whether or not they really work. Furthermore, they were wondering if they should plan their trips according to some of the tables that they have seen published. So we’re going to try to answer this question based not only on our experience but also some empirical data.
Let’s start with the actual published data available to you and me. Oh, there doesn’t seem to be any from any source that would be considered authoritative. Well, that part was easy! But if this is the case, why are these tables published everywhere and is there anything to them?
Let’s look at this from a skeptical angle to see what we can find. To begin with, these tables are based on sun and moon influences that we all know do indeed have some validity. However, for them to work perfectly would require a few things that just don’t happen in the real world. The first being that the weather is always 100% predicable, day after day, week after week, month after month, and so on ad infinitum. Unfortunately, we all know that this just isn’t the case. Inclement weather can roll in at a moment’s notice and completely mess up a pattern that was well established days earlier.
Another problem is that these tables all assume that your local water is completely static. There is no fluctuation in current, the water level and temperature never rises or falls and there are no other more local variations that will affect the tables’ predictions. Man, I sure wish I could find such a place! Then all you would have to do is read the table for day and time and every day you went fishing would be your best day. Once again, reality bites.
But what about the times when I have gone fishing that coincided with the tables and it did work out? Okay, let’s look at those times and other factors that may have been in your favor besides the solunar tables.
I’m sure that most of you are aware that the spawn for bass will usually coincide with water temps reaching a certain point as well as the first full moon after the proper water condition is met. This is one of those keys that the tables can guesstimate but can’t nail down in your area. You have to keep checking the water temp and take advantage of the situation when it presents itself. One of the best times of the year can be the pre-spawn as bass are moving up.
Another well-known factor in catching both numbers and quality of bass is fishing the 3 hour period surrounding the rise and fall of the sun as well as the rise and fall of the moon. Even on days that are considered lower potential by the tables, fishing at these times can yield great days no matter the specie you’re targeting.
All of us have probably had great days on the water when the solunar tables say we shouldn’t. There are a number of reasons for this that mostly involve more immediate environmental conditions.
Have you ever fished a lake that publishes dam release times? This sudden increase in current will often trigger the most aggressive bite of the day. This is again a matter of knowing the body of water that you intend to fish and finding that information.
Have you ever fished a body of water that, for some unknown reason, is suddenly the recipient of a phenomenal hatch of shad or mudbugs or some other food source? This can be a huge boom for anglers who are in the right place at the right time. Here again, local knowledge is the key to taking advantage of an otherwise unpredictable opportunity.
There are so many factors that go into making a great day fishing that are not and cannot be accounted for by using just the solunar tables. Does this mean that they are completely bogus and not worth taking a look at? No, like every other tool in the anglers’ arsenal they have their place. In my opinion however, the more immediate environmental factors such as current, local weather, available forage, water conditions and local knowledge of any body of water have a greater impact on your day fishing than the tables.
That’s why doing a little homework on a particular fishery prior to making your first cast is always time well spent. Couple this with using the time period surrounding the rising and setting of both the sun and moon will really increase your odds of having a truly epic day on the water.
See ya’ on the water …
Typical Gizzard Shad
A lot of talk at this time of year is about shad behavior and how that translates into catching more bass. We’re going to keep it fairly simple so that we don’t overload you with information that isn’t necessary.
To begin with, you have to determine what type of shad you’re dealing with at your favorite fishing hole. Is it threadfin shad, gizzard shad, blue-back herring or some other of the many species found in North America? Once you get this one figured out, there are several things that you can be looking for that should help you isolate where the bass are in relation to the shad. Furthermore, this will help you in the selection of color for whatever bait you decide to throw at ‘em.
The first thing that we look for at this time of year is whether or not the shad are moving into the shallows to feed. During fall, this is the typical pattern and you will more readily find them in the major tributaries and bays in your local fishing hole. This is a great time to be on the water as the bass are feeding more aggressively to stockpile their fat supplies for the winter. We talked about using faster moving baits this time of year as they are better shad imitators than slower lures. This is often the key to having a great day on the water this time of year.
Once you find these bass morsels, start by throwing a fast moving bait, like a lipless crankbait just under the school. Why not run it right through? For a few reasons. One, the larger bass in a system will often suspend under the shad and allow the smaller fish to do all the work for them in terms of attacking the school. They just sit under there, moving with the school, and pick off the injured shad as they float down. This allows them to not only stock up but to avoid expending any more energy than is necessary to do so. Remember, the biggest fish in your local waters didn’t get that way by being completely stupid or easily fooled!
Secondly, you do want to differentiate your bait from the school so that the bass can find it. I look at it this way. If I’m under there, pigging out on shad, I’m looking for those that are weak and easy to pick off. I mentioned in my post on the 5 inch BK swimbait that I like to use this bait this time of year because it represents not only a larger meal but also one that is EASY to eat. I believe that is why it’s been so successful for me during the fall season.
And finally, in my opinion, catching these bass that are following the schools of shad requires that you keep moving. Much like a concentric circle, fishing the outer edges of the school which includes underneath it, provides the best opportunity for catching the most fish with the least amount of effort. This way I can pick off not only the fish that are johnny on the spot but also the party crashers who are a little late to the festivities.
Some of you may be thinking to yourselves that the only thing that you’ve ever caught by following these roaming schools of shad are white bass. Yes, they too key on the same forage as black bass but you shouldn’t get discouraged when you start catching them. Often, they are the early birds as well as being the more aggressive fish in the area. The thing to do is to adjust your presentation so that you get deeper than where you’re catching the white bass. It isn’t unheard of by any stretch for large mouth to just hang out under the feeding whites and gorge themselves on their leftovers. White bass tend to be indiscriminate in their attacks. They really are the epitome of a bull in a china shop. They will go through and blast a school of shad, injuring several without eating them. This is where the large mouth takes advantage.
A good rule of thumb that I like to use is to identify the parameters of the school. From there I will cast to the back end of it, well beyond the shad. I allow my lure to sink to the depth that I believe will stay below the school and then begin my retrieve. If I get no takers, I will move up a foot or so in the water column every cast until I find where the fish are holding. Generally speaking, once you have found this, it will be fairly consistent for the period of time you are targeting a particular school.
When you either stop getting bit or the school moves on, you will need to do the same for the next school.
Yes, you will probably end up covering a lot of water and taking a lot of casts but the reward at this time of year is that you very well could wind up with your personal best in numbers as well as weight!
See ya’ on the water …
No matter what type of fishing you do, the environment is going to have a say on how well you do during your next trip.
All sorts of factors will come into play every time you get out on the water. From cloud cover, cold and warm fronts, sunshine, and water temperature—all of that will matter at the end of the day.
One of the more overlooked environmental factors is barometric pressure. Hopefully, you’ve already read how cows can predict your fishing success (if not, why not now?), today we will take a much more in depth look at what barometric pressure can do to the fishing.
Before we really dive into it though, keep in mind that keeping an eye on the barometer will not ensure, or rule out, a great fishing trip. I’ve had great days when all of the environmental factors pointed to a terrible day, and vice versa.
Don’t let a barometer, or anything else for that matter, keep you off the water.
So what exactly is barometric pressure?
A barometer measures the weight of the atmosphere above us. The measurement is best taken at sea level, so if you are significantly above or below, a correction factor is used. Obviously, the higher you are, the lighter the atmosphere is.
The effect of this atmospheric pressure on fishing is more readily seen in shallower water. This makes sense if you keep in mind that deeper water will exert a huge amount of pressure on the fish, thus making the air pressure much less significant.
Now that you have a general overview of what barometric pressure is, let’s get down to some brass tacks and look at pressure trends and fish activity.
High pressure tends to result in sunny and clear skies.
Fish will typically look for cover in these situations. To take advantage, fish shallow baits close to cover.
Be warned: If it starts getting really hot, this can often turn the bite completely off.
It isn’t a high pressure day, but the trend says it is rising. This will typically result in skies that are starting to clear up, and the sun is starting to get through a lot more.
Typically, fish will be moving in from the deeper water to the shallower water to feed. It is still a good idea to attack cover, and fish in the shallow to medium range.
If you are struggling with this tactic, cover lots of water to find the fish. Plan your retrieves and tactics to move from deeper to shallower water.
The fish won’t really be reacting to this type of pressure all that much.
This is a great time to experiment with baits, retrieves, colors, and new patterns. You never know what might garner a strike when things go “normal.”
If there is a sweet spot on the barometer for catching a lot of fish, this is it.
When the pressure starts to fall, the weather will start getting a little dodgy. This seems to signal the fish to feed like crazy, and you can have an absolutely killer day.
Figure out what the fish are feeding on, match it, and go to town.
This is where things get really tough.
Often times, fish will really shut off in this situation. They typically move deeper, and you will have to really buckle down to get them to bite. Fish deep structure with things like jigs and swim jigs.
Writing down different environmental factors while you are fishing can be very helpful. You will start to pick out patterns when things seem to be random.
Next time you go fishing, write down the air temperature, the barometric pressure, the water temperature, what baits you used, etc.
Keeping track of everything you experience on the water will make you a better fisherman, and give you more tools to use in the future.
See ya on the water…
I see fish in your future!
Forget calling one of those late night psychics next time you are wondering about your next fishing trip. What you may need to do is seek out a bovine guru for the answers you need.
So what is this magical power of the pasture, or is it simply a wive’s tale?
Years ago, a buddy of mine where driving up to North Carolina for a fly fishing trip.
On the way, we passed one of many different cow pastures, as one tends to do in that area of the South. When we passed one of them, my buddy said, “The cows are up.”
That was the first time I had ever heard anything like that so I had to ask what it meant.
He said, “Whenever the cows in a pasture are standing, that means you are going to have a good day fishing!”
No way, really? Cows on their feet, fishing can’t be beat?
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at that time, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. Our fishing trip that day was nothing short of epic. We caught a ton of fish, with some real monsters in the mix.
Every trip since that one, I started paying attention to the cows in the pasture on the way. Almost without fail, if the cows were standing, it was a great day. If the cows were lying down, it wasn’t. I was stumped.
I needed answers as to how these lumbering giants were so accurately predicting how good the fishing was.
What the cows are tapping into isn’t some cosmic power that makes fish do their bidding, but they do have a crystal ball of sorts.
Falling pressure can have an effect on the digestion of cows. As the barometer drops, they get upset tummies, and have to lie down. They don’t want to go out to pasture, so they take a load off.
Well, that’s the theory anyway. Any while I can’t rattle off a bunch of science to back it up, I have plenty of anecdotal accounts to lend a little support.
Cows seem to respond to falling barometric pressure by laying down. When the barometer is falling, they tend not to want to head out to pasture and graze.
Fish respond to a falling barometer as well. Just like cows, they don’t like to be active in these times of falling pressure.
Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you will not catch anything just because cows are laying down. You could theoretically catch fish in a hurricane.
All this does is give you better chances of catching fish, and by watching the cows, you can have an easy and fun reference for getting a general idea of what the barometer is doing.
Later this week, we will do an in depth analysis of barometric pressure and how it affects fishing. Stay tuned for that, and see ya on the water…
The “Kid” and I were discussing some of our recent fishing trips a few days ago. Inevitably, the conversation turned toward someone asking us if we had any “luck”? Now I have always believed that “luck”, is simply a meeting of opportunity and hard work.
When the two come together, you increase your chances of being successful no matter what it is that you’re pursuing. In the case of fishing, there are what I like to refer to as my “Lucky Seven” rules. I follow these each and every time I get on the water because years of trial and error have borne these out to be the most important components for having good days fishing.
The first thing that I look at are seasonal patterns. Yes, these can vary by a few months depending on where you do your fishing but they tend to be one of those elements that are consistent no matter the location. Fish are going to spawn at some point during the calender year.
Our job as anglers is to spend the time doing the research to find out when this is going to happen in our area or the area we are going to fish. Once we know this, we can take a pretty educated guess as to when we’ll see pre and post spawn conditions as well. Knowing this information guides us in where and what to use when we get out there.
Next for me is fishing key structural elements. The ones that I focus on are, points, creek channels, humps, ridges and flats. Most bodies of water have some mix of these topographical features that have historically, consistently held fish. Depending on the seasonal pattern that we’re subject to, these structural features will each, in turn, hold fish.
Now I like to zero in on water temperature and clarity. Not only will they affect what lure choices we should use but they can have an influence on the seasonal patterns by either delaying them a bit or accelerating them. All of this information is readily available either on the internet or by calling a local tackle shop ahead of the trip to see what they have recorded recently.
Just a little hint here: If you can find a tackle store that guides use, they generally will have more up to date and accurate info on the specifics water conditions. Don’t be shy about asking. More often than not, they are happy to bring you up to date.
Have you ever heard the old saying about the best laid plans of mice and men? Sometimes you get out there and just don’t find what you were expecting to. Hey, this is fishin’ not catchin’. Here again, preparation is the key to overcoming something unexpected. Having the ability to cover the entire water column efficiently is going to save you a lot of headaches when Murphy’s Law pops up.
We always need to have lures on hand, in different color patterns, that will serve this purpose. Once you’re keyed in on what the fish want, you may only use a couple of baits all day. But to get to this point, you have to be ready to make adjustments on the fly and a well stocked tackle box or bag is part of the antidote for rapidly changing conditions.
Sometimes it’s easy to figure out what the fish are feeding on and sometimes, it’s near impossible. However, if we can feel fairly comfortable that we’ve got this one figured out, it will further narrow our lure choices. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the water and had some folks come up to me asking me what I was using to catch fish. I make a habit of showing them and then asking them what they’re using.
Man, you should see how far off base some of these people are with their choice of baits. It’s no wonder they aren’t catching fish when they’re throwing something that is completely unlike anything the fish are feeding on.
This one is really up to personal preference but I like the old adage, “start early and stay late”. I’m sure that there is something to all the so-lunar tables and best fishing times and other more ethereal studies. But for me, I kinda figure that the fish are going to feed at some point in the course of a day and I want to have a line in the water when that happens. Pretty simple really.
On top of that, you can get more information about a particular body of water by spending more time on it. You may notice something after having been on the water several hours, that just wasn’t apparent when you got there. This could be the key to turning your whole day around by giving you a piece of information that you didn’t have prior.
A case in point, this summer I went night fishing and just wasn’t getting bit on top-water even though it was the perfect time of year for it. All of the sudden I saw a school of bait fish break the surface and then disappear. I immediately tied on a soft plastic jerk bait and caught a fish on my first cast! The rest of the night, all I did was was throw the jerk and would up with over a dozen fish.
And finally, when the going gets tough, use your confidence baits. Yes we here at MVF fish a LOT of different lures during the course of the season. But when the bite shuts down or we’re in a whole new environment, we reach for the lures that have proven they catch fish. For whatever reason, your “confidence lures” are the ones that tend to get you the most strikes because you are the most proficient with them.
Don’t minimize this part of the equation. If you know that you can use a particular bait to consistently get bites, by all means, use it!
There it is folks, our “Lucky Seven”. Just because these have been successful for us doesn’t mean that there aren’t other methods out there that may work for you. But if you tend to get a little scattered before you hit the water, narrowing things down in this way just might help you to have more fun and catch more fish.
And hey, when all else fails, you may just need to get a lucky fishing hat!
See ya’ on the water …
When we posted the 2012 FLW Tour schedule a while back, I was understandably excited. After all, the big day is going to be happening in my back yard.
Not long after that article, I took a trip out to Lake Lanier to target some Spotted Bass. Because the water level was so low at the time, I was able to get a few pictures of some things that not a whole lot of people know about. Lake Lanier features man-made structure piles specifically so bass can congregate and ambush their prey.
Obviously, these are going to be fantastic places to fish, as they provide everything a bass would ever need. In fact, if we go back in time a little more than a year, we will see just how productive these little brush piles can be.
In 2010, Kevin Hawk narrowly qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup. Knowing that the tournament would be held on Lake Lanier, he made a bold move.
He decided to pack his bags, and move to Georgia 9 months ahead of the tournament so he could practice all day every day. He found a place for rent on Craigslist, threw everything he could in his truck and boat, and made the 2,500 mile drive across country.
He still fished on the FLW Tour during this time, but did so as a co-angler. All told, he was fishing 4-5 days a week on Lanier, specifically searching out these man-made brush piles. And it payed off!
On the final day, when his closest competitors barely cracked double digit bags, Hawk weighed in 14lbs. 13 oz.
His strategy was to run and gun from brush pile to brush pile—spending no more than 7 minutes at a spot.
By now, you are probably curious as to what these brush piles look like. Check out the picture on the right. I was able to get this photo
There are a ton of these in Lake Lanier
because the lake levels were down on a recent trip.
Of course, they don’t all look this way, but most of them are intentionally placed in such a way as to create a perfect place for bass to hide, live, and ambush their prey. They will also attract a lot of sunfish, which the bigger bass will eat just as happily as they will a blue-back herring.
When Kevin Hawk moved from California to Georgia in preparation for the Cup, we new about these piles. He spent months and months, and hours and hours on the water finding as many of these as he could find.
He was the only angler on the water following this strategy—a strategy he developed from months and months of dedicated practice.
It is safe to say that as much research goes into being a successful angler as anything else. These aren’t just a bunch of guys drinking beers and fishing all day—they are dedicated to the sport, and they work hard to get the success they have.
Guess what? Lake Sidney Lanier is not the only lake in the world that features these types of man-made structures. Lots of lakes, maybe some you’ve fished time and again, have this kind of structure.
For as long as people have been fishing, there have been a group of people trying to preserve fishing for the next generation, and helping mother nature help anglers is a good way to do that.
Do a Google search of your favorite lake. Look for anything you can find. Search for man-made structure, or anything else that is published that would help fish hold, and attack their prey.
When I did this, I found the Blueridge Resevoir (one of my favorite local smallmouth fisheries) had at least 20 man-made structures consisting of large plastic tubing and other items. They are like jungle gyms for fish!
Finding these in your local lake, whether you fish in tournaments or not, will help you have a lot more fun on the water, and catch a ton more fish!
Here we are at the beginning of October with the dog days of summer quickly coming to an end but bringing with it one of my favorite times of the year. Yes, I’m gonna’ have to stop fishing at night which is, for me, a real bummer.
But at the same time, this time of the year is one of my absolute favorites! The approaching fall means that the bass are going to start really feeding heavily in preparation for the winter. This is either going on now or will start very soon no matter where you fish. Furthermore, you should be able to catch them fairly easily from shore or a boat.
In my opinion, no angler should allow this season to go by without spending a substantial amount of time on the water because you stand a very good chance of not only catching some big fish but hefty numbers as well.
To target these fish, you’ll need to think in terms of putting away those slow moving baits in favor of faster presentations. A great place to start will be with some shallow running cranks like the Strike King KVD 1.5 and 2.5. The Spro Little John is another awesome bait for plying the skinny water. These are a couple of my go to lures for shallow crankin’.
I also like to get out the River2Sea tandem of the Crystal Buzz and Crystal Spin. I work both of these baits moderate to fast in areas around vegetation and on long points and flats. This is where you will have bass chasing schools of shad and when they get into a feeding frenzy, they don’t usually take the time to scrutinize a bait before they crush it! Yeah buddy, this can be some kind of fun!
I always have a soft-plastic swim bait tied on like the Netbait BK swimbait. I will use both the 4 and 5 inch depending on what I find when I hit the water. These are particularly productive in weedy areas where some of the other lures might get hung up. I let the fish dictate the retrieve speed. There are even times when burning it produces where nothing else will.
Another alternative is a soft plastic jerk bait. I prefer the Strike King Perfect Plastics Caffiene Shad or the Big Bite Bait Jerk Minnow. I use the 5inch in both and really work these fast. Cast it out, count it down then double time it back to you! When you get a strike on these baits, it can be absolutely bone jarring!
Swim jigs are another great option for this time of year. I have a lot of confidence in the Dirty Jigs California Swim Jig and their Finesse Swim Jig. I use either single tail grubs or small swimbaits as trailers for both and try to match the color of the predominant forage fish. I have caught more fish by using a yo-yo type retrieve while keeping the jig moving. Here again, I like to allow the fish to tell me how fast they want this bait moving.
Finally, I love catching them on top-water lures and have my preferences here too. Like that’s a big surprise? I have caught so many fish on the One-Knocker Spook that it is always in the front of the tackle box. The Spook has also accounted for some of my biggest fish in early fall. The Rapala Skitter Pop presents a different look and sound that consistently puts fish on your thumb.
Buzzin frogs certainly have their place and are fun to catch bass on. The Attrax Mystic Frog and the Gambler Buzzin Frog have been the most productive baits for me in this class. They offer an easy to fish alternative that is downright fun.
Speaking of frogs, I wouldn’t be without my hollow belly frog baits. I prefer the Strike King Sexy Frog and the Koppers Live Target Hollow Belly Frog. Between the two, I use them over matted vegetation and in open water. Yes, you can use heavy mono to fish these baits but braid has been my choice for throwing these lures.
This is also a great time of year to take newer anglers and kids out to the lake. They have the opportunity to catch numbers of fish who simply aren’t going to be as selective as they can be at other times. Yes, this is a great time to do some fishing and the more frequent, the better for the next several weeks.
See ya’ on the water …
The FLW tour schedule has been released and we wanted to give ya’ll the heads up on these events so that if you’re anywhere close, you can start making plans to witness some of them first hand. If you’ve never attended one of these tourneys, put this on your bucket list! They are something to see. The anglers are friendly, enjoy interacting with the fans and you have the opportunity to learn more than you can imagine when you’re there. So without any further ado, here is the complete schedule.
There are also four opens on the schedule with one in February, the 9-12 on Lake Okeechobee out of Clewiston, Fla. The Detroit River out of Detroit, Mich., August 23-26, Lake Wheeler out of Decatur, Ala., Sept. 20-23, and the final open on Sam Rayburn Reservoir out of Lufkin, Texas October 11-14.
This 10 month schedule of fishing different types of water at various times of the year should make for some very interesting tournaments. The FLW pro’s aren’t going to have the luxury of relying on just a handful of baits and techniques given they want to be consistent throughout the year. The adjustments that they are going to have to make and various skills that they will need to master will be showcased as they go through the events. Man am I looking forward to seeing all of it!
See ya’ on the water …