Hampton Roads Bass Fishing Resource - Bass Fishing Articles



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Observations on the Suffolk Lakes � by Rob Brewer

The following information is a mix of fact and opinion. I was asked to write an article on bass fishing the Suffolk Lakes. While I�m no expert on any given lake, I have fished them all, some more than others. What follows are the observations I have made, mixed with facts from the Norfolk area lakes website. While not specific in terms of how to catch bass, it is my hope that what follows will help you in choosing an area lake to fish.

Consider time of year, migrational patterns and your specific style of fishing when determining what water to fish. Remember, all these lakes are fished with permit only. There is no bank fishing except in designated areas.

Lake Meade- This is a Portsmouth owned/managed lake. At 510 acres (full pool), it is filled from Lake Cohoon and drains off two dams. One into Lake Kilby and the other into what I believe to be the Nansemond River. It has a ten horsepower motor limit and receives what I deem to be moderate fishing pressure. It is the only Portsmouth Lake containing Striped Bass. Key structure in the lake is some old house foundations, an old roadbed and some old bridge pylons. The lake holds good numbers of small bass with some good ones amongst the mix. There are a fair amount of blowdowns, stumps and other shoreline cover awaiting one who wants flip or pitch.

Lake Cohoon- Another Portsmouth owned/managed lake. This one at 512 acres (full pool), it is filled via a small stream beyond the railroad tracks and drains into Lake Meade. Again, there is a ten horsepower motor limit. In my opinion, this is one of the better lakes to fish. It has numbers of quality fish and they gladly oblige a well-made presentation. The lake has a good number of cypress trees, willow trees along with several blowdowns. The lake contains two sets of old bridge remnants that I am aware of. This lake is prone to low water conditions depending on weather and other conditions. When the water is low enough and you can pass under the railroad tracks, there is a nice chunk of cypress swamp in the back by the feeder stream. But cypress is strewn throughout this lake so be sure to fish its root systems. Late May and early June are prime times to hit this lake.

Lake Prince- This Norfolk managed lake probably gets more pressure than all the other lakes. Once you experience a good day there, you�ll know why. This place has some serious bass in it. It�s in the top ten statewide for trophy fish citations issued. It�s 810 acres (full pool) and has 62.4 miles of shoreline. This is more shoreline to fish than any other area lake. If you�re a �bank-beater� this is the place. Not only are there so many miles of shoreline to fish, the place has more blowdowns and logjams than you can shake a stick at. You cannot fish this lake in one day. It also has some choice humps, bars and islands in it too. The lake is often frequented by those pursuing striped bass. It holds a good number of them and it is not uncommon to catch some while targeting largemouth. This lake contains city maintained aerators and they seem to be hot spots for the stripers. Other underwater structure includes and old roadbed near Gardner Lane Bridge. There is an old bridge underwater right next to Lake Prince Drive Bridge. This lake also has a considerable abundance of cypress flats to fish. Lake Prince is second only to Burnt Mills in the abundance of grass. I�ve also noticed more alligator gar in this lake than any other. They are always willing to nail a fluke or slug-go thrown their way. There�s also a nice population of shellcracker, bream and other panfish for the cane poler who has a tub of crickets. This lake has a 12 hp maximum horsepower limit.

Western Branch- This Norfolk managed watershed is the biggest of the Suffolk Lakes. It contains 1,253 acres at full pool. Don�t let the size fool you though. It only has 40 miles of shoreline and doesn�t have nearly the cover it should have. I have noticed this lake contains more rocks, marl and clay bottom (hard bottoms) than any of the other lakes. This lake is another striper haven. Again, they seem to like the aerators quite a bit. This lake is a great spawning season lake to fish. It has numerous flats of considerable size and they are peppered with stumps. There�s also a well-defined creek channel with many turns and bends if you like to fish deeper water. I estimate this lake to have more islands than any of the other lakes. I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of small bass schooling this past summer. So it is apparent that it had a very successful spawn this past year. They actually became a nuisance during some tournaments. While fun to catch, you couldn�t weigh them in. If there is a topwater lake in the area, this one is it. Because the cover is not visible in a lot of places, a pop-r or other chugger seems to be a good choice here. Again, the stripers will oblige when you least expect it. This lake has the best ramp facility of all the Suffolk lakes. It�s a two laner with a dock to tie off on running down the middle. This lake has a 12 horsepower maximum limit.

Burnt Mills- Norfolk owned/managed. This too, has a 12 horsepower limit. Burnt Mills is definitely the clearest of the Suffolk Lakes. Because of this clarity, it has the most grass of any of the Suffolk Lakes. It has a 590 acre surface area at full pool, containing 36 miles of shoreline to fish. The �ramp� is quite primitive. In fact, it�s only a bare piece of shore with an insufficient grade to launch most boats, so plan on getting your feet wet if the lake is not at full pool. This lake has some serious bottom contour changes. It will go from eight feet to thirty feet in a blink. It is a great crankbait lake, especially with all the humps, points and bars it contains. The clarity of the water helps too. While there are no stripers in this lake, it makes up for it in chain pickerel. You will see a number of them following your bait to the boat if not already hooked. Burnt Mills has more stumps and standing timber that is flush with the water�s surface than any other Suffolk Lake. So be certain to go through it at a slow throttle unless you want to break something on your boat or motor. This lake has no aerators in it. This lake is a great early spring lake to fish and it does hold some dandies in it. I would rate it only second to Prince for big fish. It probably has as many or more, but since it doesn�t receive the pressure Prince does, the numbers don�t reflect it.

Fishing is life, Rob Brewer

Chillin� For Bass - by Rob Brewer

With the winter well upon us, the area lakes have chilled down to the lower forties and the cold water season is upon us. If you want a change of pace from the tree stand or just have a case of cabin fever and want to bust some lips, here�s some helpful hints to key on that will tilt the odds in your favor.
First of all, be sure to dress warmly in layers. Pile it on, you can always remove layers as you warm up. Zipping down the lake creates quite a chill when you consider the wind blowing on you. Also pack some foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. Don�t forget a thermos of hot coffee or tea. Be sure to pack along some water. Dehydration is still a factor in the cold. Finger-less gloves are nice too.
Now that you�re dressed for the occasion, lets get ready to go fishing. There�s no need to be on the lake early like you wanted to in the summer. Hit the water about eight or nine in the morning. The water will still be cold but the sun will be high enough to shine on you and begin warming the water. If you know of some deep spots check these first. By deep, I mean twelve feet or more. Motor over these holes and see if you can mark any fish. Winter bass tend to be congregated in large schools in a small area. Spend your time looking for such a spot; don�t worry about covering a lot of water. You want to thoroughly cover the few spots that you believe have bass stacked up on them. If you don�t mark any fish don�t give up on the area. Sometimes they�re actually sitting on the bottom as opposed to suspending.
As far as lure selection goes you�ll only need a few different lures and maybe four-rod combos. Two of which should be spinning outfits spooled up with 6-10lb mono. You�ll want to try a variety of lures and retrieves (we�ll cover both) in the few holes you�re going to.
For starters, rig up a spinning outfit with a 1/16-ounce slider jig head (or even an unweighted worm hook) and put on a Zoom Super Fluke or 4� finesse worm. This rig will sink ever so slow and entice any bass who watch it fall. The way to fish this is to cast it out and let it fall on a slack line. Watching the line for a �tap-tap� indication of a pick up. If you are unable to discern any takers with the slack line, let it fall on a tight line. But be sure to let it fall all the way to the bottom. Once it hits bottom, gently pop it once and let it fall again. Fish this all the way to the boat like such. The retrieve should take a couple of minutes. If it doesn�t you�re fishing it too fast.
On your other spinning outfit tie on a marabou crappie jig or similar lightweight leadhead, above this, attach a small foam float. Experiment with the depth the jig is under the float. The beauty of this rig (aka floating fly) is the lure remains suspended at whatever depth you rig it. It is awkward to cast when there�s any distance between the float and jig. If it gets too cumbersome try letting the wind drift it away from the boat for you. Some who specialize in this technique have custom rods made on fly rod blanks. The long rod aids in casting this rig when there�s ten feet between float and jig. A slight wind action or wavelets make the marabou plumes undulate while the lure remains pretty much stationary and suspended at the depth you�ve adjusted it to. One tactic is to cast this out and let it �dance� while you work another lure. When the bobber disappears, set the hook.
Another popular lure choice is a suspending jerkbait or countdown Rapala. Cast these out and work the water column from six feet down to the bottom. You�ll want to fish these with short twitches of no more than 6� at a time with a pause anywhere from 5 to 20 seconds between twitches. Be sure to have sharp hooks on all baits. Since most bites are light and occur on a slack line. Be prepared to lose some baits to pickerel.
Silver buddies, Cordell Gay Blades and Heddon Sonars are popular with many local anglers. They�re compact, heavy baits that get to the depths quickly. The disadvantages are they are easy for bass to spit out and are difficult to fish slowly without vertically jigging them. They�re also prone to snagging often. Nonetheless, you�ll find many area experts with at least one rod rigged with a silver buddy. I have not figured out the �secret� to these baits yet and am not likely to use one. But you can bet there�s half a dozen in my box during winter. Something I need to force myself to fish more often.
Let�s not omit the ever-productive jig and pig. This is a great winter bait. The key is getting the right weight/ trailer combination to get just the right fall. Start with a 3/16 jig and put on a Strike King baby Pork-O for a trailer. This will fall ever so slowly. Take a pair of dikes and cut the weedguard off flush with the leadhead to aid in hook ups. Remember that most bites will come on the fall and that weed guard won�t help things. The large pork trailer does run the risk of bunching up in the fish�s mouth and fouling an otherwise �textbook� hookset. If you are missing fish, assume this is the case and try a smaller trailer. File some lead off the head to get the same slow fall if necessary. My own designed �winter jig� is a 4/0 Gamakatsu worm hook with only a black/blue spinnerbait skirt slipped over it. Add to that a bit of power worm on the hook�s shank and a #11 pork frog. You now have a �slow jig fizz�. Try a white skirt and trailer to simulate a dying shad. Fish this the same as the Slider jig previously mentioned. That�s about all the lures you�ll need to be successful. I�m sure there�s more that will produce. I�m only going off what works for me.
The two most important factors are finding the proper depth holding the bass and fishing slowly. Focus on those two items in that order. It takes a great deal of discipline to fish as slow as is necessary. Be aware of that and force yourself to slow down. Just when you think you are fishing slowly, kick it down another notch. If you�re doing it right, each retrieve will bore you, that is until you catch a fish. Spend your fishing day on a few choice areas probing the depths thoroughly. You�ll gain a better understanding once you hook a coldwater bass and notice how lethargic they are. Once you catch a fish, don�t move on! More bass are there where you caught the last one. Know up front that you aren�t going to catch significant numbers of fish. Six bites is a great day.
A safety note. Coldwater fishing is dangerous. Hypothermia is a rapid killer. You�re survival time in forty degree water is reduced to about fifteen minutes for a healthy, physically active individual. Most of us will succumb sooner. It would be wise to pack a set of dry clothes and a towel or two. If fishing alone, be certain to wear your PFD. It works as a great insulative vest when worn under a jacket. Use extra caution at this time of year; tell someone where you�re going and when you expect to be back. Don�t forget your cell phone either.
Remember to fish slow and enjoy your day out on the water.

Fishing is life.
Rob Brewer

101 Bass Fishing Tips - by Rob Brewer

What we have here is a collection of tips and tricks that I have learned over the years of my fishing life. I did not invent or think of all these on my own. Some are from books; some are from other fisherman and some actually are my own creation or observation. It took Roland Martin an entire book to explain 101 tips. I haven�t read that book yet. But here�s how to do the same thing in just a few pages.

Anyway, here�s my 101 �greatest hits�. I hope you find something that helps you stink up your livewell.

1. Buy a battery operated hook sharpener. You�ll actually sharpen hooks like you never thought possible and your bite to hook-up ratio will increase ten fold.
2. Crimp a splitshot sinker on a worm hook near the eye. Use this when fishing tubes instead of buying manufactured jig heads.
3. Put split rings on the hooks of any bait that has hook hangers (Zara Spooks, Jitterbugs etc.). This will lessen the fish�s ability to throw the hook and assist in actual hook ups too.
4. Always wet your line with water, saliva etc. before drawing a knot tight. It reduces friction, a major stressor of monofilament line.
5. Make your own marker buoys by cutting �H�s out of a sheet of foam insulation. Tie on 30� of Dacron and a 4-oz weight, then wrap it up.
6. The colors yellow and red have caught more bass than all other lures combined. Keep this in mind when making a lure selection.
7. Carolina rigs work better with a slow �sweeping� retrieve as opposed to a �hopping� retrieve.
8. Wrap some solder wire around the front treble�s hook shank to make your bait suspend or to simply lessen its buoyancy.
9. Try fishing a plastic worm on a jig instead of a pork frog. It�s something new for the bass to see.
10. Fat round lures have a wide wobble and long thin lures have a tight wobble. Remember wide for warm water and tight for cold water.
11. Fish a Slug-go on a weighted shank hook. It will impart some great action on the fall.
12. Cast a topwater out and let it sit and sit and sit, just when you can�t take it anymore, wait another 10 seconds, then give it just a twitch.
13. Remove the factory hooks on a Pop-R (unless they�re the Excalibur ones) and replace the front with a larger premium treble and put an Owner feather treble on the tail. The feather breathes and will net you more bites.
14. To make a great buoyant lure for Carolina rigging, insert a foam earplug (or foam �peanut� from packing material) inside a Gitzit or other tube bait.
15. Saw off 6� or 8� inches off an old broom handle and stick it in your tacklebox. Whenever you get snagged using braided line or heavy mono. Pull out the stick; wrap about 6 turns on the stick and pull. You�ll either break off or get your bait back without cutting your fingers.
. 16. Use rubber bobber stops to peg worm weights.
17. The week before and the week after the March full moon is the best time (easiest) to catch a big bass.
18. Remember fishes metabolism is linked directly to water temperature. Adjust your retrieve accordingly.
19. Keep a detailed fishing log and record notes you learn on the areas you fish. Within a short period, you�ll have good database developed of what works, when and where.
20. When ever the water is down exceptionally low. Go to the lake and pencil all the good stuff on your map and take some pictures of it too. Later, when the water is back up, you�ll have some offshore honey holes and the photos will assist you in determining the best angle to fish the cover.
21. Make yourself fish a piece of cover more thoroughly. Don�t place one cast and move on. Set a number for yourself and make at least that many pitches.
22. Ask yourself what your weaknesses are. Force yourself to develop them. It�s best to do with someone who is fairly adept at the tactic you are working on.
23. Confidence! Confidence! Confidence! Believe in yourself and your abilities. Confidence is the most important lure in your box.
24. Remove the split ring on the front of those crankbaits and other lures. (save them for tip #3). Either tie directly to the lure or use a duolock snap.
25. Look in your tacklebox. See any snap swivels? Throw them out.
26. Fish the windy sides of points, grasslines, blowdowns and such. As annoying as it can be to keep the boat positioned, this is where all the plankton and bait is blowing to. Guess who�s following closely behind?
27. Rising humidity means a falling barometer (good fishing); conversely fog means rising barometric pressure on the edge of a cold front (tough fishing). I am not referring to the morning mist often seen on the lake at sunrise.
28. Plant some cover in your favorite lake. Be sure to take some compass bearings and mark it on your map, so you can return to it.
29. Learn as much as you can about your quarry, especially it�s seasonal migration patterns and the prevalent forage in a given area.
30. Replace the swivels on your spinnerbait blades with ball bearing snaps. This will make changing the blade a snap.
31. Learn all there is to know about the operation of your fishfinder. Do you know your transducer�s cone angle?
32. Use a jig as the weight in a Carolina rig. You�ll get those guys who eat the sinker and maybe pick up a double.
33. Make your own Excalibur treble hooks by bending the hook about ten degrees off center.
34. Remember, any object that is isolated is attractive to bass.
35. When fishing a lake without any cover (like Little Creek Reservoir in Toano) keep in mind that depth is �cover�.
36. When fishing Cypress trees, be certain to fish an area at least five feet around the trunk. These trees often have a doughnut like root ball and the bass could be anywhere within it. Work around the snorkels too.
37. Save your old tore up jig and spinnerbait skirts. Use the strands as pegging rubber for your worm weights.
38. Erratic lure action is the single most effective means of raising the aggression level in a bass. In otherwords, avoid a steady retrieve.
39. Any bass you can see can also see you. Act accordingly, keep movements slow and subtle.
40. Be wary of lures that are �too loud� (be it color or sound). Nature is mute, dull, quiet and camouflage. Working the more subtle side will get you the aggressive, active and neutral fish everytime.
41. Always have a follow up rod rigged and ready when topwater fishing. Often a bass will miss the topwater, but throw something different and you�ll usually hook him.
42. When bed fishing in the spring, be certain to cast at any stump, log or other �rubbing� object that may be near the bed. Females often hang around wood and actually rub against it prior to going on the bed.
43. Bass prefer a PH level of 7 to 9. Closer to 9 is better.
44. It is documented that about 50% of tournament released bass hang around the release site. Some for months. Exactly how close �hang around� is, is uncertain to me. But it�s certainly something worth remembering.
45. Willows on the water�s edge always have major root structures. They always seek water. Never pass one up when you see it.
46. Remember 90% of all thermoclines are between 10� and 18�.
47. A Carolina rig is the absolute best presentation for catching inactive bass offshore.
48. Put your tacklebox on a diet. Empty it out completely. Now go through and remove all the lures that you did not fish or catch fish on. Put these aside in a Plano case. Someday, you�ll �need� them again.
49. Keep your crankbait crashing into cover; this triggers lots of strikes. 50. Take a kid fishing. If you don�t have one, borrow one.
51. Get a map of the lake(s) you are fishing. Study them prior to your trip. No basser worth his plastic worms would fish a lake he didn�t know without a map. Eventually, you won�t need the map anymore, you�ll have it memorized, but that comes with time.
52. Remember when setting, adjusting or testing your drag always pull the line from the rodtip, not the reel. The guides add considerable friction and could cost you a fish when using lighter line.
53. When searching for bass, always look for the bait first. The saying �You can�t catch them where they ain�t� is very true. Find the bait and you have �found� the bass.
54. Back off your reel�s drag at the end of the fishing day. It relaxes the drag washers. Keeping your drag tight all the time compresses the drag washers and they take a set to them. The result is a jerky drag as opposed to a smooth one.
55. Always peg your worm weight. You�ll feel more bites and your worm will penetrate cover better.
56. Always pull your knot down the eye of a Pop-R (or other chugger) so that it points to the lake bottom. The lure will have better action.
57. Disassemble, lube and clean your reels at least once annually. By the same token, avoid over lubricating them. A quality reel, with proper maintenance will last a lifetime.
58. Never buy lures advertised on �infomercials�. Examples are Walking Worm, Bionic Minnows, Flying Lures etc. While they may catch a fish here or there, they aren�t the magic tools they�re advertised to be. That money could be better spent on some other lures that consistently catch more fish.
59. Tie an 18� dropper line on the back of a topwater. Add to this a small crappie jig. You�ll be surprised at how many quality fish bite the tiny jig. Not to mention, the chance at a double. It DOES happen. Take it from me.
60. Take another kid fishing. If need be, borrow that one too.
61. Avoid making unnecessary noise in the boat, you�ll send fish fleeing to the depths or shut down the bite when fishing in deep water.
62. Avoid negative smell tracks. Gasoline, bug spray, sunscreen, reel lube all repel fish.
63. Wear sunscreen and drink only Gatorade or water when out on the water.
64. At least once a year, go fishing with nothing but a lure you want to improve your skills with. It�s hard to do, but make yourself do it anyway. It will pay big dividends once you have developed some confidence in it.
65. Carry at least one spinning rod in your �arsenal�. It lends itself well to pitching light lures like tubes and original Rapalas.
66. Buy or make your own plug knocker. It will pay for itself AND you�ll catch more fish because you�ll throw your lure where you normally would not.
67. Keep spare line in the boat. At least enough to refill a reel or two. You never know when Murphy might show up.
68. Buy your line in bulk and respool often. Line is too critical to neglect. It�s cheap insurance. Never discard old line overboard.
69. Every so often, remove your trolling motor prop and inspect for old fishing line wrapped on the shaft. If left unattended, it will eventually cut into the seals that keep your motor�s armature safe and dry.
70. Write an article and submit it to this page so that I too may learn something. Reading my own stuff gets old fast.
71. Save your old plastic worms, instead of discarding them. You can use a piece of worm as a spinnerbait trailer and you can use pieces on a jig�s hookshank to give it some body when the skirt is flared out underwater.
72. Unplug your trailer lights before immersing your trailer. My lights leak big time, but once I started doing this, I have yet to need to replace a bulb.
73. Consider using clear or dark green mono instead of line with fluorescence. You�ll have to concentrate more to detect bites, but who says that�s a bad thing?
74. When you catch that first bass of the day, start asking yourself questions. Did he bite as the bait was on the fall? Was it paused? How deep was it? Fish don�t speak our language so we need to learn to speak theirs.
75. Generally speaking, tapered points hold active bass. Steep, shelf-like points hold inactive bass. Observe weather conditions then choose accordingly.
76. When catching fish in one spot and the bite tapers off, switch lure size/color. You�ll often pick up a few more fish.
77. A five fish limit caught on jigs will outweigh a five fish limit caught on anything else. I bet Bobby could make me eat these words.
78. Retrieve a buzzbait so the blades just ripple the surface. Many anglers fish these baits way too fast. Slowing down will get more bites and more hook-ups.
79. Slowly motor along side bridges and watch your LCR. Often vandals have thrown things like shopping carts, old appliances or other debris off the bridge. While their presence is unknown to us, the fish notice and move in.
80. If you�re just now entering into bass fishing and don�t own a lot of rods yet. Find one you like and by all your future rods the same make and length. This will eliminate the casting inaccuracies associated with picking up another rod after having thrown the same lure/rod combo for the past hour.
81. When buying a reel and deciding which model to buy, ALWAYS buy the one with the faster retrieve speed. Don�t buy into that more power to winch fish out of cover hype. While you may feel it in your hand when deep cranking, you�ll be glad when you hook Mr. Hawg and he puts the move on you.
82. Male bass rarely exceed 16�, while females frequently exceed 22�.
83. Bass DO become conditioned to lures and scientific research shows that bass can remember a negative experience for more than 90 days. Maybe you might want to try a different lure when returning to a locale where you lost a nice bass.
84. Watch for birds such as Great Blue Herons along the shoreline. As obvious as it may seem, many overlook the fact that these birds are �baitfish sentinels�. These birds are feeding on the same bait that bass are.
85. Use a crankbait that is rated to run deeper than the water you intend to fish. This will keep the lure nudging the lake floor. It will in turn kick up little puffs of silt that mimic a crayfish swimming along.
86. To make the ultimate weedless crankbait, buy a jointed number 11 floating Rapala. Cut off the tail section and remove the front hook. Now add a split ring to where the after section was attached. Add to the split ring a 5/0 worm hook. Put on a Slug-go (Texas rigged) on the 5/0 and throw at the thickest cover you can find. This has great action and rarely hangs up.
87. When dropshotting tie an overhand knot in your line between the hook and sinker. When you snag your rig, the line will always break at the knot, leaving your hook and soft plastic bait.
88. While it�s not the Gospel truth, learn this saying and adjust your fishing style accordingly. Wind from the north, don�t venture forth; wind from the east, fish bite least; wind from the west, fish bite best and wind from the south blows the hook in fish�s mouth. In otherwords, flip, pitch or deadstick in a north or east wind because the fish are �post frontal� or difficult to catch. Cast or crank a west or south wind because the fish are active.
89. In May when you see many Brim & Bluegills bedding, fish the deeper water adjacent these. Often bass are lurking nearby waiting for a spawner to stray too far from the nest while warding off nest raiders.
90. Always fish a visible mudline in the water. Cast parallel to it and be sure to fish both the murky and the clear side.
91. Don�t rule out a topwater presentation in cold water. Though not the norm, bass have been caught on topwaters in water as cold as 42�F. Just be sure to fish slow.
92. Try an artificial frog, especially in July through September. Fish it on 15lb (or more) and throw it up on shore. Swim it out into the treetops. I have caught a number of quality bass doing this when nothing else seemed to work.
93. Put 8ozs (per 10 gal) of rock salt in your livewell. As simple as this may seem, it will tremendously aid your bass in recovering from the stress of captivity.
94. Keep in mind if you have a temperature sensor on your LCR, it only reflects surface temperature, not that of the entire water column.
95. Subdue your lures finish with steelwool or 800 grit sandpaper. You want that dull, mute natural look, not some glossy, flashy showroom paint job that belongs on a car.
96. A floating dock will draw more bass than one on pilings. Docks on pilings closer to the waters surface draw more bass than those up high.
97. Contrary to popular belief, sunlight does not hurt a bass� eyes. Shade is preferred because the bass is a predator. Shade enhances the bass� camouflage.
98. Look at how you hooked a bass when crankbait fishing. If he swallowed it or has both hooks in his mouth, then you have the right color/size. If hooked lightly then consider changing size/color.
99. Try whacky worming or swimming a worm. Show the bass something new. It may seem dorky at first, but once fish start biting, it loses that image real quick.
100. Slip an old pair of nylons over your livewell�s aerator pump. The ultrafine mesh will keep scales and other debris out of your pump and make cleaning it simply a matter of exchanging the nylons.
101. For Pete�s sake, take that kid fishing already will ya?

Share the Knowledge

Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Spring Spinnerbaits-by Rob Brewer

In the lull between the close of deer season and the area lakes warming up, you�ll find me pouring Spinnerbaits. Spinnerbaits are great! They require no special skill, cover lots of water, are relatively weedless, and catch lots of bass, big bass. The following is how I approach spinnerbaiting in the tidewater area from �ice-out� on into April.
I like to use a 5 �' casting rod spooled up with 14-17lb mono. I�ve used many brands of spinnerbaits. I like my own the best, but Terminators, Strike King and Stanley will work just as well. I prefer to use a � oz to 3/8 oz lure with single #5 or 5.5 gold willow leaf blade. I find dark colors (black, blue, purple, root beer) work best in the spring. I always use a twin tail trailer too. I find the undulating action of the tails really bring the bait to life. I don�t use trailer hooks but I do make certain that my hooks are razor sharp.
Ideal conditions are just after a warm spring rain. The runoff has washed in bait, raised the water level and made the water murky. These are all positive factors to make fish move shallow. Key areas of the lake to hit are points, flats and underwater humps. The key to identifying good areas are shallow (1-3�) water with deep (8-12�) adjacent to it. If it has cover on it, so much the better. Just be sure to keep the boat �out of the fish�. By that I mean remain out in the deep water, casting up onto the flat. If you can cast your bait up onto the edge of the shore and slowly pull it into the water. Sometimes bass will be sunning themselves in water less than a foot. It�s quite exciting when a bass turns into a torpedo and almost beaches itself trying to inhale your bait. Be certain to work the deep water adjacent to the flat as well. Stealth is paramount. Any noise you make in the boat or sloppy casting will send �ol� mossback� scurrying into the depths quickly.
The retrieve should be very slow (AKA Slow rolling). You should never see your lure during the retrieve. You should be able to feel the blade turning though. Learn to concentrate on that and be a line watcher. Often, you can feel a slight variation in the bait�s vibration just milliseconds prior to a bite. Whenever there�s a funny feeling, your line moves, or the blade stops, set the hook! I use a sweeping motion so as not to introduce any slack to the fish.
These methods have brought me several 4-6 pounders. You�ll catch the �dinks� too, along with pickerel and bowfins. Give it a shot. Believe it or not, there was a time (1990) when I had absolutely no confidence in these lures. Now, I always have one tied on. Remember that fishing is life!

Rob Brewer

Sound Advice - by Rob Brewer

Silence may be golden, but it�s also one of the secrets to catching fish on a regular basis. If you and I never fished together in the same boat, you haven�t heard my lecture on noise yet. Bass-Jon�s non-boaters are warned, you�ll get to hear my spiel on noise sooner or later. Heavy fishing pressure educates fish quickly on what sounds and other stimuli mean danger. I think you�d be surprised at some of the activity bass are able to detect. The goal here is to avoid sending negative signals to fish that will send them swimming to the depths.
Sound is nothing more than vibrations traveling through a medium, such as air or water. Sound in the air travels at 1100 feet per second, but did you know in the water it travels at 4400 feet per second? That�s almost a mile second! If you have ever scuba dived or snorkeled you know what I mean. Here are two simple experiments to reinforce this point. Next time you�re swimming in a pool, have someone hold their key chain in their hand underwater and jiggle it. No matter where you go in the pool, you�ll hear it plain as day. The other one is to cast a rattletrap out and listen to it through the hull of your Jon boat. You don�t have to put your ear to the hull. Just pay attention as you retrieve it, it�s quite easy to recognize.
All bass, hawgs and dinks alike, are in perfect tune with their surroundings. If you haven�t noticed, so are the more successful hunters and fisherman. Ponder this. If a bass can feel the vibrations emitted from a minnow�s fins or a spinnerbaits blade, doesn�t it stand to reason that they have no problem picking up the vibrations from your trolling motor, fish finder or boat�s displacement? Those are the three �silent� offenders, we can�t hear them but the fish can. So what do we do? Well, the easiest fix is to turn off your fishfinder whenever possible, keep the trolling motor off and avoid traveling very fast in the boat. Of course we�re not willing to give up our technology or speed, so a compromise is in order. Use the fish finder only when needed and travel slowly long the bank with the trolling motor on as low a speed as possible to move you along.
There are other noises that are far more dangerous to our fishing success. It�s the sudden, startling noise of a tacklebox slamming shut or sliding across the deck, a rod being dropped against a gunwale (gunnel) and so forth. There�s a hundred other noises made in the boat that half of all anglers don�t give second thought to. To name just a few: anchoring, coolers, livewells, shifting items in the boat, the list is endless.
The bottom line is, we must make a conscience effort to keep our presence hidden from the bass� keen senses. Of course, accidents will happen and we inevitably spook fish just as we will continue to lose some fish that we hook. A final note, it is fine to carry on conversation in the boat. Talking does not spook fish. Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Combating Murphy - by Rob Brewer

Murphy�s Law- If it can go wrong, it will go wrong. We�ve all heard it before and experienced it at one time or another. I�m not certain just who the infamous Mr. Murphy was, but I do know this, he�s not welcome in my boat, ever. A saying I�m prone to use is �Luck favors those who prepare�. While I didn�t coin the phrase, I certainly agree with what it is implying. If you�ve ever experienced an equipment failure out on the water, you remember how it affected your game plan. It may have cost you the tournament jackpot or maybe you had to be towed back to the ramp. How often was it a simple fix that made you say to yourself �Man, if only I had a widget, I�d be back in action�? Lets look at some items that could potentially save the day.

On-board spares

Fuses- keep a pack of the same ampere rating as those in your fish-finder and any other electrical items (livewell timer, nav lights etc.)

Spark plugs- Keep one or two pre-gapped plugs on hand. I have a two-stroke and I sometimes go a little heavy on the oil, risking a fouled plug.

Spare Propellers- This is the most costly item in the kit, but consider its value out on the water. Lose or destroy a prop and the day is done. I have been on both ends of the towrope. Spend enough time on the water and so will you. Keep both a trolling motor and outboard prop onboard.

Shear Pins- These are too vital (and cheap) not to carry. The funny thing is I�ve never had one do its job. If you�re unfamiliar with a shear pin, it�s the little pin that goes through your propeller shaft and propeller seats against. The purpose of this pin is to shear or break when the prop strikes and object hard enough to damage the prop. I started carrying only shear pins, since they�ve never worked; I�ve added the spare props.

Starter rope- These rarely fail without neglect on your part. You should replace it once it begins to show signs of fraying. Next time you see a lawnmower in the trash, stop and cut off it�s starter rope. It�s free and it works.

Basic tools- I keep a #1 flathead and Phillips screwdriver, spark plug wrench, crescent wrench, pliers, emery cloth, electrical tape, small can of WD-40 and a few miscellaneous hardware items (cotter pins, solderless connectors, wing nuts, washers etc.) onboard as well.

Storage- All of the previous mentioned tools and parts fit into an empty Army surplus .50 caliber ammo can with room to spare. The can is waterproof, durable, requires minimal space and weighs only a few pounds.

Tacklebox spares

Rod repair kit- I keep a Fuji rod repair kit on hand. It has 5 or 6 different size rod tips, and some ferrule cement to install them.

Reel repair kit- I keep some oil and grease along with some small screwdrivers. I also have a small vial of screws and washers from old reels. I do not carry spare reels with me. Be sure to have some spare mono on hand too. You never know when the �bird�s nest� will appear.

Vehicle spares

Drain plug- Mine is fastened to my trailer�s tie-down strap. That way I CANNOT launch my boat without noticing it. You may laugh, but I�ve seen more than one boat launched and sink before anyone noticed. I keep a spare in my glove box just because of the vital role (and cheap cost) this item has.

Spare bulbs- Carry spares for your trailer in the glove box. The cost of these is negligible when compared to a traffic ticket. I found that if I unplug my trailer�s lights just prior to launch, I rarely ever have to replace a bulb.

Vehicle and trailer tires- Check the condition of your spares periodically. Check the compatibility of your vehicle�s jack and lug wrench with your trailer. Waiting until you have a flat is not the time to discover your trailer�s lugs are different than the tow vehicles.

Barring catastrophic failure, these items will keep you out on the water until you want to come home. What I�ve done is put together the items most likely to fail or really end the fishing day. You can adjust this list as you see fit, this is what works for me. It time tested, minimal in weight/space, and the cost is affordable. Hope to see you on the lakes soon. Fishing is life.

My Confidence Bait-by Tommy (Fishin Bucky) Richardson

Over the past year or so, I devoted myself to finding that special lure that has all the qualities of a confidence bait. Through my research and experimenting, I have found that very lure, the Weedless Bass Jig.

I�ll flip it, pitch it, cast it, swim it, or any thing else I can think of. Whenevr I�m getting ready to go fishing, the first box I pull up to look through is always my jigs. From 3/16oz to 1/2oz, I�ll throw one sometime during the day.

Ever since I caught my first fish on a jig, I was �hooked�. There are many uses and situations for jigs to excel in. Here, this might help more.

Flipping & Pitching- I use both Baitcasting and Spinning for this. I like to use 3/8-1oz jigs for most flipping and pitching needs. I flip with Medium-Heavy Baitcast gear and 17-25lb test Mono. The thicker the cover, the heavier the jig is needed to punch through. When I�m flipping my jigs, I�ll find cover with the most �snag-appeal� and plop my jig right in the middle of it, hoping old Mr. Bucketmouth is home. When I�m pitching jigs, I mostly opt for Medium action Spinning gear with 8-12lb test Mono. With this method I�ll just pitch along a bank to visible cover and/or and irregular features I might notice.

Swimming- I prefer spinning for this method, baitcasting will work also. I�ll start out working along cover and structure with a medium to slow retrieve, the same as a spinnerbait. If I don�t get any strikes that way, I�ll start a �yo-yo� retrieve by visible cover or even on �bare-bank� areas.

Vertical Jigging- When the bass (and temperature) lower, I use this method. I use a sonar to locate any brush or humps on the bottom of the lake and drop a bouy to mark it. Then I troll back around with an �-1 � oz jig tied on an heavy casting and drop the jig straight down to the structure and wait until it hits bottom and start hoppin� it. I the length of the hop and pause between hops. If I go �bass-less� for about 5 minutes, I reel up and troll further away or closer and drop again.

I�ll use almost any jig, but I prefer Strike Kings and Bass Pro Shops Enticer Series. I have all sorts of weights, but mainly 3/8 oz. My favorite colors in clear water are watermelon, camo, blue/white, black/red, and stained to muddy water I opt for black, black/blue, black/chart., about anything that has black.

Trailer wise, I often use plastics over pork because I don�t want to risk the pork rolling over the hook point, but pork can be good in muddy water. I like the 5� Fat Albert Grub by Zoom in Smoke/Black-flake and Root Beer. I also like 3�Black grubs barely on the hook for more of a swimming action. When I use pork, the Uncle Josh SwimCraw in Black gets the go.

And last but not least, is the attractant. I like the Real Craw or Yum, depending on the color of the water and presentation.

Tommy Richardson

Face the Facts - by Tommy (Fishin Bucky) Richardson

When it comes down to choosing lures for tournaments or for just everyday fishing, you gotta look at the facts.

Now, as most of us bassfisherman know that the plastic worms were/are the most bass producing lures of all time. From 1967-2001, 32% of all B.A.S.S. tournaments were won by throwing plastic worms. Now 25% percent of the 32% were Texas-Rigged worms.

In second is the ever-so popular, Spinnerbait. With 26% of the victories on the B.A.S.S. tours, the spinnerbait is most pros� confidence bait, and for good reason. A spinnerbait works from Jan 1st to Dec 31st in the muddy waters to the clear.

Rounding out the top three is the Crankbait and (my favorite) the Jig. Both have a respectable 20% of the 1st place spots. These lures are gaining more and more popularity in the Bass Fishing world. These lure are also considered as �back-up� lure for when the bite is �off�. Considering how the Crankbait produces reaction strikes and the Jig can be dropped on a bass� head makes them top players. **

When seasons are the deciding factor for what to tie on, take a look at these facts: *

In Winter, 1st Worms with 35%, 2nd Jigs 24%, and 3rd Spinnerbaits 22%.

In Spring, 1st Jigs 25%, 2nd Spinnerbaits 19%, and 3rd Worms 18%.

In Summer, 1st Worms 45%! 2nd Spinnerbaits 30%, and Crankbaits 28%.

In Fall, 1st Spinnerbaits 28%, 2nd tie between Cranks and Worms 28%, and 3rd Jigs 19%.

To hit more closer to home, here in the East, these rank up top:*

1st-Crankbaits 59%
2nd-Spinnerbaits 32%
3rd-Jigs and Worms 20%
4th-Tubes 9%
5th-Buzzbaits and Lizards 7%**

*Information is from Bassmaster Magazine�s Editor, Dave Precht
**Totals may be more then 100%

Pre-Spawn Bass Fishing Local Reservoirs - by Bob Bullen

To each his or hers own. Is a common phrase and one that definitely applies to Bass Fishing. We all have our favorite lures and techniques. With this in mind, here�s one of my favorites for Pre-Spawn fishing. It�s no secret and long known that crankbaits in early spring produce some nice size bass. I�ve found that the big females start to roam the shores and banks late February and early March. The water temp is on the raise and so are the big females which start to move in closer from their deep water winter spots looking for prime bedding areas and to feed. Normally you can see them in about the 8 � 10 foot range making forages closer to the banks in the 1 � 4 ranges occasionally throughout the day. Now all the local lakes are good for Pre-Spawn bass, but you will most likely see me on Lake Prince or Burnt Mills during this timeframe. Start off by looking into the coves that have the best northern exposure, these will warm up faster then the southern parts of the lake. Next pick a cove with ample cover and structure. I normally find that early morning produces the best, but if cloudy skies and a bit of wind are on your side, the bite should last throughout the day. My favorite lure for this time a year has to be the Rapala Shad-Rap RS-5 (original Basal wood version) in fire tiger or clown. This lure has the depth range I�m looking for, now position the boat far enough away from the bank so the lure will have to transient the 10-foot range. If your alone in the boat cast parallel to the shore and try to keep it in the 2 � 4 foot strike range as long as possible. My best success comes when the Shad-Rap hits an underwater branch, limb or cover. I work the lure over the obstruction and then stop for a second, twitch and if a female or buck is within striking range, it�s all over but the weighing. Now depending on the wind and bite. I may have to add a suspending dot just forward of the front treble hook. This holds the floating Shad-Rap in place just a little longer and also points the nose of the bait down, which in turn it looks like an injured minnow. Plus it aids in getting that plastic lip to hit the wood first and allow you to work it up and over without getting hung up. If for some reason they don�t want the Shad-Rap I will switch to a stick bait like a Lucky Craft Pointer 78 in pearl white or shad and work it in a similar manner. The only trouble I have with this method is I Normally get my fair share of Chain Pickerel. As I said before there are many techniques that work for the Pre-Spawn Bass Fishing, if you have one please share with rest of club. This method work for me last year in Bill�s Marine Small Boat Tournament early March. (Big.Old.Bass)

Limnology 101- by Rob Brewer

Most of us are familiar with the term �eliminating water�, yet often our elimination tactics involve nothing more than fishing an area. The whole idea behind eliminating water is to identify water that�s not worth fishing in the first place. Armed with an understanding of the bass� liquid environment and how the seasons affect it, eliminating water becomes quite simple.
The first step to effectively eliminating water is a basic understanding of limnology. For those unfamiliar with the term, limnology is the science that deals with the physical, chemical and biological properties of fresh water.
Let�s begin by dissecting a Tidewater lake in summer when there�s three distinct layers in the lake. These layers are the Epilimnion (top), the Metalimniom or thermocline (middle) and the Hypolimnion (bottom). Let�s look at each layer in more detail while it�s still summer time.
Epilimnion- this top layer contains the warmest water in the lake. It�s warmest at the surface, but as you penetrate deeper into it, the temperature gradually drops. This layer contains plenty of oxygen and just about ALL of the bass at this time of year.
Metalimnion- (Thermocline) this thermal barrier separates the epilimnion from the hypolimnion. This band of water rapidly drops in temperature in just a few feet or less. The thermocline varies in depth and width (distance between epilimnion and hypolimnion) on any given lake. Keep in mind that the thermocline may not be at a uniform depth throughout the same body of water. For example, a windy day may slant the thermocline, making it deeper on the windblown side and shallower on the opposite shore. The thermocline has diminishing levels of oxygen the deeper in it you go. The thermocline often contains a surprising amount of particulate debris and sediment constantly suspended in it. This suspended debris is what enables you to see the thermocline on your sonar unit. Finding the depth of the thermocline enables you to eliminate all water beyond that depth. Hypolimnion- this bottom layer of the lake consists of the coldest water in the lake and tends to have a more uniform temperature throughout. This layer is usually void of bass because it lacks sufficient oxygen. This is due to all the decaying organic matter typical of the fertile lakes in our region. Not only does this decaying process consume the oxygen, but also it also produces methane as a byproduct and further makes the layer even more intolerable for bass.
Imagine it�s a hot July day. You and your partner are beating the banks with worms and spinnerbaits, occasionally hooking a runt here and there, but the bite is tough. The two of you discuss a possible deepwater bite and motor to a hole 25� deep. One of you rigs a Carolina rig, the other a Mann�s 20 plus. You begin fishing and after a half-hour without any action, you begin second guessing your move. Eventually, you head back to the bank and stick with what worked.
Had you a better understanding of limnology, you would have realized your lure choices were doomed. Those lures worked too deep, they plied the waters of the hypolimnion where there are no bass in our lakes. Had you found the thermocline and fished some structure at that depth, sooner or later, you�d connect with fish. Finding this magic depth is the first key in unlocking a deepwater bite. Once found, it�s map and graph time.
By now your probably asking, how do I find this thermocline thing? There are a few ways to find it, some easier than others. The most common way is with a sonar unit. You�ll need to turn off the automatic settings and turn up the gain (sensitivity). Often, you�ll pick up a very minute, but distinct line at a given depth. Some find it and mistake it for interference. Another way with a graph is to motor around marking fish. Note the depths of the deepest fish you�re spotting. Probably the most accurate way is to construct a limnograph (Pg 60, Jul/Aug 2000, Bassmaster). A last resort is for you and your partner to fish two different depth working diving plugs. Start at 8� and 10� and gradually work deeper lures until you connect. Keep in mind that thermoclines are usually shallower in murky/stained water than they are in clear water lakes.
Our tidewater lakes remain in this stratified condition until late fall when the water begins to cool. As the surface temperature cools, it becomes denser and begins to sink. Bass are still occupying the epilimniom, but don�t relate to the thermocline as much due to the cooler water throughout the epilimniom. As the water continues to cool, the thermocline compresses and becomes a thin band. Eventually the epilimnion will cool to the same temperature as the thermocline. Once this happens, the thermocline ruptures and fall turnover takes place. After the thermocline has ruptured, all the trapped particles and toxic methane are released into the entire lake. The water becomes very turbid and oxygen levels are at an all time low. Turnover is very stressful for bass and other species. Fishing is very tough now. So tough, that you�re better off in a tree stand. Bass can be anywhere in the lake since there�s no longer a hostile hypolimnion. Turnover is one period where we should welcome cold fronts. You want the winds to come and mix things up. This will help stabilize conditions. Once the bass adjust, they will begin feeding again. If you find you must fish during turnover, try the headwaters or any underwater springs you know of.
Once winter is upon the lake, It will again stratify, but not to the extent it did in summer. Remember water is densest at 39.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Let that be your clue to finding warm water. If the surface temperature is 36 degrees, you know it�s warmer in the depths, likewise, if the surface temperature is 41 degrees; it�s colder in the depths. Winter bass are usually in deep water due to the stability of conditions there. Often, they stack up in just a few areas of the lake for whatever reason. Find this area and adjust your presentation to the slowed metabolism of the fish and you can have a real productive day. Just how cold the water gets will dictate whether or not there will be a spring turnover. If the surface temperature goes below 39 degrees then a spring turnover will commence as soon as the water again warms to its densest temperature. If the surface temperature never dips below 39 degrees, the lake will not experience spring turnover and will slowly begin its stratification process until it has gone full circle back to where we began this article.
Hopefully, this has given you some insight that will help you effectively eliminate water according to the season you�re fishing. Remember, fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Jig Magic by Rob Brewer

While there are flashier, more appealing lures to fisherman, few, if any lures have greater appeal to big bass. The venerable jig n pig has been duping bass consistently for more than half a century.

Yes, plastic worms may account for more numbers of fish, but a jig will net more pounds per bite. Why? I honestly don�t know. But I do know from experience that it is fact. There�s something magical about jigs and big bass.

Of course you can use a jig right out of its package and still catch fish. But there are also numerous little enhancements that will increase its success ratio. Here�s how I �doctor� a jig: Leadhead- Don�t use those commercially manufactured �eye-busters� to remove the paint in the line tie. These put burrs inside the line tie. Use an ice pick or old hook. Now tie on a foot or so of 30 or 40 pound test. Draw it down tight and work it back and forth to clean all the paint from the eye.
Weedguard- Trace every bristle from the leadhead to the end of the fiber. Often these get fused together in the manufacturing process. Make certain each fiber stands alone. Don�t hesitate to remove a few using nailclippers or sidecutters. Keep in mind if you shorten the weedguards, they become stiffer.
Hook- Using pliers, bend the hook open about 2 degrees more than it was manufactured. Now bend it to the right or left 2 degrees as well. Just be certain not to exceed the protection of the weedguard. Some jigs (such as Arkie brand) have an insufficient barb on the hook. Take a triangular file and �deepen� the barb some. Now hone the hook to a razor�s edge if it isn�t already. Save all your old Berkley Power Worms and other powerbaits. Take 11/4� to 11/2� pieces and slip these on the shank of your hooks. These will give the jig some body when the skirt strands are flared out in the water. Furthermore, the scent will permeate the skirt and the worm itself will make the bass hold the jig longer. Add a trailer and the jig is ready to fish. I prefer pork to plastic. But each to his own.

As for fishing with jigs, the proper outfit is essential for success. The jig should be manipulated with the rod tip. All the reel does is store line, take up slack, and assist in fighting fish. Having said that, spend your money on a quality, sensitive, heavy action graphite rod. I use a 6� Berkley Bionix matched with a run of the mill Shimano 5.1:1 reel. Some say use a low geared reel to assist in winching bass out of heavy cover. I disagree. I never met a bass I couldn�t reel in. If I had a faster reel, I�d use it.
Don�t skimp in the line department. Use at least 15lb test and don�t shy from something heavier. I�ve had some nice size bass break me off with 15lb test in heavy cover. It�s not the norm, but it happens. If you�re fishing a jig where it was meant to be fished, you�ll have some bass break you off. It�s part of the game. I don�t like superbraids. They�re too darn sensitive. I find myself setting the hook into everything. If your just starting out with jigs, you may want to consider braided line as you develop your sense of feel. I have fished jigs for too many years with mono and I�m not willing to put forth the effort required to �reeducate� my senses. Jigs are not for everyone. They demand absolute concentration for them to be effective. It�s a lure that you must stay in touch with. A bass can inhale and exhale a jig so fast it�s imperceptible. Jigs must be fished on a �controlled slack� line. By that I mean you must follow the lure down with the rod tip at the same rate of descent as the jig. The lure will pendulum out of the strike zone if you move your rod too slow, too fast, and you lose touch with the jig. Jig bites vary from a �tap-tap� to a �wet towel� feeling to a feeling of weightlessness. Never pause on a jig bite. Always set the hook HARD Right away! Whenever in doubt, set the hook. You may catch the occasional �stickfish� but better safe than sorry. Keep in mind when penetrating cover such as trees, often the line will be lying over a branch, reducing your sense of feel. Be sure to pay extra attention at such times. With practice and experience, you�ll be able to identify what your jig is doing and what type of cover its in all by feel alone.

If you�re not already a jig magician, go fishing once with nothing but jigs. You�ll have no option but to fish them but by day�s end, you�ll be glad you did. Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Mapping your way to Success - By Rob Brewer

As Bass-Jon tournament anglers, some of us will have to fish lakes we have never fished before. With the right mindset, this can be less intimidating than it really is. We must remind ourselves that we had a �first time� at our favorite lake. Obviously something happened to make us go back again and again.
Fishing new water is one of the best catalysts for angler improvement. New water puts your fish finding and catching abilities to the test. There�s a saying that goes �Even a blind hog finds an acorn every now and then�. We don�t want to be that hog. We want to find fish so we can catch fish. This involves eliminating the unproductive water. The fastest way to do this is with a map. Keep in mind that a map won�t show it all. However, it is the best starting place. Study the map well in advance of the tournament and identify all major structure and break-lines you can see. This will be your starting point. Of course you�ll still have to apply what you already know according to season, weather and such. Over the years, I�ve learned a few tricks, methods and other ideas regarding maps. It will still be up to you to put fish in the boat but these tips should help you bolster your confidence.
First thing to do when you acquire a map is to make a �working copy� of it. The original is known as the �master�. The master can be paper, on floppy or on the Internet. The point is to always be able to produce a new copy when needed.
When starting with your first working copy, take permanent marker (fine point) and trace the contour lines different colors. This will dramatically aide in pinpointing shelves, slopes and other rapid bottom changes (just look for the rainbows). Likewise, you can easily identify flats and humps too. Now laminate this map with contact paper or some other equivalent. This is now your new best friend on the lake (along with a pen).
Anything you find pertinent should be penned on your working copy. Personally, I mark every fish I catch and any significant structure I discover not already on the map. Every year this �new info� goes onto the working copy prior to it�s lamination. Ultimately, you are compiling a visual database of fishing experience. When the bite is tough, or someone�s �camping out� on your favorite spot, you�ll have viable alternatives already available.
One of the best methods to update a map is to go to the lake during an extremely low water period. Be certain to bring a working copy of your map and a camera and/or camcorder. There�s nothing like firsthand experience to see just what really lies beneath. I�ve taken pictures of cover in areas I never would have thought was there. What this translates to is areas with little or no fishing pressure. No secret methods here, just facts that will make you a better bass angler. Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Slaughter �em with Slug-go�s by Rob Brewer

Prespawn bass are hungry, plain and simple. The key to catching them is finding them. If you�re already familiar with a lake�s known spawning beds, great. If not, here�s where to look. Start with some firm bottom in protected coves or other sheltered areas. Search depths from 2 to 6 feet for starters. Look for dishpan shaped holes in the bottom. When you find these, mark them on your map. Bass will use them year after year. The point here is to locate spawning sites for future reference. Once the locations are known you have a starting point to find prespawn bass.
Once found, these bass can usually be suckered with a soft plastic jerkbait. The market is saturated with various brands and finding them is easy. I like Herb Reed�s original Slug-go by Lunker City. Jerkbaits are great bass catching tools. They weedless, make a soft entry into the water, and work in a muted, subtle fashion that bass fail to become accustomed to. It�s the same reason why jigs and worms never lose their bass appeal.
Choose one in a natural shad or minnow color. Just be sure it has some pearlesence to it so can be seen. Seeing the bait and how it is working will let you know if you rigged it right. To be effective, the bait should randomly dart about with every twitch of the rod. If it spins or constantly veers to the same side, reel it in and re-rig it. It must be perfectly straight on the hook to work it�s magic. Try not to �overfish� the lure, especially with the cooler water temps you�ll be experiencing in the prespawn.
Fish these on a medium action casting rod spooled up with 12-17 LB mono. I use a 5/0 (for 6� baits) and a 3/0 (for 4� baits) Gamakatsu offset hook for these. They�re strong and sharp right out of the pack. Fish the bait around all forms of visible cover. Work it up to the cover and let it �die� down into the cover, then hang on! Make certain you also work any ledges, tapered points and other key holding areas in the vicinity of the old spawn beds. Start at about 8 feet and work shallower. Even if the cover is shallower, don�t hit it first, fish up to it. Strikes vary from bone jarring to a flash with a swirl. Sometimes your line will just swim off left or right. In any case, set the hook hard as if worm or jig fishing.
There are several ways to rig these baits. I most often used a weightless Texas rig with the hook point barely exposed. For a different look, try one of the hooks with the weight molded onto the shank. These hooks impart a nice wobbling action to the bait as it falls vertically on the pause. Sometimes this makes all the difference. I have fished right behind other boats throwing the standard fare (spinnerbaits & worms) and caught fish where they blanked. If you want to keep the random action but fish the bait deeper, buy a box of small finishing or paneling nails. Insert one or two of these in the bait near the head. It�s much cheaper (and easier to fine tune) than the lead weight sticks sold for the same purpose. With a little experimentation, you�ll find the right combination of ballast needed to get the action you want. Yet another way to rig these is with the popular drop shot rig, though I�ve yet to try it.
I�m surprised more anglers aren�t throwing these baits. They�re cheap, effective and not that difficult to learn to fish. What more could you want? Give these baits a whirl, you�ll be glad you did once you hook that first hawg. See ya� on the lake. Remember, fishing is life!

Rob Brewer

Topwaters in Tidewater - by Rob Brewer

By May, the majority of bass are through with the rigors of spawning and the �lockjaw� often associated with the post-spawn period. The water has been steadily warming and that has been increasing the bass� metabolism. This all translates into more bites from our finned friend Micropterus Salmoides. From early May on through late fall, its topwater time in Tidewater. If you�ve never experienced a bass exploding on a topwater lure, you�re missing out on one of fishing�s greatest thrills.
Topwater strikes vary from explosions to subtle slurps. They just open up that huge maw and your lure silently disappears. Occasionally, bass will launch out of the water like a missile fired from a submarine and come crashing down on top of the bait. Often times, you can watch the bass swim up and eye the bait before he blasts it. Keep in mind any bass you can see can also see you. So keep movements subtle as you manipulate your bait. He is focused on your bait and will remain so as long as you don�t do anything to spook him. The most common problem with topwaters is seeing the strike and reacting too soon. Easier said than done, but wait until you feel the fish before setting the hook.
My topwater outfit is a 6� Mitchell Classic rod matched with a Diawa 5.1:1 reel spooled up with 10lb Trilene. This is going a little light in the line department, but I�ve yet to experience a break-off from a fish while fishing this setup. I like 10lb because it allows me to manipulate my bait lively and for it�s reduced visibility when the bait is paused. Someday, I�ll be broken off by a hawg, but I�ll chance that risk for more bites.
Nine times out of ten, my topwater choice is a Bagley�s Spinnertail Bang-O-Lure (#5). This a large balsa minnow bait that lands softly for its size. Don�t let the lure�s five-inch length deter you from using it. I use this bait for two reasons; 1) the lure is big enough to entice any lunkers lurking about. 2) The lure displaces enough water to make its presence known to any bass inside cover who can�t see it. I remove the factory treble hooks and replace them with Excalibur rotating trebles of the same size. I also remove the split ring because knots break too easy with the 10lb mono. I tie the lure on with a knot called a spider hitch, some of you may know it as a king sling. They�re both the same knot.
Don�t cast topwaters to cover like you would a jig or worm. Cast well beyond the cover and work your lure up to it. Crash the bait into it and pause it. This is usually where you see the strike coming, but expect to get bit at any point in the retrieve. Always work the bait in an erratic manner with various pauses and twitches. Avoid steady retrieves. The goal is to duplicate the writhing death throes of a wounded bait.
Always have a �follow-up� rod rigged and ready. Sluggo�s and jigs are good choices. Rig whatever gives you confidence, just be sure it�s not another topwater. Sometimes bass miss the lure or expose their whereabouts, but don�t bite for whatever reason. Throw them something different and most of the time you�ll hook that fish. My last bit of advice is to shy away from buzzbaits. They�re fun to fish, but everybody is throwing them. Add to that the number of missed strikes and the fact that you can�t pause a buzzbait, you�ll realize there are better topwater choices. Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Making Scents of it all - by Rob Brewer

Have you ever had a nice bass charge your lure only to turn away at the last minute? Perhaps you had one interested enough to follow but would not strike. Why does this happen? Maybe the bass saw you; maybe the bass saw the boat. It could be that you just plain stink. Not due to lack of personal hygiene, but that you are leaving some sort of a negative smell track on your offering. We all know that live bait emits an odor that fish find to their liking, but did you ever stop to think what kind of odor you may be emitting from your �scentless� lure?
The purpose of this article is to make you aware of what scents are good, bad or indifferent. Obviously, we�ll want to obtain the good ones and eliminate the bad or indifferent ones. Lets look at what research has already done for us.

Negative*---------------Neutral*------------------------Positive*

L-serine----------------Alcoholic-----------------------Fish oil
(human skin oil)--------beverages

Nicotine----------------Human---------------------------Fish guts
------------------------Urine

Petroleum products------Soda pop------------------------Fish slime
(gas, oil, WD-40)

Sunblock----------------Chlorinated water---------------Natural bait

Insect repellent--------Treated septic water------------Milk

Plasticizers used-------biodegradable soap--------------Human saliva
In soft plastics Manufacture

*Information obtained from The Scientific Angler, Paul C. Johnson, 1984, Charles Scribner & Sons, New York

Just look at the negative column! Are we setting ourselves up or what? The majority of us are introducing negative scents to our fishing whether we know it or not. Now that we know what we�re doing wrong, lets look at some ways to tilt the odds back in our favor.

Gas up your boat and vehicle the night before instead of on your way to the lake. Don�t decide to perform reel maintenance on the lake. Put on sunblock in the morning (at home) before you start burning. When you reapply on the lake wash your hands off with fish attractant such as baitmait, real craw or whatever brand you like.

Mix fish attractant with all of your soft plastics. Store all your soft plastics separate from other lures, believe it or not they will absorb the odor.

When applying insect repellent, be certain to wash hands with fish attractant when done. Use care not to get repellent on line, rod, reel or lure. If you can, avoid using it altogether.

Remember that not only is monofilament damaged by petroleum products, it absorbs their odors when stored in close proximity.

Remove about 50% of the brine in your pork baits and substitute with fish attractant.

Spray your reel�s spool (while full) with fish attractant. This will permeate your line and create a positive scent track.

Yes, all this may sound extreme, but I consider it attention to detail. Often it�s the little things that make big differences. If you haven�t already read Paul Johnson�s The Scientific Angler, I recommend you do. It will certainly give you greater insight to the bass�s world and the acuity of their senses. Fishing is Life.

Gone to Carolina (Rigs that is)- by Rob Brewer

Now is a prime time to resort to a Carolina rig. The dog days of summer, combined with low water levels tend to send the bass deep for a good portion of the day. Still beat the shallows with a topwater if you get out early enough. But as the sun climbs and the temperature along with it, consider probing the depths as part of your game plan.

While a crankbait may be more fun to fish, a Carolina rig will usually catch more fish. First, it stays in the strike zone longer, and secondly, it possesses that same subtle factor that worms and jigs do.

If you�re not familiar with a Carolina rig, its nothing more than a worm weight (or egg sinker) threaded in front of a glass (or plastic) bead threaded on the line before swivel. After the swivel comes a length of monofilament leader (usually 14� to 24�), then a worm hook loaded with your favorite soft plastic bait. Some guys actually rig crankbaits on Carolina rigs. I�ve never did it though. I think the bait would spend too much time sitting vertical against the leader.

A variety of lures will work for Carolina rigs. I favor the Riverside air series of baits. These are manufactured with a series of bubbles or air pockets in them, making them very buoyant. Ideal for Carolina rigs. You can be certain of keeping any bait off the bottom, simply by threading a foam earplug on your leader just before you tie on a hook.

My Carolina rigging outfit consists of a 6 �� Shakespeare IM7 Intrepid rod with a Daiwa procaster reel. It is spooled up with 24lb braided line. This is the only application where I use braided line. Since a Carolina rig is usually fished on a longer line than Texas rigs, the braid eliminates all the springy stretch associated with mono on the hookset. Plus, it holds up better against abrasion while dragging that sinker all over the lake bottom. The mono leader serves a threefold purpose.
1) It keeps the bait up off the bottom.
2) It acts as a shock absorber.
3) It hides the fact that there is actually a line attached to that piece of plastic Mr. Bass is about to ingest.

Always use a heavy sinker when Carolina rigging. The key is to stay in contact with the bottom at all times. I usually use a � ounce sinker, but will up the weight to as much as 1 ounce depending on wind, depth fishing and other conditions. Another key is fishing on a hard bottom. Bass seem to like hard bottoms; also you can feel what is taking place on the business end of your line. A mucky bottom �swallows� the weight and makes it hard to feel what is going on. If you are fishing a hard bottom and suddenly it turns to muck, set the hook, that�s a fish!

Like Texas rigs, you fish the Carolina rig with your rod tip. Sweep your rod along horizontal to the water in 6� to 12� increments and wait for the �tap-tap� bite that you get when worm fishing. Fishing a Carolina rig is a different feel, but one you�ll adjust to after a few casts. When you do get a strike, take up all your slack and set the hook with a long sweeping motion. Accept the fact that you will lose some fish due to the very nature of this rig. I find the lost fish are directly proportionate to the length of the leader! The weight so far forward of the hook aids the bass in getting rid of it. Also consider the numerous angles involved with the actual hookset. Keep in mind when have a tight line, it�s only tight against the sinker. The bass could be between you and the sinker as much as the length of your leader. This is the reason for the long sweeping hookset. As a rule of thumb, try to sweep your hookset at least twice the length of your leader. That�s about the only �secret� to Carolina rigs.

Fish the rig along points, creek channels, humps and any other �bassy� structure. Basically the same places you wanted to throw that crankbait. Try probing the 8� to 12� depths when things don�t pan out shallow. For some reason unknown to me, Carolina rigs are good limit catchers but not a �big fish� catcher. I have never caught a bass over 4lbs on a Carolina rig and that wasn�t the norm. Once the bite slows on the Carolina rig, go ahead and throw that crankbait you were considering to pick up that �kicker� fish.

Lastly, pay attention to your sinker. Don�t reel it up too close to your rod tip. Remember that the reel to rodtip length is shorter on any rod that is bent or loaded up. If the fish comes unbuttoned at the last minute, you could break your rod tip. When the weathers hot and the fishing�s not, go to Carolina!

Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Successful Catch & Release - by Rob Brewer

Most, if not all of us practice catch and release. We catch a bass, put him in the livewell or we release him right away when not fishing a tournament. We all do this because we hope to catch the same fish again later on. Our �not so secret� agenda is that he will be a little bigger next time around.

Research, acceptance and the practice of catch and release has increased by leaps and bounds over the last twenty years. Most tournament circuits require it and some have conducted extensive research on the effects it has on bass. I remember when everyone owned a stringer and success was measured by the number of fish hanging on that stringer. Fortunately, times have changed. Today�s angler is better equipped, educated and relentless in the pursuit of their quarry.

I have just finished reading Dr Keith A. Jones� (Ph.D.) book, Knowing Bass (Lyons Press, 2002). This article is in no way, shape or form an advertisement for this book. But I do want to give credit where it is due and I did learn a lot about bass from the research compiled to write this book. I want to share some of that knowledge with you. Dr. Jones is a fisheries biologist who has spent the last sixteen years conducting various experiments and research on bass (and other gamefish) at Berkley�s multimillion dollar research lab in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The book reads very scientific and might not prove interesting reading to a neophyte angler, but all you �bass junkies� out there would probably like it. I think you will find this book to be the most comprehensive available today with regards to what research has discovered about the senses and preferences of finned friend Mr. Bass.

Anyway, back to the point of this article. I want to share what I�ve learned from this book regarding the stress angling and captivity (livewells) place on bass and how to counter those effects so that we may achieve minimal mortality amongst our released bass. After all, why release them if they�re going to die? Wouldn�t it be better to just take them home and eat them?

Just for a moment, imagine you are a bass in one of the area lakes. You�re hiding amongst the many branches of a �blowdown� awaiting an unsuspecting morsel of prey to wander by. Along comes this fat, juicy plastic worm. As it falls down in front of you, you flare your gills and vacuum up the morsel. Suddenly you find yourself pulled from your hiding spot by some invisible force. You have no idea what is the matter, but instinct takes over and you fight for your life. You jump from the water, you sound to the security of the depths, but nothing is working. Eventually you are exhausted and must relent to this force. As you are pulled alongside this large rectangular floating �log�, a hand reaches down and �lips� you, removing you from your liquid environment. While you are suffocating in this semi-foreign environment, an angler is fumbling for his pliers or camera. After what seemed an eternity, you are placed into a dark, humming container, but at least you can breathe again. Little do you know, Now is when you will really begin the fight for your life.

When a bass is hooked, it�s survival instinct takes over. It experiences a hormonal change just as you or I would during an adrenaline rush. What happens is the bass� own adrenaline glands (yes, they have them too) kick in to high gear. This hormonal activity affects the entire physiology of the fish. It shuts down other biological systems like the immune system and feeding urge is suppressed as well. The adrenaline release has caused an increase in the flow of blood to the muscles and stores of sugar are released into the blood to provide extra energy. The side effect of this is a build up of lactic acid in the blood. This is caused by unusual increase in metabolism. The increase of lactic acid lowers the bass� blood acidity, which reduces the blood�s ability to absorb oxygen from the water. Obviously, this makes it harder for the bass to breathe. Remember earlier, when I said the bass is only beginning the fight for his life?

Well now it�s time to settle all those metabolic �debts�. First the suppressed immune system must kick back into gear. There are several infectious bacterias always present in the water and bass� blood. Without the immune system, the bass is a goner. The bass must now exchange through the water all the metabolic deficiencies it has incurred along with ridding the body of wastes and byproducts the body has generated during the fight.

Let�s take a moment and study the bass�s gills. We�ve all seen these bright red �strainers� on healthy fish. The reason they are so red is because you are basically looking directly at the blood in them. The membrane covering these things is only 1/10th the thickness of a human hair! Needless to say these are very, very delicate and must be treated accordingly. The membrane is so thin to allow gases like oxygen and CO� to pass freely to and from the blood. These membranes are so thin that water actually enters the bloodstream as well. The bass� kidneys filter out this water in the form of urine. A bass urinates more than 20% of its body weight each day. Included in this urine are wastes such as urea and ammonia.

Now here�s how livewells (sort of an oxymoron huh?) stress bass more than the fight of angling does. This is assuming you use a closed loop system of course. A closed loop system is one that constantly recirculates the same water over and over. While the bass is recovering from metabolic shock (in the livewell), it is excreting and leeching wastes into the water, while at the same time extracting all the needed electrolytes and oxygen from the water. Eventually the water in your livewell (though aerated) is becoming a hostile environment to the bass. As the bass consumes the needed nutrients from the water and secretes its wastes in to the water, it is essentially transforming it into an aerated waste tank.

By now, you may be wondering what can be done to improve the water quality in your livewell and ensure the successful release of your limit. The minimum you can do is exchange the water in your livewell every three hours or so. Still there�s more you can do. Some use livewell conditioners (such as Please Release Me). This is where the closed loop system shines. It allows you to control water quality as opposed to pumping it over the side. Now here lies a case for argument. You could say that open loop livewells constantly exchange water and bring in fresh nutrients while removing wastes. And you�d be right. BUT you cannot control the water quality that comes in and it is futile to attempt to do so since its constantly discharged overboard. Here�s how you can control closed loop water quality without purchasing livewell conditioners and still make the water quality better than that of the lakes. Fill an old nylon stocking with 8 ounces (per 10 gal) of rock salt (not table salt) and hang it with a ziptie on the spraybar of your aerator. This will replenish the electrolytes in the water and the bass will absorb them through the gills. The nylon holds the salt crystals and keeps them out of your livewell pump. You can sedate bass using oil of cloves (3-5 drops per 10 gal) and the effects wear off almost immediately once returned to clean water. This is the same oil of cloves we used for toothaches as kids. Lastly, you can cool the livewell water by freezing some water in a few two-liter pop bottles. Put these in your cooler with your drinks. They�ll act as ice in the mean time. Once you have a fish or two, put one in your livewell and it will cool the water gradually without putting the fish in shock. Following these three simple steps will dramatically increase your bass� chance of survival.

We have one more step to cover though, weigh-in. We certainly don�t want all this effort to be for naught do we? Did you know that 10lb of bass in a weigh bag (with 2-gal water @ 86�F) can reduce the oxygen level to less than 3ppm in only two minutes? Reach 1ppm (part per million) and the fish is dead. If you can, wait until the very last possible minute to bag your fish. If you have a huge limit, use multiple bags or weigh your fish straight from the live well. Try to keep handling to a minimum whenever possible.

As ethical sportsmen, we owe this to the fish and to the image of our sport, especially with all the fire fishing is receiving from the misinformed animal rights organizations lately. If we�re gonna do it, lets do it right.

Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Making Suspending Lures - by Rob Brewer

It�s time for a fish story. When I was around seventeen years old, a friend and I were fishing a stump field in a clear Pennsylvania reservoir. I remember it as though it were yesterday. It was one of those times when a light came on. And on it has stayed. I was targeting bass using a Heddon River Runt. I was catching a few bass, and every so often, a pickerel. Eventually, my lure got enough holes from the pickerel�s teeth, that it absorbed enough water to become neutrally buoyant. Instantly, my catch rate skyrocketed. Now every time I reeled up to a stump and paused, the bait just hovered in place. The fish would appear out of nowhere and slam it during the pause. I realized the bait now better mimicked the movements of actual forage. Ever since, I�ve had this affection for suspending baits and it continues to this day. Let me tell you, they�re not only for cold water bass! About the only time I won�t use one is when I�m cranking cover and I want a bait that will float out after impact. Over the years, I�ve tinkered with lots of lures trying to make them suspend. I�ve also destroyed several in the process. Here�s the voice of experience talking about what works (and what doesn�t). For the purpose of this article, there are three types of baits; floating, sinking and factory made suspending models. I don�t really like too many factory made suspending lures. I don�t know if it�s the manufacturing process or what, but rarely do they suspend to my standards. I find they either sink or float. Granted, it will be very slow, but I want it to hover in place. Because it�s easier to sink a floater than float a sinker, we�re only going to work with floating baits.
There are several lures that maintain original action and lend themselves to suspension modifications. To name a few, there�s Poe�s Cedar series, Bagley�s DB series, Original Rapalas and several plastic baits like Bomber A�s, Rebel Shad R�s and Excalibur�s Fat Free series. Odds are good one of these methods will work on your favorite bait too. Different baits require different methods, but some can be used on more than one type of lure. These methods vary from super simple to time consuming. You will need to make some sort of a test tank. Try an aquarium, bucket, bathtub or swimming pool. Read on, one of these methods should appeal to you. Heavier Hooks- Often, just changing to heavier hooks alone will make a bait suspend. If this works, great, because you can always restore the bait to it�s original condition. Be aware that you may have to experiment with several hook sizes to accomplish the buoyancy desired. Solder Wire- The addition of fine solder wire (.032 diameter) wrapped around the shank of the front treble�s shank is another removable modification. I use this diameter because it does not clog the bite of the hook, as thicker solders will do. When heavier hooks alone won�t work, start adding solder wire to the hook shank. You can also crimp a small split shot on to the shank instead. Suspend Dots/Strips- These are commercially manufactured by Storm Lure Company. These adhesive backed weights and strips are yet another removable modification. You can fine-tune these with a few strokes of a file. The draw back with these is the possibility of them falling off with heavy use and their lack of adhesion to some baits.
Drilling & Weighting- Here�s where things get tricky. Also there is no going back from this one. These baits are permanently modified. Don�t let that scare you. This method is for wood lures like Poe�s and Bagley�s. I suppose you could use this on a plastic bait, but I wouldn�t. Choose a worm weight and set it on the hook of the bait you want to suspend. Pick a weight that will sink the bait. Now remove the hooks and bore a small 3/32� pilot hole on the underside of the bait between the diving bill and front hook attachment. Poe�s baits are easiest to do this modification to because they use screw eyes instead of internal wiring to attach the hooks. You must be very careful not to foul the wire when drilling a Bagley. Now bore a hole in the pilot hole that is big enough to accept the weight, but tight enough to hold it in place with friction alone. Reattach the hooks and push the weight into the hole. Now test float the bait. It should still sink. Now remove some lead one file stroke at a time and test float between strokes. Once you attain the desired buoyancy, remove the weight and allow the bait to thoroughly dry. Once dry, reinsert the lead and seal with two-part epoxy or RTV. Drilling & Syringe- This is the method for the plastic baits like Excalibur, Bomber etc. The good thing is this is another reversible method. Remove the hooks and bore a small 1/16� hole in the top center of the lure�s air cavity. Using a hypodermic needle, inject some water into the cavity. Plug the hole with a round toothpick and cutoff almost flush. You will probably have to remove this a few times. Reattach the hooks and test float. Add or remove water until the desired buoyancy is attained. Now either cut off the toothpick flush or plug with a small dab of RTV sealant. To undo this procedure, simply pierce the RTV plug with the syringe and vacuum out the water or remove the toothpick and do the same.
If you take your time and don�t rush things, you can be pretty certain of a successful modification. Accept the fact that you may ruin a few lures if you attempt the drill & weight process. Otherwise, the rest are pretty simple and foolproof. If you do mess something up, try to learn from it so you don�t repeat it. Tight lines all. Fishing is life.

Rob Brewer

Backlashes and Snags - by Tommy (Fishin Bucky)

Every fisherman has to deal with them sooner or later, some sooner than others. In this article, I�d like to give some tips to dealing with these pests.

Backlashes: I can remember when I was first learning the ways of the baitcaster reel. Almost every one of my first 30 cast ended up in a Crow-Sized bird-nest. After a summer of �training� I could make 20-30 cast before I�d have to start �picking��.

There have been many sorts of products designed to help anglers have fewer backlashes. We all know of a popular Abu Garcia reel that said it could reduce the amount of backlashes with some sort of a bar thing to stop the tangles from forming or something. Well after reading numerous poor product reviews for it, I lost interest. Bass Pro Shops has produced a pick �pen� that can help sort through the mess with less trouble. I have never used one, but I�d like to own one to see if it works. The best tip I can give that I personally will use often and trust is the �cast-n-tape�, which is what I call it. First, find a heavy lure, about an ounce, and make the longest cast possible. Once the lure hits the bottom, grab a small strip of electrical or masking tape and place the strip along the length of the spool covering the line on it. Now reel back in, tie on a lure and start fishing. With that tape being there on the spool, if you are to backlash, the tangles would not go farther then the piece of tape, thus making it quicker/easier to get un-tangled.

Snags: �Ahhhh! I think I got a fish! Wait�..aw it�s snagged on something.� This line is very familiar to fisherman. Being an avid jig fisherman, I say it often. Let�s give three situations and some resolutions.

1: You are throwing a �weedless� spoon through some Lily Pads and saw some bass boiling in the distance. You get really excited and toss the spoon 40 feet too far to the left. As you reel in to make another cast, your line gets tight, oh no�a fish? Nope, you just put that hook 2 inches deep into a Lily�s stalk. When your done cussing� it out. You think, �Hey, those fish might still be over there, I better not use the trolling motor, but how will I be able to get it?� Well, there is one choice I can think of. First, don�t try to use the pole to get it back, instead grab the line, but only use it with 17pound test or more. Wrap you hand in a towel and then the line, next give steady pressure increasing every five seconds until it pops through, luckily the stalk pops, not the line. Or, just forget the fish and get your 3 dollar plus spoon.

2: You got a new crankbait and you can�t wait to use it on those monsters in Burnt Mills, etc. You tie �er on and heave it 3 miles into air and wait for the �splash�. Once it hits the water, you start cranking. Right as you feel bottom, those trebles snuggle themselves deep in a 10 inch thick sunken log. You pull and pull but that baby isn�t reeling up without some effort. Now this situation has two possible answers. First, try using a �Plug Knocker�. Just pop it on your line and let it slide to disengage it. Second, reel up the slack and grab the line between the reel and the first guide. Next pull back on the rod like your fighting a 30-pound Striper. Then pull the line back like a bow-and-arrow and release it while simultaneously pointing the rod right to the snag. After a few �pops�, it should become loose.

3: Like in #2, you toss the crankbait 3 miles up and instead of hearing a �splash�, you hear some leaves shiver. Well that wasn�t the wind hitting those leaves, that was your crankbait latching onto the highest branch of the 50ft Maple Tree on the shore. Well, you can only do one thing, cut the line. That baby�s gone. Next, just hope Bob�s in the boat to loan you a new one!

Tommy Richardson

Shore Fishing 101 Notes � by Tom Surles

I thought I'd give Rob a break and add my two cents. Being boat-less I do most of my fishing from shore. Simple as it seems, there are a few tricks to know. When walking around your fishing area, do so lightly and as far from the waters edge as you can. Vibrations will alert the fish and they can see you. Wear subdued or if you have it camo clothing (anything to gain an edge). Being you will move a lot, you'll want to downsize your tackle box. I found a nice little bag that will hold three stowaway boxes and you can sling it over your chest and shoulder, keeping both hands free. If you�re not using treble baits a fanny pack works great. Tackle is simple too. A couple of spinnerbaits, shallow and medium running crankbaits, a popper, your favorite plastics and a jitterbug. Say what you want, but those classics lures are STILL catching fish. Also always carry more than one rod. Murphy preys on those not prepared. As for where to fish, we are blessed to live in an area of many ponds, lakes and reservoirs. Some require permission, some don't. Never be afraid to ask someone to fish on their land .The worst they can say is no. As long as you keep things clean and don�t bring a lot of your buddies, most landowners won�t mind. DO the little things like offering to help with things it shows your appreciation. Remember no good deed goes unnoticed. One last thing, be prepared for anything. I have caught some big bass, including my personal best, from shore. Now grab your gear, get in your truck, and go fishing! Tight lines...

Bass-Jon's Last Updated 12 Jan 04