Bass Angler's Guide Print Magazine by Bass Angler Magazine

2 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

Fishing Web Sites

"BassFan"

www.bassanglersguide.com

by Tony Stoltz

P.O. Box 2611 Martinez, CA 94553 Office: 925-228-3474 / Fax: 925.229.5484 -------------------------------------------------------

Publisher / Founder Mark Lassagne

mark@bassanglersguide.com

Editor Hampton Kennon Art Director Clif Gallagher II

clif@bassanglersguide.com 801.577.9861

Distribution Manager Accounts Manager Randy Pringle

randy@bassanglersguide.com

Advertising Manager Postion Open

mark@bassanglersguide.com

Customer Service Sheri Pringle

cs@bassanglersguide.com

Accounting Cindy Jacque

accounts@bassanglersguide.com

Webmaster Marc Pinnell

Attention Readers:

Articles published in this magazine do not reflect the opinions of the Bass Angler’s Guide. We wish to thank all the contributing writers and photographers that made this issue possible. The articles in the Bass Anglers Guide are written by bass anglers and reflect the opinions of the writing anglers and not necessarily those of the staff of Bass Anglers Guide. Most of our writers are not professional writers; however, they are excellent anglers and have the ability to help you become a better angler. Copyright Bass Angler’s Guide. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the expressed written permission of The Bass Angler’s Guide is prohibited. The Bass Angler’s Guide cannot be held reponsible for any kind of un-solicited materials.

hey've given themselves an apt moniker on the BassFan website and that is,” The World's Most Exciting Coverage of Professional Bass Fishing!" BassFan.com certainly does everything it can to hit that mark. BassFan went live on the Internet in July 2001. Since then the crew has worked diligently to make themselves the industry leader in their coverage of tournaments and bass specific news. The site is so widely popular that it’s spawned other versions of itself for the walleye, in shore, and shotgun markets. Get use to clicking that mouse as BassFan.com is a link intensive website. From the front page of the site you can click your way through to what seems like a bottomless well of destinations. There are a lot of aspects to this website that make it one of the Internet’s best destinations for bass anglers. If you’re eager to follow the professional tournament trail in an in-depth manner, then this is surely a site you’ll have to have bookmarked. It’s got just about everything a fan of the pro bass tours needs. Tour statistics, angler profiles, tips and tackle reviews, and other interactive features make the site a haven for touring pro information. As most of our readers are aware, I’m always turning a spotlight on those sites that deliver multiple media streams on their website and, with BassFan TV and BassFan Radio, users get exactly that. Both delivery mechanisms are powered by today’s best and brightest from the pro tours. BassFan Radio has audio streams from what appears to be a who’s who of pro tournament anglers. The last set of shows features spots with Chad Brauer, Andy Morgan, Ron Shuffield, Clark Reehm, Tim Horton, Kevin VanDam, Bobby Lane, John Murray, Dave Wolak, and Marty Stone. All relevant information and coming from noted anglers from across the country. BassFan TV on the Internet got off to a healthy start with appearances from Bassmaster Classic champions Boyd Duckett and Mike Iaconelli. The only thing we’re waiting to see is if the good folks at BassFan intend to keep producing material for this part of the website. There has only been one new video added since the start of 2008. We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for more new videos to come. BassFan publishes several different areas that cover the News spectrum on the website. They have a marvelous news section of press releases and original content as well as editorial content that is often thought provoking but always very

timely. The Dock Talk sections run even more in the way of press releases from manufacturers and pro angler tips and information exchange. They were the first to engage viewers with such landmark areas as statistical world rankings of professional bass anglers and the first website on the scene devoted to daily and intense coverage of the world of professional bass tournaments. The BassFan World Rankings are the first and only statistical multi-year, cross-tour World Rankings of professional bass anglers, making them the most important stat in the sport of professional bass fishing. The BassFan World Rankings are updated after each tour-level event, including championships. One of the reasons why BassFan is so popular is because it has become a trusted source. The editorial policies established by Scott Laney and crew have made it clear to all that there is no bias to the reporting or editorials they publish. It’s nice to know that when something happens in the industry that there is one place you can go to and find an objective basis of coverage. They simply report facts. Sure they’ll give you the bonus reporting that includes angler quotes and interviews and the like. But they never try to put ‘their spin’ on what they’re reporting on and that’s refreshing. Top writers such as Jon Storm and John Johnson brought decades of experience with them when they joined the BassFan editorial staff and it shows in each and every page of the site. In addition to the in-house staff, BassFan uses knowledgeable freelance writers and photographers from all over the country. Also unique to this site and the industry is the BassFan Army. It’s a fishing club that anyone can join and costs absolutely nothing. Yep, it’s free! That would be music to my ears and my wallet. As a member of the BassFan Army one gets a chance to earn money, prizes and honors for fishing your local and regional waters in tournaments. Bolstered by product awards, giveaways and contests the BFA is just one more way to have fun fishing. Membership into this club includes the potential to be crowned the best ‘weekend warrior’ in the world at the BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship. If you haven’t already got BassFan.com bookmarked on your computer then you surely will want to now. It’s a place I visit on a daily basis and urge you to check it out. Considering that BassFan is widely regarded as the publication of record for the sport of bass fishing and the bass-fishing industry, you can always thank me later.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 3

Inside This Issue

Missed That Fish by Bill Siemantel

92 R.O.I. byAl Grout

Bassin’ Unplugged byAndy Parsons

03 Fishing Web Sites by Tony Stoltz

09 Missed Bass?

by Bill Siemantel

14 Bassin’ Unplugged by Andy Parsons

16 Quagga Cleaning by Bill Hutcheson

28 Decisions

by Dan Johnson

30 Flick Shake

by David Swendseid

34 Moses Lake On Location

36 Just Get Bit

by Tony Franceschi

20 Night Fishing II by Larry Hemphill

38 Slowing Down by Fred Ward

22 One Giant Smallmouth

40 SO. Cal Adversity

24 Dead Water

38 Meet Our Pro Staff

by Bob Adkinson

by Garrett Mercer

by Charlie Weyer

26 Without A Swimbait

by Damon Witt

42 Broken Rod Tips by George Roth

Night Fishing II by Larry Hemphill

Quagga Clean’ by Bill Hutcheson

4 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

Dead Water by Charlie Weyer

Without Swimabits by Damon Witt

Summer 2008 44 Highs & Lows

74 Vacation Bass

46 Big Bass On Big Baits

76 Fooled Again

by Gary Dobyns

by James Fraioli

by Mark Lassagne

by Marc Marcantonio

50 Bad Luck Or?

by Marvin Burleson

52 The Five Keys

80 Eliminate Water by Jerry Fournier

by Jim Novotny

56 Lasting Impression

82 Water World

58 Summertime Patterns

84 Wake Up

60 Hot Summer

86 Forced To Finesse

62 Age & Adversity

88 Deflate Your Bass

64 Women On Board

92 R.O.I.

66 Pressured Water

94 Tournament Contacts

by James Smiley by John Harper by Ken Cook

by Larry Hopper by Linda Berry

by Mark Crutcher

68 Wacky Riggin’ by Mark Fong

72 Lake McClure On Location

by Vince Hurtado by Randy Pringle

“Wake” Up! by Randy Pringle

Women On Board by Linda Berry

Hot Summer Patterns by Ken Cook

by Mark Tyler

by Al Grout

Big Bass On Big Baits by James Fraioli

96 California Delta by Mark Lassagne

98 Classifieds

So Cal Adversity by Garrett Mercer

Broken Rod! by George Roth

Flick Shake by David Swendseid

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 5

Letter From The Publisher

he BAG (Bass Angler’s Guide) is on the move!

Our MISSION is to bring you the best bass magazine on the planet. With each issue you will see new and improved articles, graphics, pictures and content. Just like in fishing we hope to continue learning and we welcome your ideas for a better magazine. We work diligently to bring you the very best bass fishing information in conjunction with good quality pictures and graphics. In this issue we have upgraded our appearance using a perfect bound binding process (squared back and glued in the center) along with a higher gloss finish throughout. We have adopted a new distribution system with a more professional source in order to mitigate any of the delivery problems experienced by some folks with the last issue. Long Nguyen provided high quality fishing action photos for use in this edition and for that we are especially grateful. As a regional magazine with quarterly distribution, our focus is to provide information that you can use today. Additionally, our goal is for you to learn something from every article that will help you catch more and better

quality fish and have lots of fun while being safe and considerate of others along the way. Summer is an exciting time of the year with active fish, great top water action, vacations, warm days, lots of light and time with your family. Our angler/writers have contributed some great articles this issue and our sincere thanks goes out to all of them. Moving forward, you may notice more articles by and about women anglers. We want to include all facets of bass fishing and welcome more articles submitted by women. Fishing is my passion it is the source of my identity, and being in, around and about bass fishing is how I spend my life! I want to share my passion for fishing and I hope you enjoy this magazine because we created it for you. Your comments and input are always welcome whether complimentary, critical, good, bad or ugly. mark@bassanglersguide.com Thank You, Mark Lassagne Publisher

www.ebassfish.com B

illed as an online magazine dedicated to the future of women and fishing, this website has a clear mission in mind. To unite women anglers around the world and encourage them to live their dream, improve their skills, practice conservation of our natural resources and teach their daughters and granddaughters how to fish and keep their passion for the sport alive for future generations. Women anglers have fought many years for their right to enjoy and compete in a typically dominated male sport. Now we’re in an era where the ladies get every opportunity that the men have. Finally

6 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

women can strive to achieve what the boys have been and all the way to their own high profile tournaments circuits. eBassfish.com has all the bells and whistles you’d want from a fishing website including: forums, galleries, fresh article content, and more but from a woman’s perspective and with the focus solely on the ladies. With the advent of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour, websites such as this one gain significantly in relevance. We’ll try to keep up with the movement on the ladies side of our sport via this article space.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 7

JUNE 2008 Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Cascade Reservoir Casitas AC SC Team Castaic CA Bass Fed Draw Clear Lake AC Team Clear Lake AC CL SP Team Delta Ladd's CA Bass Fed Draw (dual) Diamond Vly WON IE Team McClure BB Berserk Team Snake Rvr Am Bass IDN Team

07 Cachuma AC CC Team

Pleasant Monterey Bass Team (eve)

Clear Lake FP N Team Delta Russo’s WON DR Team Delta Ladd's AC Team Diamond Vly AC Team El Capitan WON SD Team Havasu AC Team Hood Rvr Am Bass ORN Team Kaweah ABA BV Team Owyhee Jack & Gill Open Piru Am Bass GE Team Potholes, WA NWB Mardon Resort Powell Bull Frog AC NLP Team

Newcastle UT Bass Pro Am eve

Castaic WON SC Team Clear Lake ABA CL Team Delta Russo's ABA DR Team Delta Tracy Oasis Nor-Cal Pro-Am Diamond Vly AC Team Don Pedro WON ML Team Oroville CA Bass Fed Draw Powell Bull Frog AC NLP Team Trinity Am Bass SCC Team

Powell, Bullfrog UT Federation Team

Brownlee Am Bass IDS Team Casitas AC C eve Team Clear Lake eve AC CLN Team Conches AC CA Team Flaming Gorge, WY AB Bass RM Team Havasu 100% H Team Milner Snake River Open Moses Lake WSBF Draw New Castle, UT Am Bass UTS Team Owyhee Premier Bass Pine Flat FP C Team Pleasant Am Bass PN Team eve Roosevelt Jack AZ Bass Nt Team Roosevelt NBW AllStar Team San Antonio Am Bass PC Team Siltcoos AB Bass ORS Team Valley-Wide Recreation Charity

Conches AC CA Team Folsom Am Bass F Team Milner TBF Youth Championship

Owyhee Superior Bass SBFA Team Coeur' d'Alene IBFN Draw // Delta Russo's WON Bass N Pro AM

American Falls TBF Federation East Boardman Oregon BASS Fed Cachuma AC SC Team Castaic Am Bass SC Team CJ Strike Mountain Home Open Clear Lake WON VR Team Cure for Cancer Event Utah TBF Delta Russo's 100% WRL Team Diamond Vly NBW DV Team eve Don Pedro eve AC ML Team Elephant Butte Am Bass NC Team Isabella Am Bass IE Team Mead AC CR Team Navajo AC NM Team Owyhee TBF Federation South Roosevelt NBW Best Bet Team Shasta CBAF Team

Cachuma ABA CC Team Clear Lake WON Swimbait Delta Russo's AC SP Team Diamond Vly WON DV Team eve Don Pedro BB Berserk Team eve Jordanelle Youth Tournament Utah TBF Pleasant Am Bass PN Team eve Roosevelt Jack AZ Bass Nt Team Tri Cities Am Bass WE Team Willamette Rvr Am Bass ORN Team

Castaic AC Team Clear Lake WON Rookie Team Delta Russo's 100% DR Team Hood Rvr Oregon BASS Fed Navajo AC NM Team Oroville AC NC Team

Cachuma ABA CC Team Clear Lake AC Team Clear Lake AC CL SP Team Clear Lake AC SP Team McClure 100% ML Team Otay ABA Team Tri Cities Am Bass WE Team Trinity Am Bass SCC Team

Brownlee IBFN Anwo Open Team

Owyhee Superior Bass Fishing Accociation Pro Am 8 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT BASS MISSED YOUR BAIT? I by Bill Siemantel

t’s early in the morning as you hook up the boat anticipating a great day on the lake. The air temperatures are already hitting in the mid 70’s and you can’t wait to make quick work of the early morning top water bite before that day turns into that 100+ degree scorcher. You set out a half a dozen rods on your deck; poppers, spooks, buzz baits, and even a few of the big girls like the floating BBZ-1 and a Lunker Punker. As you are heading off to your first spot you can just feel that big bite coming! Your first cast goes over the corner edge of a large grass flat and before you know it a monster bass blows up behind your bait and you drop to your knees. Did you see that fish? Must have been 8 or 10 pounds! We have all been there before, but you should think twice before popping-off and saying to yourself, “you just missed a fish that would make staying out in the sun all day long worthwhile”. Why? Big bass don’t get big by missing too many meals. And in this scenario, that bass has hit his mark more that you would like to think. But before you can understand how that monster bass missed your bait, we need to go over a very important element that took years of studying (lures and bait fish) on the water to determine why these fish seemed to have missed your bait. Now that I have your attention, let’s talk about another piece of the puzzle that has never been addressed properly. The phrase “Match the Hatch” has a true meaning, even though this coined phrase has been around and used as long as I can remember, there are some key elements left out that are as important

a s just matching the size and shape of the forage that you are trying to duplicate. Picture this, you wanna play football? Go ahead and suit-up. You might have the size and shape to stand on the front line, but if your movements match more of a WWF Wrestler, things are not going to go the way you want them too. Bottom line is that even though you look like you are a football player, if you do not play like one YOU DON’T MATTER. Get It? What are we trying to do when we match the hatch? Color and shape is one thing, but where, when and why that bait is in the

water is the core of the Big Bass Zone (BBZ) mindset. Lets break down a school of shad from the lonely straggler heading across open water to find a hiding place, to the few that are darting in and out of the edges of grass lines, and finally the one that looks out from the center of bait ball wondering witch one of his buddies are going to be the next snack for Billy Bass. When we fish artificial lures, our goal is to create the illusion of realism by making our baits act as though they are real, not just look like the real thing. This in return will trigger bass into doing what they do best, and that is feed. Walking the dog with top water baits over grass produces good fish with great strike to hookup ratio. Would veewaking (slow reeling with no side to side action) that same bait over open water have just as good results? These questions can go on and on, and they should be asked every time you tie on a lure. The reason why should be very clear, “if you look like one, you better behave like one” Let’s pick one type of forage and break down the water where you could find them. Since it is summer time, we’ll use our little friend the shad. Let’s talk about places like Center Core (within the bait balls), Outside Edges (either bait balls, structure, or cover), and the one I always like, free swimming Open Water shad. Now finding shad will depend on your knowledge of the water you are fishing. Are they going back in the creeks, roaming the grass flats, or

holding over outside structure? These are some of the standard places you are likely to find shad. The next time you see a ball of shad or just a few swimming by in open water, take a few minutes and watch what they do. Understanding the behavioral patterns of shad from a bait ball to the individual pod of 6 weaving their way through the grass flat is very important. Your capacity to work your lure in a manner similar to the behavior of the baitfish will determine your hook-up ratios and degree of success. Step one, “Center Core” the closer you fish to the core of the bait ball the more you need to make your bait stand out from the others (1 lure vs. 500 real shad) you have

already matched the hatch (size and color), so working your bait with aggressive directional changes will not only create more flash and vibrations but your line will hit and damage the shad in front of your lure, forcing them away from your bait. The ripping off of scales will create glitter and flash and highlight your lure as a focal point for the bass to key in on. Step two, “Outside Edges” shad love to dart in and out of edges of grass, wood, docks, and bait balls. The shad’s erratic darting in and out of structure or even bouncing off of objects is the type of movement that bass expect to see. Think of the many times you have bounced your lure off an object and immediately caught a fish. Not only did you pick out the right looking bait, you also matched the proper movement of the baitfish in the key areas. Step three- “Open Water” how many times in open water have you seen 1, 2, or 3 shad just cruising by? They are just taking a nice stroll to the closest safe haven. When you see small baitfish vee-waking across the water in a straight line, the slow and steady movements of the shad are attracting more attention than they know. Replicating the actions of the shad in open water is just as important as your lure choices. Think about what the bass are expecting to see. Case in point, have y o u ever

walked the dog with a top water bait in open water as bass are busting all around the surface and for some reason you can not even get one follow? But, as you look 50 yards away there is this old guy in a boat just reeling (vee-waking) a 3 inch Senko across the surface and putting a bass in the boat on every cast. Do you see where were going with this? The key here is to remember that directional changes are a good thing, but only if you do them in the right places and for the right reasons. Additionally, the lack of movement may even play a bigger roll in areas that warrant it. You just can’t go wrong by acting like the baitfish, can you? Now before you read any farther go back to the top of the first section and re-read the second paragraph………..no I did not forget about it and after I tell you why you missed

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 9

JULY 2008 Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 01 02 03 04

Pleasant Monterey Bass Team eve

10 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

Castaic Am Bass FOCL Team eve Clear Lake AC CLN Team eve Jordanelle UT Bass Draw eve

I Cast American Sport Fishing Show

Saturday

Diamond Vly 100% DV Team eve

Bartlett Jack AZ Bass Nt Team Cachuma AC CC Team Delta Russo's AC SP Team Diamond Vly WON DV Team eve Elephant Butte Am Bass NC Team Milner IBFN TBF (South & East) Navajo AC NM Team New Castle, UT Am Bass UTS Team Pleasant Am Bass PN Team eve Takenitch AB Bass ORS Team Tri-Cities, WA (Columbia Point) Twin Lakes, ID AB Bass RM Team

Cachuma ABA CC Team Casitas AC C eve Team Diamond Vly NBW DV Team eve Lowell Premier Bass Milner Idaho Bass Hunters Open Pineview, UT Junior Bassmaster Scappoose Oregon BASS Team Open Silver Lake Am Bass WA Team

Sunday

Pleasant Monterey Bass Team (eve)

Delta Russo's Pro Teen Rally Navajo AC CA Team

Cachuma ABA CC Team Silver Lake Am Bass WA Team

Sutherland ABA Championship C.J. Strike Jr. Championship Coeur' D'Alene North Idaho Open Flaming Gorge Utah TBF

Delta Russo's AC Team Diamond Vly WON DV Team eve Isabella Am Bass IE Team Lake Walcott Federation C.A.S.T North Pleasant Am Bass PN Team eve Pot Holes WSBF Draw Prineville Am Bass ORN Team Roosevelt Jack AZ Bass Nt Team Walcott Federation C.A.S.T. East

Delta Russo's ABA DR Team Pot Holes WSBF Draw

Clear Lake Westernbass.com Rally Brownlee IBFN Federation Milner Superior Bass Pro Am Ute Sun Country

that monster bass, neither will you. The fish that swirl, crash, blowup, and even gulp behind your lures are hitting their marks more than you think. What most of us do not know is when we work our lures no matter if its in the top, middle, or bottom of the water column we end up having more company than we expect. No, I do not mean that 10-pound monster following your Buzz bait, but I do mean those 3 small shad that are tracking your lure. Yes, many times (especially in the summer and fall months) we end up pulling small baitfish from the cover and structure that we are fishing. Even those shad in open water are looking for anything that ups the odds of them not going down for the count. Have you ever seen shad track behind your buzz bait, follow in the prop wash of your spinner bait, tag along both sides of that crank bait, and here’s one for you big bait guys, ever have a smaller trout follow your BBZ-1 swim bait. These are the signs that you need to take note of when out on the water. When you

see fish flashing behind your baits, or even getting fouled hooked bass on your top water baits, are they actually missing your bait or running into your lure after they rushed the shad following it? Too many times I have seen fish key in on the small (no-see-ums) bait fish, and when they do, that is all they will hit. And yes, I have seen bass from 1 pound to 15-pounds pluck a 1inch shad out of the water with the precession of a skilled surgeon. So when you see those blow-ups behind that popper, spook, or buzz bait do you really think that they are missing your bait or are they eating the baitfish following your lure and have already made their ONE SHOT—ONE KILL?

Trophy Hunter. Bill Siemantel is sponsored by: Basscat Boats, Motorguide, Spro/Gamakatsu, Lamiglas Rods, Maxima Fishing Line, Shimano Fishing Reels, Robo Worms, Team Davies Drop Shot, Lindy Little Joe, Team Liftoff, Pro’s Soft Bait Glue, Bass Boat Saver, theBBZ.com.

Order his book “Big Bass Zone” online at www.amazon.com

For more in-depth details you will want to check out my book, “Big Bass Zone”. Available at www.stoegerpublishing.com or www.amazon.com Accomplishments: Bill Siemantel is co-author of BIG BASS ZONE (BBZ- the book), Bassmasters Tournament Winner, lure designer, Inventor, Fishing Educator and Noted

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 11

AUGUST 2008 Monday

Pleasant Monterey Bass Team eve

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Brownlee TBF Federation South CJ Strike Am Bass IDS Team Massacre Rock TBF Federation East Milner, ID AB Bass RM Team

Bartlett Jack AZ Bass Nt Team 09 Castaic AC Team

Clear Lake AC CL SP Team Clear Lake AC SP Team Delta Russo's FP N Team Diamond Vly 100% DV Team eve Elephant Butte Am Bass NC Team Owyhee Premier Bass Pineview UT Bass Draw Pleasant Am Bass PN Team eve Scappoose Oregon BASS Alternate Washington Am Bass WA Team

Sunday

Delta Russo's ABA DR Team Washington Am Bass WA Team

Morton Slough TBF North

Amistad Sun Country Coeur' d'Alene IBFN Qualifier TBA BASS Weekend Series Pro Am

Banks Lake, WA (Coulee Playland) Black Canyon Fed C.A.S.T. South Casitas AC C eve Team Clear Lake 100% WRL Team Delta Russo's FP C Team East Canyon, UT Junior Bassmaster Jordanelle, UT Junior Bassmaster New Castle, UT Am Bass UTS Team Willamette Rvr Am Bass ORN Team

FLW Championship Lake Murray

Pleasant Monterey Bass Team eve

12 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

Castaic Am Bass FOCL Team eve

TBA Top Stick Pro Am TOC

C.J. Strike West ID Fire & Police

Clear Lake WON Frog Only Diamond Vly NBW DV Team eve East Canyon, UT AB Bass RM Team Hood River, OR (TBA) Isabella Am Bass IE Team Owyhee SRB Hot August Nights Pend'Oreille Am Bass IDN Team Piru Am Bass Piru Team eve Roosevelt Jack AZ Bass Team eve

Folsom Am Bass F Team Pend'Oreille Am Bass IDN Team

Hood River NW Bass

Flaming Gorge Utah TBF Qualifier

Clear Lake AC CLN Team eve

Dove Season Opener September 1st

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 13

Bassin’ Unplugged A

All Photos by Mike Ayers

while fishing.

ll right, so you don’t own a boat. Money’s tight and your wife just had a baby and there’s no place to store a boat even if there was a boat, Mama already has plans for the cash. Been there, done that, maybe still doing it, but what are your choices? You can be a championship-caliber armchair angler or stand on the shore at the local pond and sling spinnerbaits into the weeds. Or…?

A growing number of anglers who don’t own boats are refusing to take “no” for an answer. Rather than remaining bank-bound or waiting for a friend with an open back seat to take pity on them, they’re chasing bass from float tubes, kickboats, and kayaks. Remarkably, they are catching numbers of good quality fish and having a fantastic time doing it.

Okay, maybe you won’t be fishing the Bassmaster Classic from one. But you also won’t be paying through the nose for gas and oil or running to a storage unit to rent boat space. This gear is easily transported in the bed of a pickup or roof of a car and can be stored in a hallway closet. What you will be doing is escaping the bank, sticking plenty of bass, and getting a little bit of exercise in the process. The Basics

Years ago float tubes were little more than glorified inner tubes, uncomfortable to fish from and with almost no storage. Today, even starter models come with tough, nylon covers to prevent punctures, plenty of pockets, plus the safety and comfort of additional flotation bladders in the backrest. A variant of the time-honored “round boat” is the “Uboat.” Their open fronts make entering and exiting the water easier.

Customizing Your Rig

Bass fishing with one or two rods and a pocketful of lures is a heartwarming idea and one all of us applaud. Actually doing it is another matter. Leaving 99% of your treasured gear in the garage is not exactly an enticing option, which is why so many humanpowered anglers have found innovative ways to trick out their rigs.

that come as part of a package deal with some tubes while others opt for higherend models sold at dive shops. Unless you want to risk a case of hypothermia, waders are another necessity. Neoprenes are okay, but for most anglers in warm climates, breathables are the preferred way to go. They’re durable, provide greater freedom of movement, and they’re plenty warm in waters down to about 50 F.

If the idea of finning around just doesn’t turn you on, consider a kayak. You can cover a lot more water than in a tube or kickboat, and they’re also drier and warmer. The biggest drawback is that it’s much tougher to hold your position. But, with practice, you can learn to cast with one hand while paddling with the other. And if Ms. Hawg bites in the process, go ahead and drop the oar,

Kickboats have surged in popularity over the last ten years. These rigs have twin pontoons with a seat in between, typically supported by a steel or aluminum frame. They can be powered not only by fins but also by oars and, in some cases, electric trolling motors.

There are two other things that you’re going to need if you want to give this form of angling a whirl. The first are swim-fins. Many choose the simple ones

14 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

since it should be tethered to your ‘yak

Rod racks are easy to attach - you can make your own out of PVC pipe or buy them off-the-shelf. It’s also a fairly simple matter to add a depth finder. You can attach additional storage bags onto your rig (think soft-sided worm and spinnerbait pouches). Some kayakers strap plastic milk crates behind their seats and lash all kinds of gear to them. Where to Unplug

One of the beauties of bassin’ off the grid is these rigs will open doors for you on big waters, farm ponds, and just about everything in between. Private lakes are a great option (although consider yourself fortunate if you can get on one). Many cities and counties have small lakes as part of their parks systems. And, surprisingly, great opportunities abound for the unmotorized at some of our larger bodies of water like the Delta, Clear Lake, and Berryessa. Where are some of these great, unplugged waters? Here are five top choices from Northern California:

5. Spring Lake - is near Santa Rosa and sees lots of pressure, but hasn’t been stocked with trout for several years. Fishing it isn’t for those with a low threshold for frustration. Its bite can be stingy, its weeds are notoriously thick, and if you’re looking for solitude – keep looking. Nevertheless, it consistently kicks out good quality fish of five to ten lbs every year on a wide variety of presentations, and, who knows? Maybe the overgrown daughter of the legendary 1997 Duclos lunker is lurking in its waters. 4. Lake Sonoma, Yorty Creek there are plenty of bass boats, wake boarders and jet skiers racing around this highland reservoir in northern Sonoma County. And yes, its public

FLOAT TUBE, KICKBOAT & KAYAK OPTIONS FOR BASS by Andy Parsons

launch ramp is a zoo on weekends. But guess what? There’s a cartop-only launch area at Yorty Creek. This arm has plenty of standing timber, laydowns and rockpiles, and bass up to 10 lbs to boot. Plus, if you’re the ambitious sort, you can paddle/kick your way into nearby Brush or Cherry Creeks. 3. Rancho Seco - don’t let the nearby decommissioned nuclear power plant scare you. No gas-powered boats are allowed at this 160-acre jewel situated 25 miles southeast of Sacramento. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (aka SMUD) sees that it’s stocked with trout from November through March. It has bass over 10 lbs. The anglers who love it try to keep it a secret. ‘Nuff said? 2. The Delta - is not a place most people associate with unmotorized boats. In some places, powerful currents, strong winds, and high-speed boat traffic in narrow waterways are legitimate concerns. Yet, it has out-of-the-way corners

with calm waters, easy access (if you don’t mind clambering down riprap banks), and possibly more 8+ lb bass than anywhere else in the good old U.S. of A. Interested? Check out Rock Slough, White Slough, or Whiskey Slough or give Brannan Island State Park a try too. 1. Clear Lake - is called the Bass Capital of the West for good reason - in the eyes of many, it’s among the top five bass fishing destinations in the world. What are not so well known are its abundant access points for small watercraft? There are free launch ramps at Lakeport, Rodman Slough, Nice, Lucerne, Redbud, and County Park. If you live within 200 miles of this place and you’re thinking of fishing anywhere else, the first question you should be asking yourself is, “Why?”

Tubes (www.bnt.com). Both clubs run monthly tournaments and have sites loaded with information, along with terrific forums where you can get answers to just about any tube-related question.

Andy Parsons is an outdoor writer and avid bass fisherman living in Santa Rosa, California. He has been published in BassWest USA, Bassmaster, Game & Fish, Bass Club Digest and the Bass Anglers Guide.

Want more information on float tubing? Check out the Sonoma County Belly Boat Bass Club (www.scbbbc.com) or Bass-n-

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 15

Passing Muster – Flying Through The Quagga Inspection Process B

By Bill Hutcheson WON BASS TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

y now, there is nary a serious bass angler in the West who has not heard of the Quagga Mussel or in some way, shape, or form, been impacted by its introduction into western waters. While the February 2008 issue of Bass Anglers Guide contained information about the Quagga itself, boaters are going to need to take their Quagga knowledge one step further and learn how to properly clean their equipment in order to prevent the spread of this menace. The Quagga situation is changing literally on a daily basis. With no uniform protocol established amongst the myriad of entities controlling the West’s various water resources, no one can tell what will happen when you reach the launch ramp. Some lakes such as Southern California’s trophy bass fishery, Lake Casitas, have taken draconian measures and simply alleviated the threat by closing the lake to private boaters. (At press time,

16 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

rumors exist that this closure may be reneged in favor of a boat check/quarantine system) Lake Cachuma has instituted a 14-day quarantine for all

incoming boats. Talk about other lakes in central California denying access to all boats coming out of Southern California also exists. On the other end of the spectrum, Lake County, home of Northern California’s Clear Lake has instituted a boat inspection for all incoming watercraft that is largely based on the honor system. Diamond Valley Lake also requires a mere questionnaire for fishermen who seek access to that body of water. And it’s not just about the bass crowd. Even destinations that do not cater to traveling hoards of tournament anglers are stepping it up. Crowley Lake in the eastern sierra is mandating inspections for all boats entering prior to this years April 22nd trout opener. Just as Americans had to adjust to increased security measures in airports after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, boaters are going to have to adjust the manner in which they clean and transport their boats from one location to another. And with the variety of different standards out there, the best way to insure that you will pass muster is to have your boat as clean as possible. Bearing this in mind, here

are the standards you should follow to pass a Quagga inLake Mead’s Callville Bay has state of the art Quagga decontamination system spection. With Lake Mead being ground zero for the Quagga incursion into the Western United States, the U.S. Department of 1) HULL – The the Interior through the National Park Service has purchased and installed a state of the art Quagga wash down system. hull of your boat Manufactured by Hydro Engineering out of Salt Lake City, Utah, this $200,000 unit consists of a 40-foot pad onto should be thorwhich boats and their trailers may be positioned for the wash down process. oughly washed Once the craft is in place, the vessel is washed down with a soap wand similar to what one would find in a do-itdown with soap, hot yourself car wash. The vessel is then washed down with a high-pressure wand that emits 160-degree water to rinse off water, and a 5% the soap. All water is reclaimed and run through special filters housed in a storage container. solution of chlorine or bleach to reWash down operators are specially trained to ensure the integrity and consistency of each wash down. Special aenmove any dirt or tion is given to those hard to reach spots and areas below the waterline where Quagga will tend to aach. Upon compledebris. If possible, tion, each craft is issued a certificate by the National Park service, which indicates that the boat has been properly decontaminated. a high-pressure hose like those An additional Hydro-Engineering wash down system has been purchased for the Temple Bar Marina at Lake Mead and found in a car wash should be assembled and operational by this summer. With the increased concern about Quagga spreading, various water should be used. All agencies throughout the west have been contacting Hydro-Engineering inquiring about systems that will fit their needs. areas of the hull You can check out their watercraft systems on line at www.hydroblaster.com must receive this Anglers who fish Lake Mead and are interested in utilizing the decontamination system may contact the Callville Bay same attention. Marina at (702) 565-8958 to schedule an appointment. Once complete, hand dry with towels a necessity for those who need to pass For those who might have an inand run your hands over the surface to through the California Agricultural board/outboard, follow the same promake sure that it is smooth. Veligars checkpoints cedure. When it comes to your motor – the planktonic form of the Quagga 3) MOTOR – Since most of us do not however, you will need to pay special will feel rough to the touch. If your have access to hot water to flush our attention to cleaning the bellows area hull has a sandpaper feel, this could engine, turn your outboard on for 5 where the hull and the motor connect. be grounds for having your boat quar- seconds prior to turning on the water Agricultural stops have found adult antined. running to your flush bib. This will Quagga in these areas and have place 2) BILGE – All boats should have allow the engine heat to make the boats, which were thought to be clean their bilge plug removed and drained initial surge of water flowing out in quarantine as a result. of water. Ideally, once you are done your exhaust ports hot enough to kill 4) INTERIOR – Make certain that with your outer hull wash, pour the re- any larvae in your engine. Upon your live well plugs have been pulled maining soap/water/bleach solution completion of flushing your engine, and your live wells are completely into your bilge and let it drain out, lower the unit so it may drain com- drained. Clean out your live wells with killing any potential “Veligars”. Leave pletely. The exterior of the motor the same solution, as you would use to your bilge plug out while transporting should be cleaned in the same fash- clean your hulls. Rinse your live wells your boat so that it may completely ion as the hull. thoroughly to make sure that there is dry. Having your bilge plug out is also

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 17

no remaining residue, which adversely affect your next catch. Use Sure Life’s “Catch & Release” in your live well not only to preserve your catch, but this stuff kills the Quagga as well! Other storage areas in your boat should be clean and free of debris. Make sure that your life vests are dry, your anchor rope is dry, and your rod lockers are free of detritus such as leaves and branches. 5) TRUCK AND TRAILER – The cleanest boat in the world can de denied if the back end of your tow vehicle looks like you just competed in a mud bog. Likewise, your trailer will also need to be in showroom condition if you wish to be waved through. Check both for vegetation, mud, and pockets of water. Clean in the same manner as you would the boat hull with hot soapy water with chlorine or bleach. 6) TRICKS OF THE TRADE – While the Quagga situation is serious and I don’t think any bass angler out there would knowingly endanger their favorite lake, there are a few things you can do to help circumvent ultra intensive inspection processes. These are not a substitute for proper cleaning

18 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

but they should help you to get waived through with flying colors. When it comes to your bilge, keep a spray bottle of bleach in your truck that you can squirt into the bilge prior to getting into the inspection line. If any water should drip from the bilge, just have the inspector stick their finger in the hole – once they smell the bleach and you explain to them how you cleaned your boat, they should be satisfied. Likewise, keep a rag or towel in your live well that has some bleach or chlorine on it. Remove this prior to inspection. When the live well lid is opened, the smell will be overwhelming and you will once again pass no problem. Just remember to run and drain your live wells to flush them prior to placing any fish in them. Outboard motors are notorious for holding water. Prior to getting in line, be sure to drop your lower unit to allow any excess water to drain out and then raise it back up. Always keep some extra towels in your truck. If you have a damp day or see any trickles of water coming from your bilge or lower unit, wipe them

down prior to inspection. Finally, if your boat has been dry and out of the water for 5 days for more, the Quagga issue should be a non sequitur, as they will not survive out of the water for this extended period of time. While I’d like to say that this will guarantee you entry into your favorite lake, other factors such as live bait and cooler contents may be viewed differently by each entity. Be sure to contact your destination in advance to inquire about any special regulations they may have for bait or cooler contents. The fact of the matter is the Quagga is here to stay and we are going to have to learn to deal with boat inspections as a part of our day on the lake.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 19

NIGHT FISHING FOR BASS PART II

by Larry Hemphill

fter our first “night fishing” article in the last issue, I’d like to get a little more in-depth to the how’s and why’s of night fishing! A couple reasons I like to night fish are: one, being a guide I can put my clients on some big bass that they would otherwise not be able to catch during the day light hours and two because it’s a lot of fun. Clients in search of better quality bass and possibly a trophy need to try night fishing! Large, more “educated” bass generally choose this quieter time to feed. The nocturnal hours are their favorite throughout most of the year. Even those finicky females post-spawn can be tricked into biting better at night when they are not quite so wary. Most tournament anglers and “weekenders” are long gone by the last hour of light and usually don’t start until after the first hour of light. These two one-hour periods are “prime time” for hooking a hawg. After many years of existence in the watery world, these big mature fish have figured out the most efficient times for effective feeding are at night and low light hours. During the day there is pressure by other anglers and something else you may not have realized is the water temperature factor. In the spring and late fall – you guessed it – the warmest water period is the last hour or two of day light, even more so on sunny days. Your lure should be in the water then! The driving force that fuels my passion for night fishing is simply this: an hour or so after dark, I am firmly convinced that every cast has the possibility of landing another giant bass. Under the cover of darkness, moon or no moon, every cast could be inches away from the biggest bass in the lake ready to suck in your bait! Yes, there are slow nights and even an occasional night when your only catch is the “skunk”. Nevertheless, everyone in my Ranger boat is watching his or her fluorescent line in the black light for that slight twitch. First time clients love the black light because their 20 lb test line looks like 200 lb test rope!! I love introducing folks to night fishing especially with the black light – it is as much fun for me as it is for them. Daytime fishing has lots of distractions – not so at night. We just keep castin’ and watching’ our line and waiting. Twenty years of night fishing has taught me that during the summer months the night feeding window opens between eleven and midnight. Total darkness doesn’t set in until after 9 pm and it takes a while for the surface temp to cool a bit and bass’ eyes to adjust. As the days get shorter during the fall, feeding gets progressively earlier. Also, moving in to late summer early fall the water temperature dynamic changes. The bass are now trying to

20 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

feed during the warmest water period (late afternoon-early night) in a body of water that is rapidly cooling. From the middle of October through mid December that last hour of light is best. A few examples of this outstanding window includes: a client on his seventh cast catching an 11 ½ pounder just 45 minutes before dark in late November…another time a friend and I caught four bass weighing over 32 lbs, again just before dark in late November. Clear Lake, known for a population of large bass, has provided many fruitful outings including these. In many parts of the country where the winter nights are not so mild, bass can be caught at night, even though the feeding period may only be an hour or two. As late spring and early summer evolve and water temps increase, feeding becomes later and later as bass seek cooler water and the cycle is complete. It is interesting to notice than a firstlight early bite can happen all year long – even in the winter. Many of us have caught one or two bass during an early winter morning and zip the rest of the day – even if it warms up some. Hmmmmmm! Years of fall and early winter night fishing have revealed to me a special “window” which is the most intense feeding period of the year. This magical time may last up to three weeks or as little as 10 days. Big bass are “in tune” with their environment and can sense an urge letting them know there isn’t much time left to beef up for winter. We don’t read much about understanding the importance of water temp in the fall. Here are some of my observations during the late fall season. The fall window opens when the water temperature hits 62 degrees and lasts until the water drops to 50 degrees. As the late autumn water temp drops to the 62 degree range, binge feeding is the order of the night. When the temp continues to drop from 50 to 45 degrees, fishing really slows as metabolism slows. But the size of the bass remains constant – if you get bit – it will usually be a good one! I

have learned through the years that the most negative number in bass fishing is 47. I have had many excellent day and night trips in 48 and 49-degree water. If the water temperature is 47 or below I’d rather catch up on my sleep than try to entice lethargic fish to feed. So, I always hope for a late, prolonged fall with mild October and November days. This condition causes the water temp to drop slowly, giving me several weeks to fish this 10 to 12 degree window. Sadly, some years this window is over in less than 2 weeks. An “Arctic Express” weather event means “doom” for late fall night fishing. One of the riddles of night fishing concerns the affect of the moon on night fishing. Does it or doesn’t it?! There are many theories espoused about the moon’s influence on night fishing, but I have not found many of them to be consistent. It seems local conditions trump the moon cycle. I have caught monster bass on every phase of the moon. Hundreds of nights on the water have shown me three strong relationships between moon phases and night bass fishing. Primarily, when I am fishing around the first quarter (moon) in the summer and early fall, and the moon sets or goes behind some hills is about the time that lunkers are lurking! In clear water the dark conditions appear about the same time as night feeding begins in earnest. If conditions are prime a warm, calm night – the bite can be awesome no matter what the moon phase is. I also found the bite to be good around 11 pm to midnight, before the last quarter moon rises. My personal best, a 14-2, was caught under the last quarter moon phase. As the moon gets higher the bite usually slows. I believe this is most likely due to the brighter moonlight and the water is much clearer this time of year. During the summer, night conditions are excellent during moonlight because the moon is low to the horizon. During the summer the sun is straight overhead at high noon. During the winter the sun is on the horizon and the moon is directly overhead. A low summer moon creates major structure in the form of long shadows (yes, shadows are structure!) created by above and below water rock formations, walls, trees, underwater bushes, and a Clear Lake favorite – docks. The summer moon is able to create long shadows, which attract bass, and therefore concentrate the bass. Try standing in a dark closet and look out into a well-lit room full of people, I am hidden but can see everything in the room perfectly. I feel totally secure and can size up the situation before I venture out in the room to feed (visit in this case)! This is how bass approach feeding at night. For example, a rock bluff will begin to have a big shadow as the moon passes over-

head. The bass will suspend until the shadow forms. All it takes is a four to five foot shadow for the bass to take up feeding stations. You may not have realized that underwater mini-ledges, outcroppings, and boulders will create their own shadows, allowing the fish to feed at several depths. But they do and I would encourage you to learn which parts of our favorite lakes have shadows and at what time of night those shadows occur. These areas should have deep water access nearby. If you are fishing the dark of the moon, you don’t need to “fish by shadow” because there isn’t any. Most folks love to fish during periods of bright full moon and most night tournaments are held at this time of month – as they should be. Bright moon nights are a beautiful outdoor experience and it is much safer to navigate. Though I love fishing all phases of the moon, my personal favorite is the dark of the moon. Most of the large bass my clients and I have landed have been fooled during the new moon period. Pitchin’ and flippin” are good techniques since many bass will be quite shallow. Rockpiles, humps, ledges, roadbeds, and walls are my favorite structures to fish during the darkest nights. Finally a word of caution, DO NOT venture out on a body of water that you do not know in the dark of the moon. Many people struggle with their sense of direction at night. If

there’s a bump in the night, SET the HOOK! We will continue the nightlife next issue!

Accomplishments: 40+ bass from 10 to 14 lbs 2 oz., He holds the unofficial Clear Lake record for a double limit (10 bass, 11/5/2001) of 76 lbs! Rated in the top 15 bass anglers in California 5 years in a row (Kramer's Top-40 California Bass Anglers). Featured top show speaker for the past 20 years Team-taught a series of advanced bass classes in Sacramento and Yuba City with Gary Dobyns for 3 years. He is also a featured writer for several major magazines and websites. Larry is sponsored by: Ranger, Evinrude, Lowrance, Minn Kota, G. Loomis, Shimano, Berkley Power Baits, Robo Worms, Rodstrainer lures, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Basstrix, Blade Runner, Snag Proof, Fish Hedz.

(Ceratophyllum demersum)

Coontail, or sometimes called hornwort, is a dark olive-green, rootless submerged perennial plant that often forms dense colonies. Leaves are relatively stiff, whorled with many forks and small teeth along one edge. The tips of branches are crowded with leaves giving it a “coontail” resemblance. Coontail reproduces by seeds and fragmentation. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates. The fruits of coontail are consumed by ducks and it is considered a good wildlife food.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 21

ONE GIANT SMALLMOUTH By Bob Adkinson

hat is the biggest Smallmouth Bass you’ve caught on the Columbia River? That is by far the most frequently asked question I get whenever I’m presenting seminars, speaking with clients or just talking with other Bass Fishermen. My first question back is “what do you considered a big Smallmouth”? To me, a big Smallmouth Bass would be five pounds or larger. I have caught several in the five-pound range, two over six pounds and one over seven pounds. However, I have only been fishing the Columbia River for 43 years now!!! If you are looking for the Smallmouth of a lifetime, the Columbia River is the place to fish. Below I will talk about what seasons and three favorite areas that can produce that one giant smallmouth. My personal best was caught on September 21, 2005, weighing 7 lbs, 5 ozs and in addition to that, my five best smallmouths that day weighed a total of 22 lbs!!! These fish were caught above the city of Richland, WA on old ugly by Big Bite Baits. After weighing, measuring and admiring her, I gave her a kiss and released her. However, I did have a fiberglass reproduction made of her and it looks great. In addition, I had a client on October 10, 2003 that caught a 7lb 2oz Smallmouth with a Pop-R on a Lamiglas XCS 663 rod in the Richland area where he also kissed and released her. (Kissing is necessary if they are your first or biggest one) Generally, there are two times of the year that are best for catching a trophy Smallmouth Bass. In the spring, when they are getting ready to spawn, and fall, when they are feeding heavily to put on weight for the winter months. I have done better in the fall when the water temperature runs in the low to mid sixties using a variety of baits. You don’t catch a lot of big fish at this time, but there is a good possibility of catching your personal

22 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

best Smallmouth ever!! The springtime can produce huge stringers of fish; consequently, I have many new and repeat customers that want to fish at this time. I had two clients on May 3, 2003 and we caught 86 smallmouth. 30 of them were in the three pound range, nothing big but really nice smallmouth and every one of them were caught on “OL UGLY”. One

thing to remember at this time of year is to release the fish so they can go back to their beds and protect the eggs. I have also caught big Smallmouth in the summertime up in the Hanford Reach area, which is the last free flowing stretch of the Columbia River. It is very beautiful, approximately 46 miles long stretching from Priest Rapids Dam to the City of Richland. Be very careful when fishing in this area, as the river can be hazardous to navigate due to the fluctuations in the water level and the shallow rocks in this area. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has conducted surveys in the Hanford Reach area and rumors have it that they have shocked Smallmouth in excess of 10 pounds. When fishing this area, look for sloughs where the Smallmouth can get out of the current to spawn. The current in the Reach generally runs between 8 and 10 miles per hour, which makes it of utmost importance to have a 36-volt trolling motor and be sure to have all batteries charged to the max. The water clarity in this stretch of river can be very clear and it’s possible to see the Smallmouth on the beds in 8 to 10 feet of water. One of my favorite baits to use at this time of year is a tube made by Big Bite Baits and the color is my only claim to fame, it is named after me and is called “OL UGLY”. I cast this lure when I see a bed and very slowly drag it into the bed. This generally will provoke the Smallmouth into a vicious strike trying to remove the lure. Another lure that works very well is the “Thug” made by Bass Kick’n Baits. I also cast these past the bed and very slowly drag it into a bed and hang on! A word of caution, when fishing the Handford Reach, be sure to keep an eye on the shoreline at all times. If the water level starts to drop, get out of the slough and back to the main river. Being stranded in the backwaters for a day until they raise the water

level back up is not something you want to do. Another area that produces big Smallmouth is the lower Yakima River where the river enters the Columbia. This is another area that is extremely hazardous to navigate yet very productive for nice fish. From the mouth of the Yakima, up river for several miles, there is excellent spawning habitat for the Smallmouth. This body of water is most from early April through mid to late May. Then the Smallmouth move back into the Columbia River for the rest of the year. There are always fish in the Yakima River but the bigger fish, for the most part, move back out into the deeper and cooler water of the Columbia River. One of my favorite areas to fish is the Crow Butte area about 30 miles below McNary Dam. During the week, it is unusual to see another bass boat in this area. There are miles of excellent smallmouth habitat on both sides of the river for the smallmouth to spawn. This stretch of river has much less current than the Hanford Reach; consequently, it opens up much more areas for the bass to spawn. I like to use a search baits (spinnerbait or crank bait)

to find the bass at this time of year, then slow down to try and catch the bigger females that are looking to spawn. The only thing to be concerned about on this section of river is the wind! This stretch of river flows directly west and the wind generally comes out of the west creating huge waves and dangerous conditions whenever the wind exceeds 15 to 20 miles per hour. Remember, always wear your life jacket and be safe. Good luck and hope to see you on the water. Bob Adkinson is a bass guide on the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers. He enjoys tournament fishing and is currently competing on the ABA, NW Bass, and FLW Tournament trails. He is the past winner of 2003 ABA Classic and has fished the Western Division of B.A.S.S. Bob’s sponsors: Nixon’s Marine Walla Walla, WA; Triton Boats: Evinrude Motors: McCoy Fishing Line: Bass Kick’n Baits, Kennewick, WA; Lamiglas Rods; Big Bite Baits; Finishcraft Boat and Auto Repair, Pasco, WA; Ranch & Home, Kennewick, WA; Northwest Marine & Sport, Pasco, WA; and Adkinson’s Guide Service. www.adkinsonbass.com

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 23

Photo by Jeff Schroeder

Photo by Gary Mortenson

ave you ever had the most “unreal” pre-fish experience where the fish treat your lures and boat like an underwater bass Mecca? When just about every cast causes a feeding frenzy and as the day goes on, the fish keep getting bigger and better. The fish gods are showing favor on you. Visions of big fish start swimming around in the corners of your mind. Finally, it’s your turn to have a big payday. Yes, my friend, you are on ‘em. Then comes the morning of the tournament. You race to your mother lode. Aaah, good, you’re the only one there, you whisper to yourself. Nobody else found your honey hole. It’s your day to shine. First cast. No bite. You cast again. No bite. Are you are in the same place as yesterday, yes? Cast again. The only movement on the water is your line, not even a bug. You check that fish finder. Yes, it’s the right coordinates. You give up more of your precious tournament time. Maybe just a few more casts and this is going to be your day. Something has changed. You are fishing in exactly same spot for over 30 minutes. Not even a snag! What gives? You know what? You are fishing “dead water“. You need to change your technique or location immediately. But how long should you wait? Just 24 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

y e s terday y o u couldn’t miss. This can’t be happening. Where do you go and what do you do? The first thing to do is not panic. Think through the process. How has the area changed? Did the water drop or rise? Did the temperature drop or rise? Is the wind blowing in a different direction? Was it sunny or cloudy yesterday? Do you have to slow down and change your presentation? It may just come down to pulling up the trolling motor and going to the next spot.

Ouch, it’s more frusby Charlie Weyer trating than getting a treble hook in your finger. I have personally experienced the “dead water” scenario several times this season. Lately it seems as though every lake has changed. Just when you think you have them all dialed in, bam, it’s as if you never fished the lake before. I have found that sometimes all I have to do is slow down. Slow way down. Almost like falling asleep slow. “Dead water” happened to me at the first FLW Stren Series Tournament of the year at Lake Shasta. I was on a good deep-water jig and Carolina Rig bite during pre-fish. On tournament day I pulled up to my first area and fished my technique and pattern for almost 2 hours without a bite. I was in bad trouble. I sat down in the boat, looked at my GPS and looked at my temperature gage. Water was 48 degrees, same as the day before, but no cloud cover and no wind. Where did the fish go? Deeper or shallower? I could not find one fish on my graph from 15 to 60 feet. Not even a baitfish. My guess was shallower. I totally switched from throwing a 7/16 jig to a Yamamoto 1oz Spider Jig to cover water fast

but slowly at the same time. Meaning the lure cast and drops fast but you can work it slowly. Time is of the essence. I started fishing right on the bank and in the next 5 hours caught 37 keepers in 5 feet or less water. It was January with 48 to 51 degree water temperature. The fish that I found had moved shallow with the baitfish. Usually it takes wind to push the bait into shallow but I think calm conditions and aggressive spots pushed the forage into shallow water. This seemed to happen within a blink of an eye. It’s crazy how fast things can change on the water. During practice on Lake Havasu in February, I was getting 15 to 20 bites a day. But on day one of the tournament, I pulled up to my first spot and only caught one fish, where the day before I got 8 to 9 bites. I scrambled in that tournament from shallow to deep spots to try to run my patterns and I was never able to figure it out. To me fishing “dead water” is the hardest to deal with because there are so many good fishermen out there and if you are not catching them, it’s over. I fished back east for 4 years. BASS Masters Elite and Open Tours, FLW Tour and Series, and have found that “dead water” fishing only gets you blasted out of the tournament by the anglers that keep figuring out where the fish move and staying out of “dead water”.

You also can be fishing dead water when you know you should be catching 3 to 5 pounders and you are fishing a technique and pattern that is catching 2 pounders. I had that happen at the FLW Stren event at Clear Lake last year. I had some sponsorship obligations and had a day and half of practice and caught bunch of three pound bass and after the first day I had twelve pounds and way down the in the standings and the next day I did 180 degree change and caught 20 lbs and 21 lbs the next two days. I went from fishing deep with a Carolina-rig to fan casting a Yamamoto senko and sight fishing. I also switched from the South end to the North end of the lake and went from fishing rocks to tulles. What a change, that was drastic, but you have to make those changes if you’re going to succeed. Once again, the best advice I can give you is not to panic and to think through the process. Ask yourself about the water, wind, and cloud conditions. Go with your gut. Do the best you can and don’t get discouraged. There will be another day to get revenge on those green or brown bass. The most important thing is have fun and enjoy this great sport because is it the best sport in the world. Good luck and good fishing.

Accomplishments: FLW Series,2007 1st Place Columbia River, Kennewick, WA, B.A.S.S. Bassmaster Tour, 2004 1st Place Smith Lake, Jasper, AL, Several top ten finishes between Bassmaster Elites and FLW Series. California Federation State Champion 2002 and to date, has over $350,000.00, in careers winnings. In production and coming soon, "Water Wars", a fishing show. He is also shooting a series of "Charlie Weyer's Instructional Fishing Videos". See charlieweyer.com for more info

Charlie is sponsored by: Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Yamamoto Custom Baits, Logisseal, Lowrance Electronics, Seaguar, Tackle Warehouse, Powell Rods, Robo Worms and EZEE Jigs

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 25

How To Fish ... Without A Swimbait!

By Damon Witt – Director of “The School of Bass”

was at the Sacramento ISE show recently and an angler came up to me with a very confused look in his eyes and said, “I have been listening to all the pros talk about Huddleston’s, Lunker Punker's BassTrix and Kong’s and heavy duty rods, line and new fancy reels. All I have is two spinning rods and a little bit of tackle. Can I still go bass fishing?” The question made me laugh. It really has begun to get out of hand with the swimbait craze in full force. Do we expect new anglers to fall in love with fishing when they feel pressure to go out and buy a thousand dollars worth of tackle, throw big baits all day with little or no results on any given day? How confused do new anglers to the sport feel right now? Whatever happened to the angler who just wants to go out and catch a bunch of fish? They’re out there. And they want to know how to do it. “Just give me two techniques I can use with the equipment I have to always catch fish, he said.” That’s one thing we as pros learn to do early on, almost always catch fish. But we also eventually learn to bypass catching numbers so we can find tournament-winning fish. We now try and look for five to ten good bites during the day. But if you just want to catch fish, what produces lots of fish, day after day in almost any condition that won’t cost an angler an arm and a leg to use? All I had to do was go back and look at my fishing notes from the last eight years to find the answer. I always keep track of how many fish I catch every trip and what bait and technique I caught them on. For numbers of fish it was not even close. The

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dart head and split shot techniques were the clear winners. For the two years I fished these two techniques the most, 2001 and 2002, I caught over 1000 fish each year. Even though I have moved away from catching more fish in favor of catching better quality fish with other power techniques, (swimbaits, crankbaits, jigs etc.) it answered the question. The Darthead

The Equipment:

Standard fare for dartheading is a 6’6” spinning rod, spinning reel and 6-8 lb test. For a rod is suggest a Kistler “Darthead Special” or a Dobyns Rods “701SXF” . The best reels are Shimano, Okuma, or Daiwa and for line the “new” Trilene 100%, Fluorocarbon. There is no need to go heavier or lighter on the line. Some will throw 4 lb test in really tough conditions but it is easy to break off and you will lose a lot of tackle. The Concept:

The concept behind the darthead is simple. Imitate a baitfish of even possibly a crawfish gliding or rooting around in a fish’s strike zone and it will get eaten. When fish get on the darthead bite it can be non-stop action all day. Even though bass will eat a darthead all year in almost any condition, there are times it excels. My favorite time for spotted bass is middle winter through pre-spawn. For largemouth, it is post-spawn until fall.

On spotted bass lakes like Folsom, Berryessa, Oroville and Shasta the darthead can catch huge numbers and quality on any given day. The key is where the fish are feeding and how you deliver the bait. It is better when the fish are feeding shallow: 0-25 ft. I have fished down 30 to 60 feet but it is slow going the farther down you get. I like to throw an 1/8 oz darthead with a 3/0 hook most of the time and it works perfect in the upper water column. (If I am fishing below 25 ft, I go to a ¼ oz head.) The fish will be feeding on pond smelt, shad or crawfish. Start with a baitfish color worm like the 4 inch Roboworm in prism Shad. If you do not get bit try a crawfish pattern like green weenie until you get bit. The first fish will tell you what you need to know. Really study the fish. Check the teeth, mouth, throat, belly and color of the fish. They will tell you what you need to be doing. If the teeth are sharp, they are feeding on baitfish. If the teeth are dull and the mouth looks beat up and red they are rooting around for crayfish. Look into the throat. See if there are any baitfish being regurgitated or crawfish antennae sticking out. Next look at the belly. Is it dark with red or brown hues or a bright pearl color? Darker colors indicate that the fish has been hugging the bottom. The lighter color will indicate that the fish is staying suspended above the bottom, maybe even out over deeper water. Next, feel the stomach. Is it hard like there are craws being digested or soft with baitfish? All these are clues that help tell you what they are feeding on and makes your decision on what color and size bait to throw.

Do this after each fish you catch and I guarantee you will become better at catching fish. Working the bait:

You cast the bait up toward the shore, leave the bale open and let the bait fall on slack line. The darthead will actually spiral down like a dying baitfish. Watch your line for any jumps of if it stops before you know it hit bottom. After that wait a few seconds. Just let the bait sit in case a fish followed it down and is staring at it. If he doesn’t suck it up there he usually will the first time you move the bait. After a few seconds lift the rid and let the bait glide a few inches. Big sweeps move the bait too far. Try to move the bait between 1-6 inches each time you lift the rod tip. If you are not getting bit after trying this just start shaking the bait in place ever so often. This makes the tail of the bait really jump and can trigger the fish to eat. The darthead bite is often very light or just a pressure bite. You usually will not feel the tap or see the line jump. When you go to lift the bait, it feels like you are pulling up a wet towel. That is almost always a fish. Time to set the hook. Many huge fish have been caught on the darthead. It catches a lot of fish but you will get the big ones every now and them. Get into the zone:

Depending on the time of year, water temperature, and weather, you might find the fish right on the bank (0-5feet), in the mid zone (5-15 feet) or in the deeper zone (15-25 feet). Always start shallow and work your way deeper until you find the zone the fish are feeding in. Once you find where they are feeding and what they are feeding on you can dial in and catch a lot of fish. Watch your electronics. They will help you identify if there is bait in the area and in which zone most of the fish are relating. Often times you will see a lot of fish stacked in a deeper zone and find that you are catching them up higher in the next zone. An indication that that are holding deeper and only feeding when they rush up into the next zone to feed. The Split Shot

The equipment.

You can use the same tackle that you use for the darthead. But instead of the darthead, you put a split-shot weight, or my favorite a Mojo slip shot weight, anywhere from a few inches to a few feet up the line above the hook. For the hook use a 1/0 or 2/0 small Owner or Gamagatsu offset worm hook. A great bait to drag is a Pro Worm leech (smoke with purple flake), Roboworm (margarita mutilator) or any other soft plastic.

momentum with the boat. The key is keeping the rig on the bottom at all times and making sure you can feel it. You can also cast the rig towards shore or across a flat and drag it back but the key is usually keeping a constant drag and speed on the bait to trigger more strikes. Letting out enough line so that the bait is 20-30 feet behind the boat is usually best. The bait selection works just like the darthead selection. Working the bait:

The bait really works itself on the drag. The bait will move around enough from the weight hitting rocks. A slow steady drag is the best way to fish this rig. The split shot bite will either feel like a tap on the line or it will just load up. If you get a tap, reel towards the bait without putting any pressure on the line and then swing to the side. This gives the fish a chance to fully eat the bait and puts you in position to set the hook. If you just feel the rod start loading up without the tap, it is either a rock or a bigger quality fish. Let the rod load up and feel for the fish as its loading. If it is a fish, you will usually feel the head shake or the fish start to run. Set the hook. If it does not shake or run, drop the rod tip toward the bait and shake the tip. Often times this will pop the weight off the rock it is hung on and allow you to continue to drag, but be ready because this will often trigger a strike if a fish was following the bait. Getting into the Zone

Color and size is once again based upon what the fish are feeding on and what depth zone they are feeding in. If most fish are in the deeper zone (and that’s where your dragging) and the feeding activity is in the zone above that. You will waste a lot of time dragging the deeper zone and not getting bit. You have to drag the active feeding zone to catch more fish. Once you learn what zone to drag and what bait to use then you will have success.

So if you want to catch a lot of fish, without having to spend a ton of money, learn to fish the darthead and split shot rig. You will catch more fish than you ever thought possible.

The Concept

The split shot is a slow drag bait. Throw it out and slowly drag it behind the boat as you drift along with a light wind or by touching the trolling motor every few seconds to keep forward The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 27

e are sitting in the boat pointed toward the opening to swift water just waiting to make a move. Do we go right and head towa r d s t h e McNary and lock down? Do we go left up river to the area the H a n f o r d Re a c h ? O r d o w e g o right down river thinking about t h e M c N a r y b u t w i t h e ve r y i n tention of taking a hard look at the Snake? It’s a tough decision on this incredible body of water, the Columbia. The Columbia River demands respect in many different ways. First and foremost, safety needs your utmost attention. The river has no place for complacency, rocks, current, wind and big water all demand your respect. In this day of high tech mucho fast bass rigs you should have all the suggested safety devices recommended. (See Charlie Almassey’s article 2008 Issue 2, for the complete list) Not to scare anybody but you just can’t be too safe on this or any river for that fact. Don’t forget you’re Save Phace S.U.M. (Sports Utility Mask) that can really help out when things get nasty. May and June are normally high water months and can become difficult due to water conditions. These months are also a high activity period for smallmouth as they gorge on a huge abundance of forage provided by winter run off. Going up river can pay off in a big way during this time of year. But we are talking September / October here so we are heading the other direction. We decide to take advantage of the short jaunt to the Snake, plan “B”. We were thinking about locking down all the way, but instead are turning east and running the 10 miles to Goose Island just below Ice Harbor Dam. If they are releasing water, it could be just enough to stir up a little action. We might get on some top water stuff working about 50 yards above Goose Island. Pointers and Sammie’s work well here but for me I’ll be twitching a Rapala 11s. Typically, in the morning, you’ll

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Decisions by Dan Johnson

have some time of calm water before the Corp really starts moving water. During this calm period try the flat on the backside of the island. When they start pumping the water you can usually hear it before you see it. Then when you see what you are hearing you might think to yourself maybe it’s best to get out of here. Don’t worry; keep your wits about you and fish.

Yeah it’s a little eerie but you’re not close enough for it to hurt you. If the water was to move you about 10 miles an hour then maybe it’s time to scoot. But if you take a look at your GPS or the bank you can see you are only moving about 1 to 2 MPH or at the most 3 miles an hour so you’re in for a treat. Just make sure your trolling motor has plenty of juice. If the current gets up to 5 or 6 miles an hour maybe it’s too fast and plan “A” comes into play (Remember plan A?). When the current is in the 1 to 3 MPH range you can move to the inside of Goose Island and break out the jig stick. My very favorite rig here is a 3/8 football head with a 3/0 Gamakatsu hook along with a Yamamoto176 (Smoke Cinnamon) Super Grub. Get yourself situated in 10’ of water about even with the front point of Goose Island. The grass surrounding this area holds all kinds of forage. When the water starts to kick (flow) the critters start to move. It also causes some pretty awesome back eddies around the tip of the island on both sides. Smallmouths get up in that stuff and wait for the critters come by. Spinner baits, cranks and soft jerk baits such as Zoom Flukes, Super Flukes, the new Sniper 3.5 and the 4.0 Willow Shad can be awesome for catching these active smallmouths. Goose Island is a great area and there are better areas close by. After spending some time on the southeast side of Goose island move to the northern bank starting straight across from the island. On your way out cover the area you started with suspending jerk baits. This could pay off with a couple of nice smallies. The fish that choose to stay in the current on the upper side of the island are strong. Keep moving down the bank because your objective is to get to the north bank. Position the boat facing downstream. If the water is moving 1 to 2 miles an hour it's perfect. Pick up your jig stick and cast downstream maybe a foot or so off the bank. Watch your line because you may notice your bait swimming

by with a fish on it. The boat should be in 12 to 20 feet of water while casting into 2 feet of water or less. You can fish like this all the way to the Columbia River. It is quite the work out but it can be well worth the effort. When get to Strawberry Island fish the entire area. We drop shot a Sniper Snub or a Sniper Bolt for best results. Both are deadly drop shot baits. Tons of money has been made on these two baits on this water. If you decide to use the big motor in this area, be careful of submerged hazards and remember lots of damaged prop stories come out of there. Then if you haven't had enough, head back to where you started on the north bank and drag a Carolina Rig or Split Shot in the same water. Position the boat the same way letting the current drag you. By now your arm needs a rest anyway. A one to two mile per hour clip dragging a Zoom Lizard here won't give your elbow a rest. Sorry! All the bridge pilings hold fish on the downstream side. Just remember current is key. By now you’re hungry and tired of catching so many fish. Pack it up and head back to Columbia

point. Load the boat on the trailer and hit the room at the Courtyard Marriott to shower because you have reservations at Anthony's to dine. Columbia Point is easily one of the very best kept marinas and facilities in the country. If you are going to come here to fish you should plan on spending a few days. If you remember, I mentioned plan “A”. Well, plan “A” was to lock down but running by the Snake reeled you in. Tomorrow gas up and make the run to lock down through McNary and don't look at the Snake. Or at least try not to! Dan is sponsored by: Bass Anglers Guide, Sniper Lures, Save Phace, Nixon’s Marine

Be careful, have fun and explore! Dan Johnson

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 29

Flick Shake Japan’s Liquid Dance

by David Swendseid

hen it hit the West a few years ago, expressions like, Dude… Sweet.. Insane, Butter… Strictly Butter and Nice… Very Nice… all could be heard from the bow of a few privileged bass boats. The same accolades might be applied to the fluid agility and appearance of your buddy’s new Ducati motorcycle. These expressions have nothing to do with amazing Italian race bikes and all to do with the fluid motion of Japan’s liquid Dance called FlickShakin. Japan’s newest approach to finesse fishing is also known as Ichi –Wacky. It is the most potent finesse system since the Tsunek Ichi or the drop shot technique. Point of Origin

Much Internet chatter has taken place since the introduction of this rig in Japan’s bass fishing waters. Although, Japan can be credited with the refinement of the system, its birthplace is inter-

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esting. The actual rig originated in Korea. Be-

lieve it or not Korean anglers are subtle participants in the mostly American based bass fishing past-time. One of the Jackall Lure Company’s prostaff members, Takuma Hata, was introduced to the rig during its humble beginnings in 2004. Together he and Toshiro Ono, one of Japan’s top tournament anglers, began the refinement of the rig’s action. Mr. Ono is known throughout Japan as one of the most successful pro-anglers. In 1998, he captured the angler of the year (AOY) in the JP circuit (equivalent to our Bass Master Circuits). In 2004, Ono was the Bass All Star Classic Champion. In the 2006 season he was ranked 6th in his country. And in 2007, he won JP’s Top 50 event at Lake Kasumigaura. That win skyrocketed him to the number one professional angler position in Japan. If that is not enough, Ono is also Jackall Lure Company’s Vice-President. During the development phase Jackall’s pro-

staff members he discovered that worms in a fixed position offered a greater amount of movement. From their hypothesis, Ono and well-known Seiji Kato, Jackall’s President, determined a specific worm design was in order (one that would respond to hydrodynamics). Most industry professionals know of Seiji Kato because of his famous lure designs for companies like Daiwa and Lucky Craft. Old Song New Moves

In 1998, Seiji Kato gave us the little Japanese secret called Drop shotting. During a tough Bassmaster’s tournament, it was TV cameras that captured Seiji Kato in action using a “one- two punch” twitching a jerkbait and drop shottin to shoot him up the leader board. His two techniques were so infectious his pro partners pleaded for a quick lesson in finesse fishing. In fact, the top pro in that event kept his lead position by adapting Kato’s drop shot presentation. Some things never change. During the 2007 Elite Series Tour at Lake Amistad, Kato did it again, this time by Flick Shakin. The Jackall President brought a combined weight of 48-08 pounds to the scales. His 3-day total easily dominated the event. The system has also been part of the “go-to” arsenal for the Elite Series contender, Kota Kiriyama. Although Kota is slow to talk about the system’s amazing idiosyncrasies, he is now resolved to admit its unique effectiveness. Lead Dancers

“The leader” of the dance is a custom hook, forged and shaped to Mr. Ono’s specifications. The hook’s noticeable curve and gap allow for better leverage. “The hook, head and titanium weed guard placement is necessary for increasing hooking ratios and snag resistance”, explained Ono. At the forward portion of the hook is molded tungsten. The perfectly balanced tungsten head has been strategically attached on the shank just below the eye at a 90-degree position. This placement creates a better gap for hooking fish. The head also has no collar, which offers better balance and a tighter profile. Tungsten has several benefits over lead. It is more consistent in weight description. Lead weights can vary dramatically in size and weight. Due to frequent over-pouring, a ¼ oz lead head can sometimes weigh nearly 3/8th oz. The tungsten heads are considerably smaller more consistant and offer less wind resistance during casting. The follower of the early systems is the Flick Shake anatomy, which is created through an injection-mold process. Every bend, band and

curve has purpose to the baits ability to transmit unique motion. When anglers look at a plastic worm they view it from the head to the tail. The Flick Shake worm should be studied from the mid-section outward. This is where it draws its energy. The egg-sack saddle-area is perfect in circumference. However, when you follow the worm to the right or left you will notice the worm’s circumference changes dramatically. It becomes more oval or flattened in appearance. As your eyes reach the head portion you will see a thick area flatten with a slight curve. This area is responsible for creating heavy wave-like movements. At the opposite end or the tail region of the bait, you will notice a significant bend and distinctly tapered end. This portion of the worm is designed to create a tight, intense, vibration. The worm is laden with scent and salt, which disperses attractive aromas and flavor. Salt impregnation also adds weight and aids in casting the worm greater distances. Rehearsal Dressing this rig out takes seconds. To maximize the bait’s inherent traits and action the Flick Shake head and bait are joined at the egg-sack region of the worm. Simply by center-hooking the egg-sack you are ready to fish. A more refined approach is to skin-hook the bait. This is accomplished by threading the under portion of the worm just under the skin, eventually moving the point of the hook into its up-right position (see picture). Skinning the bait is not necessary, however it is a way to ensure the bait is centered in position. Line selections are important for this technique. They improve trajectory, casting distance, strike detection and simply keeping a fish hooked. The Japanese are meticulous about their lines. There’s a reason. By using line weights between 3 and 8 pounds you will keep in better contact with the bait and allow effortless manipulation of the rig’s motion. Our Asian brothers prefer lines like InvisX that are smaller in diameter yet are supple and maintain their tensile strength. Additional lines recommended are Daiwa, Sunline, and Toray. The newer Japanese rod actions will amaze

the American market. They are high-end, fast-tapered, lightweight, light action rods with impressive strength. These Japanese rods are specifically designed for this technique and will hopefully reach the US soon. Lake Police and Jackall have designed a special Ichi Wacky Rod that may appear at the 2008 ICAST Show. However, if you haven’t been exposed to these rods, you will do fine using a medium action finesse rod. Rod lengths from 6 to 7 feet provide the necessary leverage. When using light line, a spinning reel with an excellent line carrier and drag system is essential. Unfortunately, many small diameter lines find their way into spinning reel bail systems, binding the reel, and eventually shearing the line. Be watchful of the line in the reel and close the bail by hand to prevent such problems. The Liquid Dance

To describe what Flick Shakin looks like in water is difficult. What is clearly evident is its ability to captivate the attention of the fish. The rig’s movement gives the illusion of escaping encapsulated energy bursting with intense intermittent disturbed dances, with no apparent controlled modulation. Did you get that? Editors

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 31

Translation: meaning it looks good and will catch fish…… It can be used for fishing on the bottom (rock piles, clay, sand or lay-downs) or along weedlines, docks or steep bank angles. Suspended fish application makes complete sense once you observe it’s swimming and descending action. It is a very versatile fishing system. When working this bait in a shake and retrieve cadence you can see, at least four, various actions occurring simultaneously. As the tungsten head

is lifted and dropped by raising and lowering your rod -tip, the body of the bait rocks forward and backward, much like the rolling of a log. Second, a motion is generated mid-position of the worm, causing it to quiver. Third, as you retrieve the slack from your line the bait swims and pulsates. This bow and flexing is similar to a swimming action. Last, remember the curvatures created at each end of the bait? Each end begins to flap and vibrate. The larger end “thumps” to its own beat, while the opposite end flutters like

the wings of a hummingbird. These wag movements are accentuated when the bait is free falling. There are three basic methods to get you acquainted with Flickshakin: The moderate shake, the slow shake, and the “drop and wag” method. Moderate shaking is accomplished by casting the bait to your desired target and with the rod held between the 9 and 10 o’clock positions begin shaking the bait back to the boat with an even cadence. The bait can be on the bottom or suspended. The same is true for the slower shaking method. This is executed by slowing your shaking down to nearly a one-per-second interval. This is an excellent deep-water technique. When the rig is on the bottom the bait actually hovers above bottom, making the bait more accessible. The ‘drop and wag’ method is used for target fishing. Approach your favorite dock, pitch the rig out and let it descend. The ends come alive and suspended fish follow it. Making It Stick

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Learning how to set the hook on Flick Shake fish is vital. Please note if you are using 4-pound line, timing is important. When you feel the bite, immediately reel up the slack in your line like you were burning a bait. Once the line tightens and the rod-tip loads pull your reel seat to your chest while continuously reeling and keeping pressure on the fish. You are trying to ‘slide’ the sharp, thin, wire-hook deep into flesh. Popping

the hook or swinging aggressively through your hook-set will only warn the fish to release the bait or put undue stress on your line. When bass take the Flick Shake, they usually commit to it entirely, which reduces the angler’s concern about keeping the fish hooked throughout the retrieval process. Flick Shakin

Unlike the Texas-rig or Drop Shot worm, the Flick Shake Rig generates a greater amount of vibration and motion. This is due to the increase in

pressure waves. These larger wavelengths are transmitted across the entire body of the bait and into the surrounding water. There are several touring pros that know the Flick Shakin dance. (see Mark Tyler’s Forced to Finesse article) It is a technique that catches big fish and greater numbers of fish from pressured waters. Most pros are not going to speak of the Flick Shake advantages and why would they when in competition? This system will capture your imagination, strengthen your confidence, and while using its rather sensuous, fluid movements, will turn the former predator into your prey. Its potent action seduces most fish that see the presentations. Who knows what accolades you may have? FlickShakin is Japan’s liquid fish-dance. David Swendseid a collegiate soccer record holder and former professional player for the American Professional Soccer League. He holds 3 Angler of the year titles in the Northwest, Qualified 5 times to represent Oregon State Federation Team. David has to his credit an Oregon State, Smallmouth Bass Record. In addition, he has been featured in numerous national magazines and also introduced the art of Flick Shaking to American Anglers (a Japanese finesse technique) David is sponsored by: Jackall, Daichii Hooks, Seaguar Fluorocarbon, Professional Mariner Chargers, Stealth Charging Systems, Rolls Batteries, Bass Chow Hand Pours Stocker Trout Swimbaits and Yakima Bait Company

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 33

By Ben Hanes Northwest Bass Pro Staff

MOSES LAKE WASHINGTON M

oses Lake, located in beautiful Grant County within Washington State. The lake was originally formed by water being diverted from the Columbia River to irrigate the otherwise dry desert of Eastern Washington. The lake is positioned in the central-most portion of the state. Although the reservoir was originally very shallow, after filling the impoundment in the early 1900’s the maximum depth of the lake has changed dramatically. The depth now has increased to roughly 36 feet. However, the average depth

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of the lake is more or less 13 feet. Moses Lake receives its water from Rocky Ford Creek, a continuation of the Columbia Basin Reclamation Project. The lower end of the lake eventually drains and becomes Crab Creek. This relatively shallow reservoir spans approximately six thousand nine hundred acres. The landscape is fairly complex in shape, supporting three primary ‘horns:’ Lewis Horn, Parker Horn, and Pelican Horn. There are also several islands in Moses Lake. Among the largest are Crest Island, Marsh Island, Gailey’s

Island, and Goat Island. Unknown to most, however, is that Moses Lake supports perhaps the largest largemouth and smallmouth in the state of Washington. Aaron Echternkamp, a local guide and professional angler in the area, is well known for his prowess on the lake. He said the upcoming Nixon’s Marine Open tournament held in early May could take 32 pounds (over a 6lb average) per day to win. “Expect it take 30 pounds to even make the cut after day 1. The largemouths in this lake are huge. There’s not a ton

of them, but they’re big.” Aaron goes on to explain some basic principles of the impoundment, “There are very few major break-lines in the reservoir, so primarily look for the green fish (northwest slang for largemouth) in 3 to 6 feet of water. Any day that you fish out here you’re going to get a 6-pound largemouth, no joke. And if you’re after smallmouth in the spring, expect up to a 25 pound sack.”Say’s Aaron. The lake fishes big, meaning fish are all over. The main forage here is crawfish and bluegill. North Rocky Ford Creek, Airman Beach, and Crab Creek are all respectable places to start. Look to the tulles for largemouth. I like to throw white spinnerbaits and 5” Berkeley Gulp green pumpkin and red flake Shaky Worms. I also enjoy pitching a Berkley Power Tube with a 7’2” G-Loomis 854 Flippin’ Rod. I rig the tube Texas style, and no matter what you’re using, make sure to use a weight that is heavy enough to punch through the reeds and slop. Recently, the lake has experienced a surge in its population of smallmouth. With very few break-lines, it can be difficult to find a concentration of bronze backs, but according to Echternkamp, subtle breaks are the key. “If you find a break in the mid lake area, like around Everen’s Beach, in the 12-17 depth range, fish it. The smallmouth can sometimes bunch up in very minor drop offs; as little as a 2 foot break can make all the difference.” The local stick is great for cranking. He’ll throw

deep diving crawdad and perch-patterned crankbaits to these drops in the spring, and also use the same colored cranks for rock piles in the shallows and around the islands. Around mid May, most of the females have moved to deeper water, and anglers will generally find only males in the two-pound range guarding beds. Anglers should spend this time of year targeting fish where current flows. Where Rocky Ford Creek flows in, and Crab Creek drains out, are two general areas that are definitely good for smallmouth. During the summer, things really slow down, but you can still catch solid fish by fishing weed-lines, rock piles, and current. This lake is good all year around. Above all else, be careful, cautions the local angler, “This Lake is loaded with rock piles. They’re a blessing to fish, but aren’t fun to hit. Nearly all of the piles have floating milk jugs warning of their presence, but it’s still worth the time to be careful if you’ve never been on this lake. Besides, you’ll find a lot more underwater structure this way,” finishes the local pro.

Ben Hanes, the author, is sponsored by: Nixon’s Marine, Cascade Sign and Design, Columbia River Bank, and writes articles and is on the Pro Staff for Northwest Bass, the largest tournament circuit in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

Aaron Echternkamp is sponsored by: GLoomis Rods and Pure Fishing. Learn more about Aaron’s services www.easternwashingtonguides.com

(Chara spp.)

Chara is often called muskgrass or skunkweed because of its foul, musty almost garlic-like odor. Chara is a gray-green branched algae that is often confused with submerged flowering plants. However, Chara has no flower, will not extend above the water surface, and often has a “grainy” or “crunchy” texture. Chara has cylindrical, whorled branches with 6 to 16 branchlets around each node. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.).

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 35

Just Get Bit… Again! Summer Patterns

n the last issue, I addressed some techniques and concepts for increasing your odds of getting bites during the course of a day of fishing. In this day of busy schedules many of us are limited in the amount of time that we can spend on the water. When we have the time to spend a day pursuing our favorite little green fish we want to maximize our efforts, which makes it that much more important to get as many bites as we can. The article prompted many positive responses from fellow anglers and I began to think about how I could further address the topic of “Getting Bit”. What it comes down to is that there is one factor that I feel affects our approach more so than any other… Seasons. I will address the summer season here as it is just around the corner and can be one of the more challenging seasons to consis-

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by Tony Francheschi

tently pattern the fish. The reason is this is the season that bass move around the most. In the winter and fall bass will take up residence in certain areas and pretty much stay put unless they are pressured or their food source moves. In the spring fish will move into the shallows to feed and spawn and are easier to find in that compressed zone. How many times have you been in a tackle shop during your summer outing and heard other fishermen, or even your buddy’s say, “It’s definitely a morning and evening bite”. This is a perfect indicator that the fish are moving throughout the day. Their locations are predictable in the morning and as the day wears on these fish move, or reposition to make themselves more comfortable. My opinion is, contrary to what most fishermen believe, bass do not reposition due to the heat but because they seek safety and the ability to ambush prey. This

is why shade is so important during this sunny time of year; it serves two purposes, 1) bass are difficult to see when they are in the shade which keeps them hidden from predators, 2) because bass are difficult to see when they are in the shade it allows them to ambush approaching forage. Knowing this we should be able to use shade to put us on fish throughout the day during the summer rather than just relying on the morning and the afternoon. Here is how I approach a good hot summer day on any body of water. I typically like to target rock piles, humps and main points. The reason I like this type of location is because these provide less obvious shade targets than docks. Emergent weeds or bluff walls provide ambush points as well. Also, as fish begin to move I will not have to go far to find them again. I will usually begin my day by fishing the shal-

lowest part of this structure by casting topwater baits, shallow to medium diving crankbaits, spinnerbaits and the like, looking for the active and feeding fish. As the sun gets higher the bass will begin to move with the shade. Now the sun is creating shade on the structure below the surface of the water that is less visible and gets less pressure from anglers. I position my boat so the structure that I want to fish is between the sun and me (see Illustration #1). This positions me perfectly to fish the shady side of the structure with a deep diving crankbait, such as a River 2 Sea Hi Dep 65, and a tube bait. I will choose a crawdad or shad color for my crankbait and fish it on a Dobyns 804CB crankin’ rod with a 5:1 Pflueger President casting reel spooled with 10 to 12lb P-Line CXX CoPolymer line. The 8-foot rod enables me to make long casts so I can get the bait down and bump the structure in that patch of shade. The tube will usually be green pumpkin with a jig head weighing from 1/8oz to 1/4oz depending on the wind and the depth I am fishing. I tie the jig to 6-8lb test P-Line Fluorocarbon on a Pflueger Supreme spinning reel paired with a Dobyns 702XSF spinning rod. I like the fluorocarbon line because it is more abrasion resistant and sinks better than monofilament lines giving me more sensitivity and enabling me to fish the bait more efficiently. With this bait I like a very gentle and slow pull and drop presentation, keeping the bait on or near the bottom. As we get past mid-morning the sun gets even higher and the band of shade that I am fishing gets even smaller, so I will make another change to allow me to follow the fish. Now I position my boat so that I am between the sun and the structure that I want to fish (see Illustration #2). I also make slight adjustments to the baits I am going to use. I throw an even deeper running crankbait, such as a River 2 Sea Hi Dep 88 or a DD22, and I also use a dropshot worm and a shakey head set up. I throw these baits on the same setups listed above with the exception of using a Dobyns 701XSF spinning rod for the dropshot. By moving my position so that I am

now between the sun and the structure I should be sitting on the shallower zone. This allows me to make long casts to deeper water and get the baits down into a very narrow band of shade and keep the bait there extending the time the bait is in the strike zone. This is critical because if I was casting to shallow water and fishing to the deep zone, my bait would not stay in the now narrow band of shade near the bottom making my cast less effective. With the crankbait I always want to make sure that I am in contact with the bottom as most bites will come as the bait hits something and changes direction. With the tube and worm techniques I want to fish slow and always maintain bottom contact, varying the aggressiveness of the action that I give the bait. Generally a gentle action works best for me but I would recommend that you experiment to see what the fish want on any particular day. As the day passes noon and the sun begins to go down I will reverse these tactics and follow the fish back through their movements. It is a series of easy adjustments that will keep your baits in the zones where the bass feel most comfortable. Remember, these adjustments will work on any body of water and can be applied to rock piles, humps, points and even weedbeds. Why just catch fish in the mornings and the evenings this summer. Get the most out of your day by making these adjustments and by using these tactics you will catch fish all day long this summer!!

Tony is sponsored by: Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Minn Kota, Humminbird, Dobyns Rods, Pfluger Reels, P-Line, River 2 Sea and Costa Del Mar

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 37

SLOWING DOWN O

f all the articles I have written, this one, in many ways, is the easiest and also the most difficult. Twenty-five out of my 35 years of professional fishing, I have been known as “Fast Freddie”. First of all I always had an extremely fast boat, second of all I was always impatient, and third I always liked lures I could fish fast. Now at age 66, my obvious nickname has changed to “Slow Freddie”. I have slowed down because of Muscular Dystrophy, my age and my wisdom. There was a time when bass were simply stupid and the more casts you made and the faster you could get to different spots you caught more and bigger bass. With smarter generations of fish it is a requirement that we think more, slow down, and slow our presentation to contend with these highly pressured bass. ‘Dead sticking’ is a phrase commonly used and much overlooked. If you feel you are on a school of bass and you know they are there but they are not cooperating try dead sticking for up to a minute. By letting the splash of the lure diminish and letting bass in the surrounding area relax so that the next noise they hear will only be

38 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

something moving on the bottom can be very successful. Question is, “can you do it?” This old racehorse finds it very, very difficult. But someone who is very successful at dead sticking is Mike Folkstead. He is one of the most deliberate fishermen I know and he may only move his lure 3 feet in 5 minutes. A friend of mine, Pat Donoho, observed Aaron Martins in Vegas Wash making casts with a worm that lasted close to 10 minutes each. High-pressured bass simply do not want to see something coming from the surface. I read an article someone wrote about Skeet Reese who claimed his angler of the year status came as a direct result of a change in personal tactics. If I recall the article correctly, he said that he used to fish from daylight to dark every practice day but his new plan was to fish less hours and organize his boat and all his gear and go through a more thoughtful pre-fish. You could call this ‘slowing down’. Bottom fishing is not the only tactic, which sometimes requires slowing down. A lot of swim baits on the market today require a fairly fast retrieve or they won’t swim correctly. But I re-

by Fred Ward

cently designed some swim baits that swim very well at a slow rate of retrieval. Jimmy Houston loves to fish spinner baits fairly fast but just under the surface of the water. I feel the slow rolled spinner bait is by far my most effective method. Another method known since bass fishing started is top water fishing. Having the patience to let a lure sit for what seems like an eternity has always been hard for me. But I learned the value of a very slow retrieve while fishing Lake Baccarac in Mexico. Giant Mexican bass simply cannot stand for a popping lure to simply sit there; it drives them crazy and they attack it. So on your next fishing trip, think about some of these things. I know that many of you are like me and it is very hard to slow down, but try it for better results. I rather doubt Kevin Van Dam will ever slow down; he loves to run and gun and he is very successful at it. Good luck in your method of “Slowing Down”.

In 2008 we started a pro staff opportunity. These special anglers are ones who go the extra mile for us. They ensure the magazine is always stocked on the shelves and double as our eyes and ears.

Bob Miller

Roger Saraiba

Ron Howe

Dave Gorden

Area of Responsibility: Northern California

Kirk Sakamoto

Bill Cook

Stephen Leatz

George Copple

John Lancaster

Area of Responsibility: Northern California Fresno Area

Area of Responsibility: Southern California Bakersfield Area

Area of Responsibility: Southern California San Bernardino Area

James Smiley

David Swendseid

Dan Johnson

Area of Responsibility: Southern California

Brent Becker

Area of Responsibility: Nevada

Area of Responsibility: Oregon

Area of Responsibility: Washington State

Lance Lewis

Area of Responsibility: Central California San Francisco Bay Area

Area of Responsibility: Southern California Desert

Area of Responsibility: Southwestern Idaho

Marvin Burleson

Area of Responsibility: Bakersfield

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 39

hen people think San Diego, they often think of the beach, the sun, and constant warm weather. Now when thinking about fishing, people think of the big giant bass that are often caught out of these small lakes. We do have some big bass and great fishing at times; however, we also have big crowds. What people often miss is how pressured and regulated these lakes are. For example, there is not a single lake that I can fish in San Diego County on a Tuesday where I can put my 20’ Skeeter on plane. There is one small lake that is open seven days a week that is an idle only lake. Other than that, not a single lake is open more than four or five days a week, with the majority only being open two or three. The lakes open the access gates around sun-up and close around dusk. Regulation is an understatement here. The next issue is the immense amounts of pressure that our little ponds receive. With only a few main lakes in San Diego to fish, the lakes get an incredible amount of fishing pressure. The majority of the lakes have some sort of tournament every weekend, whether this is a local club tournament, or one of the five, team tournament, events. Between night and day tournaments, each lake always

40 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

by Garrett Mercer

has something going on every weekend. Highly pressured fishing lakes can be tough; it’s a part of life in San Diego. The problems arise during the summer months with water skiers and jet skiers on the lakes you can get up to speed on. Dealing with them is as tough as dealing with a wild bull, as you get no respect whatsoever while fishing. You can be twenty to thirty feet from the bank and have guys jet ski or wakeboard right between you and the shore, its part of everyday summer fishing in San Diego. Now I’m sure we’re not the only ones who have problems with this, I know the majority of you will come across this type of congestion at

some point. However, I would like to offer a few suggestions when fishing highly pressured lakes. My first and biggest tip is to try downsizing! During the pressured times of the year the fish are seeing a lot of the similar baits, but sometimes downsizing baits can show those fish something just a little bit different that can trigger that bite. What I mean by downsizing is instead of throwing big baits, on heavy line, try throwing some lighter baits, on light line. With the gin-clear water in San Diego, often times I’ll downsize to as light as 5lb Maxima Fluorocarbon. This is a very strong line, but very clear as well, and will reduce the visibility of your fishing line. For my bait choice, I’ll go with a shaky head. Using a Strike King 3/16oz head, matched with a 4” Strike King Finesse worm. I’ll match this with a DX 702 SF Dobyns Rod, which has a fast action and a light tip to feel those subtle light bites. Using fluorocarbon line and a sensitive rod is key in detecting light bites, and with no stretch in fluorocarbon, you feel a lot more bites when matched with a light action rod. The second tip I have is to fish something different! We all have our “go to” baits that we feel we can catch fish on during tough bites, but don’t be afraid to try something different. This year at the Fred Hall fishing shows in San Diego, and Long Beach I gave seminars about new baits and techniques in the ever-changing fishing world. For one hour, I discussed new

types of baits on the market, and how anglers need to be willing to step out of their comfort zone and try something different. We can all catch fish on drop shot, Texas rigs, or our standard top water baits. Why not try new baits that are on the market? For example, next time you’re considering throwing a spinnerbait, instead try a Strike King Pure Poison swim jig. This bait offers a little more vibration than your standard spinner bait, and is much more versatile. Instead of throwing a drop shot, try a shaky head. Why throw a super spook when you can throw a buzz jet? Instead of a large crank bait; try a 4.5” Strike King Shad-A-Licious soft swim bait. These are just some of the productive baits that are different from what the majority of the anglers throw. My whole point to this is to be willing to try something new or different for pressured lakes. So many guys throw the same thing over and over again, that just making a slight change, or trying something that most aren’t fishing can warrant excellent results when on the water. So next time your out there on a pressured lake struggling for a bite, don’t be afraid to downsize or try a new bait, step out of your comfort zone, and most importantly be careful and have fun!

Garrett Mercer is a licensed fishing guide and is sponsored by: Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Aim Marine, Strike King Lures, Maxim, Plano, Dobyns Rods and SdFish.com

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 41

I Broke My Rod … Now What? Part 1: Tip-top

by George J. Roth

ow many times have those words been uttered from the deck of your boat? There are few things that can happen on the water that can be more frustrating than breaking a guide or the tip on your favorite rod. When fishing a tournament, this scenario can spell disaster when a certain fishing technique is proving to be productive. Accidents happen. It could be stepping on a rod in an inattentive moment while maneuvering for a better casting angle. It could be that your Co-Angler was stowing his tackle and inadvertently shut the storage lid on the tip of the rod. Truck and camper doors also cause their fair share of rod fatalities. You are going to have challenges out on the water and being prepared will determine how well you are able to deal with those challenges.

1. If the hemostats are hanging to the side of the tip-top, their weight will cause the tip to rotate downward. 2. The glue will either begin to smoke or run out of the end of the tube. 3. When either of these occur, pull the tiptop straight off the blank.

Careful: At this point, the blank and residual glue is very hot and can cause serious burns to your skin. The blank adhe-

Tip-top: This is the most common repair request that I receive. It is also one of the easiest repairs to make. Knowing how to make this repair can get you back on the water in just a matter of minutes. Tip-tops may be applied to the blank with a couple of different methods. The “glue stick” is most commonly used on manufactured rods as it insures ease of replacement in case of tip-top failure. Here is list of the equipment that you will need to have on hand:

Step #2: Use the butane lighter to heat the tip-top. Be careful to direct the flame only over the metal portion of the tube. Don’t heat the finish covering the thread. Observe the tube closely and you will see a couple of things occur when the glue becomes hot enough to break loose.

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Step #3: Clean any residual glue from the blank to insure a good bond. This can be easily performed with a sharp knife or single-edged razor. Remember to move / drag the blade AWAY from you.

Step #4: Select the appropriately sized tip-top for your rod. The “tube” is sized in 64’s of an inch. A size “5.0” tip-top is 5.0/64’s. Most bass blanks will range from size 4.5 to 6.5. The heavier flipping sticks and mat rods may take a size 7.0 or even an 8.0. A properly fitting tube would fit the tip snugly, but not so tight as to squeeze out all of the adhesive when it is applied. I like the tip-top to go on easily…but not “wiggle” when it is in place. This insures there is some room for the glue to collect and bond the tip-top to the blank. The size of the “ceramic insert” is also taken into consideration when obtaining the correct size tip-top for your rod. Many rods today are constructed with the Fuji New Concept guides and utilize the single-foot guides on the tip section. These are most commonly BLAG-06 guides, with the “-06” signifying a 6mm ceramic insert. A corresponding tip-top would be the BFAT6-5.0, which also signifies a 6mm ceramic insert is used and a tube size of 5.0/64’s. (Tip-tops of various sizes are included in George’s Rod Repair Kit.) Step #5: Grasp the tip-top with the hemostats, being careful not to apply too much pressure to the tube as it could become crushed / oval and not fit onto the blank. For this reason, I grasp the brace wire with my hemostats. It must be held securely to perform the last steps.

• Replacement tip-tops of various sizes. • Thermal glue stick or 5-minute epoxy glue. • Hemostats (clamps) or needle nosed pliers. • Heat source, i.e. Butane lighter. • Sharp knife or single-edged razor.

Step #1: Grasp the tip-top with the hemostats or needle nose pliers. Lock onto the frame and let it hang perpendicular to the tip-top. This will result in a downward pressure being exerted to the tip-top.

cleaned from the blank to accept a new tiptop of the correct size.

sive is also softened so the tip bends very easily if the top is carelessly removed. If the tip of the blank does bend / break, it would be best to remove the damaged tip section. The blank can be cut by carefully rolling a single-edged razor or sharp knife over the damaged area. Once the damaged section is removed, resulting in a clean, strong tip, the thread and finish must be

Step #5: Use the lighter to heat up the tip-top, and then heat up the end of the glue stick. This will soften the glue, allowing it to be “scooped up” inside of the tube. Make a couple of passes to load the inside of the tube with the softened glue. When you are ready to apply the tip-top to the blank, heat the tip-top / glue slightly. It will cause the glue to bulge out the end of the tube. When replacing a tip-top in my shop, I prefer to use a 5-minute epoxy. I feel the bond is more secure and less prone to failure. What about using Super Glue? Sure, you can use it but the amount of heat required to break the bond is higher than that required with the 5-minute epoxy. The in-

creased heat could result in a higher incidence of blank damage the next time you must replace the tip-top. Step #6: Quickly apply the tiptop to the end of the blank. At this point, you should see the glue being forced from the far end of the tip-top as the blank is inserted. This won’t happen all the time, but it will occur in most cases. This is a good sign that you have enough glue to provide a secure bond.

Step #7: The glue will cool quickly, so make sure that the tiptop is aligned properly with the guides. So, what happens if it is crooked? Simple, just heat the tip-top lightly and move it into position. Doing this process will not weaken the “thermal glue”. [Heat will destroy the bonding properties of epoxy glue though. You will also have to remove any residual glue from the inside of the tube before mixing up a new batch and reapplying the tip-top.] Step #8: Once the glue has cooled and the tip-top has been correctly positioned, the excess

glue can be easily pealed away with your fingernail. If you used the epoxy glue, you can the clean excess glue with a paper towel and denatured alcohol. If there is a glob of dried glue within the frame of the tip-top, heat it briefly with the butane lighter and then it can be easily removed with a small pick or needle. Step #9: Go fishing!

Next issue…I’m going to tell you how to remove and replace a damaged guide. Along with being an accomplished rod builder George Roth placed 1st at the Idaho BASS Federation Qualifier and recently 12th FLW Western Series / Columbia River, he holds a Bachelors of Health Science Degree and a Masters Degree in Physician Assistant Studies. George is sponsored by: George's Custom Rods and Triple Fish, International (fishing line) See us at: www.georgescustomrods.com

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 43

HIGHS AND LOWS

ournament bass fishing is a brutal sport. You can do everything right and still get beat. Often it’s the fish that beat you. Other times, you come in with what you think is the winning bag only to find that somebody else was on better fish or just got lucky and caught a big one. The fact is there is only one winner. Some guys even say that second place is “just the first loser, but there is only one winner and maybe two hundred or more anglers are battling for that one spot. You may be on a roll and can’t seem to do anything wrong. You may even win a couple of backto-back tournaments. These times are incredible highs. There is just no way to describe it unless you’ve been fortunate enough to have done it. But on the other hand, maybe you tried to save fish and you get eliminated in an event or you lose the winning fish at the boat. Maybe you get on a bad roll and lose three or four big ones in a day. These are incredible lows. I have personally been through all of them. Winning is the ultimate high that all tournament anglers want to achieve. All’s good as long as you’re fishing good but a lot of the anglers can’t take the bad days. They’ll blame their partner or their equipment, any-

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thing but admit they didn’t get the job done. It’s much easier to get on a bad roll than it is to get on a good roll. I’ve seen a lot of guys get beaten up for a whole season. The ones who can’t take it quit tournament fishing. Any angler that has fished for more than a couple of years has gotten himself or herself into a slump one time or another. As with any sport, you will have your off-days and sometimes, the whole season is off. I think I’d jump overboard if I had to go through my 2001 season again. When you lose confidence in your style of fishing and your patterns, you set yourself up to take a beating. Many times you’ll start chasing someone else’s pattern and that never works. You usually just can’t catch someone else’s fish. The worst thing about a dry spell is that although your buddies are all pulling for you, there are always a couple of guys who’ll kick you when you’re down. During one of my bad times I had a guy come up to me at a sports show and tell me that he’d been worried because I was his only competition for the Ranger Cup boat, but now he wasn’t worried because I had obviously forgotten how to fish. This seriously motivated me and I not only won the Ranger Cup boat but I stomped him the rest of the year. Many anglers will start worrying about sponsors if they get in a slump. This is something that should not be an issue as long as you’re a good promoting fisherman. Sponsors care about sales and promotion of product. If you’re winning tournaments, so much the better. The best way to get out of a slump is to sit back, re-group, and go back to your own style of fishing. Most of the time, if you’re going through a

by Gary Dobyns

bad spell, you’ll discover that you are not fishing like yourself. You have to fish through the bad times. There’s no other way around it. There’s no shortcut. During 2001 I was chasing limits, and I sucked all year long. I was going from tournament to tournament to tournament. I was not getting any down time and I was going from one bad event to another. I finally got on a good buzz bait bite and got back to my old style of running and gunning, fishing fast, looking for bigger fish. 2002 was probably my best tournament year ever. I regained my confidence, was back on a roll and it was good times again. I like to throw reaction baits and fish fast and cover water. This style does not work for everyone. Figure out what works for you and stick with it, and you’ll do better. When you have a bad tournament, the best thing to do is just suck it up. Admit you bombed and you didn’t get the job done. There are always things to learn from even a bad tournament. Go on and look ahead to the next tournament. Another thing that really helps is to just go out fun fishing with some buddies. You don’t always get that chance, because sometimes the tournaments are one after the other, but don’t resign yourself to one ass whipping after another. Tournament bass fishing is a thinking game but first you have to beat the fish. There are just too many variables for anybody to win all the time. It’s just like any other sport: suck it up or quit. You’ve got plenty of chances in tournaments, and if you stick it out, you can fish ‘til you’re older than dirt, just like Dee Thomas! And he’s still competing well!

Gary Dobyns is sponsored by Ranger, Evinrude, Dobyns Rods, Diawa, Lowrance, MinnKota, Power Pro, Costa Del Mar, Yamamoto, P-Line, Robo Worm and Sawyer and Cook Insurance

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 45

BIG BASS ON BIG BAITS

f largemouth can inhale eight-inch rainbows or slurp down melon-size balls of shad with tremendous ease, many anglers believe offering the same colossal banquet the next time you hit the water can result in a bounty of double-digit size bass, if not the next state record. Eager to test the theory, I arrive at California’s Lake Casitas, considered by many to be one of the top trophy bass lakes on the west coast (note: boat access is temporarily restricted at Lake Casitas to prevent invasive species contamination. Boats stored or moored at Casitas can continue to use the lake. For more information, please visit www.lakecasitas.info). My fishing partner for the day is Los Angeles firefighter Bill Siemantel, who happens to be a leading authority on big bass. Two years ago, Siemantel and his team partner Mike Hart won the 2006 Western Outdoors News Bass Tournament on Casitas with a winning five fish limit of 34.94 lbs., shattering the WON Bass all-time weight record. Siemantel’s methodology is simple: If you’re looking for fish over 10 pounds, throw baits much bigger than the norm. As we motor through the impenetrable early morning fog that envelopes the lake, Siemantel explains from the helm of his 19-foot BassCat the phenomenon surrounding big baits.

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Story & Photography by James O. Fraioli

HISTORY OF BIG BAITS

“In the early and mid 80s, a handful of anglers including me were in our garages carving giant lures from pool cues and table legs,” recalls Siemantel, “but these baits were constructed for the giant stripers in our lakes.” In other lakes and reservoirs around the country, big baits were also being used for local striper fishing such as the J-Plug, the 7inch Redfin, and lead-head halibut jigs with trailing vinyl skirts often hand-painted to resemble trout. When Siemantel attempted to troll his handcrafted behemoths for the landlocked stripers, he made a startling discovery. “I started catching huge largemouth that took particular interest in my giant baits.” Soon, everyone, including Siemantel, went back into their garages and adapted their lures strictly for bass fishing. Not long after, big bass baits began to appear on the market. Baits such as Alan Cole’s wood jointed AC Plug, Worm King’s 6 to 9inch swim bait with external jig head, Optimum’s 7-inch internal weight swim bait, and the 9-inch Castaic wood trout bait. But not everyone was fond of the hulking artificials being launched from salmon and ocean sticks. During the late 80s and early 90s, many bass anglers

were still using very small lures, considered “finesse baits.” In California, finesse bait anglers such as Mike Jones, George Kramer and Don Iovino preferred the petite lures as a consistent and reliable method of catching bass, particularly in tournaments. “Those finesse anglers weren’t thinking outside the box,” says Siemantel. “If they did, they would have realized new methods for catching big bass were being developed.” Not long after those fishermen who heaved the giant plugs began sweeping tournaments did techniques on the water finally change. Big bait fishermen were becoming extremely efficient at luring big fish and pulling them in with oversize lures. When anglers Dana Rosen and Daren Tokihara caught an unbelievable limit with their giant baits during tournament play on Lake Castaic, big baits had finally hit the big time. By the time the 90s rolled in, most bass anglers had already made the switch to big artificials, leveling the playing field and spreading the wealth on American lakes. For Siemantel, his beloved devotion to big baits was solidified in the mid 80s through the early 90s when he studied the relationship between big bass and big baits. “Bass are mean, vicious animals that will attack just about anything from a two-foot snake to a foraging duck,” Siemantel proclaims, re-

ferring to bass as super-predators. “Therefore as an angler, you should not let the size of the lure intimidate you.” Siemantel, who caught lunker bass on a consistent basis and racked up 27 ‘Big Fish’ awards in the 90s, goes on to say that bass have no fear of exceptionally large baits. “It’s like walking into a room with a vicious toy poodle. The poodle may only be a foot long, but he’ll try to rip your leg off because he has no concept of size. Bass are the same way.” Soon, Siemantel’s big fish and big bait success led him to research and development deals with tackle companies eager to jump on the big bait bandwagon, which continues to this day. “Lure companies ask my opinion on various big bait designs and to field test their prototypes,” Siemantel says with a smile. “What I always tell them is to never be intimidated by the enormous size of the bait. There is ample proof that the only thing preventing a bass from striking a bigger lure is the unwillingness of fishermen to use them.” Today, almost every bass angler, particularly in tournaments, has a big bait hidden somewhere in their tackle box. For some, it’s all they use. For others, it’s what they use if all else fails. But one thing is for certain for every fisherman who uses one: big baits are scarily effective if you know how to fish them properly. GIANT TUBES VS SWIM BAITS

Siemantel positions the boat in an open stretch of water just off a narrow point. “Anyone can throw a big bait, but they won’t catch bass unless they understand how a largemouth functions,” he continues “Say, for example, Casitas has just been stocked

item. In this scenario, you want to stick with baits that resemble the prey the bass have been feeding on.” For Siemantel, he prefers to throw a Tiger Tube, a giant bait he developed for Lindy Little Joe, and which looks more like a bottom fish jig or something you’d troll behind a boat for Dorado or

with rainbow, which is often the case on this lake. Many anglers who hear this will tie on a replica trout thinking the trout bite is on, but they are making a terrible mistake. It takes time for bass, which have been feeding on a particular food source such as shad or bluegill, to switch over to a new food

skipjack. But observing Siemantel’s technique, the tube takes on a unique appearance. Siemantel casts the bait and retrieves it slowly while jerking it repeatedly, creating the illusion of a ball of shad darting and changing direction. It’s the size of the tube bait and the sudden directional changes that trigger

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 47

the shad-feeding bass to strike. Siemantel says there isn’t any lure on the market that is specifically designed to emulate a ball of baitfish, explaining why a large tube bait is ideal for imitating a ball of shad. While throwing the tube bait, Siemantel discovers he is getting very limited follows and commitments from big bass. It’s been several months since the trout were planted in the lake and Siemantel believes the bass have switched over and are no longer feeding on shad. Relying on his intuition, Siemantel ties on an eight-inch replica rainbow trout jointed in three sections, which he recently created for Spro/Gamakatsu. The imitation trout, named the BBZ-1 after Siemantel’s book, The Big Bass Zone,

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is a heavy five-ounce bait made from hard plastic. When asked if a tube can also be fished to mimic a trout, Siemantel nods his head. “If I paint a tube with trout colors and bring it in with a slow, steady retrieve, the tube, which is an illusion bait, will trick a bass into thinking it is following a delicious rainbow.” However, Siemantel points out that with technology on an angler’s side, why not fish with a more realistic trout bait like the BBZ-1 than having to redesign and reconfigure your tube bait? THE BBZ-1

The BBZ-1, which can be fished as a top water,

slow-sinking or fast-sinking lure, not only looks like a rainbow but it swims like the real thing – and for a lot less money than other giant swim baits. Siemantel, who considers himself a hard core weekend angler, chose to develop a lure that would be affordable for the everyday fisherman. “I’ve seen big baits priced as high as $200 and $300. I never bought one because I was afraid to use it, let alone lose it.” The BBZ-1, which is attractively priced at around $30, is extremely durable, stores well, and rarely foul hooks due to proper hook design. Siemantel says color choice really doesn’t matter, although the BBZ-1 comes in three different trout varieties. “Remember that just about every fish from a crappie to a halibut has a white belly. When a bass is coming in to attack, they see only angles, and will probably see nothing more than a long, white abdomen, which can be anything from a baby bass to a rainbow,” Siemantel adds. Testing his assumption that the lake’s big bass are now feeding on the stocked trout, Siemantel casts his big swim bait around the same key structures as he had fished with the tube – main points, ridges, creek channels, submerged islands and flats. To chuck one of these aquatic grenades, Siemantel uses an eight-foot Lamiglas XC 807 Big Bait Special that he designed. Attached to his power pole is a onepiece Shimano Calcutta 400 loaded with Maxima 25-pound mono. Siemantel favors monofilament because it doesn’t float as much as braided line or burn on the rod tip and rapidly sink like fluorocarbon, which also leads to foul-hooking the lure. Siemantel’s stiff yet balanced tackle reminds me of what I used to use back home in Washington State for salmon and steelhead, but Siemantel assures me the rigid gear is exactly what you need to fish these heavy baits and to set the hook with ease. OUT-FISHING THE COMPETITION

As Siemantel makes his casts, he visualizes the lake’s underwater topography to help him pinpoint spots where he believes big bass are holding. To help him get a feel for what lies beneath, Siemantel studies the shoreline and imagines what the lake would look like without water. He also keeps a weary eye out for isolated cover, such as rock piles, sunken tires, heavy brush and boat docks. The third element Siemantel factors into the structural equation are key elements that will enhance the particular structure or cover. Are trout or bait fish jumping?

Is the water calm or windy? Is it sunny or overcast? By understanding each structure, cover, and the components that accessorize it, Siemantel believes any angler trying to upgrade his catches will do so by focusing on these high percentage zones. “I’ll make a cast right off that rocky point,” Siemantel whispers from the bow, his right foot goosing the electric motor to guide us closer. He points to a particular spot offshore. “I got a fifteen pounder right there!” My heart thumps as I watch his big BBZ-1 hurl through the air before kurplunking beneath the surface. I can only imagine what runs through a bass’s mind when it suddenly bumps into one of these lumbering giants finning by. “Now watch,” Siemantel hisses. He slows his retrieve forcing the lure to swim lazily back to the boat. Suddenly, Siemantel’s rod jerks as something on the other end slams the bait. Feeling the weight of the attack, Siemantel sets the hook – hard – the tip of his rod bent over like the St. Louis Arch. The California angler smiles in delight as we both catch a glimpse of a large dark shadow through our polarized lenses. “Big fish,” Siemantel hollers as a strapping largemouth breaks the surface. I scramble for the net while Siemantel battles the brawny fish, which looks over ten pounds. “Well done,” I holler, patting Siemantel on the back while watching the bass’s frantic leap to throw the hook, but to no avail. It doesn’t take long for Siemantel to prove that fishing with the proper big bait on the proper structure, regardless what lake the angler is on, will yield promising results. By the time the sun reaches high noon, Siemantel lands two more big fish – a 12- and a whopping 14-pound largemouth – all on the BBZ-1 – confirming the fact that the bass in this lake are indeed feeding on trout. And how do we know proper structure and cover also came into play? Because we are in open water targeting key underwater points – albeit getting pounded by wind and surface chop – while the other anglers are hugging protected shorelines casting spinner baits and buzz baits into the reeds

without results. “They are not thinking outside the box,” Siemantel reiterates, stressing that it doesn’t matter how many days you spend with other anglers competing for the same fish, it’s the angler who tries something different and doesn’t rely on seasonal patterns that will give himself the advantage and out-fish the competition. In other words, don’t assume if it’s a hot summer day, big bass will readily hit topwater or only strike deepwater jigs when the water cools in winter. Relying on such philosophies can create long and unproductive days on the water. Instead, an angler should keep an open mind and break down each hole, regardless if he has previously fished the lake or not, by trying various baits until successful results are achieved. THE TWO STRIKES

“When retrieving big baits, you will encounter two types of strikes,” instructs Siemantel, controlling his lure’s pace, rhythm and speed – known as cadence – from the bow. “The first is when more than one bass converges on your bait,” which Siemantel calls the “Daisy Chain.” By jerking the rod and creating sudden directional changes, the attentive bass will turn ultra-competitive and the most aggressive fish will commit. The other strike, which Siemantel terms the “Funnel Attack,” is when a bass feels it is pushing the bait toward a particular structure or cover, such as the side of your boat or up against the shore. In this scenario, a bass will hone in on the bait and when the bass feels it has trapped its prey, a sudden directional change created by a quick jerk of the rod will mimic a cornered fish trying to flee and the bass will strike believing it has accomplished its goal. Siemantel proves hookup ratio will increase if you follow such advice by showing me another first hand demonstration. As if on cue, the prolific angler cranks in his eight-inch trout and an 11pound bass trails the bait a short distance behind. This time the bass won’t commit and I’m thinking the bass will shun away when suddenly Sie-

mantel jerks his rod and the bait makes an erratic directional change. With a thrust of its tail, the lunker largemouth races in and attacks the lure from the side. Moments later, we boat our fourth fish over ten pounds, which is followed by an aggressive eight-pounder. Wrapping the day with an impressive 55-pound five-fish limit – all caught on the BBZ-1 – we release our winning catch so they can fight another day. Pleased with the outcome, Siemantel smiles, tips his cap and concludes by saying, “If only the Western Outdoors News Bass Tournament was today.” Optional Sidebar: Big Baits

Swim Baits: Lures designed to resemble large bait fish. They cover the top, middle and bottom of the water column, and work well when casting or trolling.

Tube Baits: Large rubber skirted jig-like baits. Their purpose is to mimic balls of baitfish like shad. Tubes are most effective when casting, either at the top, middle or bottom of the water column. Wood Plugs: Large surface baits that when retrieved create a large wake, attracting wary bass. Plugs are often fished on the surface, but can be rigged to pop off the bottom especially in deeper water.

Note: When shopping for big baits, you will find many styles, sizes, weights and prices on the market. You must remember the bigger the bait, the more surface area in the water so hook placement is critical to landing big fish. Make sure the lure you choose has hooks that won’t get imbedded into the lure body when casting or have an adverse effect if a bass slams the lure sideways. There’s nothing worse than seeing a giant bass smack your lure and getting all plastic with no hook. Other points to consider is the quality of craftsmanship, how balanced is the bait, and does it swim naturally.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 49

BAD LUCK OR by? Marv Burleson

ecently my son and I teamed up to fish a local club tournament at Lake Pine Flat near Fresno. I was up way to early in the morning, you anglers know what I am talking about, two hours of sleep the night before, then a two to three hour drive to the lake. It’s February and with a bit of our popular Tule fog it sets the stage for what we anglers always tell each other…… come on you know the phrase “it doesn’t get any better than this”. I also have convinced myself of this as well, it makes it more enjoyable first thing in the morning when you are on the water. We got to the lake sharing all the fish stories on the launch ramp; everybody is admiring my new 20’ Skeeter boat with a 250hp Yamaha. They draw numbers for launch position; my son and I are first boat out, wow. With all the attention I received on the launch ramp and to top it off with being first boat out and getting to fish with my son I just knew this was going to be the best day ever. WRONG, we put the boat in the water and you guessed it, my boat would not start, seems my cranking battery was completely dead. Now I know what you mechanically inclined folks are thinking and let me as-

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sure you I did plug in my on board charger the night before. I tried to jump it across from my trolling motor batteries, but they did not have enough juice to start my outboard. So at this point everything was out the window and my game plan has changed. My ego was crushed and my self esteem was falling. At this point many anglers would have just loaded up and took it to the house. My

son looks at me and says, Dad I must be bad luck. Right then I knew that I needed to step up and demonstrate some leadership skills and turn this negative into a positive. I asked the tournament director to launch without us and as everybody launched I told my son that it was going to be a great day. I got on the trolling motor and fished the closest bank to the launch ramp. It just so happened that this particular bank had a little outcropping with a small tree on it. I know it sounds like this could be one of those spots, well as it turned out it was. We caught 18 to 20 keepers right in that spot, my son caught three or four and I caught the rest, what a day, one of the best days on the water that a son and his father could have. The water was like glass, clear weather and about 62 degrees. We headed in to the weigh in about one hour early. After wiping the boat down and spent some quality father-and-son time together on the deck of my boat waiting for the rest of the field to arrive. After all was said and done we finished second going from humiliation to one of the best times that I have spent with my son. Without a doubt it will be one of those days that my son and I will never forget. A lesson learned, life is what you make of it.

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 51

Five Keys To Clear Lake

by Jim Novotny

f you’re looking for a summertime destination that involves good quality fishing, look no further than Clearlake in northern California. Clearlake is indisputably one of the best bass fishing destinations in the entire Nation, most certainly in the west. The fishing can be as hot as the temperature is high. Clearlake provides the opportunity to catch great numbers of fish; I’m talking 100 plus fish days, along with the fish of a lifetime. Just ask Eric Smith, one of the owners and designer of the Baitsmith Swimbait. Last year he used his bait here to catch a personal best. My 12-year-old daughter and I fished our first team tournament together on Clearlake last August. We caught over 20 fish with the best 5 weighing in around 20lbs during a 6-hour tournament and we didn’t even come close to a check! Where else in the country can we still see double-digit bass caught during these “dog days” of summer? Clearlake is the largest natural lake wholly in California and boasts over 100 miles of shoreline with varying types of geographical, man-made structure and natural cover. For those who have never been, it might be best to break down the lake into three different sections. Up north around Lakeport, Nice and Lucerne, all the way down to Shag Rock is known as the “north-end.” This area is predominantly a round shallow bowl with lots of tulles, boat docks and aquatic vegetation like hydrilla and hyacinth. The area around the City of Clearlake, where Redbud launch ramp is located, could be referred to as the south end ranging as far north as Anderson Island and Windflower point. This area is dominated by deeper, clearer water, boat docks, and limited areas with weed growth. The Rattlesnake arm would be separated from the south end by Windmill point on the west and Glenhaven Reef on the east and runs all the way down to the Clearlake Oaks Keys. It also has the boat docks and tulles but provides lots of off shore rock piles and ridges with sharply defined breaks. When heading to Clearlake for some fantastic summertime fishing, the first thing you have to decide is how you want to fish. Due to the abundance of options available, it helps to decide whether you are there for the numbers or quality. While there is always the opportunity to catch the fish of a lifetime on any cast, the odds swing in your favor depending on what baits you decide to throw. Fishing north in the summertime may provide the best opportunity to bag numbers of bigger fish. They seem to stay shallow and when they decide to become active, you can really load the boat quickly. I like to fish the north end with reaction baits. The ‘Five’ most productive baits are a frog, spook-type walking baits, buzz baits, lipless crankbaits and a variety of flipping baits. These five techniques allow me to cover all the types of cover, match the mood of the fish and target all the locations that bass will be found while continuously looking for bites from better than average size fish.

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For frog fishing, the River 2 Sea frog has a keel shaped bottom, walks easily through the open water, and it has a good hook up ratio. I add two worm rattles to the bait for added noise especially when I am working it slowly over matted vegetation. This bait allows me to throw way back into the tulles at low light and swim my bait over the outside weed line and into the open water. When fishing weed mats, I look for those with holes and irregular edges to them. I especially like areas where the weeds meet something else. Whether it is hydrilla mixed with tulles or razor grass or if it’s wood sticking up through the weeds. Look for things that are different. Places where the fish can bust through and where there are multiple ambush points. White and black frogs score well depending on what the fish prefer at that particular time of day. I throw this on my Dobyns 705C or 735C and Sunline Super PE 56lb braid with a high speed Shimano Curado reel. The walking bait I rely on the most is a Super Spook with a Lucky Craft Sammy being a close second. These types of baits allow me to make very long casts into open water and around sparse tulles. They move enough water to draw fish from a long way away. I alternate between the two baits depending on water and weather conditions. The spook works better when fish are really active and there’s a slight chop on the water. The Sammy excels when the fish are a little less aggressive or the water is more flat and calm. Both baits allow me to pitch around boat docks and bang into the pilings as well as work the retaining walls and shade pockets from a long distance out. Color selection is based on water color with a translucent or natural color such as baby bass or okie shad in clear water and a bone colored spook or the chartreuse shad sammy in off-colored water. These baits are thrown using a Shimano Curado reel with either Sunline PE Superline braid in 35 lb test or Machine gun cast monofilament in 16 lb test. I want a line that floats and allows natural walking action and provides low stretch for solid hook ups. The Dobyns 733C is truly the ultimate “spook” rod. Great tip action with a long handle and good backbone for those long distant hook sets. One thing I do with my walking baits before they ever see any tournament time is change the hooks out to number 2 or 4 Gamakatsu trebles as well as place a feathered treble on the rear. Using a buzz-bait on Clearlake in the summer is usually not a numbers game. You may fish all day for 2 or 3 bites. But if you’re fishing a tournament, those fish will stay with you all the way to the stage. There’s just something about the noise and commotion of a buzzbait big fish just can’t stand. When I throw a buzzbait on Clearlake, the bigger, louder, and more water moved,

the better. I find myself throwing big Bulldog 4 wing buzz baits or a good quality double spin with a large senko or super fluke for my trailer. This bait is thrown on a Dobyns 734C or 735C casting rod with my Sunline PE braid again in the 56lb rating. I know any fish I hook on this bait is going to be a cull fish and there’s no benefit to a fight fair! Like my frog, I want to alternate between the black and red or black and blue and the white bait depending on time of day and water color. The lipless crankbait is for when I just can’t seem to get those big fish to come up and eat my topwater baits. This bait is really geared more for the numbers game but who said you can’t cull your way to a paycheck? The baits I prefer most are the Luckycraft LV500 in ghost, chartreuse shad and red craw. I throw these on the Dobyns 705C cranking rod and a high-speed curado reel with 35lb Sunline braid or 15 lb fluorocarbon. Cast this lure to outside weed edges, tulle edges and under or around docks. Try to bang it into pilings or rip it out of weeds. Anything to trigger strikes from those larger, less aggressive fish. The more deflections you can make, the more fish you will see. The last technique mentioned is a flipping stick and I kind of cheated here. In my attempt to keep the number of techniques down, I lumped two into one. I can’t fish the north end without at least two flipping sticks on my front deck. The first one is used for “punching”. This is a technique where you use a heavy ¾ to 1 oz. weight to break through the weed canopy and go after fish hiding under the weeds. My bait choice starts with a Sweet Beaver in either sprayed grass or Junebug. My second choice is a Gary Yamamoto craw in black and blue or black and red. I will alternate between baits until the fish let me know what they want. This is fished on the Dobyns 766C Flipping stick and Sunline 56lb braid. It is also the single best follow up bait for frog fish that didn’t hook up. You don’t have to try and hit the blowhole with a senko or jig. Just get this bait in the general area where the bass blew up on your frog and more times than not, you will get that fish to eat. When you set the hook you only have

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two options. Option number one is to get that fishes head up and pull her out of the weeds. The hazard with this technique is keeping the fish up on top of the weeds. It is as close to hand to hand combat as you will ever get while bass fishing. Hit the fish hard and crank for all you’re worth. The last thing you want to see is the fish flopping on top of the mat with your bait tangled in weeds as the fish shakes free. Don’t even ask how I know, I just know! There seems to be a direct correlation between the size of bass and your ability to skate it out of the weeds. No sissy equipment allowed here. The second technique, which I am convinced is the safer bet, is to hit the fish hard and get her tied up in the weeds. Don’t pull her onto the weeds but get her to bury up in them. That way you pin the fish in the weeds. As long as you keep pressure on her she can’t shake her head. Now you should be able to go in and get her. The obvious problem with this technique is you HAVE TO be able to go in and get her. So the farther inside the weed mat you get, the less of an option this is. Keep these things in mind and decide which one is best for each situation BEFORE you set the hook. The second flipping stick on my deck is for the more conventional flipping and pitching outside tulle and weed lines. It is spooled with 16 to 20 lb Sunline fluorocarbon and has a jig to match the water color as well as the crawdads. Usually brown and purple or black and red works well. The beauty of the above-mentioned baits is that anywhere you go on Clearlake in the summer; you should leave these baits tied on with the exception 54 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

of not needing a “punching” rod for the waters on the south end of the lake. I would change that rod out for, of all things, a drop shot rod with light line and a 4 to 6 inch roboworm. Don’t be intimidated by all the structure or cover down south in regards to using light line and don’t be fooled into thinking big fish won’t eat small baits. I spent this last summer fishing the worm quite a bit down south using my Dobyns DX701SF and 5 lb sunline FC Sniper in an effort to feel comfortable with my back reeling technique while battling big fish. On one particular day with my daughter and father-in-law in the boat, I landed a 30 lb limit of bass with an 8, a 7 and several 4 to 5 lb bass and lost one much larger not to mention too many 2-3 lb bass to even keep track of. All on my light line and drop shot rod. That was a real eye opener in regards to finessing Clearlake in the summer. It’s just something you have to try. Clearlake in the summer… Just the thought of it gets my blood boiling. There are two things I haven’t mentioned yet that must be told. First is the night fishing. Pick a calm, warm night on Clearlake near a full moon and you are almost guaranteed memories for a lifetime. There is something special about night fishing. With the loss of your sight comes the heightened awareness of the rest of your senses. The feel of a strike and the sound of a topwater explosion are amplified. The sight of a monster bass coming into your net out of complete blackness is no less than exhilarating. These are cherished memories, from fishing Clearlake at night, that are indelibly imprinted in my mind. The other thing I failed to mention about fishing

Clear Lake in the summer isn’t really unique to the summer but it is unique to catching big fish and that is the swimbait. Everyone knows that Clearlake is a phenomenal swimbait fishery in the spring. Not everyone knows how good the swimbait bite is in the summer. Swimbaiting is no longer just a springtime technique. The Baitsmith swimbait is a “must have” bait for anyone who plans on spending any amount of time on Clearlake from the middle of February to the end of November. Time and time again those who learned how to fish this bait consistently win tournaments on this lake almost year around. It is the single best bait I can recommend for someone who truly wants to catch that fish of a lifetime. Just ask Eric Smith. Remember him? He was the one who caught his best ever. It was thirteen and a half pounds! Where? Clear Lake! Or ask Seig Taylor, he was able to win the WON BASS Pro-Am last June during summertime conditions after everyone else considered the swimbait bite a thing of the past. I hope these tips and techniques help you catch more bass on Clearlake. The baits and equipment I mentioned here can all be found online at www.tacklewarehouse.com and check out Eric’s fish and all the latest colors and selections at www.baitsmith.com Good luck and good fishing. Drop me a line and let me know of your summertime success. I can be reached at jwnovotny@aol.com or check out my new web site at www.jimnovotny.com.

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The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 55

Leave a Lasting Impression A

by James Smiley

re you a weekend or team tournament angler? Do you own a bass boat? Do you pull your bass boat around on the highway and side streets? Can you represent someone’s product or brand confidently if asked about it? If you’re answering YES to these questions then why not have someone else pay for your fishing instead of you paying for it? If you think that’s too hard, allow me to inform you that I do this every year and I also help weekend and team tournament anglers do this for themselves too. … So why aren’t you doing this again? During the past two issues of Bass Angler’s Guide I’ve shared some of the key principles that will help you get prepared to market yourself. Now I’d like to share more about how to actually put together a game plan and work that game plan. Believe it or not, it doesn’t have to be flashy…you’re not asking for $50k or $100k. You’re also not talking to business owners who have MBA’s from top 10 universities. (If you happen to be presenting to this type of business, then I would recommend having all your ducks in a row. But 9 times out of 10, this isn’t the case for weekend and team tournament anglers.) Getting a Game Plan

#1 - You need a presentation of some sort. That presentation can be a PowerPoint, Word document, or even just a nice resume. I’ve

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helped a Texas angler get his first deal and he only had a 5 page website so you don’t need a lot. I would recommend you find a marketing professional (look through online classifieds) who can help you. (You can contact me but I’m pretty booked up right now.) The presentation should include at a minimum these three elements: -Who you are and why a business can trust you (include your career highlights and key responsibilities) -How many people you can reach (this is a calculation usually done by a marketing professional including miles driven, time parked, and any other exposure you can generate like

maybe seminars, shows, online postings, personal website, etc.) -What you’re asking for and what return can you provide (Let them know how much money you want and how many leads that will provide the business. The number of leads can be estimated accurately by a marketing professional.) Believe it or not, when I present and get money from businesses, I do not mention much about “bass fishing” or “tournaments”. If my client happens to get a lot of exposure that way (magazines, radio, etc) then I will place more emphasis on bass fishing, but usually this isn’t the case. #2 - You need to find leads for yourself. The #1 way most people find leads is through friends and family members. Ask around and see if anyone owns a business or knows someone who does. I have some special tricks to get my clients leads in their local cities. If you’re having trouble finding leads, you can contact me and I can show you some tricks on how to get leads. I have developed business by calling many of my clients saying, “I’d like to know more about how our business can advertise with you”. Once you get a lead, act on it fast…like the same hour you get it! Don’t screw around and think you’re something special because you aren’t crap just yet my friend. Get in touch with the business owners and get a FACE TO FACE MEETING!! If I can get a face-to-face

meeting, I’ve been able to close about one third of those leads (not including the offers we turn down for a better offer). And if you can’t find any good leads, seriously just get the balls to walk up to businesses and ask to have a 5 minute conversation with the owner or marketing manager. If you want to know what type of businesses are easy to do this in, contact me and I can share of the top industries with you. #3 – Be persistent. Don’t give up just because someone’s taking a few weeks to get back to you. Keep following up and following up. If you don’t have any business to business sales experience (which most bass fisherman don’t) then let me tell you that most smart business owners aren’t compulsive and will want to see how serious you are by how persistent you are. I’ve gotten in the door with business owners after I emailed them six or seven times and left them five or six voicemails. Remember that to start something is often ten times harder then sustaining it. Getting your first sponsorship might take a while and only net you eight hundred dollars or so if the company doesn’t have a lot of money or has cold feet. But your next one will net you more and more. Believe in yourself and give it a try. I truly believe the majority of weekend and team tournament bass fisherman can have a sponsorship if they can get pointed in the right di-

rection. Hopefully this series of articles has helped you do so.

James Smiley has 8 years of professional sales and marketing experience. He holds a bachelors degree in business administration with an emphasis in marketing. He has worked in the high-tech industry for companies such as Verizon & Sprint and is partial owner of Telenav.com. James has won 8 tour-

naments in Washington and Oregon along with placing in the money many times. He also holds three club AOY awards. James is sponsored by: Dobyns Rods, Tackle Warehouse, Costa Del Mar, Sunline, Tru-Tungsten, Density-Tackle “Panic Minnows”, Outlaw Baits, Skinny Bear, and Vicious Soft Plastics. Check out James at: www.jamessmileyfishing.com

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 57

Summertime Bass Patterns

by John Harper

hroughout most of the country fishing for bass in the summer time can be very challenging. The heat can make it uncomfortable on the angler but even worse it can put the bass in a neutral state. The only thing worse than not catching fish is being miserable and not catching fish. Here in the West we are spoiled. We certainly have our share of hot days, but due to the diversity of our fisheries we still can experience some amazing summertime fishing. We have all kinds of fisheries here, everything from shallow water like the California Delta, to deep water impoundments like Lake Oroville and Shasta. When considering how to pattern summertime bass in a typical western lake you have to take into account the entire water column. What I mean by this is that you can catch fish from 0-60 feet at almost anytime during the day. Most of us who have been fishing for any time at all know that in the summer time the morning bite is usually best. There are many reasons for that. In a lake where baitfish like shad or pond smelt are the main forage these baitfish will begin to work their way to the surface during the night. As the sun comes up in the morning the bait will still be in the top of the water column. It’s as simple as the bass following the bait to the shallows. Bass will tend to move more over the course of the day in the summertime than any other time of the year. There’s a pretty good chance that the fish you catch in the morning don’t live where you’re catching them. It’s much more probable that they are using the location as a feeding area. Due to the falling water levels during the summer, I will spend most of the morning hours on main lake points. My favorite bait to start a summer morning

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with is a Zara Spook. I like to throw my Spook on a Dobyns 734C casting rod matched with a Daiwa baitcaster and 15lb test P-Line CXX mono. The most important tip I can give on Spook fishing is to change your stock hooks with Owner Stinger Trebles. Just for clarification, I’m not sponsored by Owner, but I believe they have the stickiest hook ever made. Summertime bass tend to be binge feeders and in the excitement of their morning feeding they will not always have the best aim. These hooks can catch a lot of fish that don’t have the bait completely in their mouths. As you begin to catch fish make sure you are paying attention to the slightest of details. Angles can be everything. When I approach a point I will start on one side and work all the around to the opposite side making multiple casts. You may find that the fish want the bait crossing the point in order to get them to react. Retrieve can be just as important as angle. As a general rule the lower the light the faster my retrieve. This really is something that will need to be experimented with. Speed and cadence are going to be critical to your early morning topwater success. As the sun begins to come up and hit the water I will move my topwater presentation to north facing bluffs or rock walls. These banks will have shade on them and can keep the top water bite going for you a little longer. One of my favorite things to fish is short shadows. This is when the sun continues to rise and there are only a couple feet of shade against the bank. I have had some of the best summertime fishing of my life in these short shadows. In addition to the Spook, I also like to toss a 1 ounce Bladerunner buzzbait in the short shadows. The heft is a benefit for long cast and the head design planes quickly. At times its like

the shadow is moving, pulling back against the bank and it’s scooping up all the fish and compressing them in this tiny bit of shade. It’s not uncommon for the bite to get better as the shadows get shorter. Some of your most aggressive topwater bites will come in this little narrow band of water. When these shadows disappear I will back out off the bank and begin to look for the fish that have moved to deep water. What I will typically look for is a point on the side of a small cut or creek channel that the predominate wind blows into. As the wind blows into these places the bait will begin to show up in large numbers. The key here is the presence of baitfish. During the summer you will find fish doing different things in different parts of the lake. There are times when you can just follow your morning fish out off the bank. There will also be fish that will never go to the bank. This is not uncommon on a body of water that gets a lot recreational boat traffic. Later into the summer the lakes get drawn down more and more. The fish will begin to stay off the bank all day and some cases all night. Obviously your graph is going to be your main tool when chasing these fish. I keep it pretty simple when fishing off the bank. If I can see the fish well on the graph I will dropshot a small shad pattern worm. My preference is Mother’s Finest hand pour worms. Sometimes, fish seem to disappear off the graph, even though I successfully graphed them a moment earlier. More often than not, they have lain down on the bottom and your graph, no matter how good it is, will not pick them up. At this point I will go to a 6 inch worm on a darthead in a green or oxblood color. I will stay with a 3/16oz out to 30 feet and then go to 1/4oz below that. For worming, I use a Dobyns spinning rod, model

PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

704 matched with a Daiwa spinning reel and 6lb test P-Line Fluorocarbon. Always look at the bellies of these deep fish when you get them in the boat. What you often see is mud on their bellies. Another way to know if there are fish hiding on the bottom is to watch the graph when fishing vertical. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen a single fish directly below the boat, dropped down on it, hooked it and watched the bottom rise up with 10 other marks that chase the hooked fish off the bottom. When you see this, a darthead slowly dragged on a long line is the most effective way to get these mud bellies to eat. For the longest time, I questioned whether I should use a darthead, a dropshot or even how long to make the dropshot leader. I was convinced that bass just related to the bottom and the only thing to be concerned with was whether they were mud bellies or 12 inches off the bottom. This all changed a few years back when I was invited to go fishing with a guy named Robert Marxmiller. He had been winning a bunch of money at Lake Don Pedro and was one of the first guys in Northern California to

really figure out the swimbait bite. If you have ever been to Don Pedro in the summer you know how tough it can be. Brutal doesn’t even begin to describe the bite there. We launched the boat and ran down the lake stopping about a quarter mile off a point. The first thing out of my mouth was, “Dude, it’s 150 feet deep here”. Robert just laughed and jumped to the front of the boat and put the trolling motor in the water. About a minute later he asked me to come up front and look at the graph with him. Suspended in the middle of the water column were some of the biggest marks I have ever seen on a graph. Robert proceeded to teach me the lesson of a lifetime- not all bass are relating to the bottom, especially the big trout eaters. Just a few of John’s many accomplishments: Won Bass 5 fish weight record holder 37.82, 2005 Angers Choice Pro-Am Angler of the year, 2005 Angers Choice Pro-Am Delta Champion, 3 times West Coast Classic Qualifier John is sponsored by: Dobyns Rods, Daiwa, PLine, Basstrix USA, Blade Runner Tackle, Osprey Lure, Mothers Finest Worms

The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 59

Hot Summer Patterns by Ken Cook

ast issue I introduced you to my Pattern Forecast service that can make finding a viable fishing pattern much easier. It is based on years of data that I have input into a database for retrieval to predict how and where bass can be caught at any month or season of the year. The data is broken down into lake types including lowland, upland, natural, riverine and tidal types. These lake types are quite different during most seasonal patterns based on their characteristics. If you would like a personalized Pattern Forecast from my data check it out at: www.kencookoutdoors.com During summer all lakes are at their most active in growth and activity because all fish and aquatic life, except of course birds and mammals are cold blooded. That means their digestive system demands more fuel to grow and be active. All life depends on the sun as a source of energy to produce the nutrients required for its existence; therefore the presence of sunlight is paramount in the lake patterns, especially in summer. What this means to fishing patterns is that the depth of sunlight penetration is very important in determining the fish activity zone. The depth of sunlight penetration in summer is dependent upon the level of color to the water. Biologists call it turbidity. Most water turbidity in summer is due to the presence of plankton suspended in the water column. These microscopic living particles are the basis of the food chain for all higher life forms including bass. If the water is “green” it is because there is a heavy load of plant plankton called phytoplankton blooming. Of course, there is also animal plankton called zooplankton that feeds on the plants. Both types of plankton are food for minnows and other aquatic creatures including hundreds of types of insects. All these small creatures are the food for fish including the top predators like our favorite bass species. Since all this food is produced in levels of sunlight, then it makes sense that most food and prey

60 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

depth the most schools of shad and other fish are located. In summer it is usually a pretty definite depth range, especially in fertile lakes like most lowland and natural lakes. River lakes and tidal waters also carry large nutrient loads and thus have high plankton levels that prevent sunlight from penetrating deeply into the water column, so the fishing patterns in these types of lakes are normally relatively shallow in nature. Let’s look at a Pattern Forecast for a Manmade Lowland lake in summer. We’ll call it Lake Ketchabigun! This lake is located in central U.S. where summer air temperatures are often over 100 degrees and the water is brownish green with about three to five feet of visibility. That means I can see my spinnerbait about three feet deep. That translates into sunlight penetration of six to ten feet because in order to see my spinnerbait, sunlight must travel through the water down to the target and return to the surface in order for me to see it. are produced in the top layers of water where sunlight can reach the plankton to allow it to grow. Plants including plankton require sunlight to grow, so they must grow only in the top layer of sunlit water. These plankton also die and decay. This decay takes place mainly on the lake or at least below the sunlit portion of the water column. Growing plankton produces oxygen and increases the pH of the water allowing more activity. Decay produces the opposite effect by lowering oxygen levels and the pH as well. This produces the “activity zone” where most of the predators connect with the prey. That is why it is very important to locate the activity zone of the lake in which you seek to catch bass. The first order of business upon searching out a fishing pattern is to locate the activity depth of the lake in question. I use my Lowrance LCX 113C HD to make this discovery. It just takes a few minutes idling around the depths of the lake to see what

Here’s the data summary for Lake Ketchabigun in August: Lake Pattern Main Lake Cove/bkwtr Upriver

Habitat Pattern Wood Rocks Subveg Emveg 06% Docks Beds

Lure Pattern

64% 09% 27%

42% 08% 38%

06%

J-n-P Worm SpBt Crank Craw/tube/grub Creature/Liz Topwtr 10% Buzzbt Jerkbt

08% 22% 18 30% 12%

It is obvious from the data that you need to be fishing some type of off shore, main lake structure this time of year. I have found that in this type of lowland lake, the creek and river channels are pretty well defined by good drop-offs and edges. The most active types of structures are usually convex in nature that is they stick up from the surrounding bottom contours. A common type of this structure is a stump row along a creek channel. I would concentrate on finding a creek channel where the submerged banks are about 8 to 10 feet deep. If you can find a junction in this channel edge, like a small ditch or fence row, you may find the mother lode of bass feeding and hanging out waiting for the next school of shad to come by. The convex structure helps by forcing the shad school to pass near to the cover where the bass hang out. This makes it easier for the bass to collect a meal without expending much energy. The Pattern forecast points out the predominance

of woody cover to the fishing patterns this time of year in this type of lake. Most of these lakes have submerged timber and stumps as a main habitat type. Therefore this becomes the best fish cover. If submerged vegetation is present, then it will be very

important as well. The Lure Pattern is dependent upon the type of cover and depth you must attack to catch the bass. Deep diving crankbaits like Rapala’s DT series are prime tools for reaching the depths along the structure. Plastic lures like Berkley Power worms on a Carolina rig or drop shot are excellent choices in summer as well, especially around vegetation. If the bottom composition is hard rock or clay, I prefer to use a Picasso Fantasy Football jig to maintain solid bottom contact. This lure type does an excellent job of imitating a crawfish, or even a bluegill. Another good option this season is a topwater lure like a Skitter Walk or Chug Bug. This lure type works well if the activity zone is shallow in very fertile water. In more clear water situations, the topwater activity will usually be restricted to early morning and at night, but it is fun while it lasts. Keep an eye on your electronics and if you see shad schools near the surface, keep a topwater lure handy in case an outburst of feeding activity happens. Summer is a great time to be on the water. Bass are bunched up on structure and when you find a school, you can load the boat in a hurry. I love this type of search mission. It makes all that sweat equity seem worthwhile when you locate a hungry school of fish that won’t let your lure through their zone.

Age And Adversity N

by Larry Hopper

ow retired and with more “free” time, right? When coming off the water it sure seems like a longer day than it used to be, you’re a little hungry, tired, sore and stiff. Sometimes you wonder why you put yourself through this and the answer is always the same: You love to fish. Many fishermen have been anxiously anticipating retirement because it would enable them to spend more time fishing (especially during the week) and more pre-fishing time for tournaments. This extra time hopefully would result in an improvement with higher finishes than when you’re working a 9 to 5 job. Depending on the age and health of the retiring individual they may or may not be able to meet their long awaited angling aspirations after retirement. Even after retirement and living on a “fixed income” if you are still fishing tournaments, remember that everyone thinks you will have a lot more time to fish. However, what happens in many cases is the “older” fisherman has more responsibilities than when he was “younger” and working a full time job (Did I say grandchildren?), and now has to deal with the “age factor”. Enduring the aches, pains and discomfort of arthritis, bad back, bad knees, etc. are just part of the inevitable symptoms an aging fisherman will need to adapt to. Aging is a natural phenomenon of our lives. As we age our muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, skin, etc. begin to lose their flexibility. This happens at a much younger age for people that haven’t taken care of themselves before they get older. As we age, our physical abilities slowly decline, mental abilities slowly decline, eyesight slowly declines and weight gain is a common occurrence. However, individuals can keep themselves “in shape” physically and mentally in order to minimize the effects of aging. Those who have taken care of themselves can continue to fish, even in tournaments, well into their 60’s or even 70’s. Another aspect of entering the retirement phase of life is increased responsibilities that take away from the envisioned time for fishing. Normally there will be time spent on family emergencies (priorities) such as: taking care of aging parents, baby sitting grandchildren, health issues with yourself or your wife, fixing or remodeling portions of the house etc. On the bright side of the priorities of retirement is the ability to do some of the family activities you were unable to do or didn’t do when working. These enjoyable activities might include long vacations with friends and/or family, major remodeling projects at home, visiting family or friends abroad, and fishing as much as you can. Now that we’ve looked at some of the issues facing an aging (older) angler, let’s look at what might be required if you want to continue fish-

Photo by Jeff Schroeder

ing high level entry fee tournaments. To do so

you will be competing against younger anglers that will be putting in long hard days and hours of pre fishing. There is a saying related to being “older and wiser” and more experienced, but in order to compete well in a tournament you still must put in as much time as possible on the water in order to keep your fishing skills and mind sharp. These long hours must be done sometimes in inclement weather; hot, cold, wind, rain or snow because that’s what your competition is doing. Since the older angler is more prone to aches and pains he/she must “block” these out in order to make the correct mental decisions required for day to day changing conditions on the water. Tournament finishes generally decline as you get “older” so what causes this? Listed below are some of the reasons: Angler’s thinking switches from trying to win to just making a good showing or just trying to get “in the money”. Angler is “set in older ways” that worked well in the past. Doesn’t adapt to new baits and methods. Not versatile enough to compete well with today’s highly skilled younger generation fishermen. Pre-fishing time; not putting in the long hard hours required to compete in today’s tournaments. Family priorities: aging parents, kids, grandkids, failing health. Physical ailments: eyes, back, knees, and arms.

Let’s look at several examples of how the adversity of age can affect you in a fishing or tournament situation. You know the bigger fish are hitting large deep diving crank plugs, but because you are “older” and have a bad back, arthritic shoulder, etc. you can’t stand on the front deck in choppy water and crank for the 4-8 hours required to catch a big limit of bass. So, you make the decision to fish differently and try to catch a smaller limit, which lowers the odds of finishing higher up in the standings. After you catch a limit, you make the decision not to throw a big swim bait for the last 2-4 hours in order to catch a “kicker” fish for the same reasons as not throwing a big crank bait. You know a location where you really want to fish, but are not willing to make that long hard, pounding 1-2 hour boat ride to get there. Now you need to wear “reading” glasses to tie knots and are amazed at how much time it takes to get the glasses, get the clippers, tie a knot and get back to fishing. Point is, throughout the day you have “wasted” precious fishing time. Many of us started out fishing tournaments with 7 fish limits. The objective was to limit out

on 3-4 consecutive days, which generally resulted in a good tournament finish. Fish generally averaged 1½ - 3 pounds and the better anglers would consistently catch extra fish and “cull” their limits to increase their weight. A 5 or 6 pound fish was a real “kicker”. The fisheries have changed in the last 15-25 years. The influx of Florida strain bass and new food sources in many bodies of water has had a dramatic effect on the size of the bass. Fishing techniques and baits have also changed in order to catch these bigger fish. The younger (and newer) anglers of today grew up fishing 5 fish limits on many of the lakes that have lots of “big” fish. Their strategy is different in that their mentality is to fish for 5-6 bites a day using very large baits to catch very large bass. Large swim baits, worms, plugs and jigs are used almost entirely to fish for these large bass. Successful anglers will weigh 25-35 pounds for a 5 fish limit. “Kicker” fish are now 8 to 10 pounds not the 5 to 6 pound fish of yesteryear. “Older” fishermen need to change their techniques (and mentality) in order to be consistently successful. Even though the younger guys can toss big baits and catch big bass there are still numerous ways us old anglers can come out in top. Age is something you have to deal with in order to overcome the challenges that hinder your fishing. Like those big bass you didn’t get this old by not learning a trick or two. Just think how many big bass were caught last

Photo by Jeff Schroeder

year on a worm, jig or other slow moving bait. Don’t count yourself out because you are retired. I continue to fish because I learn something new everyday, its fun and it’s a physical and mental challenge. So as you grow older you still like challenges Some of Larry’s accomplishments: Has won approximately 15 major events on the West

Coast including the US open, several, WON Bass events and Western Bass Pro Ams.

Ranger Boats, Mercury, MinnKota, Hummingbird, Johnson Outdoors, Robo Worms, Gamagatsu and Anglers Marine

Woman On Board!

was on my way to Lewisville, Texas recently to fish my very first tournament as a boater on the Women’s Bassmaster Tour, when I received a call from Katrina DeHaven, a pro-angler from Arizona. Many of you on the West Coast may have heard of or met Katrina, a beautiful and vibrant young lady who chose tournament fishing over a corporate career after being told by her doctors that if she wanted to live – she needed to get outdoors and start living. I met Katrina at a Bassmaster Classic in Florida in 2006. She was one of the first women anglers I interviewed for ebassfish.com, an on-line magazine my sister and I created that is devoted to women anglers and their right to tournament fish in a predominately male sport. I remember being so intrigued by Katrina’s story that I quit taking notes and sat in awe as she described her childhood and her journey from the corporate world to tournament angler. Katrina was taught as a child by her father to fish blind-

folded. He told her that if you lose one sense you compensate that loss with another sense. In learning to fish, this allows you to feel and define the structure and the bite and sense what the fish are doing through touch and sound. Katrina’s story is unique as are all women anglers I have interviewed over the years, but I have found that we have one basic element in common – our passion for the sport. Most of us fished as children and as we got caught up in other life events, fishing became something we “used to do”. One good thing about fishing is that you never forget how nor do you forget who taught you to fish. Sooner or later, we get the opportunity or feel the urge to “go fishing” again. It is in our blood! My mom taught me to fish, but my husband taught me to bass fish. It was at a point in my life when I actually had some time for myself after raising two children. Once I got hooked on bass fishing, I went every day - after work and on weekends and some-

by Linda Berry

times I would play “hooky” from work to go fishing. I was hungry for any knowledge I could gather on the sport. I read every magazine I could get my hands on and watched all the “fishing shows” on TV. The day I found out there was actually a tournament competition for women anglers and that many of them owned their own bass boats, I knew I had found my path in life. I decided to give tournament angling a try and sent in my membership for Bass N Gals, a national trail for women anglers. I fished a couple of events as a co-angler and absolutely loved it. Being around so many female anglers who shared my passion for fishing was overwhelming to say the least. I also found out that tournament fishing was an expensive hobby. All the events were usually 800 plus miles from my home in North Carolina. In addition, it was hard to get the time off from my job as manager of a local hardware store. I concluded that I could fish a complete year on another trail close to home for the expense of one Bass n Gal tournament.

The only problem was that these trails were predominately male and in most cases I would be the only female entered in the event as a co-angler. I was accustomed to fishing from the back of the boat with my husband, but how would these guys accept a woman on board their boat, much less competing against one? I had no problem with it myself, so I sent in my entry fees to the Carolina Division of the Red Man Trail, which is now the BLW. Finally, I could compete without missing so many days from work, the entry fees were lower and all the tournaments were within 200 miles of my home. I knew it wouldn’t be the same as fishing with the women, but it would allow me to compete and give me some much needed experience. The first tournament was the most intimidating not knowing what to expect or how I would be treated by these guys - but I decided I would show up with a good attitude and not give them any reason to complain about their female co-angler. After all, we were all there for the same reason and I wasn’t competing against the guy on the front of the boat, I was competing against the other co-anglers and the fish. As it turned out, I did all my worrying for nothing! Except for the occasional ribbing they got from a handful of the other guys about drawing a woman partner, all the boaters I drew over the next several years accepted me as an angler first and a woman second. After a few months on the trail, they knew I was there to fish and that I was a serious competitor. I took advantage of this opportunity to improve my fish-

ing skills and my people skills. Every day on the water is a learning experience and every angler you are paired with at a tournament, whether they are male or female, has their own fishing style and their own personality. You have to learn to adjust to both from the back of the boat. No different really than coexisting with family, friends or co-workers. Another issue you have to address when pairing male and female anglers together is the bathroom situation. In my early years of tournament angling, I trained myself to make it through the tournament day without going to the restroom and I would tell my male boater first thing before we launched that if he needed to go anytime during the day to just to say so and I would turn my back. No problem as far as I was concerned - and for the majority of the guys I fished with it was not a problem either. In recent years, most tournament rules now allow for a bathroom break and either angler can leave the boat to answer nature’s call as long as the angler remaining on board ceases fishing. Remember Katrina, the girl I mentioned in the beginning of this article? She was calling to wish me luck as a first time boater. When she fished her first tournament as a boater two years ago, I was her first co-angler. In recent months, Katrina’s health has deteriorated. The same doctor who told her to get outdoors and live now tells her that she can no longer fish and do the things that gave her so much joy in life. Plagued with medical problems since birth, her body is giving out. Katrina is the perfect example of why we should chase our dreams while we can. There is really no excuse these days for women not to compete in any sport of choice. So many doors have opened for us. Did you know

that 33% of all anglers are women? I challenge you to take that first step and climb aboard the back of a boat, fish as a co-angler is some tournaments and decide if tournament angling is right for you. Ladies, what are you waiting for? (Linda Berry was born in Arkansas and raised in Texas. She has lived in Madison, North Carolina since 1972 and has been bass fishing since 1990. In addition to owning her own Home Maintenance business, she is also editor of www.ebassfish.com and a freelance writer who has had articles published in numerous magazines and other publications around the United States. She is now a professional angler on the Women’s Bassmaster Tour and her sponsors include FishHer – Gear for Women, Hawg Sauce, Cover Your Bass, Thompson’s Custom Rods, Charlie’s Soap and JymSu Bass Baits. She is also an Anglers’ Legacy Ambassador for the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation and a Stewardship Ambassador for Recycled Fish.)

alifornia is now considered one of the bass capitols of the world. With bodies of water such as Clear Lake, the California Delta and Lake Shasta producing tremendous catches, one could very easily see why. On any given day, the parking lots are full and the hot spots on the lake are loaded with fisherman. With the recent Clear Lake Won Bass Pro-Am and FLW Stren Series events completed, I looked back to see how strategy and approach played major rolls in these heavily pressured tournaments. So how does one approach a body of water when there are boats everywhere? Between the tournament fisherman and the recreational fisherman on the lake, it is not uncommon to see up to 300 or 400 boats on the water at the same time. It is hard enough trying to figure out what these green fish want, considering the weather, water temperature, ect. But now days, one must also consider the amount of lures these fish see and the amount of trolling motors they hear with all the fishing pressure. During those two last tournaments, I was bound and determined to throw a large swimbait and catch the big fish on what I wanted! I was going to sling that large swimbait on my heavy action 811 Powell Swimbait rod all day long. Why not, the year prior, Greg McCosker and I caught over 74lbs. in two days to win a tournament doing that. Why wouldn’t it work again in these tournaments? Well, I was soon to find out. Fish the conditions: Fish in clear water are going to be much spookier than fish in dirty water. Are you fishing in 2 feet of water or in 50 feet? What about the structure in the lake? Are there lots of

trees and weeds for the fish to hide in, or do the fish have to relate to the break lines on the bottom? You and your partner have had a good pre-fish. The morning of the tournament, you arrive on your starting spot and it has numerous boats on it. You drop your trolling motor, but can’t get bit! No problem, you have several back up areas where you caught fish during your pre-fish. You run across the lake and arrive at your next two spots, which are loaded with boats. What do you do? You can catch fish in a crowd. When I arrive at my spot, I like to shut the big motor down quite a distance from where I intend to fish. I go into the area using my trolling motor very quietly. Often times, I will shut down my sonar units to eliminate any noise. Quiet and stealth are very important. In clear water, I like to make long casts to avoid spooking fish. In dirty water, I try and make short, accurate casts and pitches with soft entries into the water. What about fishing equipment and lures? Recently, I have had a lot of luck using fluorocarbon lines. The fish can’t see it as well, which is important when you are fishing heavily pressured water. Often times, the lighter the line the more often you will get bit. I would rather get bit and worry about getting the fish out of the cover, than not getting bit at all with heavier line. A trick my friend Ken Mah taught me about using braided line is when it starts to fade, color 3 to 4 feet in front of it with a black marker. How about lures? Does size really matter? Does the bigger the bait, mean the bigger the fish? Not always! I like to start out with large baits, but when conditions get tough, often times you need to down size. Light line and finesse often dominates. Drop shotting an Ox Blood Maverick worm or a Blue Neon Mother’s Finest worm is tough to beat. Strategy throughout the day is very important. Go the extra mile. If your gut feeling tells you to go over there, GO! One of my team partners, Randy Mar-

shall, taught me along time ago to put in the extra effort. The fish in these areas have seen the same lures, using the same presentations, thousands of times. For example, if you’re casting a jig up to the bank, try switching it up. Put your boat on the bank and cast the jig out. That way you can give those fish a different look by working it up hill. Think outside the box, those heavily pressured fish get smart! During the recent FLW event, I was throwing a Baitsmith Swimbait around docks to fish that were suspended in the shade. In the two days prior, I had not seen another competitor using this technique. On the final day, I ran to a series of docks only to find numerous competitors doing the same thing. The fish were not biting because they were seeing so many swimbaits go by them. I became frustrated because the fish would only follow my swimbait and not bite it. Fortunately for me, the night before, I picked up some 5-inch Green Pumpkin Black flake Senkos from Tackle-It in Lakeport. I could see the fish following my baits, so I knew they were still there. I put the Senko on 8lb. fluorocarbon line with a 733 Powell spinning rod. I started skipping the bait into the shade where I knew the fish were but was unable to get bit using the swimbait. This adjustment allowed me to catch several nice fish placing me high in the standings. Most importantly, have fun while fishing and don’t get caught up in what all the other fisherman are doing. Fish slowly, make adjustments throughout the day and don’t be afraid to try different techniques. Good luck! Tournament Accomplishments: 4 boats won in competition, 4 Angler of the year titles, 3 pro-am victories, over 16 team tournament wins. Sponsors: Powell Rods, Tackle-It, Snagproof and Baitsmith Swimbaits.

Fishing Pressured Water by Mark Crutcher

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Wacky Rigging For Spotted Bass H

by Mark Fong

ere in Northern California, anglers are blessed with some of the best spotted bass fisheries in the nation. Two of the most well known fisheries are Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville. Both of these impoundments have hosted successful BASS level events in the past. Today, Shasta is a frequent venue for FLW Outdoors and other regional Pro Am circuits. In addition, there are a number of other bodies of water that offer tremendous spotted bass fishing in Northern California including: Lake Folsom, Lake Berryessa, Camp Far West, and Lake Camanche just to name a few. Over the past 10 years or so, I have developed a passion for pursuing spotted bass. Pound for pound I don’t believe that any other bass fights harder than a spot. The spotted bass is truly a unique fish. A friend once described a spot as a cross between a striped bass and a trout. A spot is like a shadow, here one minute and gone the next, a true nomadic eating machine. The spot is curious as a house cat and as aggressive as a tiger. Spotted bass can be predictable at times, yet fickle

and temperamental at others. One of the most effective rigging methods for catching spotted bass is the wacky rig. The wacky worm has been around for PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

a number of years yet many anglers have yet to fully embrace its effectiveness. I was slow to incorporate wacky rigging into my style of fishing. One day while chas-

ing spots on Oroville and getting out fished by my tournament partner, I had the start of an epiphany. My friend and I were fishing identically rigged dart head worms, the only difference was that he was shaking his bait while I was fishing my worm with little motion. As he continued to run the score up in his favor he told me that spots like the erratic movement created by shaking the bait. He went on to say that he could trigger the fish into biting more consistently as a result of the action he was imparting. Later I thought about his advice, in particular the concept of using erratic motion to better trigger spots to bite. While I had previously experienced some success using wacky rigged worms, I realized that the motion produced by a wacky rigged bait was far greater than that created by many traditional rigging styles. The epiphany was now complete. For some reason, perhaps it has to do with the aggressive and curious nature of the spotted bass, wacky rigging creates a subtle yet highly tantalizing action that simply triggers spots to bite.

PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

When anglers think of wacky rigging, one of the first bait styles that come to mind is the soft plastic cigar shaped stick worm. Thread a hook thru the center of the stick bait and you have perhaps the simplest and most effective weightless wacky set up ever developed. Refining this technique for spotted bass, I like to scale down to a 4 inch stick worm paired with a size one mosquito hook that is tied to 6lb. Maxima Fluorocarbon line. I fish this bait on a 6’9” St. Croix medium light extra fast action Legend Tournament Spinning Rod matched with a US Reel SuperCaster 240SX. This technique is primarily a vertical presentation with most bites occurring on the fall. The stick worm has an incredible built in donothing action. Gently shaking the bait on a semi slack line can be a strong triggering mechanism. This technique is highly effective around flooded willow trees, sheer walls, or bridge pilings. My favorite colors choices include: watermelon, green pumpkin and smoke. If there is wind or if I need the bait to fall a bit deeper in the strike zone I will wrap fly tying lead around the shank of the hook. Wacky rigging works equally well for horizontal presentations. A unique set up

is to rig either a tube bait or a soft plastic jerk bait near the nose and through the side. Rigging the bait in this fashion creates a presentation that spots are not accustomed to seeing. Work the bait just as you would traditional soft plastic jerk baits. Hold the rod tip down and twitch the bait sporadically, mixing in the occasional pause to create an erratic cadence. This technique works especially well during the post spawn when spots are shallow and holding on horizontal structure. Again if I want the bait to fish deeper in the water column I will use a weighted kahle style hook or I will add fly tying lead to the shank of the hook. Popular color choices include pearl white, hot pink, and chartreuse. My choice of tackle is a 7’ St. Croix medium fast action Legend Tournament Spinning Rod, US Reel and 10lb. fluorocarbon line. Spinning tackle allows me to make longer casts that are essential for successfully fishing clear water. When spotted bass frequent deep water it is hard to find a technique more effective at catching them than drop shotting. Drop shotting excels in the deep clear water impoundments that spots live in by allowing the angler to keep the bait in

front of the fish for an indefinite amount of time while maintaining precise depth control. I like to use a 4 – 6 inch Basstrix Locamotion worm paired with a number one mosquito hook and a cylindrical tungsten drop shot sinker. Rather than rigging the worm in the traditional fashion, I will run the hook through the center of the bait in normal wacky fashion or I will wacky rig the bait through the shoulder about a quarter of the way back from the head of the bait. I prefer to use natural colors such as: smelt, watermelon, and violet shad. When shaken on a semi slack line, the worm produces a tantalizing action that cannot be matched by traditional rigging. An added bonus of wacky rigging the drop shot is that I do not encounter nearly the amount of line twist that I do with a traditional nose hooked drop shot rig. For this presentation I prefer the same 6’9” St. Croix medium light extra fast action Legend Tournament Spinning Rod, US Reel and 6lb. fluorocarbon line the same one that I use when fishing weightless stick baits. One final technique that I employ when fishing for spots is called the “Wacky Jighead”. The key to this presentation is the The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 69

combination of a lightweight ball head style jighead matched to a soft plastic straight body worm. This technique is another vertical presentation with the majority of bites coming on the initial fall. As the bait descends, it produces an enticing rolling action. Again, shaking the bait on a semi slack line can be a strong trigger. I like to fish the wacky jighead in the same areas that I would normally fish a dart head such as rock walls, submerged rock piles, and steep banks. Big Bite Baits

is on the verge of introducing a new worm called the Boring Worm. This worm has proven very effective when fished on a 1/8oz home made wacky jighead. I prefer the same bait colors and rod, reel, and line combination that I use when fishing weight less stick baits. You can bet that over time wacky rigging will continue to see new refinements. If you haven’t tried wacky rigging for spotted bass, don’t wait any longer. Try out a few of the techniques discussed and I am

confident you can add more fish to your days of fishing.

Mark is a seminar speaker, author and tournament angler.

Mark is sponsored by: St. Croix Rods, US Reel, Maxima Fishing Line, Lowrance, Battery Systems, Eye Surrender Sunglasses, Basstrix, Big Bite Baits and Blade Runner Tackle. PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

Lake McClure

ave you ever dreamed of catching 20,30 or even 50 fish per day? Located just below Lake Don Pedro in the beautiful Sierra Foothills is Lake McClure, a tremendous bass fishery. Owned and operated by the Merced Irrigation district. Lake McClure has 7,100 surface acres when full. McClure is 26miles long with 80 miles of scenic shoreline and sits at 867-ft elevation. The magnificent scenery and miles of secluded shoreline provide for fantastic boating, water sports and an excellent fishing lake. Lake McClure is the perfect place for a day trip, weekend getaway or extended family vacation. There are five major recreation areas at Lake McClure: McClure Point, Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend and Bagby. They have an average elevation of 400 to 1,000 feet, and provide pine and oak woodland settings. All areas offer

swimming and sandy beaches. Facilities include: boat rentals, house boats, snack bar, restaurant, grocery store, full service marina, campgrounds, laundromat, disposal station, gas and propane. Directions: From Highway 99 at Modesto take Highway 132 east through La Grange From Highway 99 at Turlock take Road J17 through Snelling From Merced take Highway 59 to Road J17 through Snelling

From Highway 49 take Highway 132 west at Coulterville to Horseshoe Bend or use Bagby access at the Merced River north of Bear Valley Day use fee with a boat is only $5.00. Camping Fees with hookups are from $12-18 depending on which campsite you choose. Exchequer Dam storage and elevation information can be found at: h t t p : / / c d e c . w a t e r. c a . g o v / c g i progs/queryF?exc The lake is home to a number of different species including, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Rainbow Trout, Salmon, Crappie, Bluegill and Catfish. Spotted Bass are the dominant species and can be found almost anywhere in the lake. Lake McClure has a slot limit; all Bass fish from 12-15 inches must be released. The best times to fish McClure are the spring and the fall; however, a good number of fish can be taken all year long. Outcroppings of rocks and step drop offs provide

excellent cover for the aggressive Spotted Bass. Even though the lake has a good population of Large and Small mouth Bass the Spotted bass dominate. Be sure to bring your finesse stuff because the water clarity is usually 4-8ft, line size in 6lb to 8lb works just fine for shaking a worm, drop shotting or split shotting. The finesse craze, “Flick Shake works well here also. You can catch fish on reaction baits here but it is mostly plastics and jigs that bring home the bass. Main lake points seem to hold the majority of fish throughout the summertime. Get there early because most mornings there is a good top water bite. Spooks, Gun Fish, and poppers all work well until the sun hits the water. As the shadows disappear so do the top water fish and you want to start working you bottom hugging baits down to about 20 feet. The spotted bass are many times so active it may not matter what color bait you use; however, shad and watermelon colors almost always produce. The fish are active so jumping point-to-point works well. Words of caution: if you haven’t been to McClure before observe the boat rotation rules. They have signs posted to control the direction of boat traffic.

In the Fall look for these fish to gang up on the off shore structure (any structure not on the bank), instead of catching only one per spot there can be 3,4,5 sometimes even 10 or ganged up on one point. In the morning start off with reaction baits up shallow, like a rip bait, spinner bait or small top water like a Splash it and keep it handy all day. During the fall the bass gorge them selves on shad. At times you will see fish busting bait out in the open water (this is fun). Just keep an eye out for fish jumping they are not always trout. When you see it happening throw your top-water or rip-bait as close as possible. Then work it slow as sometime these fish come up from 50 feet to take surface baits. Back to the structure in the fall, fish points, ledges, islands and creek channels and forget the straight banks. Plastics in shad patterns work well this time of year (salt and pepper) along with a green, purple and reds. In clear water lakes green always works (summer moss, green weenie etc). There will be fish way back in the creeks but the better fish will be in the main lake. Experiment, change up, and let the fish tell you what they want. In the winter, as the fish’s metabolism slows so does its need for food. The fall

frenzy is over, but they still bite here at Lake McClure. In the winter most of the fish, largemouth and spots hold in the 2040 foot range. Look for the steeper banks on the main lake. The Cottonwood and Temperance areas can be hot his time of year. Start with the points, (points with a creek channel running close are the best) fish shallow to deep then try deep to shallow. If the fish are not on the points then look for steep bluffs that drop straight off to 30-40 feet, these bluffs are a safe haven for the bass during any kind of a change. Plastics will always catch fish on McClure but in the winter “JIGS RULE”. Some good colors here are brown/brown, brown/purple and brown/black, Yamamoto spider grubs are also and excellent choice. Jig from 3/8 to 3/4oz work best for fishing deep. One key to fishing the jig is to fish slow, slow, slow crawl it down the point or over the structure, it may take a few minutes to make one cast but the rewards are worth it.

Vacationing Bass MARK LASSAGNE

hen you spend as much time on the trail and on the water as most serious pro-bassers, you meet a lot of Joe Lunchbox fisher-dudes and they ask a lotta questions. Among the most common questions, regardless of the time of year is this: “I’m going on

up….

TRIPLE-THREAT Most reservoirs in California are relatively similar, the water is fairly clear, mud or rock banks, some submerged willow trees along with numerous, points, cuts and creek channels. They all have at least one main river inlet along with lots of feeder creeks. The summer months can be a blast. You’ll need about three rods rigged with three kinds of lures. “Top water, top water and top water” Be sure you’re on the water at first light for the best bite. This can also be a great time for a little ‘one on one’ with a son or daughter. Even if the kids can’t cast, you can cast it out for them and have them reel it back, plus they will most likely catch some fish.

MAIN POINT Main lake points are usually the best place to start, look for a point with the long tapering slope. During the summer long sloping points hold better quality fish and the steeper ones hold quantities of bass. This time of year the fish are active especially during low light periods and tossing top water baits can draw a fish up, even from thirty feet deep. CHOP & BUZZ Among the best baits if there’s’ is a little wind or chop on the water is a buzz

SURVEY SEZ A good rule of thumb to follow in the pattern arena is using the same colors/scheme for all your baits. Base your color selection on light conditions. Go to the dark-side of the spectrum when vampires may be about-- late afternoon, night, and pre-dawn. These present a dark silhouette against the surface from a bass’s point of view beneath the surface. Whites or light patterns make the better choice during those glorious and goldenbright summer days. TEMPTATION Working the Gun Fish is a no-brainer, though it does require patience. Just cast it out, allowing the lure to sit for a few and then twitch, twitch, twitch and let it sit for a few seconds again. Switch it up, twitch hard once and then try it softly. Eventually you’re bound to luck into something. Repeat the process until your lure gets bit, or arrives back at the boat fishless. Remember though, that the most difficult aspect of bass fishin’ is having the ability to let a bait sit, resisting the temptation to wiggle, twitch, or crank that puppy back-in. Patience, grasshopper- good things come to those who wait. SPOOKY BUSINESS Flat, mirror-like waters seem to speak to an angler’s soul. To me that quiet little voice says, “Use a spook Luke.” Spooks are among my favorite tools, they’re a big fish bait, and you never know when that 7-lb spot will attack. Retrieving your spook is just a matter of repeated quick rod-snaps, popping the slack in your line. This causes the bait to dance seductively from side to side. In the pro-bassin biz, we call the tactic “walking the dog.”

vacation next week to Lake GeeIwishafish’, How can I catch some bass?”

LIGHT FACTOR The really cool thing about this time of year is early light-- really early like “five o’clock”. That means you can go out, catch a bunch of fish, and be back at camp by breakfast. Note: I didn’t say fish breakfast, as we bass guys are passionate about catch and release of bass. But, if you happen upon a silver-slimer, landlocked salmon or trout, by all means fillet away. Bring it back for Momma to fry

toss it out and reel it back as slow as you can while still keeping the bait on top of the water. Another killer bait with a little wind or chop and even on flat water is the Gun Fish by Lucky Craft. You’ve probably seen b/w photos of this lure on the post office wall under MOST WANTED.

bait. Early I’ll start with a Black/Red Persuader old Rush or a Purple with purple bladed Persuader buzz bait, then when it gets lighter out, I’ll switch to a white or chartreuse buzz bait. The retrieve with the buzz bait is simple-- basically, just

TWITCH & JERK Probably the best and most versatile bait for this type of fishing is a popper. - A prime example is the Rico and one of the poppers that old finesse guys have. Using a popper may produce fish from 6 inches to giant mommas that become

victims. Poppers are also a great bait for kids-- you really can’t work it wrong and it casts fine on a spinning rod. Work a popper with frustrating patience. Throw it out, jerk it couple of times, and let it sit. That’s it. After what will seem an eternity, jerk it again. (Really the action is more twitch than jerk.) Just watch out for the treble hooks--they’re sharp and are magically attracted to various parts of the human body. B-SHARP You may think about changing the hooks on your lures that are designed to stick fish, rather than lower the production cost of the lure. This Bass-Dude will put a L949 #2 Eagle Claw treble-hook as a trailer-hook on the back of a buzz bait’s existing single hook, using a small piece of rubber to keep it in place. Now when those pesky spots are swiping at the little followers behind your bait they get hooked too. Good for you bad for the bass!

ON LINE Each of these techniques requires a good, quality fishing line, -- but not just any line will do. Bare in mind the punishment you’re dishing-out to the only thing separating you from Mr. Big. All day you’re making long casts-- you want a line than can do that without backlash, and a line that maintains it’s low-stretch properties for a good hook set and a line that doesn’t sink. Some new BAWO super hard premium line might just do the trick. RUN WIDE OPEN Start the day by tying-up a few baits according to prevailing weather and water conditions. Then run fill-tiltboogie to the first long sloping point you can find. Position your faithful fishing machine in about 50 ft of water and 30 or so

yards from the shore on the main lakeside of the point. Fan-cast over, around and about the targeted point, working your way from deeper water up to the shallower stuff to find where the fish are. Fully cover that area, then fish your way around the point until you’re about 30yards or so off the cover-side of the point. Repeat this a few times until you find or don’t find any fish.

FISHLESS & FROWNING Find no fish? Give it up. Not! Just change-up a little. Bass angling is all about tricking fish… and they always can be fooled. Figuring-out just how is the challenge. Don’t hesitate to move-on, find more of the steeper points, but with different structure. Work the new locations using the same methods. Main-lake points always hold fish this time of year, and Grandpa’s ancient rule is applicable: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” If you still fail to get a bite read over Swendseid’s article and learn how to do a little sissy fishing on light line.

PAPERWORK Once you do manage locate some fish, pat yourself on the back and then analyze your new hot-spot. Make sure to note the angle of the bank, sun position, dirt color and rock size if any. The more you define the spot the easier it is to duplicate it. A logbook will prove extremely handy here, and will become an invaluable aid in the future.

Mark Lassagne is a pro bass angler, outdoor writer, fishing guide and the Bass Anglers Guide.

Won’t Get Fooled Again B

by Marc Marcantonio

y 1970 I had already learned the concept that a lake could be “fished out” because Lum’s Pond in Delaware was living proof. The only reason I went there was because it was the closest lake to home, and fishing for nothing was still better than not fishing at all. Tales of the glory days in which big bass could be caught on black Jitterbugs were still being told, but nobody seemed to catch anything in years, myself included. One day while working a cove with my Jitterbug and Johnson Weedless Spoon, a stranger came up carrying a silver cantilever-tray possum belly tackle box and a baitcasting rod. He made a cast into the lily pads and started retrieving his lure just under the surface. I was mesmerized by the V-wake his lure bulged in the calm surface, and was shocked when an explosion came out of nowhere. The stranger landed a fat 5 pound largemouth, unhooked her, and let her swim away. On the very next cast lightning struck again, and this time a 3-pounder came to do battle. Forget being shy, I had to find out how this guy was catching bass in a lake that was fished-out, so I went over and congratulated him. His name was Ed Peletski, and he said he catches bass out of Lum’s all the time. When I looked at his lure, I was surprised to see that he wasn’t using a Jitterbug at all, but was using one of those new spinnerbaits with a junebug spinner blade. He called it a Motorspin, made by a friend of his in Pennsylvania named Denny Sizack. Ed taught me that there were plenty of bass still in Lum’s, but they had seen so many Jitterbugs, and been caught so many times, that if you wanted to catch bass you had to throw something different. It was that day on Lum’s Pond that I became addicted to new lures and new techniques, and 38 years later Ed and I still occasionally fish together and we love to compare notes on the current hot lures. Just one glance in a tackle store and it is obvious that the holy grail of bass fishing is the magic lure, and there are no shortages of claims by manufacturers. A couple of years ago it was the Yamamoto Senko, and after that it was the Chatterbait. Last year the Basstrix Paddletail was king, and big bass were caught on it all over the country. Are these actually magic lures, or is their attraction the result of a new look or action? Since bass fishing became a competitive sport, studies have been conducted with bass to determine if they would learn to not attack lures that previously produced negative experiences. Although there is still much to learn, there

is no question that at times bass can become conditioned to react negatively to specific lures or other negative cues. Yet bass have a tiny brain, and there are many times that bass have been known to attack the same lure even after having been caught on it, and I have even caught the same bass on the same plastic worm on the same day before. What explains this, and how do you use this information to increase your success?

Looking back through the history of tournament bass angling, probably the first significant fad was in 1967 when Fred Young’s Big O crankbait started winning every event in sight. Likewise spinnerbaits like the Zorro Aggravator and Mann’s version had their success, and of course the jig and pig was always popular as well. The Smithwick Devil’s Horse also had a hot streak for a few years as well, along with Bagley’s Balsa B’s, Storm Hot-N-Tot’s and ThinFin minnows. In 1975 I made the trip from fishing Delaware tidal rivers and millponds to compete in the Federation Nationals at Clark’s Hill reservoir. I was overwhelmed by the size of the lake, and by the variety of techniques that I learned. My first day partner was from the south, and he used a 1-ounce egg sinker with a long leader and plastic worm. This was the first time I had seen or heard of a Carolina-Rig. It was also peculiar in that the worm was unimpressive, and had two exposed hooks poured into the plastic and held together by braided line. I later learned this was called a “do-nothing worm” and was made by Jack Chancellor who was using these to win many tournaments. I was

amazed when this angler began catching several nice bass by dragging this rig over a rock bar, and even more surprised he could catch bass in water 40 feet deep. This was probably the beginning of the era of finesse fishing, which in my mind describes more the subtle action of a lure or technique that induces a feeding response as opposed to one that invokes reaction strikes. The Charlie Brewer slider rig became popular, and the quiet, gliding action of the tiny worm and light jig head proved that gaudy and exaggerated are sometimes over-rated. Guido Hibdon drove this point home with his Gitzit and Guido Bug, fished on light line and spinning rods. The Godfather of finesse fishing, Don Iovino, adapted finesse fishing to baitcasting rigs, and his doodling technique took the West by storm. Illustrating that there are no absolutes in bass fishing, others were successful with the opposite approach. Dee Thomas was winning everything he entered with his hand-to-hand combat “Flipping” technique, and David Fritts and Paul Elias scoured deep water with big crankbaits. Kevin Van Dam used his run-and-gun spinnerbait tactics to dominate the trail. Ranger Pro Gary Dobyns has won a flotilla of boats using Lucky Craft jerkbaits like Staysees and Pointer Minnows with his aggressive approach. We have all heard the expression that no matter where you are located, a bass is a bass. The inference is that if you can catch a bass in Delaware, then you can catch one in Southern California. Wrong! When I moved from the east coast where I regularly won tournaments in Delaware and Maryland, to Southern California in 1979, I thought I had forgotten how to fish for bass entirely. The techniques that worked well for me in the past were suited for stained water that was often shallower than your rod length. Heavy line was the norm, and lures were better if they were brightly colored and had a lot of action. After a week of poor success, I went back to the drawing board and heeded the age-old advice of “when in Rome, do as the Romans.” I downsized to 8 pound test line, and small hand-pour worms. By the next week I was regularly catching nice bass. I added small natural looking crankbaits to my tool box, such as the FR-5 Fat Rap in the black back and silver sides. Once again I was back to winning AOY titles. Historically the top pros were the guys who figured out the dominant pattern for the day. Roland Martin is credited with mastering pattern fishing, and he has the titles to prove it. But just like my black jitterbug, once

everyone learned to fish patterns success with this method began to fade. Tournaments were being won by anglers making long boat runs to fish areas away from the crowds. Some even went as far as to bring handsaws and cut away timber and brush that blocked oxbow lakes and backwaters harboring unmolested bass. We heard that enterprising competitors purposefully flooded their boats to pass through low culverts to gain access to untouched lakes, or used their bassboat to jump logjams. Some even arrived on tournament day in an aluminum sled powered by a jet engine to access shallow rivers or headwaters. The new key to success was to fish where nobody else dared. Modern engines and boats allow long runs to get away from the crowds, and anglers are not afraid to lock through dams and go for broke. Looking back and analyzing what lures and techniques have been successful, and how long the success has lasted can leave you more confused than if you didn’t think about this at all and just went fishing! It would be satisfying to deduce which lures can always be relied upon, and which techniques will never fail, but bass are fickle. About the only thing you can count on is that you can’t count on bass! How do you explain that some days bass will only take a quarter-ounce football head with a Yamamoto Twin Tail Hula Grub in color #176, and the next day you catch them dropshotting a 6” pink hand pour worm? Bass are predators, and all predators have some commonality in nature. They learn from experience which items are worth hunting and which ones are not.

Whenever they achieve success they seem to be able to duplicate their success in the future, and when they fail they tend to learn not to repeat the failure. The most highly evolved predators have the ability to adapt to changing environments and continually learn from their successes and failures. The successful angler will become the successful predator, and learn what works and what does not, and will adapt to changing conditions like a double digit bass does. Certain shapes, actions, sizes, and coloration of lures will always produce bass. These are the ones that mimic the prey that bass eat. If the largemouths in your favorite lake feed primarily on threadfin shad or crayfish, then bass will respond favorably to lures that mimic this prey. This seems obvious, but many don’t see how to apply this information in their fishing. Shape alone is a key attribute that predators key on when making the decision to commit to chasing its dinner. Studies repeatedly show that the classic shape of a shiner is readily accepted by bass as worthy of eating. Likewise the shape of a crawfish body and the long, slender shape of a worm are both shapes to which bass respond favorably. Think of these shapes as your trump cards. No matter what other anglers are throwing at the bass; no matter how much pressure the bass are receiving; if you present a bait in these shapes in a credible manner without advertising your presence, you are likely to invoke a strike. For bass to condition to these shapes and refuse them, they would starve to death since these shapes mimic their daily diet!

The same is true of natural colors. Combining natural colors with natural shapes and natural actions will put bass in your livewell, regardless of fishing pressure. Natural action though doesn’t necessarily mean you want the perfect lure that swims like the perfect baitfish. Predators aren’t successful by being the fastest creatures in their environment. If they were, they would eat all their prey and put themselves out of business. Instead, nature programs predators to pick out the sick, lame, or lazy prey and focus their hunting efforts on that individual. This is known as the “Odd Man Theory” because the prey that is easiest to catch is the odd man of the group. A predator is successful when it consumes more calories than it expends catching its meal, so instinctively a bass won’t try to hunt a perfectly healthy prey. Instead bass will key on the one shad or shiner that acts injured or ill, and swims outside the school in an erratic fashion. Predators focus on that odd individual, and that one becomes its next meal. Use this information to put more bass in your livewell. Choose a lure that appeals to the positive attributes a bass likes. A natural shape and color is important in clear water, or maybe an exaggerated color in poor visibility conditions will convince a bass that your lure is its favorite prey (chartreuse or blue highlights for shad, red, blue, or orange for crayfish, etc.). Then use this lure in the habitat that bass are likely to search for this prey. But most importantly of all, use a retrieve that makes your lure look like the “odd man.” Rod action or jerky reThe Bass Angler’s Guide © • 77

trieve cadences can give your natural looking lure an unnatural look to us, but an enticing look to the bass. This seals the deal with bass no matter how pressured they become. Other successful strategies include making slight alterations to your lure that trigger the idea in a bass that your bait is the odd man. This is the theory behind the “bleeding baitfish” lures that probably don’t actually mimic “bleeding.” The red hooks and red gills mimic a baitfish that is stressed and consequently opens and closes its gills a lot which make their red gills more obvious to bass. Seeing red gills is a favorable cue to bass that the prey can easily be captured. Custom paint jobs on crankbaits can distinguish your crawdad imitation or baitfish imitation from other anglers’ stock offerings, and could more closely mimic the natural prey you are imitating. Soft plastic alterations created by cutting and welding appendages or slicing appendages can provide a different look and different action. Punching holes in plastic trailers can produce bubbles and different water displacement signatures that can send distress signals to observant bass. Look for lures in shapes discussed above, and with a unique attribute that

will make a good first impression. Make your lure act like the odd man, or appear slightly different. Most importantly, be one of the first to use the lure on the waters you fish. When you get the lure dialed in, take your show on the road and milk it for as long as you can. Your next decision is whether to keep your technique or lure secret, or to spill the beans. Personally, I prefer to constantly try new ideas and discover my own secrets. You know the saying, “if you always follow the lead dog, the view never changes.” Get out in front of the pack and start your own trends. If being a trend setter is not your style, and you like to keep your fishing “simple,” then stick to good shapes in your lures. The best way to do this is by learning from your experience. Think about every big bass you ever caught or observed being caught, and recall the lure that did the trick. Big bass get that way by not being foolish. They are less likely to rush into reaction strikes. Instead they learn to only react to certain specific vibrations, and certain shapes and colors. Every winter, year after year my fishing log (www.TaySys.com) indicates that I catch big smallmouth bass on single tail Yamamoto Grub in natural colors than any other lure or presentation. Even big bass don’t get conditioned to this pres-

entation; to do so would mean months without food. Flipping or pitching jigs for largemouths accomplishes the same, because big bass use heavy cover where experience tells them they will be successful in capturing easy crayfish meals. Big bass seem to know the cliché “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.” If you use the right shape, color, and action in the right location, without telegraphing negative cues, then you will make the right impression on the trophy bass that could be your next personal best. Ciao! (You can reach me at www.MarcMarcantonioBassPro.com). Marc is sponsored by: Ranger Boats, Evinrude Etec Motors, Pacific Boatland, QuickDrops dropshot sinkers, Gamakatsu USA, Inc., Lamiglas rods, Yamamoto Custom Baits, Lowrance Electronics, Lucky Craft lures, Snag Proof,. Wilcox Marketing & Sales, Stealth1 Chargers, TaySys fishing software, McCoy Fishing Line, Basstrix and Solar Bat sunglasses,

How to Quickly Eliminate Water

by Jerry Fournier

here are many ways in which to eliminate nonproductive water and find fish more efficiently. Learning the seasonal patterns is very important with eliminating dead water. You can do this quick and with just a couple of easy ways. You really need to study bass and their behavior and seasonal patterns. If you continue to fish the wrong water, or the wrong place, time and time again, you won’t grow as a bass angler. I could spend hours writing about how to find bass year round, but it would take too much time. I would like to begin by getting you to think about a certain time of year and what happens to the bass. Hopefully this will shorten the process of finding fish every time you go out on the water. One of the very first things you need to do is break down the seasons. For example what happens to bass in the spring before summer sets in? I am speaking of April, and May. If you are a student of bass fishing you should know this. Bass will come out of the deep water or their

PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

winter home and start eating or getting ready for spring. If the wind is blowing or you have a slight ripple on the water this is one of the better times to throw a swim baits, crank baits, and spinner baits. Lake points are always a good place to start. Lake points offer shallow water leading out to deep water. Lake points that face the sun and are out of the wind are the ideal areas you need to be looking for. The bass will move up and down often during the day to feed. Bass will spawn on these points if the bottom surface is suitable for spawning. If the water is calm throw top water baits, or shallow running baits, like a rip bait in the morning, then start searching deeper with jigs, plastic, or throw reaction baits like a crank bait and or swim baits. Bass will start to eat very aggressively when the water temperature changes and the outside air temperature gets warmer. Bass will spawn around the full moon during these months. You will have fish staging to go up on the points to spawn, at the same time you will have fish that have already spawn and are moving out. Bass

are predators and will be hiding under or behind something in the dark waiting for that easy meal. Look for shade that comes from a hillside on the lake that blocks the sun. Boat docks, trees, brush, tules all cast some type of shade. You can find shade to fish all day long; you just have to look for it. If the water temperature is warming at a rapid pace start fishing your lures a little faster. This means that the great majority of fish will be aggressive. It will be just the opposite if the water is still less than sixty degrees. This means you slow down with your presentation and start fishing deeper. Another place to start or look for spring bass is in current especially after the fish have rested from their spawning ritual. Any type of current. Somewhere around that current is a current “break” or an eddy. In May, and June you should be looking for faster moving water than you would in March or April. Year around, bass want their meal served to them which is why you look for current.

Logical thinking like this helps eliminate fishing dead water. It comes from understanding seasons and fish behavior. What I just shared is a good example of why it’s necessary to learn seasonal patterns. In order to have continual success, it’s important that your focus should be on what the bass are doing and where they are going during each season. I strongly believe you can cut corners and find fish faster by reading and educating yourself with as much bass fishing reference material as possible. The Internet and bass publications like this magazine provide incredible amounts of information on a regular basis. For those of you who can’t spend enough time “on the water”, the best advice I can give is to start with the basics. Take the time to read and store articles from magazines such as the Bass

many years of experience. Myself I have been fishing for bass for almost forty years. I too have fished non productive water and you can learn from guys just like me, so as to not make the same mistake.

Aside from reading and fishing on your own, the other way to learn is to hire a licensed fishing guide. You can eliminate large amounts of non productive water in one day by hiring a guide. There are so many good guides on just about every body of water you would like to fish. Speaking from personal experience, when I am taking people out fishing, I am teaching them all that I can. I have a passion to teach beginners how to catch bass on a regular basis. I share with them why, where, and how, on every trip. I just changed rod companies; I am now on

long run. Every guide full time or part time will be working hard all day long to insure you have a great experience on the water. That is exactly what you, the angler, is trying to accomplish and that is having a great day on the water by finding fish quick, and helping you learn how to eliminate dead water. I hope to see you on the water.

If you would like more information, you can visit my website www.jerryfournier.com. Jerry Fournier started in club tournaments in 1969. He is one of the founders of the Santa Clara Bass Busters, He has worked the Honor Bound Tournament for over ten years, was on the board of directors for Christian Bass Angler Fellowship, Promotional director for The Toys

PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

Anglers Guide. The writers for the B.A.G. have been asked to be a part of this magazine by our peers. The publisher has asked seasoned local anglers to share information on how we fish, and what we look for when we are fishing, and the types of products we use so that you can learn from us. We are all fisherman first and writers second. Follow all of the writers in this publication that you feel are giving you good information. Cut the articles out and file them by the writer, lake or body of water, and by the season. This is a great step in eliminating non productive water right off the bat. Most of us that are writing for the B.A.G are season anglers with

the G-Loomis pro staff. My guests will be fishing with G-Loomis rods for the day. G-Loomis is one of the worlds premiere rod makers. This will give them first hand experience fishing with this manufacture products. I also fish with P Line; again, one of the world’s best fishing line. My guests will get first hand knowledge as to why I use these products. Every product on my boat has been used by me and proven by me to work. That is another way to a short cut for you to catch fish quick and to make your day productive. Every guide you go out with will have some type of product for you to use. Take advantage of this it will save you money in the

for the Troops kids bass tournament. Participates in Pro Am and team events all over Northern California. Team member winning the Won Bass Tri State TOC at Clear Lake in 2002, 3rd Place Citgo Bass Masters Tour am in 2003 Clear Lake. Jerry is a Life member of B.A.S.S. Licensed guide.

Jerry Fournier is a pro staff member for GLoomis, P-Line, Snag Proof, Rodstrainer, Promar, Costal Del Mar, Western Wildlife Adventures, Prop Cover and Coyote Bait and Tackle. The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 81

Waterworld

and Summertime Bassin by Vince Hurtado

t’s that time of year where every lake, reservoir, and river system looks like the movie Waterwold. Wake boats and jet skis alike are having fun in the sun while us fisherman are sweating profusely, trying to get a few good bites into the live well. Summer means hot weather and for the most part little to no wind at all. Love it or hate it, don’t let these variables deter you from putting a good bag of fish together. This is the time of year where I really focus on key types of cover and structure. IDENTIFY YOUR FISHERY – TIDAL WATER

When fishing tidal water I like to look for first

a little bit of water movement or current. The current will always bring in the food resources that bass are seeking, without exerting much energy. Second, I will look for shady environments that will provide ambush points, such as grass, hyacinth, timber, and old docks. Why old docks you may be asking, well, to start, old docks generally have a build up of many plants and underwater growth around them. More importantly, if they are broken down that will add more structure to the fish’s environment. With water temperatures reaching into the high 70’s and even 80’s at times, bass want easy meals without having to work hard for them. This means slow moving baits that have plenty of protein! Crawdads are probably the

number one bass food resource during this time. As the day begins I always start with targeting fish in the top of the water column. My choice would be Buzzbaits, wakebaits, and stick baits like the Zara spooks or a Sammie’s. The days are cooler in the morning and evening, and this is when you will generally see the most active fish. This doesn’t mean that you can’t catch top-water fish all day. There have been several times in the summer months on the California Delta that I threw a black buzz bait all day long and continued to catch fish. However, I need to have some of the right ingredients to do so. Weed growth and docks on falling tides will almost always produce great fish catching experiences. You can

follow the dropping water as long as you have: (1) current flowing near by, (2) deep water access, and (3) shade pockets or canopies. During the middle of the day during slack tide or the wind completely dies, there are only a few choices of lures and tackle that I go with. Break out the lumber and get yourself a big jig, generally 3/8 oz. – 1 oz. in black/red color combination with a trailer that will move freely in the water. I like to target timber lay downs or the shade pockets near or around any rock or broken structure. Another very effective bait, I go to is the Senko. This is your best bet for the lazy big-fish that doesn’t want to move very far for a meal. The Senko moves through the water column slowly, providing plenty of time for the bass to react and strike. The third and certainly not last, would be a frog type of lure. My personal choice is a Bronze Eye by SPRO. The bait itself is built around the hooks, so the strike to hook-up ratio seems to be better than other frog style baits. RESERVOIRS

When fishing reservoirs I use some of the same principles employed in tidal waters. A key factor I ALWAYS look for in reservoirs is creek or river inlets. The creek and river inlets will generally provide cooler water conditions, and thus, fish will most often be more active in this environment. I fish them similarly to fall conditions with reaction lures. Spinnerbaits, rip baits, as well as swimbaits

can and will be effective when you find the right conditions. When approaching these inlets look for fast moving water and eddies within the water movement. The baits that will be most effective are those that enter the eddies from down current (meaning throw up current, and bring your bait with the flow of the water). If your success is minimal try switching to a fluke or a finesse jig in 5/16 oz., and using the same methodology when searching for eddy fish. Most of your creeks and or river inlets will have plenty of large boulders, and coves that provide shade and positioning areas for bass. Some of my biggest stringers on lakes such as Shasta and Oroville have been in the river arms during the summer. Remember to allow the flow of the water to move your bait through the strike zone. Other methods of catching summer fish are drop-shotting and spooning. Don’t assume we are talking about the bottom of the water column. This time of year many of the larger fish will be suspended over humps, trees, or next to bridge pilings. This is where you really have to be proficient with good electronics. I use my Lowrance LCX-38C HD to view these suspended toads, and use a vertical presentation while watching my bait on the sonar. In some instances spooning will trigger the active fish, but at other times you will have to be creative. I can recall a September tournament on Table Rock Lake where I had to keep my bait in front of suspended fish without movement. That is right, dead-sticking in the middle of the

water column. This is why your electronics are so important. You must be able to know exactly where your transducer is positioned, and where those fish are in relation to your bow of the boat. If you can’t see your bait, you can’t be effective in catching those suspended bass. Make no mistake; these are some of the most difficult types of fish to catch. But when you master the technique you will always be successful in tough conditions when the fish are suspended and dormant in the middle of the lake. THINGS TO CONSIDER

Most summertime bass are hesitant to chase a lure so consider the type of baits you choose. Slower presentations are always a better choice unless an unusual reaction bite has been found. Downsizing of line and the use of fluorocarbon for your middle and bottom column fishing is a must. I use P-Line fluorocarbon and I will go as light as 6 lb. test when dropshotting, and as heavy as I can get away with depending on the lake or structure I am fishing. When throwing frog type baits, it’s hard to beat 80 lb. P-Line Spectrex IV braid. Enjoy those dog days of summer and remember to wear your sunscreen.

Vince Hurtado is sponsored by: BassCat Boats, Mercury Marine, Motorguide, Powell, Lowrance, P-Line, Power Pole, Mossdale Boats, and ProCure.

Wake Up! O

by Randy Pringle

ver the last few years there has been a lot of talk about west coast fishermen using giant swim baits. A lot of bass have been caught on surface swim baits simply by waking them across the top of the water resembling a wounded food source. Most winning bags in recent tournaments include at least one fish caught with swim baits. Wake baits or swim baits and I have become very close friends. But, it has become a love- hate relationship! First of all, where do you put them? I already have too many tackle boxes to start with! You want three of those, two of these, a couple of that one, hell; now I can barely lift the box! But you have got to have them! It is a hero or zero style of fishing. We all know it, but a lot of us, including me, are just plain dumb. We can’t help it… we are just bass fishermen. Fishing wake baits, just waiting for the one double-digit fish to come up and explode all over it, is what we live for. It makes you keep throw-

ing it and throwing it and throwing it. It will suck you in just like a late-night movie. You need the sleep but you keep watching the movie even though you have already seen it, you have to watch it again! It sucks you in! Don’t get me wrong, the reward is phenomenal but there might be a lot of dead days with no fish. Where do you fish it? Everywhere, anywhere, points, flats, rocks, weeds, trees, did I miss anything? It is a lure… a big lure… a big fish lure. You are looking for better than average bites from better than average fish. It is not a thirty fish per day bait. Sometimes you will be happy with just one swim-bait fish. Because it will probably be a big one! Let’s break down the wake baits. They come in all shapes and sizes. One of the smallest is the new ima Roumba. This bait is only three inches long, it is light-weight and easy to throw with any style of rod and reel combo. No special equipment needed like many of the other

larger swim baits. The retrieve is the key to success with wake baits. Finding what action the bass want and continuing to keep that same rate of retrieval is the answer. When retrieving it slowly it has a large side-to-side wobble. If you fish it too fast, it will flop out of the water; too slow and the bait won’t make its best Roumba dance moves. Optimum Baits have some of the best wake baits on the market. Their OB Minnow comes in three sizes: 5 inch, 7 inch and 9 inch. These baits are a single jointed lure and each of these baits has a different style of wake from mild to extreme. Starting with the five-inch, it is an all purpose style wake bait. It is also small, lightweight and easy to throw on standard tackle. Its primary use is in calm water or when there is very little wind. However, if the wind does come up, it can be very effective just under the surface. The seven-inch is my favorite, but you need to beef up your tackle when the larger bait is needed. I recommend a seven foot nine inch Berkley’s Buzz Ramsey Salmon Steel Head Rod, one piece. Now hear me out, this is a wake bait, not a sub-surface swim bait. With sub-surface swim baits you need sensitivity and a fast tip, the tick, tick, is extremely important to feel. With a wake-bait, there is no tick-tick, it is a serious KABOOM! This is where you need a soft front part of the rod with a heavy back end. The bass comes up, grabs the bait, turns its’ head to go back under the surface. If the rod is too stiff, the bass cannot suck in the bait. I have missed a lot of bass by using a rod that was too stiff. A salmon rod is built with a soft tip so the large bait can be sucked in and the backbone of the rod has the

power for the hook set. Just what the doctor ordered; don’t let the name Salmon Rod confuse you. Look how big the bait is that you are throwing. The Abu Garcia Record 60 reel has a wide spool, a power handle and its slow, 5:3 ratio provides the power to pull fish from heavy cover. My line is 25Lb Trilene MAXX, with a little stretch and a lot of power. When retrieved at a medium speed, this plug will make a slight clicking noise. That is the bait hitting side to side as you retrieve it. It should look like a snake swimming through the water towards you. That is “money”! Hold your rod high after casting the bait out. This will keep the drag of the line on the water at a minimum so the plug does not nose-dive and keeps the bait up. As you get it closer to you, lower the rod slowly. This will keep the nose of the bait in the water and the wake going. If you keep the rod tip too high, the angle from the tip to the bait will lift the nose, stopping the side-to-side action. The nine inch OB Minnow also requires heavier tackle. With the same retrieval as the seven inch OB Minnow, you will find this bait drawing up the largest lunkers in the lake! Dep is another company that makes a good looking wake bait; the High-Sider. This bait has multiple joints. It ungulates as you retrieve it! I know the word ungulate is a big word to use but I couldn’t think of another word to describe its action. This bait is offered in several colors and it looks outstanding in the water with all of the joints moving it flashes as the light reflects off of it. When retrieving this bait it can do an amazing things. Stop your retrieve, drop your rod towards your bait putting slack in your

line, snap your rod up and then drop it immediately back down. The High-Sider will turn 180 degrees staring Mr. Bass eye to eye. Then when you start your retrieve again, Mr. Bass thinks that he just got snubbed. That is when he grabs it! With all of these different styles and sizes of wake baits, don’t get caught up in the bait’s too big concept - a ten pound bass will eat easily a one pound bass. Big bass are lazy by nature and one or two large meals a day is all it needs to flourish. The rest of the day she is just kicking back and chillin’! Wake baits…fun or a pain in the butt? FUN!

Randy is sponsored by: Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Motors, Fenwick Rods, Berkley GULP!, Power Bait, Abu Garcia, Trilene, Persuader Baits, TTI Blakemore, Tru-Turn, Daiichi, X-Point Hooks, Road Runner, ima Baits, Optimum Baits, Zappu, Humminbird, Minn Kota, Tru-tungsten, WFO Sport Fishing, Bow to Stern

by Mark Tyler

Forced To Finesse

et’s get one thing strait. I am a full-blooded power fishing guy. I grew up slinging big baits and heavy rods on the California Delta and Clear Lake. I love the big heavy stuff. If I can find a bite on something I can chunk and wind, or with my Flippin stick, I’m all over it! Unfortunately, the reality of being a tournament angler in this era forces me to have to do techniques that often are not my first choice. As I gain more experience in my professional angling career, the more it seems that I am forced to finesse fish. The strange thing is, I don’t fear the light stuff anymore, and actually have a lot of fun and satisfaction using it successfully now. I want to introduce you to one of my favorite finesse fishing techniques, the Jighead Wacky Rig. A few years back I was fishing a BASS Open tournament on Clear Lake. It was October, and the bite was typical fall fishing. Many different patterns were working but overall the bite wasn’t great and there were a lot of small weights being caught. I was doing pretty well in the tournament, mostly flipping heavy cover, but I was struggling each day for numbers and my bites were a real grind-em-out affair. The last day of the event I drew a Japanese angler for my Co-Angler partner, and he was in 2nd place in his division going into that last day. I told him the night before that I was grinding out bites with my flipping stick, and I was concerned for him being able to catch what he needed to win the Co-Angler division. He wasn’t concerned at all; in fact he was strangely confident! I later learned why…he absolutely whacked em! I ground-out my five bites with my 20# test and big baited flippin’ stick and was mentally exhausted at the end of the day from stress. My bites came slow…my Japanese partner had a limit before I ever caught one, and ended up catching over thirty fish that day! What was he using? The Jig Head Wacky Rig. That day opened my eyes, and I have since spent a lot of time fishing and refining my art of the Jig Head Wacky Rig. It is basically a small wide –gap hook with a weight attached up near the eye of the hook. If you have never seen one, look it up at your tackle store. I use an Inchi Wacky made by Zappu. The Inchi Wacky has just the right size hook to be able to fish small worms, yet still hook and land big fish. The weight size is

available in 1/16oz, 3/32oz, and 1/8oz. I always use the lightest weight possible for the conditions. Conditions effecting my weight decision would be water depth, wind, and aggressiveness of fish. I firmly believe the

lighter weight you use, the better. It is also critical to use the lightest line you have the guts to fish. This is a small jig head and hook, and requires ultra light tackle to impart the proper action. I generally use 6# test on a Kistler Helium LTA spinning rod, 7’ medium action. The length of the rod is not important other than feeling good in your hands. I love my 7’ Kistler Helium and use it for all of my finesse fishing needs, and have a lot of confidence landing big fish with light line on it. The bait you put on the Jighead is going to be your personal preference. I use Zoom finesse worms, Yamamoto Kut Tails, and Optimum Twin Teasers. The most important part of the Jighead Wacky Rig is in how you fish it. Grab your favorite 4” to 6” plastic worm and hook it directly through the middle of the worm, just like a traditional wacky rig. Once you have cast to a target, instantly start shaking the rod tip in an up and down motion. The trick is to shake the rig violently, yet allow enough slack in the line for the bait to fall naturally. It’s fairly easy with a little practice to get the timing of it down. When you get it right the result is an unbelievable, seductive action that triggers bites from even extremely inactive fish. I do not dead stick the Inchi Wacky; instead use the weight to your advantage by imparting the shaking action with your rod tip. It works great around any shallow cover, bare banks, suspended fish, and heavily pressured bass that are weary of standard baits. In today’s era of bass fishing our lakes are increasingly crowded, and the bass are becoming increasingly smarter. As anglers, it is wise to put as many weapons in our arsenals for times when we are forced to finesse, even on traditionally big bass lakes like Clear Lake. See you at the weigh- in. Mark Tyler is a BASS elite series pro; he holds the big bass record for BASS and has won numerous tournaments including a BASS victory on Clear Lake.

Mark sponsors: Travelodge Hotels, Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine, Kistler Rods, Optimum, Zappu, Rapala and Lowrance Electronics

“You’ve just caught the fish of a lifetime ... what do you do?” Send us your information and photos. Join us for the *Trophy Club (coming soon).

*10+ Pound Largemouth - 6+ Pound Spotted Bass or Smallmouth Bass

PHOTO BY LONG NGUYEN

It’s Not About Fish, It’s About R.O.I. O

by Al Grout, Sawyer Cook Insurance

ICES! Yet many pro-staffers don’t realize this fact. If they don’t it’s only a matter of time before the sponsor may realize that “the staffer” isn’t worth his expense? Major point to remember. Here are some suggestions about it. A) Design a marketing plan with the potential sponsor in mind. B) Show commitment to the plan and its ideas and methods to benefit your sponsor. Express what you see that you can do to improve the product and give feedback on the products efficiency. C) Be passionate about your plans. You are selling yourself here. If you can’t sell yourself to the sponsor, you’re not going to sell product to anyone else. In short, very few sponsors refuse to listen to someone who can show them that they can improve sales, create interest in a product, or provide good feedback.

n a regular basis, I have applications and requests from various ambitious anglers who desire sponsorship. After running a national pro-staff for over 12 years, we have experienced a wide variety of individuals looking for sponsorship. Pro-staff candidates visit our booth at trade shows or call me on the telephone and usually have the same approach, poor! For some reason, the business planning here is non-existent. The verbal proposal is not rehearsed, appearance is very poor and the meeting is without material. I sometimes get the impression that the applicant would not been able to land a job, much less a place on a “professional pro-staff” with other national anglers?

Keep in touch with your sponsor: Once you have landed a sponsor, don’t forget to keep in touch with them. Call and talk with your sponsor on a regular basis. Keep the information coming to them and advise them of your efforts, what you’re hearing in the industry, what your competitors are doing. Even not so good news is important. But most of all, keep the information loop going. After all, this is the “electronic age”. Everyone’s got a phone? IF need be, send reports or email. Sponsors don’t like to chase prostaffers. Makes them think you’ve forgotten the sponsor and what you’re supposed to do.

Here is where some “capital mistakes” are made that usually sabotage the candidate long before he has a chance to present him or herself.

I have the pleasure of attending the Bass-AThon at Anglers Marine in Anaheim, California each year. I also have the pleasure of attending a number of other large trade shows and have for 25 years. During each of these events, notables such as Bill Dance, Rick Klunn, Kevin Van Dam, Jimmy Huston, and others appear often. I have noticed that each and every time, “there is a dress code”. Interesting?

I’ve also noted that though the industry is about fishing and tournaments, many “wannabes” seem to think that once they have won or placed in an event or caught a sizeable fish, they have arrived! This is another “misnomer” aspiring fishermen have. As to what a sponsor is looking for, the candidate is truly “missing the boat” when it comes to “what sponsors want”.

Most candidates for pro staffs that are “canned or eliminated” each year simply don’t get it. They are missing several key ingredients that if realized and acted upon, would not only keep them on a pro staff longer, but also increase their income. Let’s talk about each portion of the matter and give solutions.

Professional Dress: If you were going for a good job interview, how would you dress? Even if the job is a trade or construction job, clean clothes, and professional dress is a must. We’re talking about “first impressions” here. And this job is being the representative for a sponsor. If you can’t give the sponsor a good “first impression” how are you going to give one to prospects of the products and services you will represent for that sponsor? If Levi’s are in order, clean them and press them. Shirts that bear your name or appear with your other sponsors being marketed 92 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

should always look good. Shoes and belts with coordinating colors are big when it comes to the pros like Van Dam, Dance, and Huston. Just look them over carefully next time you see them? If you can afford it, ask for some help from a “fashion coordinator” or someone who can look you over and recommend what to wear. It will make a difference!

Clean Shaving and Hair eat: I can’t believe how many guys have approached us through the years and look like they just came back from a 5 day trip to Lake Powell without a razor. Shave and if you wear a beard, keep it neat and cleaned up. I don’t need to say much here, ‘cause its common sense. Solution! You need to be clean and well manicured? Make yourself a “professional” and you’ll be seen as being professional? Imagine how you would act wearing a tuxedo? Would you act differently than when in casual dress?

R.O.I: Probably the one item that gets most pro-staffers “fired” is lack of performance. This is the part I was speaking about where most anglers have a “misnomer”. They think that this business is about “fishing and catching fish”? It’s not. It’s about marketing, marketability, and selling product for the sponsor. R.O.I means RETURN ON INVESTMENT? That’s what a sponsor is looking for. A sponsor doesn’t need pro staff IF they can’t PROMOTE THE PRODUCT OR SERV-

Have a resume but not totally on fishing: Yes, what you’ve participated in is important. But that’s not always what a sponsor is looking for. Imagine what a sponsor is thinking when looking at two distinct candidates. Both are fishermen, both have caught plenty of fish, but one has a degree in Marketing and Sales. The other doesn’t? One may have attended only tournaments and the other has been in the “Toastmasters” for 3 years. Who do you think would be a better public speaker and can handle groups better. Some individuals are “ok” in front of the microphone and others truly excel. If you don’t have these skills and you’re serious about sponsorship, you might take a class on public speaking. You might even join a group or club that will help you communicate better? Sponsors always look at “who can communicate well”.

These are just some of the features that sponsors are looking for in candidates for their prostaff. If you implement them, your chances of landing sponsors and becoming a better representative to a sponsor will stand out. It’s not only about catching fish? It’s about you and your marketability? I’m Al Grout, and here’s hoping these tips help you enjoy a career in sport fishing!

NORTHWEST BASS WASHINGTON • OREGON

TEAM TOURNAMENTS

W W W . N W B A S S . N E T

The California Delta By Mark Lassgane

f you have dreamed of a place where you can catch 20-50 fish a day in the three to five pound range and have the opportunity to bag a ten-pound fish of a lifetime, this is it. The Delta, with seemingly endless rock banks, expansive weed flats and tulle islands is a bass haven. The Delta fishes big and almost every bank holds fish. The Delta is home to smallmouth bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass along with another 51 species of fish. The smallies and spots tend to roam closer to the Sacramento River area where the water is cooler and more oxygenated. In the upper Delta, nearer to the city of Sacramento, the water is affected by the tides but the direction of the flow doesn’t change. The rate of flow or the speed of the current varies from tidal action but the water continues to run in a southwesterly direction toward the San Francisco Bay. “The river”, as we call it, is contained by man-made 96 • The Bass Angler’s Guide ©

earthen levees that are protected or preserved with limestone and granite boulders. The rock or boulder shoreline is perfect habitat for tons of crawfish. The town of Isleton, located in the heart of the smallie country, hosts the annual “Crawdad Festival” in celebration of the concentrations crawfish. Almost any rock bank with current serves as a “crawfish condo” and is also where you will find foraging bass, it really is that easy. From February to November the smallies and spots bite well. An average day is 20-30 fish per rod with a few 2 to 3 pound powerhouses and if you’re lucky an occasional 5-pounder. Some hot baits are the Persuader Assassinator Southern Shad spinner bait, Persuader Chartreuse buzz bait, and Luhr-Jensen Speed Traps in all the craw and shad colors. The hottest baits for smallies and spots is a rip bait or craw colors of the Radar 10. Also, a must-have bait if you are plugging for these hard charging river bass,

is a Senko. Even though there are largemouths up the river, they are more prevalent in the flat lands, or the marsh type waters of the Delta. From the brackish water in Pittsburg, north to Lodi and south to Tracy you will find an abundant supply of largemouth. There are literally hundreds of small sloughs to fish. Don’t worry about the overwhelming number of sloughs because almost every slough will host bass. The Delta is tidal water… the depth of the water travels up and down 1 to 4 feet twice a day and the direction the water flows reverses with each tide change. The tide brings new water to each area twice a day keeping the water cool and oxygenated, Rarely does the water temperature get over 80 degrees even in the hot summer months. Over the last ten years most of the levees have been reinforced with more rocks (rip rap) providing additional structure for the bass.

Weeds have spread throughout the Delta waters over the last few years providing more fish habitat. It wasn’t too many years ago that a limit of 2 lb fish was a good average during a tournament. Now, with this new weed growth, an average tournament fish is about 4 lbs or better. A 5-pound bass used to be a big fish but not anymore. Now it takes at least a 8 to 10 lb bass to be considered a big fish. Unlike most of the lakes in California you don’t have to down size on the Delta, you want to “super size”. Bring on your Bubba tackle, big baits, swimbait, spinner baits, frogs, buzz baits, crank baits, and flip big plastic or jigs. Top water lures often work all day since the weeds provide plenty of ambush spots; this is truly a bass fisherman’s paradise. During the summer months thin moss mats develop (often called cheese) providing shade for the bass to sit under while waiting for a frog to hop by on top of the “cheese”. If you have never caught a bass busting through the “cheese” to get your bait, trust me, it’s awesome and an experience you will never forget! Delta bass are structure oriented so a little practice

casting before arriving will help land a few more fish. The fish activity slows in December as the water cools to the high 40’s low 50’s and continues to be slow through January. In February it starts to pick up again with some really big fish beginning to bite. Although the pace may be slower the average size of fish is usually pretty good. The Speed Trap works all year but as March and April come around the bite becomes awesome as we get into really big fish. It is not uncommon to catch several bass over 5 lbs every day on the little crank bait. April and May are spawn times here and we have some good sight fishing in a few areas, but not too many due to water clarity causing limited visibility. The Speed Trap bite remains good but the fish seem to be a little smaller toward the end of May. By then, the spinner bait, buzz bait, frog, fluke and Helix bite are wide open. If you get on the right bank in April and May you may bag a 30 lb limit and 15 -20 lb limits are so common you won’t even get a check in a tournament. We catch a lot of big bass even in 6 inches of water this time of year. It’s

pretty cool to toss your bait into 6 inches of water and watch a big swirl as the water explodes with a 10 lb bass. Towards the end of May and into the first part of June the water warms and the fish move a little deeper. The real shallow bite seems to subside moving into summer. Summer is top water tim!. You can count on catching lots of fish from June to August. This time of year if you want big ones you need to fish for them in highly oxygenated water with baits like the Roumba, AC Minnow, Shell Cracker, Persuader Buzz baits, Spooks, big flip baits and frogs. If you looking for numbers of fish you want to toss small cranks, drop shot rigs or use small worms to load the boat with smaller fish. It can be a great time to take the kids on a fishing adventure. One day last year we caught and released 230 bass. Get out there and catch some of these fish. Look for more information on the Delta in the next issue of the BAG. Mark is pro bass angler who guides on the Delta in between assembling this magazine. Check out his site www.marklassagne.com The Bass Angler’s Guide © • 97

Boat Dealers Anglers Marine Ranger, Champion, Tracker Anaheim, CA 714-666-2628

Anglers Marine, Santee 10960 Wheatlands Ave #101 Santee, CA 92071 619-449-3474 www.anglersmarine.com Western Marine 1205 Industrial Rd Nampa, ID 83687 www.westernmarine.com (208) 463-1511 Inland Marine Frank Lozano 1600 West 10th Street Antioch, CA 94509 www.inland-marine.com (925) 757-1714

Boat Insurance 1-800-BASSBOAT Stan & Ken Vanderburg Specializing in Bass Boats 800-227-7262 Tackle Shops Backlash Tackle 2060 NW Vine Street Grants Pass, OR 97526 541-955-0312

Bait Barn 12505 Yosemite Blvd Waterford, CA 95386 209-480-1871

Hook Line & Sinker 3100 Main Street #260 Oakley, CA 94561 925-625-2441 Hook 2 On the Water 925-684-0668 www.hookproshop.com

J &T Tackle 1750 #E Los Angeles Ave Semi Valley, CA 93065 www.probassoutfitters.com 888-968-3474 Limit Out Tackle 12607 E Hwy. 20

Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423 707-998-1006

Mel Cotton’s 1266 West San Carlos Street San Jose, Ca 95126 408-287-5994 www.melcottons.com Pro Tackle & Marine, LLC 141 Industrial Park Rd #306 Henderson, NV 89011 702-362-7400

Phil’s Propellers 3037 Twin View Blvd Shasta Lake, CA 96019 www.philsprop.com 800-462-3917

Rack um Out 33454 Highway 198 Lemon Cove, CA 93244 559-597-2316

Rio Vista Tackle Paul Cunningham 510 HWY 12 Rio Vista, CA 94571 limitlures@sbcglobal.net 707) 374-5522

Tackle It 1050 N Main St Lakeport, CA 95453 707- 262-1233

Valley Rod & Gun 2704 Clovis Ave Clovis, CA 93612 559-292-3474

Sacramento Pro Tackle 2390 Northgate Blvd Sacramento, CA 95833 916-925-0529

Walton’s Pond 14837 Washington Avenue San Leandro, CA 94578 510- 352-3932

Marine Electronics Ocean Aire Electronics Depth finders / GPS 125 Harbor Way #7 Santa Barbra, CA 93109 805-962-9385 www.oceanaireelectronics.co m Car Dealers Hayward Toyota 24773 Mission Blvd. Hayward, CA 94544 www.haywardtoyota.com (510) 889-8000 Guide Listings on www.westernbass.com

Motel / Diner The Deli 12595 E Highway 20 Clearlake Oaks, CA 95423 707-998-3991 Bass Guides

Clear Lake Guide Service Ross England 707-349-1427 clearlakeguideservice.com

Richard Pounds 707-272-8410 bassfishinclearlake.com/ Ca Delta, Don Pedro Fishing Instructor Guide Randy Pringle 209-543-6260 fishinginstructor.com

Mother Load Lakes, Delta Jerry Fournier 916- 780-0949 Ca Delta, Clear Lake Ca Delta, Berryessa Mark Lassagne 925-228-3474 marklassagne.com Guide Listings on www.westernbass.com

Marinas Camanche Recreation Center 2000 Camanche Rd. Ione, CA 95640 209-763-5166 Boat Rentals, Great Rates

Bass Anglers Guide is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the Bass Angler’s Guide, 2699 Benson Court Martinez, CA 94553. Yearly subscription U.S. is $24.00 and not offered currently offered outside the U.S. POSTMASTER send changes to Bass Anglers Guide PO Box 2611 Martinez, CA 94553. Postage paid at Martinez, CA.