A Bass Angler's Log For The Lake Erie Watershed And Surrounding Area!

I'm alliiiiiiive!

2009-05-28T09:10:00.002-04:00

Hey guys and gals, I haven't vanished...I'm still here! I've received a bunch of emails wondering why I haven't posted. We'll, I've been extremely busy fishing!
I'll post a report in the next feww days for the entire month of May!
Now I have to go get my rod bent!

See ya-

Lake Erie Report 5/09/09

2009-05-10T19:53:00.006-04:00

You know for a fact when you don't even think about taking a pic of a smallmouth unless it's 5-6 lbs, you are truly spoiled by an incredible fishery. The fishing has been outstanding for these last few weeks. It's been easy as anything I've ever done in regards to catching fish. I fished solo today and probably caught upwards of 70-80 fish. Not any large ones, but really nice healthy fish 2-3 lbs. I even caught 2 on topwater early in the morning which was a BLAST! Anyway, it was another great day on the lake! Damn I LOVE smallmouth!!!

NOTES...Water temps held at 55, but Im sure have dropped a couple of degrees. Winds were gusting to 20 with pre-front rain off and on. Caught fish in water from 3-15 feet. X-raps were the baits of choice!

Lake Erie Report 5/02/2009

2009-05-03T13:37:00.005-04:00

Nothing changed as far as the fishing since yesterday. The smallmouth are completely on fire right now and the fishing is just plain crazy. My wrist are so sore from working jerkbaits for the last two days and catching over 100 smallmouth myself.
Here's some pics of the smallmouth madness!!!

NOTES: Conditions were Sunny to partly cloudy with a lighter southwest wind than yesterday.

Presque Isle and Lake Erie Report 5/01/09

2009-05-01T13:54:00.009-04:00

Well, I don't have a whole lot to write about because today was basically just like my last report. But if I were to sum it up for you with one word, that word would be UNBELIEVABLE! The fishing is completely off the hook this year so far. Not only in numbers, but in size, too. And the best part about this year with regards to Smallmouth is that I'm seeing a lot of small fish. Which tells me that we have had a couple of great reproduction years. Started my day at 6 and fished the lake until about 11 than fished the bay. Throwing Rapala X-Raps in 5-8 FOW was all it took. You can tell by the first pic that I found the fish within minutes of fishing. My stern light is still on from the ride to my spot. I found them quick and managed to stay in the bite all day. This day was just completely INSANE!! I would type more, but my hands actually hurt..lol

Air Temps...64(L) 74(H)
Winds...Southwest at 15-20
Water Temps...50-55
Fished from 6:00-12:30

NOTES: Rain was off and on most of the morning. Fish were scattered and feeding on Emeralds.

Presque Isle and Lake Erie Report 4/26/2009

2009-04-27T13:41:00.008-04:00

Started out this morning at sunrise! Surprisingly enough, there weren't that many anglers out today. We started fishing ledges that went from 3 to 10 feet. Throwing spoons we managed a few smallmouth and largemouth. Average size fish, but they were a blast and a welcome change from our cold water fishing these last few months. We fished tis pattern for a few hours before deciding to head to the lake. We fished a rocky shoreline in about 6-8 FOW. The winds were perfect for a shoreline drift so we started drifting along throwing jerkbaits. It wasn't long before I had a fish on. Everything was great for about 2 hours until the wind shifted out of the North/Northeast. This completely shut off the bite. We grinded it out until we had had enough.We headed back to the bay to fish the area that gave us a tons of bites in the morning, but things seemed to have stoped there, too. By this time Brent had to head home so I dropped him off at the ramp and headed out again. Went over in front of Marina Lake and stuck one in about an hour.Decided maybe things were back to normal with our lake bite so I headed back there. Drifted for about an hour and was only bit once. By this time I was getting pretty tired so I headed back in. But not before I tried one last time to fish a small ledge that went from 3 to 7 feet. Man am I glad I did. It was literally bite after bite on jerkbaits. Every drift Id catch between 5 and 10 fish. Most were "cookie cutter" fish in the 2 lb range, but they were a blast. After about 6 PM I had enough. Back was sore, and I was getting hungry. Total catch? well, you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you so I'll keep my mouth shut about that. To the guy in the pontoon boat.....I forgot your name, but it was nice meeting you, my friend! I'm glad you stuck a few out there, too.

Air Temps...64(L) 81(H)
Winds...Southeast at 5-10, switching to North/Northeast 5-15.
Water Temps...52-55
Fished from 6:00-6:15

NOTES: Fish were ambushing bait schools on ledges in the bay. The lake bite was good until the wind changed on us. Jerkbait pattern held all day.

Presque Isle Report 4/21/2009

2009-04-23T10:15:00.004-04:00

I managed to get out for a few hours and had an unbelievable time. It was hog after hog, but here was my problem....I had NO camera and only had my cell phone. Nobody to take my pic so I did the best job I could. If only my arms were 3 foot longer I could have fit these fish in the frame. The big girls are starting up and they are chewing. Total catch was 1 over 7 lbs, 2 over 5 lbs and 2 over 4 lbs and a few in the 3 lb range. If I were fishing a tourney I would have been in the money, that's for sure! All fish were caught on a black and purple jig with a powercraw trailer!
Sorry about the ridiculous erased pics, but I wasn't thinking about my background when I took the pics. It's a very recognizable spot that nobody fishes! Yes, I'm being greedy about this one!!! Don't be fooled, these aren't the same fish!

NOTES: Pre-Front conditions with off and on rain. Some heavy at times. Fish were staged in 2-10 FOW. A jig pattern and only got them to eat by sitting it on bottom for at least 15 seconds. They would hit as soon as I lifted it.

Presque Isle Report 4/17/2009

2009-04-19T13:43:00.009-04:00

Started out fishing today by myself. Brent took his 'lil nephew out trout fishing this morning so I was fishing solo. Well it looks as though the bass are becoming more and more in the Spring pattern. I started fishing in the Blojoe, but couldn't even buy a bite. I worked my way to the tails and started flipping twister baits into the thick stuff. It didn't take long before I realized I found a good pattern. I pulled quit a few fish from the wind protected side of the tails. Figuring this was a pattern to follow in another area, I headed over to sturgeon lake. Sure enough, flipping baits into the tails on the downwind side produced close to 20 fast bites. Mostly fish on the smallish side, but I did manage to find a nice 3 lbder. About this time (10:30) Brent called and I met him over at Chestnut Ramp. We headed over to JP and fished it for about an hour or two without a single bite. By this time the wind started blowing good, so we looked for some protected areas. Went and fished the wall by the condos and didn't do well there either. At this point I was starting to get a little worried that my day had came to an end. We even headed back to my two spots I found the pattern at earlier, but the wind was really crushing the point and turned the bite off. Sure enough, nothing there. Headed back to Blojoe hoping to find a pattern out of the wind, but we didn't. Feeling a tad frustrated and tired, we started heading back to the ramp. With the West wind blowing at 20-25 we had run out of choices. On the way back I decided to try one more spot on the other side of the bay. We started drifting in the Pumpkin Patch with no luck until I noticed a change in the depth. I realized at this point the fish might be stacked up on the drop down wind drop of this flat. I also figured if they were there they were there to eat. Sure enough as soon as we got within casting distance I stuck a nice fish. We were out of juice on the trolling motor so we decided to just anchor off and fish the drop. It took two sets to be able to fish this correctly, but we found a pattern. Slow rolling swimbaits produced a lot of good bites from some large fish. It even gave up our first Erie Smallie of the year. We fished this pattern until about 3:30 and had to leave them biting to get home in time for supper. All in all it was a VERY good day.

Air Temps...52(L) 62(H)
Winds...West at 15-25
Water Temps...43-51
Fished from 6:00-3:30

NOTES: Winds really picked up at around 11:00 and shut off the flippinf pattern in the tails. FIsh moved to deep drops by flats on the down wind side.

Rod, Reel, Boots, And A Few Lures!

2009-04-13T16:13:00.003-04:00

Last week I had somebody ask me where I thought would be a good place to fish for somebody without a boat, and couldn't wade. Somebody who is disabled, or somebody who couldn't afford a pair of waders. Unfortunetly, I couldn't think of one spot for them that would for sure produce some fish. So, I hopped in the truck today with 3 lures in my pocket and drove around for a couple of hours to a few lakes (no these weren't farm ponds). Well, It's safe to say I found a couple of spots for somebody to fish that is stuck on land. Sorry for the picture quality, I was by myself and was setting the camera on a log and things. Total catch was 21 bass in just two hours of fishing. To the person who asked me last week about where to try, I forgot who you were so PM me and Ill let you know a spot or two..lol
Who says you need a boat to catch some nice fish? This was on public water within a 5 minute walk from Bar-b-Q pits and picnic benches!

Presque Isle Report 4/11/09

2009-04-11T18:36:00.009-04:00

The large females are starting to show up in the warmer, shallow waters feeding for the pre-spawn. We found some really nice fish today up to 5 lbs. Even with last weeks cold front the water was reading in the mid-forties. I can tell you one fact about the fishing right now on the bay...if you don't find water at 44 deg or higher, you won't find the fish. Look at some really shallow spots in the afternoon sun and you will start finding the large females. The only pattern we had all day was a very slow rolled swimbait. We also were surprised with a couple nice steelhead. Brent hooked one about 2 feet from the boat and it jumped 3 foot out of the water and literally splashed us. It really seams to be a very scattered bite, though. You have to cover a lot of water for just a few bites. If you are catching the small ones every cast than you need to move out of that area. It can be hard at times to leave fish to find fish, but if it's these big girls you're after than you have to find them. It was a very productive day, but it was extremely windy and cold!

Air Temps...39(L) 49(H)
Winds...Northeast at 15-25 Gusting to 30
Water Temps...41-45
Fished from 6:45-2:30

NOTES..
Cold front blew in mid week and brought snow and dropped the water temps a couple degrees. High pressure moved in Friday and was stable today. Sunny day which warmed the water a couple of degrees by 12:00.

Presque Isle Report 4/5/09

2009-04-06T09:37:00.011-04:00

Got out on the bay this day with James and Brian. We met at Chestnut ramp at 6:45. The winds were way down and the weather was nice. We started at the "blojoe", but the water temps dropped from the recent cold front. We worked that spot for about an hour or so and moved over to "fantasy land". Started slow, but the temp rose quickly with the clear skies. Water was around 44 and we picked up a few nice fish on spoons and swim baits. Fished it for a couple of hours and headed over to "JP". The temp was stable at 44 and the carp were stack up in there. I picked up a bass on a swim bait and we caught a couple big carp to 20 lbs. We worked the area for about 2 hours and the final fish was a steelhead that Brian caught on a 'lil Cleo.
We went right back to the "blojoe" figuring the sun warmed the water enough for a good bite. A few guys in a canoe were on a small school of dinks with minnies but we couldn't buy a bite. The post front, high pressure did us in today. Blue bird skys, and light winds were nice to see, though. All in all it was a great day with a couple great guys.

Air Temps...42(L) 49(H)
Winds...Northeast at 5-10
Water Temps...39-45
Fished from 7:30-2:00

NOTES...
Cold front blew in around Friday and a high pressure of 30.12 came in Sunday morning.

Presque Isle Bass Forecast! April '09

2009-03-31T17:01:00.010-04:00

Every month of the year I plan on posting my thoughts as to what kind of fishing we should expect for that month in Erie. What I think the fish will be doing, and what patterns we should expect. April is a month of transition. Bass will start drawing out of their winter cover, and really put a focus on feeding. With the constant rise in water temps, metabolisms and the natural urge to spawn will cause them to go into full out frenzy at times. Of coarse we aren't out of the woods yet as far as weather, so it still will play a huge role on where the fish will be.

For the most part, the water temps should stay over 44 and work it's way up to the mid 50s by the end of the month. So expect the fishing to get better and better as we go. Most believe that a slow presentation will catch more fish in this colder period, but I totally disagree. I have had a lot of luck ripping lipless crankbaits even when the water is in the upper 40s. The first couple of weeks you should be able to find nice sized schools of male bass feeding on minnows or migrating shiners. The fishing will be fast at times, and be almost impossible the other times.

The key to catching fish this time of the year is finding two things....warmest water and baitfish. On most lakes you will find the warmest water on the Northeast side of the lake. The larger females aren't going to be in the schools just yet. I've found that these larger females will start to spread out and stage in deeper water next to spawning areas. Once the water hits around the low 50s they will start moving in and feeding really well. This isn't to say you can catch them, by all means, but they just won't be schooled up. So if you want a big fish, than don't fish these schools of bass you find. Focus on drop offs next to flats preferably with greening grass. Role a spinner bait or crankbait to draw the most strikes from them.

If you find a school of feeding bass than chances are you will have to stay on them pretty good. Considering they're in full eating mode they will move around a lot with the bait fish. Keep and eye out for birds diving, or even a few shorebirds on the shorelines. This is a good indicator if feeding fish. Toward the end of the month, depending on temps, you should expect to find a bunch of fish cruising the shallows feeding and searching for suitable spawning grounds. Look for water in the 2-5 foot range with sand and grass, and you'll find both the males and females. They won't be bedding yet, but will most likely be covering a lot of water in search of baitfish.

We should start to see some smallmouth activity in the bay towards the middle of the month. Look for deeper structure with rocks or gravel. I find that most smallmouth in the bay are on gradual drop offs next to a shallow flat. These fish should start feeding pretty well. Once you find one make sure you work that area good. These fish will be in very tight schools feeding on baitfish. The afternoon to evening bite seems to be a better choice for smallmouth this time of year. Throw crankbaits next to drop offs, or tubes work very well, too. Most of all your summer baits will draw strikes. There are some smallmouth in the bay as I type this, but don't expect them to be feeding to heavily until temps reach the mid 50s.

I'm really looking forward to warmer weather, and I think this is going to be a banner year! Good luck!

Presque Isle Report 3/29/09

2009-03-30T12:26:00.018-04:00

Wow, what a day! We started off fishing "Fantasy Land", but the fish don't seem to be there yet. The water was 47, but it doesn't seam like the bass are in any kind of pre-spawn staging yet. Normally we are yanking fish out of this area this time of year, but it just hasn't happened yet. We started fishing at 7:30 am and fished this area until about 11:00 to 11:30 without a single fish. We went over to the "poop pile" but the water was still reading 39, and the wind wasn't blowing from where we like it in this spot. With the lack of fish, the 20-30 mph winds, and raining on us all morning, we were loosing a little motivation. We headed to "blojoe" and right off the bat the temps were raising the closer we got to it. It is only about 3 feet in this area so the temps were 44-47 and I just knew the bait would be in here. Sure enough, Brent hits one right away and it was all up hill from there. The bait schools were balled up and the bass were feeding on them, big time! They weren't big, by all means, but they provided something we don't normally get this time of year....Constant action! The front blew in and they really started feeding fast and furious!. We fished this spot for a while, just chasing the school back and forth through the area yanking them to the boat. We had a good time and ended the day completely satisfied! Look for temps in the 45-47 range, protected from the wind and you'll find the fish. Don't expect the large females to chew just yet. Give them another week or two!

Air Temps...42(L) 54(H)
Winds...South at 15-20 gusting to 25-30. Switching to Southwest mid day 15-20.
Water Temps...41-47 Fish were only caught in 44-47.
Fished from 7:30-4:30

NOTES:
Cool front blew in around 1:00 and was raining off and on all day.
Bite Pattern...Swim baits yo-yowed in 3-5 FOW. Slowly, and ripping out of grass.

Brent was a tad slow on the pic of a small pike I caught! :)

Worm Fishing For Dummies!

2009-03-26T19:59:00.002-04:00

If you were to ask me what my favorite bass bite was I'd answer you without hesitation..."The worm bite"! You can take my spinnerbaits, cranks, swimbaits, top water (well, maybe not my topwaters) but as long as you give me my worms, I'll find the fish! There is something about the concentration involved with fishing a worm on a Texas rig that I just can't stay away from. The cast, followed by an anticipated sink to the bottom, slowly raising your rod, only to immediately feel that "THUNK"! Quickly reeling in the slack as you drop your rod....BAM!! Fish on! God I LOVE worm fishing. But don't be fooled by this simple looking bait because it, too, has it's list of does and dont's! Now, like everything else involving bass, there are exceptions (or opinions) to every rule, but I wanted to break down the true fundamentals of worm fishing. First things first...The Worm!

What in the hell is this really suppose to be? I mean, come on! I haven't' spent a whole lot of time swimming on the bottom of my favorite lake, but I would like to think there aren't too many night crawlers swimming around down there. Now I'm sure some get caught in the current or maybe washed in from a heavy rain, but literally swim? Well, I'm not a biologist so I'm not going to pretend I know what the heck I'm talking about, but I do know that bass just can't resist them. Best bait in your bag, hands down!

Like all lure choices, colors play an important role. In fact, I believe it plays a much larger role than in most baits. If worked properly, a bass really is allowed to take it's time and process a lot of information about what it's about to eat. So I really believe color is extremely important. If fishing a dark water lake, or muddy lake I like to go with your brighter colors like chartreuse, bright purples. In the clearer waters like we have in PA, I like to throw the darker colors like deep purples, deep reds, and motor oil. But my favorite and one I fish 95% of the time is purple. But this is really not any different than any lure so experiment with different colors until you find one that works well on your lake. Just don't get reeled in to the marketing BS. You don't need every color made in worms or any lure for that matter. Break it down to three choices of primary shades. Darks, Mediums, and naturals.

There are a few different ways in rigging a worm and most have there uses, but I rig my worms Texas style. It's a very simple rig that involves a bullet weight, worm hook, and of coarse, your worm. As far as weight goes, that depends on how deep you're fishing. For instance, if you're fishing a 20 foot drop off you may want to go with a 1/2 oz and on a really windy day, you may want to go with a 3/4 oz weight. Your objective is to just have enough weight to be able to effectively stay in contact with the bait. The lighter the better, in my opinion. So if you're fishing a shallow flat during the spawn, you won't need the heavy stuff and will be fine with just a 1/8 oz weight. The important part is getting your bait to the bottom, but allowing it to sink slowly as you drop your rod.

I really like to use Berkley Powerworms. I have personally witnessed the difference in these baits and believe that the sent not only draws more bites, but also affords you additional time to set the hook. They really do seem to hold on to the bait a lot longer. As far as hooks are concerned, I like a really wide gap hook for worm fishing. There are litterly tons of different types of worm hooks so this can get really confusing. I prefer a 2/0 hook for Texas Rigging. If you'd like to know how to rig a Texas rig click HERE.

There are two main problems I see when people are just getting into worm fishing. First is bait contact. What I mean by contact, is always staying connected with the bait. Never and I mean never let too much slack in your line. Cast it out and just let it sink to the bottom. Making sure that there is no slack in you line. Bass will hit a worm bait on the fall 75% of the time. And if you have too much slack in that line, than you'll never know they hit it. With hard baits that require a constant retrieve you'll know when a fish strikes, but not so much with worm fishing. This is what I really enjoy about it. Once that bait hits the water my eyes never look away. I'm always watching the line and the water around it. Sometimes a fish will take it in and start swimming either toward you or to the side. Even though you won't feel the fish, you'll most likely see your line move in that direction. So, always make sure you can feel that lure, and always pay attention to that line.

The second mistake I see people doing wrong is working the bait way too fast. Once that bait hits the water let it get to the bottom. Once it reaches the bottom, simply let it sit for 30 seconds or so. A lot of times a bass will hear it hit the water, and watch it fall. That fish will move closer to it just to check it out. Even if that fish isn't in the mood to eat it will stay there just watching the worm. As soon as you start to lift the rod, that fish will strike it out of pure instinct. Cast it out and let it sit than slowly...let me repeat, SLOWLY raise your rod. Than let the bait fall again to the bottom. Repeat this process all the way back to the boat. Once a fish hits it, always reel down on the fish, giving them a few seconds before setting the hook. You'll be surprised how long they will hold onto it. I hope this helps those who are just starting out. If you have some more questions, don't hesitate sending me an email. I'm far from being a pro, but I've been worm fishing since I was a kid!

Conneaut Lake Report 03/25/09

2009-03-26T12:45:00.003-04:00

I had to meet someone near Conneaut Lake yesterday around 2 in the afternoon. Not one to miss an opportunity to fish new water, I brought the boat along. I have never fished this lake before so I was completely blind, not to mention the weather was NASTY. I pulled up to that little ramp by the PFC office at around 4:45. The wind was blowing something fierce and almost convinced me to stay off the lake.

I've gone this far I might as well put in, right? After discovering how freakin' shallow the mouth of that place is, I was on my way. I headed to the other side of the lake. I figured I might as well make the run because fishing in that 30 mph wind was going to be nearly impossible. I assumed I could some how get out of the wind, but wasn't sure where I was going or where the fish might be. On the way there I was definitely questioning my sanity...I was running wide open into a 30 mph wind so it felt like I was doing about 85, and I was taking rain in the face that could of pressure washed my deck.

Noticing the water was a chilly 39 degrees, i figured any chances of me finding a decent bite was very low. I've always wanted to get on this lake to check it out, so this was my chance. I was amazed at the depth. In the center of her I marked humps starting at 45 FOW that rose up to 25 FOW. Pretty impressive, to say the least. Cruising around with my eyes glued to my electronics, trying to figure out what kind of water I was on, I started marking a few fish. At this point the rain is coming down, my hands and face were wet, and I was getting cold.

The wind was blowing extremely hard so I didn't have a choice but to drop anchor. First try with the anchor, I was in perfect position to fish the marker I threw out. I was on the deep side of a 15 foot high hump that bottomed in 44 and rose to 29. A drop shot with some heavy weight was the only thing I could think would work in these cold, windy conditions.

Completely "dead sticking" the rod I managed to get my first bite in about 20 minutes using a finesse worm. A small bass about 1 1/2 pounds was the first to come to hand, followed by 6 others that all could have passed for brothers. After a couple of adjustments, I found 2 smouthmouth that wanted to eat. Neither being large, but one would go 2 lbs I think. After I could no longer feel my hands OR my face, I decided it was time to leave.

I managed to mark 11 spots to fish within about 4 hours on the lake, and I imagine there are tons more. Whether or not these new "honey holes" hold fish or not...well, that's yet to be determined. Like I always tell others, you will always find out more about a body of water when you just go look for yourself. When the fishing is slow is when you need to get out and find more spots. With no pressure to catch fish, you'll find yourself motivated to fill your GPS up with places to fish.

Considering the weather, the fact I've never been on this lake, and the 39 degree temp, I counted this day a success.
So if you saw a green boat skimming across that lake yesterday, that was me, because I was the only moron out fishing.

Air Temps...41(L) 48(H)
Winds...Southeast at 20-25 Gusting to 30
Water Temps...39
Fished from (PM)4:30-7:45

My First True Love...The "Salt Shaker"!

2009-03-22T13:12:00.011-04:00

It all started back home in Texas back in 1997. I was in the process of helping a close friend cleaning out some old storage building he was planning on converting into a little fly shop for himself. I noticed something in the back that resembled a big square swimming pool. Upon further investigation, I realized it was a mold for making a "scooter". The term "scooter" is a southern term for a ultra shallow running skiff. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I decided to keep in anyway. This mold sat in my garage to the following winter with out so much as second look. Well, one day I decided I'd do a little research on how to work with fiberglass and to see if I really wanted to get myself into something as large as actually building a boat. By all means, I've never worked with 'glass and wasn't sure what to expect.
Within 4 or 5 weeks of studying and asking a ton of question, I decided that I'd give it a try. A week long adventure of buying all the needed materials, I was ready. After a TON of trial and error, I finally started to get the hang of things...Well, either I was getting the hang of things or the vapors from all those resins were making me think I was doing a good job. All those questions that I asked were answered, but nobody truly told me how nasty this stuff is! I had it EVERYWHERE...most of all my clothes were ruined, my garage floor was 6 inches thicker from all the spills, and I actually had fiberglass in my washer and dryer..lol
After 3 long months, I had her built. It was going to be a super shallow, fishing machine! I decided that I was going to power it with a 150 Yamaha until I had it weight..lol! This boat actually only weighed 625 pounds! SWEET, I thought, this thing will sit in less than 3 inches, I guarantee! I got the Coast Guard approval for up to 125 HP, but I decided to go with a Yamaha 115. Well, needless to say, at 625 lbs, this baby FLEW! After rigging it with a hydraulic jack plate, I could run in 3 inches of water! The picture to the left will show how the boat looked at first. It had a raised deck that allowed you to get up high and really get a look around you. It wasn't long before I decided to rip that deck up and bring it to a company called Tops and Towers in Houston, TX. Knowing what kind of work these guys do, I was pretty excited. I went in there with the intention of just the new raised platform, but I became completely out of my mind the moment he started showing me all the work he does.
Needless to say, I walked out of there with a raised deck, poling platform, bow platform, and a new leaning post(That's a fishin' junky for ya). My grand total came in at $4100.00! "Oh SHIT", I thought, as I realized that is wouldn't be long before I was explaining the huge investment to my new fiance!! What was she to think? I just knew my damn impulsive, fishing addicted ass would be in for some trouble! This garage project (one of which she didn't like anyway) has ended up costing me well over $13,500, taking the motor and all the other gadgets into consideration! Needless to say, Kara didn't mind the least bit. I knew right then she was the women of my dreams..lol! A girl who hunts, fishes, and doesn't care if I buy the toys I want!
Within a month, I named my new boat the "Salt Shaker"! Not only did she run up to 50mph, but did it in less than 5 inches of water! What more can you ask for..A fast, shallow running boat was everything a Texas flats angler could ask for. With the jack plate, I could easily plane in less than a foot! This boat was SWEET! My "relationship" with her lasted about 4 years until I decided I wanted to move up to Pennsylvania. Obviously it didn't take much to sell her! She was perfect in every way imaginable. Her performance,sleek lines, and glossy exterior would make any man or women excited! A every boat launch, drive through, redfish tourney somebody would ask me what kind of boat it was. I had at least 6 or 7 people ask me to build them one, but I wasn't doing that again! And I definitely wasn't doing it for a living!
If the new owner happens to read this...Please take care of her, she was my first true love!!! :)

Lifestyles Of The Soft And Plastic!

2009-03-19T14:37:00.010-04:00

Everything I read or watch on TV, with regards to bass fishing, has been revolving around this new “swim Bait” craze. I use the term “new” very lightly, considering this style of fishing has been around a lot longer than I have. Being completely in love with soft plastics, I’ve been fishing this way ever since I can remember. With that being said, I’d like to write up an “article” that helps other anglers to not only brake down swim baits, but also a few other soft plastics that really work. It seams like these companies are really pushing these soft plastic swim baits to the consumer…and with a hefty price tag!

For starters, swim baits come in literally hundreds of different styles, sizes, weights, and colors. I’m just going to go over a few that I like and explain how I personally rig them. By all means, I’m not a pro at using them, but have been exploring different ways of fishing them. And I’m going to explain how I rig some other soft plastics that I have had a lot of success with.

Gambler Flappin' Shad;
Growing up fishing saltwater flats in Texas, I’ve brought a few ideas of mine into the freshwater environment with good success. My favorite swim bait of all time is a Gambler flappin’ shad. They come in a ton of different colors, but I like the motor oil, clear with red glitter, and green. There are a few different ways I rig them depending on where I’m fishing and at what depth. My favorite way to rig the Gambler Flappin' Shad is with a weighted worm hook. These hooks come in all sorts of different weights and sizes. Depending on what depth you're fishing will determine what weight you will need, but I mostly use a very wide gap 2/0 hook. This bait has a little larger body and requires a larger hook to help increase hook ups.

Rig this bait weedless and you can do anything you want with it. You can crank it through shallow water, using it as a search bait. You can role it slow on the bottom for a cold-water bite. You can litteraly do anything you want with this lure. This is why I like these kinds of baits. Go and buy a six dollar hard bodied jerk bait and you're limited to what that lure does with it's built in characteristics. With baits like the Flappin Shad, you can get fish this with any pattern you found. Not to mention you get a lot more "bang for the buck" at the cash register compared to hard bodied baits. By rigging this bait with a weedless weighted worm hook you can even use it flippin' into the thickest grass you can find. The shape of the body glides through the thickest cover imaginable without the risk of snagging.

Another way you can rig this bait is threaded onto a jig head. This is deadly in open water situations where grass is not much of a problem. If you are ever fishing a sharp drop off or a weedline in deeper water, rig this bait with a jig head. It's deadly, trust me! With the tail on this bait there is not much movement needed to produce an action. So when fished on a jig head, you can just cast it out and let it sink to the bottom. If the bite is tough like after a cold front, during a big high-pressure system, or even that really hot August day with no wind, this is the time to do this. After the bait has hit bottom, work this bait s l o w l y on the bottom, lifting your rod and letting it drop back down to the bottom. If you're familiar with worm fishing, this is what I’m talking about! Now, if you've located a school of feeding fish than you can just cast this bait out, let it sink to the desired depth and rip it back to you. The possibilities are endless with these styles of lures!

The Bass Assassin;
Now most anglers who are familiar with this bait don't really classify it as a swim bait, but more in the jerk bait category. And for the most part, I'd have to agree with them. The Bass Assassin can be used as a swim bait and produce bites on certain days. But you, the angler, impart most of its action. There are three ways that I like to fish this bait. One is on a jig head like I mentioned above. When worked threaded onto a jig head, I've found this bait to be an excellent search bait. The best way to work it to cover a lot of water is to pop the rod aggressively and just letting this bait fall. Making sure you line stays tight on the drop will enable you to feel those bites on the drop. Similar to a Tube, this lure will spin on the drop, driving fish mad in the process. While you're twitching it, continually reel it back to the boat. Try it this way, you won't be disappointed!

My color choice on this lure is white, green, motor oil, and red glitter. Another deadly way to fish this bait is the same way I mentioned above....Rigging it with a weedless weighted worm hook! This gives it a very unique, slow drop that triggers bites. I like to fish this bait this way during the post spawn. Cast it out and letting it fall to the bottom, sometimes letting it sit for a minute or two. Work it back with short twitches of the rod, allowing it to fall and sit. It will lay right on it's belly when it hits the bottom, and bass will sometimes hit it after it's sat for a little while during the post-spawn time. Considering this bait falls into the jerk bait category, I also use it on just a non-weighted weedless worm hook. This is deadly in shallow water or tall grass. The sink rate is very slow and has an awesome darting action when twitched quickly. Do it this way and you'll see....It's a very deadly bait and also one of my favorites!

The Grub;
Well, it doesn't get anymore basic than the twister tail grub bait. Coming in mostly smaller sizes, this makes an excellent finesse bait. I haven't had much success fishing it with a weightless worm hook, but have done well fishing it with a weighted one, like mentioned above. Most of the time I use a jig head when fishing the grub. The different ways of fishing this are endless! You can swim it at any speed back to you, you can jig it on the bottom, and you can even buzz it on the surface for and explosive hit!! This bait has been around forever, and for good reason...it catches fish! Like most soft plastics, they come in all different colors and are made by several manufacturers. Experiment until you find one that works for you. My favorite colors are pretty much the same colors listed above.

The Sassy Shad;
Like the grub tail, this bait is a smaller finesse type lure, but is absolutely DEADLY on pre-spawn smallies. The only effective way to fish this bait is on a jig head. Experiment with retrieves and fish it anyway you want. The tail on this bait has a lot of action. Here's a lil' secret for you....
Fish this bait tandem. When you tie one on leave about 15 inches of tag line and tie another one on to it. You will be running two baits next to each other and this is a Killer rig! I grew up fishing it this way for Speckled Trout in TX and I found out really quick what this bait would do on suspended bass!

Tsunami Swim Baits;
Considering these baits are pre-rigged there isn't but one way to rig them, the only down fall on this lure is that it comes weighted. I personally like the larger one, but feel it's too heavy for most applications. But makes a very good open water bait. Very realistic and does very well in gin clear water, and with the action built into it, doesn't take anything to work it. The tail has a deep swimming action and the body has a terrific wobble to it. A bit pricey, but worth it. This bait and like other pre-rigged swim baits aren’t my first choice. I like having the ability to rig this several ways.

The Worm;
What? A worm for a swim bait? Yup, that’s what I said! Well, considering this is all about swim baits, I won’t get into details of all the different ways to fish the worm. But I will tell you this much, tie on a 7” Berkley Power Worm on a jig head and you’ll know why I’ve listed it here. Slow role this in open water, over vegetation or anywhere you think bass are holding, and you can bet your waders it will get bit! If you’re fishing thick grass you can even rig it Texas style with a worm hook, but instead of allowing the weight to slide on the line, take a toothpick and “peg” it!

Those are just a few baits that I’ve had the most luck using, and find them a very economical bait to fish. I didn’t mention those new baits out that have are hand painted with eyes, gills, mouth and whatever else they have decorating them. They are over priced and are designed to catch fisherman, not fish. You don’t need all those details that these bait have, and they don’t hold up any longer than any of the ones I listed.

Many people complain that they can only catch a couple of fish on a soft plastic without having to replace it. There are a few reasons for this, and I’ll start with storage. Don’t store your soft plastics in the boat all summer and expect them to hold up. Heat causes them to break down and get too soft. What I do is separate all my soft plastics into categories. Put the worms with the worms, the swim baits with the swim baits…. you get my point. Store each category in a large, good quality freezer bag. Don’t take them out of their original packaging though. These are the best bags to store them in!
Another way to make sure your baits last a lot longer is choosing the right jig head. I LOVE the “cork screw” type jigs heads. They have a little corkscrew like spring coming out of the lead. Thread the bait onto the hook like normal, but once the bait reaches this spring rotate the bait around the hook shaft. Apply upward pressure to make the corkscrew penetrate the plastic and just spin it around the hook until the plastic makes it to the lead. It will hold on until you’re tired of it!!! It takes a little practice to get use to, but with time, it’ll be as simple as tying your shoes!!

My Monday Morning Rant!

2009-03-16T13:03:00.006-04:00

Before reading this, understand that my only intention is to help people realize that they can find out a lot more if they just did a little of their own research. I just can’t figure out why there is always a few wanting to be “spoon fed” information? I mean, why do people need to know some of the things they ask? I understand people wanting fishing reports, but do they really need to know the exacts of your day?
Take locations for instance! If somebody says they found a good bite somewhere…
Instead of asking them where they found the fish, ask what depth were the fish holding, or what lures/baits were they throwing. Ask for help, but never, I repeat NEVER ask an angler where he fished. A good spot to fish is sacred to me, and most anglers feel the same way. After all, they are the ones that worked hard finding the spot.If the angler doesn’t mind sharing the location with you I’m sure he will do so.

With the amount of pressure most good lakes receive, you just can’t afford to give your spots up. And the typical angler who asks “where” is the same angler who will share that with everyone they contact. Instead of asking where the fish were caught, ask the angler where you should start to look! Noticed I wrote…START TO LOOK!
Fishing to me is finding a pattern and breaking the “code”. That’s the fun part that you are missing out on. Get out and find some water on your own, and I can promise you that you’ll have a better time when YOU found that spot! Just remember to keep it to yourself.

I’m planning a short musky trip this spring (on a lake that I’ve never been on) known for some big girls! This is only going to be a two-day plug fest, but I plan on fishing hard both days. I’ve researched maps, I’ve researched areas to camp, I’ve researched average water temps for this lake, and I’ve asked questions…a LOT of questions to people who know the area, but I have never asked for spots to fish. I will have a better time finding them on my own just using a few maps, than if you’d of just put in on top of them. But that’s just me, I guess! Also, what is with some anglers with regards to understanding the behaviors and patterns of fish they like to pursue? If you want to be a better angler, and angling is your true passion, then why won’t some people learn the fish? By learn, I mean…do some research!! Learn the spawning habits, desired water temps, where they feed, what they feed on and when…Learn the habits of a fish’s pray and you will be a better angler and not needing to ask that “where” question. I’ve talked to people who bass fish all the time, but can’t tell me what water temps they like to spawn in. If this is your true passion in life then learn your craft. It will make you a better angler when you look at fish from a different perspective. Most just learn about all sorts of different baits, or lures to use, but never learn the life-cycle of the fish they’re after…

Once you learn all about the habits of the fish you’re after, than learn about all the different prey available to them. Learn what they feed on in that area and where that bait is at any given time of year. Fish are extremely predictable and can be pattern easily if you just figure out their lifecycle! My favorite favorite fish is the smallmouth bass. They spend a lot of time feasting on gobies. I could most likely tell you anything you need to know about gobies because I need to understand the habits of these fish to help me find their worst enemy, the smallmouth! Get my point? Learn, learn, and learn!
This is the stuff that makes great anglers, great! Here’s an example of what I’m referring to! A guy gets online and asks,”Have the crappie started yet”
That person should know that the water temps are 38-42 and this is when the crappie start feeding for the spawn. If you knew that already, you should have asked, “what’s the current water temps”. That’s a perfectly fine question to ask!

Another thing to really learn is weather patterns…Become a meteorologist! Learn what fish do before, during, or after cold fronts. This will tell you where you should start to look! Learn how to predict that weather, and you’ll learn how to predict the fish.
Learn how 2” inches of rain effects that favorite stream you fish. If you never fished that stream before, than go right after rainstorm and figure it out!
“Will the creeks be fishable by this weekend? Look at the weather and see if we have any more rain in the forecast. Because you found out what 2 inches of rain will do to that creek, you now know what to expect on Saturday!

The point I’m trying to make is simple. Learn your hobby! There is more to angling then lure selection or what waders to buy! There are so many answer sitting right in front of you right now that can help you catch more fish…All you have to do is study them!
I’m not writing this because I hate when people ask these questions, but because I believe that people should have a better understanding of the fish and environment in which they live in!

Presque Isle Report 03/15/09

2009-03-15T20:08:00.011-04:00

Today was THE day to be out on the water...Finally we had a chance to fish when the weather was perfect. The sun shone bright all day and the winds were perfect. Met Brent at the ramp at 7, but was very surprised at the look of the bay. It was actually covered in a thin layer if ice. We were (like most of the time) the first to get there so we put in and broke it up! All the way out we broke up the ice, but we were determined to fish. We started out at one of our rock pile areas, but didn't fish it long. We actually fished a bunch of our deep water spots trying to get a cold water fish, but with the water temp only 33 degrees, we figured it was pointless. Headed over to an area that the Pike and bass really like to spawn in and found a warmer area of about 38 degrees. Knowing it was still a bit early for some pre-spwan bass we figured we'd just fish for the big pike. This was kind of goal of today anyway.. Long story short, Brent found a nice pike on a spot we call Fantasy Land, and a steelhead. We didn't measure the pike, but figured her around 32-34 inches and the steelhead was just a 20 inch jack. The ice was gone in this area so we worked it most of the day...Brent picked up another steelie, and I ended my day completely skunked.
Oh well, that's fishing. Didn't catch too many, but for this March's transitional period, we are glad we had a few bites.

Air Temps...28(L) 54(H)
Winds...Northeast at 5-10
Water Temps...32-41
Fished from 7:00-3:45

I just had to throw this pic in from when I got home. As soon as I pulled up my boys just had to jump in the boat...These are two future BASS big money winners, I promise ya!

Bassin' On A Budget..A Guide To Fishing Presque Isle Bay!

2009-03-11T14:02:00.008-04:00

Let's face it, not many of today's anglers can afford a boat, and with our current economy, some of us are lucky we can afford a decent pair of waders. So I've decided to write a small guide to help a few people find a couple of spots to fish this year. Places that not only will produce nice fish, but places with easy access that anyone with a little motivation can fish. Now before some of you get your reel in a backlash about the spot burning issue here, realize that these aren't any secret spots and they are owned by the state. We're talking about a state park here. First lets talk about gear. When wade fishing, the longer the rod the better. Not only will this allow you to cast a bit further, but it will also help when you're pulling that big largemouth out of the grass. Wade anglers are sort of at a disadvantage here. When you're in the water, you're obviously closer to the service. Which will make it hard sometimes to pull that fish out of the weeds. So you want a longer rod with some backbone and a soft tip. As far as reels go, I don't feel this is really that big of deal, but would recommend something with a faster retrieve ratio. This will help cranking in that bass when it heads for cover.

Much more important that the reel is the line that's on it. I personally use PowerPro and highly suggest it. Your casting will improve along with a lot of benefits. I wrote everything you need to know about PowerPro in this article, so take a look if you're interested in trying it out. I like to use about 10 lb test for my wading rods if using this braid, but about 12 or even 15 lb test if going with mono.

Lures to use! I could go on for pages with regards to all the different lure out there, but I won't bore you will all that nonsense. Considering the title of this post has the word "budget" in it, I'll narrow it down to three different baits. When you really put things into perspective, you'll come to realize that you don't need everything on the shelves. Here's a list of baits and recommendations for colors and sizes. These three lures will cover most all conditions you will encounter on Presque Isle Bay.

First is the 7" Berkley Powerworm! I like any shades of purple or deep reds for Presque Isle, but my all time favorite color is the "Electric Blue". Not sure why, but I probably catch 80 percent of my largemouth on them. Texas Rigged is my favorite for the bay.

Second is the Spinner Bait! I like double willow leaf blades and my color of chose is plain ole' white. Spinner baits are great for covering a lot of water to locate feeding schools. They can be fished deep or you can rip them on the surface for those schooling fish!

The Third bait of choice is the oldie, but goody, the curly tail grub jig. ( Or the Mr. Twister type baits.) If I had to chose one bait that I had to fish and only had that bait to fish with, I'd pull out a root beer colored Mr.Twister on a 1/4 ounce jig head. 'Nuff said?

Okay, so now that were all geared up and ready to go, lets go over some spots to fish and when to fish them. I'm going to limit this to 5 different locations that are easily to drive to and are great areas to wade. I figured if you can't find fish in the five spots, you may want to reconsider your hobby! Shuffle Board is a lot of fun from what I hear. Anyway, so here are the spots to try......

The Head Of The Bay:

This is the furthest western spot in the bay and you will see it to your right as soon as you enter the Park. You can park in the first parking lot and walk down. This place has great bottom for wading, but be really careful of the drop off. Within 10-15 feet from shore it drops off pretty quickly. This entire are is really good fishing for Largemouth during the spring and early summer months. Weeds can be a problem during the summer, though. I really, really, REALLY like the head of the bay after we've had a strong East wind for a couple of days. An East wind pushes a lot of bait into this small cove so Large schools of bass will feed all day on the baitfish. Look out for the 'gulls. If you ever drive by this area and see alot of 'gulls flying around...FISH IT! Trust me! This is also a great steelhead spot, but we're not focusing on "slimers" here.

The Stink Hole:

This is a really deep hole that offers some really good wade fishing close to shore. You can find it on this map if you look just above Vista Boat Launch. You'll see on the map where it says weeds..That's the stinkhole! If it's spring time, just look for about 9,500 boats anchored off rippin' the lips off the Crappie! It's really good spot to fish those worms. Texas rig them weedless and work that shoreline all the way out to the grassy point that sticks out. If you find this area you'll know what I'm talking about. It gets about 25 feet deep in here, so it tends to hold a decent amount of Largemouth all year long. Also the entire shoreline that runs East of the Stinkhole is really good to try.

Marina Lake:

This is a great spawning area for bass and is really at it's peak in the spring. This is a great place to get that spinnerbait out. You can literally work this entire lake on foot. If you can actually make it all the way around it during the spring without catching bass?!?! Well, you may want to reconsider that Shuffleboard thing! Focus on working baits slowly for these prespawn fish, but remember, repeated cast to a bedding fish is against the law in PA.

Perry Monument Flats:

That entire flat south of the monument is awesome. You can literally walk all the way out to the channels and catch all sorts of bass. This spot is great for working that Grub jig. During the spring this place holds a decent number of smallmouth, too! It's a good, hard sand with grass so focus on casting into the clear spots working your jig slowly through the grass for smallmouth. You may also want to cast that spinnerbait to help find the fish. Rip it along as you walk around this huge flat.

Thompson Bay:

Located more in the lake than the bay, this place is sweet! During the early part of the year, once the main lake hits about 55 degrees, you can find a ton of fish stacked in here. Both smallmouth and largemouth feed in this bay. Grass is a HUGE issue here during the summer, so try to focus on this area early or really late in the year. Here's my warning though, anglers have died wading this area so please be careful. There is a lot of current that runs through here so don't wade out too deep and stay away from the mouth. I've found that this is where most of the current can come from.

An Important Reminder Of Boating Etiquette!

2009-03-09T16:25:00.007-04:00

Well, it's that time of the year again! Most anglers have there boats tucked away all winter and are finally able to get it out for another great year on the water. So I thought I'd write a little about my opinion of how to conduct yourself on the boat ramp and on the water! First off, everyone that owns a boat is responsible for not only knowing the laws of their state, but also know how to safely use their vessel, but I don't want to get into safety issues here, but rather boating etiquette. There isn't a person on the water that has had to either wait forever for that guy to load his boat at the ramp while the line at Walnut Marina starts to form? Or how about that time you found an awesome smallmouth bite and that knucklehead drove over it at 60 mph, shutting off the fish? I know I have....More than once! Start with the boat ramp! Please, please, PLEASE have your gear loaded IN THE boat BEFORE (once again...BEFORE) you arrive at the ramp. Don't be that dude holding up everybody else because your rods are all tangled up in your back seat. Also, remove your trailer straps before you get to the ramp. Trust me, you're not going to lose it during the 30 feet drive to the water. (Insert sarcasm here)!
Okay now that we have that out of the way......
This is my favorite! The guy who decided to bring his buddy along that has never been in a boat... more or less actually backed one in the water. Right, left, backwards, forwards, right, left, no wait...Pull up 30 feet and repeat! Always ask your partner if he/she is totally cool with doing this chore. And why would you want to risk your boat and truck? If they aren't experienced enough to back it in, simply back it down to the water and THEN let them back in the vehicle! (ya I know...I'm a damn Rocket Scientist)! Oh, and you may want to double check that drain plug! The last thing you want is a video of your boat sinking on Youtube.com!
Okay, enough with all that stuff! Let's talk about a few "unwritten" laws to follow on the water. First off, most lakes are big enough to offer you an ample amount of space to give other boaters PLENTY of room. Now...PLENTY of room doesn't mean 30 yards, it means 200 yards if you're cruising, and about 100 yards if you're trolling. Some would call this excessive, and some anglers who fish Walnut would laugh so hard that they'd throw up their pork rinds! But it's not, and can be done! Boats screaming at full throttle running too close, not only spooks fish, but is dangerous! So give everyone a lot of room! One thing that has got to be mentioned is language! No I'm not talking about "press 1 for English" I'm talking about the "F" this and the "F" that when you're out on the water. So the next time your buddy causes you to loose that 15 lb Walleye because he's...Well, an IDIOT, try to watch your mouth. I don't want my two young boys to hear it, and I'm sure nobody else wants to either. Just remember that sounds travels a long way on the lake!
Now that you're on the water and nicely "zig zagged" your way through the other boaters you've just arrived to that sweet breakline covered with big rocks..You know, the one you ALWAYS catch fish on?! But wait...There is somebody already fishing it?!?! What should you do? I mean, you did find that spot and should be able to fish it anytime you'd like, right? WRONG!! If somebody is fishing a spot you came to than move on the a different one. And if you don't have any other spots to fish, I'd suggest you did a little research and find a few! It is not the right thing to do, so go on with your baaaad self and fish somewhere else!
These are just a few things to keep in mind out on the water. Just remember to be RESPECTFUL to others around you and you'll be surprised of how many new fishing buddys you'll find on the way! And you never know, maybe that new buddy will tell you about a new spot considering you only have that one breakline to fish! (Ya, that was a joke) Here's to you for a safe and fun 2009 boating season!

Click here for some additional tips on launching your boat!

Click here if you have that idiot buddy who can't net a fish to save his life...You know, the guy who caused you to loose that 15 pounder!

Presque Isle Report 3/8/09

2009-03-08T16:36:00.006-04:00

By the look of the picture I posted on this report, you'd of thought I was fishing in Florida. Unfortunately that's not the case! This is an old pic of Kara fighting a tarpon in Tampa and the reason I posted it was to remind me that one day I will be in some warm weather again and it does exist! :-)
Today I fished with my buddies Brent and Mike (6point7 on Fisherie.com). Last week the bay finally opened up and we decided to try and find some early spawn pike, but were left empty handed. The forecast was calling for midfiftys with some rain! Well, they were wrong! I don't think it got above 35 and it rained on us all day! It was one cold day! We fished pretty hard in all our usual spots, but I think we were just a bit early for them! Another couple of weeks of warm weather and I'm sure the early spring patterns will be enforce. But with the water at 36 degrees, it just isn't happening right now. Oh well, that's fishing I guess!!
One thing happened today that had me thanking the man upstairs though. I drove 45 minutes at interstate speeds with my pin that holds my hitch in was GONE!! That's right, GONE! I made it all the way to where we were meeting and at a sharp turn in the parking lot, the hitched pulled completely out and my boat trailer nearly took out my tail gate! I could only imagine what would of happened if it came off at 70 mphs?!?! YIKES! Just a little reminder to check and re-check everything well before getting on the road! In the next couple of weeks, start looking for pike to be over muddy, dark shallow flats with some rotting vegetation! These fish will be moving in the shallows getting ready for their spawn. Pike are one of coldest water fish that live in our waters and spawn between 39 to 45 degrees! Good luck! Hopefully my next report will be much better...

Throwin' Tubes....My Favorite Pattern!!

2009-03-06T15:06:00.010-05:00

Soft plastic lures have been truly revolutionized only twice since they were introduced in the 1950's. The Slug-Go soft plastic jerkbait changed the way we view, and use, soft plastics. Variations of that bait continue to be designed and produced by many manufacturers as anglers rely heavily upon its fish catching ability.
Perhaps just as trend setting and every bit as duplicated and modified, the original Gitzit tube lure has generated a tremendous amount of fanfare since its introduction in the mid- 1980's. If imitation is the greatest form of flattery then Bobby Garland, inventor of the Gitzit, has been greatly honored.
Virtually every soft plastic manufacturer offers a tube lure design. Some have combined a crawfish or salamander shape with the hollow body design of a tube to create a unique product. Other companies have produced jig heads, hooks, rattles and trailers designed specifically for use with tubes. Truly one of the most versatile of all soft plastic designs, tubes continue to catch bass from the surface to the bottom in shallow and deep water year round. An individual angler's amount of creativity is the only limitation when it comes to rigging and fishing tubes. They are commonly Texas-rigged, Carolina-rigged, drop-shot rigged and even fished weightless. The most basic rigging method involves inserting a jig head into the hollow body of a tube. This method is commonly used when fishing the smaller, 3-inch tubes on spinning tackle. With the jig head tucked inside the tube, this rig works great as a finesse lure in clear water. It also skips exceptionally well, making it a good choice for fishing boat docks and shorelines with overhanging vegetation. The action of a tube can be greatly affected by the position of the jig head inside the body. With the jig head pushed all the way forward, tubes tend to fall faster with less spiral. To slow the fall and increase the amount of spiral, position the jig head back from the "nose" of the tube. While tubes appeal greatly to largemouth bass, they may be even more preferred by smallmouth and spotted bass. Virtually all smallmouth enthusiasts consider tubes to be a primary lure in their tackle box. For added attraction, anglers insert a variety of items into the body of a tube. Alka Seltzer tablets are broken into pieces and inserted in order to create bubbles and a fizzing effect when exposed to the water. It's also popular to soak a cotton ball in fish attractant to enable the attractant to slowly ooze out of the tube's body. Styrofoam can be added to make a tube float high when Carolina rigged or fished on the surface. And of course, rattles are commonly inserted, especially when fishing stained water or heavy cover.
A casting spoon can be greatly enhanced by inserting it into the body of a tube, then adding a swivel by running the snap through the walls of the tube and the line tie at the top of the spoon. This increases the action, adds buoyancy and creates a soft textured lure that can be cast a great distance. The same can be done to improve the performance of a jigging spoon.
Bass anglers have, at times, been known to remove the silicone or rubber skirt from a spinnerbait and replace it with a tube.
Tubes can also be rigged weightless and worked across the top of weed beds or fished just below the surface in the same manner as a soft jerkbait.
The latest craze in tubes involves pitching and flipping the larger 4- and 5-inch versions in heavy cover. Several manufacturers offer large flippin' tubes with a solid plastic head to accommodate Texas and Carolina rigging or for threading onto a jig head. While very effective at attracting strikes, many anglers complain about missing bites and losing fish on Texas-rigged tubes. The large amount of plastic tends to "ball up" in the bend of the hook, preventing the hook point from fully penetrating the plastic. To address this problem, Oldham Lures recently designed a heavy-duty tube lure jig head that features a fiber weed guard and a Gamakatsu flippin' hook. When rigged, the jig head is concealed inside the body of the tube. The quality hook enables anglers to use heavy line in combination with their jig rod when flipping tubes to heavy cover. Oldham's new flippin' jig head is fitted with the screwlock attachment and is perfect for flipping tubes and other types of soft plastics in grass.
The fiber weed guard on these jig heads can be customized for every situation. When flipping heavy cover such as brush or standing timber, the fibers of the weed guard can be spread out in a fan or V-shape. A good bit of the weed guard can be removed when fishing weed beds or sparse cover.
Tubes have an application to fit almost any fishing situation. With virtually unlimited rigging and presentation options, they deserve a top shelf location in every bass angler's tackle box.

Steelhead Report 03/06/2009

2009-03-06T13:09:00.008-05:00

With the recent warmer weather Erie has been receiving, the creeks are starting to thaw, but are still relatively low and clear. This weekend, things are looking pretty promising though and hopefully the rain predicted won't drop a ton on Erie, but some is definitely needed. The water temps are still very low, and expect them to stay this way until next week. Focus on fishing deep, slow pulls on the upper reaches of Elk and Walnut for some left over fish. These fish will be some-what sluggish so don't expect them to move too far for a fly or bait! Small Sucker Spawn and Globugs have been producing well for the anglers willing to fight the cold. Also, to the bait fisherman out there, don't rule out night crawlers this time of year, they can be deadly when sat in front of a steelie in low, clear water. The ice jams are a small problem on the mouths of the creeks, and expect them to get larger with the thaw. This time of year you will find some fresh run of smaller fish moving in, so once the mouths clear, look for them staging for a small run.
In the next month or so, we should start seeing our annual sucker run....This is the best time of the year for me because it's the first sign of spring on the water.
IT won't be long before the temps will be on the steady rise, marking yet another great year on Erie!! Good luck!

PowerPro...Is It Really That Much Better?

2009-03-05T15:24:00.011-05:00

I have always fished with monofilament, and never really believed all the "hype" about these new braids hitting the market. I believe it was Spiderwire that first started marketing this all new "superline", but it was going to take more than a few pro-anglers to convince me to change. I mean, if it isn't broke why fix it, right? Wrong!
I moved to Florida a few years back and found out that the new (at that time) PowerPro was the the choice for most Florida anglers, and for good reason...After loosing some pretty large snook in the mangrove bushes with my trust-worthy Berkley XL, I was willing to make the change. A change that would in fact...Change the way I fished!! After a small learning curve, I discovered I have been missing the boat all these years. This stuff is absolutely incredible! Not only is it the most sensitive line I have ever used, but is the most durable! I have ripped big fish out of some of the nastiest cover imaginable without a single break off. And to make it even more impressive, I only use the 8 lb test. I have found that not only can you use lighter test line, but it will out last even the highest quality monofilement out there! In fact, I have reels that have had the same line on them that I put on 4 years ago, and it still performs like new. In addition to the quality, I've found the sensitivity amazing. Here in Lake Erie we fish a lot of deep water drop shots so this has definitely helped me land more fish. After all, you have to feel the bite before you can set the hook! But before you run off to the store and load up on this stuff, there is a few things you need to know. This is not mono...let me repeat! This IS NOT mono! It feels, acts, looks, and smells different so you have got to treat it differently! What I mean by this is that you have to change a few habits in the way you do things! For starters..You don't need to fill the spool completely with PowerPro.
After you remove the old line off your reel, grab some fresh mono and tie it onto the spool. You will want to add about half the spool (depending on what size reel) with mono, using this as sort of a backing on a fly rod. There are two main reasons for this...One, PowerPro is expensive so why waste money. You won't ever see that first half of line on your reel so what would be the point? Second, this braid is very smooth. If you tie it directly to your spool it will sort of "spin" around and will not hold tight to the spool and will have a negative effect on your drag.The knot that I use to join the mono and braid together is the Uni to Uni knot. Even though this knot appears tricky, with a little practice you'll find it's quit simple to tie. Now that you've got your reel ready to go, let's go over a small detail that will have you cursing my name out on the lake...WIND KNOTS!!! This line is known by to create havoc on people with this. A "wind Knot" is a when a small loop forms in the line and pulls a tight little knot that even your mama couldn't get out! To eliminate this, DO NOT close your bail after casting by reeling it in. Manually close your bail and grab the line close to the spool and pull it tight up against the line guide. This will drastically reduce the problem. Now that we got those small details out of the way...Let's talk about the main difference between PowerPro and monofilement line. PowerPro has almost zero stretch. This will allow you to feel bites, bottom contours, structure and god knows what else. As soon as you start to retrieve it for the first time you will know what I'm talking about! You'll wear your arm out setting hooks on leaves, sticks, or even the side of the boat (yes I did it) because you will feel everything. Once you catch a few fish you will quickly adjust to it and your buddy will stop laughing at you!
Because this line doesn't offer any "give" I highly recommend loosening your drag just a bit. Too much pressure will cause some lost fish if your drag is too tight due to the non-stretch of this line. Being that I fish a lot of clear water lakes and rivers I always tie on about a two foot length of fluorocarbon leader, but if you fish murky waters this is less of an issue. Okay, now that we got all that out of the way, let's talk about knots. Most of the knots you are used to tying don't work too well. PowerPro is an extremely smooth, silky line so regular clinch knots (fisherman's Knot to some) does not hold. A Uni knot is the only one I use. Once again...Practice this knot while you're on the sofa watching Lifetime Movie Network (Don't lie, you know you do) and before you know it, you'll be tying them as quick as you can tie your shoes!
I was recently asked if this was a good cold water line. I used it once before ice fishing and wasn't impressed, but have since changed my mind. I'm not sure if it was the short ice rod that it didn't match well with or what, but recently I used it casting spoons for steelhead in 10 degree weather. I was extremely impressed with it's performance! It did far batter than monofilement and I plan on trying it one more time ice fishing. Needless to say, I am convinced of the "hype" on this superline and highly recommend it to anyone who wants to take their fishing to another level!
In the meantime...Make every strike count!

Click here for more info on PowerPro!

The Persistance Of A Diehard!

2009-03-03T14:28:00.004-05:00

Early one cold, spring morning, I woke to the sound of my dreadful alarm clock. I reached over and hit the snooze button hard enough to break an elephant’s back.
“Dammit, I do not want to go to work today”, I mumbled under my tired breath. After all, it’s been a long week at work. I turn over and quickly rose the warm covers to my face, only to hear Kara ask…”What are you doing, aren’t you fishing with Brent today?”
“Oh wait a minute, I am fishing today”, I thought to myself as a sprung out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning. It was Sunday…. A day to fish!!!!
The night before, I loaded the boat up and had everything ready to go. I was suppose to meet Brent at our usual spot in less than 20 minutes, so I rushed to get ready. That night the weatherman predicted a small cold front that may offer a wintry mix of ice and snow, but what I was about to see was not expected. I walked outside and was greeted by a stiff north wind and a blanket of snow. The boat had about 6 inches of snow inside, and ice and snow blanketed the earth. “Wow” I thought, “Should I call Brent and cancel?”
Knowing Brent is about as big as a nutcase as I, I feared he’d call me a pansy and tell me to get my tail out to the dock. So away to the gas station I went…..
As Brent pulled up to the rendezvous point, he noticed me scraping ice off the windshield of our boat. As he drove past me, the huge grin on his face said it all! We were going fishing, no matter what!
We got to the boat ramp and started talking about the conditions. The wind was blowing as hard as it wanted, the temps were in the lower 20’s, and the boat was covered in snow…. But we had gone this far so there was no turning back!
We put the boat in without another thought of canceling. We just knew we’d find some fish somewhere, but the “somewhere” was the question that had us puzzled.
I throttled the Honda Four stroke and once again, we were on our way to catch some fish. Laughter rang from our boat as we neared our spot…”Are we truly insane?” I yelled as we took in water from the wind beaten bay. We were up against a ruff, cold experience…. That’s for sure!
We headed over to the lagoons as we figured this would be our best place to start. It’s a shallow, backcountry area that tends to warm up quickly and hold a decent number of pre-spawn bass this time of year. Once we hit the no-wake zone at Misery Bay, I noticed that the water temps were reading a staggering 38 degrees. I just knew in my mind that this day would be a wash. “But what the hell, we’re fishing” I said to Brent as we approached the lagoons.
Working a Texas Rigged Powerworm was my game plan, and Brent started out with a small swim bait. Cast upon cast, we didn’t even draw a bite…. The further and further we got into the lagoons, the warmer the water became so I knew I could find some sort of pattern. Looking to entice a “reaction” bite, I tied on a small spinner bait.
After about the second cast…..FISH ON!!! A decent pike was the first one to fall victim to my cold-handed retrieve. “ I think we may be on to something,” I said to Brent as I release our first catch of the day!
Brent quickly ties on a spinner bait and we went to work…..
Once we approached the bend at Big Pond, all hell broke loose! Rods started bending, and the bite was on!! Numerous fish came to hand this cold morning, too! Largemouth and Pike were staged up on beds in this shallow lake…. And they were hungry!
As the morning hours disappeared, so did the snow! It was starting to warm up and the fishing was fast and furious, to say the least. We brought in some large bass on this day, with some fish reaching 5 lbs. The pike were on the smaller side, but exciting nonetheless.
It’s days like this that make you realize that when you have the opportunity to do something outdoors, don’t let even a strong cold front like this one keep you from doing it. If we had called the day off we would have never had this day to remember. I, for one, am glad we held strong and stuck with our game plan. It days like this that forever change our idea of a “nice day on the water”!
But until next time, I just hope the weathermen could get a little closer on their predictions for a change!

The Night I Shook Hands With The Silver King!

2009-03-03T11:23:00.002-05:00

One day while living in Florida, Kara and I decided to load up the boat for a last minute Tarpon fishing excursion. It was a pretty hot day out, and with nothing much else to do, we loaded up and headed to night fish around the Gandy Bridge.
Others have been reporting pretty good tarpon action so our expectations were pretty high. Being that we have never caught a large, adult tarpon we were pretty excited. We arrived at the boat launch around 6:30 pm and were greeted by a nice warm breeze out of the South. The only thing that was left to do was to catch some tarpon bait. Easier said than done on that part of the bay, though! We headed to an area that I was certain would be a good spot, but after thirty-something cast with the net, things weren’t looking to promising. However, I did manage to catch a couple of crabs, but not the perfect bait for this time of year.
After a couple of moves and just a small amount of bait, our expectations for the mighty tarpon were diminishing. I threw the net around this platform and when I pulled it in I noticed a HUGE Gaftop Catfish was in the net. Thinking it may make a good shark bait, we soon changed our focus to Bullsharks and headed for our spot.
When we finally arrive at the Gandy Bridge, it was around 9:30 and just about dark. I noticed that the incoming tide was beginning to move in so we set up on the down current side of the bridge. I casted out a few crabs on some free lines, hoping this would draw a bite from one of these giant fish.
Tick tock, tick tock…we waited! And we waited some more! After a while, with absolutely nothing to show forth our efforts, I tied on a small piece of bait, hoping to catch something. By all means, at this point of the night, I just wanted to bring something boat side. Kara started getting tired, and I can’t say that I wasn’t either, so I knew I had to do something quickly. WAIT A MINUTE!!!! I could fillet that catfish and drift it behind the boat. I just knew there were some big sharks swimming around there somewhere.
So out drifted a 2 pound fillet of catfish behind the boat, and put the rod in the holder then sat back and relaxed. After about 15 minutes, ZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! A fish had taken the bait!!!
I ran to the back of the boat and grabbed the rod, hoping that this would be the fish of the night. I gently adjusted the drag while the fish was pulling line off the reel pretty quickly. With all my might I reached for the stars with a hook set that would make most anglers proud! That’s when all hell broke loose!!! The drag started screaming, mimicking a fighter jet, and it was game time!! A big shark was what I thought until she broke the water with an astonishing display of acrobatics!!! “TARPOOOOOOON!!!”….I yelled from the back of the boat!
The lights from the bridge shined off of her, showing off her awesome size! A big, beautiful tarpon was hooked up and fighting for her life!
In fear of this fish getting me wrapped around the bridge, I instructed Kara to pull up the anchor and start up the motor! It was obvious that we were going to have to chase this fish down if we were going to land it!
Kara did a wonderful job with handling that big flats boat, and acted like a pro!
In fact, I think she held better composure during the initial start than I did. The fish broke water at least 10 times and felt like a freight train on the end of my rod. I’d get her to the boat, and she would take off again and jump with pure aggression! This fish wanted to get away badly! After about a 45 minute tug-o-war with this monster I finally got it boat side! I handed the rod to Kara, and with a gentle but quick grab around her huge jaw, I had her! I concurred my goal and we were proud!
After pulling her out for a quick picture, and a little rest boat side, she swam away gracefully! Kara and I both sat down next to each other and savored the moment. A moment that would forever be sketched in our memories. We had achieved our goal and I had the wonderful privileged of sharing it with the women I love.
Needles to say, we were both very tired from the excitement and after returning to our spot and fishing for another hour, we decided that our night was complete.
A night that I will never forget!! The night I shook hands with the almighty silver king!

Bass Fishing, A True Addiction!

2009-03-02T17:08:00.003-05:00

Growing up on the coast of Texas, I really never looked at bass fishing as something worth learning. I mean, why would I fish for bass when I could chase hard fighting redfish, trout, and all sorts of saltwater fish. I always fished ponds around the house back home in Texas, but never really looked at bass fishing from an anglers eye. I have since moved to Erie, PA (a world class smallmouth bass fishery) and have changed my thoughts in regards to the bass!
You see, bass fishing isn't just about fighting fish to the boat. Even though smallmouth bass tend to fight harder pound for pound then any other fish, it's figuring them out I find so alluring. One day you may find fish holding tight to cover and getting them to eat a jig is easy as pie, but then the very next day you may find them over rock piles in 30 foot of water. Lake erie isn't a very deep lake and is pretty non-structural so the smallmouth tend to hold tight to cover. Sometimes as deep as 50 foot!! SO finding them in a lake the size of Erie can present a huge challange.You can find yourself spending hours upon hours in search of these fish in that huge lake, but once you find them, the award can be extremely gratifying. My prefered method is drop shotting. It goes against everything you'd imagine about working artificials, but it a a proven method for these fish.
Erie is not only known for the numbers of smallies it produces, but the size of the average fish here is astonishing. During the spring months when these fish move into the shallows to spawn, it's not uncommone to catch several over five pounds. To any bass angler, that's a respectable fish by anyone's standards. Even without a boat, an angler can find plenty of areas to wade and catch some nice spawning fish.
During the summer months, these fish will be spread out over the entire lake anywhere from 25 to 75 feet of water. Eventhough you may have trouble finding them, you can best believe they will be holding in thick schools with well over 100 fish.Don't let all my excitement about smallmouth fool you....We have one of the best largemouth bass fisheries in the Northeast part of the country. Even though you won't find trophys, like with our smallmouth, you will find numbers of fish that would impress even the most discriminatiing angler. Presque Isle holds tons of nice fish with plenty of areas to fish for them. During the spring, you'll find them staged up in their beds on every square foot of shoreline. Sight fishing for these females can be very rewarding and deffinetly put patients to the test.
My favorite method for getting these fish to the boat is a Texas Rigged worm worked very slow. That hard "thunck" gets me excited every time! It truly never can get old with me. Pitching tubes can also be very effective. Focus on breaks next to deeper water to locate the larger fish.In Erie, bass fishing can be easy as anything one day, and the next day seem almost impossible. I wonder sometimes if that's the real reason for them to be so addictive!

Ice Fishing In 08-09 Is Coming To An End!

2009-03-02T12:01:00.001-05:00

The temps were perfect for a fantastic ice fishing season all winter. My buddy Brent and I have had a lot of good times fishing the hard water this year, and have caught a bunch of nice fish to reward out hard work.

Here is what I consider the catch of the season. A 2.6 lb Perch fell victim to Brent's hand. This fish was just shy of a state record.

The fish was one of many nice ones caught on this day on Eaton Reservoir!

Here's a couple of nice Crappie I caught minutes after the perch. I couldn't let Brent show me up with that hog Perch!

I absolutely love ice fishing. There is just something about hanging out in my shanty catching 'gills, perch, and bass. We fished hard this winter under some tuff conditions, but I can always rely on Brent to go know matter what the Mother Nature dishes out.

Here's a picture of some of the weather we went through this year. It reached minus zero a bunch of times this year, but we still held strong and fished hard.

All in all it was a fantastic season, and I just can't wait to get my two son's involved in this exciting sport!

I'm sure we'll be able to get on some ice for a few more weeks somewhere on the inland lankes, but I'm ready for summer. It's been a long and cold winter!

It won't be long before I'm on a good pre-spawn Bass bite....And it just can't get here fast enough!

Sometimes We Got To Scratch That Itch!

2009-03-01T12:57:00.002-05:00

After finding out that Brent had to go bowling (insert stupid look here) I was wondering what was on the fishing menu for Sunday! The bay was 85% ice free and I have been going crazy thinking about the soon-to-be spring bite. I was wondering if people would truly question my sanity if I took the boat out! I mean, it really isn't that cold out?! Why would I be nuts, it's ice free? Ya, ya ,ya..I know it's 8 degrees outside but WAIT A MINUTE!!.....

If I were take the boat out, I would be the first person in my entire county to fish by boat in 2009!!!! Wow....I could go down in history!! :-)

"But hold on a second" I thought to myself! I can't go out by myself in 34 degree water! Who in the world would ever subject themselves to pure torture for a few steelhead?...

Well, apparently I wasn't the only nut job here, and quickly found some volunteers!
A couple of computer buddys from www.Fisherie.com decided they'd go with me!
So off we went!

First off..The boat ramp didn't have any docks out so we had some trouble putting the boat in. But once we got 'er done, the Honda Fourstroke powered up as if she has been running a winter.

We didn't manage to find many fish, but we still were able to say we were the first ones to take the boat out in 2009..lol

After fishing for a few hours in the single digits, we had enough! The ice was starting to form around the shorelines quickly so we decided to hang it up!

But first....Here's a picture of the East side of the bay. It was still holding some ice, and believe it or not, some people were fishing it!

Here's the ice that started forming on the shorelines fast! We had to break it up to get back.

Long story short...we had a great time!
If you have nay names of a good shrink, please forward them to me!
I seriously need some help!!!

Icefishing in the Elements! 2-22-09

2009-02-22T11:37:00.003-05:00

Cold is the only word to describe the weather on this day. Even with the wind chill near 20 below, and the snow blowing sideways we still decided that fishing would make for a better day than curling up on the sofa!

We did manage to catch a few Bluegills and Crappies, but the bite was slow for the most part. The funny part of the day was trying to get my Coleman Stove going to make some coffee. Every time I'd lite it and put it on the ground it would go out. So I decided to put the coffee pot on the ice and lay the stove on it's side against the pot.
Once the water started to boil the pot began to melt a perfectly round whole in the ice. Once it got deep enough in the ice it would cool the water down.
Needless to say, we didn't get to enjoy a hot cup of java, and if it wasn't for Brent bringing some left over pizza to this party, we'd of gone hungry. Considering frying fish was the plan for lunch!

Once again a great day on the "Hard Water"!

Back To The Basics!

2008-12-17T10:30:00.001-05:00

The other day I had a great conversation with another angler that I've known for some time. He, like myself, takes his fishing very seriously. We spoke about what we have become as an angler and how we look at our sport compared to how we use to look at it. We spoke about how things have changed so much over the years, and how we have matured as anglers and sportsman. This got me thinking a lot about what we become after a while.

Take steelhead fishing as an example....

When I first started fishing these fish it really didn't matter how I caught them. Bait, lures, eggs, powerbait...it didn't matter! I was after one thing and one thing only....The fish! I didn't care about what kind of rod I was using as long as it was strong enough to catch one.
I didn't care what kind of waders I was wearing, as long as the kept me dry! Most of those years I didn't have two pennys to rub together so I fished with what ever I could afford.

Some how over the years those "basic" things about fishing I had forgotten all about. I evolved into that "not challenging enough" type of angler most become with time. Me fish with bait? No way, to easy! Me spin fish for steelhead? No way, anyone could do that!

So for the last few years I've challenged myself with all the expensive gear, lightest tippets, smallest hand tied flies! But in the last few weeks I've found myself loosing a little motivation to get out there and catch some fish. So today I went back to the "basics".

I was browsing in the fishing department at walmart while my wife did some shopping and came across their bait fridge. I noticed they had some nightcrawlers so I decided it would be fun to fish "old school" style this evening. I grabbed a container and put them in the basket. My wife looks at me with a strange look on her face and ask "What are you gonna do with those things"?
Anyway, I got home and grabbed up my gear! But not the expensive fly rod, not even the noodle rod, but rather my cheap old ultralight rod I normally use for perch! Night crawlers in hand, I go to a spot about 10 minutes from my house....
Just like when I was a kid, I tied on a big slimy crawler and was ready for action! Yes, even us fly fishing yuppys get our hands dirty sometimes!

I didn't get 2 drifts in when my trusty bobber goes under....
My first fish in a LONG time caught on a nightcrawler under a bobber!
After I released that one, it was one fish after another for about 2 hours!
I had one of my best times on the creek remembering back when fishing was just that....fishing!!
No expensive $400.00 rod, no Sims waders, no Costa Del Mar sunglasses, no ridiculous fly patterns, or $60 WF fly lines...Just me with a spinning rod and a bucket of worms!

But here's the part that made me want to write about today's fishing...
Even though all my gear was different, even though my bait of choice was different, even though a bunch of things were different about the way I was fishing...

There was ONE thing that was the exact same..........

The huge smile that stretched across my face for 3 solid hours!!!!!
For a little while today, I was a kid again! Not a worry in the world, not a ounce of pressure, not a single bad thought was in my head while I landed fish after fish!
It was just me, my nightcrawlers, and a hole bunch of hungry, hard fighting fish!!!
Today was a day to remember!

I guess it took 2 dozen night crawlers to make me realize that it really isn't the fish I've been after all these years!