Bass Fishing: Understanding the PreSpawn: VFJ15 

Thanks, x, and you're welcome. Editing right now. Have been hoping for a real "Carnage Zone" vid before I get back immersed in documentary shooting. Weather is not cooperating. Lots of directions to go though, and it's all happening at the same time! Transition seasons are almost overwhelming. Guess I shouldn't be complaining. It's just that when you get older, you realize how short the seasons really are. :)

Come on! You are not that old! You are experienced and wise. Lots of us would like to have as much experience and knowledge as you have. Loving the fact that you don't try to sell anything to your audience... You are just sharing all your wisdom. That's incredible, and worth of mention. We have the amazing chance to know more about bass habits thanks to your generosity, determination and explanations!

Thanks, x.

I would make a lousy T fisherman. Too curious for my own good. :) Guess my drive is pointed elsewhere.

Thanks, Bulldog. I'm looking forward to getting another VFJ out. In the meantime, I'm working on getting this next documentary out, on the development of behavior in LMB, which sets up following docs. Luckily, it's staying cold here, so I don't feel like I'm missing as much on the water, except that... it's March! Spring is going to come FAST this year.

Hey, Bulldog. Thanks so much! As far as unhooking goes, since I fish public waters, I find damaged fish all too frequently. A lot of fishers just aren't always thoughtful, or knowledgeable, about how to get hooks out without ripping and tearing. For me, unhooking with care is just part of the fishing. And minimizing fish damage is very doable. I have handling and unhooking fish on my video topics list, but since I'm doing this part-time at present and won't get to it for some time yet, I've decided to show it as I go. Again, in my mind, it's just part of fishing. Cheers, Paul

Thanks, Brent. Good luck finding some "Sweet Pea's", "Love's", and "Honey's". Just don't kiss em. :) Paul

Hi CJ/Ladimopar. Nice to hear from you. I'm looking forward to the next doc too. Can't wait... because I can then work on the next one. Hope I live a loooong time. :)

Thanks, DO. Yeah, the climate's a bit different, and... our bass don't get as big. Are you in N or S FL? What do you notice that's different?

@@thenatureoffishing7591 I am in North Florida. Our bass are not so short and stocky like a football, more long with bigger mouths. We only have sand or mud bottom so when pre spawn hit they look for vegetation and sand bottom. They will stage in water around 5ft then will move up to the shallows to spawn. Vegetation is King for FL bass but for cold weather they will seek hard structure (wood, concrete) for warmth. That would be a good video warm water bass (south) vs cold water bass (North)

Yeah, that would make a darn interesting video. Bass share a lot across their range. But climate differences mean things set up differently. I asked N or S FL bc FL has quite a climate change as you go S. Some good research has looked at that. Then there are the spring fed rivers that scarcely see any temperature changes across the entire year. There's also some good research on LMB that were established well south of their native range, in fully subtropical waters. I've fished for subtropical LM's in the Philippines myself. What's interesting is that... they're the same animal! But, the climate, and prey species, are different. Bass adapt; In fact, they are amazing that way. But the full subtropics is pushing it though, physiologically speaking, and they tend to have short lives there. Here in the N, "winter" hits a whole new level. And I'm not even at the N extreme of LMB's range. Luckily theres a ton of great research from up there. Would be fun to do a video highlighting the known differences. In fact, I plan on doing one. But, it'll be a bit yet. Got a list ahead of that to cover.

Thank you for the reply, I agree that's why I like your videos, different habitats and climate but the same animal. Im lucky enough to have my own pond I stocked with 80 bass they are a year and 3 months old. I have learned so much from them and cool to track their growth. I look forward to your future videos! I know you work really hard them. Was nice chatting with you if there is any video or thing I can do for you let me know.

Hi, Taylor. Great to hear! Thanks! Remember to share with friends. Cheers, Paul

Thanks, MFB. LOL, yes! Ah yes, one of those signs we savvy outdoorsmen look for... the call of nature. :))

The Nature of Fishing you talked me into fishing yesterday Paul :-). Being retired I don't normally fish weekends... We got on the water around 5 p.m. while several Anglers we're leaving. We heard it from at least a dozen of them "The bite is shut down!!" When I asked my son what did you see, he knew exactly what I was talking about... He said he saw boat decks with A-rigs, craw colored crankbaits, jigs, small swimbaits on jig heads and jerk baits. All good choices for imitating our primary forage threadfin shad and craws (unfortunately there are no bluegill left in this particular large body of water. The 25 bluegill take per angler and the spotted bass introduction wiped them out in about an 8 to 10 year period). Between 5:30 and 8 p.m. we caught over 50 fish. These fish were caught from knowing what our bait fish do during their pre-spawn. Probably could have got well over a hundred if we wanted to pay the additional night fishing fee. Your tips on knowing bait fish behavior and seasonal weather patterns are priceless Paul. Keep up the good work. I remember reading some of your forum comments a few years ago. And btw some of our fish were 'Defecating' lol.. I like to give credit to Thomas Crapper tho lmao

Nice! Well done. Follow the food. Important all year round, really, but but critical spring and fall.

Thanks, Steven.

Hi Aaron. Yeah, I thought that was kindof amusing, as well as telling. I almost threw sunblock in, and then said "Nah!".

Thanks, Max.

Hi, Thomas. Thanks. Great to hear. This kind of info at very least makes things a bit more interesting out there. Don't forget to share with friends. Cheers, Paul

Hey, David. Good to hear from you. Doing well here. Setting up a new home, new studio, and beginning to explore my new stomping grounds. Gosh that feels good! Actually fished for the first time and surprisingly I didn’t feel rusty! Or, I’m so rusty I didn’t notice! Thanks for checking in. I suspended my Patreon account bc I wasn’t releasing new vids during the transition. I’ve kept the TNF PayPal account up for those who would like to contribute for work already done. I hope to be up and running soon, and will reopen the TNF Patreon account when I am back up and running. Again, good to hear from you, David. 🙏

Hi, Rex. I do mention BP in my Fundamentals playlist. I'm, so far, thinking along similar lines as you. BP does affect water pressure, but only slightly. The fish almost certainly feel it, but... I'm not so sure there's much consistent to have evolved to respond to. Not saying it's a myth exactly, but I think temperature and immediate lighting have the real effects.

Hi, Adam. Thanks! Great to hear. Hope they help you in your fishing, or at least make it more interesting. Don't forget to share with friends. Cheers, Paul

Hi, Jeff. Again! Glad to have you back so soon. :) Yeah, I like those buggers. And what's a largemouth without a mouth. I'm willing to take the time to be respectful of them. No skin off of my... lip. Cheers, Paul.

Thanks, Kevin. I love that old Bantam. It was my first BCer bought around 1985. Over time I've replaced bearings and drag washers. That's all. Yeah, it's somewhat outdated, but the only thing I notice compared to my new BCer's is the lack of instant anti-reverse, which you can hear while I'm working that jerk. And speed, ipt, but my old "High Speed" Bantam is used as my crankbait reel so it's perfect there. The rod is of that vintage too, a prototype given me by a Berkley Rep back when I worked at a large tackle shop. It was a pistol grip rod and I wanted a two-hander, so I replaced the grip with a hunk of handle from a down-rigger rod. You'll also see other "vintage" rods in my arsenal getting regular use. One of my favs is a 1981 Skyline spinning rod. LOVE that rod. It's been given a facelift but otherwise is still a great rod that I know very well. People have often commented on my gear as "vintage". I tend to respond, quite genuinely, "That's not vintage, that's just my stuff!" :)

Great! Thanks, Robert. I work pretty hard to get the language right bc things can get confusing fast. There are a lot of variables, so many that most articles and videos always end up saying, "...depending on conditions." When I was a young angler, I came to hate that phrase. "What conditions?!!! And... why??!!!", I'd shout. It's taken me a long time to figure out what (I think) I've figured out. And I've worked on the language right along. Writing helps me think.

The Nature of Fishing I could listen to you talk about fishing for hours I really appreciate what you're doing. I've learned so much in just the few videos I've watched and I caught my first bass of the season yesterday at my favorite pond. I don't know your feelings on bed fishing but I'd like to try to get my first bed fish that I actually can see and catch. I can't wait for the next video

Congrats on the first bass off the year. Always feels great, and I love that smell! I don't bed fish anymore, for the males especially; They have a heck of a job ahead of them. And there's a lot of less meddlesome fishing to be had out beyond the beds. Bed fishing can be exciting though, esp for shorebound fishers. I do a lot of sight fishing though. That's fun, exciting, challengIng and frustrating; Taught me a lot about how bass react to lures.

Hi AJA. It's extra stuff on board. It would be nice to have for changing GoPro batteries, but... that's about it. I never feel like I'm going to slide out of my boat. I think I worried about that when I first got it, but realize, it'd be pretty tough to fall out.

I'm in Colorado.

I’m in Seattle I think our weather is similar?

Thanks, Ed. Yes, so am I!

Hi Carlos. Telemetry work has shown that they can really travel, miles if they need to. But, if there's something consistent, or "clustered", it's that they move only as far as they need to. Depending on how far apart the quality habitats. Also, in almost every water body studied, some bass are home bodies and others travelers. In nature, what works, works, and that is what gets passed on. The rest are culls.

Thanks, tonylou. Yeah, there's a lot going into a fishing trip. I find it all fascinating.

Hi, Robert. I don't think you have much to worry about there, weeds or no weeds. Research and observations infers that scent is not a primary factor in the strike. It may help them locate areas with prey, has been found to be primary for locating spawning areas, and between mating partners. When food training bass, it appears the bass must get very close to something (inches), even a dead fish, to cause a reaction (positive in that case). Bass are primarily visual, and in-close, feeling water movement. Bass are also only sensitive -able to detect- certain odors. Apparently, some things used as attractants bass simply don't have the ability to detect. One thing they were found to detect and not like is soap! But, even then, soap would come off your hands pretty quick, esp while fishing. Apparently, gasoline on a lure has been observed not bother bass. Now, where certain odors might factor in is when bass do a headstand to inspect a 'killed' lure, often getting within inches of the lure, which we see plenty of when we sight-fish. Another is after the fish strikes and begins to ingest the lure, when taste may play a role. I don't worry too much here either, as offending scents are not that common I think, and that lure texture is a major factor for committed ingestion. Super-soft plastics are more apt to be swallowed than harder ones. All said, I may wash my hands at lake-side, rub them in the gravel, muck, or weeds, if I feel I might have something offending on my hands. It's not a habit, much less a ritual, though. :) Hope this helps. Paul

@@thenatureoffishing7591 Thank you for taking the time to help me understand. I am very grateful for your knowledgeable advice!! I love learning and especially experimenting...lol Cheers.

Thanks, Mark.

Thanks, BCBA. Dunno where you are so I don't know where in the season you are exactly. But, first look at depth and speed. 3 to 7 ft may not seem like much water, but at times fish won't move 2 feet for a lure. Almost certainly where ever you are (unless it's B.C. Canada perhaps) you're fish are in Spring mode. So they should be energized. I'd be expecting them to move for a bait. Each water body can be different so you'll have to experiment with retrieve speed and, tied to this, how erratic. Erratic can be a killer trigger, or, if they aren't energized enough to chase, a turn off. Lures chosen depend on water clarity too. Jerks work best in clearer water. You said "cabbage" so I'm assuming Potemogeton, most of which tend to require clear water. This time of year jerks, lipless, shallow cranks ("shallow" is more important than "squarebill" -the new hot term that's become nearly synonomous with "shallow crankbait", at least in Spring.), bladed jigs, spinnerbaits, ... . Moving baits with action that can trigger bites. Jigs will work of course, esp in cover edges, unless you are fishing UNDER heat loving bass. Unless you are in Canada with water temps in the low to mid 40s I'd be fishing higher in the water column, and adjusting speed and tempo (pause duration) to fish activity. Jerks are great for this bc most people already know this is how they are "supposed" to be fished. But, any and all baits can be fished this way, and should much of the time. Movement lets the fish know it's "alive"; Pauses let them know its vulnerable to be caught, commensurate with their activity level. Regardless of where you are, think depth and speed first, then triggering.

+ The Nature Of Fishing Thanks will be givin those a shot, yup im in Southern BC near idaho border :)

Hi AJ. Wow. Big question. First, the pond has to produce large bass, and in sufficient numbers to be worth the time. In my experience, most modern anglers tend to catch what water bodies produce, pretty much in proportion to the proportion of large bass in that water. Especially when talking about the size bass you mention: "big" being bass over 3.5lbs. Yes, some anglers catch more large bass than others, but it all starts with a decent water body. You can't get blood from a stone. We should define what a "big bass" is. First, there's N and S. Nearly all 10lb bass come from the south. In the N 10lbs is approaching state record proportions! Since you mention 3-4lb as big, I assume you are in the N. So, let's talk the N, where I'm at too. In the N, 3 to 4lb bass are common, almost every water has some, but some more than others of course. Bass mature at a certain size, not a certain age. And this varies from 9 to 14 inches depending on how quickly they can grow. Growing is largely a matter of how much food can be processed/eaten. Growing "big" requires a LOT of food, and time to grow. In my waters, and many throughout the N, 8 yrs or more is required to grow an 18" bass. Growing even larger requires a LOT more food stuffed in before they decline and die. N bass live longer than S bass in general yet grow slower. And fast growing bass everywhere are known to die younger than slower growing bass. Ten years is an old bass but some N individuals have been known to reach 20+ years of age. But that's exceedingly rare. So, it's a matter of doing the math, and you'll see that "big" bass are generally rare. That said, some waters do produce more of them than others. Fish are extremely variable in growth potential. The same N individual could max out at 1.5lbs, or 7.5lbs, depending on environmental circumstances. Here's the protocol for bigger bass, from my lexicon: -Find waters that produce "large" bass, preferably in quantity. -Fish a lot. -Fish during key periods: -Seasonally speaking, that's the cold water period (Late Fall through Early Spring, and again during the spawn). -In the high sun angle seasons, fish under dark pre-frontal conditions. -Fish at night, esp during the summer. -Fish in very heavy cover. (Might need new tackle for this). -Fish larger than usual lures. You almost can't fish too big a lure for BIG bass, even smaller ones at times. There are bass, unknown to most anglers, in many but not all waters that have managed to grow beyond the normal size range. They are able to eat, and focus on, bigger prey than the rest of the bass. -Oh, one more... Apparently there is a relationship between water body size and big bass. While small, even tiny waters, can produce a big bass, larger waters are more apt to do so, probably bc of greater ecological stability, diversity, and richness, as well as environmental stability that could support longevity. I've varying numbers but one source (IF I think) mentioned 2000acres. Of course small highly managed waters can produce numbers of outsized bass. And, year classes come and go in all waters, each often with differing resources made available to them. So, you've gotta keep track of how the bass are doing in your waters. This is what I'm doing as I talk about, and to :), my fish before I release them. Hope this helps you in your search. It is a search. Start knocking on doors. ;)

Great reply - lots of great information. I am located in Maryland. I fish mostly small ponds like what I see in your videos. Even though some of the tributaries and larger reservoirs produce 6+ lbs bass, for a "pond hopper" like me I call anything over 3.5 lbs "big." I would say that for every fifty 1 to 1.5 pounder we catch, we get one 3.5-4.5 pounder. So really my question was are we catching at a 50:1 ratio because that is the ratio of small to big in the pond, or is the ratio in the pond more like 10:1 but the bigger fish are much more difficult to catch - maybe they are smarter... eat less frequently but bigger things? What you mention about the "unknown" bass makes sense - if those big ones are generally going after bigger baits it would make sense to start using much bigger baits at times, with the expectation of less bites, but a greater likelihood of catching a bigger member of the pond. And this is something I have heard - "bigger bait bigger fish." At any rate, thank you very much for this great information. Looking forward to seeing more videos.

In my opinion, from what I have been able to see and gather, big bass are not always, even often, smarter in terms of vulnerability to angling than are smaller bass, unless possibly under intensive catch and kill scenarios where fish are removed before they can get big. That said, there is an idea that's backed up by some research that larger fish see (and likely hear and feel) better than small ones, which could make them more sensitive to disturbance. And, older fish simply have more experience, and may be more apt to be habitual than younger ones. Big bass do not eat less than smaller bass, they eat more. Doug Hannon was of the opinion that extra large bass were more aggressive individuals than their brethren and so were at greater risk of being caught and removed or damaged by fishing. There may be truth there, but the story of how each individual bass gets big is a more complex one. One thing is consistent though, they eat a LOT. The big lure/big fish thing is real. I'm not a trophy hunter, but a few times over the years I've purposely gone up significantly in lure size (this was back before swimbaits), resulting in breaking some pond records for myself. But these ponds did not produce really big bass to begin with, so these "pond records" were only a bit bigger than others I'd caught in those waters over time. My biggest bass have come on a variety of lures. The largest bass I've seen caught was a 7+lber caught by a friend. It took a 1/4oz marabou jig. We took several more bass from 4 to 6lbs from that small pond fishing standard sized lures. That pond was simply able to grow large bass. My best waters here over the years produce enough 3-4lbers that I can expect to catch some of them every time out. Other ponds I've fished for years have never given up a fish over 18". If you are catching 50:1 1lbers versus 4lbers, and you want to catch more 4lbers, find new water. Bigger bass aren't smarter or magical. The closest thing to such magic might be the individuals that have been able break a barrier and are now able to eat those 1lbers. Some guys have learned to specialize on such fish but it takes some dedication, and a strong ability to delay gratification. Especially considering that many waters may not even have such a fish in them. Only one way to find out though.

Thanks, Kelly.

Thanks, TLC. I actually don't have muddy water here. Nothing like what many rivers and river reservoirs get. I have fished such water in the past though and done pretty exhaustive searches on relevant scientific literature on fish behavior in turbid conditions. Another topic to cover. I expect it'll come up in a future VFJ when I lose some visibility from carp activity and plankton blooms.

I'm moving to where you live lol I'm in ohio the places here look like milk chocolate. I really like your videos can't wait for the next one.

We have our limitations here too. There is GREAT stuff just about everywhere. Just gotta figure out how to get inside. ;) That "inside" is how In-Fisherman was named.

Yes, you are on the cusp. Your small waters ought to there.

Thanks, Suzzie G. More to come, once I get reorganized at our new place here. Paul

Yes, and no. They have a similar physiology, temperature-wise, and similar general behaviors. But they are a different species bc they have different habitat requirements/preferences, which "informs" their behavior. If I had more smallies nearby (my favorite smallie water was destroyed in the "1000yr" flood we had a few years ago), I'd get around to a video on the difference between LM and SM a lot sooner. A lot on my plate right now with the LMs. Maybe I'll be able to hire a staff someday and create an entire library. Currently a one man show here.

Hi, Todd. "Red teeth", or turgid (blood-engorged) tooth pads are a phenomenon I noticed years ago, esp in winter caught bass. Although I, and friends who watch for such thing, have seen "red teeth" at some level all year round, it's most common in winter by far, and is most intense in the coldest periods in winter, a brilliant scarlet red, like highly oxygenated arterial blood. In really cold water, it also shows up just under the skin along the belly, lower fins, and throat area. It's so common in very cold water, say, under the ice, that I'm not so sure it's "stressful" as much as a normal physiological response of some kind to cold water. I have found no research so much as mentioning it. The common angler explanation -and that has reached myth proportions- is that it’s from eating crayfish. It’s not. The most likely explanation I've heard so far came from an aquaculturist, who claimed it was a stress response to very cold water. But I’ve not found anything to back this up. I’ve just recently been discussing this with a bass researcher whose done considerable work in bass physiology, including winter physiology. He’s in S Canada and has been ice-fishing lately -the perfect scenario, I would have thought. But he got back to me finding NO red teeth! I was, still am, shocked. Mystery remains. Thanks for asking. Wish I could tell you more, and what such an observation might be "good for". One things I'm pretty confident about, it ain't crayfish. Cheers, Paul

Great. I was concerned that my info-dense, talking head, format would be too much for people to sit through. But there's just too much behind everything out there, bodies of work in fact. It actually saves time to give a prelude to what we'll see. Otherwise, I'll see something, comment on it, and then realize I have to explain why I think that.

Hey, sporkcrx. Yes... line! I'm dying to get to it. YT apparently requires a rapacious new content schedule to gain and maintain followers. That's a tough schedule to keep for a documentary film maker, who is pretty much a one man show right now. I can see I'm going to need help to see my vision through. Line is next up in the Fishing Tackle Know-How section though. Right now, I'm getting another fishing journal out, and the spawn has started here and I've got a ton of footage to get. Wish me good luck, good weather, and good health. Gonna need them all.

Hi, Matt. Thanks. Bed fish are in a different mood than feeding fish. They are defending territories, so they aren't apt to chase far. Most territory chases on nest predators are simply to move the nuisance away. Males are much more aggressive than females. Females, while a bit aggressive, rarely go out of their way to move nest predators, at least in N LMs. Females are more apt to feed around the bed site than males are though. I have fished for females around bed sites, usually early in the spawn when they are fresh and strong. Later, in some waters, they may show signs of stress, becoming weak and get fungal infections. If I see that, I let them alone. I don't fish to males at all, leaving them be. They have a heck of a long job ahead of them, from bed-making through defending fry. For females, I find slow bottom contact baits like jigs and soft plastics to be most effective: Worms, tubes, and skirted jigs, usually swum in and killed. Hope this helps. Paul

Thanks, Oper8or. I also was having trouble in "deep water". My next VFJ will hit this timely topic.

I'm going to try a Neko rig tonight. I've got the rig for it now. I've found a nice little bump in 19ft deep area that has a nice stack of them on it. Getting them to bite a swim bait has proven to be tough. I look forward to you next video! I cant wait!

Well... I did it again this year! Took me a whole day to figure out, again! I got skunked fishing slow-ish. Then, I had some chase-ups that gave me the Aha! I then caught 'em pretty good. So... daft is as daft...repeats. :)) Cheers, Paul.

Thanks, Random. Share with like minded friends if you would. If this channel flies, I have a LOT I'd like to get out there.

Hi Christopher. The reason I used those lures has little to do with exactly what fish the bass were eating. "Match the hatch" is VERY difficult to accomplish, for reasons I'll get to in the future: In a coming video on presentation and, to explain the why's underneath, in my documentary on feeding behavior. The short story is that depth and speed control are first and foremost in importance. After this comes triggering. After this comes... lure attributes like color, or how much it looks and, more importantly, acts like a real bluegill. But this latter is null in effect if the bass's location, position, activity level, and other expectations are not met. Put it this way... the best looking bluegill bait would fail presented outside of these limits -even, fascinatingly, real live bluegills. Hope this helps. Best I can do right now. The closest thing to a 'magic' lure I know of are stick worms (Senko type). These look little like bluegills or shad or crayfish... Tackle... Keitech, 1980's Natural Ike crankbait (flat-side, slow rise), Rapala ShadowRap Shad. Casting rig used with the hardbaits had .011" ("10lb.")mono. Spinning rigs had braid with a mono or FC leader. Why? It all works, esp when fishing that shallow. Each type has advantages though. I'll be doing more videos on tackle and will be hitting the why's behind my choices; but first I'm working on one on fishing line, bc it's the most important piece of tackle we own in terms of presentation.

Awesome! That's the info I always needed too. Sometimes ya just gotta do stuff yourself! :))

Hi FOLKES801. A couple things: Sight fishing is tough on the ego, and tells you a lot about how fish perceive our lures most of the time. Our lures are not "Food". And, although fish almost always would like to eat of given a chance, they are not always actively hunting. Activity levels vary. I've come to say, "If you expect the fish to come to you, you are missing the majority of potential catches." A lot of the problem we anglers face lies in conditions. Now, maybe you know this, but it's the first place to start. High visibility sky and water conditions make catching fish orders of magnitude tougher. Since we are both in the arid West, our waters may be fairly clear and often under mile high (blue) skies. Easiest fix is to fish under low light conditions: early and late, overcast, some turbidity, shade, wind ruffled surfaces -everything helps. Then there's versatility in techniques. Then there's stealth. Then there's learning to trigger bites. Over time, I've come to do pretty well, but certain conditions and circumstances are simply darn difficult. And I get my butt handed to me every now and then, like everyone. Happened to me the latter half of my next VFJ outing -out next week sometime. Sometimes all I can come up with in the final analysis is, "Hmmmm. Interesting". :) Here's another more direct suggestion, that you probably already know. There are few baits more effective, esp under high vis conditions, than a wacky rigged stick worm. Lots of people just use them as a last resort, when their ego's just can't take it any more. :)

The Nature of Fishing ok thanks my Freind I appreciate the info and your videos as always. Keep on doin ya thing.

J.L Hoffy man I exhausted my self today. I threw everything I had at them a shallow crank, a keitech easy shinier on a drop shot, a strike king vid dream shot half shell, a Berkley gulp minnow, Berkley max scent trick worm, a shallow diving crank, a rattle trap, a chatter bait, a t rigged tube, and I dragged a jig and some worms and creature baits on the bottom Texas rigged with only one bite all day it was rough. But I can see the bluegill have move up shallow and a few small bass as well. Guess I'll try again tomorrow

FOLKES801 look up the "ned rig" and do not try to cheat with half a senko and a ball jig head. Get the zman shroom jig head with the zman trd. The action of this presentation is very unique and in my experience will get fish to bite when nothing else will.

FOLKES801, try fishing higher in the water column.

Hey, Drew. Man, it took me some time to get it out. Try to get them out by the weekend. You should be fishing about now. Hope you "put the hammer to em", as we used to say.

Hi Bruce. Yes, very well. Although I'm in such shallow waters that it's less for spotting fish than it is for depth and substrate. Good luck fishing today.

Thanks, fm. Not too long then?

I think all of us here have watched longer videos that had less info. :) I really dig the 50/50 format - it's like two videos in one. I also like that it follows the analytical approach to fishing, which is to 1) invest time and brainpower (at embarrassing amounts) into the strategy for a given outing, followed by 2) the given outing, which almost NEVER goes the way you "thought" it would, and finally 3) breaking down the successes, failures, and other observations about the outing into something that makes you better for next time.

That's pretty much fishing in a nutshell. :)

Thanks, dtg.

Hi AW. It's on my list. I think I can do a pretty good coherent job if it. However, my "new" sonar unit is already outdated!

Thanks, TOBer.

Hi, Brent. I live along the Colorado Front Range. Lotsa small water retention/irrigation reservoirs and gravel pits here. The behemoth's tend to be early spring caught fish, when they have maximal fat reserves and eggs. Cheers, Paul

Thanks, Dan. Yeah, tracking fish is pretty much our job out there. Tough to do with a critter we can't actually see most of the time! :) Cheers, Paul

Hi, Lilly M. :) So my water types are probably familiar to you. A lot of grass, willows, and cottonwoods. Cheers, Paul

I want to get better at diagnosing if a fish population is stunted, or on the flip side of the genetics are good

Hi, TLS. I don’t directly talk management scenarios much. Each water body is its own case. I suppose VFJ32 comes closest. We recently bought property with a couple ponds on it. Both have stunted bass. If I do a video on them, this will come up. I have some “managing” to do here. Best, Paul

​@@thenatureoffishing7591 Sounds great! Thanks Paul. My family has a cabin near Mille Lacs Lake on a private 40 acre, soft bottom dishpan lake that has a small creek outlet that gets weeded out in the summer, but the creek connects to the Mississippi. There are pictures from the 90s that have large pike, some good bass, and a Crappie population. But it seems like it had a winter kill in the early 2000's. Ive been thinking about fishing the small pike out as much as possible, installing an aerator and trying to raise a fish population. There is still a small population of panfish. It only gets 12 ft deep, so I don't know if that is too shallow though

Yes, you are far enough north that winterkill is a real threat. My experience with occasional kills is the rebound can be fantastic. And being attached to the big river probably promises an influx of new fish when conditions are right. An aerator might help, at least if it can keep some open water that can re-oxygenate with the air. Beneath a coating of ice, stirring up the water column would likely simply make things worse. And 40ac is a lot to aerate. Good luck with it. BTW: I've found pike can actually be good for bass growth, by cropping numbers down. But... playing God is a complicate game. And 40ac is a lot without a big budget and professional help. Even state agencies have a heck of a time with many waters. Takes patience too. Enough that we can grow old just waiting for things to respond or just come back around.

Hey, Travis. What's up in jersey?

The bass water temps are still below 50 near banks ill look into belly boats though i think ill be the first bell boater in jersey

It's remaining cold here too. Ice-out happened last week, for good anyways, but cold air is still on us. AOK with me, bc I'm behind in getting my next documentary out. Pressure is on, bc the prespawn feeding binge is imminent, if not already begun. I NEED to get out onto the water! If you can, get out there. I suspect that the endogenous rhythm I've mentioned in some of my VFJ's is most apt to be important in late winter/early spring. Don't stay home! Go! Even if you don't have a boat. Smaller waters are most promising, likely bc the fish have less distance to move from deeper winter quarters. But smaller areas in larger waters can be just the same. First, look for complex cover near some depth. May not have to be truly deep, 5fow may do it. In these areas for sharp depth changes, even little ones. Look for areas with a areas that heat. Shallow flats, with cover for sunfishes, with some semblance of deeper water nearby are worth exploring. And if they are on north, sun-facing, shorelines that get sunlight, all the better. Go man, go. There's a breaking point here where I'm gong to have to take my own advice! Cheers, Paul.

Hi, Mark. Thanks. Yeah, all I can say is... LOL. My mind was blown years ago, mostly by a guy named Buck Perry, and what followed his lead. He didn't have all the answers, but if anybody says they do, or that you can buy your way out of it, run... to the nearest water body and... stick your head in it. :) Cheers, Paul

Hi, JR. Please don't do that. It would be supportive of me to have them view through RU-vid. Thanks! Paul

What a tool bag.