Hi, heli. Yeah, the infomercials get old, and frustrating, fast. I understand that they can pay the bills, which is partly why my upload rate is so low. I've got other responsibilities. Regardless, I'm not interested in spending my valuable time for this channel on... someone else's idea of what a fishing channel should be. Not against sponsorship, or marketing, but I've turned down every offer so far bc... they would just like to purchase my good opinion by rolling me into their program. They obviously haven't actually seen my content, understand it, or care about it. Sorry to rant a bit there, but, I was never in this to "run a YT channel" or "be on TV". I guess I'm just not so easily lured, even if it takes me longer to get uploads out, and my channel to grow. All the best, Paul
If your an “angler” this is the best channel out there. Being armed with knowledge is a powerful thing. Can’t wait for ice out and more great videos Paul.
Hey, DK. I can't either. Been thrown a bit of a curve lately with some health issues for my wife. Going to slow things down a bit here. Will keep everyone posted. Paul
I have a fishing Playlist I watch and listen to periodically to remind myself of the dos and don'ts, if I had found this channel sooner I could've saved myself a lot of trouble and just Playlist this whole channel.
Hi B. Awesome! Great to hear you are making good use of my channel. It’s set up to “kill as many birds” as possible, and to serve as a useful archive. Thanks for letting me know. Hoping to get set up to get more good stuff out. There’s so much to cover. Cheers, Paul
@@thenatureoffishing7591 was gonna say, hope to see more content soon! I've always had a proclivity for taking a scientific/methodical approach to my hobbies, this channel fulfills the technical articulations of seasonal fishing techniques and analysis that I yearn for. Live QnA whenever your free would be awesome!
@@LSKChan Thanks, Chan. Yeah, fishing is more fun the more you know. I suppose it can be darn boring if you know little. :) Working toward getting back to business. My family’s in process of moving. Our new location has a lot of fishing opportunities, including two bass ponds on our property. Seeing light at the end of the tunnel. Just more work ahead to get up and running. Looking forward to it. Cheers, Paul
Hey, igster. Thanks. I'm in a bit of flux right now. Due to health reasons for my wife -not immediately life-threatening- we're going to be retiring... earlier than planned -this summer. Egads! This is going to bring a freight train of changes here that will affect my, already labor-intensive, video production. I'd started a feature piece on lure presentation and I was hoping to get it out, we're talking 2 or 3 videos to cover it, before I have to attend full-time to getting us re-settled. I'll keep everyone abreast of things. Wish us... godspeed! All the best, Paul
@@thenatureoffishing7591 Sorry to hear that, However congratulations on the early retirement! I still haven’t digested even 1/10th of the information on your channel yet. Wish you the best in the coming months!
Yes, there's a lot there. I've been at this for quite a long time. Interestingly, the more experience we gather, the more meaningful -the more we can glean- from such informational videos and articles. So, they can be re-visited year after year and gain insights we just weren't prepared for prior. I think of TNF as an archive that can be re-visited year after year. I can't wait to get back into production. It hurts to have to stuff your passion. But, certain ends have to be met before I can get back on track here. Keep smilin'! Paul
I'm alittle late to the game for this channel but man I'm glad I found it.. This content the fantastic. Thank you for your time with all this incredible info..
Learn SO much from your videos- thank you so much for sharing this information with all of us! I started watching your videos back in February as I was gearing up for the upcoming fishing season and your analysis was incredibly helpful. Thank you again!
What a journal this one was I tell ya there’re all great but this one had so much information that just hit home for me I noticed how you showed that a FLC leader doesn’t always guarantee a bite and that right there felt like it was just for me but I’m sure other people found it helpful as well and I’ve completely switched to small diameter braid and have found a lot more success with it, and just not spooking the fish is a plus too , your journals have made me a better fisherman and I am truly grateful and appreciative of all your content keep up the great work Paul I feel the journal’s can only get better
Hi, Jonathan. I've replied to your question twice. And both times it doesn't seem to show up. ????? Will see if this goes before I attempt it again. Paul
I considered cutting the leaders off, esp the FC bc it's heavier and tougher to keep off the water on retrieve. But I doubt that would have solved the main issue, that the fish just weren't interested in the jig or swimbait. Other options exist but it's hard to beat a bulged SB! Hey, it came through this time! Weird.
@The Nature of Fishing I hope all is well with you my friend. The last time I watched was when health problems arose. I hope all is well. I prayed for you brother. I can't tell you how much different I attack a lake now thanks to you!! I appreciate your time and effort in educating all of us. Cheers!
Hi, Slayer. Thanks for checking in. Not forgotten. Having some health issues in the family here, not immediately life threatening, but altering our course. Working on content, a feature series on lure presentation, despite the disruptions. Wish us smooth sailing here, until we can get back on track. Keep on smilin'! Paul
I have a good feeling that I'm fishing for Bass with exceptional judgement. I need a fishery full of window licking Bass. Haven't finished video but the 1st 30secs of you speaking gave me great insight. Thx Paul, I like to reiterate your information to my fishing buddies & tell them I'm a fish biologist on my spare time..
Here in pa I'm still having decent fishing at my favorite pond using jerkbaits. Just wanted to thank you for the great channel. Feel like I found the coolest thing on RU-vid.
I was thinking Jerkbaits in that setting also! Zoom Super Fluke in BG pattern, specifically. Would have been interesting to see if the fluke triggered as good a bite as the spinnerbait. One of my better lures on small ponds in Mass. when bass are aggressively feeding. Also, a small frog is actually a great imitator of bluegills; Jackall Kaera would have slayed em I bet.
@@DavidBronstein1961 So many options, so little time. I fish soft, (and hard), jerks in this pond often, but didn't on this trip. I'm guessing that the flukes would suffer similar issues in looking off in such shallow clear water. But there's always next year. I'm hoping for more rain by then though!
your videos helped me learn how to catch bass in the winter from the bank. Im coming to find that the angle and intensity of the sun is huge to getting bites. finesse ned rig with a cut down zman plastic. the spot is a pond spillway into an under water ledge. bites would come dead sticking at bottom of ledge. couldn't even feel both bites so lost first fish. They were small fish but valuable feedback to a winter pattern ive been working on.
Hi, GS. A spillway and ledge sounds awesome. Yes, hang that Ned grub down there. I often go to very light line in winter, down to 4lb to feel bites better. Good luck with it. Paul
Hi, Kevin. I'm fine. Healthy. But, not fishing. Other priorities have forced a beeline from the water for the time being. Working hard at getting the time back to delve back in to my true passion. It's just taking (a lot) longer than I'd hoped or expected. Thanks for checking in. Paul
I found this journal and the last to be very interesting. I don't do much bank fishing anymore but now and then I still hit the banks. Obviously as you show in your previous video, some fish survived from a previous drought. I was curious about how far down the ice freezes in this small pond when the deepest spots are only four feet. It is amazing that the fish are so resilient and were able to survive in such a shallow body of water.
It’s always interesting out there! And yes those bass are tough customers, adapted to low 02. Our winters are generally light here. We can get winterkills though, some years. It’s not a matter of freezing to deeply but snow on the ice that blocks sunlight hanging on too long. Drought and heavy vegetation/fertility are the places at risk. This pond is one of them and has winter killed in the past. Generally takes 5 to 8 years to grow quality sized bass here so… we’re in it for the long haul.
Out here in Western NY almost dealing same conditions. Low water and dealing with cold snaps including snow following days in 70s. Been tricky fishing top and middle column been non existent.
Exact same conditions I've been seeing on the water, they're very spooky. They've been super aggressive at sunset here allowing me better hook-ups though as I seen in you're journal here as well. Try something smaller/lighter with a greater fall rate and you'll see more hook-ups though, it's worked exceptionally well for me before sun down when they're super spooky. Great video I always appreciate your work here!
Hi, NTF. It's not the sunset thing going on here. There was a bit more to it. The vid is not exactly chronological. I spent the first evening with those usual imitative lures on two similar ponds, and it was frustrating, right to the end. Can't say what might have happened after dark. It was the second evening I went with the SB, and immediately banged those fish. Several things could have worked on those feeding bass, but it's tough to be a chuck-n-wind SB bite when you got it! Paul
That is an outstanding parting shot, Paul! Well Done! Challenging conditions there! Wow! I read or heard a LMB can't see a .011 diameter line. Some guy got me watching line diameter and not weight rating ...mmm..So I took notice. My catching improved with a "6 lb" leader. Way bigger catches. I agree that surprising them is huge. Ambuse em. I dunno how smart a bass can be, but I do know stupid doesn't live long in Nature. I like how you have broke down their...MOs. Have to find FJ 34...
Hi, Michael. Thanks. Gee, when I go back through it I think I should have edited out some more of those fruitless casts. Not sure if people will make it through to the concept I was demonstrating. Seems you got it: "Ambush em!" Or let them ambush our lures. Anyway, I believe they can physically see a length of .011" line, at some level, but... they don't know what it is, or have any reason to react to it, unless it moves. Under the most high vid conditions, when fish are exceptionally spooky, I've had them bolt from a length of .008" braid that twitched on the surface! But, going as light as you can will most often get you more bites. Great to hear it's panning out for you. "I dunno how smart a bass can be, but I do know stupid doesn't live long in Nature." Well said. Click the TNF Playlists: They're all there, in order. Best, Paul
Awesome video and data. I fish from a kayak in medium to large lakes mainly. I was wondering do you think a trolling motor spooks fish more than paddling when fishing in swallow areas?
Hey, Chris. I've found that fish around my float tube are not terribly concerned with my swim fin; Seems there are enough large carp around pushing water perhaps. I regularly catch fish directly under my tube, even in 5fow. But raising my fins up above the water seems to freak fish out. As does when I really kick (thrash) to move fast. As to paddles and props, biggest potential spooker in my kayak seems to be a paddle raised up high, and noise from banging around. Often though, fish are curious critters, bass and sunfish esp, and will check out sounds and objects provided they aren't overtly spooked by a sudden esp overhead movement. There was a diver that looked at motor vs oars, and he reported that even a gas outboard didn't spook fish as much as an oar did. He thought bc of the wide motion of the oars and due to pulses of water being pushed. An outboard being more even in water movement, despite the noise. Then again, fish were used to outboards where he did this. I think keeping sound and motion to a minimum is best. Going with easy smooth gradual motion seems to be best, when approaching spots. Seems I can gently slide a yak into a spot and not alarm the fish too much. Hope this helps. Paul
Hi, CO. The ones I've used are: a Lab grade "dial" type that will read in single degrees F and is calibrate-able. I've purchased them directly from Omega Instruments. They were around $25. I also use a standard "stream thermometer", the type found at fly shops for $15-20. This type tends to have a ring on top so they can be affixed to a line, either to cast out from a rod, or lowered over the side of the boat. These are not calibrate-able so I check all of them at the shop, getting an average temp, and choose one that is at the average. They seem to vary 1-2deg over a bunch of them. Hope this helps, Paul
Fast Forward 2 months here in NJ. We've had several 1-3" rain storms lately. Any advice on just the opposite, an overabundance of water? From the bank, of course. Thanks
I'd be looking for calm water, and avoiding muddy water. Although inlets could be good, esp the eddies around them, and not totally muddy. Fish slow and move water -a slow spinnerbait can be really good in those conditions.
@@thenatureoffishing7591 Thanks. Watching your other videos now. A commenter on a video asking who's the best Bass fishing You Tuber recommended you. Good stuff!
I absolutely LOVE this channel you have an amazing gift of educating. I'm super curious if you are a professor, if so what school? Paul you really are the modern day Bill Dance or Roland Martin. Continue on you calling, cause I enjoy its fruit! Stay Safe and Healthy.
Hi, Benjamin. I'm not a professor or fisheries biologist -although I look like one! :)) (Old SNL skit). I'm not a pro fisherman either; Different calling. My fisheries background was at the student and technician levels. My professional research work was at Cornell University in physiology, specifically ecophysiology -the interactions between an animal’s physiology and its environment. You can see where my tack in fishing comes from, although, it started well before my research work. I already knew what direction to head when I came into the research field; Thanks in large part to my fishing, hunting and other in-depth nature interests. I've just wanted to know where the heck we are in the universe, and how it works. I mean, why not ask why? :)) All the best to you too. We're getting there! Hang tight! Paul
Thanks for showing how with a bit more speed a bait can still entice a committed strike even in clear water with very spooky fish. Do you have other baits in mind that would have been as successful in this video’s conditions?
Hi, RV. It would have been interesting to try other things. But I stuck with the swim-jig a bit too long! One might say that "it should have worked", but it's not the first time a swim-jig has failed under high vis conditions. They are killers in broken cover though. A small light lipless would have been an interesting, to see if they'd commit subsurface. But the advantages the surface film offers made the spinnerbait an easy choice. A super-shallow crank (1-Minus kindof thing), which will also bulge the surface, would have been my second choice. A wakebait or a topwater (small walker) might have caught some fish. As might a floating jerkbait. Tough under such conditions, when the bottom is covered in vegetation not allowing me to use the bottom.
I really want the ambush video that's the one I'm super hype about . You know when you gonna do that one round about.... also you was about to cast that arm clean off lol
Hi, ExxF. Yeah, me too! A series on presentation is in the works now. "Ambush Pts" are a part of that of course. Exactly where in the series that'll fall I'm still deciding. Can't wait to get to it. And yeah, that was a lot of lure flinging; Lots more than shown. Probably could've shown a bit less of it in retrospect. Got the point across though. Those bass weren't havin' the regular Goto's. Cheers, Paul
Hey there Paul! If you don't mind, I wanted to ask you a couple of questions about Float Tubes you frequently take out onto ponds. First off what are some pros and cons/limitations you face with fishing on a tube? (ie. wind, chance of flipping, current, etc.) Second, are they durable for taking out around 2~3 times per week? Lastly, do you have some recommendations on models and brands?
Hi, Myung. I love my tube. It's the most intimate, and precise, watercraft one could fish out of; The latter, esp when combined with an anchor. Cons are: they are slow, and don't handle waves or current, so are for small waters, or small, protected, areas of larger waters. You sit low in the water, so you can't see into the water far out at all. But, moving smoothly, they don't bother the fish much; I regularly see and catch fish directly beneath me. Mine is very durable. I've had it for over 10 years. Can't recommend a brand bc I'm not up on what's out there now. Mine is made by Outcast. I find the U-shaped design nice for customizing, adding a rod rack in the opening behind the seat. It also has 2 separate bladders which is safer for your gear in case you get a "blow-out". Never had that happen. If you plan to fish a lot, I wouldn't get a cheap one. You can tell: If they have a nylon cover and thin bladder, I'd look elsewhere. I've been planning to do a video on float tubing. Just can't get to it right now. Cheers, Paul
Great video as always. Question for you tho.. I caught some large mouth bass recently and they had bloody tails and bellies.. why would they have that?
Hi, Matt. Thanks. Those red tails, I believe, have little to do directly with spawning as most people seem to think. It looks like hemorrhaging to me, and I don't know why that is, beyond something associated with the red teeth we see in cold water, which is likely cold-stress related, or possibly hormonal, or both. Interestingly, I don't see those full "bloody" tails here. It seems to be a more southern thing, and usually in really large, probably female, bass. Curious, are you in the South? Males are the ones that do the bed digging. I have seen -and video’d- females make a digging motion at a bed site, but this is more excitement than actual bed digging. Sort of like a cow, or hen, mounting another. Apparently, in the production of reproductive hormones, testosterone is in the cascade that produces estrogens (all stem from cholesterol). This may explain those “male” behaviors we sometimes see in females during courtship. This said, even with males, I’ve seen little tail damage, or even much wear, from bed digging. With my video work I get to see things pretty close up. Beds are cleared by water propulsion, not direct contact by the fins. Now, this may be different in different substrates. My fish have little actual digging to do, since the underlying substrate here is mostly gravel and rubble. The resulting digging/clearing does leave a notable depression. But, the tails are essentially undamaged. Tail damage/wear, however, is common in bass and, here anyway, this is from contact with the bottom and hard cover when they rest. Bass rest in a certain posture, with the bottom edge of their tails resting on bottom. It took me some time to get this videoed, which I have managed to get a number of times now. Bass often revisit the same place to rest, so they can develop wear from repeated contact with substrate. Sometimes the area gets infected too. This wear is most common on the lower portion of the tail fin and caudal peduncle (“wrist”). Some fish get this on the top edge of the tail, probably also due to resting in contact with hard cover, like when they suspend under logs. This is common in stream brown trout, too, especially large ones that use wood cover. This is my best shot at "bloody tails". Cheers, Paul
@@thenatureoffishing7591 Thank you for the info! I’m actually from California and was In the delta area. I’ve seen some of the info you explained searching on blogs and forums. I think its not coming from bedding also no real damage that I saw on the tail or bellies... It really looked like it was bleeding from between the scales never seen fish so bloody it was weird. I Just recently found out they were draining duck ponds into the area I was fishing so maybe a drastic increase of warm water causes this reaction? Either way love your videos and the info you supply it has helped me tremendously.
I see. Doesn't sound like healthy fish. Sounds like a drastic change in water quality may have happened. Might even want to report it to your fisheries folks. I've read that there is work, and monitoring, being done on water quality issues in the Delta. They may also be able to tell you what has happened to those fish. Such pollution, esp if done every year, could have a lasting affect. There may be ways to mitigate it. Sorry to hear. Paul
Hi, Felipe. Yes, believe me, I know. I think of it every day. I'm in a bit of turmoil right now. Due to health reasons for my wife -not immediately life-threatening- we're going to be retiring... ASAP, and earlier than planned for. This is going to bring a freight train of changes here that will/are affecting my already labor-intensive production. Bad timing, with the fishing season firing up now. I've been working a feature series on lure presentation, but am not sure I can pull it off before... that freight train rounds the bend, and I have to attend full-time to getting my family re-settled. As things get clearer, I'll be letting everyone know how things are shaping up and how soon I get back to into full production here. Wish us... godspeed! Paul
Love your videos and very informative. I have a question and curious of your thoughts. I've caught some real nice bass in my local pond with smaller mouths. I saw you mentioned that a few times. What do you think the cause is? Always wondered about that
Hi, Alan. I'm speculating that, since head size grows over time, that small headed fish with good length are younger fish, suggesting good growth in such fish. This bodes well for that particular water body. Paul
@@thenatureoffishing7591 absolutely. The pond down the street is a lot larger and has the same run of herring. Unfortunately there was a bad fish kill in there due to a high phosphorus level. Not sure its the exact cause but it's a waste to fish now. Very sad
Yes, is right. If the P source is identified, and remedied, it'll bounce back. Otherwise, another bad year could knock it back again. Takes a few years to grow the really big ones. Let's hope for the best.
Hi, Rick. I'm working on that now, a series on lure presentation. Lots has popped up that is getting in the way, so I'm hoping to get them knocked out... ASAP. Wish me... godspeed. I'm going to need it. Best, Paul
@@thenatureoffishing7591 I've saltwater fished my whole life in Florida, now I live in Kentucky and I'm trying to freshwater fish a big lake with no luck. LOL I see you retrieve the lures different than me.
Ah! FW and SW fishing can be similar in places. If there's a difference, much SW fishing is done in more open water. And in FL, weather extremes are not so great. Maybe think about fishing for the SW fishes you might know that hug cover.
@@kyle1562 Possibly, in bluegill context. But it’s more likely, seems to be, an innate “search image” thing. Working on a series on lure presentation, when I can get the time (!), which will address this very cool stuff.
Thank you very much ,, i enjoy your video content as usual , since we are in fall and winter is in back door ,it will be great if you explain more technique specific topics like jerk bait fishing , i trying to figure it out myself for example if fishing equipment matters in jerk bait fishing ,, these days due to loud of fishing equipment advertisements and expensive equipments rod and reel , line and .... , it is pretty hard for new angular to find far equipment for different techniques , i thought that would be great if you shade more light to this matter , thank you very much again .
Hi, shoja. Thanks. I'm actually working my way there. I'm focusing on the fish's side of things bc there's so little out there from that perspective. And there's so much out there on tackle and technique. But I can see that there can be a bit too much of it. First, I'll be hitting lure presentation hopefully soon. Lures, regardless of type, have to do roughly the same stuff, so I'll be hitting the subject from that perspective, what the fish expect to see, which believe it or not should simplify things. At least that's my goal there. As to fishing jerks... Don't get carried away with the need for "technique specific" tackle. I use either a medium power spinning or ML to M power casting rod, with 8 or 10lb mono (braid with longish leader for added stretch, AOK). That's it. No need for a dedicated crankbait/jerkbait rod. Nice, but not necessary. Hope this gets you started. Paul
Hi, Rui. Of course. No lure secrets here. I don't often discuss bc I don't think the exact ones are all that important. If they are I'll mention. I have been wanting to have additional short videos on the rigging of various lures I use, but just haven't been able to clear the time. Maybe this winter I'll try to get some done to tag onto my VFJ's. The trailer used in this video is a Kalin's Sizmic Grub. Cheers, Paul
Your videos truly are a work of art man, all of the thought and research put into each one is truly remarkable. They are what I have been trying to find for years. I have been trying to find books on bass behavior since I started following you. I am looking into purchasing “knowing Bass: the scientific approach” by Keith A. Jones. Have you read any of his works, and if so do you recommend them? My apologies for the long and untraditional comment sir.
Hi, Daniel. Thanks. Yeah, I hear you. This is the kind of info I'd always been looking for too. I found it in the scientific research literature. The book "Knowing Bass" is very good, and offers a lot think about. Can't say it, or any single take, will solve all the questions we will have, by any means. But it's a good sound source, a step removed from the original research publications in places, and a direct source on some topics -work done in Berkley Fishing lab. If you can find a copy that's affordable, it's worth having. I bought mine when it first appeared for $19.95. It was reprinted just a few years ago for the same price, but last I knew is has gone out-of-print again. Long comments are AOK, btw. Cheers, Paul
The Nature of Fishing Best deal I have managed to find is $98, knowledge is priceless though I suppose. As you said though it is a never ending pursuit trying to understand all of the inner workings of our natural world. Guess I’ll just have to keep tuning in and see what else I can learn, thanks again.
Hi, Pete. Possibly, and lint, hair, dog hair, tissue bits, dandruff, and dust from the dirt roads up here. A black shirt and side-lighting will show it all. I usually remember to tape off before narrating but apparently didn't. Maybe this one would be best watched on a phone. :)
