Freakin' Out!

 Well I finally couldn't take it anymore, I just HAD to go fishing!  So last week I headed out to a small pond near home where I could fish from the bank, since I still can't do much with my right shoulder while recovering from surgery.
The conditions were not perfect, with a cloudless "bluebird" sky.  The weather had warmed up a bit so I figured the bass would be somewhat active.
I fished for about three hours, and felt pretty good since I had to cast lefty and I am actually right handed.  This skill might end up serving me well in the future.
I only caught two bass, but was pleased because both were pretty decent in size.  The bass on the right was 2 pounds and the one on the left was just under 2 pounds.  The 2 pounder was caught on a chatterbait frog and the other with a 4" swimbait.  Overall I was very happy just to get out and stretch a line!

Trophy Time!

Now is a great time of year to land some monster bass! Watching my local weather forecast, I saw that starting Monday there is some warmer weather coming in. This may mean that some big bass will be moving into the shallow, warmer water to feed and fatten up before returning to the deeper water.

This is a great time to go fishing and possibly get yourself a trophy bass!

I really like to throw spinnerbaits and shallow diving crankbaits in the shallows right now. The change in water temps can make bass really chase bait and can be a whole lot of fun. Some great baits are Boo Yah spinnerbaits and crankbaits. A lipless crankbait like Rat-L-Traps and Strike King Red Eye Shad are super baits for early winter lunkers! Don't let a little cold weather stop you, get out there and catch one for me!

Lure Retriever

Here's a great tip for a money saving lure retriever.

We have all had annoying hang-ups or snags. One great idea is to take a paper clip and feed it through the eye of a large 2 or 3 ounce sinker. When you get snagged up, just slip the paper clip around your fishing line and let it go.

Keep your rod tip up and the line tight, the sinker will slide down the line and whack the lure. If this doesn't work the snag loose, just shake your rod tip and the sinker swinging around should knock the snag free.

I just love any tips and tricks that can save a few bucks, and hopefully this one will help my readers!