Category: Seasons
Scientists weigh in on bedding bass
Jay tipped me off to this neat deal over on the Bassmaster website. Back during the last Classic, B.A.S.S. hosted a Conservation Summit for Federation Conservation Directors and others that tackled many of the controversial issues surrounding bass management, including topics like fishing for bedding bass. Everything was recorded and turned into individual podcasts, so you can [...]
Science: Early Bass Spawning
“Can’t change the weather”, is how the old saying goes, and chances are no basser in his right mind would want to change the season we’ve had this year so far. Lots of fish have been spawning early, including the bass in many parts of the country. But just how early will the bass spawn? While [...]
Bed Fish: Ever Wear Out the Males?
We’ve been poring over some Okeechobee pattern info here for patterns we recently posted to BassGold.com (bringing the total to over 3,400 btw). Anyhow, noticed the following which I thought was cool. In the January 2010 FLW Series derby on the Big O, Georgia pro J. Todd Tucker – who finished 4th – said the [...]
Your 2011 Local Fishing Weather
Thumbs up or thumbs down in 2011? You can be on the best pattern in practice, or have figured out the killer bait, but then overnight something happens with the weather and your winning tourney plans go to hell. Whether it’s a storm that moves in and dumps tons of muddy water into your creek, [...]
Science: What to do About Bedders
The age old question: to fish bedders during the spawn (if even allowed by state regs) or not? There are a couple theories you’ll frequently hear concerning bass recruitment into a population. One is that the fewer bass left in a lake, the more likely they are to try and overcompensate for the deficiency (‘recruitment compensation’ [...]
Do Bluegills Really Hoover Bass Eggs?
Every article/opinion I’ve read about not fishing for bass during the spawn says you shouldn’t do it – or should release bass right then and there – because bluegills will hoover up all the eggs like it’s the dessert bar at the Golden Corral. After thinking about it, I wonder if it’s just conventional wisdom [...]
Let Northern States Fish the Spawn
In some northern-tier states the bass season is closed until after the spawn. Meaning bassin’ is closed right now. Why? To me this might be right up there with a ban on culling. I’m guessing the reason for a closed season – other than “it’s always been that way” – is that the “evil derby [...]
Why Doesn’t This Apply to KVD?
Was reading a Yamaha fishing tip from Ish Monroe recently in which he talks about fishing buzzbaits vs. frogs in early spring. Here’s the part that got me thinking: Ish: “Very often during a four-day tournament, the fish don’t bite as aggressively on the third and fourth days because they’ve already seen a lot of [...]
Look for Spawners…In Muddy Water
Contrary to Zona’s incessant and frequent praise of my fishing abilities, I’m not the best bass fisherman around. I know that might be hard to believe…. Anyhow, I’ve written more articles about fishin’ than I can count (more than five), and I’ll be honest: The same ones are still being written. Meaning there’s a lot [...]
Science: Seasonal Weight Gain in Spawners
Did you see Shaw’s massive 30 pound sack from Day 2 down at the Harris Chain? The man’s still got eyes like a hawk for sight fishing those big girls. How much extra weight do you think those females were packing thanks to being near their prime for the spawn? Probably not as much as you [...]
Cold Water ‘Must Haves’ – Spill It
The other day Jay and I were talking about the late winter/early spring bite about to happen in our parts of the country now that the ice is out. Baits and patterns for cold water bass, what works best, what used to work, what we like and more importantly, what we might be missing. Let’s face [...]
