skjordan

This came from a cool site I found

 

here is the link

http://www.underwaterfishphotos.com/smallmouthbass.html

Jim, thanks for sharing the site. Great pic's!!!!

I would love to acquire those kinds of skills!!!!!

Me to but its the "acquiring" part that can really hurt you.

Hey Mike thanks for sharing, that is a great peice. I think that guy must have Zap-a-gapped his bottom to that canoe to stay in it.

As you are probably already aware, Sugar Cr. was just granted special regulations to make it a trophy smallmouth creek. New limit is 1 fish, 20" on the entire stretch.

-BW

Yes Iam aware and good work on the new regs on Sugar Creek, it will be interesting to see how much it improves the quality of the fishery. Iam assuming the Indiana DNR will be tracking the impact this new law has. It could potentially be great news for more regulations on other streams in Indiana and in other states .

With the purchase of my new fly rod, I'm going to expand from nymphs and small bluegill poppers into larger bass bugs/flys this year.

What weight rod did you end up purchasing? Im assuming those bugs are about a size 6.

I came from Indiana, Carroll County, and grew up fishing the Widcat, Deer Creek and Tippicanoe rivers I have also been fishing Sugar Creek a couple of times a year, good fishing despite all the traffic. What area are you fishing in.

This winters fly tying goal is to learn to tie deer hair poppers, divers and sliders.

I have watched the Chris Helm DVD's and they have me on the right path but its obvious its going to take more than a season to become proficient at using deer hair.

Okay, so what I need to get my learning curve accelerated is a DVD or web sight that shows, in pictures, step by step instructions for a Dahlberg diver.

Anyone seen a good DVD???

The Quantum Catalyst PTi would be my choice over the Kinetic PTi. I found the Kinetic less than smooth in performance and handling.

I have fished a Catalyst and a Kinetic side by side for two years and without looking I couldnt tell you which one I was fishing with.

They both have served me well.

I like the handling of the McCoy better on my casting rod than my spinning rod.

Jonn, have you noticed any difference. Just curious since I plan on buying a spool for my spinning rods?

Next year...

 

White spinnerbait

White spinnerbait

White spinnerbait

Hummmm...........might want to throw in a tube with those white spinnerbaits, maybe a black neon...

To me, a good pair of glasses are ones that you forget are there. They should never slip or get in the way.

You define Maui Jims with this statement. They never slip and after acouple of minutes on your face you forget they are there.

As a matter of fact if I raise them up on my forehead to see something more clearly in the shade I usually forget they are up there until the river glare hits me again. Yeah I know that could be an age thing to.

So Mike.....is this the way you are collecting your bait now?????????????

We got the ice bad. I live in the semi-boondocks and our power provider is Corn Belt Electric, yeah a co-op.

Sooooo we lost power at 8:00 pm last night. I was fortunate enough to have already banked a good fire in the wood stove and had the hurricane laterns fueled up and ready (not my first rodeo!) so it wasnt to bad.

The snow hit at 6:00am. Had a white knuckle 20mph drive into work, dodging wrecks, emergency vehicles, and snow plows.

Iam ready for May, now!

Hey Gary thanks for sharing this site. Its now in my favorites.

I used to watch the New Orleans live cams prior to the hurricanes. It was pretty much the same thing..........wildlife

I have a solo canoe and have always used a canoe paddle to propel it.

I have not purchased a kayak paddle because it aggravated a shoulder injury, but rehab has straightened out that problem and Iam ready to take the plunge.

The only problem I have now is choosing the type of paddle and the correct length. Keep in mind that with my shoulder history "lighter is better", but.... I dont want to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

Is there any guide, rule of thumb, ect, for choosing the length and paddle configuration for canoe use?

Mike,

 

I read in the October 2006 "Midwest Outdoors" publication of a new show near Shelbyville at Eagle Creek Resort. It's called "FIshing Illinois-An Illinois All-Species Fishing Expo". It's planned for 23-25 March 2007. I have not seen any more information on this, so I don't know if it has gone beyong the planning stage. If you would like, PM me for additional details.

 

Bill K.

Bill, if you would copy me also I would appreciate it.

I've had the most success with a Clouser pattern, very similar to the Baby Bass Clouser. I've caught smallmouth on it, also Walleye and white bass. Had some success with an all white Clouser too.

 

I've tied on a black Clouser a few times, and didn't catch anything with it.

I have to start using a Clouser, I have never caught anything on one so my confidence level in them is real low. I will work on that next season.

My go to fly is the Holshlag hackle fly, olive color, it caught the most fish this year but the Hairy Fodder caught the largest. Both are fished using the technique described in Holshlags book using an indicator, the crawfish hop.

I really like the Hairy Fodder its appearance and action is close to a tube and that was my big fish plastic lure this season.

Holshlag Hackle Fly

Hairy Fodder

#25.....You knew it was coming

Releiving one's self up stream of a fellow angler will not be tolerated and could result in the severe throttling of the offender.

And I'm not even going to talk about #2. Get off the water, out of sight and downwind.

Breaking wind however is permissable, if it is agreed to by all parties proir to getting on the water. Again...only downwind.

This is not to imply that it needs to be out of hearing, that will be left up to the discretion of the perpetrator.

I had heard of "YouTube" but had not gotten around to veiwing it, until now. I was on for forty five minutes before the wife needed to check her E-mail.

Cool site, I shall return. Thanks Mark for prodding me to yet another reason to sit in front of the screen .

It's written by a guy who has fished that part of the world pretty hard.

-jamie

Do you have that Guys name???

Fish in or very near to the deepest water you can find. Also stay with 4 or 5 inch baits instead of 2 or 3 inches.

Of course there's a chance you won't catch anything at all when you stick with big baits, but when they work...

Another thing is, it might be time to switch to live bait. Again the bigger the better.

Tim, I agree with Scott, find the deep water.

I like to use the run and gun technique also, if I know a particular stretch really well, I then slow down when I get to a known productive area. The only way to figure out a stretch of water is to fish it numerous times and with other people familar with that water. Remember how you showed me how to catch fish the day you took me to your favorite area.

As far as the 13 incher's go, Chuck Kolesar and I had a big numbers day this summer on the same water and the largest we caught were no bigger than that. Some days the big boys just get lock jaw I guess.

It is interesting to hear that some one else had a similar experience. Will they be 14 1/2" next year???

As far as the magnifying glass. I tried one of those for a bit. I found it terribly awkward and felt it was more in the way than helpful. My eye doctor told me I might find a very low power pair of drug store reading glasses to help me deal with fine print. Those are 1.25x magnification and they are actually helpful for tying. But I did pick up a much higher magnification (2.25x) pair that I often use for fly tying. The glasses do not get in the way like the magnifier does and they do work very nicely.

Kens right on the money about the magnifier and the reading glasses.

One tip, take a wolly bugger or smaller fly with you to make sure you get the magnification you need. I normally wear 2.5x for reading but I use a separate pair of 3.25x to tie with, the extra magnification comes in handy on smaller patterns and seeing those base thread wraps. The granny type glassses are also a great idea.

Fall smallie on an inline spinner.

Dave Franklin starting a float trip on the S. Vermilion. The willows here are awesome.

My favorite lunch stop.

Ahh you cant fool me. I know thats a cold morning and thats just Cory's breath.

I like bigger buzzbaits

Last week, before the warmup, I fished the South Vermillion and had a really good day after it heated up.

I was throwing a 1/4 oz buzz bait and getting short strikes.. I started following the miss by swimming a 4 " curley tailed worm and that worked for me.

For some reason the spots were on big time, all in one area, must have schooled up. This was the largest of the group and he had alittle rash going on.

This smallie was a brute. I dont know if the picture is out of focus because may arms are to short and I was shaking or I needed my flash on because of low light conditions.

Has anyone tried one yet?

After all the slim I had on me and my equipment after foul hooking and landing one I dont think they will ever be on my menu. Yuckee!

From: TRENT THOMAS

 

Subject: Smallmouth Bass Harvest

 

 

 

Dave Franklin e-mailed me and he is unable to attend.

 

I want to be there but I have a trip to Arkansas that week. Thats two years I have missed this and I really think it would be interesting and fun.

 

Is there anyone planning to attend?