FISHING at LANDEN
LANDEN LAKE IS PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR RESIDENTS ONLY. GUESTS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE RESIDENT AT ALL TIMES. THE USE OF CAST NETS IS PROHIBITED.
Tips for kayakers & those who fish from them
Pokin around in my kayak
At 11 feet long and weighing only 20 pounds, the Poke Boat, (made in Berea, KY. by the Phoenix Corp) is my passport to fun & fishing all around Landen Lake. This picture was taken by my Fishing Buddy, Chris on 9/25/2010. You can see, up in the nose of the kayak, my little red, soft-sided tackle bag. This is my "day bag" I carry enough tackle to make it thru way more than a tuff morning of fishing. If I lose a lure, I can go home later and replenish the lost lure from larger tackle boxes there. The soft sided tackle bag has a lower compartment that was suppose to be used to hold cans of pop, that I have found can hold 4 Plano divided, plastic, tackle trays. I have modified one tray to hold nothing but spinnerbaits of all kinds (safety-pin & inline style) and chatterbaits of a couple different sizes and a few replacement skirts. Two other trays hold a good assortment of crankbaits, surface baits and lipless crankbaits (like Rat L Traps) plus a miniature Leatherman Tool (for just such an emergency). The last tray holds an assortment of soft plastic worms, grubs, jig heads, worm hooks and bullet weights, plus a portable fly fishing scale and line cutter/eye cleaner (for removing paint from the eyes of painted jig heads and cutting your fishing line if you don’t like using your teeth). The top portion of my “day bag” was designed to hold sandwiches and such. It can also hold another tray but I keep a small pair of 10x24 binoculars, sunglasses, slim-line digital camera and my hemo-stats (used to remove hooks from fish if needed) in mine.
You'll notice I also only carry one fishing rod with me. Keeping it as simple as I can. I have carried 2 poles with me in the past, but have deemed it unnecessary (for me). If I lay a second pole in the bottom of the kayak, it limits my leg movement and decreases my comfort level while fishing (this is important to me). I have also tried to prop the second rod up on the side of the kayak, only to have it get into great peril should a fish pull my kayak under tree limbs, overhanging the water. I’d rather worry about the fish rather than my spare rod getting broken or falling in the lake. I do keep two rods in the van and decide which one I’d like to use that day. One rod is light action, the other is medium action.
The Poke Boat was bought and custom painted by me in 1989. I'm still using the same kayak today. I can throw this kayak on the roof of my van, strap it down and be on the water in about 10 minutes.
http://www.superstarmagazine.com/superstar-rewind-andy-griffith-sings-rarely-heard-lyrics-for-his-show/
Click on the link above to hear Andy Griffith sing the lyrics to the song we all whistled.
You'll notice I also only carry one fishing rod with me. Keeping it as simple as I can. I have carried 2 poles with me in the past, but have deemed it unnecessary (for me). If I lay a second pole in the bottom of the kayak, it limits my leg movement and decreases my comfort level while fishing (this is important to me). I have also tried to prop the second rod up on the side of the kayak, only to have it get into great peril should a fish pull my kayak under tree limbs, overhanging the water. I’d rather worry about the fish rather than my spare rod getting broken or falling in the lake. I do keep two rods in the van and decide which one I’d like to use that day. One rod is light action, the other is medium action.
The Poke Boat was bought and custom painted by me in 1989. I'm still using the same kayak today. I can throw this kayak on the roof of my van, strap it down and be on the water in about 10 minutes.
http://www.superstarmagazine.com/superstar-rewind-andy-griffith-sings-rarely-heard-lyrics-for-his-show/
Click on the link above to hear Andy Griffith sing the lyrics to the song we all whistled.
My Friend Kenny
Ken Watson
Back in September of 1981, I was hired at a past place of employment. I reported to work that first morning, there was another guy sitting in the lobby, also waiting for the manager to show us around the work place and introduce us to our new co-workers. While we waited for the tour, we introduced ourselves to each other. His name was Kenny. We began to talk about our backgrounds, school, military, and past places of employment. It was surprising how much our lives and interests paralleled each other. As it turned out, we were going to be working together full time.
As fall progressed, we both talked about hunting strategies for the upcoming deer season and the type of sign each of us had been seeing. By seasons end, neither of us had been successful with our hunting and we just hoped for better luck the next year.
The official end of winter was within sight and the idea of spring was a very pleasant thought. One day Kenny went way off the deep end about fishing. With a glazed look in his eyes, a smile on his face, and pen in hand, he poured over volumes of mail order catalogs filled with nothing but fishing equipment, during our lunch hour. Finally I had heard just about all I could take and asked him, “what the big fascination was with fishing”? He raised his head from the catalog to look at me over the top of his glasses, in disbelief and leaned back in his chair and said," haven't you ever fished before?" I told him I had fished before but had never really had any luck and lost interest. "Oh really", he said," what kind of fishing did you do?" "You know, rod, reel, hook, line, sinker, and a bobber on a shady bank, hoping that a fish will come by and take the worm that was threaded on the hook." I replied. "Oh yeah, I remember those days," he said. " I don't fish like that", he said, "I use artificial lures and spend my time searching for the fish by casting to areas that they prefer, not sitting in a place that I might prefer, waiting for the fish to come to me."
I didn't realize it then, but I was getting interested in this new method of fishing and listened very intently to all his stories and teachings the rest of the afternoon. By the end of the day, I would have to say that I was hooked. As we were walking out to our cars he stopped and asked if I had any fishing tackle, "Yes," I replied. "I have a rod and reel and a small tackle box." "If you think about it tomorrow morning, bring it in, I'd like to take a look at it," he said. I nodded my head in agreement and said" O.K., I'll try to remember."
That morning before starting out to work, I gathered up my fishing tackle and put it in the car. When we met at work he asked if I had remembered to bring it in. I told him "yes," and that I would go out to the car at lunch and bring it in for his inspection and approval.
Lunchtime came, the tackle was gathered and he began the inspection. "Seven foot medium action spinning rod, Mitchell Garcia reel and probably ten pound test line," he said. He looked into my tackle box and didn't say much about my selection of snelled hooks, swivels, sinkers, and bobbers. “Well, he said, you’ve got enough to get yourself started.” He went on to say that after work we would go out to his van and he would show me some of the tackle that he uses for fishing.
As the afternoon went on he continued to tell me stories of past fishing trips to exotic lands like Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama. He told about the weather conditions, lure selection, presentations and the successes he had.
The work day ended and we walked out to his van. He slid open the side door and there before us were two huge tackle boxes and an assortment of rods and reels. As he pulled the two large tackle boxes toward the opening of the door, his face lit up with excitement. He opened the boxes to display the multi-colored, plastic worms, grubs, crawdads, lizards, crankbaits, jigs and spinnerbaits. He reminded me of a pirate running his fingers through the pieces of gold, silver, and jewels in his treasure chest.
He told me to hold out my hands and he started to take out different colored worms and grubs and put them in my hands. As he took each one out of the box and handed them to me, he explained why I would use certain colors and what kind of water clarity to look for and weather conditions.
I just stood there, listening to him and absorbing all the information. With that he snapped his head around and asked me if he had given me any crankbaits or surface baits. "What ? You mean you're giving me this stuff"? "I can't take this," I replied. "Let me pay you for it." "Don't be silly", he laughed. " I have six more boxes at home just like these, full of lures, worms, hooks, and weights." "This is nothing !" I was dumbfounded. He produced some crankbaits and showed me the difference between shallow diving and deep divers. Then he gave me a couple of surface baits and told me how exciting they were to use in the low light hours of morning and evening.
When the tackle bonanza give away ended, he suggested that I buy a worm proof tackle box to put all this stuff in." He went on to say that I shouldn't just buy a box big enough to hold the tackle he had just given me but to buy one that would hold more because if I started fishing the way he did and liked it as much as he did, I would be adding to the collection very soon and would need the additional space.
Still stunned by the amount of tackle he had just given me, I asked him again if he would let me pay him for it. "No," he said, "instead, in the future when you run into some one that shows an interest in this sport of fishing and they want to get started, you set them up with tackle the way I have just set you up, and that's all the payment I need." "After all, when I was starting out there was someone that set me up like this and they told me the very same thing".
The years went on and we spent a lot of time fishing both together and apart but always sharing the knowledge and stories of the good times together. Over the years I have met a number of people that wanted to learn how to fish and I have always done exactly what Kenny told me. I helped these newcomers to the sport of fishing with stories, tactics, tackle ,knowledge, and this story.
Kenny died suddenly, some years ago but his teachings, generosity, and stories are still told and practiced everyday that I draw a breath.
I miss you Kenny. We all do.
Written by J.Scott Keniston
As fall progressed, we both talked about hunting strategies for the upcoming deer season and the type of sign each of us had been seeing. By seasons end, neither of us had been successful with our hunting and we just hoped for better luck the next year.
The official end of winter was within sight and the idea of spring was a very pleasant thought. One day Kenny went way off the deep end about fishing. With a glazed look in his eyes, a smile on his face, and pen in hand, he poured over volumes of mail order catalogs filled with nothing but fishing equipment, during our lunch hour. Finally I had heard just about all I could take and asked him, “what the big fascination was with fishing”? He raised his head from the catalog to look at me over the top of his glasses, in disbelief and leaned back in his chair and said," haven't you ever fished before?" I told him I had fished before but had never really had any luck and lost interest. "Oh really", he said," what kind of fishing did you do?" "You know, rod, reel, hook, line, sinker, and a bobber on a shady bank, hoping that a fish will come by and take the worm that was threaded on the hook." I replied. "Oh yeah, I remember those days," he said. " I don't fish like that", he said, "I use artificial lures and spend my time searching for the fish by casting to areas that they prefer, not sitting in a place that I might prefer, waiting for the fish to come to me."
I didn't realize it then, but I was getting interested in this new method of fishing and listened very intently to all his stories and teachings the rest of the afternoon. By the end of the day, I would have to say that I was hooked. As we were walking out to our cars he stopped and asked if I had any fishing tackle, "Yes," I replied. "I have a rod and reel and a small tackle box." "If you think about it tomorrow morning, bring it in, I'd like to take a look at it," he said. I nodded my head in agreement and said" O.K., I'll try to remember."
That morning before starting out to work, I gathered up my fishing tackle and put it in the car. When we met at work he asked if I had remembered to bring it in. I told him "yes," and that I would go out to the car at lunch and bring it in for his inspection and approval.
Lunchtime came, the tackle was gathered and he began the inspection. "Seven foot medium action spinning rod, Mitchell Garcia reel and probably ten pound test line," he said. He looked into my tackle box and didn't say much about my selection of snelled hooks, swivels, sinkers, and bobbers. “Well, he said, you’ve got enough to get yourself started.” He went on to say that after work we would go out to his van and he would show me some of the tackle that he uses for fishing.
As the afternoon went on he continued to tell me stories of past fishing trips to exotic lands like Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama. He told about the weather conditions, lure selection, presentations and the successes he had.
The work day ended and we walked out to his van. He slid open the side door and there before us were two huge tackle boxes and an assortment of rods and reels. As he pulled the two large tackle boxes toward the opening of the door, his face lit up with excitement. He opened the boxes to display the multi-colored, plastic worms, grubs, crawdads, lizards, crankbaits, jigs and spinnerbaits. He reminded me of a pirate running his fingers through the pieces of gold, silver, and jewels in his treasure chest.
He told me to hold out my hands and he started to take out different colored worms and grubs and put them in my hands. As he took each one out of the box and handed them to me, he explained why I would use certain colors and what kind of water clarity to look for and weather conditions.
I just stood there, listening to him and absorbing all the information. With that he snapped his head around and asked me if he had given me any crankbaits or surface baits. "What ? You mean you're giving me this stuff"? "I can't take this," I replied. "Let me pay you for it." "Don't be silly", he laughed. " I have six more boxes at home just like these, full of lures, worms, hooks, and weights." "This is nothing !" I was dumbfounded. He produced some crankbaits and showed me the difference between shallow diving and deep divers. Then he gave me a couple of surface baits and told me how exciting they were to use in the low light hours of morning and evening.
When the tackle bonanza give away ended, he suggested that I buy a worm proof tackle box to put all this stuff in." He went on to say that I shouldn't just buy a box big enough to hold the tackle he had just given me but to buy one that would hold more because if I started fishing the way he did and liked it as much as he did, I would be adding to the collection very soon and would need the additional space.
Still stunned by the amount of tackle he had just given me, I asked him again if he would let me pay him for it. "No," he said, "instead, in the future when you run into some one that shows an interest in this sport of fishing and they want to get started, you set them up with tackle the way I have just set you up, and that's all the payment I need." "After all, when I was starting out there was someone that set me up like this and they told me the very same thing".
The years went on and we spent a lot of time fishing both together and apart but always sharing the knowledge and stories of the good times together. Over the years I have met a number of people that wanted to learn how to fish and I have always done exactly what Kenny told me. I helped these newcomers to the sport of fishing with stories, tactics, tackle ,knowledge, and this story.
Kenny died suddenly, some years ago but his teachings, generosity, and stories are still told and practiced everyday that I draw a breath.
I miss you Kenny. We all do.
Written by J.Scott Keniston
Well Rounded Angler
Jerry McKinnis, creator & host of " The Fish'n Hole"
I always admired the artistic form of fly fishing. Once Kenny got me back into fishing, I figured if I was going to be a true…well rounded… fisherman, I would need to learn to fly fish. So, years ago I taught myself the art of fly fishing.
It all started while I was watching the "Fish'n Hole" with Jerry McKinnis, on a cold, fall, Saturday morning, on ESPN. At the end of his show, Jerry introduced Joan Wuff, top Pro Fly Fisherperson and a 9 year old boy, to assist her with her fly fishing demonstration.
First, Joan showed the boy how to hold the rod and how to take line off the reel and lay it out on the surface of the water. Once all the line she wanted off the reel was out, she instructed the boy to lift the rod up to the 1:00 o'clock position. The boy followed the simple instruction. Then she told him to snap the pole down to the 9:00 o'clock position. When he did, the fly line swirled beautifully, up off the water and laid out straight across the surface of the pond, they were filming on. Joan informed the TV audience that this was called a roll cast and that it was all you needed to know to learn how to fly fish. I jumped up out of my chair and shouted at the television, "THAT'S EASY !"
Within the hour I found myself at the local Orvis fly fishing shop and outfitted myself with a nice 8 foot, 6 weight rod & reel. I also bought a 3M Scientific, Basic Fly Fishing VHS video. Once I brought my purchase home I sat down with all my new gear and watched and re-wound that video many times…putting my rod and reel together, putting the backing on the reel , then connecting the floating fly line. and finally tying the tipit on. I learned how to tie all the knots and watched intently the procedures on casting and how to do it right and how to screw it all up.
Anxious to try the roll cast and see if it was as easy as Joan had demonstrated, I went out in the front yard and practiced casting on the grass. I loved it ! The Roll Cast worked ! After I tired of practicing on grass, I ended up going down to the Little Miami River and casting a Wooly Booger, fly up stream and letting it float down thru a riffle. Pleased with my accomplishments, I was totally surprised when I ended up catching my first smallmouth bass on the fly.
Since then I have fly fished in places like Tennessee and the Carolinas but the Mad River, just north of Urbana, Ohio was about my favorite experience. I camped at the Birch Bark Canoe Livery near the Countyline Rd & Millerstown Rd intersection and caught nice Brown Trout there. I learned a lot…fly fishing for trout with dry flies and having to adapt and use a side cast when fishing under over hanging trees and even matching the hatch when tiny white moths landed on the waters' surface and I watched as the trout snapped them off the surface. Luckily I had a fly in my box that resembled this white moth and quickly tied it on. I made several great casts to the head of a set of rapids and watched as the fly floated thru them before tailing out. I picked up my line and casted again and again but the trout weren't having anything to do with my offering. I had no idea what I was doing wrong but continued casting. After one perfect cast, I shouted at the trout, "WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THAT?" With that said, a brown came up and took the fly and the fight was on. I went on and caught several more trout that evening and truely had a fantastic time !
I have had lots of fun fly fishing from my Poke Boat (kayak) on Landen Lake too. Making short casts and then longer... using poppers on the surface, I have caught nice largemouth bass on the fly rod. I get so carried away using the fly rod, I was neglecting all my other fishing tackle. I have to find a balance !
Writen by J.Scott Keniston
It all started while I was watching the "Fish'n Hole" with Jerry McKinnis, on a cold, fall, Saturday morning, on ESPN. At the end of his show, Jerry introduced Joan Wuff, top Pro Fly Fisherperson and a 9 year old boy, to assist her with her fly fishing demonstration.
First, Joan showed the boy how to hold the rod and how to take line off the reel and lay it out on the surface of the water. Once all the line she wanted off the reel was out, she instructed the boy to lift the rod up to the 1:00 o'clock position. The boy followed the simple instruction. Then she told him to snap the pole down to the 9:00 o'clock position. When he did, the fly line swirled beautifully, up off the water and laid out straight across the surface of the pond, they were filming on. Joan informed the TV audience that this was called a roll cast and that it was all you needed to know to learn how to fly fish. I jumped up out of my chair and shouted at the television, "THAT'S EASY !"
Within the hour I found myself at the local Orvis fly fishing shop and outfitted myself with a nice 8 foot, 6 weight rod & reel. I also bought a 3M Scientific, Basic Fly Fishing VHS video. Once I brought my purchase home I sat down with all my new gear and watched and re-wound that video many times…putting my rod and reel together, putting the backing on the reel , then connecting the floating fly line. and finally tying the tipit on. I learned how to tie all the knots and watched intently the procedures on casting and how to do it right and how to screw it all up.
Anxious to try the roll cast and see if it was as easy as Joan had demonstrated, I went out in the front yard and practiced casting on the grass. I loved it ! The Roll Cast worked ! After I tired of practicing on grass, I ended up going down to the Little Miami River and casting a Wooly Booger, fly up stream and letting it float down thru a riffle. Pleased with my accomplishments, I was totally surprised when I ended up catching my first smallmouth bass on the fly.
Since then I have fly fished in places like Tennessee and the Carolinas but the Mad River, just north of Urbana, Ohio was about my favorite experience. I camped at the Birch Bark Canoe Livery near the Countyline Rd & Millerstown Rd intersection and caught nice Brown Trout there. I learned a lot…fly fishing for trout with dry flies and having to adapt and use a side cast when fishing under over hanging trees and even matching the hatch when tiny white moths landed on the waters' surface and I watched as the trout snapped them off the surface. Luckily I had a fly in my box that resembled this white moth and quickly tied it on. I made several great casts to the head of a set of rapids and watched as the fly floated thru them before tailing out. I picked up my line and casted again and again but the trout weren't having anything to do with my offering. I had no idea what I was doing wrong but continued casting. After one perfect cast, I shouted at the trout, "WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THAT?" With that said, a brown came up and took the fly and the fight was on. I went on and caught several more trout that evening and truely had a fantastic time !
I have had lots of fun fly fishing from my Poke Boat (kayak) on Landen Lake too. Making short casts and then longer... using poppers on the surface, I have caught nice largemouth bass on the fly rod. I get so carried away using the fly rod, I was neglecting all my other fishing tackle. I have to find a balance !
Writen by J.Scott Keniston
Tools for the hobby...to have in your tacklebag or box
I carry a small tackle box with me in the kayak so all my tools have to be small but effective. The most important tool for me is the hemo-stat at the left. In the middle I have an Orvis scale that weighs fish up to 8.5 pounds and is very accurate...very... Pictured in the lower right is a miniature Leatherman-like Tool I got from Wal-Mart for maybe $5.00. It includes a nice pliers for pulling hooks out of your own skin, sissors, various screwdriver heads, knife blade, file and can or bottle opener. Just above the Leatherman Tool is a hook sharpening stone. You may have a fish strike but if you can't set the hook, it'll just get off. With sharp hooks you're improving your odds of getting that hook set. Finally the little object with the red handle, above the hemo-stats is a hook-eye cleaner. It pierces the painted eye of a jighead hook so you can thread your fishing line thru it and tie your knot. I also stuff a plastic bag from Kroger's, in my tackle bag and use it to hold trash I find along the shoreline.
You know, kayaks are much more stable than a canoe but there can be circumstances that could cause a kayak to flip. If you flip in shallow water it’s not that big of a deal but if you flip in deeper water, the kayak could be lost like so many lures at the bottom of Landen Lake. I have a couple of inflatable air bladders for my kayak and another for Joyce’s kayak. If you don’t have one of these air bladders for your kayak, you could use old pool noodles, cut to size and duck tape a bunch of them together and then shove them up into the bow (nose) of your kayak.. This way if you flip, part of the kayak will stay afloat and you can recover it. The big thing is turning the kayak over and emptying the water out so you can lift it up onto a dock or drag it ashore. A kayak full of water (water weighing about 8 pounds per gallon) is a lot of weight. My kayak can probably hold over 100 gallons of water.
You know, kayaks are much more stable than a canoe but there can be circumstances that could cause a kayak to flip. If you flip in shallow water it’s not that big of a deal but if you flip in deeper water, the kayak could be lost like so many lures at the bottom of Landen Lake. I have a couple of inflatable air bladders for my kayak and another for Joyce’s kayak. If you don’t have one of these air bladders for your kayak, you could use old pool noodles, cut to size and duck tape a bunch of them together and then shove them up into the bow (nose) of your kayak.. This way if you flip, part of the kayak will stay afloat and you can recover it. The big thing is turning the kayak over and emptying the water out so you can lift it up onto a dock or drag it ashore. A kayak full of water (water weighing about 8 pounds per gallon) is a lot of weight. My kayak can probably hold over 100 gallons of water.
Craft Hair Jigs (Float N Fly)
Multi-colored Float n Fly Craft Hair Jigs
Made from everything from craft hair, to fox, rabbit, deer, horse hair, feathers, and even nylon, these jigs range in size from 1/32oz up to 1/2oz and more. I have been using a type of hair jig that is called the Float 'n' Fly that is made with craft hair and designed to catch winter smallmouth bass in Tennessee. I figured our Landen Bass wouldn't know that and have been using these for a couple weeks now, catching huge crappie and a largemouth bass every now and then.
A local authority on hair jigs recomends the pop-eye jigs and perfers the white leadhead jig with black hair or feathers. I'm using a chartreuse for the crappie I'm catching, and I'm catching 15-16 inch Crappie and have also caught one that was so big I couldn't lift it out of the water. As I went over to lip it, it scraped the line over the sharp edge of a rock, snapped the line and slid into deeper waters, never to be seen again.
Notice the pear shaped bobber, in the middle of the multi-colored hair jig or flies. This is the type bobber recommended by Charlie Nuckols himself. He used a 3/4 inch diameter bobber for the 1/16 ounce jig and the 1 inch bobber for the 1/4 ounce jig. Suspending the jig a couple feet under the bobber, making long casts and painfully slow retrieves and allowing the wind and wave action to do most of the enticing of the bass and crappie.
Solution for Suspenders
The float 'n' fly system was developed by eastern Tennessee angler Charlie Nuckols as a method of teasing sluggish smallmouth bass to bite in clear, frigid water. Nuckols, owner of Bullet Lures, knew that once the water temperature dipped below 45 degrees in winter, the bass in his local reservoirs became so lethargic they were virtually impossible to catch. Nuckols could see fish on his graph. He just couldn't catch them by conventional means. The bass suspended in the water off rock bluffs or deep points. He tried to catch them on a jigging spoon, but even this old winter standby would falter once the water temperatures dropped into the low 40s. Sometimes the bass wouldn't budge regardless of what the angler did to elicit a response.
Nuckols suspected that the answer to the slow-bite riddle would be a small lure fished for extended periods at the depth at which the smallmouths suspended. Instead of trying to trigger reaction strikes, Nuckols decided a soft sell was better. He started experimenting with tiny crappie jigs dangled under a bobber and soon began catching bass. The more he refined the concept, the more fish he caught, until he eventually arrived at what many bronzeback aficionados feel is the ultimate system for big smallmouths in cold, clear water: the float 'n' fly.
Charlie Nuckols drowned in a boating accident in 1996, just as his revolutionary bass system was gaining a following among smallmouth anglers.
How it Works
One reason for the float 'n' fly's popularity, beyond its effectiveness, is its simplicity. The float 'n' fly system consists of three basic components:
1. A tiny leadhead jig, or "fly," tied with craft hair (a crinkly man-made material frequently used in the toy industry). When suspended beneath
a bobber in clear water, a craft-hair jig will puff out, or "breathe."
Consequently, the small jig (usually 1/16 ounce and 2 inches long) resembles one of the diminutive lake minnows that suspending bass feed on in winter.
2. A small (¾- to 1-inch) plastic pear-shaped bobber. Float 'n' fly fanatics insist on a stationary float as opposed to a slip bobber. The float is clipped onto the line from 8 to 13 feet above the fly. The float bobs on the surface and keeps the jig suspended at the desired depth. It's simple, but effective. I have only been suspending my fly 2 feet below the bobber and catching nice, slab crappie.
3. A long, flexible spinning rod.
Anglers proficient with the system use two-piece rods 8 to 11 feet long. The rod should have a super-soft action,
almost like a flyrod, to cast the lightweight jig and float long distances and to provide the shock absorption needed to prevent huge bass from
popping light line. This rod is paired with a spinning reel loaded with small-diameter 4- or 6-pound-test monofilament line. I have had good success making two-handed, side-arm casts of maybe 75 feet or more and slowly...very slowly retrieving the jig. I use a 9 foot Silstar rod I got from Dicks, many years ago
The Big Chill
The float 'n' fly method is most effective in clear water with a temperature between 38 and 48 degrees. It absolutely shines when the water is in the low 40-degree range-a period when many reservoir smallmouth anglers have traditionally hung up their rods. When the water is extremely cold, suspending bass are in a totally neutral mood. Their metabolism is cranked down so low and their digestion process so sluggish, they don't feed very often. But they will strike a tiny lure dangled right in their faces.
A local authority on hair jigs recomends the pop-eye jigs and perfers the white leadhead jig with black hair or feathers. I'm using a chartreuse for the crappie I'm catching, and I'm catching 15-16 inch Crappie and have also caught one that was so big I couldn't lift it out of the water. As I went over to lip it, it scraped the line over the sharp edge of a rock, snapped the line and slid into deeper waters, never to be seen again.
Notice the pear shaped bobber, in the middle of the multi-colored hair jig or flies. This is the type bobber recommended by Charlie Nuckols himself. He used a 3/4 inch diameter bobber for the 1/16 ounce jig and the 1 inch bobber for the 1/4 ounce jig. Suspending the jig a couple feet under the bobber, making long casts and painfully slow retrieves and allowing the wind and wave action to do most of the enticing of the bass and crappie.
Solution for Suspenders
The float 'n' fly system was developed by eastern Tennessee angler Charlie Nuckols as a method of teasing sluggish smallmouth bass to bite in clear, frigid water. Nuckols, owner of Bullet Lures, knew that once the water temperature dipped below 45 degrees in winter, the bass in his local reservoirs became so lethargic they were virtually impossible to catch. Nuckols could see fish on his graph. He just couldn't catch them by conventional means. The bass suspended in the water off rock bluffs or deep points. He tried to catch them on a jigging spoon, but even this old winter standby would falter once the water temperatures dropped into the low 40s. Sometimes the bass wouldn't budge regardless of what the angler did to elicit a response.
Nuckols suspected that the answer to the slow-bite riddle would be a small lure fished for extended periods at the depth at which the smallmouths suspended. Instead of trying to trigger reaction strikes, Nuckols decided a soft sell was better. He started experimenting with tiny crappie jigs dangled under a bobber and soon began catching bass. The more he refined the concept, the more fish he caught, until he eventually arrived at what many bronzeback aficionados feel is the ultimate system for big smallmouths in cold, clear water: the float 'n' fly.
Charlie Nuckols drowned in a boating accident in 1996, just as his revolutionary bass system was gaining a following among smallmouth anglers.
How it Works
One reason for the float 'n' fly's popularity, beyond its effectiveness, is its simplicity. The float 'n' fly system consists of three basic components:
1. A tiny leadhead jig, or "fly," tied with craft hair (a crinkly man-made material frequently used in the toy industry). When suspended beneath
a bobber in clear water, a craft-hair jig will puff out, or "breathe."
Consequently, the small jig (usually 1/16 ounce and 2 inches long) resembles one of the diminutive lake minnows that suspending bass feed on in winter.
2. A small (¾- to 1-inch) plastic pear-shaped bobber. Float 'n' fly fanatics insist on a stationary float as opposed to a slip bobber. The float is clipped onto the line from 8 to 13 feet above the fly. The float bobs on the surface and keeps the jig suspended at the desired depth. It's simple, but effective. I have only been suspending my fly 2 feet below the bobber and catching nice, slab crappie.
3. A long, flexible spinning rod.
Anglers proficient with the system use two-piece rods 8 to 11 feet long. The rod should have a super-soft action,
almost like a flyrod, to cast the lightweight jig and float long distances and to provide the shock absorption needed to prevent huge bass from
popping light line. This rod is paired with a spinning reel loaded with small-diameter 4- or 6-pound-test monofilament line. I have had good success making two-handed, side-arm casts of maybe 75 feet or more and slowly...very slowly retrieving the jig. I use a 9 foot Silstar rod I got from Dicks, many years ago
The Big Chill
The float 'n' fly method is most effective in clear water with a temperature between 38 and 48 degrees. It absolutely shines when the water is in the low 40-degree range-a period when many reservoir smallmouth anglers have traditionally hung up their rods. When the water is extremely cold, suspending bass are in a totally neutral mood. Their metabolism is cranked down so low and their digestion process so sluggish, they don't feed very often. But they will strike a tiny lure dangled right in their faces.
A Selection of Poppers & Flies to use for Bass, Crappie & Bluegill !
Poppers, dry flies, streamers, Wooly Buggers all make up a nice selection to use when fishing for Bass, Crappie & Bluegill. These Dial-A-Fly or Dial-A-Popper boxes are great for kids starting out and using cane poles. Cane poles are always available at Wal-Mart for just a few dollars.
You can also use stuff like whole kernel corn threaded onto a small barbless hook or dough balls made from the middles of a slice of white bread and pinched around the hook as shown below. These are good for Bluegill and Carp but don't be surprised if you catch Bass or Catfish on it too. Next you can use tiny bits of cut up hot dogs threaded on to a barbless hook for Bluegill and Largemouth Bass or cut up larger chunks on a bigger hook for Catfish.
You can also use stuff like whole kernel corn threaded onto a small barbless hook or dough balls made from the middles of a slice of white bread and pinched around the hook as shown below. These are good for Bluegill and Carp but don't be surprised if you catch Bass or Catfish on it too. Next you can use tiny bits of cut up hot dogs threaded on to a barbless hook for Bluegill and Largemouth Bass or cut up larger chunks on a bigger hook for Catfish.
Spinning, Baitcasting, Fly Rod & Reel Combo & Cane Pole
These are the 4 types of rods and rod & reel combos I would suggest for fishing on Landen Lake. For kids under the age of 6 I'd suggest the cane pole and let the kids dabble a little. My Favorite is the Spinning Rod & Reel and my choice for everyday fishing. I also like using the fly rod (and need to use it more) and finally you have the Baitcaster for the serious angler (more difficult to cast and sometimes aggravating with backlashes in the spool). I would never buy a ZEBCO Spin, cast reel for anyone to use. Nothing like the BARBIE or Scubby Doo or Snoopy Catch Em Kits !!! Just my opinion !
Getting smaller, lighter & simpler !!!
Folding Tackle Wallet
This is a Folding Tackle Wallet that I am going to try out as my everyday tackle box. It has twelve compartments. I kept the white and chartreuse grubs it came with and added a few more of my own in in 1 & 2 inch sizes for each color. I also added a nice selection of jig heads and spinner arms but I took out all the other stuff, like the bobbers, swivels and hooks and replaced them with a red & white Crappie Spin, a couple fire-tiger Rooster-Tail Spinner Baits, a few Jerry's Flies with small bullet weights, a black & foil colored Rapala Shad Rap & Floating Minnow, a fire tiger colored Ratlin Rap, some other Swimmin Shad in various sizes and colors, a couple Beetle Spins in yellow & black and white & red , some Puddle Jumpers, a Panfish, Chatter Bait with a couple extra bodies, a half dozen 4 inch, purple worms with red tails, Owner Hooks and bullet weights, a Pop-R, a CrickHopper, and a couple Pop-eye Jigs.
This little system can really hold a lot of light tackle (which is what I like to use) If you were to buy this the way I have it outfitted, they might call this a 60-70 piece tackle system ! Plus it clips on to your fishing rod. I think this will work out fine for mornings on the lake....and if it doesn't. I'll go back to the van and get my soft-sided tackle bag. I'll let you know what I think of it as this fishing season progresses. I'll have to put my hemostats on a lanyard and hang it around my neck.
Well, I've started my second season using this Tackle Wallet not only in my Poke Boat, seeking bass all over the lake but also for those times I choose to "Bank Fish" around the ponds. It slips easily into one of my pockets in my shorts, I hang my hemostat around my neck on a lanyard, grab my rod and off I go ! So far this 2016 Season I have already caught some nice bass in and around the 3 pound range but I have also caught one bass that weighed almost 6.5 pounds...on my light action rod and 6# test line. Tight Lines Y'all------<*)))))))))))))))))><
This little system can really hold a lot of light tackle (which is what I like to use) If you were to buy this the way I have it outfitted, they might call this a 60-70 piece tackle system ! Plus it clips on to your fishing rod. I think this will work out fine for mornings on the lake....and if it doesn't. I'll go back to the van and get my soft-sided tackle bag. I'll let you know what I think of it as this fishing season progresses. I'll have to put my hemostats on a lanyard and hang it around my neck.
Well, I've started my second season using this Tackle Wallet not only in my Poke Boat, seeking bass all over the lake but also for those times I choose to "Bank Fish" around the ponds. It slips easily into one of my pockets in my shorts, I hang my hemostat around my neck on a lanyard, grab my rod and off I go ! So far this 2016 Season I have already caught some nice bass in and around the 3 pound range but I have also caught one bass that weighed almost 6.5 pounds...on my light action rod and 6# test line. Tight Lines Y'all------<*)))))))))))))))))><
Thinking small even with heavier tackle !
A re-outfitted Shakespeare tackle kit
In this "Disposable World" we seem to live in these days, folks just don't seem to take care of their stuff the way we use to ! I have found lots of stuff around the water. Maybe from non-residents, sneaking in under the cover of darkness, trying to catch fish out of Landen Lake or maybe kids, forgetting to pickup their stuff when they finished fishing.. I'm thinking more like non-residents, fishing illegally ! I have found rods, reels, multi-tool and even small tackle kits over the years. I pick them up, clean them up and add them to my collection.
With the tackle kits, I don't exactly repurpose them as much as just re-outfit them with the types of tackle I use on a daily basis.
Here is a Shakespeare Tackle Kit I found and now use it as my Medium/Light Tackle Kit.. As you can see, from left to right, I have 3 Chatterbaits, 2 Pop-R's, a Jitterbug, 2 Ratlin Raps, a Rebel Crawdad, 2 Rapala Shad Raps, 2 Red & White Spinner Baits, an extra skirt in chartreuse, a Ziploc bag with seven 3 inch and three 4 inch Senko Worms, hooks and bullet weights, a black & foil Floating Minnow, 5 Sassy Shad with jig heads and spinner arms, 2 zip-loc bags of white and chartreuse two and a half inch long grubs, a larger size CrickHopper, a Sexy Shad, shallow diving crank bait, a deep diving Rapala Minnow crank bait and a digital frog colored Zara Spook. Plus my hemo-stats and lanyard fit inside too ! This would be a 50 piece set ! I've been using this box for two years now and I love it ! Everything I need for a morning of fishing.
With the tackle kits, I don't exactly repurpose them as much as just re-outfit them with the types of tackle I use on a daily basis.
Here is a Shakespeare Tackle Kit I found and now use it as my Medium/Light Tackle Kit.. As you can see, from left to right, I have 3 Chatterbaits, 2 Pop-R's, a Jitterbug, 2 Ratlin Raps, a Rebel Crawdad, 2 Rapala Shad Raps, 2 Red & White Spinner Baits, an extra skirt in chartreuse, a Ziploc bag with seven 3 inch and three 4 inch Senko Worms, hooks and bullet weights, a black & foil Floating Minnow, 5 Sassy Shad with jig heads and spinner arms, 2 zip-loc bags of white and chartreuse two and a half inch long grubs, a larger size CrickHopper, a Sexy Shad, shallow diving crank bait, a deep diving Rapala Minnow crank bait and a digital frog colored Zara Spook. Plus my hemo-stats and lanyard fit inside too ! This would be a 50 piece set ! I've been using this box for two years now and I love it ! Everything I need for a morning of fishing.
Go small and keep it simple (tackle management)
Using a soft-sided lunch box as a small tackle bag
There are many types of tackle management systems out there, that you could buy but many years ago, my buddy and I found that a cheap, soft-sided lunch box filled with several Plano tackle trays to hold all my tackle works pretty well. I've been using them for over 27 years. Typically, the style I use holds 4 tackle trays. I have one for crankbaits, one for spinnerbaits, another for soft plastics, weights and hooks and the last one is for specialty lures, jigs and spoons. Sometimes the outer pockets and pouches can be used to hold my hemo-stats, a hook sharpener, small LED flashlight and a couple of plastic grocery bags(for picking up trash that may blow into the lake) and maybe a smaller tackle tray.
Time to get ready for Fishing Season
Back in the early 80's I started buying Shimano Spinning Reels with the Quik Fire Casting Trigger and centering mechanism for ease of casting. After 35 years I'm starting to wear a few of them out and have found that local retailers don't carry them in their stores but you can find them online at places like Amazon & Wal-Mart. I ordered two of the 1000's, two of the 2500's and one of the 4000 series reels. I just like these reels and married them all with Fenwick rods (with lifetime warranties) and I expect they will outlast me ! I use Abu Garcia Baitcasting reels on Fenwick rods for heavier situations and conditions. SPOOL UP, LETS GET READY FOR FISHING SEASON !!! -------------<*))))))))))))))))><
A left-handed reel for ease of casting ?
A left-handed fishing reel
Look closely, you'll see this is a left handed baitcasting, fishing reel. I have always felt more comfortable casting a spinning rod and reel combo. I cast with my right hand and reel with my left. It just seems natural. When casting my baitcasters, I'd always cast with my right hand but then have to quickly change hands to engage the reel, begin my retrieve and prepare for a possible hook set when a fish struck my presentation. I was taught this way of casting and never questioned it...until one day. I bought a left handed baitcasting reel and tried it out. It was as comfortable to cast as my spinning rod and reel combo. My friends scoffed but slowly and surely they too came around. See for yourself !
Recently I have noticed the good old Zebco reels most of us grew up using are all setup with a left-handed crank for reeling.
Recently I have noticed the good old Zebco reels most of us grew up using are all setup with a left-handed crank for reeling.
Basic Fishing Tackle Spinnerbaits
A classic Safetypin style Spinner Bait in red & white with tandem blades
Spinnerbaits like this are my favorites to use on Landen Lake and Pond Woods. I use sizes like 1/16, 1/8 & 1/4 oz. If I use the single blade version I replace the little Colorado style blade and put on a hammered nickel willow blade in it's place. If I have the tendem version like pictured to the left, I keep the blades it came with. I choose the White & Red version during the spring and summer months. I refer to this as white and red because it's mostly white with a red head. The blade choice provide flash and vibration. I switch to the Black & Chartreuse version by about mid September. This has a single Colorado blade that you can feel thumping under water as you retrieve it. They say spinnerbaits are suppose to represent bait fish with the flashing of the blades but I think the color of the skirts and jig head have to have something to do with it too because if I'm using a white spinnerbait and catching fish, and then change to a chartreuse spinnerbait, the fish won't strike and vise versa depending on the time of year. I use 1/8 and 1/16 oz. spinnerbaits
Tips for New Anglers Tie your line to the bend or loop in the spinner armature. I fish mine with a fast retrieve and just below the surface. As soon as you lure hits the water begin the retrieve. You're looking for active Bass & Crappie with this lure and you'll know when they hit. Set the hook and hang on!
Tips for New Anglers Tie your line to the bend or loop in the spinner armature. I fish mine with a fast retrieve and just below the surface. As soon as you lure hits the water begin the retrieve. You're looking for active Bass & Crappie with this lure and you'll know when they hit. Set the hook and hang on!
Old School rigged CREME Nightcrawler
A CREME rigged Nightcrawler
This is just like the original plastic worms maybe our fathers' & grandfather's use to carry in their tackle boxes. Not weedless but still a fish catcher. I put one in my tackle box and plan on adding a couple more.
Tip for New Anglers Tie on the worm and cast it out without a weight and let it slowly sink to the bottom and then do a series of lifting of it slightly as you slowly gather your line.
Tip for New Anglers Tie on the worm and cast it out without a weight and let it slowly sink to the bottom and then do a series of lifting of it slightly as you slowly gather your line.
Rigging soft plastics on a lead headed jig
Several types of plastic worms rigged with a jig head
Just like rigging a grub on a jig head, you can use that same jig head to rig soft plastic worms and crawdads. By pushing the hook through the head of the soft plastic body, just like when rigging a Texas Rigged Worm, you pull the hook out of the body and turn it up towards the belly of the lure and stick the hook point just inside the plastic body.
Tip for New Anglers Fish these slow and on the bottom of whatever body of water you're fishing. Lift your rod tip gently and watch your line to see if it's moving in a different direction. If it is, "SET THE HOOK !!!" You can't always feel when a fish is picking up your worm, grub, lizard or crawdad, so it's a good thing to become a line watcher.
Tip for New Anglers Fish these slow and on the bottom of whatever body of water you're fishing. Lift your rod tip gently and watch your line to see if it's moving in a different direction. If it is, "SET THE HOOK !!!" You can't always feel when a fish is picking up your worm, grub, lizard or crawdad, so it's a good thing to become a line watcher.
Rigging soft plastic worms.
Texas Rigging a worm goes like this.
1. Push the hook point through a quarter inch or more of the bait, then bring it out through the belly of the bait
2. Push the hook about half way through the bait
3. Rotate the hook a half turn until the hook points up
4. Pull the hook through the bait until the first bend of the off set hook emerges through the belly of the bait
5. Finish by pushing the hook point through the belly of the bait until it doesn't quite emerge through the top of the bait. NOTE in actual practice, the hook and weight will already be tied to your line
Fish your plastic worm slowly and off the bottom, lifting your rod tip gently to move the worm. Fan cast parallel to the bank if your fishing from the bank or if your in a boat, cast it towards the bank and lift it gently as it glides into deeper waters.
1. Push the hook point through a quarter inch or more of the bait, then bring it out through the belly of the bait
2. Push the hook about half way through the bait
3. Rotate the hook a half turn until the hook points up
4. Pull the hook through the bait until the first bend of the off set hook emerges through the belly of the bait
5. Finish by pushing the hook point through the belly of the bait until it doesn't quite emerge through the top of the bait. NOTE in actual practice, the hook and weight will already be tied to your line
Fish your plastic worm slowly and off the bottom, lifting your rod tip gently to move the worm. Fan cast parallel to the bank if your fishing from the bank or if your in a boat, cast it towards the bank and lift it gently as it glides into deeper waters.
Keeping it simple Rapala Floating Minnow
Rapala's Original Floating Minnows
These are a few of Rapala, Original Floating Minnows. These are made out of balsa wood. I don't care for the plastic versions myself. The upper one in black and silver foil has proven itself year after year as a bass catching lure that I keep in my tackle box. The original version is a must for your tackle box. These are floating lures that sit on the surface of the water and can be twitched to provoke a strike from a number of different speices of fish. It has a small plastic lip on the front. This tells you that it is a shallow diving crankbait. It dives down to a depth of maybe 2 feet when reeled in at a medium or fast retrieve. Stop and start your retrieve to bring more attention to the lure and then twitch it again.
Rapala colors from top to bottom are...
silver foil and black back
orange foil and black back
perch pattern
chrome and black back
trout pattern
These colors and more are available with most of the Rapala line of lures.
Tip for New Anglers, add a small split-ring to the nose of the lure and tie your line to the split-ring to allow more fish attracting wobble when you retrieve it. Let it sit on the surface a bit after it lands on the water's surface and then give it a little twitch to start your retreive. You can either continue the twitching or do a steady slow retreive to make the lure swim or even do a stop and go retraeive to entice a strike.
Rapala colors from top to bottom are...
silver foil and black back
orange foil and black back
perch pattern
chrome and black back
trout pattern
These colors and more are available with most of the Rapala line of lures.
Tip for New Anglers, add a small split-ring to the nose of the lure and tie your line to the split-ring to allow more fish attracting wobble when you retrieve it. Let it sit on the surface a bit after it lands on the water's surface and then give it a little twitch to start your retreive. You can either continue the twitching or do a steady slow retreive to make the lure swim or even do a stop and go retraeive to entice a strike.
Tried & Ture Lures, proven fish catchers Rapala Shad Rap
Rapala's Shad Rap (balsa wood version)
Here is my favorite color of Rapala Shad Rap in deep diving and shallow diving versions. All my Shad Raps are the "Original" type, made out of balsa wood and my most successful colors ar the silver and black and the perch colored pattern. I've used these for bass, stripers and walleye. The stripers and walleye seemed to like the perch.
Tip for New Anglers I cast mine out to the target zone and let it sit for a few seconds, then I begin my retrieve. It's usually a medium retrieve and the strike from the fish can definitely be felt...then set the hook and hold your rod tip up as you reel in your catch.
Tip for New Anglers I cast mine out to the target zone and let it sit for a few seconds, then I begin my retrieve. It's usually a medium retrieve and the strike from the fish can definitely be felt...then set the hook and hold your rod tip up as you reel in your catch.
Lip-less Crankbaits (Rattlin Raps by Rapala)
Rapala's Rattln Raps
The name says it all... These are called Rattlin Raps or Rat L Traps They are a style of lip-less crankbait that can be fished at a variety of depths but are not weedless.
Tip for New Anglers You can rip them thru the water on a fast retrieve or a slower..stop n go type retrieve. You can even jig them up and down in deep water. When you're retrieveing them, you can feel they're heavy vibration in the water. There are molded rattle chambers inside the lure that have BBs that emit clicking or rattling sounds as they're retrieved..thus the name. These are just some of the eye catching colors pictured here. I use the 1/8 oz and the 1/4 oz sizes.
Tip for New Anglers You can rip them thru the water on a fast retrieve or a slower..stop n go type retrieve. You can even jig them up and down in deep water. When you're retrieveing them, you can feel they're heavy vibration in the water. There are molded rattle chambers inside the lure that have BBs that emit clicking or rattling sounds as they're retrieved..thus the name. These are just some of the eye catching colors pictured here. I use the 1/8 oz and the 1/4 oz sizes.
The world of soft plastics
Soft Plastic Grubs in an assortment of colors
I'm just going to high-light a few examples of soft plastic lures. There are hundreds of color variations, tail configurations and body styles. Grubs, worms, tubes, swimming shad, crawdads & lizards, and all come on many sizes and hundreds of colors. I use 1/16th oz jighead and graduate up to a 1/4 oz for the larger variety.
Sassy Shad or Swim-tail Grubs
Soft Plastic Swim-tail Shad in a variety of colors
Tip for New Angler Swim-tail Grubs or Sassy Shad can be rigged with a jig head and fished at whatever depth or speed you want. Designed to look and swim like a paniced minnow or shad, these are great reactionary lures and can also be rigged on a jig head and attach a spinner arm, like the one pictured above. These make FANTASTIC, fish catching lures on the cheap. You can also attach these bodies to old Safety -Pin style spinner baits that have maybe lost their skirts and had the paint battered off the head. It's a great way to re-purpose old lures !
Jigs are a standard in most tackle boxes
An assortment of Jigs with a variety of trailers rigged up with them
I lhave jigs in my tackle box but haven't used them very much and have never caught anything on them but others swear by them and I have seen the Bass they've caught with them. Typically a bottom bouncing lure fished slowly. You need to be a good line watcher becuase sometimes the bite is so light you don't feel it but when your line moves, "SET THE HOOK !!"
Tip for New Anglers As you retrieve the jig, remember to fish it slowly, let it sit on the bottom and when you do move it, move it just a little.
Tip for New Anglers As you retrieve the jig, remember to fish it slowly, let it sit on the bottom and when you do move it, move it just a little.
Beetle Spins, most over looked lure, you need in your tackle box !
The Beetle Spin
For years I looked right past Beetle Spins on my retailers rack of artificial lures. For some reason, this year I bought a couple for light and medium action use. I can say this about them, I am catching Bass and Crappie with them ! I'll probably buy more !
Tips for New Anglers. Tie your line to the loop in the bend of the spinner. Fish it like you'd fish any other spinnerbait.
Tips for New Anglers. Tie your line to the loop in the bend of the spinner. Fish it like you'd fish any other spinnerbait.
Jig Heads, Grubs & Spinners
Pictured is a couple curly-tailed grubs, a jig head and a spinner arm
You can rig a grub with a jig head and by installing a simple spinner arm, you can turn that lure into a functional spinnerbait. By pushing the hook of the jig through the soft plastic body of the lure and running the hook shank all the way down the body, bringing the exposed hook out of the plastic at the tail of the grub, you have successfully rigged your grub on the jig head.
Tip for New Anglers Now you can fish the jig like this, either fishing it slowly, bouncing it off the bottom of the pond, or lake or swimming it more quickly, using a faster retrieve. Finally, you can rig up the spinner arm and turn this into a make-shift spinnerbait with the blade extending out over the body and tail of the grub.
Tip for New Anglers Now you can fish the jig like this, either fishing it slowly, bouncing it off the bottom of the pond, or lake or swimming it more quickly, using a faster retrieve. Finally, you can rig up the spinner arm and turn this into a make-shift spinnerbait with the blade extending out over the body and tail of the grub.
Chatterbait
Tip for NEW Anglers Tie it on, toss it out and bump it off the bottom like a jig or swim it at any speed like a spinnerbait. This lure is a proven fish catcher. I have a chrome plated head on my chatterbait with a silver aluminm blade on the front. I can change skirt colors if needed and add soft plastic attractors to add to the action and entice the bite.
In-line spinnerbaits
Fire Tiger colored Roostertail inline spinner bait (the Lucas Lure)
The original spinnerbaits I showed you at the top of the page are called a safety pin style of spinnerbait and when someone says the word spinnerbait, it's the safety pin style they are refering to. This style I'm showing now is the in-line spinnerbait. A straight wire with a hook and hackle on one end, a ceramic body, that can be found in loads of colors, and a bead and blade before the final loop is made to tie your line to. These do catch fish but they will twist your fishing line when tied directly to the loop. Some suggest using a swivel at the loop and then tying to the swivel to reduce line twist. The ceramic body version is called a Rooster-tail, This is the Fire Tiger color and around here we call it the "Lucas Lure".
Lucas Pennington introduced us to this color of Roostertail Spinnerbait towards the end of summer. The first day after buying my first one, I forgot to try it out. The next day, I wasn't having any luck with my normal sellection of lures so I tied the Lucas Lure on and starting catching fish. Lucas swears that you can have a dozen other guys fishing the same water with other colors of Roostertail Spinnerbaits but only this color will catch fish. I have to admit, I never caught fish on a Roostertail until I got this color pattern.
What is hackle ? Hackle can be feathers from a chicken or fur, usually from a squirrel or deer tail that Fly Fisherman use when tying flies. These in-line spinnerbaits incorporate hackle, tied to the shank of the hook...maybe as an added attractant. The larger of the spinnerbaits pictured here is a 3/8 oz version, the smaller is 1/6 oz.
Lucas Pennington introduced us to this color of Roostertail Spinnerbait towards the end of summer. The first day after buying my first one, I forgot to try it out. The next day, I wasn't having any luck with my normal sellection of lures so I tied the Lucas Lure on and starting catching fish. Lucas swears that you can have a dozen other guys fishing the same water with other colors of Roostertail Spinnerbaits but only this color will catch fish. I have to admit, I never caught fish on a Roostertail until I got this color pattern.
What is hackle ? Hackle can be feathers from a chicken or fur, usually from a squirrel or deer tail that Fly Fisherman use when tying flies. These in-line spinnerbaits incorporate hackle, tied to the shank of the hook...maybe as an added attractant. The larger of the spinnerbaits pictured here is a 3/8 oz version, the smaller is 1/6 oz.
When the mist is on the water...it's "Magic Time" with Top Water Lures
Rebel Pop R's (Surface Baits)
I love using surface lures on a foggy morning when the mist swirls on the waters' surface. These are called poppers, they have a cupped face that make a blopping sound when you twitch your rod tip. I told my friend Stef to cast it out along the shoreline and let it sit as long as she could, and when she couldn't stand it anymore, give the rod a twitch. When a bass breaks the surface of the water and attacks your popper, your heart wants to explode with excitement.
Tip for New Anglers As you retrieve the popper, let it sit again and twitch and repeat. Sometimes even bluegills will come up and snap at the poppers. I have found that replacing the hackle tail-hook with a plain treble hook, works better !
Tip for New Anglers As you retrieve the popper, let it sit again and twitch and repeat. Sometimes even bluegills will come up and snap at the poppers. I have found that replacing the hackle tail-hook with a plain treble hook, works better !
More Top Water...Critters on the surface
Rebel Crickhopper (surface & sub-surface lure)
These are called Crickhoppers. They look like a grasshopper and come in two sizes. The original size has light hooks and is great for catching smaller fish. The larger size came out about 10 years after the original and I have landed bass up to 4 pounds. The hooks are heavier gauge and the larger fish can't bend them as easily. These are a great little addition to any tackle box. They also make a popper version with a cupped face to make it bloop and gurgle on the surface but I have had no luck with it...I can't explain it. The origianl version can dive down a couple feet when steadily retrieved. I think the smaller body is a 1/8th oz and the larger is 1/6th oz.
Umbrella Rigs ???
A lighter, 3 way Umbrella Rig for Bass
Here is an example of the lighter weight Umbrella Rig with only three armatures, rather than five. I use lighter action rods and line weights so I choose this version. I bought it later last season and never used it but have taken it out this season and casting from the banks of the lake, have already had success with it. I tried using it in the ponds before the vegetation started getting too bad but with three arms hanging out, it has a tendency to get into anything around. I will definitely use this in the lake either fishing from the kayak or even the bank.
DICK's has gone over the edge !
I use a clear mono-filament
I know since the unfortunate shooting at the Sandy Hook School, places like Dick's and Wal-Mart stores discontinued carrying guns and most ammunition. Now DICK's has even discontinued carrying fishing tackle. I never need to shop at DICK's again ! At least Wal-Mart still has a Fishing and Camping Dept. with knives and BB guns and gun cleaning accessories.