Dazed and Confused

[Quillback]

24 minutes ago, Dutch said:

I have not been finding an early morning bite where I am fishing up the James.  There is a little water color and there really isn't deep water.  I am finding that I have to try a lot of water before I find a productive place.  For example a friend and I caught 35 on 1 stretch a couple of weeks ago.  The last two trips it has only given up 1 fish each trip.  I had to keep moving to find fish and as the water has cooled each trip the fish are getting fewer and fewer.

That's because you're sore-lipping them all!  🙂

Rigged a couple of tubes using bell sinkers like you mentioned, works out well, looking forward to some decent weather to try then out, I think they will work well.  

[fozzype]

On just about any lake there are people who will find them and always someone who catches them.  It is what makes doing this so much fun and can piss me off like nothing else.

I have fished Ozark lakes for 35 years and they give and take away.   It is short term memory and the fun of the good days that bring you back.

I remember two years ago I prefished 2 days on lake of the ozarks and 2 days in a tournament and caught 1 fish.  This was the worst 4 days I can ever remember.  Before the 120 boat event, my partner said it wouldn't take 15 a day to win.  Well, it too north of 22 a day to be in the top 20.  I wanted to sell everything🙄😡 and still am completely lost.

Later in the month the same basic folks were on table rock.  I got on a good pattern and got  2nd by .01 lbs.  We were 6lbs above 3rd and only 10 limits out of 150 boats.  We probably had 25 keepers.  So morale is, sometimes you don't hit the matrix and sometimes you do..Just keep fishing.

[Champ188]

Well said, fozzype.

 

[Guest]

22 hours ago, Smithvillesteve said:

I cant say it any better than you just did Mr Babler! I have become a much better bass fisherman since i joined OA and started checking out the forum page every morning. I sincerely appreciate the info you guys are willing to share. One common theme from you boys was the early bite. Especially this time of the year. And especially up the White where i am fishing. I am going to have to get some discipline and go to bed a little earlier and get out there early. I had never fished a "highland reservoir" before so this is a new experience for me. 2 things that really hurt me: 1) I am not very good at deep fishing. I will throw a jig and a ned sometimes in 30 fow and thats about it. I dont have very good electronics. I want to upgrade. Sometimes you boys down there talk about finding fish suspended in 50 fow in 80 fow. Thats tough for me. 2) A lot of you boys talk about finding the baitfish. Sometimes Bo talks about not fishing for an hour or so until he finds the baitfish. Being a visitor to the lake i dont have the time to do that and once again my electronics hurts me there. Thanks for your input boys. I look forward to seeing you at the OA tournament. P.S. Dan: I can only throw that A Rig for so long. Wears my old fanny out! I did catch my first A Rig fish on this last trip so i did gain some confidence in it. 

i do not know how to just zone in on the specific line, but am confused about how being a visitor to the lake makes it so you do not have time to look around and see where the bait is and if you are seeing suspended fish at specific depths.  an hour spent looking can make a big difference in catching some.  so, you can erractically run around all day from spot to spot and very often not catch anything, or you can take an hour or so of looking to have a better understanding of what is going on in the lake and it will be an hour well spent because it will help direct you to areas that are holding bass.  of course, you still have to figure out how to make them bite, but you have a much better chance to catch them when you are throwing in front of them.

and, you do not have to have expensive electronics.  most under $200 480 pixel units will tell you all you need to know.  but, you also have to spend time to learn what your unit is telling you.

bo