Author: Guide

Wake up “Bubba” it’s time to sell your bass boat. You know that shiny new metalflake rig out there in the garage? You need to take it down to your local boat dealer and see what they’ll give you on trade for a flat bottom, cause while you were settin there on your butt someone was out there killin your favorite fishin hole. You know that fancy new Shimano reel you bought last week for that “High Tech” CastAway worm rod? You can hang that sucker on a couple nails on your wall and head out to the hardware store for a ball of twine cause your next fishin trip is gonna be spreadin “Stink Bait” on a catfish Trot Line.

SMARTen Up “Bubba.” Yea that’s what they call us, “Bubba.” They think bass fishermen all have tobacco juice droolin down their chins and vacuum chambers for brain containers. They think you’re so STUPID that you won’t even notice they’re killin your favorite fishin holes. They think you’re so STUPID that you can’t see all the potholes in the dilapidated marinas on Lake Livingston after they killed that lake and turned it into the states biggest “Pig Wallow.” Well guess what “Bubba” they are bringin that dog and pony show to your lake. They’ll turn your great fishery into a “Mud Hole.”

Now that I have that rant out of my system let me explain my point in a more logical fashion. It’s very hard not to be overwhelmed by cynicism in the face of such a perverse ecological tragedy.

God blessed Texas with this nation’s greatest bass fishing waters. A combination of ideal climate and the world’s best fish and game department produced prolific bass fisheries, like Sam Rayburn, Toledo Bend and Lake Fork, that were the envy of bass anglers from all over the globe. Aside from smart Texas Parks & Wildlife (TP&W) biologists there is one very important factor that makes the fisheries outstanding, Hydrilla. As I’m writing this story I realize I was hesitant to even put the word down in print, Hydrilla. The “Spin Doctors” from Lewisville have put out so much negative Propaganda in the past few years on Hydrilla I’ve subconciously begun to believe it’s a bad word. “Bull Corn”. We all know it’s been good for Texas waters.

Before they killed all the Hydrilla
in Lake Conroe, my home, water clarity was 8 feet or more and it was one of the best bass fishing lakes in the country. Now it’s another “Mud Hole” like Livingston, Lake Houston and Cedar Creek. I walk out my back door every day and it turns my stomach to recall standing on the deck and looking down into crystal clear water at every kind of fish there is swimming by in great numbers. Now I won’t even let my kids swim in it and if I have to get in it to do any repair work on the bulkhead I feel I have to rush in the house and take a shower to wash the crud off me.

Now river authorities around the state like Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) are dumping Toxic Herbicides into our lakes and rivers, on a regular basis, to kill Hydrilla. Why? Because a few wealthy waterfront property developers wield powerful political influence on state officials and because the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation (AERF), Inc. represented locally by USAE Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility, Lewisville, Texas, has been conducting a massive, nation wide, propaganda campaign to convince the public that Hydrilla is a horrible menace that will completely take over lakes. They constructed a series of shallow ponds in Lewisville so they could make sure they would mat over . Then they take pictures of the matted ponds and show them around the state telling people this is what will happen to your lake if you don’t put Toxic Herbicides in them to kill the Hydrilla. The sad thing is that people believe them, assuming since they are scientists and have a research facility, they must know what they’re talking about.

Here’s something the public isn’t told. Who is AERF? Gold Members are American Cyanamid, Applied Biochemists, Cygnet Enterprises, Dow AgroSciences, Elf Autochem, North America, Monsanto Corporation, Rhone-Poulenc, SePro Corporation and Zeneca – all chemical companies. There are many more chemical company members. You decide why they are telling the public what a menace Hydrilla is. Duh…

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that Hydrilla is a problem, although I don’t personally completely accept this premise. How do we deal with it? First of all we don’t have to turn our lakes into biological wastelands. Hydrilla can be managed, it doesn’t have to be annihilated. We can have our cake and eat it too. There are many lake managers in the north central U.S. that will point to their management records of “mechanical weed control” that produce improvements in aquatic life (fish “Bubba”), water clarity and recreational boating access.

I’m not alone in my evaluation of this Hydrilla situation. I stand in very good company with Ray Scott, (you may have heard of him), Ed Parten, Roland Martin, Bill Dance, Earl Bentz, Bob Cobb and Glen Lau just to name a few.

This is where you come in “Bubba.” It’s time to prove to the chemical pushers that your ole noggin is good for somethin besides a hat rack for that new Skeeter cap you got with that shiny bass boat parked out there in the garage. Here’s the plan.

A new organization has been formed SMART. SMART stands for Sensible Management of Aquatic Resources Together and our members are not chemical companies. Our members are a coalition of the states largest bass fishing organizations. Texas Black Bass Unlimited (TBBU), Texas Association of Bass Clubs (TABC), Texas B.A.S.S. State Federation and Honey Hole, to name a few. The mission of this organization is to provide leadership and education in the arena of aquatic resource management and to demonstrate the benefits of mechanical control of aquatic weeds.
“OK, OK McCarty I get the picture, what can I do?” – you’re saying to yourself. Here’s what you can do “Stink Bait Breath” – SMARTen Up. Right now….that means as soon as you put this magazine down…send in a tax-deductible donation to the purchase of our first Harvester: $5, $10 or whatever you can afford.

The first fund raiser will be held in Houston on August 14th at the Hotel Sofitel Greenspoint, ‘An Evening with Ray Scott.” Other pioneers of the bass fishing industry already scheduled to join Scott in Houston at this event are: Roland Martin – Legendary angler; all-time tournament winner and TV Superstar; Bob Cobb – 30-year pioneer with B.A.S.S. Bassmasters Magazine and Bassmasters TV; Glen Lau – renowned cinematographer and creator of the award-winning epic “Big Mouth Forever” and host of his own TNN TV show; Earl Bentz – founder of Triton Boats and 30 year innovator and pioneer in the quality and performance of bass boats; Bill Dance – Super Star and bass fishing pioneer celebrity. The list of “Bass Fishing Super Stars” is still growing.

Tickets are $100. A limit of 500 tickets will be sold and each ticket holder will be entered in a drawing for a 1999 Dodge Quad Cab truck.

Seriously now, I give twenty, sometimes, eighty hours a month in support of this organization because I want to do my part to preserve a sport that has given so much to me over the years. Please lend a hand and do as much as you can to support this project. Make your check payable to SMART and send them to PO Box 11729, Houston, Texas 77293. Thanks – Pat McCarty – Proud to be called “Bubba”
– Lake Mohave

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fish with a Nationally Ranked Professional Angler?

Judy Wong is a full time guide on Fayette County Lake when she’s not fishing the Bass’n Gals Pro circuit. She lives in west Houston with husband, Glenn and son, Scott, who is currently attending college.

She has enjoyed fishing all her life and started when her father took her fishing as a young girl. Three years ago Judy started fishing professionally and fished the Bass’n Gals circuit, qualifying for the Classic in her first year. In 78 and 89 she won two boats and has qualified for the Classic every year since fishing Bass’n Gals. Last year she finished in 5th place in the Angler of the Year race and is currently in 12th this year. Judy is sponsored by Red Wing Boat Company, Champion Boats, Zebco/Motorguide, Pradco, Culprit, Limberneck Spinner Baits and Gamagatsu.
When she’s not fishing in a Bass n Gals tournament or practicing for one she is guiding on Fayette County Lake, working a Boat Show for sponsor, Red Wing Boat Company, giving corporate seminars on Bass Fishing, and as if that’s not enough she gives of her time for charity work like the “Get Hooked on Fishing Not Drugs” program and the “Make a Wish Foundation”. Judy also volunteers her time for the “Sunshine Kids Tournament” sponsored by Houston Fish.

Fulfilling such a demanding schedule would not be possible, Judy says, without the support of her husband Glenn.

When she talks about her guide business her face lights up and you can tell she really enjoys this part of her profession. She especially enjoys mothers with children type trips where she gets to teach fishing. She is probably better suited for this kind of fishing because of her patience. A crusty old fishing guide might have less patience to deal with children.

Don’t be mislead though, this lady can hold her own with any guide when it come to catching fish.

Recently I called Judy to see if she was available for a photo session for one of her sponsors. I explained that I would prefer to get some photos of her on the water and ideally with a big fish. When faced with this challenge myself I usually think, “yeah right like I can go out any time I want and catch a big fish”, but she said OK and told me to meet her at Emmett’s and Velma’s Store on Hwy 159 near the Lake at 6:00 am later that week.

At 6:00 am later that week I’m setting in Emmett’s store solving world problems, with Emmett, over a cup of coffee and in walks this good looking lady dressed like a bass fisherman, Judy Wong. After chatting with Emmett awhile we headed for the Lake. I followed Judy in my boat so I could get some pictures. She started fishing shallow vegetation along the shoreline with various shallow running jerk baits. I’m staying close behind concentrating on getting some good pictures and enjoying the morning. After about an hour and only a couple of misses on the jerk baits I’m beginning to think that I’m glad I’m not in her position because I’d be getting awfully nervous without a fish by now, but Judy seemed quite relaxed and confident and continued to patiently and methodically work the shoreline cover that she had set out to fish. When she had finished the shoreline of that cove she moved out to deeper water to try some deep water structure. Not long after, she bowed up on what appeared to be a pretty good fish. I’m in a panic thinking this may be the only fish we get on and want to get some good pictures. Finally the fish blows up and it’s a five pounder. As though she was in a tournament Judy coolly played the fish to the boat, lands it and we get a few posed pictures then release the fish. Nice way to break the ice. About fifteen minutes later her rod doubles over again. Another fish close to 5 pounds.

With a big smile, Judy says, why don’t you do some fishing Pat? I’ve never been able to refuse a good challenge, and besides she had just boated two 5 pounders in the past fifteen minutes and I should easily be able to get a few good fish real quick.
An hour and a half later the score was Lady Angler 6, Photographer 2. I had just been given a first class fishing lesson. Out of eight fish or so in about two and a half hours Judy had put us on a couple three pounders, 2 fish between 3 and 4 pounds, four fish in the 5 pound range and a 7.5 pounder. That’s what I call producing under pressure. It’s easy to see why Judy has made the Classic all three years she has fished Bass’n Gals. In about three hours she had patterned the fish and produced the big fish I had asked for. This Lady is not just another pretty face but a very good professional angler.

For a great guide trip, with a Nationally Ranked Professional Angler, call Judy Wong at 713-933-9724 – Lake Mohave

Allot of questions have been raised in this magazine, over the past few months, about the fish kills at Sam Rayburn. Now reports are all over the Internet and phone lines about similar occurrences at Lake Fork early this summer.

Texas Parks & Wildlife in public meetings at Sam Rayburn and Lake Fork state that the significance of the fish kill is minimal in terms of harm to the fish population. They further stated, at a public meeting in Athens, that the reason for fish kill on Sam Rayburn was Angler induced stress and hot weather.

At this same meeting in Athens there was a presentation on a study conducted on the survivability of fish caught and released in fishing tournaments. This study concluded that 20% to 65% of the fish released in tournaments die, depending on the water temperature at the time the tournament are held.

Numerous questions were raised about this study. Most were along the lines of my thinking, “Why don’t you see dead fish floating after a tournament?” The answer by all the biologists present was that most of the fish that die don’t float to the surface. They are eaten by turtles and other scavengers. Hmmmmm…..
If TP&W said they counted 1,800 fish floating during their few day study, and anglers reported dead and dying floating fish, large fish, for months after the Rayburn kill.

If TP&W counted 1,800 in a few days and dead fish were reported for a few months, lets say just two for the sake of making my point (many would contend it went on much longer) then 1,800 times 10(few days in a month by my scientific calculation) would mean 18,000 per month for two months would be around 36,000, according to my TI Scientific Calculator.

As I recall the scientists at Athens stated it something like “ a very small percentage of the fish that die after being released in fishing tournaments float to the surface.”

If a very small percentage of the fish float to the surface and somewhere around 36,000 floated to the surface on Rayburn last summer doesn’t that mean that 36,000 is a small percentage of the fish that died on Rayburn, by the experts opinion. Does that mean then that 360,000 big fish died on Rayburn last year? You tell me.

There’s so much BS being floated on this topic, who knows. Imagine if only a small amount of this BS we see being floated is a small percentage of the total BS???? Hmmmmmm……

A few concerned anglers, that care enough about the problem, to spend weeks researching potential causes have found some very interesting information. Scientific studies conducted by the Texas Natural Resource Commission on Rayburn over an 8 or 10-year period say that chemical pollution on Rayburn has been high enough to harm or kill aquatic life many times during their study period. One article in this issue regarding this study can be found on page 12. Please read it and decide for yourself whether this is a serious issue or not.

Here are a few things the board of directors of T.B.B.U. and S.M.A.R.T. feel need to be done:

1. 1.. Conduct tissue studies on fish found dying or with lesions. The studies should be conducted by an independent authority.
2. Conduct water quality studies on lakes where a fish kill is occurring while the fish kill is in progress.
3. Report any herbicide or pesticide application operations going on around the lakes to the T.B.B.U. or S.M.A.R.T. offices.
4. Report any aquatic vegetation herbicide applications to T.B.B.U. and S.M.A.R.T. – Lake Mohave

Fishing in the heat of the summer doesn’t have to be a traumatic experience. As tournament anglers who fish all year long, Norman and I have had to adjust to the elements, reduce the amount of time on the water during periods of hot weather; learn to preplan strategy; and, adapt our fishing methods and tactics accordingly.

Toledo Bend Reservoir is located on the Sabine River. This deep, clear water lake is surrounded by red rolling hills and piney woods. It is nestled in the heart of East Texas on the Louisiana border. The lake is 65-miles long, contains 185,000 surface acres and has 1,200 miles of fishing shoreline. The lake was impounded in 1967 and is one of the most well known and publicized lakes in the Country. The lake is very fertile, has a tremendous fishery and the lake record for Black Bass is 14.69, caught in March 1998. There is an abundance of grass and most all the bass tournaments are won on the south end of the lake because of the massive amounts of vegetation.

As our tournament circuits are winding down, Norman and I approached our Toledo Bend tournament for the East Texas Anglers Choice Couples circuit with a great deal of hesitation. We had not been on the lake in over two months. We arrived late Saturday afternoon and opted to trailer our Boots Follmar Marine Pro Staff Skeeter 210 over to registration and then back down to a friend of ours camp on the South end of the lake. We had pretty well determined our game plan of what and how we were going to approach our tournament day and didn’t want to disturb the fish or get out in the heat and beat up on them before the actual tournament day began. Of course, this kind of thinking is either very confident or, at the least, very risky! After all, we went into the tournament in 8th place overall; and, in order to qualify for the championship, we were going to have to do good in that tournament.

In year’s past, we were always out there in the extreme heat, practicing from sun up to sun down and never missing a beat . . . but this year, something changed and we decided that we could take a more sensible approach to the heat. Why burn yourself and your partner up and make each other miserable practicing all day in the heat, especially when you know exactly what your going to do, where your going, and what baits your going to use. Instead, we went back to the camp house and got our gear ready for the next day’s competition and went to bed early and got plenty of rest. Come Sunday, we were ready, a little nervous though as we had never taken this laid back approach before and were treading new waters.

As luck would have it, our boat number was 1, and we headed to our first spot. We pulled up, put the trolling motor down and started throwing topwaters. Norman had several strikes but no takers and then the topwater action seemed to subside. We picked up our spinning gear and started to work our Zoom Trick worms along the deep water access on the edge of a huge grassbed located north of Pendleton Bridge. In the next hour, we boated nine bass, but only one was a keeper. We cranked up the Yamaha 225 and headed south. We went to our second spot which was a mainlake flat near Housen. We stuck with this spot most of the rest of the day because we had continuous bites there and because the grass was just perfect for the kind of fishing we were doing. We put two more keepers in the boat and thought we’d go to our last spot in hopes of landing a kicker fish or two (5 fish limit) to anchor our weight and cinch the day. It didn’t happen, so we went back to our number two spot and finished out the day there and stuck another keeper fish and caught several smaller fish.

We must have easily caught over 30 fish that day, but only four of them were keepers. Even though we finished up with only four fish, we were quite proud of our accomplishment, especially in view of the fact that we had no practice and were just going on gut instincts and past experience. Previously, practicing in the heat has just killed us and by tournament day, we were always worn out and exhausted before the event ever started. This year was different, we were refreshed on tournament day and able to focus on the task at hand and it really made a big difference. We didn’t win our tournament, and we probably only placed somewhere in the top 20, but we did amazingly well for the little effort we put into it. You know, fishing tournaments doesn’t have to be nerve wracking, intense competition. Sometimes you just need to calm down, relax and let the conditions dictate your game plan, and just go with the flow. After all, Texas in August is no time to get in a big old hurry to do anything. Always respect the water and the elements and learn to work with them instead of against them! – Lake Mohave

We continue to suffer from low water conditions caused by lack of rain and irrigation in the valley. At the bme of this article, Falcon is down about 38′. There is good news though, First of all we have finally gotten some rain, so the lake is rising a little. The best news though is the outstanding fishing right now. Falcon bass are used to periods of low water, and have an uncanny knack to stay shallow and active during tough times.

Our guides are fishing from the Marker #9 area south towards the dam. The hottest pattern is to pitch a spinnerbait into bushes in about 3′ of water near deeper water. Falcon fish are showing a real preference for the now “Tru-Trac” spinnerbait that we sell. They have realistic patterns and a large rattle chamber. Rattletraps in the same type areas are also producing well. As the day goes on, I suggest throwing Carolina rigged lizards and worms and deep crankbaits along the rip-rap of the dam. There are several long deep points in the south end, and these will keep you busy all day. You need to watch your graph and try to locate one of the many off-shore rock piles near the Tiger creeks and along the main lake, These have been big fish producers. They are old houses and buildings that were destroyed when the lake was built. The best way to locate them is to look for such structure on the bank and work your way out, as many of these areas are old “colonies”.

Currently, we have two boat ramps available. One is at the State Park on the south end, and the other is located at Beacon Lodge. One major navigational hazard on the lake is an old highway 83 bridge near the public boat ramp. This bridge has the mouth of the Veleno completely shut off and will wreak havoc on a boat.

Plan a summer trip to Falcon, I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Our common guide day right now is about 20-40 fish with sever2i in the 5-9 pound range. For 1ake, motel, and guide availability don’t hesitate to give me call at 210-765-3939. I’ll probably be fishing, but our Pro Staff can answer any of your questions. – Lake Mohave

With summer still bearing down on us, I want to begin this month by talking about how to cope with the South Texas heat while enjoying the lake. Our guides at Lunkerville and 1, have a regular list of items that we do not forget, First and foremost take plenty of water on your outing, I recommend a bag of ice and some Gatorade also, A largo hat is another good idea. Good sunglasses are a must out on Falcon right now. Not only will they give you protection, but they help in locating fish holding cover just beneath the surface. Good quality sunscreen is another necessity. While a painful sunburn may not be a problem for some of us, skin cancer certainly is a concern that all outdoors people are becoming more aware of. I also carry a bandanna. You can put it in the water and tie it around your head or neck, or better yet, give it a few minutes in the ice chest.

Now that we are prepared, let’s go fishin’. Currently Falcon is 42 feet low and still falling at a slow pace. There is launching available at the public boat ramp, on the west side of the “park area”. You can also launch at Beacon Lodge, located off of FM 496, there is launching available at the State Park on the south end.

There are numerous navigational hazards popping up, so I recommend that you navigate between the markers, staying in the old river channel. Even then, there are a few old stumps out there so pay attention and go slow.

The fishing right now is absolutely awesome. Despite low water levels, the black bass are still up shallow, Hardwoods and rockpiles near deep water are a sure bet early in the morning. Blue fleck power worms, and shad colored raffia traps are producing best for us right now, Later in the day, fish deep diving shad colored cranks and a Carolina rigged 1 O” worm. Watch your graph closely, for signs of rocky drop-offs or rock piles that have not popped-up yet. Also don’t forget the points and rip rap at the dam.

The striper fishing has picked-up drastically, Striper up to 20 pounds are being caught on jigging spoons at the south end. Early in the morning watch for birds diving to signal schools of striper and white bass. A 3/4 ounce rattletrap can produce constant action especially on calm mornings, If there happen to be whites around, go with the Little George or Blue Fox.

Finally let’s not forget about the catfishing. Good numbers are being caught on the main river near Marker #9. The many stick-ups around the mouth of the Tigers has been another good producer. Shrimp and stinkbait is a favorite of many Falcon “whisker’ hunters.

Don’t let the water level discourage you from coming down to good ol’ Falcon this summer. Even with low water, it is one of the top summertime producers in the country.

Finally, I want to let everyone know that our store at Oso Blanco is closed. We are currently rebuilding just south of there at Godkin’s Restaurant. Our phone number is the same at 210-765-3939. Give us a call and we would be glad to set you up for a guide trip, We can handle all of your lodging and restaurant needs also. We hope to have the store reopened by October.
– Lake Mohave

It’s that time of year again. Yes, the tournaments have started the sun is extremely hot , and our swim-suits, shorts, and tank tops are on. Summertime everyone wants to look good with that rich warm glow of a tropical tan; and we all look good with some color to us. Besides the sun makes us feel good. Being a woman I am probably a bit more vane about my appearance, but I do know that the sun causes premature aging,wrinkles and skin cancer. Here are some words to add to your summer vocabulary: ultra violet rays (UVR), sun protection factor(SPF), and melanoma. I take the sun very seriously and after reading several books and articles on the sun and sun protection, as well as taking into account my own experience I decided to share some information about how you can protect yourself from the sun.

For anglers 3/4 of their time has been and is spent exposed to the harmful UVA and UVB light. What kind of light? This light is the light that burns and pentrates the skin perhaps they should be called ultraviolent rays. UVA pentrates deeply to damage your skin’s lower layers causing wrinkling and premature aging; UVB is asbsorbed at the surface, causing burning and peeling. This UVB light is the most intense between 10A.M. and 2P.M. ( remember tournament hours and most of our leisure time are spent in this time frame) . Twice as many men as women get skin cancer because they traditionally work and spend their leisure time outdoors. Although more women are entering the outdoor fields and sports, the stats are likley to change.

The sun is a matter most take lightly and do not think about twice. But Melanoma is no laughing matter. Its is the fastest growing skin type cancer around. However it is curable if it is diagnosed early enough. Melamonia tends to be more common in Caucasians who are exposed to intense and intermittent exposures of the sun. Melanoma is a cancer that often originates as a dark mole. Most of these cancerous moles or spots did not come up over night. This exposure usually occurs from a series of sunburns while we were children or young adults not aware, nor did we care about the conquences of the sun at that time. Not suprisingly 30 -40% of skin cancers appear on the nose, ears and top part of our hands. This is why proper and simple prevention is so important. Some of the symptons or warning signs to look for are: a mole or spot that starts to grow irregular in size(mole should not be bigger than a pencile erracer), itching,bleeding or darker in color. One scarey part is that you may not have any of these signs at all so a visit to your dermotoligst at least once to check any questiable area out is advisable. The following are some simple tips:

Sight is one of our most important senses and several sunglass manufactors have excellent eye protection avaible for anglers and outdoor people. Most people purchase these glasses because they are polarized and reduce glare; only a handful of these glasses protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. This protection filters out 100% of the harmful ultraviolet rays. This means they absorb 100% and this helps filter out rays that can cause severe eye damage such as: cataract and coreal damage and even eyelid cancer. After all we only have one set of eyes and spending as much time on the water as most do, it is
one investment we should not hesitate about. Proper close fiting wrap around sunglasses are recommended for the maximun protection. So think about this on your next purchase of polarized sunglasses.

Another part of sun protection is a hat or cap to protect the head , eyes, ears, and nose from direct sun. A cap with a large brim or flaps will offer the most protection for the ears, neck, and face. A simple brimmed hat can cut the UVB exposure by half. This is something that almost every angler has and wears. This part comes easy as do the sunglasses.

Sunscreens , on the other hand, are not used as often and do not come as natural as putting the old cap on. But they are the most important of all. A tube packed in your suitcase and one in the glove box of the boat will help remind your self that this protection is needed. If applied in the morning as soon as you are dressing for a practice day or tourney sunscreens can and will be very effective. Remember it must be applied in the morning before we are exposed to the sun. If you make it part of your routine you will hopefuly turn it into a habit. Suncreens come in several diffrent SPF(sun protection factor) numbers. The most commonly recommended is 15 the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more. The higher the SPF number the more protection . This protection also will be determined by your complection.

Choose your sunscreen wisely and look at the SPF number. Studies show that it does not have to be an expensive brand to be effective. Several manufactors have a Sport Sunblock out that is sweatproof , waterproof and will not rub off. This is probally best suited for anglers, since we never know what the weather will be like. Apply this lotion or cream liberally. The only catch is that you must apply before sun exposure. Most people only apply the sunblocks and screens after they feel the burning sting of the sun. At this time it is too late to protect your skin. Yes, some of you may think that your skin is as tough as leather (and it might look like it ) but you still need to be protected. Studies show even if you have been exposed to the sun for a long time and have never used any protiction that it is NEVER to late to start and it will help reduce your chances of skin cancer.

We all use some type of lip protection to keep our lips from cracking and drying out. Sunscreens are avaibale now in the lip balms. Taking a few extra minutes to seek these out , can be well worth your time.

With clothing avaible that is precoated with UVR -absorbing chemicals the SPF offers 50,60 and even more times the protection. It should last through 25 washings and evens develops more UVR protection. If you can not find these articles just use common sence. Long sleeved shirts and long pants made of tightly wooven fabric.

So please take a few minutes of your time to protect your skin and possibly save your life
– Lake Mohave

In 1989 I was fishing in a Dallas bass club and we were prefishing Possum Kingdom for the state top 6 tournament. One of my teammates patterned the fish in the old shoreline of the lake in ~8 feet of water, great. Problem was he had was catching said fish on a rattle trap, probably my least favorite bait to fish. My disdain for traps was due to the fact that I lost so many fish trying to get them to the boat. The fella who found the fish grew up fishing Toledo and therefore had spent countless hours fishing a trap. That night he shared with the team several ideas for better boated fish ratios, particularly on crankbaits with small hooks.

First in his equipment, he used a very slow tipped composite rod for several reasons but basically to let the rod absorb as much of the head shaking as possible form the fish. The best illustration; remember the last time you stuck a bait in the side of a big oak tree. Generally from a distance you can shake the bait free. Now remember the last time you stuck a bait on a willow limb as big around as a pencil, you probably wound up going over and breaking the limb to get your bait back. Same principles at work, the oak allows you to jamble the bait around and get it free, the willow absorbs all your shaking and your stuck. The limp rod also kept him from getting excited when he hooked a big fish and horsing him, which I’ll talk more about in a minute. Next in his reel he used almost no drag, again to keep him from horsing the fish.

Why was he so concerned not to horse a fish? The large percent of fish you will catch on crankbaits are what I call skin hooked. Since you don’t have a 3/0 hook to drive through the roof of the fishes’ mouth or gill plate they are hooked in a softer tissue area. Therefore a stiff rod, lack of drag, horsing a fish, or resetting the hook will only enlarge the hole the hook cut on initial penetration and allow the fish more opportunity to shake the hook free. The fact is most crankbait fish actually hook themselves when they intercept the bait, resetting the hook only hurts your chance of boating that fish.

He also had a very interesting philosophy on fighting fish hooked on small trebles. Once he hooked a fish he would put only as much pressure on the fish as was absolutely necessary to keep the fish out of heavy cover. He always kept his rod tip in the water as deep as possible to try to keep the fish from jumping. He also allowed the fish to continue in the direction she was going (even up to the point of leading the fish around the boat like a dog). You’ll find that a fish normally jumps because your pulling her away from the direction she wants to go, so take the trolling motor and go to or follow her. When was the last time you were out prefishing and allowed a fish to swim off with a bait in it’s mouth without setting the hook, I’ll guarantee you that fish didn’t jump because she was getting to go where she wanted to go.

Remember most fish come off when they’re in the air, so keep them down by allowing them to run the show, only bring them to the boat when they are completely and smooth run out. Try this and I’ll bet your ratios of bites to hands on fish increases greatly. If you’d like to take a trip with me on Richland Chambers call Brown Dog Guide Service at (214) 327 6020. By the way we won the BASS state championship that week by over twenty pounds, all on traps. – Lake Mohave

It was a simple enough misunderstanding to start with, the only kinda braid I knew about was the kind girls put in each others hair at bunking parties. The old timers remember braided line, but hey us 31 year olds fish with the new stuff, monofilament. Then a semi-oldtimer from Livingston named Randy Dearman hammered consecutive 20 lb plus stringers out of heavy buck brush at Rayburn to win the Texas BASS Invitational. The cat was out of the bag, what a few pros were quietly doing was using several newer and much improved braided lines.

I discovered braided line at Texoma Anglers choice Draw this year when my partner buried a carolina rig in rock rip-rap, he then proceeded to wrap his line around the cleat of his boat and pull it free with the trolling motor, that made me curious. Then he buried a three pounder in a willow tree and bulled him out like he was hooked on piano wire, I was real curious.

Since that first day I have experimented with a number of lines in many different fishing conditions. I have been impressed with several lines and less than impressed with several others. The real attraction to the lines is the thin diameter and tremendous breaking strength, the lines are also very difficult to cut. From my experience the lines do have some downfalls, mostly revolving around the complete lack of stretch the lines have. They have been very hard on my equipment, seizing up several reels and busting the ceramic out of a number of rod eyes. I have also jerked a 2 pounder completely out of the water and over the boat on the hookset and almost impaled myself with a Big Bite jig hung in a bush.

The line does however have a few very good uses, first for carolina rigs. I use brass weights exclusively on my rigs and have lost only one since changing my rig rods to braided line, I do however still use mono for all my leaders to keep the visibility down. The other application that I like braided line for is pitching in heavy wood like we have here on Chambers. The one suggestion I would make for pitching is to back your drag down a bit. I like mine where it slips slightly on my meanest hookset, the lack of stretch in the line more than compensates for the slippage to assure a good hook up.

There are so many brands of line on the market currently a few helpful hints will save you some wasted money. First buy braided line, not twisted line. If you could see the two side by side the difference is obvious, in an inch of braided line you might see 30 to 40 strands interwoven. Twisted line is simply a few large diameter strands spun around one another. The twisted line will unravel on you, where a good braided line won’t. As to the makeup of the line try to find loot spectra. Spectra absorbs the least water and will outlast and out perform polyester, kevlar or dacron. Some lines are spectra wound around a dacron core, again stick to 100% spectra. A braided spectra line may be 2 to 3 times more expensive than a twisted line of another material but in the long haul you get what you pay for. I would also recommend a colored line especially for flipping. Two lines that I have experience with and like are Izor (which I can find only in white) and Lariat line which comes in a dark greenish color better for flippin. If you have any questions or comments about braided line or what’s happening here at Chambers, or just wanna go fishin, give me a call at (214) 283 7090. Good Luck, Ken Smith – Lake Mohave

In an article a few months ago I mentioned how you should always approach an outing with a game plan, I have been asked since what exactly I meant by the term game plan. Nothing can impact your fishing results like time on the water but there are a few things that will consistently help you catch more fish.

Building a game plan for me usually starts with my map. Making a game plan is like making anything else, the better the materials going in the better the product coming out. I can’t stress enough the importance of getting as good a map as you can find, in many cases I’ll spend a few extra bucks and buy several and compare them, some will show one feature that another leaves off and vice versa. Once I have my map I’ll check in with my network of fishing friends that have spent time on the lake in question. once again the crud in, crud out, theory applies. If you have helped them in the past with good info they’ll respond likewise.

After consulting with my buds I begin looking to my map, in deciding on map locations to fish I first consider the time of year and what the fish “should” be doing. If it’s summertime the fish should be in areas the allow them deep water access and if possible shade. I believe many fisherman don’t consider the tremendous impact of shade on fish in the summertime.

Once I have decided where to fish I begin allocating my time. I usually do a best and worse scenario, i.e. if I have no fish by 7:30 I’m going here, if I have 3 I’ll continue fishing the area until x time. I find that if I keep up with the time and have pre-planned spots number 2, 3, etc., the day doesn’t get away from me (specifically tournament days) the way they do if I’m not paying attention. I also feel more in control and have more confidence if I have already thought out a no fish at 10:00 game plan. That may sound stupid but a great example of this is in 1990 my partner and I were fishing the TABC championship on Richland. At 1;00 we had no keepers in the boat, between 1 and 1:20 we made 7 cast that netted 6 keepers, the best of which weighed 20 pounds even, we had just pulled up on our fourth spot of the day.

Weather plays an important role in developing a game plan. Aside from the obvious, will the wind keep you from getting to the areas you want to fish, will it blow you off the water once you’re there, there are other factors to consider. First in the type baits you tie on, if the weather is going to be overcast typically the fish are going to be more scattered and a horizontal presentation or moving bait (blade, crankbait, buzz bait) will allow you to cover more water and hopefully catch more fish. If clear skies prevail then a vertical presentation will be in order (worms, jigs, jig & spoon). Another factor to consider that the weather affects is how good will the bite be. I consider this because if you have a norther move through the night before, or other conditions are going to make the fishing tough, I typically hunker down in an area that I believe is holding fish and fish very deliberately. If I believe everybody is going to have a tough day I can psyche myself into looking for very few bites through the course of the day, and still know I have a chance at winning, *

A game plan only has to be as specific as you want it to be. I know some anglers that like to fly by the seat of their pants, but typically these are guys who spend allot of time (3+ days a week) on the water and have learned to adapt as they go (David Wharton as a great example) , but I find preplanning my best ally. Give it a try, maybe you will too. – Lake Mohave

Seems that most of the anglers one talks to these days here on Richland respond to the question of how’d you do with one of two answers, they either didn’t get a bite or they crushed ’em. One need only look at the tournament results to see that Richland, in only four years, has become one of the premier fishing lakes in Texas, if not in the country.

How about a lake that is basically brand new, but it takes 24 to 29 pounds to win just about any tournament. What’s really amazing is that many of these stringers have a big fish under 8 pounds. The average fish coming out of Richland these days has to be in the area of 3+ pounds. Two questions come to mind, why and where. The first one is easy, Richland has an excellent forage base of shad, probably Mr. Bass’s favorite, and we have unbelievable structure or habitat. Richland has tremendous deep timbered creeks, good shallow to deep points and many other fish condo type structure (not unlike our east Texas neighbor). Another factor that has helped Richland is the lake just made reference to, namely Lake Fork. If Richland was an hour from Houston or any other major city in the nation you would wait in lines to launch on Saturday mornings in March and April. Thanks to Fork the lines aren’t here, but the fish are.

The where is a bit more complicated. I’ve heard many rumors about how and where Richland was originally stocked. Rumors aside Richland, in it’s first few years, demonstrated a peculiar trait of having big wads of fish in some areas, while having other areas that you couldn’t buy a bite in. In the last two years this problem has rapidly begun to disappear. Due to an increased number of fish overall and tournament fisherman redistributing them around the lake bites are now a bit more spread out. There are still wads of fish, and my experience is that to find them you need to fish a little different. Specifically if it’s your first time on Richland or your normal fish don’t seem to bite, cover water, lots of water.

What I’m suggesting here is that Richland has 47 thousand plus acres of water, most of which is fishable. Don’t waste your time in an area if your getting no bites. I want to say fish quick but I’m afraid my meaning will get lost if you race through an area. What I’m suggesting is that you use baits (crank baits or spinner baits) that cover lots of water, I always have a 3/8 ounce Mepps spinnerbait and a Poe’s 300 series crankbait tied on. Both these baits cover lots of water and catch lots of fish. You don’t want to be throwing these baits and burning them back to the boat, but you need to keep moving. once you get bit fish the area thoroughly.

Before you come to Richland get a good map and mark 8-12 places that you can find easily. These need to be places that meet the fish holding criteria we all know, creeks, points, humps, tanks, etc.. Hit these spots until you get bit. The pros don’t come to a lake without a game plan, neither should you. – Lake Mohave

This article has been rattling around in my noggin since BASS at Rayburn in December. It’s interesting being on the inside and looking out as a professional fisherman. It’s even fun sometimes to see guy’s reaction when they get on the circuit and realize just how different fishing at this level is. I’m going to pick on fellow Skeeter/Yamaha team member and good friend Dickie Newberry of Houston. Ask anybody that fishes East Texas in the last two years and they will tell you Dickie is a certified hammer (won three or four boats in 97 and about the same in 96 ). A week after Rayburn I called Dickie to get his temperature, he was hot. He explained that at least 25 friends had called to say how they could have easily caught 21 pounds in three days on the best bass lake in America, why in the world didn’t he? Now like everybody else that fished I could explain the fight over who’s boat we’re going in, fishing time, battling over water, illness, partners equipment breaking down, guy’s jumping you’re water, eleven 3’s that got off at the boat, and every other reason I finished 45th instead of first, but till you’ve seen it yourself it’s all horse you know what.

I will tell you the fishing was really tough, maybe an analogy will help. All major league baseball players will tell you they can crush a fastball, as a matter of fact the faster it’s thrown the further they can hit it. So why can’t Juan Gonzalez’s rattle every other pitch 450 feet into the bleachers? Because all he gets isn’t fastballs. Sometimes they start them right at your pumpkin and you got about 1/2 a second to decide if it’s a fastball and a ride to Rampart emergency, or it’s an embarrass you sitting on your tail in the batters box while the ump punches you out curve. Heck last year Tiger Woods went to some golf course in Florida and shot a 59, a 59. BUT that was for fun and there was zero pressure. Dickie and I talked during practice at Rayburn and we were catching the crud out of them, I had 20+ bites with two over 8 the second day of practice alone. My point is when you mix in a few really big factors, this isn’t batting practice. Probably the biggest factor being that these are not Pro Am’s, the guy you fish with is your competition. Now if I tell you all this and you’re still convinced that since you finished in the top six in your bass club (not to knock it, we all started there) you’re ready for the big leagues, well here’s you’re chance.

The last of the four BASSS Central Invitational’s is coming to Lake Texoma March 12-14th. I constantly get asked at boat shows “How do I get in?,” here’s how. The fourth tournament each year rarely fills up, so you can call BASS and ask for the tournament department, tell them you want on the waiting list for the 1998 Oklahoma Invitational. You will have to put down a $200 deposit, which they will refund if you don’t get in or if you are on the waiting list and decide you don’t want to fish. They will start working down the waiting list on about February 20th. Once you get in you will have to join the Association for BASS Professional’s which is $100 (I think) and pay the balance of your entry fee, another $400. I will tell you in all honesty that I have been doing it four years and I still get excited before every one, you will never forget your first BASS tournament. Once you’re in you can show us just what we were doing wrong at Rayburn and by the time this is published probably at Ross Barnett (yuck) too. By the way I’m fishing out of a Skeeter 202 this year with the Yamaha VMAX counter rotating prop 150. If you’re considering a new ride this spring look this boat over at your local boat show, and if you see me out ask and I’ll be glad to let you take mine for a spin. It is the best performing, finest ride I have ever owned. – Lake Mohave

A few months ago we lost my 33 year old cousin. Wayne and I spent many days and nights wandering my grandparents farm together. It started with BB guns and cane poles and blossomed to rod and reel and shotguns. My earliest memories of fishing are with Wayne and my grandmother. She would sit between us on a old wooden chair, spacing us out the length of a cane pole so we could swing fish, or unbaited hook to her for service work.

These incredibly fond memories from my childhood have given me reason recently to do some deep pondering about life. Specifically about how I grew up as compared to how many of my generations kids are growing up. What’s been troubling me is so many of today’s kids are missing a parent, specifically a dad, at home to walk with them through the early years of life, and to share so many things with them. I believe that when you take a parent out of the child’s everyday life the parent at home is so busy trying to pay bills and keep up with all of life’s little problems that quality time is really hard to come by. I lost my dad in 1983 but by then he had instilled in me so many things, and given me so many memories, that he’ll always be with me.

Right and wrong aside many of these kids never get the chance to experience the outdoors and the wonderful lessons it can teach us. At the ripe old age of 32 I’ve never been married and therefore have no kids of my own. But on occasion I get a guide trip where a father brings his son, and even once a daughter, out to fish. It amazes me to see these kids when they get in the boat. They are mature and good natured, and always mind. There are no distractions, no phone calls, just us guys out having a great time. My point is that the kids may act like terrorist at home but when you get them out and spend good uninterrupted time together, well it’s just not something you can describe.

I don’t want this to appear as a sales pitch but I do want to see more of these kind of trips, so my offer is this. Bring any kid under age 18 on a guide trip with me in the next 30 days and I’ll cut my rate by 20%. If you are a single mother (nobody scream discrimination please) I’ll cut it by 50%. Let’s do our part to get our kids outdoors and show them the thrills the good Lord gave us. I guarantee it will be one of the best and most memorable days you ever spend on the water. – Lake Mohave

Seems that all fisherman love to read about fishing (those that can read of course). It takes about five minutes in my garage, like all my other buddies, to find my four foot tall stack of back issues of Cosmofisherman, NEWSFISH, The Walleye Street Journal, Seventeen Pounder, etc. These magazines are all well and good, but I want specifics, I fish Richland Chambers, obviously if your reading this you do to.

Everybody wants to know what to throw. In the last four years I have seen just about everything catch fish on Richland, but there are a few tried and true tricks that always seem to produce. Before I go on I must say that I have only one bait sponsor (not because I wouldn’t love some free baits), and it will be in the mix below.

First lets talk crankbaits, a real favorite on Richland. Most of the locals here really like some chartreuse in their baits. A Mann’s 20+ in fire tiger and a DB-3 in the same color catch allot of fish (including a few 10+ pound catfish my partner Kev “Aquaman” Reid has caught). Chrome or shad catch allot of fish, but the sandies will eat your lunch, not to mention your shad colored bait if they’re in the area. Another insider favorite here is a Poe’s 300 in a white side with a yellowish (some call it chartreuse) back.

Spinnerbaits are responsible for a great deal of the giant spring strings that get caught. Favorite baits seem to be 1/2 or 3/8 ounce Mepps, Stanleys or Strike Kings. The colors vary per water color but gold blades seem to be predominant. White and white/chartreuse are my favorites for skirts but I did get my clock cleaned by a buddy throwing chartreuse bladed, chartreuse skirt and orange bladed, orange skirted baits last spring.

The warm water will see the soft plastic bite start to pick up in the next few months. A peculiarity that I seem to find only here is a 6 or 8 inch junebug pearl ring worm, another heavy favorite with the local crowd. Another bait that I know has caught a lot of fish is a junebug chartreuse claw Guido bug (the big one). Pumpkinseed and black/blue Jawtec or Hale craworms also produce real well, especially in the clearer water. No I didn’t forget, the centipede still catches allot of roadbed and point fish, watermelon or pumpkin blue flake are favorites.

“What about jigs?” you ask. Year round on Richland they’ll eat ’em. Since we have no grass, stick to the lighter half ounce or less. Black/brown/amber and black/blue/purple can do little wrong, trailed with plastic or pork. My pick for jigs would be a Stanley, All Terrain or a new guy in the jig market Jawtec, if you haven’t tried this jig do, my hookup to boated fish ratio with it is excellent (no that’s not my bait sponsor). – Lake Mohave

There are a group of guys that I’ve fished with for years that have a rather twisted sense of humor. A long running joke amongst these guys is to tell you what bait they’re throwing by using the nickname they’ve assigned to that particular bait. For example a rattle-trap is a click since most older reels have that bit of slack in the gears and when a fish hits a trap the reel will make a loud click noise. To these fellas a spinnerbait is a blade or a chicken leg (I don’t know). A red rattle trap a marquee, a jig is a voodoo doll, unless it weighs 3/4’s of an ounce or more, then its a cannonball. One more, if your fishing with spinning tackle you’re using a sewing machine (equally difficult to master).

This leads me to my title, the light bulb. I’ve written in a number of previous articles about my affinity for crankbaits here on Chambers. It’s time to take a serious look at big crankbaits and what has been happening to our favorite lake. As RC is maturing a couple of things are changing to cause one to take a closer look at this type of presentation. The first factor is fishing pressure. In 1991 – ’92 it wasn’t unusual to get on a spot and catch a ton of fish without ever touching the trolling motor. Now pressure on the classic spots (humps, dams, roadbeds, etc.) have moved most of those fish, if they haven’t been caught and transported 8 miles to a weigh in.

The second factor is the trees in the lake losing a big percentage of their horizontal limbs. This does a couple of things but mainly it makes a crankbait much more fishable. Fish that in the past you had to make a vertical presentation (pitching or flipping) to can now be cast at.

A third factor is the maturing of the population of shad and other baitfish. The lake is now about six years old and the percentage of big baitfish and big black bass that like to eat them is way up. All these factors add up to a bait that is becoming increasingly easy to fish, it allows you to cover a lot of water quickly and thoroughly, and catch some really big fish.

As a matter of fact I had a conversation recently with the winners of one of this summers big team tournaments and they commented that opposite from their normal thoughts they had been catching limits early on Carolina rigs and then switching to crankbaits to catch their kicker fish later in the day.

Now, I personally like to throw several baits under different conditions. If I’m fishing 15 feet of water or less I prefer to throw a I oz mud bug or a DD-22. If real shallow I’ll go to a 3/4 oz mud bug or a DD-14. If I’m trying to catch fish that are deeper where the fish are either suspended or I simply can’t reach the bottom I’ll go with a 300 or 400 series Poes or a Manns 20+. All these baits are large, which is part of the attraction.

Even though it’s getting into fall or what some might call winter fishing (there is no real winter in Texas) I still am a very firm believer in these big baits, only trick being throw them in the thickest stuff. If you’ve ever been to Rayburn in February and thrown a rattle trap in 48 degree water you know that big fish will chase them down. So next time your on RC I would suggest getting the light bulb out. If you want to book a trip or just talk fishing, give us a call at Brown Dog Guide Service (214) 443 1880.
– Lake Mohave

Spring has sprung and the dawg days are upon us. Fish have vacated the shallows and living in those 300 foot shady depths of Richland where they’re tough to catch. Time to stuff the rig back in the moth balls and stay indoors for the summer, not! Allow me to let you in on one of the best kept secrets in north Texas, night fishing RC style. Everybody knows about our excellent moonlight crappie fishing on Chambers, but man oh man the things swimming our shallows after dark will make you forget Letterman.

For the past two years I’ve been sneaking out after dark on Chambers anytime I get a chance, and I’ve yet to have a unproductive trip. The same fish that are so spooky and difficult to catch with those bright sunny summer skies during the day get almost kamikaze like after dark. Heck one night last June a buddy and I caught over 25 fish up to almost 8 lbs on one point.

So now you’re sold but you’re not real experienced at night fishing, let me give you a few safety tips and some pointers. First it is a state law ($76 ticket last time I got one) that anytime, and I repeat anytime whether you’re running or anchored, that you’re on the water at night you must have your anchor light on (white light on the back). Next always wear your life vest and kill switch at night. I know Chambers probably better than all but 2 or 3 people in the world and I ALWAYS wear mine. It is incredibly easy to get disoriented on the water at night, so be careful and carry a compass.

one of the good things about night fishing is that darkness serves as excellent cover so you don’t have to fish the real heavy cover in the Richland arm to get bit. As a matter of fact I prefer to stay on the open parts of the lake or in the Chambers arm. You could idle out of Clearview, Chambers Creek or Midway marinas and start fishing the points and have some of the best fishing of your life. In night fishing stick to one of two types of areas, first points, try main lake points first and if you don’t get bit try secondary points. If that doesn’t produce for you use funnel points to find fish coming from deeper water to shallow to feed.

As for baits I like a black half ounce spinner bait, a noisy topwater if baitfish are flicking about or a worm like a 611 JAWTEC bogus wiggler or 711 ribbed wiggler that tend to move a lot water when you work them. Most dedicated night fisherman will tell you that the bite is best on a dark moon phase, followed closely by a full moon. I would suggest to make your first few ventures into the night on a cloudless full moon, the ability to see will greatly off set the few less bites you get. ~I will also tell you that in the heat of the summer usually the first two to three hours after sundown are by far the slowest. The best action usually doesn’t occur until well after midnight, so don’t get in any hurry to get on the water unless just to familiarize yourself with the areas you plan to fish. If you really want to make it easy on yourself call me at BROWN DOG GUIDE SERVICE (214) 327 6020 and I’ll take you. Good luck and good fishing. — Ken Smith – Lake Mohave

Jig vs Carolina Rig:
A couple of years ago, my nephew (Chris) and I were fishing a tournament at Lake Jacksonville. He was using Carolina rig (CR) and I was using a jig and he was catching all of the fish! At that time I did not like the CR and considered myself a jig expert since I exclusively used a jig. Every once in awhile I would throw the CR, only to be disgusted with the results. How do I set the hook? Why can’t I feel the bite? IS THAT A BRUSHPILE or a little fish nibbling on my hook? Too many times I would pull the weight across a stump on the bottom of the lake, then the bait would touch it, and when I dropped the rod, the weight would drop down to the bottom feeling like something was pulling. Thus I would set the hook into the stump. Hey, customers do it all the time. They feel rotten, but I’ve been there.

Lake Jacksonville did not have a map that we knew of. Have you ever fished a lake without a map? It’s not easy, but if you read the bank you can find creeks everywhere at Jacksonville. We found a very deep creek coming down a steep hill from the bank. I followed it with the LCR out
about 100 feet from the shore, then it intersected another major creek running parallel to the bank.
I positioned the boat on top of the creek that ran parallel with the bank so we could work both the creek coming down from the shore, and the deeper creek. Fish were everywhere!

I asked Chris if he wanted the deep side, or the shallow side. He directed his CR out towards main lake into the deeper creek… I directed my cast onto the breakline where the bottom dropped from ten feet to eighteen. I pumped my jig, let it sit for a second, and pumped it again. It was absolutely slammed by an eight pound bass that took second place big bass, and second place big stringer. Too bad Chris took the deep side, ’cause I got some money from them Aggies!

Now, of all the things that need to be considered when trying to figure out why I caught this bass on this bait in this spot? Which one was the most important, and why? I’ll tell you later.

Jigs At Night:
Several years ago I had a client from Japan in my boat. I believe it was his first night trip, and he just had to throw a jig. We went (at my infamous 65 mph boat ride) to my favorite docks to fish. He wanted to use the light stuff. YUCK! “No good!” I told him. At the first boat dock I allowed him a couple of shots before I picked up my rod. I use the Castaway Mag 7 Series Extra Heavy for a quick hookset. I made the first pitch! Now believe it or not, I was just demonstrating “how to work a jig”. I popped it up one foot, let it sit. Popped it up again-three feet, and looked at his face. He seem astonished to know that I let the thing sit there. When I looked back at my line, it was moving toward deep water. The bass had grabbed it on the fall (AS USUAL), and was swimming off with it. I used my infamous “patented” toe dance, two step hookset and nailed her while almost knocking this Client out of the boat. And I’ve got a nine foot deck on my boat.

She was over eight pounds, and 24 pictures later (he went crazy) I figured out it was the biggest bass he had ever seen in his life….

Jigs In The Daytime:
This past spring I took Clients to an area that had been producing over the slot bass on a daily basis for over six weeks on a CR. I instructed them to cast parallel with the bank. A few minutes later they started catching bass. Rather than take their fish away using the same bait, I decided to
pick up my jig. I had never used a jig in this area, and thought it would be safe!

On my first cast, the Client in the front of the boat said his CR was hung, so I immediately handed
him my jig rod and took his rod (so I could get it loose). Then the funniest thing happened. We were looking eye to eye the second he took my rod. He raised the tip, looked me in the eye, and shook his head. I yelled “Set the hook!” There was an over the slot bass on it that had apparently
caught it while it was falling on the shady side of the stump. He won first place in the company tournament that he was in, and I still catch hell from his partner who insists that the fish was on it when I handed it to him. Trust me, I never felt a thing!

Jigs:
The only kind of jig I use is the Triple Rattleback. They have improved them over the years after hearing complaints about the rattles breaking. I have not had a rattle break this year. They have
extra large hooks in them that make them difficult to get through a bass’s mouth. (?sp) The weedguard is nylon so it is easy to spread out. I also believe they are easy to throw. The smallest jig in my boat is ½ ounce. I also use 25 lb. Trilene Big Game (moss green).

Trailers:
I use the Gene Larew hawg craw, a Zoom lizard, the Jawtec (looks like a centipede with a million legs), and my favorite is the Sandworm because it stands straight up. On all of these, I cut it off so that it sticks up when the jig is on the bottom about 4″-6″. I feel like if it is any longer, I miss the hookset and that just drives me crazy because I know that this is a Big Bass Bait! Of all the ten pound fish I have caught, they were all on a jig with the exception of my first one that was on a Zara Spook in a place Joe Axton of Axton’s Bass City took me to.

Colors:
Night: only black and blue. You need the silhouette against the moonlight.
Day: watermelon or pumkinseed. In the daylight, I try to match the colors to the forage.

The Knot:
Only a palomar. This is the strongest, non slipping knot that I know of, and it does not fray the line when you tie it. Always re-tie after every bass because their teeth always frays the line because they usually suck it deep. Also if you pull them out of heavy cover, they will wrap three times is a heartbeat if you are not careful.

The Method:
This is how I do it, perhaps not the best way, but the most effective way for me! The first thing a crawdead does when it is frightened is make clicking noises. The second thing it does is raise its claws up in a defensive position. So here you have a jig/craw with rattles. What do you do with it? First, you should spray it with Kick N Bass craw formula. Then cast or pitch it next to the biggest stumps and docks available. You can also work it in the hydrilla, or (my favorite) parallel to it. With the exception of the spawn, work the shade. During the spawn, give your buddy the shady side, because it’s not likely anything will be in the shade. They like to soak up the sun during the spawn!

Pitching/Flipping:
I use a Team Daiwa flipping reel with a 6.3:1 ratio for quick retrieve, but the best part is that a pitch or a flip can be controlled with the cast bar. You can also feed out more line, but have the anti spool controlled immediately with the cast bar if the reel is on flipping mode. I like to keep that bait as close to the water as possible to avoid spooking the bass. Always-land the bait in the water at least the same distance past the target as the water is deep. This will insure that the bait will be beside the target once it reaches the bottom.

Casting:
Casting is just as much fun! Be sure to make the bait land past the target as stated above… I will often use a cast taught to me by Takahiro from Japan. It is a “U” shaped cast with the rod near the water which achieves great distance…

The Pickup:
Here is the biggest problem that I feel exists while using a jig. When a bass catches the
falling jig, it always feels like it just landed on a treetop! Sometimes you can see her swimming off with it, but the bigger fish always seem to just sit there like they are chewing on it or something. Folks, this takes a lot of experience. I used a jig 90% of the time on over 200 night trips the first year I was at Lake Fork. And I can tell you for a fact that it is frustrating to loose so many of them. Always take extras! You will catch that stump if you are not careful……

When you are sure it is a bass, using a stout rod, use the old fashioned method to set the hook. Introduce her eyeballs to her tail! Set that hook and crank to get her away from every tree in the area. One mistake most people make is that once they see the fish they think they have to get her in the boat, but I feel like (on a good stick) playing them is the best way. Play them out until they just give up. Most of the big bass only have about 60 seconds of fight in them. I also do not believe in using a net because of the damage it does to their protective coating. I’ve even had clients try to lift the fish out of the water with their rods. This is an major NO-NO when you are using a rod that costs from $125 – $175.

So why have I caught the fish in these spots?
The bass on the break at Jacksonville was suspended on the break and heard the bait coming. The bass by the boat dock at Fork heard the jig coming. The bass by the stump at Fork probably saw it coming. I had the noise, the smell, and the bulk! The erratic motion of the jig going up and down probably makes the bass feel like the craw is running from something else, plus it is a great meal to a bass that only may be feeding once a day. Kind of like in the fall when they fill their bellies. The larger bass generally spend more time waiting for that meal, where the smaller (3 lbs) bass run all over the lake chasing shad. How many bass over eight pounds have you ever caught from a school? Here again, the larger bass are closer to the bottom waiting on the dead ones to fall into their mouth. They just don’t like to work at it. Kind of like me!

Patience:
I think another major important factor is patience. Give a choice of one rod to take fishing, and it will not be the jig! Sorry, but I’m sold on the Carolina Rig. I can use it all year long. All I have to do is change the length of the leader and I’ve got the fish. In the spring I use 3′, in the summer I like to use 6′ for a leader.

Read the area you are working. Look at it like this. If this were a highway, and the fish are out in deeper water, what road will they take. Will they come in holding close to the timber, will they come in from a creek, or a roadbed, or will they travel up from a creek to the end of the deep water point, then come in and hold by boat docks or standing timber nearby?

A secret?
This really works! Tie on a jig/craw, attach a swivel with a leader (2-3′), and tie a worm or
a lizard on behind it. One, the other, or maybe both may get bit.

Suspended:
Honestly, I still have a problem catching suspended bass. However, don’t give up hope. A buddy of mine has been in the boat with David Vance and has watched him catch bass after bass that were suspended with a white jig. To do this, you have to make the longest cast possible and yo-yo the bait all the way back to the boat. Start deep, then work the bait higher and higher off the bottom until you get into the correct strike zone.

Can we all “always” have a productive day?
There are certain times of the year when nothing seems to work. For the year, we have only been skunked two or three times. These are the times when they just don’t bite. If you doubt your presentation, change it. If you doubt your skills, check around and see how everyone else is doing. Hey, if we have a bad day, then I’ll bet you that everyone else is having a bad day!

Conclusion:
For a normal day on Lake Fork I usually carry the following equipment rigged and ready:
Two or three Carolina Rigs ready to go.
One deep crank, and one shallow crank.
One spinner bait.
One Zara Spook.
One Jig………………….

Always wear your PFD while running the lake, take plenty of drinks. Don’t forget about the new slot going into effect at Fork on September 1st. Good fishing to all of you.

Tracy Nix (Professional Guide)
Lake Fork Guide Service
Pager Number (214) 894-5489 – Lake Mohave

Jig vs Carolina Rig:
A couple of years ago, my nephew (Chris) and I were fishing a tournament at Lake Jacksonville. He was using Carolina rig (CR) and I was using a jig and he was catching all of the fish! At that time I did not like the CR and considered myself a jig expert since I exclusively used a jig. Every once in awhile I would throw the CR, only to be disgusted with the results. How do I set the hook? Why can’t I feel the bite? IS THAT A BRUSHPILE or a little fish nibbling on my hook? Too many times I would pull the weight across a stump on the bottom of the lake, then the bait would touch it, and when I dropped the rod, the weight would drop down to the bottom feeling like something was pulling. Thus I would set the hook into the stump. Hey, customers do it all the time. They feel rotten, but I’ve been there.

Lake Jacksonville did not have a map that we knew of. Have you ever fished a lake without a map? It’s not easy, but if you read the bank you can find creeks everywhere at Jacksonville. We found a very deep creek coming down a steep hill from the bank. I followed it with the LCR out about 100 feet from the shore, then it intersected another major creek running parallel to the bank. I positioned the boat on top of the creek that ran parallel with the bank so we could work both the creek coming down from the shore, and the deeper creek. Fish were everywhere!
I asked Chris if he wanted the deep side, or the shallow side. He directed his CR out towards main lake into the deeper creek… I directed my cast onto the breakline where the bottom dropped from ten feet to eighteen. I pumped my jig, let it sit for a second, and pumped it again. It was absolutely slammed by an eight pound bass that took second place big bass, and second place big stringer. Too bad Chris took the deep side, ’cause I got some money from them Aggies!

Now, of all the things that need to be considered when trying to figure out why I caught this bass on this bait in this spot? Which one was the most important, and why? I’ll tell you later.

Jigs At Night:
Several years ago I had a client from Japan in my boat. I believe it was his first night trip, and he just had to throw a jig. We went (at my infamous 65 mph boat ride) to my favorite docks to fish. He wanted to use the light stuff. YUCK! “No good!” I told him. At the first boat dock I allowed him a couple of shots before I picked up my rod. I use the Castaway Mag 7 Series Extra Heavy for a quick hookset. I made the first pitch! Now believe it or not, I was just demonstrating “how to work a jig”. I popped it up one foot, let it sit. Popped it up again-three feet, and looked at his face. He seem astonished to know that I let the thing sit there. When I looked back at my line, it was moving toward deep water. The bass had grabbed it on the fall (AS USUAL), and was swimming off with it. I used my infamous “patented” toe dance, two step hookset and nailed her while almost knocking this Client out of the boat. And I’ve got a nine foot deck on my boat.

She was over eight pounds, and 24 pictures later (he went crazy) I figured out it was the biggest bass he had ever seen in his life….

Jigs In The Daytime:
This past spring I took Clients to an area that had been producing over the slot bass on a daily basis for over six weeks on a CR. I instructed them to cast parallel with the bank. A few minutes later they started catching bass. Rather than take their fish away using the same bait, I decided to pick up my jig. I had never used a jig in this area, and thought it would be safe!

On my first cast, the Client in the front of the boat said his CR was hung, so I immediately handed him my jig rod and took his rod (so I could get it loose). Then the funniest thing happened. We were looking eye to eye the second he took my rod. He raised the tip, looked me in the eye, and shook his head. I yelled “Set the hook!” There was an over the slot bass on it that had apparently caught it while it was falling on the shady side of the stump. He won first place in the company tournament that he was in, and I still catch hell from his partner who insists that the fish was on it when I handed it to him. Trust me, I never felt a thing!

Jigs:
The only kind of jig I use is the Triple Rattleback. They have improved them over the years after hearing complaints about the rattles breaking. I have not had a rattle break this year. They have extra large hooks in them that make them difficult to get through a bass’s mouth. (?sp) The weedguard is nylon so it is easy to spread out. I also believe they are easy to throw. The smallest jig in my boat is ½ ounce. I also use 25 lb. Trilene Big Game (moss green).

Trailers:
I use the Gene Larew hawg craw, a Zoom lizard, the Jawtec (looks like a centipede with a million legs), and my favorite is the Sandworm because it stands straight up. On all of these, I cut it off so that it sticks up when the jig is on the bottom about 4″-6″. I feel like if it is any longer, I miss the hookset and that just drives me crazy because I know that this is a Big Bass Bait! Of all the ten pound fish I have caught, they were all on a jig with the exception of my first one that was on a Zara Spook in a place Joe Axton of Axton’s Bass City took me to.

Colors:
Night: only black and blue. You need the silhouette against the moonlight. Day: watermelon or pumkinseed. In the daylight, I try to match the colors to the forage.

The Knot:
Only a palomar. This is the strongest, non slipping knot that I know of, and it does not fray the line when you tie it. Always re-tie after every bass because their teeth always frays the line because they usually suck it deep. Also if you pull them out of heavy cover, they will wrap three times is a heartbeat if you are not careful.

The Method:
This is how I do it, perhaps not the best way, but the most effective way for me! The first thing a crawdead does when it is frightened is make clicking noises. The second thing it does is raise its claws up in a defensive position. So here you have a jig/craw with rattles. What do you do with it? First, you should spray it with Kick N Bass craw formula. Then cast or pitch it next to the biggest stumps and docks available. You can also work it in the hydrilla, or (my favorite) parallel to it. With the exception of the spawn, work the shade. During the spawn, give your buddy the shady side, because it’s not likely anything will be in the shade. They like to soak up the sun during the spawn!

Pitching/Flipping:
I use a Team Daiwa flipping reel with a 6.3:1 ratio for quick retrieve, but the best part is that a pitch or a flip can be controlled with the cast bar. You can also feed out more line, but have the anti spool controlled immediately with the cast bar if the reel is on flipping mode. I like to keep that bait as close to the water as possible to avoid spooking the bass. Always-land the bait in the water at least the same distance past the target as the water is deep. This will insure that the bait will be beside the target once it reaches the bottom.

Casting:
Casting is just as much fun! Be sure to make the bait land past the target as stated above… I will often use a cast taught to me by Takahiro from Japan. It is a “U” shaped cast with the rod near the water which achieves great distance…

The Pickup:
Here is the biggest problem that I feel exists while using a jig. When a bass catches the falling jig, it always feels like it just landed on a treetop! Sometimes you can see her swimming off with it, but the bigger fish always seem to just sit there like they are chewing on it or something. Folks, this takes
a lot of experience. I used a jig 90% of the time on over 200 night trips the first year I was at Lake Fork. And I can tell you for a fact that it is frustrating to loose so many of them. Always take extras! You will catch that stump if you are not careful……

When you are sure it is a bass, using a stout rod, use the old fashioned method to set the hook. Introduce her eyeballs to her tail! Set that hook and crank to get her away from every tree in the area. One mistake most people make is that once they see the fish they think they have to get her in the boat, but I feel like (on a good stick) playing them is the best way. Play them out until they just give up. Most of the big bass only have about 60 seconds of fight in them. I also do not believe in using a net because of the damage it does to their protective coating. I’ve even had clients try to lift the fish out of the water with their rods. This is an major NO-NO when you are using a rod that costs from $125 – $175.

So why have I caught the fish in these spots? The bass on the break at Jacksonville was suspended on the break and heard the bait coming. The bass by the boat dock at Fork heard the jig coming. The bass by the stump at Fork probably saw it coming. I had the noise, the smell, and the bulk! The erratic motion of the jig going up and down probably makes the bass feel like the craw is running from something else, plus it is a great meal to a bass that only may be feeding once a day. Kind of like in the fall when they fill their bellies. The larger bass generally spend more time waiting for that meal, where the smaller (3 lbs) bass run all over the lake chasing shad. How many bass over eight pounds have you ever caught from a school? Here again, the larger bass are closer to the bottom waiting on the dead ones to fall into their mouth. They just don’t like to work at it. Kind of like me!

Patience:
I think another major important factor is patience. Give a choice of one rod to take fishing, and it will not be the jig! Sorry, but I’m sold on the Carolina Rig. I can use it all year long. All I have to do is change the length of the leader and I’ve got the fish. In the spring I use 3′, in the summer I like to use 6′ for a leader.

Read the area you are working. Look at it like this. If this were a highway, and the fish are out in deeper water, what road will they take. Will they come in holding close to the timber, will they come in from a creek, or a roadbed, or will they travel up from a creek to the end of the deep water point, then come in and hold by boat docks or standing timber nearby?

A secret?
This really works! Tie on a jig/craw, attach a swivel with a leader (2-3′), and tie a worm or a lizard on behind it. One, the other, or maybe both may get bit.

Suspended:
Honestly, I still have a problem catching suspended bass. However, don’t give up hope. A buddy of mine has been in the boat with David Vance and has watched him catch bass after bass that were suspended with a white jig. To do this, you have to make the longest cast possible and yo-yo the bait all the way back to the boat. Start deep, then work the bait higher and higher off the bottom until you get into the correct strike zone.

Can we all “always” have a productive day? There are certain times of the year when nothing seems to work. For the year, we have only been skunked two or three times. These are the times when they just don’t bite. If you doubt your presentation, change it. If you doubt your skills, check around and see how everyone else is doing. Hey, if we have a bad day, then I’ll bet you that everyone else is having a bad day!

Conclusion:
For a normal day on Lake Fork I usually carry the following equipment rigged and ready:
Two or three Carolina Rigs ready to go.
One deep crank, and one shallow crank.
One spinner bait.
One Zara Spook.
One Jig………………….

Always wear your PFD while running the lake, take plenty of drinks. Don’t forget about the new slot going into effect at Fork on September 1st. Good fishing to all of you.
Tracy Nix (Professional Guide)
Lake Fork Guide Service
Pager Number (214) 894-5489
– Lake Mohave

Just a little over a one hour drive north of Houston lies sprawling Lake Livingston. A huge lake, 85,000 acres, r built about 30 years ago for flood control on the Trinity River Livingston has gone through many cycles of boom and bust both for the local economy and for fishing. In it’s first few years the lake was a great bass fishing lake. I lived on the lake during that period and remember many still days on the water when the thrashing of bass blowing up on shad echoed in nearly every cove and creek often throughout the day. What great fishing it was to chase the sound of the schooling fish through the trees in “The Jungle” then to come upon a small opening and see the water still rippling from the last bass that broke the surface and then to cast a top water lure out and before it even makes the surface a hungry schoolie crashes the surface to beat his buddies to my descending plug.

The good old days of that kind of bass fishing have been gone for a long time on Lake Livingston. Since the eradication of aquatic vegetation in the lake, bass fishing has steadily declined, until very recently when Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has taken an interest in restoring the bass population.

Texas Black Bass Unlimited, T.B.B.U.,. a conservation group, has raised funds to do a study on the lake for the restoration of bass habitat. With continued efforts of concerned citizens like those involved in T.B.B.U. and the renewed interest of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department bass fishing on the lake will soon rival it’s glory days.

White Bass, Stripped Bass and Catfishing are most popular on the lake now. Lake Livingston State Park offers an excellent way for the general public to affordably enjoy some of the fishing joys this great old reservoir has to offer. From the lighted fishing pier or 2 1/2 mile of shoreline you can try your luck at catfish, bass, bream, crappie and perhaps an occasional white bass. Minnows would be very productive for this style of fishing as they would have the broadest range of appeal to the various species that might prowl the shoreline. Bait is available in the park at certain times of year and at many local bait camps in the area. The park employees are very helpful in providing information on the best bait, times of day and location of bait and tackle stores.

If you bring your boat there are ramps in the park. Your first and main priority before launching is to watch the local weather forecast. Livingston, although very safe for the cautious boater, can be extremely dangerous for the careless ones. The water can go from dead calm to deadly 8 foot waves in minutes when one of our frequent spring and summer thunderstorms blows over the lake. Small boats, in particular, should stay close to shore and keep a wary eye on the horizon.

Offshore, however, lies the hottest white bass fishing in this part of the State. When the fish are schooling birds can bee seen diving on the shad the whites are running up to the surface. These diving birds are the signal, to the knowledgeable fisherman, that hot fishing action lies below the diving birds. When the schooling activity calms down it’s time to put a depth finder to work. Throughout the south end of the lake and generally out in front of the State Park lie several submerged hilltops and old river channel sand bars that are the favorite feeding areas, in the summertime, for whites. Locate the ones that top out in the 20’ – 25’ range and cruise them looking for signs of any signals on your depth finder that are between the bottom and the surface. Whether it’s bait or Whites and Stripers, chances are, you’ll get bit when dragging a spoon across the bottom, trolling a deep diving crankbait through them or still fishing a minnow.

White Bass and Striper fishing can be very exciting. They both tend to travel and feed in large schools and are ,pound for pound, the fiercest fighting fish when hooked in the lake.

Bank fishing for catfish, bass, bream and crappie can be very enjoyable as well. You might improve your success by stopping at the local fed store on your way to the lake and picking up a bag of “Range Cubes”. This cattle food is not expensive and when broadcast occasionally over the water your fishing will draw bait fish. Usually the predators you’re looking for aren’t far behind. Enjoy.
– Lake Mohave

Located an easy, interstate highway, 2 hour drive north of Houston on I-45 and a little over an hour south of Dallas lies a truly remarkable example of industry’s ability to exist in harmony with nature, Lake Fairfield and Fairfield State Park. This lake serves as a cooling water supply for the adjacent power plant and what makes it so remarkable is that much of the surrounding land was strip mined for Lignite to fuel the power plant and has been restored to a state even more pristine in appearance than before it was mined.

If you drive west, from Fairfield, on highway 488, past the park road exit, you will see a panorama of beautiful rolling pastures and stock tanks perfectly landscaped with scattered clumps of trees of trees and reeds around the tanks. It is hard to imagine that nature itself could have created such a beautiful landscape. Even harder to imagine that this land was laid open for miles to remove the fuel for the generators that provide the electricity for us to light and heat our homes.

Lake Fairfield is a 2350 acre power plant lake with a 24 mile shoreline. It has a healthy supply of largemouth bass, catfish, hybrid striped bass and as a special bonus red drum(redfish).

The lake has plenty of cover for largemouth in the form of natural standing timber, in some areas, reeds and aquatic vegetation. Being a power plant lake the water temperature will remain warm during the winter months making it more productive for fishing than lakes that don’t have hot water being discharged into them. On a recent trip to the lake in mid January the water temperature was in the mid 60’s where in nearby Richland

Chambers the water was a very cool 50. Of course the warmer water means more active fish.

Largemouth can be caught from the bank, power boat, canoe or john boat. There is plenty of shoreline in the adjacent State Park for bank fishing. The park has 135 campsites for those who like camping and would make their fishing trip a fishing camping combo.

Redfish offers a great bonus for freshwater anglers. These fish are normally found in salt water but have been stocked in a few lakes around the State that have water warm enough to support them. Many of the local anglers report furious surface schooling by 15-20 pound redfish and fantastic crankbait fishing for them. During the winter they will tend to stay near the warmer water of the hot water discharge from the power plant.

Hybrids can also provide a great reward to those anglers visiting Lake Fairfield. These fish are fierce fighters and are fairly abundant in the lake. They will also school on the surface, chasing shad, mainly in the spring and fall. During the summer they will go to the deep water near the dam and they can be caught trolling deep divers or casting jigging spoons.

A trip to Fairfield Lake would be incomplete without a short side trip through the park at dawn or dusk. It is full of white tailed deer that may be seen along the roadside about dark. Get off the lake before dusk on evening and you will enjoy a most fitting end to a great fishing tip as it seems that you’re are being escorted through the park by wildlife.
– Lake Mohave