Bill Dance Outdoors - Dance N' Lessons Volume 3 (1988)

[Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] from strike king productions dance and lessons video three with america's best known fisherman bill dance [Music] i'd like to welcome you to my office there's no other it's beautiful you know i've been very fortunate over the years making my living fishing and in the next hour i'd like to share with you some tips of the trade which i hope will help you to become a better fisherman and enjoy the great outdoors just a little bit more [Applause] [Music] bill why should a bass fisherman need to learn about both small mouth and largemouth if he intends to fish for both don't both have roughly the same habits well each bass is a product of quite a different environment over many centuries any bass fisherman who knows how to catch one certainly may catch the other by accident in many cases what are the main differences between the two species differences are numerous probably the most important ones are that each bass has preferences in most lakes for the places it hangs out and the basic diet of each differs to some extent from that of the other what are the chief differences in the diet in the domain of the small mouth the list of food available is usually shorter and the diet is therefore much less varied well can't the same lures be used for each yes but the expert at catching each differentiates distinctly in lower choice because of the diet habits of each fish which of the two bass is the most difficult to catch probably the small mouth however the question obscures the basic reason the largemouth ranges so much more widely and is found in so many more waters that the average angler has far greater opportunity to become better at catching it if a fisherman starts out fishing for a smallmouth does he have more or less trouble fishing for the other species or is it vice versa starting on small mouth in most cases makes large mouth success come easier than going at it vice versa the reason is that the small mouth is more shy and its preferred waters are far more clear describe briefly if you will the sort of lake where smallmouth are likely to do well a lake that has excellent water quality that is clear most of the time and usually rocky with sand to gravel on the bottom in some areas in your home state bill watt lakes are considered to be good smallmouth lakes well we're blessed with an abundance of great smallmouth lakes here in tennessee some of them would be pickwick closest to my home in memphis tennessee others would be east of pickwick namely woods reservoir tim's ford reservoir center hill norris percy priest and of course dale holla where the world record was called a whopping 11 pound 15 ounce giant bill name one food item of the smallmouth that would be most important to all to imitate with a lure the crawfish this is because in the majority of smallmouth habitats the situation is conducive to sustaining a large crawfish population where as in some large mouth lakes crawfish are incidental and numerous other foods more easily available are there preferences regarding the size of lures between the two species largemouth commonly strike lures of large size because it can gulp down large living food whereas in most small mouth waters food items they prefer are much smaller the bass used to feeding more daintedly is thus inclined to favor smaller lures this is not to say that small mouth can't be caught on larger baits because they definitely can of the two species which is the strongest fighter pound for pound the smallmouth bass may be recognized as the gameist fish around there's a big difference in bass treat this small jaw as an aristocrat he's highly selective in both living and eating habits and his acrobatic maneuvers and what's your favorite take a guess [Music] you know it seems like every day i'm asked the question do you prefer bait casting spin casting or spinning equipment for fresh water fishing well to be perfectly honest i've used all three of them water clarity terrain and lure size usually dictates what i use the most usually when i'm fishing gin clear water with very little cover and lure weights of say a quarter ounce or less normally i use spinning however my favorite would have to be bait casting over spin casting and why i say bait casting is because i find it to be the most accurate for pinpoint casting and the most versatile for fighting fish from 1 to 50 pounds without changing rods or lines as to the two shortcomings of bait casting backlashes and the inability to cast lures less than a quarter ounce size now here's how i cope with them backlashes have almost been erased with the sensitivity of force reels a smart thumb is still needed however as the lure or bait touches down and when casting into a strong wind now when casting lighter weight lines and light lures spinning does an excellent job either spin cast or open face spinning now the days of two-piece casting rods that had metal ferrules that were stiff and had a real sloppy feel well today modern two three four five even six piece rods have no perils just precision joints that flex like a one-piece rod they fold into a 14-inch size for carrying in a car storing in a boat compartment a briefcase or even a suitcase now back to accuracy why the stress on pinpoint casting and why can it be achieved on spinning or spin casting well it's possible to learn to pinch the line just ahead of the orifice on the spin cast reel and achieve fair accuracy just as it is with using the forefinger on the edge of a spinning reel spool feathering the line well which isn't an easy task fair accuracy is not enough when fish are hanging into real tight cover or up under it at times lures landing a foot off the target won't get the fish but an inch away will do wonders all three are available and you know where you fish and what you like to fish for so it's up to you to decide which one of these is best for you [Music] [Applause] almost all game fish are cover oriented a fact that can present problems for the angler if for example you're faced with several acres of bushes standing timber or a quarter mile stretch of aquatic growth where do you begin well naturally any key irregular spot within this massive cover will be a high percentage spot but many times those irregular features aren't there and when you're faced with this your catch per hour can be increased by concentrating on any isolated cover isolated cover could be a shady spot a boat dock a lonely snag a tree top a stump a floating log a bush or even a pile of rocks or whatever as long as the cover is located in the proper depth of water the fish are using and located along an otherwise barren stretch of shoreline or lake bottom these small isolated cover spots act as fish magnets since nothing else is available to the fish in that immediate area fishing these places thoroughly gives the fishermen a high potential for catching fish [Music] [Applause] [Music] here's a little tip about water clarity that can help you in your selection of lures colors your presentation fish location their environment and their peak feeding times just how important is watercolor well to be totally honest it's extremely important if you want to catch fish so often a fisherman takes off to the lake and begins foaming the surface of the water with ten thousand casts using the same plug the same size and color regardless of whether the clarity looks like tap water or even like a cup of coffee more times than not he returns home tired upset frustrated and nothing to show for all his time and effort it's very important you understand how water clarity plays in the fish's environment then you're on your way to knowing how to fish respond in most bodies of water i hear fishermen every day say well how you define clear stained and muddy water well how clear is clear is the lake gin clear medium clear or kind of clear a little confusing isn't it well under sunny conditions if i can see a light colored lure four feet or deeper well i call that clear and if i can see the lure between two and four feet well i'll call that stain and if i can see the lure say two feet or less well i call that muddy the epa and the water quality control board measures water clarity just about the same way fish feed heavily by sight in clear water and in stained water vision begins to lose its primarily importance and fish use a mixture of sight smell and sound to locate their prey and in muddy water fish rely mostly on sound and smell and speaking of sound this is where they rely heavily on their ladder line to pinpoint movement of prey it's important to remember fish are tied to their environment and react accordingly for example in clear water fish can see very well and they naturally depend heavily on site and you get good light penetration in clear water you also have to consider these elements the oxygen is deeper aquatic growth grows deeper fish can be caught deeper fish feed better during lower light early late cloudy days and nights fish school and move about more and will chase your offering a lot further they're more spooky and in clear water it will warm and cool much slower now in muddy water fish can't see very well and they depend heavily on smell and sound also consider that light penetration is bad low oxygen content in the deeper depths aquatic growth well it's restricted to shallower water most fish will be found in shallow water fish feed more during the middle part of the day fish are more aggressive on sunny days they scatter more and fish are more object oriented and they don't chase the lure very far but one good thing they don't spook as easily and finally muddy water will warm up much quicker now in staying water fish are nearest their balancing point their behavior can swing either way as my good friend al linder once said it's an environmental balancing act and water clarity is the key ingredient [Music] anglers are often confused when it comes to selecting the proper hooks for their favorite species and with over 50 000 i don't mean that 50 000 different style sizes and varieties well one can get a little confused let's take a close look at some ideal hooks for different fish but first let's examine the various parts of a fish hook the two most important dimensions of the hook are made clear its gap and its throat note the width of the gap the clearance between the point and the shank and the depth of the throat of the hook these generous dimensions make for a bigger bite for deeper penetration of the point and for better holding power the weight of the fish is carried high up on the center of the bin and hooks of this type are ideal for big fish but for soft mouth fish it's a no-no let me show you some of my favorite recommended hook patterns for several different popular species i enjoy fishing for when i'm using live or cut bait or other forms of food stuff i mentioned soft mouth fish a second ago well i'm referring to the colorful panfish like the crappie and bluegill which are extremely popular lightweights which provide this fast action and good eating that keep a multitude of anglers happy year-round for bluegill my choice in a hook is an aberdeen extra long shank hooks and sizes from number four six to a number eight and for crappie my choice of hooks would be a gold-plated extra fine aberdeen wire hook in a one-out to a three-out size now when it comes to catching old mr whiskers the catfish well of the 24 different kinds of catfish in the united states only about a third are large enough to interest anglers the hook style i normally select for this particular fish is a hook called o'shaughnessy and the size will range from a number four to a six salt depending on what size of cat i'm fishing for now when i'm after something really big like the popular striped bass that will range in size from five to fifty pounds i select a beak style hook and the size will vary from a one out to six salt depending on the size of the bait and the size of the fish i'm after okay now let's discuss that old fish we call the largemouth bass as you well know my favorite way to catch him is to trick him and that's with artificial bait but for something different and exciting live bait such as a wild shiner is hard to beat here my choice of hooks are the wide gaps in sizes ranging from one to four alt it's a funny looking thing but it really does a good job for those boys that have sharp teeth like pike the sauger and the walleye i prefer to use a hook with a wider gap that can get around these projections although there are several different styles my favorite is a ring blue sproat in sizes from a number four to a one alt for walleye and sauger and for pike i prefer sizes from one ought to six off as i stated earlier there's zillions of hooks on the market and they all have their place there are other styles and sizes that can do a fine job but the hooks i've just shown you well they worked fine for me and they're the hooks that i have the most confidence in [Music] crappie are definitely a fish of all seasons however many anglers believe that the hot summer months are the toughest well it can be but understanding for the most part the largest concentrations of crappie are structurally oriented and spend the majority of their lives in open water and relate primarily to brake lines it's very important to remember what i just said because that's the number one key to understanding the secrets of this fish okay now but first i know what you think what is a brake line well a brake line is that area on the floor of a lake where there's a rapid or sudden change in depth the edge of a channel the edge of a point the edge of a secondary bank or submerged ridge or even a high spot where the depth of water changes suddenly or rapidly for example an eight foot depth drops from eight feet into twenty feet or deeper nearly all bodies of water have numerous break lines or drop off possibilities and these features are especially good holding areas for crappie during the warm months of june july and august however a brake line itself will not necessarily hold the crappie a term that you need to understand is break a break is that area on a break line that has cover such as weeds rocks bushes stumps or other objects these objects are very attractive to crappie and will hold them most of the time only if the depth is to their liking for instance if you've located an ideal spot like we've been discussing in 20 feet of water and the majority of fish in that area of the lake or in an eight foot depth pattern you should concentrate your time fishing the eight foot brake lines in that area instead of the 20-foot brake lines about the only time that crappie are not tied to these deeper water brakes is during the spring when the spawning process is going on and in bodies of water that remain dingy to muddy the majority of the time here crappie will be found shallow and are extremely object oriented the key depth in an area will usually be determined by the amount of food available light and the amount of cover present if the lake water is clear the crappie will hold below the level of greatest sunlight penetration the brake line depth here could be from 10 to 30 feet now in stained water the crappie would normally be found in depths of 10 feet to 20 feet and in muddy water the depths would naturally be shallower two feet to possibly eight feet once you've uncovered the brake on that particular brake line at the magic depth you're on your way to catching summertime crappie when fish are using these type areas using ultralight gear can be highly productive only if the terrain will permit and when the crappie are active but as you well know the majority of the times that we're on the water fish are not going to feed all day long sure there's exceptions but during those inactive times vertical fishing is one of the best methods of catching them by vertical fishing you'll be able to keep your offering in front of the fish or in the strike zone for a much longer period of time this way you'll be able to tease him into striking your lure like the old saying goes the longer you can keep your bait in the strike zone the better the odds of catching the fish and another saying to add to that is you first got to establish the depth of this zone and one of the best ways during the summer months is to establish a ph break line you'll find that the majority of active fish will be right at the break itself however some fish can be caught from the brake line to the surface but as i stated the most active fish will be right along the edge of the ph brake line [Music] with the coming of spring warming water draws bass into the shallows to feed and spawn making it the perfect time of the year for both fish and the fishermen no doubt spring can be the very best time of the year for the bass man if he knows where and how to look for changes in bass habit patterns in man-made impoundments and indeed some natural lakes and river tributaries creek channel coves are ideal spots to look for bass especially if they're stick-ups protruding weeds or grass beds brush stumps or anything unusual or different along the channel of the submerged creek remember that bass are cold blooded and as the water warms their metabolism quickens they burn up energy faster and they instinctively seek more food there will be more food in the shallower warmer water at this time of the year so naturally that's where the bass are going to congregate protected areas located on the northwest side of a lake is the first place where i begin to look for bass northwest coast and protected areas warm quicker because they're exposed to the sunlight longer during the day also early spring cold winds are mostly from the north northwest so colder water from the lake's deeper portion is not pushed into these particular areas in some waterways the change in bass activity can be very sudden a couple of warm rains following a tough winter can bring bass into the shallows overnight temperature is a tip-off and having a reliable temp meter at this time of the year will keep the serious bass man a step behind the fish a few degrees can and will make a big difference basically one can say spring season bass activity occurs in four distinct stages for me following the fish's habits and behaviors during these separate periods determines fishing methods and helps make fishing much more productive the early pre-spawn individuals or groups of bass begin making short reconnaissance trips into the coves and protected areas only when the water temperature stays above 50 degrees for a couple of days will any appreciable number of bass remain there very long next is the mid pre-spawn stage at about 55 degrees or above bass leave deeper water hangouts and enter the coves in the protected areas the majority of these fish will be males the weather and water temperature are usually unstable during this period and will determine the amount of fish movement a good area can hold several fish one day and very few fish the next now the fish enters a late pre-spawn stage by the time the water reaches around 60 degrees and becomes more stable large daily fluctuations of movement in and out of these areas are over many early spawners are remaining in the coast finally spawning usually begins when the water temperature stabilizes at about 65 degrees depending on latitude and last until the water warms above approximately 69 degrees bear in mind that not all the bass spawn at the same time but during this period about 65 to 70 percent of them will at some time be entering the spawning grounds [Music] many new bass anglers and some veteran fishermen too think that the majority of fishing lures on the market today are designed to lure fishermen instead of the fish this misconception is easy to understand considering that most sporting good counters are literally laced with thousands of eye-catching lures and hundreds of fancy exotic colors and every conceivable shape pattern and size of course if we could afford to have all these lures available in our tackle box at all times we'd always be well armed for bass unfortunately this would cost a lot more than most of us can spend on fishing gear so how can we be prepared to cope with the unexpected unpredictable habits and desires of brother bass and still keep our budget above board well the best method that i've come up with is to tune the lures that i do have available to match a particular situation and tuning is the best term i can come up with to describe altering or modifying lures to make them work better under prevailing conditions now let's discuss a couple for example that i've used before and then i'm sure you can think of a lot of variations that will work as well for you now several years ago i fished a bass tournament down on lake darbone in northern louisiana and during the practice day before the tournament i was trying to locate some fish in a shallow flat that was located between two creek channels ideal spot now i caught plenty of fish in that same area the previous year almost to the same date and the water and the weather conditions were just about the same i tried a variety of baits in various colors plastic worms spinner baits crankbaits top water grubs jigs but nothing worked then i switched to different size baits and experimented with the speed of retrieve and the depth control still nothing produced but later that day when i went into the marina i saw an old gentleman out on the end of the dock cleaning some crappie and he had several nice bass i walked out to him and i bragged about his fish and i asked him how deep he caught him and what he'd use for baits well menacing replied but as i watched and talked while he cleaned three of the larger bass i noticed that every one of them had a two to three inch crappie in their stomach now the following day i went back to that same flat and tried casting a two and a half inch solid white crankbait several casts well it failed to produce a strike so i took a dark waterproof lure paint pen marker and put small blotches all over the white crankbait to resemble the coloration of the small crappie my second cast earned a chunky three pound bass and within two hours i had boated and released a dozen fish in the two to four pound class of course on the other end of the lake this tactic may not have worked at all but obviously the main diet of the bass in the area where i was fishing was small crappie therefore changing or tuning my lure to closely resemble this feed really paid off there are many things that you can do to add to the action of a bait or modify their appeal without changing their basic structure bending straightening hooking coloring filling sharpening trimming adding or subtracting sections like putting a skirt on them or adding a trailer to them making them weedless it's really limited by your own imagination but next time out keep lure tuning in mind it may save your fishing day and it can't help but save you some pocket change [Music] it wasn't too long ago i was out on the lake fishing and i referred to an object called a deadhead fisherman jumped up and said i've heard that term deadhead for years what is it well a deadhead also called a deadfall is a fallen tree that has floated for some time at some point one end of a tree has become waterlogged and either sunk to the bottom or hung up along a ledge or in other submerged cover this is an excellent isolated form of cover that can really produce bass for you dead heads can be located in many different areas of a lake like out in a flat wedged in a massive timber along a ledge or whatever but the best producers of fish will be dead heads that are isolated from other cover recognize that wind and current will shift deadheads around until they become dislodged and move or they will sink from becoming too waterlogged consequently they may not always be in the same place that you found them a few days ago any type of deadhead is an excellent place to locate bass but a dead head that is wedged along a drop is always better never pass these up single bass will hang around the exposed end near the surface and concentrations of fish often hold in the thick cover below sometimes the deadhead will position itself in the opposite direction here you'll usually find the fish suspended in the heavier cover located near the surface now here's an additional tip that you'll want to remember when the water begins to warm in the spring bass will suspend around this cover because the surface water is warmer than the water below it and the exposed end serves as a great ambush point where bass can attack bait fish as they meander by what type of lures are best for fishing deadheads you might ask well there's several good lures to try the time of the year and the water clarity will determine the choice for muddy water during late spring and early summer i prefer a buzz bait and a spinner bait if the limbs of the dead head aren't too deep a crankbait fish slowly is tops in clear water during the spring and the summer fish a crankbait parallel to the deadhead even try buzzbaits or spinner baits near the exposed top and a giganeal or plastic worm deeper in mid-summer the plastic worm is best in most cases and don't overlook top water baits early and late in the day and when the sky is cloudy you know i'm asked from time to time what are key spots to fish when bass are in shallow visible bushes those located way out in a flat away from the shoreline well it's important to keep in mind that new lakes and reservoirs will have bushes in them for many years to come but these will eventually rot away and until they do in flood control lakes the water will rise each spring covering many of them and a portion of the shallower ones however during low water years in many of the old wide floodplain reservoirs or say the upper reaches of the lakes that do fluctuate some these dry flats will crop new stands of bushes referred to as secondary growth now in fishing areas of this type depth is very important if you locate bass at two to two and a half feet for example you can be sure that the majority of active bass in that area will be found in just about the same depth range forget about the bushes shallower or deeper than this for this area is the area that you want to concentrate on forget about what's going on on the other side of the lake it could be a completely different story this situation may be entirely different and more likely it would be and don't overlook the fact that bass are likely to move to different depths at different times of the day and varying weather conditions early and late and on cloudy days the bass for instance might even be found in bushes only a foot deep but later that day during periods of harsh sun they'll move in tighter or up under the cover or they'll drop out into a little bit deeper depth one should concentrate on the depth where he's catching fish because that's where others will be when this plays out change steps but keep on chunking another important note that it's very common to catch bass out to the side of a bush say three to four feet away this usually occurs early and late in the day and during cloudy conditions when there's no shade line extending from the bush as the sun gets higher bass move in closer to the bush it's always smart to first cast out a few feet beyond and to the side of the bush then begin working into the cover with each successive cast on bright days let's say after 10 o'clock in the morning it's best to work both sides of the bush before casting over the top or directly into it because it could hold several bass by casting over or into it first you could spook any others holding there or nearby the clearer lake the more important shade and shadows can be as the sun swings around during the day bass will change positions and they will continue to reorient their position as the shadow line moves it's not that the bright sunlight hurts the fish's eye because they possess a black pigment not present in the human eye that shades the photosensory cells of the retina causing them no discomfort but rather allowing them the advantages of semi-darkness to be able to see their prey much better always remain alert and give some thought before making your first cast if the water's choppy or if it's off colored the bass should be in real close very very tight on the bush and it should be fished the same way that you'd fish it on a cloudy day always remember to work your lure from out to end which will avoid spooking other bass [Music] fine tuning the pattern fishing technique is a real key to success and you must be alert to recognize patterns within patterns fishing any kind of fish can certainly be viewed as a game of odds you know you start out fishing along the shoreline as soon as you drop your boat in the water and you go along there and you make you a couple of hundred casts and only catch a small fish well those kind of odds make for a long long day you know or you will soon learn that the majority of your cast will not produce fish but trial and error fishing directed toward establishing a pattern can help reduce significantly the number of no catch days now if you find a pattern or two you'll find fish no matter what the day brings weather-wise again pattern fishing is just cutting the eyes of that 201 shot the fine point of pattern fishing is being able to recognize a pattern within a pattern now don't just go crazy and get your brain in a backlash finding a pattern within a pattern is merely fine-tuning basic pattern fishing that is discovering that the fish are holding in bushes is one thing but which bushes are the bushes uh book brush are they elbow bushes are they willow bushes are they weigh in the back end of a cove are they out on a point are they back in the flooded woods along a sand mud or gravel bank in two feet of water or deeper or they isolated these are numbers of questions that you got to ask yourself and you want to pinpoint where the action is the more questions you ask the more you'll ponder and the more answers you'll come up with when this happens you'll definitely be on the fish also you must constantly be alert to places that overlap fish holding factors this is known as multiple structure and it cuts the odds in your favor for instance a stump or a tree top might hold a fish or several fish and so might a point but a stump sitting right smack dab in the middle of a point might really be a smokehouse how about a fall down a treetop let's say on a channel bin each one of these factors alone may produce fish but the two factors together might make it a day you'll never forget two combinations of structure factors are potentially endless paying sharp attention to what combinations exist where the fish are found is a quick key to identifying subtle patterns within patterns lure preference is critical type color and depth plus retrieval speed to discover the best lure change frequently and keep experimenting with size color type and depth until something clicks most important to remember is that practically anyone can learn to cast a lure out and work it back but knowing where to cast it well it means the difference in catching or not catching and i don't mean tree limbs one last word of caution it's equally important to realize that patterns change from early to midday from late evening and even at night from day to day season to season what worked yesterday or last month or even a year ago is only a good starting point to unlocking today's secrets discover the pattern regardless of the species and you'll find fish all fish are in patterns [Music] did you know that water temperature dictates fish behavior and movement in a big big way especially in the spring of the year and did you know that water temperatures will normally begin to warm up in mid-january to late february in southern georgia in florida in the central part of the country let's say from central alabama to southern kentucky water begins to warm up by mid to late march and farther north temperatures will usually start from mid april to mid may naturally this depends on how early the spring or how severe the winter and how long it lasts if certain areas of the country experience a cold late winter these times can vary a few weeks or more a new york fish doesn't know he's a northern fish nor does a florida fish know he's a resident of the sunshine state what controls his behavior and movement greatly in the early spring is one major thing and that's water temperature now if you had to guess what area or part of the lake will warm up first in early spring would you say the shallower portions or would you say the deepest part or how about the southeast or northwest or northeast or southwest section of the lake if your answer is southeast i'd quickly say wrong but if you said northwest you'd get an a plus northwest is the correct answer especially the shallower portions the reason is because this section is protected from seasonal northwest coal winds the angle of the sun is lower on the horizon at this time of the year therefore there's much more sunlight and less shade on the northern shore which will increase water temperatures anywhere from three to six degrees or more the added sunlight and warmth in this area of the lake enriches the water plant life plankton which provides food oxygen forage and cover for fish most of the time think of old mr sun as a giant heater which keeps the life cycle going i'm on the move especially during the spring flying here and there and it's just about to wear my arms out no seriously i do a lot of traveling at this time of the year flying to different places and i'm always looking at lakes below always get me a window seat and trying to look to see everything that's going on especially when we're flying over a body of water and one thing that i've always noticed that during the spring the northwest coves and pockets of a lake invariably appear greener or darker first which indicates a bloom is taking place as a result of warmer water fish in these areas will be most active because fish by nature are cold-blooded creatures and their body temperature is the same as the surrounding water many fishermen normally think the shallowest part of a lake will warm up the quickest but this is misleading for being shallow is no guarantee that it will warm up the fastest however if the shallowest section happens to be in the northwest part be prepared because you're in a prime location for early spring fishing this little tip is paid off for me more times than i can count [Music] [Applause] how important is water temperature during the summer months on the activity and feeding of the largemouth bass well the answer is that water temperature is an often overlooked but important element of successful fishing the angler who understands the effects of heat and cold on his prey and the lake is helping put the odds in his favor many anglers don't realize that water temperature has a drastic impact and dictates his behavior during all seasons and summertime is certainly no exception bass are most active within a certain temperature range anything above or below that range greatly decreases activity and feeding scientists have determined that bass prefer water between 70 and 80 degrees as the temperature moves into the mid to high 70s bass activity increases to as much as 15 hours a day but after 80 degrees what fish biologists call the avoidance level activity drops off at 85 degrees it's less than eight hours a day and at ninety degrees it's down to about four hours per day bass in many of our semi-shallow lakes tend to feed in the shallows which of course heats up more quickly than the rest of the lake when the water's around 70 degrees the bass will go into the shallows to feed when the temperature gets above 80 degrees they'll stay out preferring to return at night when it's cooler now research makes a pretty good case for summer night fishing studies have shown that when the water temperature is on or in the low 70s 40 percent of the fish activity is in the evening but at 82 degrees as much as 70 percent of the activity occurs after dark this is especially true of clear water so the next time you head out to your favorite spot you might just want to include a thermometer or a surf temp on your boat it's difficult for us to tell the difference between 85 degrees to say 90 degrees all we know is it's pretty warm but a bass can detect a degree change because they're cold-blooded creatures and their body temperature is governed by the surrounding water around them in other words their body temperature is the same as the water that you hooked him in now i hear a question quite often does water temperature have a bearing on the size of the fishing lure you choose to use well yep that's a good question because warmer water increases a fish's metabolism to a point while colder water slows it down making him less active in warmer water he'll feed both more often and more aggressively he digests his food faster and tends to feed on larger bait fish too that's why bigger baits or lures are so much more productive so during the summer the fall and the early to mid spring i lean toward bigger lures bass do become very selective in their feeding during these times of the year i've seen schooling bass bunch up on a point say 15 feet deep and refuse a six inch worm and just clobber 11 inch worm as the water begins to turn cold so many anglers feel that smaller lures work best well i personally prefer larger ones and i fish them very slow during this time of the year when that water chills their metabolism starts to slow down and in cold water they're very sluggish they require much less oxygen less food and their digestive rate is very slow and they don't exert much energy in chasing a lure fish hooks are one of the most critical aspects of the tackle system regardless of the fish one seeks when you consider that there's fifty thousand variety of hooks available it becomes obvious the difference of opinions exists the most important rules for any hooks lies in its ability to penetrate easily wire diameter is another factor the lighter the wire the easier it'll be to push it in and through the skin right into the mouth of the fish to get a good hook set now fishermen have always had a tendency to use too large a hook many believe that the huskier size will hold better or that it's not important to match hook size to the task it's easy most of the time to shrug off a missed strike but it can usually be traced right back to the hook many anglers this one included file the barb just a tad to help penetration because no hook is sharp enough as it comes out of the box you'll increase your catch ratio if you work on it with a file or a home if a specie has a soft mouth like a crappie the bluegill or the yellow perch a larger wire hook will generally open a bigger hole and it makes it easier for the barb to back out on the other hand if you're using heavy gear for heavy fish and you want to apply pressure well you got to resort to a stouter hook so that it won't straighten now in artificial lures hook sizes are an important part of the balance if you change treble hook sizes be sure to check the balance carefully the plug may not have the same action with a replacement selecting the correct hook can be as critical when fishing natural bait also in some instances the hook should be buried inside the bait several patterns are made for this task when live bait is used wire diameter and size becomes very critical too larger hook deprives the bait fish of its ability to swim effectively pick a hook that will present the bait in the most natural manner here's something you might find interesting the number system which serves as a guide so you can compare hooks within a given pattern the higher the number the smaller the hook size 20 is smaller than size two for example when the size reaches one the process is reversed and the alt is added thus a four alt is larger than a one out and so on hooks with a deeper bite seem to have more holding power on big fish keep priorities in mine however if you're using relatively light tackle or if the specie is well known for having a tough mouth say like that of the catfish your primary concern should be penetration holding power has little validity or value before you buy hooks again take the time to analyze your needs and then ask for specific patterns and sizes it's worth the effort to concentrate on every hook and to match it to the task [Music] there he is come on oh that's a better fish here come on back here where are you going that is a good fish there of about watch that trailer hook four and a half five pound fish most cypress trees have a root wad that southern fishermen call the donut the donut is a circular wad that surrounds a tree and extends out from the base about three to five feet and then about one to three feet from the base of the tree to the inside edge of the donut some trees especially those in very shallow water have roots growing out as far as eight to ten feet from the outer rim of the donut toward deeper water and this is a key area to fish but most fishermen think only of the base of the tree and move their boats right over the roots and the fish this overhead view of a cypress tree gives you an idea of how a tree and root system should be fished begin with a cast close to the tree make the next cast about three feet from the base while at the same time trying to feel the outside of the roots with the lure make several casts to the area because it can pay big dividends without question big big dividends after covering the right side fish the left side in the same manner always cast beyond the tree in order to cover the back the side and front all during the same cast next thoroughly make a series of fan cast fishing the roots that extend farther out keep casting to the left as long as you feel the lure sliding through the roots now move to position two and make cast which cover the right outside edge of the donut the base of the tree the left side of the tree and finally the left side of the donut when i fish a cypress tree this methodically and don't earn a strike well i'm convinced that there's no bass there at all but until the lure reaches my rod tip on the final cast i have confidence that a bass is there now look at this drawing keep in mind that when a bass is feeding it can be almost anywhere close to the tree from the base on out to the extended roots or even 15 to 20 feet off the tree but you'll save valuable fishing time by fishing only the five key areas shown in this drawing another tip for fishing shallow water in a cypress line lake is that about 75 of the time you'll find that the outer trees are much more productive than the inner trees naturally unless the lake levels high and isolated trees are also a good bet one old tree just sticking out there by itself and it's always smart to check for irregular features like a ditch or a depression leading back into the shoreline the trees along it will normally be the best this type of feature is not always present but i can tell you this it can be one of the best spots in the entire lake oftentimes by just reading the tree formations you'll be able to detect this type of feature the tree lines will they'll give it away just by watching for the irregular turns of the actual tree line itself [Music] let's talk about fishing an unfamiliar lake now as you well know that would be almost impossible unless we had a day or two to do it so let's talk about some quick things you can do when fishing an unfamiliar lake that might help you catch a few more fish you might not have otherwise caught an unfamiliar lake may be one that you fished for a number of years and never really taken the time to learn or it could be a body of water that's completely new to you and one that you're gonna try for the very first time some outdoor riders often refer to this situation as fishing a strange lake but i believe that there's nothing strange about any lake that harbors bass it's all a matter of mental attitude even some of the finest bash fishermen sometimes experience difficulty on new waters because they're overwhelmed by the new and unfamiliar surroundings thus failing to place the problem in its proper context now if you think for a moment you'll realize that there will be many similarities between the new water and your favorite bass lake equally important you can expect the bass to follow the same habits and seek the same habitat if the two lakes are fairly similar just because the physical layout of an impoundment changes somewhat doesn't mean that the characteristics of the species undergoes a major change if you've analyzed the new lake carefully you already know that bass will seek a preferred depth based on water clarity ph and temperature add to that the requirements for food and cover and it shouldn't be too difficult to locate some fish all that's left to do is find the structure and the features of the new water that are most likely to hold bass and one of the easiest places to begin your search would naturally be the shoreline especially if it's a lake you only have a short time to fish or a lake you may not fish again for some time maybe you're there as part of a vacation trip or a business excursion or they're for a bass tournament you may even be the type who doesn't enjoy fishing structure in deep water preferring to do your bass catching along the shoreline the shoreline of an unfamiliar lake is basically the same as any other length of shoreline however it will have special features on the shoreline a few feet off the shoreline and several yards off the shoreline and your job is to recognize these features by fishing tight to shore you can waste a lot of time dropping a lure along every stump stick up or log along the bank sure you might catch a bass or two scattered here and there but look at how much time that takes now i don't want to imply that you're making a mistake fishing that way because it can be and is an enjoyable way to fish but i prefer to find several fish off one spot rather than a single fish and i know many anglers that feel the same they like me enjoy fishing near the shoreline i notice i said near the shoreline not necessarily right up against it i prefer to look for something out of the way something hidden beneath the surface in the form of an irregular feature and with the help of a map and a depth finder i'll spend some time seeking out these locations first of all any point extending out into the lake is always a good place but some points are better than others take a look at this one as you see there's nothing really special about it the point has a gradual slope with no distinct break look at the interval lines how much they're separated the point has no cover and would not be a good area to spend much time fishing but look at this illustration well it's completely different story the actual shoreline point is not that attractive it's a little dumpy round job but the underwater portion of this point extends out and forms a five foot deep secondary point with a fast 15 foot break on the left side which is an excellent holding area what makes this area even better is the channel that skirts in next to it it's called a channel secondary point and can be one of the finest points you can fish notice the location of the fish they're relating to the sharpest part of the brake line it's important to remember that the tighter the interval lines the quicker the drop and a good map will show you these hideaways moving right along let's look at another great holding area close to the shoreline as you move down the bank it's very important to be observant and keep an eye open not only for transitional changes in the shoreline changing from one composition to another like rock to sand or mud to clay or sand to mud but elevational changes in this diagram we see a bluff or high bank changing into a flat this is very visible on shore because we can see it well underwater it does exactly the same thing deeper water runs in close to the bluff bank and much shallow water on the flat bank on the bluff bank look at the distance from shore to 20 feet of water now look at the distance on the flat bank shorelines of this type are located on most lakes all across the country all you need to do is find them and when you do you found a crackerjack spot here bass will usually position themselves along the transitional zone where they have the comfort of deep water to their left and an excellent shallow water feeding flat to their right now look at this one it's a key spot just off the main lake point at the mouth of a shallow cove where a deep water cut comes in from the open water area and runs in close to the left point a couple of other interesting things about this location is that there's no other key structural feature close by the shoreline to the left and to the right is nothing more than a plain jane sloping bank anytime you can locate an isolated feature like this more times than not you've uncovered an excellent fishing hole another unique feature is a fast break on the upper left side of the deep cut where the fish are located look how close the interval lines are together nowhere else in the entire area is there a faster break here's another excellent location you'll find on many shorelines a submerged pocket just off the bank a short ways it too is isolated with shallow water surrounding about 180 degrees of it with good access to deep water in front of it single bass moving up and down this shoreline will locate an area of this type and when they do they'll usually hold up here and join up with other bass using it this is the kind of place where schools of bass are formed these little out of the way places that we've looked at for the past few minutes are close to the shoreline but not necessarily right on it it requires more work than fishing the obvious shoreline features but it's enjoyable work and that's bass fishing and as you well know there's no shortcuts to success [Music] you ever taken a youngster fishing with you well if you haven't there's no better time than now to do it and there's no better place for the child's first fishing trip than a pond that is overstocked with bluegill or catfish or small bass youngsters need to have their enthusiasm kept up and catfish bass and bluegill will certainly do that the size of the fish isn't really that important to the child but the catching is take along just one rod it'll be enough believe me you'll be as busy as a raccoon in a garbage can just helping your young angler fish something else you want to take along which you won't find in any tackle box is a pretty large portion of good old humor and a big slice of patience the child whether yours or neighbors will be trying hard to do things right they want to please a teacher but they'll need lots of help for instance helping a child rig his or her rod or helping a child cast a bait may at first seem just a little frustrating but it can also have some lighter moments if you bring along your sense of humor catching that first fish will require more patience from you than it will the child trying to get the lure out to the right spot usually isn't very easy for the little ones so you'll have to help then after the line is out they'll probably want to bring it right back in as fast as they can so they can cast it again and wondering all the time why fish hasn't hit it children can get easily distracted when fish don't cooperate fast enough they quickly find that it's a lot of fun throwing sticks and rocks out into the lake or maybe even splashing the surface of the water with the tip of their rod when this begins and it will remember the words patience patience patience then that first fish tugs on the line that's when the real fun begins you may have to help hold the rod or even help him reel the fish because you're going to have one pretty excited youngster about this time a young child can't be expected to be able to even come close to doing some things correctly in the beginning care must be exercised and how the young budding angler is helped and guided you might even be lucky enough to be developing a wonderful lifetime fishing partner look back on your own life remember that special someone who took the time to teach you and to share with you the many enjoyable outdoor experiences of your youth that person holds a very dear place in your heart i'm sure a child's life is patterned after that parent friend or neighbor who took the time to provide the personal direction a child so desperately needs while growing up and there's probably no better way than fishing to learn the real values of true sportsmanship and develop cherished relationships well there you have it and i surely hope you've enjoyed this last hour and most of all learned a new trick or two which will help you catch not just one big fish but many big ones in the years to come [Music] you

Channel: Old School Bass Fishing Vids

Views: 1,275

Rating: 5 out of 5

Keywords: Roland Martin, Denny Brauer, Rick Clunn, Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston, Larry Nixon, Hank Parker, Bass Fishing, Big Bass, Trophy Bass, Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Jig, Spinnerbait, Plastic Worm, Topwater, Bass Pro Shops, Bassmaster, FLW, MLF, Major League Fishing, Strike King, Quantum Fishing, Quantum, Flipping, Pitching, Daiwa, Team Daiwa, Bluegill, Crappie, Walleye, Sauger, Catfish, Catfish Bait, Neko Rig, Ned Rig, Ranger Boats, Jig and Pig, Scott Martin, Wacky Worm

Id: 9Pn4FtU7Y-o

Length: 59min 11sec (3551 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 31 2021