Rattletrap Ramblings

With no big tournaments in the near future, I’ve been experimenting with techniques that I’m not familiar with. Ever since fishing Smith Lake, I think drop shot whenever there’s bridge pilings or clear water.

It’s hot as hell outside and been droppin it on ledges to catch fish lately.

A shaky head is probably better suited for 90 degree water temperature but they’re eatin it right now so why question it.

I’ve been using a 1/8 mojo weight and Gamakatsu drop shot hook with a Zoom Finesse Worm. There’s a lot of shad where I’m fishing at the moment and the small fluke also seems to work well.

It’s pretty cool catching fish that you see on your graph. I’m from the Far East, so I guess I have a natural affinity for computers, cameras, and of course finesse fishing.

The only problem I’m having is that so many of the fish I’m catching are small. I’m thinkin I’ll have to upsize to a trick worm or super fluke to catch decent size fish but won’t know until I try it.

According to this video by drop shot guru, Mike Folkstead, you can use worms up to 8″ long. I’ll have to try some of the Roboworms and shaker worms they use out west.

Anyway, the drop shot has been around a while but I haven’t experimented with it too much until recently. It’s definitely a limit catcher but I’d sure like to hook a 7 or 8 pounder with this 8 lb test I’m throwing.

I’m still not quite sure what to do when you fish bridge pilings that are 100 feet deep like on Smith Lake. Do you let it fall all the way to the bottom? Do you suspend it? Do they just hit it on the fall? If someone has an answer to this, please make a comment.

In any case, the drop shot is one cool technique that I’m trying to figure out a time and place to use it effectively in tournaments.

This video will give you all the basics to get started but I would love to learn more about this technique.

There has not been any big tournaments as of late, so I’ve had some time to reflect on my year so far. There’s no great finishes to speak of besides some small local tournaments.

It’s my first year fishing the BASS Opens and I think I just blew it on the first two. I should’ve been punching matt the majority of the time in Okeechobee and didn’t fish the conditions…. although if it warmed up a little quicker, I’m sure I would’ve caught them. At Smith Lake, I should’ve moved out as they pulled water out but did not adjust to the falling water like I should have.

The one thing I’m learning this year is adjusting. When you find a group of fish, they don’t go very far. They’re somewhere nearby and I need to learn to figure out where they go. I need to look for places where fish might go if conditions change. Usually I’m so worried about finding a stack of fish that I’m not worried about where they might go but I’m thinkin you gotta keep that in mind the entire time.

The last Open is on Lake Seminole in October, and I’m already researching spots and patterns. There’s been so many big tournaments here that there’s a lot of stuff to decipher, but I think I’ve zeroed in what to do. I like to flip and will probably focus on flippin and possibly froggin in the hydrilla. I like to go in with an open mind but it’s one big place and you can’t cover everything. It’ll take a lot of time just figuring out how to run the place without killing yourself.

This is going out on a limb, but I think I’ve had enough learning this year and due for a good finish at Seminole. We’ll see if my premonition is right. As long as it doesn’t rain for a week straight prior to the tournament, I believe I know what the fish are going to be doing.

The Fish N Fool knot recently won Knot Wars and IMO the best knot for fluorocarbon. It’s a knot only fishin fools know that it doesn’t break.

The best part about the knot is that it’s real simple and you’re not worrying about whether or not you tied a good knot when money’s on the line.

Ike just confirms some of my suspicions about bed fishing in this video. I’m a firm believer that bass on bed will eat just about any bait when they’re ready, but sometimes a red bullet weight or a giant bait is the thing that triggers a strike for whatever reason.

I know bedding season is over, but I can’t wait until next year.

I found this bass fishing tip on Gerald Swindle’s YouTube Channel. It’s probably the best advice for someone that fishes more than the average bear, but it has nothing to do with how to catch more fish.

It looks like the Elite Series is coming to Florida in 2011 with the first event on the Harris Chain and then moving to the St. Johns River in Palatka. They’re starting in March for whatever reason and it’s gonna be a sight fishing festival as long as there’s no cold fronts. I can’t wait to see how the pros figure it out around these parts.

My prediction is that someone’s gonna find all the clear water canals where we’re catchin’em right now around bluegill beds on Harris and Eustis but in the spring those beds will have bass on them.

I’m thinkin that the St. Johns River will be won out of Lake George, Woodruff, or Dexter…. probably Lake George depending on the weather. Rodman or Crescent may play a role if the grass ever comes back.

2011 BassmasterElite Series Schedule

I’ve tried lots of reels and the one I keep going back to is Shimano. The only other one I could consider is Daiwa, but they’re just too dang expensive. That Steez is pretty darn close to the perfect reel except for the price tag and the Zillion is too heavy for my standards.

I’ve been looking into buying some more reels, but there’s something that’s currently missing from the Shimano lineup. I’d like to find a reel the size of the Curado 100 D or Chronarch MG 50 and the only one that fits the bill is the Core Mg 50 which costs a small fortune and even the Chronarch MG 50 is fetching over $200 on ebay.

Shimano has already released the reel I’m looking for in Japan called the Scorpion XT 1000 which is basically an aluminum version of the Core Mg 50 and only weighs 6.7 ounces with a 6:4:1 retrieve.

I sure hope they release a US version at the July 2010 ICAST in Vegas or else I’ll have to buy the Japanese version for about $220 on ebay.

I’m thinkin they’ll probably call the US version the Curado E 50 or something and will probably be green like the current Curado’s.

I’ve had my share of good flippin sticks, but my 7’6″ Heavy Kistler Z Bone LE with Fuji Micro K Guides is the best one I’ve ever had.

The blank is built by the legendary Gary Loomis at his newly formed North Fork Composites in Woodland, Washington. I hate to break it to G. Loomis fans out there, but Gary Loomis hasn’t been involved with the company for years and the latest G. Loomis rods are just fancy Shimano’s.

That being said, the first thing I noticed about my Z Bone is the parabolic bend. It’s got plenty of backbone, but still has uniform bend throughout the rod. Those of of us who like to flip with 65 braid know that you’ll end up losing a lot of fish with too stiff a rod and I believe this Z Bone blank is the answer. The tip is light enough to provide some forgiveness to braid which has no stretch and the parabolic bend actually fights the fish for you.

The sensitivity is ridiculous with the high modulus graphite blank created by none other than the legend himself, Gary Loomis, and the micro guides take up less area on the blank making it even more sensitive. It’s hard to put into words a how much more sensitive this rod is.

I’m not sure if it’s due to the micro guides or the blank itself, but the Z Bone is more versatile. The typical lure rating on a heavy action rod is 3/8 to 1 ounce but my Z Bone is rated for 1/4 to 1.5 ounces meaning it can be used for more applications.

Another cool feature for flippin with braid is the Micro K Guide which virtually eliminates the line wrapping around the guides. I was a little skeptical at first, but they really work. I had a buddy of mine wrap braid around a guide 5 times on my Micro K Guides trying to prove me wrong but it came unwrapped with ease.

I love this thing paired with a Shimano Chronarch D7 and 65 braid. It’s always sitting on my deck and have an extra heavy on order.

Jared Lintner has one great tip that I’ll try this year. He uses twin tails during the spring and fall and single tails in summer. I’m not totally convinced on the colors he suggests since black and blue seems to be the best color in Florida.

The only tip I can add to these videos is you gotta keep twitching the rod as you reel.

The one thing that took the longest for me to figure out is how long to hesitate to set the hook. You definitely want a hesitation, but no too long or else they’ll drop it.

It feels like I’m going old school lately and the my latest fascination has been the jig.

I know, only Bill Dance and people from other states can pull it off but lately it seems like it’s the deal here in Orlando.

I’ve been flipping a 1/2 ounce black and blue jig in kissimmee grass and bulrushes with pretty good success. I feel like a Denny Brauer that’s been stranded in Florida. I’m surprised how weedless it is in kissimmee grass. I think the areas I’ve been fishing have a lot of bluegill in it so I’ve been using a Paca Craw in Okeechobee Craw as a trailer. The old timers have been telling me they work in Florida for years but now I’m starting to believe’em.

Another deal I’ve been messing with is swimming a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce jig. It’s basically a spinnerbait without the blades and it goes through the grass a whole lot easier. The cool part is that it gets some horrific bites where you actually get startled sometimes. If you haven’t tried this at home, make sure you’ve got a good grip when you’re fishing this thing or you’re liable to lose a rod.

I’ve been using the Strike King and Yank’em Jigs. The cool part about the Strike King Swim Jig is that it has a metal clip for a trailer keeper, it comes with rattles, and also comes in a bluegill skirt that no one else makes. Just make sure you get the “Heavy Cover” model because the regular ones come with a pretty wimpy hook. I’ve also been breaking out the Yank’em Jigs when I’m not wanting a rattle. It’s hand tied so the skirt doesn’t get messed up and it also has a nice keeper for the trailer.

Probably the most important thing about swimming jigs is having the right trailer. The Little Dipper has been the deal in blue sapphire or okeechobee craw. I know Reaction doesn’t make those colors but my buddy Pete’s been making a bait pretty similar to the Little Dipper and I keep running out of them. The cool part is that he’ll pour any color I want. You can’t get them on their site. You gotta call and request it at 407-443-9349.

I’ve also been using the tail on a magnum speedworm, magnum twin tail grubs, swimming senko, super speedcraws, etc., but that Little Dipper style seems to work the best. I’m throwing it on my frog rod with 65 braid.

Last week it was the Devil’s Horse and now it’s the jig. I bet ya some 16 year old is trying to sell these baits for $20 as antiques on ebay.

They’re a lot cheaper than the latest and greatest stuff and they still catch’em after all these years.