What is your favorite method to fish for bass

[RGDoherty]

Topwater

Texas Rigging

Carolina Rigging

Finessing

Jigging

Crank Baits

Jerk Baits

Spinner Baits

Live Shiners

I'll do any to catch the fish

[Hob684]

I fish more for the beer and comradery than i do for actually tryin to catch fish..

i figure whatever catches my eye in the box will surely catch a fish's eye, that or whichever is shiney-est.

[RGDoherty]

That's another post Hob......what looks good to the fish or to us! Thanks for the idea.

[countrygirl]

I don't try to catch bass...I like brem. I like to watch my brother in law catch bass. He can put a fly on a dime. I think he almost went professional at one time and it's really fun to watch him. I like the taste of brem over bass. I know they have more bones, but if you know how to get the bones out, they're great fish to eat.

[RGDoherty]

I wrote an artical about bream fishing countrygirl. I love catching them on ultralights when they are bedding. No better way to load up an icechest. I fillet them so bones aren't an issue, but the filleting sometimes can cause massive cussing fits when I get about 75 fish into a 110 fish icechest!!!

[dollfus46]

I fish more for the beer and comradery than i do for actually tryin to catch fish..

i figure whatever catches my eye in the box will surely catch a fish's eye, that or whichever is shiney-est.

YOu, my good man, have a total understanding of the finer points of fishing.:clap::clap:

[dollfus46]

I wrote an artical about bream fishing countrygirl. I love catching them on ultralights when they are bedding. No better way to load up an icechest. I fillet them so bones aren't an issue, but the filleting sometimes can cause massive cussing fits when I get about 75 fish into a 110 fish icechest!!!

I've never taken more than 10 bream. to eat. I let the rest go so you can have some to catch. Sides, I wouldn't take thetime to clean 75 bream. Nuts! Cut their heads off, slit the tummy and scale 'um. Into the seasoned breading or flour/cornmean and hot grease you go.:headbang:

[Fish-Bait]

I had to vote jerkbaits...I would think the soft plastics like the slug-go and the finesse-shad would be included. Although the majority of the time they are fished topwater, Or sub-surface, there are also times when they are fished deep......RG? Where do we class these bass catchin' son of a guns?

[countrygirl]

Hubby has filleted a few, but my momma would fuss at you about that...She says that the meat around the bone of a brem is the best. If you know how to pull the bones out, it's not too bad. I also like to eat the tails....My 10 year old lab mix likes to fish with anyone that comes to fish in our pond. She will sit and watch for someone to catch a fish and MUST have the first brem. She eats the head and leaves everything else. There's only one person she won't "fish" with. He comes in the heat of the day and the dog just kind of looks out with an "you idiot" look on her face.
By the way, my brem don't get really big...any; suggestions?

[dollfus46]

I wrote an artical about bream fishing countrygirl. I love catching them on ultralights when they are bedding. No better way to load up an icechest. I fillet them so bones aren't an issue, but the filleting sometimes can cause massive cussing fits when I get about 75 fish into a 110 fish icechest!!!
Couldn't have been much longer than a short "Letter to the Editor". Cane pole, cork, worms/crickets, beer. Toss it out and watch the cork. Anything beyond that is work and I'd just as soon do work I get paid for. That's why I don't bass fish. Takes talent and work. Screw that.:clap:

[dollfus46]

Hubby has filleted a few, but my momma would fuss at you about that...She says that the meat around the bone of a brem is the best. If you know how to pull the bones out, it's not too bad. I also like to eat the tails....My 10 year old lab mix likes to fish with anyone that comes to fish in our pond. She will sit and watch for someone to catch a fish and MUST have the first brem. She eats the head and leaves everything else. There's only one person she won't "fish" with. He comes in the heat of the day and the dog just kind of looks out with an "you idiot" look on her face.
By the way, my brem don't get really big...any; suggestions?

Yeppo. I've never had a filleted bream in my life. Not worth the effort anyway. And a fried crisp tail is delicious.

[TheCapitalist]

I prefer to go with RGDoherty and watch him catch bass while i practice casting! I could eat my weight in bream, though.

[RGDoherty]

Countrygirl,

Take em outta yer pond. Fish have slime, slime has antibiotics, but what a lot of people don't understand is it also has a growth inhibitor for that species of fish. If your pond is overpopulated with bream, they won't grow past a certain point. You have to look at a pond, or lake as a big aquarium. If you have a 10 gallon aquarium you can put 10 one inch fish in there and in a year, they will be 10 one inch fish. Put one in there, change the water frequently, give them plenty of food and you can have one 10 inch fish.

You might consider adding some more bass to the mix in your pond to prey on the bream.

In bass crowded lakes, the bass tend to be small and the bream big, because they are wiping out all of the little fish.

I typically tell pond owners, if you catch a bream, I don't care if you use it for cat food, take it out of the water. Bream are VERY prolific, as they spawn more than once a year.

Bream will spawn typically twice, but if you have a moon phase calander, you can catch the bedding on each full moon heavy in the spring and fall, but all through the summer.

[RGDoherty]

Fish Bait, yes jerkbaits are soft plastic or the traditional hard baits for this poll. Everybody has their own style of what they call fishing. I'm just glad people enjoy the resourses. Because as they do, they are supporting the habitats with licensing fees!

[RGDoherty]

Cap,

We're gonna put you on some next time Bud, I promise! I'm told I'm like fishing behind a vacuum cleaner at times but in that flat those fish could have been at any angle in that boat.

[RGDoherty]

Dollfus,

Just can't get past a bad bone incident I had as a youngun......All fillets for me.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Here's my method-

Catch 5-6 4 inch bream, hook them right below their dorsal fin. Attach a bobber and watch the big ole' bass come running! I hooked a fingerling bass one time on a small bream and right as I got it to the bank, a 10.5 lb bass hit it. I caught her too!

Works every time.

Otherwise, fly rod and Bayou bug popper! Fun, fun, fun.

[countrygirl]

Thanks RG. The pond was basically drained after Katrina and the pond hasn't been fished much after that. We did have catfish but I think most of those are gone, and I don't see restockiing as we really don't fish much. Question: I didn't quite understand. Should I be getting rid of the bass or the bream? I guess it really doesn't matter much as there is a feeder pond above our pond and WHENEVER we get enough rain, it will be back to the same old same old.

[RGDoherty]

Get rid of the bream, and if you have bass in there, that's what will work to naturally balance out the pond. Most stocking rates for ponds can be found at the MSUCares webside run by Mississippi State. You could also talk with your county agent about checking your water's PH and make recommendations for lime and fertilization schedules. I'd be more than happy to assess the fishery for you. PM if you're interested in having me look at the pond.

[Guru]

I fish more for the beer and comradery than i do for actually tryin to catch fish..

i figure whatever catches my eye in the box will surely catch a fish's eye, that or whichever is shiney-est.

* That is me to a T. I'm all about the visiting whether it's fishing, bird hunting, etc. It's been a longgg time since I have done any of it but I'd surely take the time to come meet everyone and spend some time socializing. If I catch anything other than some good times with some nice folks well that will be icing on the cake to me.

[Guru]

Did I introduce y'all to my fishing partner?

[pEtAl mIsFiT]

wid a worm

[dollfus46]

Dollfus,

Just can't get past a bad bone incident I had as a youngun......All fillets for me.

I understand you. My ex had a bad experience with a fish bone and she's terrified of them. Won't eat fish with bones. It can happen.

[RGDoherty]

Need to let me introduce you to the Super Stud and the Flappin Shad Fotno.

Legal means of taking fish is what the poll was interested in.

Thank dollfus, just didn't want you thinking I was weird.....there is a method to my madness.

[58ford]

I'd rather get one topwater hit than three I can't see happen. My preferred method is fly fishing, but that wasn't on your poll. Unless you meant topwater to include flies.

[dollfus46]

Need to let me introduce you to the Super Stud and the Flappin Shad Fotno.

Legal means of taking fish is what the poll was interested in.

Thank dollfus, just didn't want you thinking I was weird.....there is a method to my madness.

Nah, I still think you're weird.;)

[RGDoherty]

LOL but I'm your kinda wierd so I'm O.K. Huh???

[dollfus46]

LOL but I'm your kinda wierd so I'm O.K. Huh???
You got it.:smt023

[Sister Golden Hair]

[quote=RGDoherty;344972]

Legal means of taking fish is what the poll was interested in.

Well ya should said so! In that case, I am just a fly-fishing woman. I like to go to the lake, river, creek, pond, whereever. Look for a roll and pop on top of the fish.

[58ford]

[quote=RGDoherty;344972]

Legal means of taking fish is what the poll was interested in.

Well ya should said so! In that case, I am just a fly-fishing woman. I like to go to the lake, river, creek, pond, whereever. Look for a roll and pop on top of the fish.

Heh, heh, "Fly fishermen have longer poles." heh, heh.

[RGDoherty]

Flyfishing is topwater.......Ford sorry I missed your post earlier

[58ford]

My granddaddy taught me how to fish fer bass. First you take a plug of "Star" brand chewwin' tobacco & cut it up into chunks. Then, throw it out on top of the pond. The bass will come up & snatch the tobacco, then you wait. Now, bass like to chew tobacco but they don't like to get it in their gills, so when he comes up to spit you dip 'im up in a dip net.

[Sister Golden Hair]

[quote=flowergirl;345128]

Heh, heh, "Fly fishermen have longer poles." heh, heh.


Welllllll, do they???????

[Fish-Bait]

My granddaddy taught me how to fish fer bass. First you take a plug of "Star" brand chewwin' tobacco & cut it up into chunks. Then, throw it out on top of the pond. The bass will come up & snatch the tobacco, then you wait. Now, bass like to chew tobacco but they don't like to get it in their gills, so when he comes up to spit you dip 'im up in a dip net.

Man, that reminded me of "Buster", Granpa's old bull-dog. Gramps would give Buster piece of the plug Cannonball and Buster would eat it. Swallow it whole practically. Then gramps would give him a Tums and say that Buster had the heartburn. True Story too.

[RGDoherty]

My Great Grandfather, gave his 4 year old great grandson the redman. Little did he know I'd be going through a can of skoal a day by the time I was 8, and on Copenhagen since I was 12.

[Fish-Bait]

My Great Grandfather, gave his 4 year old great grandson the redman. Little did he know I'd be going through a can of skoal a day by the time I was 8, and on Copenhagen since I was 12.
dang. you got me beat by about 4 years....I am a Red Seal Fine Cut Natural man now. Cope got too high. Takes about 2 weeks to switch over(2$ less a can too). You can always find one or the other on the road though.

[RGDoherty]

If I catch my son dipping I'm gonna wear him out. If I had all the money I've spit out, I'd have a much newer boat!

[Fish-Bait]

If I catch my son dipping I'm gonna wear him out. If I had all the money I've spit out, I'd have a much newer boat!
You ain't lyin'. I'd have a nice Glacier Bay or Grady White 23 ft. Catamaran Cuddy (with generator and A/C) with twin Yamaha 150 4 strokers......That my friend is my Island dream machine.....Just tow the whaler right behind it and get after it!

I am guessin' I have spent around 14-15 k just on snuff. That's ridiculous...

[bpitt]

I didn't see dynamite or phone box, so I voted for topwater. I just like seeing the top boil........

[RGDoherty]

I don't even want to do the math but figure a can a day since 1973 and that's me. I remember I used to fund my habit, because I wasn't allowed to use my allowance, by collecting CoCola Bottles at building sites. At .27 a can in a 8 can roll I had to have 24 bottles in my bicycle basket to cover the snuff and taxes every week. When I was 10 I was rolling in the dough, selling beagle puppies, and running a trap line of 24 traps for Racoon.

Man......I gotta stop, this is a fishin' thread not a memory lane thread.

[RGDoherty]

I didn't see dynamite or phone box, so I voted for topwater. I just like seeing the top boil........

I'm with you bp, I like seeing the explosion!

[Fish-Bait]

Ain't nuthin' like walkin' a chug-bug down a weed line and BAM!!!!

[bpitt]

I like the tried and true Hula-popper and Tiny Torpedo, although, there is a place in my heart for a solid black jitterbug.......

[Fish-Bait]

I like the tried and true Hula-popper and Tiny Torpedo, although, there is a place in my heart for a solid black jitterbug.......
You know, it's also fun to put on about a 3-1/2" to 4" shiner under a cork with about a 18" leader and keep him just at the edge of the weeds. Hook him back close to the tail and he'll swim up on the surface...it's like dah-dah-----dah dah----da dah da dum dah!!! (jaws music) Then SLAM!!!! Count to 3, feel the fish, and set the hell out da' hook...Reel fast....excitement!!! jumpin'.....get da' net!!! get da' net!!!!!:smt023

Now that's what I am talkin' about. Nuthin' like Live-Bait baby!!!

[Butterball]

I've always had really good success with Rotenone

[RGDoherty]

LOL Bass, Bream, Crappie, Catfish, Jack Fish, minnows, carp.....Hell, that method catches em all!

[dollfus46]

Topwater

Texas Rigging

Carolina Rigging

Finessing

Jigging

Crank Baits

Jerk Baits

Spinner Baits

Live Shiners

I'll do any to catch the fish
You left out my favorite method of catching bass: Hey, what's that on my hook? I think it's a bass. How'd that happen?

[gonefishin]

I have to admit that I love to see a topwater explosion, but my favorite is jerkbaits. I have had more success on jerkbaits than any other. To be honest with you I think people have more success with the baits they have the most confidence in and fish the hardest.

[RGDoherty]

Zackly right gonefishin.......if you are confident in the presentation, you do well, if you don't believe in it you don't put your ALL into the presentation.

[dollfus46]

Is jerkbait top water bait?

[Ted]

. . . . . . I'll do any to catch the fishAll the above but I'm not a die hard bass fisherman - Mostly bream and catfish.;)

Now, I got two eight pounders hanging on the wall - the two biggest bass I ever caught and I'll tell'ya how I caught 'em.:oops:

The first one grabbed a big 'ole shellcracker while I was reeling in and that shellcracker got turned sideways in that ole bass'es mouth. Reeled 'em both and headed straight to Dick Spencer.
Caught the shellcracker on a wiggler. And a #4 short shank Eagle Claw hook. And a 1/8th oz. slip sinker and a tiny split shot about a foot up the line.
Ya'all know the rig - yer picturing in your mind right now while yer reading this rambling mess, ain't cha???:laugh:
So am I.;)

The second one - about a year later - fishing for shellcrackers - again - wiggler and a #4 short shank Eagle Claw hook, 1/8th oz. slip sinker and a tiny split shot. . . . . .
Ya'all bear with me. I'm in the mood.;)
Had too much line on a not-quite utralight Diawa open face reel - on a medium action 4 foot rod - so it kept birdnesting all up and after about the third cast - and resultant birdnest - and one of them good ole fashioned ten foot casts - kersplunk - something picked up that wiggler and moved off about five feet and stopped while I was untangling the mess. Again.
I figured catfish or turtle - it'll wait.
After I got the tangle straightened out and reeled back up I give it a little bump and something started stripping line off a' that little reel like the Devil was after it. I'm thinking -'That ain't no turtle. Probably a pretty good catfish.'
After boiling up a bunch'a leaves and stuff off the bottom - water was only three or four feet deep - I just knew it was a catfish.
Wrong. It were another eight pound bass hanging around a bream bed waiting for dinner. They'll do that. (Try ya'a medium diving crank bait across a bream bed a couple of times once in a while just for sport.;))
The crazy thing picked up a bream hook with a wiggler on it and then just laid there until I got untangled and set the hook.:smt102

And - Yep. Straight back to Dick Spencer.;)

So - there ya got my personally endorsed method for catching bass - Go shellcracker fishing. With wigglers. And get Lucky!!:smt023 heh heh heh

Oh yeah.
Afterwards, I took about 50 feet of line off of that durn reel.
Maybe I shouldn't have. I ain't caught another big bass since then.;)

Ya know. That may be the one and only time I've ever told the truth about fishing.
Hmmmm - - gotta try and watch and not let that @#$% happen again.:laugh:

[RGDoherty]

LOL - Tip, only fill your spools to about 75% capacity to reduce those backlashes.

[Ted]

LOL - Tip, only fill your spools to about 75% capacity to reduce those backlashes.:smt001Yeah. I know.
I usually spool that one particular rig up a little bit more on purpose - then cut off the first birdnest - gets it JustRight.:-D
It'll cast further with very little weight if the line comes off as close to the top of the spool as ya can manage. Gotta stay back-away's from shellcrackers beds so they don't spook and get lockjaw.

[RGDoherty]

I was vertical fishing over some at lake serene but I use crickets and schmack em.

[Fish-Bait]

Oh yeah.
Afterwards, I took about 50 feet of line off of that durn reel.
Maybe I shouldn't have. I ain't caught another big bass since then


My rule of thumb for spinning gear is stop the line at 1/8" from the edge of the spool at the top or bottom. Normally the line will bulk up at the top or the bottom.
If you will stop to think a minute......you need to put the line on the reel just like it comes off of the spool. This works for baitcast and spinning. You will have alot less twist in your line. While you are putting it on spinning gear make about 10-12 turns of the handle while holding the line taught with your thumb and index finger (Use your rond hand.) Stop and let the line go slack from the spool to the end of the rod (still holdin' the line tight). If your line twist up flip the spool over and repeat. Sometimes its necessary to keep flipping the spool every 10 or 12 turns of the handle. If your line still twist up go out to a field and tie it to a tree or bush. Walk all of the line off and go back and untie it. Then reel it all back up while holding it taught with your thumb and index finger. Your line should then be limp and twist free. You can also do this in a boat in open water. It works better in open water cuz' there ain't that much friction....

[Fish-Bait]

Another thing about spinning gear. Don't reel against the drag, never. all you are doing is twisting the line.

[RGDoherty]

Oh, you're talking spinning gear. Man we gotta get you in a WaveCast Reel......those things WON'T birdnest........If I can't birdnest a spinning reel that's something!