FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
Bagley
The best balsa baits on the market.
I want to thank Don Hultstrand, President of Bagley Bait Company, for helping me out in the balsa minnow department. I was in Arkansas when a few baits arrived here at the house and I can not wait to use them. Looking at the weather for the week it looks like Wednesday will be a cloudy and not to breezy, a great topwater day. And the hat will make me an even bigger fashion icon, just ask my wife. She just really loves the fact I wear the same fishing stuff over and over. And I promised to share some more information of their company and their products soon, they have an interesting story. So thanks again Don.
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Strike King
All good things eventually come to an end. By this time of the year I have heard something from the Strike King representative I deal with. I have emailed him twice in the last month and have not received a response. It is safe to say I have been ex-communicated. I do want to thank them for the support the last few years and I promoted them the best I could. They make a great line of baits that I used 40 years ago, and will continue to use. So now I am a free agent.
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In-Fisherman
In-Fisherman magazine is the top multi-species freshwater fishing magazine. Not your typical outdoor magazine, they really do provide solid information on catching fish you will not find anywhere else. I have read it off and on for years and this year Clyde sent me a subscription. Thanks. But here is the reason I bring it up.
They published a little burb on a study done in an Ontario lake on bass fishing. To simplify – They took a bunch of intermediate level fisherman, gave them 6 different color senkos (2 bright and 4 natural/dark), had them all rotate colors during the day at specific times, and simply cast it out and let it sink, the reel it back. There must have been a bunch of folks as they caught over 100 bass.
The punch line – Amost every single bass, like all but 1, hit it on the fall. But the big point – There was almost no difference in the number of bass caught on any color! The only real difference was the longer fish came on the 2 bright color lures, and they were bright. So I may have missed a fact or 2 but you get the point. So think about those brighter colors when you buy your next bag of plastics. Of all things as I type this I am watching Jim Linder of the famous fishing Linders flipping a bright yellow senko under docks, it works. And if you want real freshwater fishing information In-Fisherman is the best.
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Reflections on the Trip
As I recover from the drive yesterday, and the general effects of fishing hard for a week, there is a couple of points that kind of wrap up the trip. Clyde has been extolling the virtues and effectiveness of the Alabama Rig and he was sure right. Between the 3 of us we probably threw at least 6 different kinds and brands. Small to big, one thing became real apparent – The A Rigs that had the blades on the shafts were superior.
We also had one totally tear up, bending the wires sooner or later resulted in breakage. Shoedog’s went from 5 arms to 3 as they broke off and then failed. So we picked up a couple with titanium wire, and though it was jerkbait the last day, I threw it a little and it pulled a little harder due to the flex of the titanium wires. I think a reel like an Ambassador 5500C3 would be perfect. 5.3 to 1 so you could grind it out, it would be a better choice than the little 10 bearing reels. And as a rule a slower retrieve worked best.
One thing that seemed to make no difference, weird in that very clear water, was how you tied it on. Clyde was throwing 50lb grey braid and tied directly to the A rig. I tied a fluorocarbon leader on my braid, and neither seemed to affect the fish. You also need a little heavier rod. If you fish anywhere there is not a lot of grass and cover try an Alabama Rig, it is a fun way to catch bass.
It sure was fun to catch 5 or 6 species a day. The type of fishing this trip might be referred to as junk fishing. Be it the A Rig or the jerkbait, they both catch most anything that swims. We only specifically targeted a certain species a couple of times, basically we fished for anything that would bite in classic pre-spawn areas. That plan actually worked out pretty well. Nothing like a big striper on one bite, then a crappie, then a bass, it was just fun fishing this trip.
And last, I told you I was happy to find the spinnerbait bodies that I used for years and I can not wait to sit down and make them just the way I like it. And I can guarantee that they will not see the Canada trip. Those toothy critters make mince meat out of spinnerbaits.
But what I really liked was what Jerry had done to the store. From the outside you would never know that it is one of the best tackle stores in the country. He not only has anything you need to catch all the fish available in North Arkansas, he has a complete line of lure making stuff. From molds to parts, hooks to feathers, his selection is one of the best, and I mean best I have ever seen. And he pours tons of jig heads so I found the one I liked, then picked out the hook and had him pour me 100 in 1/32 ounce with a fine wire. They will be awesome for wading and soft plastics. And the best thing, 100 was $28, find that in a store anywhere! Can’t wait to use them.
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That will do it for today. I am still recovering from the trip and drive home. It won’t be long before I drag my old butt back out on the water. I finally got most of the tackle back in shape, and I am about to go out and see what shape the Carolina Skiff is in. The Mako is in the shop for annual maintenance and should be done this week. So hopefully it will be back on the hitch again and off to the Gulf. The winds will finally begin to subside on the Gulf and my favorite topwater time of year is here. So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.
