Planning a Trip to New Water

Folks I've been at this fishing thing for a long time and today fishermen are very lucky to have many tools that we just didn't have when I started out.  My first bass boat's "Fish Finder" was me casting a Rat-L-Trap or some other crank bait to see if fish were home.  I had an old Eagle Depth Flasher that sometimes would tell you there might be fish there but it was mainly used to find a spot.  Oh and those spots were picked out using a Topographical Map if there was one available for that body of water.  Today with GPS map chips for your "Fish Finder"  that is equipped with Sonar which can see a single minnow swimming by things are way more easier.  Hey I'm not complaining one bit about these new tools of the trade, I love them and use them!

Tools like GPS and Sonor units are awesome, but there are other tools available to fishermen these days that can help before you head out to a new body of water.  I bet a lot of folks out there might overlook some of things that could help identify spots to try your luck and maybe even baits to try on this new body of water.  What are these tools one might ask?  Well they are all wrapped up in a neat package called the Internet.  If you are reading this article it is because of the Internet and all the information provided on this blog is part of those tools.  There are still more great tools on the Internet too if you look for them.  Google can be used to search for up-to-date fishing reports for many bodies of water.  If you can't find fishing reports for a specific body then try searching for local fishing forums that normally have lots of information on them. However one of my favorite Internet tools is Google Maps!  If you use the satellite view you can get a great picture of the water and in most cases you can a great idea of locations to try.

I'm planning a trip right now to Buffalo Camp Bayou to practice for my next Tournament.  I've never fished this bayou before and from all the information I've gathered so far I know it is different from all the other bayous I'm use to fishing.   Buffalo Camp Bayou is no longer a tidal bayou as a dam has been installed on it before it reaches the Brazos River.  Well above that is the dam to the Brazoria Reservoir that has a spillway that empties into Buffalo Camp Bayou.  Brazoria Reservoir is a private lake that from what I understand has Florida Bass.  If it has Florida Bass then that means it is very likely that Buffalo Camp Bayou also has Florida Bass.  Because this bayou sits between these two dams there is only water movement in the bayou when they are releasing water out of the Reservoir. There won't be any tidal effect on this bayou so I'm going to have to fish it more like I would a lake.  This means looking for the same types of structure I would normally fish in a lake.  So where are there some of these likely spots that might be holding bass?  Well there is where good ole Google Maps comes into play.  I call up a zoomed in satellite shot of the bayou and study what I see very carefully to find likely spots to try my luck.  Here are some examples of what I've found so far.

In this first picture there is a creek feeding into the main bayou that forms a point that might hold some fish and the off bank looks like it has some structure worth checking out.

In this second picture there is a good size dock with structure along the right side bank that might be a promising spot for bass to hold.

As you can see Google Maps can be very helpful in planning a trip to a new body of water.  It can show you possible structure and locations of points and other places where you might find bass.  Of course it doesn't replace a good Topographical Map totally if one is available for the water you want to fish.  If you have a Topo Map of the water you will be fishing you can locate things like drop offs and creek/river channels that Google Maps might not display.  In the case of the bayous I fish there are no Topographical Maps so Google Maps is about my only tool when planning a trip to a new bayou.

I've done a search of the local fishing forums but that hasn't be a lot of help.  I've found where some folks have fished this bayou but not a lot of information on what they have caught or what type of baits they were using.   So in this area I'm going to have to use my best judgement.  I'll likely start out using a Santone Lures Piglet shaky head with a Creme Lures Scoundrel Worm.  The main reason for this selection is that is what has been working the last couple of weeks for me and also I have a Dunamis Rods new Ascension Rod to test.  The new rod is to fix a problem I've had the past couple of weeks of getting a good hookset using the Piglet/Scoundrel combo.  However I will like pull out a Santone Lures Rayburn Swim Jig or Throw-n-Thunder Lures ThunderSlaw spinnerbait and give them a try as well.  This is a practice and part of practice fishing for a tournament is to try and find a good pattern.  Of course if I'm fishing a worm or jig then I'll be putting some Rage Fish Attractants Liquid Mayhem on them.  I know that using Liquid Mayhem gives me an advantage and I use it faithfully!

Now it will be a couple weekends before I get down to Buffalo Camp Bayou so I still have time to do more research and study the Google Maps some more. When I do get down there and fish it for the first time I'll write another article on how I did and if all my research paid off for me.   I'm confident that the time I spend preparing for any fishing trip is well worth the effort and I'm also confident if you take up doing the same thing it will help you fishing by leaps and bounds.

You can also Follow me on
Twitter - @BHOAdventures
FaceBook - Bounty Hunter Outdoor Adventures
YouTube - Bounty Hunter Outdoor Adventures

Also Checkout the great folks that help make my fishing adventure possible and the tackle I use and trust.
Santone Lures
Throw-n-Thunder
Creme Lures
Dunamis Rods
Liquid Mayhem Fish Attractants

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!

The Front of the Boat is a Scary Place

If you have been following along, I am in my 2nd year running my own ride in the Gator Division of the Walmart BFL series. I spent 6 years as a co-angler in the Gator Division before making the jump to the front in 2014. I had what I consider to be an impressive first year running my own deal. I finished 78th out of over 300 boaters that fished in the Gator. I had a 13th place finish and cut a decent check in my first year. I intuitively knew that the front was going to be a much different deal. I had to find fish. I had to figure out a pattern. I alone was going to determine the what, when and how of my tournament day. The beauty of the co-angler deal is you basically have to show up and fish. Especially in Florida, you are never really put in a position where you can't fish. On most lakes in Florida no matter what the boater is doing, you have a million targets to hit off the back of the boat. For those of you who don't know, in B.A.S.S. and FLW competitions, there is a Boater and a Co-Angler that are randomly paired at the meetings the night before the competition. The Boater is up against all of the other Boaters in the field and the Co-Angler is trying to beat all of the other Co's in the field. This makes it nice because you are not directly competing with each other on tournament day. Many, if not all of my boaters during my co-angler years, wanted me to do well. It was a badge of honor of sorts that their co caught a limit and placed well. I truly appreciated that on many tough days and I knew that I would do the same for my partners once I was up front.

I may have taken that too much to heart, but we will get into that in a moment. As boaters go, I am one most co-anglers would love to have. I have now had two co-anglers finish in the top 5. In 2014 in the season opener my co-angler finished 2nd place overall and won Big-Bass. He won $1,750.00 and 2 trophies that day. This year in the 2nd event of the season, my partner won 1st place and Big Bass. He took home a check for $3,250.00 and two trophies. He did this while only catching 4 fish(tournament limit is 5). If there was a ranking for boaters based on co-angler finishes, I would be up there with the best of them.




Unfortunately for me, there is no such recognition. I have done pretty well by my co-anglers. I do make a point of making sure they have every chance to succeed on the back of my Ranger. What I did NOT anticipate is that this balance is also a difficult thing to learn. I find myself being a little too open to my co-anglers thoughts and needs on the back of the boat. This is not a horrible thing, but I have to move a little more toward the center in my thinking while running the front of the boat. I have found myself more and more this year being affected by my co-angler on the back. There is a faction of boaters out there (sadly) that very much isolate the co-anglers as a bit for protection of themselves. I am starting to understand some of the advice from that faction that I have been given. However, I am in no way ever going to be a guy that intentionally or un-intentionally causes my co-anglers a problem. I want every co that fishes with me to have a great time, catch fish, and hopefully win money.

The story on the 2nd BFL event is pretty simple. Friday practice was abysmal. I was lost. I used an entire tank of gas searching all over the south end of the lake. I could not find anything at all that was worthwhile. So I was rattled. When my co-angler said, "hey... I have a spot my Dad and I won on recently, if you want we could try it...", I almost leaped at the chance. Heck, I was confused and rattled and had no confidence in any of my spots for the next day. My co-anglers spot was on the way, so I told him at take off that we would hit his spot first and see what we see. I already told you above that my co-angler won, so there is no mystery to the fact that it worked out great for him. Here is how I failed myself.

My mindset seemed sound. All of my really good areas in the south were blown out completely. Muddy, windblown, and no fish to be found, so why not try this spot out. Made perfect sense. However what I found when I got there was the type of area I had avoided like the plague during most of my time on Okeechobee. It was super shallow, super thick, and not at all really protected by the wind. AJ (my co) lead me to the spot and explained what he was doing and what specific spot on the spot was the magic area. I quickly got him into the right part of the area and he went to work. I immediately went to work trying to cut through the toughest grass and brush (literal brush that had grown up when the lake was low, but was now back under water with the lake levels while simultaneously controlling the boat that was still being moved more by the wind then my trolling motor. The other problem I had with this area was that I was not geared for it at all. This kind of fishing, mostly topwater, is done with the heaviest tackle, super wide gap super-line hooks and massively thick swimbaits burned right under the surface a few inches of clear water at a time. You literally only get the bait in clear water for seconds at a time. The rest of the time you are fighting it back to the boat through a jungle of tangled grass and brush limbs.  I was completely set up for my more open water casting, flipping and pitching that had served me so well in practices so far this year and last. My heaviest tackle was devoted to mat fishing. I had nothing that easily converted into this type of fishing. This has since been rectified. Lesson learned. I recently spent time re-working and organizing all of my rods and reels. Including my newest Big Bear rods that arrived after the event.

Within about ten minutes AJ missed a giant. This fish had the head and mouth of an 8 or 9 lb fish. She came unbuttoned halfway back to the boat. But it did tell us that he was right about the big girls still being in this area. I put the first two fish in the boat however using a Mister Twister Comida (stick bait) with Rage Garlic Minnow attractant on it. They were small keepers, but at least I was on the board. What I wanted to do was pull out to the edges and flip the fantastic looking cane that was all around this shallow bay. But my mind was completely jacked up. This was AJ's spot, and I felt sort of obligated to him and his area. This is admirable but did undermine my own situation. AJ boated one decent fish in the next hour  or so as I painfully fought through the 'junk' to try and keep the boat from getting mired in the junk that was scratching the holy heck out of my boat. Then in the next two hours he boated two giants giving him a nice sized three fish bag at that point.  I needed a break from the constant boat fight, and I wanted to at least try my big school in the South that Derek and I had found before. Lake Okeechobee Report

I made the long run to Pelican Bay, and gave it my all for about an hour. Without a bite to be found, I ran to a rim ditch spot to beat the rocks for a bit and try to get a few more fish in the boat. But the whole time, I couldn't focus. I felt like I had left fish, to find fish, a classic mistake. While I know that mentally I needed the run to get my thoughts straight and I had to try my fish, I probably screwed up bad right there.  If that school was fired up even for half an hour, I could have 18-20 pounds in no time but I already knew they weren't eating the day before. I finally decided to finish the day in AJ's spot because it at least had a few fish in it. AJ was able to catch one more small keeper to get his total to 16lbs and change. Those four fish ended up being enough and he won the event. I never got another bite all day.

So in summary, I learned a lot that day. This is a constant learning deal for all of us. Especially us new to the front guys. I need to continue to work toward the balance between fairness to my co-anglers and fairness to myself. I am super glad that AJ got a huge win in his second ever BFL event. I am super glad that I helped him do that. I have adjusted my entire setup to be better ready to shift gears on the water and be prepared for every water situation. I will continue to improve, I will continue to work til it hurts, and I will continue to live this dream. Peace.

You can follow me or my sponsors on -
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or
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The Scoundrel

If you have never heard of the Scoundrel Worms from Creme Lure Company then I have to ask where have you been?  The reason I ask this is because the Scoundrel has been around since 1949 and was the true original plastic worm.  Yes that's right it was the one that got the plastic worm crazes started.  You know after more than 65 years the Scoundrel is still around and hasn't changed, well maybe it comes in more colors than it did back in 1949 but other than that little has changed.  Why has the Scoundrel stayed around so long you shouldn't have to ask as there is just one real reason; the Scoundrel still catches bass.  Yes a design from 1949 is still catching bass just as good as it did 65 years ago.

I can tell you right now that Scoundrels are my go-to finesse worm, but you can fish them in just about any manner and they will produce a surprising number of hits.  Why are these worms still so affective one might ask?  The answer is simple; Scoundrels don't have salt added and they float like no other worm.  This makes them stand up or float no matter how you rig them.  It gives them a more nature appearance than those salted down worms that hit the bottom and look dead.  Bass just don't like dead, they might like injured, but they don't like dead!! Now I do have to warn you that the Scoundrels are made from a tougher plastic than most other baits.  This can cause you problems when fishing a shaky head or similar rig using lighter action rods.  I know I had that issue myself but I've move to a little stiffer rod when fishing shaky heads.  You can still fish them with no issues on your lighter tackle on a drop shot rig.  Being made of a tougher plastic is also a good thing as they don't tear and get ruined after one fish either!!

I mentioned that the Scoundrels come in more colors today and that means they come in just about every color you can think of getting.  Heck I only own about half the colors they come in and that fills up 3 boxes.

To see all the colors check out the Creme website at this link Creme Lure Company.  Even though I have almost half the colors there are a few that are my very favorites for the areas I fish in Texas.  If I had to pick just one color to fish it would have to be the Watermelon/Chartreuse, but luckily neither you nor I are bound to just one color.  However here are some of my favorite for both the Bayous and Lakes that I fish here in Texas.

Now I'm going to recommend you give the Scoundrels a try and no it is not because I'm on the Creme Lure Company Pro Staff.  One thing you need to know is Creme didn't ask me to be on their Staff, I asked them for that honor.  You also need to know that I'm not getting paid to promote their products, sure I get some benefits but I don't receive anything free.  You also need to understand that I only use and promote products that I believe in and help me catch more bass, period!!  So when I recommend you give this 65 year old worm a try it is because I'm using them and I'm catching a lot of bass on them.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

Halls Bayou Tournament Results

Once more ole Mother Nature dealt us with conditions that made for a tough day of fishing for the Bayou Bassin' League.  It was still a better day than during our last tournament as most folks caught some bass, but keepers were hard to come by most of the day. We did have 7 boats that weighed in fishing, though none had a limit.  In my practices the last few weeks Halls had been producing some good fish for me and from what I heard everyone else too.  So like I pointed out in a previous article, The Perfect Day, you can catch fish even in the worst of conditions, but don't expect huge bags.  The conditions we found were a Barometric Pressure that had fallen the day before to 29.40 which is a little low for fishing.  It was also over cast with a chance of rain all day.  We did get a few short showers but the big rain never hit us which was our only weather plus.  The biggest weather condition we faced on the day was the wind.  The wind blew 15-20mph and there were gust that as high as 25-30mph.  This made it hard to control boats but the worst part about these strong winds is the effect they had on water movement.  Halls is a tidal bayou so like all fish in tidal bayou the bass tend to be more actively feeding when the water moving.  When you have really strong winds from a southern direction it holds the water up in the bayou.  What we faced was a very high tide with little to no water movement of an out going tide.  All of these conditions put together did make it tough, but we have great fishermen and most figured out something to put some fish in the well.  We had been dealing with poor water conditions but for the most part the water was in pretty good shape.  There were areas that were better than others but everywhere was very fishable and the temps were in the low 60s which was perfect.

My teammate and I caught fish off and on all day but we only had 2 keepers in the well at the end of the day.  There wasn't really any set pattern for the day and all the bass we caught we pretty much hit on the head with the bait.  My teammate caught both our keepers, one on a Santone Lures Rattlin' Jig and the other on a Brush Hog Jr.  As for me, I was still having issues getting hook penetration through the Creme Lures Scoundrel Worms fished on a shaky head.   I'm not complaining about the Scoundrels, they get a lot of strikes but are made from a tougher plastic than most worms.  This is a good thing as they last longer, but my normal finesse rod just doesn't have the back bone to get the job done.  Dunamis Rods shipped me one of their new Ascension Rods to fix that issue but thanks to the good ole U.S. Postal Service it didn't arrive on time.  It was at the house to greet me after the tournament and I will say it is almost too beautiful to take fishing, but fishing with it is a must!!  I'll give you all a report on its performance as soon as I'm able to get it in the water.  As far as new products go I did fish with some of the new FINS Windtamer braid on my spinning rod yesterday.  It performed very well under the high winds we faced and I'll recommend its use in windy conditions.

Now why don't we get to the results!!!  Here is the Leader Board with all the boats that weighed in fish.

As you can see Raybo and Cameron stepped it up a notch to pull down the win.  They had a late day spurt that put fish in their well which proved to be enough to take home the trophies and money.

Also with a late day spurt was Brent and Tommy who nailed down 2nd with a nice stringer.

A couple of guys that always seem to be in the mix are Mark and Doug.  This was the case again today as they put enough fish in the well for 3rd.

Mark and Doug also took the Big Redfish side pot with a good looking Red!

The Big Bass honors went to Randy with a bass everyone would have loved to have!!

Here is a picture of the Halls Bayou Trophy Winners.

Now in 4th place was yours truly and my teammate Jerry.  This is the first time we fished together but you wouldn't have known it.  We made a really good team and I'm looking forward to fishing more with Jerry in the future.

Just behind us in 5th was Jake and Brad.  They also had a late spurt catching both their fish in the last 15 minutes right in front of the boat ramp.

Ken and Ronny were 6th and also round out the teams that were lucky enough to put some keepers in the boat.

Though the conditions proved to make catching bass tough I don't think any of us would have rather been doing anything else.  These Bayou Tournaments might not have big stingers with huge weights but they do test your bass fishing skills to the limits.  We still have a couple of tournaments left on are Winter and Spring Series so come test your skills with us!!   Here are the dates and locations.

March 21, 2015 - Buffalo Camp Bayou - Lake Jackson (Launch TBD)
May 16, 2015 - Sabine River - Beaumont Area (Launch TBD)

Before I end this article I have to once more extend thanks to our BBL Sponsors Hook Spit Tackle, Choice Pipeline & Bear's Flooring for Sponsoring the BBL!  Without their help and sponsorship we wouldn't be where we are today.  Hook Spit is allowing the BBL pre-tournament meetings to be held at their store and has also provided store gift card for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishes as well as providing gift cards for raffle! Choice Pipeline & Bear's Flooring has stepped up and is provided the trophies for the tournaments this year! If you are interested in sponsoring the BBL you can contact Jake or Ken on the BBL website or just send me an email at BHOAdventures@gmail.com and I'll put you in touch with them.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

Throw N Thunder: Down To The Wire

About six months ago, I was standing on the back of a boat with an local angler, fishing grass flats for bass, here in Colorado.  The spinnerbait bite was on, and we were having a blast.  I had destroyed three of the baits I had brought with me, and the day was not even half over.  As my anxiety level began to grow about my apparent lack of preparation, there was a jingle at me feet, and my boater was grinning.  He had tossed over a new spinnerbait, and instructed me to give it a try. He said it was a "hand-me-down" given to him in a similar situation.  He then went on to explain how he had since caught numbers of fish on it with no problems at all. I thought to myself, being the third "owner" of this bait, that perhaps this ole boy might be a bit of an exaggerator. I know, hard to believe in this industry. However, after another five hours and countless fish later, there I was with this spinnerbait still tied on, still catching fish. I was intrigued.  I had to know more.  After a little bit of research and a lot of pulling teeth, I discovered that this particular spinnerbait was manufactured in Indiana by a company called Throw N Thunder Lure Company.  It was then that I was finally introduced to a tackle company "gets it."

I am one of those people that will go to lengths to learn more when something catches my eye, so naturally, bugging Throw N Thunder was not something that was out of the question for me. Actually, it was the first thing I did. Scott and Russ Dorsey.  Legends in my book.  Fantastic angers, amazing Spinnerbait manufacturers, and apparently very, very sociable people.  They have a gamut of people full of knowledge all over the country full of great info and die hard loyalty to their brand.  For good reason I'd soon find out!  From our first phone conversation, I knew I was on to something special.  In speaking with Scott about their products, I discovered that not only are they great at what they do, but they have  method and a vision driving their success; QUALITY.  From the way they make their baits, to the materials in which they use, all the way down to their willingness to help each and every individual customer.  These are three qualities that are hard to find from my experience, let alone within the same establishment.

Russ Dorsey started making these baits for himself and friends a long time ago.  With his elite building abilities, naturally, the demand grew beyond a hobby.  Scott Dorsey, came on a while later to help with production, innovation, an to help with the marketing and PR aspects of the business.  Hiding in the background of this company, is what I would call a "mafia" of skilled, talented and VERY charismatic characters contributing to its success.

Throw N Thunder stakes its name on its materials.  They use only the best tune-able titanium wire, literally the backbone of these baits.  The flexibility, pliability, and durability of the wire is what sets them WAY apart from the rest of the industry. They go on to use the highest quality silicone skirts.  Double ball bearing swivels, and the industry's finest hooks; Mustad.  These baits are hand painted or air brushed, then clear coated for the prettiest, most effective and durable presentations. When all is said and done, there can be nothing less than a happy customer at the other end of the deal.

I would strongly encourage you to check them out.  One day on the water with Throw N Thunder's products will forever raise your expectations out of a spinnerbait.  To check them out here are some quick links.

Website - http://www.thrownthunderlures.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/thrownthunder 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Thrown-Thunder-Lure-Company

I choose Throw N Thunder because when the money is on the line, it simply comes "down to the wire."  See you on the water!

David Hume

@humeprobass

facebook.com/david.hume.9828

Introducing the Ascension

As you may know I'm on the Pro Staff for Dunamis Rods and if you have read any of my articles or seen any of my videos you will know I absolutely love these rods.  You see a while back I needed a spinner bait rod as I'd tried a few of the name brand spinner bait rods on the market without success.  No matter which brand I tried I had the same results which was losing 50% of the bass that I had hit.  I couldn't for the life of me figure out exactly what was happening and needed help badly.  So I decided to take a chance on a little known custom rod company called Dunamis Rods.  I contacted them on Twitter to start with but was soon talking with the man himself.  I knew Josh was my kind of guy after talking with him for a short time as he is just a real down to earth good ole boy that couldn't lie if his life depended on it.  After this short chat we got got down to the nitty gritty on my spinner bait problem and I hoped the rod that would solve those problems.  Josh asked me questions that I would have never thought of about my style of fishing.  He also asked exactly what was happening when I was fishing a spinner bait.  After I had answered these questions Josh knew what was wrong and also knew how to fix my problem.  The only thing that was left was to tell him how I wanted my rod to look.  My Dunamis Spinner Bait rod arrived about a month later and it was pretty, I mean stone cold pretty, but looks are only one thing.   The next fishing trip was going to be an all day trip throwing spinner baits and testing this new rod.  Well the rod passed the test with flying colors as I caught a ton of bass on a spinner bait and only lost one.  The one I lost really wasn't the new rods fault either as the trailer folded back and covered the hook on me.  From that day on I was a Dunamis man!!!  Shortly after I became a member of the Team Dunamis Pro Staff and haven't looked back.

Now this article isn't about how I fell in love with Dunamis Rods and became a member of their Pro Staff.  I did have to tell that part of the story so you understand why I have full trust in the Rods that are built by Josh at Dunamis Rods.   This article is really about a new idea that Josh has come up with and I mean to tell you this idea really has this ole bass fisherman very excited.  What if I told you you could get a custom rod at the price of one of those big name rods at the big tackle shops?  Interested, I sure hope so as the new Ascension rods from Dunamis is going to be a household word in the fishing world really soon!  Now there is a little bit of a catch to the Ascension as it isn't a fully custom rod.  You don't get the choices of any fancy stuff with these rod, but what you do get is a state of the art rod built with the very best components and made right here in the good ole U.S. of A!  You do get to select is your choice of spinning or casting rods, and you can so pick between a white or gunmetal rod blank and foam or cork grips.  You also get to select the length, rod action and tip speed of the rod.  So basically you are going a custom rod below the cost of a custom rod.  I even bet that if you have question on the action and tip speed that is right for the type of fishing you will be doing, ole Josh would be more than happy to help.

Yes I'm on the Dunamis Pro Staff and can fish any rod they build, but I'm going to be fishing an Ascension.  In fact my Ascension Finesse Spinning rod is on the way as we speak and I'll be fishing it in a tournament next weekend.  That alone should say something about how I truly feel about these new rods and how much I trust Dunamis.  I'm going to be taking a new rod a prototype none the less and using it during a tournament without ever fishing it before.  Yes I trust them that much!!

My Ascension Spinning Rod Prototype

Those high end rods at those big tackle stores are going to cost you $150.00 to $200.00 and in a lot of cases even more.  Then you don't get much of a choice in selection, heck most of them don't even tell what action and tip speed of the rod you are buying.  All they say is "Worm Rod" or "Jig Rod" and they were designed and built on specifications from someone else and you had absolutely no say in the matter.  Now what if I told you for the same money you could own a Dunamis Ascension?  That's right they only cost you  $179.00 and that is a hand made one at a time rod.  That is not all either as all Ascension Rods come with the same Life Time Guarantee of all Dunamis Rods.  The Ascension is a tournament quality rod that you will be proud to fish and show off to your fishing buddies.  Really folks the bottom line here is you will be getting a much better rod, a rod that you get to select, that will have a life time guarantee, plus it will be Made in the USA.  This is all for the same money as you would spend for a rod at those big tackle stores that is made somewhere in Asia and has little or no guarantee once you walk out the door.  For me that is an easy choice to make; Dunamis Ascension all the way!!

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

Halls Bayou 2-14-2015

I was able to slip off this morning to do a little fishing on Halls Bayou as a prep for next weekend's tournament.  I only fished about 3 hours but was able to find out what I wanted to know.  I didn't fish any area hard as I want those fish to bite next weekend.   The water is still a little on the muddy side but improving.  There are areas that are better than others but I'm not going to put that here so maybe one of my spots will be open next weekend.  The water temps were between 58 and 62 depending on the area, but those are prime temps for good fishing.

The first area I hit was one that I'd been getting a pretty good swim jig bite and didn't take too many casts before it was fish on.  No big girls but some good keepers were hammering the ole Santone Lures Rayburn Swim Jig with a Creme Lures Reel Scremer as the trailer. I was also adding some Rage Fish Attractants Liquid Mayhem in the Garlic Minnow favor. I didn't fish here long and moved off to my second spot.

At the second and third spots I found bass also and they were hammering Creme Lures Scoundrel Worms fished on Santone Lures Football Piglet shaky heads.  Of course I was also putting on some Rage Fish Attractants Liquid Mayhem in the Garlic Minnow favor. 

 One thing for sure if you put Liquid Mayhem on your bait you don't have to worry about short strikes or hit and spits.  The bass try to take your bait down all the way on the first grab!!

Not only were the bass loving the Scoundrel, Piglet and Liquid Mayhem as the Redfish also decided to play today as well.  Let me tell you if you want a good fight then hook up with a Red on a Finesse Rig with 6lb Test Line, it is a blast and takes a while to get them to the boat.

For now I'm liking what I've found but there is a chance of rain the first part of next week that might factor into the tournament.  With the water clearing nicely we really don't need anymore rain.  The ground in the area can't hold any more water so it is all going to run off and muddy up the bayous again even worse than they are now.  I've got my fingers crossed we don't get any more rain and my patterns hold for next weekend.  When I make the tournament report I'll put in more detail than I have here.  Don't want to give away too many of my secrets before the tournament.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

Bayou Bassin' League - Halls Bayou Tournament

That is right folks it is quickly going to be that time again as the Bayou Bassin' League will be hosting a tournament on Halls Bayou on February 21st.  There will be a tournament registration meeting at Hook Spit Tackle Shop at 6:00 PM on the 20st.  Hook Spit is located at 2800 West Main St. in League City between Landing Way Drive and Amber Lane.

This is a team (2 Man) tournament with an entry fee of $60 per team.  The launch and weigh-in will be at the Hall Bayou Fish Camp, located at 11721 Landrum Rd, Santa Fe, TX 77510.  The Start time will be at 7:00 AM or when it is light enough to safely leave the ramp.  Weigh-in will be at 3:00 PM and you need to be in the weigh-in line to at 3:00 PM to qualify.

As always the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Big Bass will receive cash prizes and 1st, 2nd and Big Bass will receive awesome trophies!! This is a great time of year to be Bayou Bassin' and Halls Bayou is a great place to go catch some nice bass. The water is improving and the bass should really be feeding and staging up for the spawn so look for some good bags to be weighed in.

For more and up-to-date information on this tournament you can visit the BBL Website at Bayou Bassin' League or their Facebook page at Bayou Bassin League Facebook

Until next time Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!

All Braids Aren't Created Equal!!

Until just recently I thought all braid lines on the market were about equal.  Well that is most of them I'll say as there are a few I'd never consider using again.  About a month ago I picked up some FINS XS Braid and after the first day of fishing it I was truly impressed.  I would have had some video of me fishing it too, but that was also the day I lost my GoPro and the video I shot was lost with the camera.  Sorry, I'm still a bit upset about that but lets move on about this FINS Braid. The XS is made from 8 Strands of Spectra Fibers and this really makes this line round.  It even feels round to the touch and it also feels smaller than most of the other Braids.  It is a lot quieter than most of the other braids too and that is also attributed to it being so round.  No it is not as quiet as Mono or Fluoro, sorry.

 
When I started the day I had new FINS on all my casting rods and have to say I wasn't sure if it was any different from the rest to start.  If you've fished braid much you will know that it takes some time for it to break in so to speak.  Well it only took about 10-12 cast before I started seeing a difference and by the end of the day all I can say is WOW!  I was making some really long casts into the wind and was having no real problems with backlashes.  Sure I'd be telling a lie if I said I was casting into the wind with no backlashes, but the ones I did have were very small and easy to get out.  I did catch one really good fish on it too in heavy timber so I had my drag locked down pretty tight.  Normally when I do this and catch a good fish the next cast sucks.  This is because the line bites down into the spool when setting the hook and fighting a fish on a tight drag.  Then the next cast will bind when it gets to that spot and stops your lures momentum.  This did not happen with the FINS XS on the next cast.

Now I know what you are thinking.  You are thinking why didn't I mention this new line when I did that report on the Lake Fayette trip, right?  I really wish I had a better reason than I just plain forgot, but that is the reason.  I guess I was too upset about the camera and just forgot to say anything.  The good news is I've fished the Bayou with this line now and I purposely didn't say anything in that report so that I could write an article just about this line.  Speaking of the Bayou; it is tough on line and that is especially true when you are fishing the laid down timber like I was this past weekend.  The reason for this is the Bayous are brackish water and just about every piece of timber in the water have barnacles all over them.  These barnacles cut line like a hot knife through butter and they are very tough even on braid!!  Well right before I started writing this article I did a check to see how the line had fared.  The truth is I couldn't find one nick or wear mark on the line that is on my Swim Jig or Flipping rods.  So not only is FINS XS very castable it is also a very tough customer and can withstand even the tough cover like barnacle encrusted timber.  Yes I know you have gone back to the Bayou article by now and check to see the line and are saying that don't look like braid.  You are right as I was running about a 6 foot Fluoro leader.  Now the leader did have some nick in it from the barnacles.  If you want a good knot for connecting Fluoro to Braid then check out my buddy Joey Randall's video.

Bottom line here folks is I'm going to highly recommend that you give FINS braids a try.  I'm going to get some of their 10lb Wind Tamer Braid for my Finesse Spinning setup also and give it a try so there might be another article in the works soon.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!

Halls Bayou 2-7-2015

We have our next Bayou Bassin' League tournament on Halls Bayou in a couple of weeks.  With all the rains we have had the bayous in the area still have off colored water, though the water conditions have been improving in the last week.  What I found when I arrived was very improved water color, but not what I would consider great water.  The water temperature ranged from 55 to 58 degrees depending on the area and the color also differed as well.  The tide was coming in but there really wasn't a lot of water movement. 

I started the morning fishing a Santone Lures Rattlin' Jig with a Creme Lure Company Same Thing Beaver for a trailer.  Normally this time of year and water temperature this combo is deadly when fished in the laid down timber.  This was not true for this day as I couldn't draw a strike on this combo. I switched to a Santone Lures Rayburn Swim Jig with a Creme Lure Company Reel Scremer as the trailer and did get one bass and missed another on it, but still I thought there might be something that worked better.

I tried spinnerbaits and chatterbaits with no takers so I switched to a Santone Lures Football Piglet shaky head with a Creme Lure Company Same Thing Straight Tail worm.  This did get hit and it was a pretty good fish, but light tackle and laid down timber don't mix so the fish got off and I lost my Piglet.  Thinking I might be onto something, I put this same combo on heavier tackle to see if that would work, but I didn't get another hit.

I decided to make a run to a location that had been good in the past and also go back to the Rayburn Swim Jig and Reel Scremer combo.  This provide to be the ticket for the day.  I caught 5 more bass with most being between 14-15 inches.  I'm sorry I don't have more pictures as I normally would have been video taping the trip.  If you read my last blog article you will know why the video camera was not running.  I did however remember to take a picture of the best fish of the day.  This girl would push 3lbs.

How was I working the swim jig combo you might ask.  Well it wasn't anything fancy as I was just casting it up near the base of the laid down timber and then just slow rolling it back to the boat.  When ever I hit a branch I'd pause and let the jig fall for a second and normally that is when it got hammered. I was also using some Rage Fish Attranctants Liquid Mayhem in the Garlic Minnow favor.  This really makes the bass hold onto the bait when they hit and gives you a chance to get a good hook set.

I wish I could bring you better news about Halls Bayou.  It isn't in the best conditions but if you work at it you can catch some bass and might even get a good one to boot.  Just remember to fish your baits slow in the off colored water.  If we don't get any more hard rains the water conditions should improve over the next few weeks.

Until next time, Tight Lines and Take a Kid Fishing!!!