Ok here is my first discussion topic on the site and I am taking a different angle. I was just recently reading an article in Bass Times about the new Yamaha SHO. I have a TR20X with a Yamaha 225 HPDI, so of course I was interested. Well the article goes along and decribes that Skeeter and built a boat specifically for this new motor. So the list price of this new 21ft Skeeter FX 21 with a 250SHO was $70K
What??? What??? I mean come on really??? In this economy? I will confess that I have been blessed beyond belief and could swing it if I wanted to.... But really, Y in the heck would I want to drop that. I mean I am still fishing in my 2004 because I do not want to pay $45K for a new one.. Am I out in left field here. I am an admitted fishing junky. I have more tackle than I could ever use, but $70K for a Bass boat. Can you see why the fishing industry seems to be in a slump...
I saw a post earlier that stated the Elite Series should be renamed the Financial Elite Series. Is this how it was when you were growing up? What kind of changes do you think can save what we love to do so much? Thoughts?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Paul Sims on fishing cold cypress
Well, I fished my last tournament of the 2009 season yesterday. It was a tough one. A front had moved in and air temps were in the high 20's at blast off. Water temps were in the mid 40's. I have a very hard time catching fish in cold weather so I went at this tournament with a little different approach than most.
I have read where you really need to slow things down in cold weather. I agree with that. I also here you need to cover a lot of water and hit as many different areas as you can until you find fish. Hmm, I don't know if that is correct thinking or not. The tournament today was held on a lake I am very familiar with, Cross Lake. I fish close to 20 tournaments a year on this lake and I know where the fish are 75% of the time. The problem is getting them to bite. I went into this tournament with a plan. I had a feeling the fish would be on certain trees today. When I say certain trees, I mean that I had 10-15 trees picked out that were in 4-6 feet of water near deeper water. I had two trees in mind that I would start off on that I was 95% sure had a fish on them. My thinking told me to throw everything in the tackle box at these two trees until I got bit. Then I would know a bait that the fish would bite.
Well, I pulled up to the first tree and I started hitting it with a black/blue jig with a blue trailer. After 5 pitches, I switched to a suspending jerk bait. After another 5 cast with the jerkbait I tried a Senko. Nothing on either of these. I then decided to go back to a jig but the second time around I picked the tiny KaRu finesse jig in a craw pattern. First pitch, WHAM!!!. I saw the line twitch and I set the hook blind. My rod just stopped as it loaded up. First fish was a fat slot fish 16 3/4 inches and about three pounds. (I forgot to mention the 14-17 slot on this lake) Well, I now had confidence in a bait. I now hit the 10-15 trees with the finesse jig and I repeated the same routine, on the same trees, ALL DAY.
At the weigh in, I found that only 4 or 5 teams weighed and the most caught was 3 fish. They were the right 3 fish though and that team won with 12 pounds. In all, I caught 11 bass on the day. Remember the slot I was telling you about? I caught 9 slot fish, 1 over that went almost 4lbs, and a 13 inch under. I just didn't catch the right fish. All in all a very good day on the lake for me. I'm guessing I could have weighed about 15lbs if not for the slot limit.
I have read where you really need to slow things down in cold weather. I agree with that. I also here you need to cover a lot of water and hit as many different areas as you can until you find fish. Hmm, I don't know if that is correct thinking or not. The tournament today was held on a lake I am very familiar with, Cross Lake. I fish close to 20 tournaments a year on this lake and I know where the fish are 75% of the time. The problem is getting them to bite. I went into this tournament with a plan. I had a feeling the fish would be on certain trees today. When I say certain trees, I mean that I had 10-15 trees picked out that were in 4-6 feet of water near deeper water. I had two trees in mind that I would start off on that I was 95% sure had a fish on them. My thinking told me to throw everything in the tackle box at these two trees until I got bit. Then I would know a bait that the fish would bite.
Well, I pulled up to the first tree and I started hitting it with a black/blue jig with a blue trailer. After 5 pitches, I switched to a suspending jerk bait. After another 5 cast with the jerkbait I tried a Senko. Nothing on either of these. I then decided to go back to a jig but the second time around I picked the tiny KaRu finesse jig in a craw pattern. First pitch, WHAM!!!. I saw the line twitch and I set the hook blind. My rod just stopped as it loaded up. First fish was a fat slot fish 16 3/4 inches and about three pounds. (I forgot to mention the 14-17 slot on this lake) Well, I now had confidence in a bait. I now hit the 10-15 trees with the finesse jig and I repeated the same routine, on the same trees, ALL DAY.
At the weigh in, I found that only 4 or 5 teams weighed and the most caught was 3 fish. They were the right 3 fish though and that team won with 12 pounds. In all, I caught 11 bass on the day. Remember the slot I was telling you about? I caught 9 slot fish, 1 over that went almost 4lbs, and a 13 inch under. I just didn't catch the right fish. All in all a very good day on the lake for me. I'm guessing I could have weighed about 15lbs if not for the slot limit.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Fishing new waters
Today as I was trying to decide which lake to fish - Caddo, Cross or Black Bayou, I finally picked Black Bayou. Somewhere different, seeking new opportunities. I haven't spent any time on this body of water so today was the day. Fishing new waters. I had been here with my uncle last year just to look around but my unit lost the trail. Where to go, how to get there...30 something degrees...at least the two jackfish smelt like bass - it was a good day on this beautiful water.
Yesterday I was informed that the WBT died. That's right, it died. Rather than sit and wait to find out where I would be fishing 2010, I did what I always do...I went fishin. As my telephone and computer reeked of smoke, all I wanted to do is fish. Will I fish with the guys? I don't know. I am passionate about fishing. I do not consider myself a Pro at anything, but I am passionate. Bought, Caught and Released, that's me. As far as I can tell, fish could care less if I'm a lady. My boat operates perfectly so obviously gender makes no difference there. God will let me know where to go from here and until that is clear, I will continue to fish old and new waters. Change is good most of the time, new opportunities are only new once so I've learned to go with the flow, but I stand firm in my beliefs. I believe God is in control of the flow of the waters..I'm gone fishin! - Kat
Yesterday I was informed that the WBT died. That's right, it died. Rather than sit and wait to find out where I would be fishing 2010, I did what I always do...I went fishin. As my telephone and computer reeked of smoke, all I wanted to do is fish. Will I fish with the guys? I don't know. I am passionate about fishing. I do not consider myself a Pro at anything, but I am passionate. Bought, Caught and Released, that's me. As far as I can tell, fish could care less if I'm a lady. My boat operates perfectly so obviously gender makes no difference there. God will let me know where to go from here and until that is clear, I will continue to fish old and new waters. Change is good most of the time, new opportunities are only new once so I've learned to go with the flow, but I stand firm in my beliefs. I believe God is in control of the flow of the waters..I'm gone fishin! - Kat
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