Swimbaits Part 4: Fish Care

The way the breeze felt coming across the water, the angle of the sun in the morning light, and the way that giant bass looked when she jumped next to the boat will be remembered long after your first trophy fish has been released. There is something special about catching a big bass that instantly memorialises the moment in one’s memory.
Years later you’ll look back and remember the experience like it was playing out for the very first time. When replaying those moments that last thing you want to consider is whether or not that fish survived the experience. By treating your catch with respect and care you can virtually insure that she was returned to the water safely.
There is nothing greater than watching the fish of a lifetime swim casually back to deep water and few experiences darker than watching the same fish lose it’s life before it could be set free. If you fish for trophy bass long enough the day will come when one of your catches doesn’t survive the ordeal. Speaking from my own experience, it is a sad day.
Follow these quick tips to ensure that your next bass is able to swim away in the same condition that you first found her in.

Let’s hear your thoughts. Is there something I missed? Now is your chance to chime in and share your own experiences.

Swimbaits Part 3: Where to Fish

By now you’ve made the decision to bring one rod on your next trip to the lake, you’ve chosen your bait and you know when to fish. The odds are beginning to lean in your favor of catching a bass on a swimbait. The next step is to focus in on where to throw the bait once you arrive. The lake is vast and the options are endless. There are points, humps, ridges, ledges, coves, inlets, outflows, foundations, trees, brush, and grass lines. What do you do?
Get a map out of your favorite lake. Remove all your mental blocks that currently determine where you should and should not fish. Look at the map with a new perspective and then watch this video.

Targeting trophy bass is really quite simple. Catching them can be another matter but knowing where they live is not that difficult. These bass are the masters of their domain. The choose the best spots with the easiest access to food and they typically roam very little. Once you have located the fish in your lake it will just be a matter of putting in the time to catch them.
I hope you’ve found this video helpful and I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Swimbaits part 2: When to Fish

While you may be the exception to the rule, most anglers don’t get a single bite on their first outing with big baits. After surviving a day of drudgery (let’s face it, those first days are tough) a plethora of new questions have probably arisen. Most of those question revolve around doubt and fear that you’re doing it wrong.
Chief among the questions of doubt is whether you’re even fishing when the bass are biting. Let’s get this one out of the way as quickly as possible. First off, there is never a wrong time to throw a swimbait. That said, there are certain times when the odds of you being successful are much higher than other times.

My suggestion to you is to pay attention to the little details as you continue on your journey. Each fish you catch can be a memory soon forgotten or provide you with tidbits and clues that will lead to future success. The difference is simply whether or not you choose to pay attention.
I recommend you begin logging your significant catches. Don’t spend hours journaling but jotting a few lines about a successful (or brutally tough) day can provide insights down the road. You will begin to see patterns develop and soon you will see when the best times to fish your local fisheries really are.

Goals for 2011

The new year is fast approaching. To the average angler its a time to remember a few good days, a few bad days, and to wonder what next year will be like. To the studious angler however, this is a time for great reflection.
Whether you are a business man, an employee, a hunter, or a fisherman the importance of goal setting is universal.
If you are serious about your angling the ending of a year is a time for reflection, change, and renewal. Were you happy with the past season? What went right, wrong, good, or bad and what can you do to improve in the future?
A fisherman without goals is just fun fishing. When you set goals and put them on paper they become concrete. You now have something to weigh yourself against and to measure your progress. This is KEY to growing and developing each year.

After watching the video you get a feel for some of my goals. I want this year to be better than last year. Don’t misunderstand, I’m greatful for every fish I have caught. Every two pounder is appreciated and enjoyed just like the 5 pounders and 10 pounders, but my eye stays on the prize. My goals are not finalized, they’ll be modified over the next week. When they are finalized I will respond back here with them in the comments section.
So, what are you goals for 2011? How do you want it to differ from 2010? Post a comment and share. What species do you pursue and what do you want to catch? Is it a specific size, a specific number, or is it just a species you’ve never caught before? Whatever it is, its important to get it in writing. If that writing is in a public place (tacticalbassin) then you are even more apt to be successful. Note, I’m not sharing my goals in order to brag (I haven’t caught the 15 lber in 2011 yet) but by sharing it with you I become accountable and even more likely to succeed.
On that note, let the goal setting begin. I look forward to reading all of your goals and dreams in the coming weeks.