Follow your Instincts

Yesterday I had to make a decision as to what lake to fish. I first planned on going to the city park, but then decided to go to the bigger lakes. I haven't fished the city park in a while so I decided to go with my first choice.

Met up with the regulars there, cast, clean up some grass caught in my rig. On of my buddies misses a fish on the Ika and tells me to cast where he misses, he tells me further, reel it back in and cast exactly where he told me to. within 10 seconds, solid hit! I tell him it feels nice but not too big, and say thanks for the fish! It then shows it's muscles as it strips line on my Shimano Core, and jumps into the air! SOLID FISH that looks at least 6 lbs! I get it near shore and it pulls hard to the right, bring it back close, then it pulls hard again! This time it burys itself into the weeds. I had to wait it out since I love finesse fishing and I only have 8 lb line. After three attempts at getting into the weeds I finally tire it and bring it close to shore, but at that time it already wrapped me in a pound of weeds, I'm reeling in dead weight with the grass and a lunker bass on the end of the line. Lip it and it's not quite 6 but definitely 5 lbs! Get the scale and sure enough, exactly 5 lbs! Biggest fish for me at that lake, and it only took 3 casts!

Fish was caught using a 6" Roboworm Sexy Shad Color, drop shotting. My rod was a Shimano Cumara CUC68M, reel was the Shimano Core 100mg, with 8# Seaguar INVIZX Fluorocarbon. I love the Seaguar line!

Today was a hot day!

And full of tiny bass! This week has been wacky! Next week time to fish some flukes and cranks!

New Shimano Products!

Man looks like I'll be coughing up some money soon! The rumors were true! Since going to the Fred Hall show, I was anxious waiting for what the new rod would be. The Shimano rep told me a new Cumara was in the works, a Crankbait version. Sure enough, Shimano introduced the Cumara Reaction Series at last weeks ICAST, and it's Graphite! Check my older post for more information from TackleTour

Next product is one I surely will acquire soon. When Shimano Japan introduced the Aldebaran (lighter than the Daiwa Steez) a couple of months ago I wanted it, but at $380 and no warranty since it's a JDM product, I wasn't ready to jump on it. Then rumors started about a new MG reel coming out during ICAST, I then knew that it would be the Aldebaran.

Introducing the new Shimano Core 50mg! (The U.S. version of Aldebaran)
Same as the Japan reel even with bearing supported knobs! Only better, since I like the Core color scheme of Black and Red. Only problem is that it's only going to be out at a 7:0:1 retrieve ratio. $369.99 is now what I need to save up for this bad boy!

I'm most likely going to get the reel only since I'm fine with my Phenix Crankbait rod, but then again, I'm a big Shimano fan I might just get both the rod & reel.

Here's more information on what was released at last weeks ICAST from the TackleTour site:

Shimano ICAST Coverage

Been a while...

But I'm still piercing those bass' lips! The last trips I've dedicated to wacky rigging finesse worms and it sure has been killer (see older post). Before my family vacation to Yosemite, I had a chance to fish with Taka once more before he left to Japan for the summer, that day I got four fish all on the wacky rig. I came back from the vacation urging to fish! but Saturday was my dogs big event! the Wiener Nationals in which he placed 3rd!

I've fished 2 days since I came back and landed seven fish in those trips. The majority of the fish were not picture worthy, but it shows that the wacky rig is perfect! Today was my 2nd day out on the water and it resulted in two fish, one of those was my first rattle trap fish and the only fish that I did not catch using the wacky rig technique.

Day 1: Morning Session (3 hr period)
4 fish, only one of size (2 1/4 lbs)















Day 1: Evening Session Different Location (40 minute period)
1 fish, 2 lbs




















Day 2: Morning Session (2 hr Period)
2 fish






















































Thank You www.fishaddix.com for the courtesy Shirt!

ICAST 09' Just a Week Away!

Can't wait to see all the new gear coming out for 2009-2010 season. Rumors were true about the new Shimano Cumara. Visit TackleTour for a preview of the new "Reaction" Cumara series.



Look at the bend to this rod! It's all graphite too! Hard to believe right?










There are also rumors of a new reel Shimano will be introducing to the U.S.

Could it be? The Shimano Aldebaran? I sure hope so. At only 5.5 oz, it's lighter than the Steez, making it the lightest baitcaster reel in the market.











For more information on ICAST 2009, Visit their website:

http://www.icastfishing.org/

Not Catching with a Dropshot?

Try Wacky rigging a worm. Instead of having your worm at a fixed length like in a dropshot rig, vary it by using the wacky rig. With the correct weight and worm, you can control the rate at which it sinks and catch finicky bass shaking your worm right in front of their nose. Wacky rigging places your worm in the strike zone longer making sure those bass will inhale it.

There are many hooks and worms made specifically for this technique, but my personal favorite is the 1/16 oz Odz Chotto Shank Hook, rigged with a Jackall Flick Shake Worm in any size. I find that the 1/16 oz rigged with the 5.8 Flick Shake falls at a perfect rate rigged on 8# Fluorocarbon. See for yourself! I got four fish in one hour! All of different sizes, big or small, the bass love it!

For more information on the wacky rig, go here:
Wacky Rigging Soft Plastics

The Joy of Catching Your First Bass

Bought my little brother a fishing license, and he proceeds to school me. Let the addiction begin!

Happy 4th of July!

Now go buy some tackle! 15% off everything at Tackle Warehouse.

In case you didn't hear...

The Record for the heaviest Largemouth Bass might have been broken, and it isn't here in CA. It was caught at Lake Biwa, in Japan. Here is part of the original post, from www.calfishing.com:

This just went down a couple of hours ago, so I wanted my buddy Rob's bass site to be the first to have it.

Certified weight: 10.12 kg. = 22 lb. 5 oz
Length: 29.4 inches
Location caught: Lake Biwa, Japan

This was just on the TV news about an hour ago, so this is all the info I have. Mr. Okamura, the president of Deps Tackle Co., helped with the interview; I did not catch the anglers name.

We are well past the spawning season when most of the giants are caught at Lake Biwa; most of the fish now are quiet slender (after spawn condition). Not this one!

Congrats to the angler on a fine catch.

Lake Biwa shocked the bass world a couple years ago by producing a bass that was well over 18 pounds (The Japan record was caught at Lake Ikehara, and weighted over 19 pounds.).

A 25 1/2 lb. bass was caught as by catch in a fisherman's net earlier this year, so many thought it would be just a matter of time before a record size fish was taken from Japan's largest (over 70 miles long) natural lake.

An interesting side note about this catch:

"George Perry's world-record bass weighed in at 22 pounds, 4 ounces. By IGFA rules, any fish under 25 pounds that is a contender for world-record status must top the current world record by two ounces. It seems all this bass may do is tie."

I say, GIVE HIM THE RECORD IF IT DOES INDEED WEIGH MORE!

My new blog...

So I decided to start a blog about my daily happenings, which is mainly Bass Fishing! So lets get started shall we.

This week has been a good one for fishing; I did not fish as much as I liked, but the days I did, I got some solid fishes! I fished the local waters (city parks) and everyone knows how tough these types of lakes can be. Knowing the conditions to the lake is the key to catching fish. There are many things to look out for; water color, water clarity, weather, and the list goes on.

"Lake A" had stained water, but still somewhat visible. My lure choice for this was the 6" Roboworm in the Morning Dawn color. This color I believe would stand out enough, and drop shotting it would make it very visible to the bass lurking in the water without snagging grass in the bottom. Sure enough, it produced this city park beauty:



The very next day, I went to "Lake B" which is a special lake in where it does not use reclaimed water, which is why the water is crystal clear. Color choices at this lake would be natural shad colors. My three choices were the Morning Dawn, Sexy Shad, and Baby Bluegill, all of which produced bites, but the Sexy Shad produced this Sexy Bass!



So remember, choose your colors wisely, and please Capture & Release!