New Lake Day 3

[brett]

Same lake, different results. Late summer now, weather is impacting the fish.

[John Bales]

Brett, What does the structure look like that you are sitting on. What is the water color of the lake you are fishing and how deep do you think most fish came from. Were the fish on a break or a breakline? What made you throw the stupid alabama rig? How did you position the boat in relationship to the structure you were fishing and why? How many lure types did you try to control depth and speed before going to the A rig and again why settle for the a rig? Why did you try so many lures? Do you think there are fishermen out there that would troll that spot and say that the fish just aren't here right now right after they troll it. How many do not anchor and check out the slower speeds? Are you still a spoonplugger being that you did not catch the fish on a spoonplug? Explain why you would throw an a rig after catching a shad. I don't get it. Buck says you should jump a jump bait yet you just reeled steady and slow. What's the deal with that? I know you are doing real well on this lake when most of us are struggling with the weather and water conditions. How do you explain your success when no one else is catching much? What do you give the credit to? John

[brett]

Ha ha thanks for the questions John. Since I have discussed this lake with you many times I know you know all the answers to the questions you are asking. And of course most of the answers you already would have figured out since you were the one that taught me first. Yes it would be great to get some questions going, that's why you made this post. I have asked hundreds of questions of you and so many great spoonpluggers on this forum and it's how I have learned almost everything I know. Asking questions is the best way to get an answer. At the Indiana outing I grilled Denny Coulardot about his blue gill set up. He put it on paper for me many years ago and I found out at your outing this year that he's made some slight adjustments. I wouldn't have know unless I asked. I'll put up a video on that rig at some point, my kids and I have had great fun with it thanks to Denny. Anyway, I am putting up these videos for many reasons. First, I am enjoying having something to talk to on the water quite honestly. Second, I hope some bits of interesting knowledge come through because I want to give back to this community that has given me so much. So of course I welcome all questions that's what this is for. I've learned from Buck's writings and now watching Don's videos and from asking hundreds of questions of my mentors - John Bales, Jerry Borst, Jim Duplex, Mark Brown and many more of you here and at outings and on the phone. After all of that I still learn something new every day to add to my knowledge and maybe there is a little I can offer back. Otherwise they are just fishing videos and there's nothing wrong with having a little fun. With that said I'll take on a couple of your questions anyway and happy to answer all of them if anyone is actually interested.

How many do not anchor and check out slower speeds you ask?
Well I think there are quite a few spoonpluggers that don't, either because they just enjoy trolling more than casting or they don't have the proper casting tools, I don't know why but I do know that more need to go to the cast. And so another reason for these videos is to show non-spoonpluggers that we aren't just trollers because that perception is out there and I wish we could draw more young folks into spoonplugging and maybe getting rid of that perception will help.
Are you still a spoonplugger being that you did not catch the fish on a spoonplug?
John I know you have run into this question yourself a few times. Buck sez "The full meaning of the word SPOONPLUGGING includes knowledge of fish, his habits, and reactions to certain stimuli, etc. It also involves presentation of lures in the correct manner. By controlling the lures to take advantage of the knowledge of his habits and reactions, the fish can then be located, made to strike, and be put on the stringer." So, I think Buck answers that question pretty well here, aren't we all here to make a catch and keep learning along the way? I think Buck also answers your questions on the a-rig and the different lure types I've been using (John thank you for pushing me to add the a-rig to my arsenal by the way!) - it's simply to check different depths and speeds on the contact points that I found by using the knowledge gained from being a spoonplugger.

Brett