Learned to Downsize

[jglassguy]

MATCH THE HATCH
Started today with a pearl Bass 'sassin 2 inch minnow grub along with some Kalin 2 inch craw grub, a lindy
glide minnow, all on 1/16th ounce leadhead.
Thought today would be as hot as yesterday, got out in the boat only to find it like a sheet of glass and sprinkling.
I take out a spinning outfit that I am learning to hate : actually its one that I've had for 15 years, but anywho, I still dont like the way it wraps line after being used to years with baitcasters...
I throw out and am hopping the bait..10- 15 minutes , nothing, I move shallow and get bit, a keeper but looks like she's been on SlimFast...
I go out to the dam an Â*hit a few more, and am thinking to hell with this small stuff, I get out the Shimano Citica
with a huge 4 inch Gene Larew black n blue craw, flip it up by some tree and pull out a nice 3 pounder, thinking this is more like it.
Did some more flips and for some reason picked up a #7 perch Rapala and threw it, felt good to crank for a change, but no takers.
Got out a clown rogue that had been altered, a candy coat of see through blue paint on top, a trick from Ky. lake, and threw in this small cut, as soon as it hit the water another keeper inhaled it, I was telling Denny the middle treble sish ka bobbed the bass's tongue and the other hook had its gill plate.
So where does the downsizing come in to play you ask?
Â*I finally settled down with the grubs again , fished over the same ledge drop I had been hitting yesterday, and had a hay day, they made me work for them, but
I ended up with dozens of bass, some felt like they were swimming with it towards me before I set the hook.
As I was taking the boat back I happened to look at the reeds and saw minnows everywhere that were the exact same size as the grubs I had thrown today, this old mans voice came to mind, many years ago I'd hear these guys that taught me to bass fish,
"Ya gotta match the hatch" throw a lure that is size of fish they are feeding on...

Here I am with a ton of regular bass lures, and this crappy little grub is my hero of the day..Ya keep learning I guess..I am going to order a ****load of these grubs Â*from basspro lmao..its a disease isn't it sometimes...
[img] Â* http://www.kalinlures.com/product/441G_rg.jpg Â* Â* Â*[/img] Â*KALINS 2 INCH BROWN CRAW GRUB

[don_P]

Great job again Jb, what color should we get the bass for a tongue ring? gold or silver : ;D.I went out there shortly after talking to Jb and he said they were on fire.
I got out there and the clouds left and it was very bright
out there,it was like hearing a knock on the door during sex....it kills everything...lolol....hehe..oh well Im glad for
ya Jb
Denny

[Rich]

its a disease isn't it sometimes

Only sometimes ;D?

Sounds like you had a good day, JB.glad you caught some.

[jglassguy]

I would go out tonight Denny but dont wanna come down off this big fish day "high"

Tomorrow it will probably be something dif, ya know?
Even tho they are feeding on small frey, I am sure they are sick of seeing my grub on this particular dropoff, I threw bach tons of crappies today that were present,
I kept about 18 to clean, gave away all the filllets yesterday after I had about 2 skillets full of fillets that were cut in 2 inch squares with breading and then cajun red pepper sprinkled on them..yum

[jglassguy]

thanks Reb,

it was good to stay out there for a longer period of time , I went at 8 and stayed until 1:20
usually I cant seem to fish more than 3 hours with out them turning off and I end up going back to the ramp..

[OhioBass]

[quote author=Rebbasser link=board=news;num=1117488692;start=0#2 date=05/30/05 at 17:40:44]

Only sometimes ;D?

Sounds like you had a good day, JB.glad you caught some.[/quote]
Much Agreed

[jglassguy]

Havent caught a female yet with eggs yet all the panfish are full of eggs, I thought bass spawned before the panfish, either that or I am catching the jacks(male)
Â*When they hit those big baits they really thump em.
The small grub they just inhale and keep on 'truckin'
[img] Â* Â* Â*http://www.alamut.com/images/2000_misc/truckin_Blue.jpg Â* Â*[/img]
Largemouth bass may spawn when water temperatures range from 60 to 75oF (late March-early May), but peak time usually occurs during a full moon when water temperatures range from 65-70oF. Nests are constructed by the males on firm substrate in shallow water in areas of no current or wave action. A male seeks out a ripe female and induces her to spawn through repeated physical contact. The spawning pair makes repeated passes over the nest, depositing eggs which sink and adhere to the bottom. Several females may spawn in the nest of a single male. Males devote considerable time to guarding the nest, sometimes for several weeks and do not feed during this time. Sexual maturity is usually reached within 2 to 3 years. A female may produce 2,000 to 145,000 eggs.

Two sunfish species which may be of interest to area anglers are redear sunfish and bluegill. The redear sunfish spawn usually peaks around 68-70oF (April-May), while bluegill start later in the season and peak around 72-78oF (May-June). Both species may spawn more than once each year. Colonies of nests, which are roundish depressions about twice the diameter of the constructing male, are found in shallow water in various substrates, but gravel is preferred. Females spawn in the nests of several males. The males guard the nest only until the eggs hatch. Both species sexually mature at ages 1 to 2 and each female produces 2,000 - 80,000 eggs.

[sabass]

jb, how you rigging up that grub? On just a hook, leadhead jig, texas, carolina, or spinner? Never have used grubs much, did pick up a couple bags in chartruse and a shad/red a couple months back, but haven't done much fishing with them. I've been training myself to downsize (as hard as it is sometimes to not just target a BIG bass, and sometimes those BIG bass would rather see something small), and have had HUGE sucess catching not only more fish, but more quality fish as well. Part of it being the clear waters, matching the hatch a little better, and an increase in fishing pressures the last few months as the temps rise and more people get out on the water. Sometimes downsizing is the single most effective adjustment someone could make over the course of a fishing day. There was a chart I saw a long long time ago that showed 4 different sizes of bass and next to each bass was the size bait that was prefered for that sized bass. They were much smaller than what one would typically think.

[bronzebackguy]

I also had to downsize this weekend, the fishing pressure was so heavy at the reservior we camped at that the fish wouldnt touch anything but a 4" worm on a drop shot rig, once I switched I started slamming fish left and right,

[jglassguy]

rob,
I am just sliding (threading) the grub on a 1/16th ounce
jighead hook
Ya may try 1/8 ounce for bigger hook gap