First 2010 tournament
 

Glad to see you are fishing and catching a few. Always look forward
to reading your posts, especially in the winter.
Gary

First 2010 tournament
 

I do try to vary my baits, but also am bad about going to my
confidence bait under those circumstances and wearing it out. I figure
I just have to get the bait in front of a hungry bass - if there is
one on the lake.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

First 2010 tournament
 

On Jan 29, 9:14*am, Gary Wilber wrote:
Glad to see you are fishing and catching a few. *Always look forward
to reading your posts, especially in the winter.
Gary

Thanks - as much as I love fishing Wisconsin I don't think I could
stand it up there this time of year.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

First 2010 tournament
 

"Ronnie" wrote in message
...
Sunday - January 24, 2010 - Day 23 - one day missed

Muddy winter fishing conditions can be tough. I usually go for a loud crank
bait or a spinner bait tied on and slow crank everything that might hold
fish. Something red or black or purple. Colors that have a high contrast.

I've got a buddy with more patience than me. He finds vertical trees and
flips with a giant black and blue jig in those conditions, or a giant white
jig. Something he also does during one of our rare alga blooms. I've
watched him and it takes patience to do what he does. Pitch to the tree and
feed line so the bait drops vertically within and inch of the main trunk.
Let it sit unmolested for several seconds and then drag it very slowly away
from the tree. Painfully slow. Pause, drag until its several feet away.
Then hit the same tree again. He says he doesn't fee he has worked the main
trunk properly unless he has gotten a perfect presentation on atleast 3
sides. He would prefer to hit all four, and since I showed him how to sweep
the rod to pitch behind a tree he usually does. If he goes over a branch
or several he will bring the bait slowly up over the branch and then
immediately drop the rod so the bait falls vertically under the branch. He
will do this for each and every branch he pulls over. I asked him if there
was a target depth, and he told me in our system it doesn't matter. Trees
in 3' are as likely to hold fish as trees in 10'. The only advantage to
deeper trees is people can't see them and don't fish them as often or as
thoroughly because it's a lot harder. He says he's got the location of a
hundred or so of his favorite trees in different backwater lakes memorized
well enough that he can find them by triangulation to landmarks and a little
test casting no matter how muddy the water is. Trees you can only see when
the water is clear. I asked him about GPS and he said that only gets him
close, but he locates them faster if he keeps his landmarks under
observation the whole time he is approaching.

My buddy's jig/tree pattern does not produce as many fish as some other
presentations might, but they do tend to be a little bigger on average. If
he gets a limit on a tough muddy day he's probably going to be in the money.
I don't mind sharing and he freely shares this pattern because almost nobody
can do that for 8 hours and only get a handful of bites all day long.
Sometimes only 2 or 3.

Sounds like you have the patience for slow work though and it paid off with
one good size fish.

I've got a tough tournament coming this weekend with Yuma Pro Am. It rained
about a week ago pretty hard and the river is muddy. Although by this
weekend it should be clearing some. Water levels are low, and temps are
low, but may be up a couple degrees depending on what the rain water did to
the temps, and how much is being released upstream. I suspect there will be
some early staging fish if the water has cleared enough that they are not
struggling to breath in the mud still. I saw one spawned out red finned
female come to the scales a couple weeks ago. She was big. Almost 8
pounds, but the guys who had her only had 4 winter rats to go with it.

I'm probably going to gamble on finding some clear or clearing water on
staging cover first thing and try to provoke some reaction bites. The thing
is here staging spots can be just a few feet from bedding spots. I'm also
going to check some of my early spawning pockets. If I don't draw a partner
I may spend a little more time looking than I normally would too. As of
Wednesday there were already 25 anglers signed up, and half a dozen or more
who said they plan to. There will be some good anglers out there so I'll
have to weigh a limit and catch a kicker or two to have a chance of getting
in the money. Even in these tough conditions I know I won't be able to get
in the money with a limit of rats.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaProAm.com

Forum Admin
www.YumaBassMan.com

First 2010 tournament
 

On Thu, 28 Jan 2010 03:55:47 -0800 (PST), Ronnie
wrote:

I was using a 1/8 ounce Rattleback jig - light head but full size
body, with a Zoom super chunk. I like the light head but bulky jig for
a very slow fall if I can get away with it in the wind this time of
year. Black and blue in muddy water, brown in clear water.

My thumb seldom hurts but I will never have the range of motion or
strength it it again. But it is far better then crying in pain when
trying to use it. My right one is starting to hurt some - I figure a
few more years and I will be getting it worked on.

When mine got bad at first cortosone shots worked to stop the pain.
Each lasted about six months, but after the fourth one they quit
working and I had the operation.

I wore a cast for four weeks and went fishing a little over a week
after getting it off. Caught one bass and hoped I didn't catch another
one - it HURT fighting it. About a month after I got the cast off it
was much better but I went to PT twice a week and did all the
exercises at home several times a day, too.

Its hell getting older!

Good luck.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Thanks Ronnie. I scheduled mine for next Wed.

Dan

First 2010 tournament
 

You will be miserable for a few days and uncomfortable for a month or
more, but I think it is worth it in the long run.

I got mine done the second of January three years ago and was going to
try to fish every day that year. My wife drove me home and I made her
go by the farm and drove right to the dock. She baited a hook for me
and I caught a bluegill - and started throwing up. Too much after the
stuff they had given me. I went home, went to bed and didn't get up
for two days - was on strong pain killers and didn't know days were
passing, really.

A month later after the cast came off I fished a tournament - Dr. said
it was ok. I set the hook on a bass on a crankbait that morning and it
hurt so badly I almost cried. Landed the fish and told my partner I
hoped I didn't catch another one!

I was surprised to find out that is the most common joint replacement
done - Basal Thumb Joint Replacement. I have met a bunch of people
who have had it done - recognize the scar!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

First 2010 tournament
 

On Sun, 31 Jan 2010 14:27:27 -0800 (PST), Ronnie
wrote:

You will be miserable for a few days and uncomfortable for a month or
more, but I think it is worth it in the long run.

I got mine done the second of January three years ago and was going to
try to fish every day that year. My wife drove me home and I made her
go by the farm and drove right to the dock. She baited a hook for me
and I caught a bluegill - and started throwing up. Too much after the
stuff they had given me. I went home, went to bed and didn't get up
for two days - was on strong pain killers and didn't know days were
passing, really.

A month later after the cast came off I fished a tournament - Dr. said
it was ok. I set the hook on a bass on a crankbait that morning and it
hurt so badly I almost cried. Landed the fish and told my partner I
hoped I didn't catch another one!

I was surprised to find out that is the most common joint replacement
done - Basal Thumb Joint Replacement. I have met a bunch of people
who have had it done - recognize the scar!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Yea, I'm lookin forward to the time when I can look back and say,
"Boy, am I glad I had that done!". It woke me up again tonight. I
may take some codeine in a bit.

Dan

Worked that point for a continued time, again fished the besom and dock, and the next bouldered point. Nothing. Back to area I got the fish. Nothing. Ran beyond to a bank point with besom that alloyed into a abysmal rocky bank and fished it all.