I took a couple snowbirds fishing today. We have had some recent
temperature drops and water temp has not fully rebounded yet so I expected a
slow crank bait bite. I was right. I'm sure glad I was just fishing though
and not guiding. (I don't guide.) My two guests couldn't handle basic
skills. One refused to use spinning tackle and then proceeded to backlash a
brand new Curado 200E all day long. She was better than my other guest. He
did use spinning tackle, but he tried to lob cast a crankbait all day long
like he was lobbing a Carolina rig or a multi dropper bait rig. It was
painful to watch. I tried to help both of them throughout the day, but its
frustrating when they wouldn't or couldn't adjust their techniques to what
was working. Every time I caught a fish I unsnapped the crank I was using
and gave it to one of my guests. One never got a fish all day. The other
caught one tiny little 10 incher.

Neither had any accuracy or distance. It looked like neither of them had an
previous experience casting a crank bait. If I had been guiding instead of
fishing I would have felt like I failed to show them what they had to do to
catch fish. I caught 7 keeper size from 2 to 4 pounds. That's pretty good
for me for winter fishing. I tried to tell them some points, structure, &
breaks that fish orient to or hold on, but I felt like my efforts were
wasted. These were both "experienced anglers" who love to fish. I took
them out because one of my good clients from my day job asked me too.

Wow! It was frustrating. I think if I had been out fishing by myself I
would have spent twice as much time fishing productively. 3 out of 4 areas
I selected produced fish. I don't see how guys like Willhide can do it.

Bob La Londe
www.YumaBassMan.com

Tournament Director
www.YumaProAm.com

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