The Process 

Part 3

 

The process begins with preparation. In this case lack of preparation.

 

Preparation is another way for pre conceived ideas to develop. Ideas of how you will catch fish.

 

As a shallow water angler with no electronic aid, preparation does not require a lot of gear and tackle.  

 

This forces the focus. 

 

Most baits anglers carry are what I call crossover baits. There are two categories of crossover baits. 

 

Crossover baits cross over in terms of applications. These applications are typically differences in presentations. 

 

A spinner bait for example can be considered a crossover bait. As can a jig. 

 

A jig can be presented in so many different ways. Admittedly, I do not fish a traditional jig as much as I used too. I have however, developed a fondness for a swim jig.

 

I am still searching for a jig design that will eliminate the need to carry several different jig designs. I am a firm believer, that 50 lbs of tackle is way too much, regardless if you are in a boat or a kayak.

 

So what am I to do? What I always do, design my own? Possibly. There are a few currently on the market that may meet my requirements. 

 

As a note, I have several sketched up, and have a couple of 3D CAD models completed. I am yet to feel confident enough in the designs to produce the molds yet.

 

Colors!

 

All anglers love to talk about colors. I do to. But in ways of basics. Whitish, black, natural shade, fluorescent. Sounds like a lot? 

 

Sure, I have some favorites. But what made them my favorites? Simple is my favorite. I will not go into specifics, as I do not have any specifics. 

 

We give bass too much credit. (Sorry bass) I do not waste my time dipping the tails of my plastics in worm dye. Or waste my money that I could use to buy more snacks or to buy supplies for shelter dogs!

 

If it gives you more confidence go for it. The fish do not care about you or your confidence. They want to eat. I hear that one reason to dip the baits in Chartreuse dye because it looks like the fins of a Bream, or a Bluegill. I have observed many Bream and Bluegill in shallow clear water, and never witnessed one with Chartreuse fins. I have observed a certain color on the fins of Bream and Bluegills. I am not saying what color it was go and spend hours observing Bream on your own, or you can keep believing in Chartreuse! 

 

One color combination that I have had success with swimming and flipping a paddle tail worm and also a G tail style worm is no longer in production. I am designing both a G tail and a paddle tail mold and will re create this color combination again.

 

When it comes to small variations in colors I will not claim that it does not fully make any difference. But the results are often small. Sure, sometimes that small difference in glitter color gets you two more bites. So what, two more bites?

 

The answer is typically “I fish tournaments, two bites can make a big difference” 

 

Well! I just been told! Please excuse me Mr. “Pro patch pirate!”

 

HIPPO CRITTER ALEART!

 

Ok, ok, enough sarcasm. I also once was a patch pirate. 

 

Do you really think it was the color that produced your two extra bites? Prove it! 

 

Contrary to that, I cannot prove it did not help you get two more bites.

 

But it certainly does help sell more baits and dyes than does the fact that it could have been you made the correct presentation or a second cast to a log, or maybe it was just timing?

 

Ever hear of convergence?

 

Here is a novel concept. maybe you just would have caught them fish anyway? How do you know that you were going to catch five fish, instead of three?

 

After you caught three did you say “now I must dip the tail of my worm in dye to catch two more?”

 

Yep. Sure you did.

 

Enuff of dis!

 

I have rambled on more than I should have, wasting your precious time you could be spending dying worms, or bitching about jet skis on Social media.

 

What were we (I) talking about? Oh yeah, the process. 

 

I will be out on the water tomorrow, with only the baits shown in the picture at the top of the page. If the bass will not eat those, fuck ‘em. 

 

For the shallow, often target oriented water I will be on they will be sufficient. The rest is up to me. To be the best at processing and translating all the variables that will exist. That is far more importanter (yes, I really said that) than carrying 50 pounds of tackle. 

 

My focus needs to be on awareness, the environment, and the feedback it presents. 

 

Earlier in this part three I mentioned that preparation is overrated. Allow me to explain my theory.

 

The preparing process has you planning EVERYTHING. Even planning how you will catch fish. Dontbekaren. Just go fish. 

 

Ok, it helps to know if it is clear water. Or dirty water. Cover? Current? Be careful here, this is when things go wrong. An example would be on a clear deep reservoir where hysterically the best fishing is out on deep structure. True story. But do not overlook the shallows, a not so pro tip is that shallow is not always on the bank.

 

Another farce (may the farce be with you) is that it has been repeated for years “90% of the bass live in 10% of the lake.

 

I call BS. 

 

Bud Short that is. Old Bud knows.

 

Bud sez “While most waterways will hold bass in 60% of the lake. With the other 40% too deep for fish to live”

 

Go on Bud, care to explain in more detail? Our readers want to know.

 

“Sure”

 

“For the tournament anglers only 10% of the lake may hold the winning fish. But for most of us, within 60% of the lake fish exist, they could be difficult to catch, but they are there”

 

Please go on Bud.

 

“Blind spots exist in plain sight on most lakes, sometimes places you or anyone would fish, or spots on spots.  I recall back during my tournament career fishing a tournament up on Lake George in New York which for those not familiar with the lake, Lake George is a deep clear natural glacial lake located in the Adirondacks of New York. I happened upon a pattern catching bass in 2-4 feet of water. Even though I call this technique sight fishing, I never saw a fish before catching it. Dark spots that ranged from the size of a bushel basket to the size of a bass boat. I would cast a small worm into those spots and get bit” 

 

Thank you Bud for that explanation.  

 

“A 5 pound bass can hide beside rock the size of a basketball, and quite often will”

 

Great point Bud.

 

“Now if the friggen idiots on jet skis will stay off my water I could fish these places, I do not know who they think they are, I pay taxes, I buy a fishing license every year. What do they do? They fuck it up for guys like me! The next time one goes by he will catch a spook side the hed”

 

Ok Bud! Thank you again! 

 

I think it is time you go and dye the tails of your worms Chartreuse, and remember to only use worm dye with adequate ventilation!

 

That was BS.

 

Bud Short, ex Bass Pro who has struggled over the years with anger issues that many believe but cannot prove results from mixing worm dye with those little packs of Soy sauce from the takeout Chinese restaurants and huffing it.

 

Please be sure to tune in for the next episode. We will go over the latest days on the water and we will have more BS.

 

Bud will be back to tell us about the time he and his non boater located a submarine in the great lakes that created a national security incident. 

 

 

  Bud claims that he admits to occasionally being cranky and attributes his crankiness to people do not listen to him, he tells them time and time again. But they never listened. 

 

BS is spread around the country, you might even see BS while out on the water fishing. Or, at a tackle shop trying to buy a case of Chartreuse worm dye. Bud can be recognized by his chartreuse finger tips from dying the tails of worms, and occasionally the end of his nose will have a Chartreuse tint.

 

"If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly"