Jason Admin : Fishing Forum Posts

I don't recall if these cover this topic explicitly, as it's been a while since I watched the videos, but you'll learn a lot about 'birds from these videos:
https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/finding-fishing-isolated-cover-for-bass-bryan-thrift
https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/mark-waypoints-fish-the-juice-zona

Depends on what types of water you fish and size/type of fish. Where I fish, I have 3-4 spinning rods rigged up all the time. I have rods from 6'6" to 7'6", but am pretty consistent with 6.0:1+ gear ration 2500 size reels. I don't know how anyone can beat this 6.2:1 Regal for $60 https://www.tackledirect.com/daiwa-regal-lt-spinning-reel.html
I use the short rod for skipping baits under things, medium length rods for dropshots, wacky rig, neko rig & long rods for swimbaits & anything I want to cast a long way. Since I fish around clear water, I usually have 2 spinning rods for every 1 baitcaster. Don't forget as you shop that we've got an awesome 25% off deal for Cashion ICON & John Crews rods https://bassu.tv/special-offers

Dropshot is probably the go-to for me. I like Ned rig, but personally have had issues with hookups. Some reasonable percentage of fish I catch are able to somehow turn the hook back into the bait. It surely gets a lot of bites though.

You talking about the one that looks like a spinnerbait, other than the funky blade? I'm interested to hear other people's experience with that bait.

I do not, unfortunately. I would ask if you've contacted Lew's directly. Most of my reels come with a parts diagram and contact information for the company. I'd hope they could at least point you to a someone who carries their parts, if they don't sell them directly.

I try to visualize a bait. When I throw a Ned rig, it's often around docks, and I visualize it spiraling down like a dead baitfish. I don't fish a Ned rig like a shaky head. I fish one like John Crews discusses, I believe it's in this video, https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/ned-rig-fishing-john-crews so a Ned rig is a middle water column bait for me, not on the bottom. Now, with a dropshot rig, I like to fish it around any sort of current break, a hump, a bridge piling, etc. When it hits the bottom, I imagine the weight holding it mostly in place, the bait sitting nose into the current just like it would naturally. Often the current will slowly drift my bait right into a seam or slack water area, and that's often where I get bit.

If you want to know more from the innovator of the "Midwest finesse rig", as he calls the Ned Rig, we had Ned Kehde on our live show in 2020. You might also want to check it out https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/ned-rig-innovator-ned-kehde-july-2020

Hogie,
I love the Tokyo rig. I've not enjoyed fishing a new technique more than it in a LONG time. I wouldn't call it my confidence technique, but when I come up on a hump or point, I toss a heavy-weighted Tokyo rig with a creature bait as a first option and I move it fast (I'm usually fishing clear water). Seems like the big ones have never seen anything scurrying across the bottom that fast that isn't real. It's like digging a crankbait into the bottom, but without having to get the right diving depth, angle, line size, etc.

For a number of technical reasons, we no longer have the PowerPoint slides. One reason is, on many classes, we've added chapters, making it easy revisit a topic within a 50-minute video rather quickly.

Bern,
We just rolled out "watchlist" and "favorites" on the website. These are slated to go into the mobile app in the next major release. For now, you can use them through the web browser at https://bassu.tv
When you are logged in, you should see navigation under "My Account" for "My Watchlist" & "My Favorites". You can add items to this list by clicking the star (for watchlist) and/or heart (for favorites) icons which now appear under videos on the video watch page. An outlined icon means it's not in your list, if you click on it, it will mark it filled in and it is in your list.
Let me know if this is helpful in keeping track of your Bass University classes.

At the moment this is not available. While mega companies like Netflix have rolled this out for most of their content, it is time-consuming and costly to develop. We are working with our mobile app team to create this functionality, but we want to ensure it runs smoothly on all devices.

Yes sir,
We have a couple of locations slated for in-person Bass University classes in 2023 posted so far, keep your eye out for more. https://thebassuniversity.com/class-training

Yes, at this time, the Missile Baits discount is a 1-time discount for each person, but John Crews did give us a new code for 2022, so it's possible that you haven't used the current code.

I have fished Lake Murray, but never with a guide. I'm sorry I don't have a suggestion for a guide on that lake.

Unfortunately, I've never made it out that way. I would love to hear some stories about big winter smallmouth in Northern California. Are there spotted bass in the lake as well? What is the primary forage there?

Heads up, Cashion just provided us a 15% discount on their new ELEMENT series (cork handled & super affordable) rods. I believe all these start at $129.95, which means they would be about $110 after the discount. I haven't gotten to use these yet, but I've always been fine with cork handles (I like the ICON wraps too), and I'm guessing Matt and his team have kept the quality high. So, if you're a member, looking for a great rod, made in the USA, check out the Cashion ELEMENT rods discount available to The Bass University subscribers at https://bassu.tv/special-offers

I used to keep one in my boat in a notebook. There are probably apps that help with this now, but I haven't used them. I would track the day's weather conditions, note each fish catch: size, water depth, water clarity, key geographic features (point, grass, bridge, etc), lure, lure color, action/retrieve speed. In retrospect, I would have done well to also stop at the end of the day and make notes of things that absolutely didn't work for that season/conditions. Some key things I learned from this: I hardly ever caught a largemouth that wasn't in the shade on Lake Norman, except around the spawn & shallow crankbaits on long tapering points caught far more fish than I would have guessed throughout the year.

That's great to hear. Yes, Latimer's class is excellent https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/adversity-is-dope-brian-latimer I believe you will also like Gerald Swindle's entire library of similar content (applies to fishing, but also to life).
Original positive mental attitude seminar with Gerald Swindle - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/original-positive-mental-attitude-class-gerald-swindle
More positive mental attitude with G-Man - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/original-positive-mental-attitude-gerald-swindle-remastered
Swindle PMA Part 3 - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/positive-mental-attitude-2017-aoy-edition-gerald-swindle
For the love of the fishing game with Swindle - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/for-the-love-of-the-fishing-game-gerald-swindle

I'm not sure I understand the question. Usually when I get a bite on these types of baits, they are either hooked or they haven't decided to bite the bait. I don't think they've ever felt me working the bait as they usually devour it or slurp it off the top. At their point, they either got the hooks or they didn't. If I happen to twitch it as they bite it and they don't get hooked, I don't think it would seem unnatural that the prey was trying to get away. Often that same fish, or another one will see the bait is still "trying to get away" and crush it. I have very little grass where I am and I fish all treble topwaters with mono. Frogs look fun to fish, but the hookup ratio on baits like Pop-Rs and Spooks means I'm always going to fish them in places I won't get hung up (admittedly, they are hard to skip, but that's where a buzztoad comes in).

I believe I've heard some of the pros say, "If you're not catching the size fish you need in an area, and you're catching the same size fish, you need to move". I'm not around smallmouth waters a lot, but I do have a couple of suggestions for videos that may help get you into a kicker smallmouth & largemouth:
Flipping for smallmouth with Greg Hackney - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/flipping-for-smallmouth-bass-greg-hackney
Swimbaits for big smallmouth with Seth Feider - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/swimbaits-for-big-smallmouth-feider-remastered
Northern largemouth with Paul Mueller - https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/cold-clear-windy-northern-largemouth-bass-fishing-mueller

I enjoyed watching this video from Brandon Palaniuk on the Storm Arashi Glide that he helped design. https://bassu.tv/bass-fishing-video/glide-baits-for-trout-eaters-brandon-palaniuk Seeing him catch fish in clear water definitely made me feel like the glide bait is viable. I've had some dynamic family things lately, so I haven't been able to get out much, but last I fished for bass, I was throwing 8" swimbaits and gaining confidence in them. I don't think I've caught a fish under 2lbs yet, but I am surprised at how many 2lb fish will bite an 8" swimbait.

I have watched Gerald's positive mental attitude videos with people who otherwise were not highly interested in bass fishing. I don't recall the exact video, but in one he talks about the pursuit of PMA making you a better all-around person. Admittedly, I struggle with staying positive, but I try to remember that 1 negative thought will put you in the whole so far, you spend the rest of the day catching up. I like Gerald's example that some anglers, like KVD, are doing PMA things, even if they don't know it. Whenever I have a big problem at work or something, I try to say, "That doesn't happen often, once I get it fixed, it probably won't happen again for a long time". In the heat of the moment, it's hard to have a positive mental attitude. When trailer tire blows out just out of cell range, when kids throw food instead of eating it, when insurance says, "we don't cover that medicine", etc.

For me, as a Christian, it's about keeping the perspective of what Christ has done for me, that I should forgive others, and remember that I'm eternally blessed. We're all human though, so there are certainly days (unfortunately, sometimes weeks) when it's a constant struggle to keep head above water. I'm glad you enjoyed G-man's PMA stuff. It's really worth the price of a subscription just to watch Gerald's PMA classes...even if you've never fished and never intend to.

No shame in not loading the boat. I've been bass fishing for 40 years, for about 5 of those years, I fished 100+ days a year. I still get skunked, but, like you said, it's about being out there and away from work. I did cut back on fishing, 15 years ago, trying to fish Bassmaster Open-level tournaments was too much like a job, and I wasn't enjoying it anymore (coupled with my real job and that I don't like being on the road a lot). I know some people who love that lifestyle, but as I've gotten older, I like to separate my work and my hobbies. People say, "When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life". It's true, but, if you get burned out, you can lose the love and it just becomes a job.

That being said, my mother-in-law asks me to catch her crappie all the time. I admit, they are a delicious fish. I can't tell you how many hours I spent chasing those things and maybe catching a dozen in a whole year. One year, my wife and I were out like every other weekend until 3AM with lights rigged up, minnows in the livewell, tied up to bridge pilings...maybe 2 crappie per trip (and maybe a couple of short ones we had to throw back). We stayed positive, and those will be great memories, even if we didn't catch fish.

Christmas is upon us again, and for friends and relatives of bass fishing enthusiasts, it's time to again to hunt for the perfect Christmas gift for the fisherman or fisherwoman in your life. Here are some updated suggestions for 2022:

Fishing Rod Rack - lots of anglers buy gear and storing it is an afterthought. Organization makes preparing for a fishing trip much easier and more enjoyable. If your fishing buddy has floor space, the round floor rack is a great option https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=c1UQEdGla5o&mid=38416&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tackledirect.com%2Frush-creek-creations-24-rod-storage-floor-racks-with-extension-post.html otherwise, a wall/ceiling mount rod rack is a great choice https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=c1UQEdGla5o&mid=38416&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tackledirect.com%2Frush-creek-creations-40-0005-3-in-1-aluminum-10-rod-wall-ceiling-storage-rack.html

Does your friend have a boat? Another often overlooked item is boat care products. Wash & wax makes a great Christmas gift for an angler that likes to keep their bass boat looking new https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=c1UQEdGla5o&mid=38416&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tackledirect.com%2Fstar-brite-premium-cleaner-wax.html

Around the holidays is a great time to do a little house (or reel) cleaning. Ardent has a reel cleaning kit that makes a great Christmas gift and has everything a bass fisherman needs to keep their fishing reels in optimum working order https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=c1UQEdGla5o&mid=38416&murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tackledirect.com%2Fardent-reel-kleen-cleaning-kit.html

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstance, but I'm glad that Gerald has been a blessing. We will certainly pass this along to him. "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all." 2 Thessalonians 3:16