First of all...don't be discouraged..We all don't have the same opportuities to fish or hunt..For me..to get a shot at any deer is a trophy..and yet there are some on here that see a dozen deer per outing and let 120 class bucks walk.so..is that hunter a better hunter than me because I only shot a 80 inch buck in a highly pressured WMA in Florda..?? I don't think so..The same with fishing..if you were with me..you'ld be catching 5 pounders too.

Before we answer your 3 questions let me tell you how to beat the odds..you have to find a spot that is tough for others to get to.Yesterday and today there was no one else in this lake..although the newspaper said this lake was producing some very good sized bass...It has no ramp and I busted my leg pretty bad this morning crossing the cable to get my heavy jon down the hill...but I did...then I found a lake off this lake that very few kow about..that's where I've been catching them..so I always hunt and fish where no one else is..

Also..before I answer your questions...CONFIDENCE is the name of the game..this morning I put a new jig on..I tried it twice..I just didn't feel it...I put my other one on..too many hang ups for my liking..then my heart said LIZARD..I put on a lizard..my son again laughed..until I caught a nice one..and eventually he tried it and caught a nice one too,,,So I go by my heart..which is ruled by Jesus..



1) choosing a bait. How do you know whether to go with crankbait, worm, lizard, spinner, etc?



For me...time of the year..In Flordia from FEB- APR....I'll be flipping ..flipping ..flipping ..the lure doesn't really matter..it's what you have confidence in they all catch fish...lizard..worm..tube or jig..you will need something heavy enough to penetrate the weeds or whatever..color...fish dark colors in dark water ..lighter in lighter..they say..All my waters are dark so I like grape, dark green , reds and especially black..Another good spawning lure is the frog...NOW during the 1st 3o minutes of daylight...a spinnerbait of some kind just off the weedline will catch fish..most pros find a spot...spinnerbait the perimeter..and then come back and flip it..inside the structure..IF the fish aint there..they are most likely just off the shoreline in about 6-10 foot of water..takes patience but you will need to make long cast...and cast from shoreline back to the boat..we ended up doing that today as the fish had moved.



2) presentation. How do you know if you want lipless or a lipped crankbait? How do you choose a carolina or texas rigged worm?
you don't...if you read Out on the lake with a Pro..in every months BASS magazine..{ They bring a pro to a new lake he had never fished and they make note of what he does. I'll tell you what he doesLOL he's switching lures every 10 minutes to find out what the fish are wanting today..LOL..there is no secret..I use what I have condidence in ..and I go with my heart 100% of the time..I hardly ever use a jig..my heart told me to yesterday so I tried it..and had results..this morning I got one weak jig hit..so my heart said lizard..so I went lizard and caught fish..up to this time;;I'd only caught one fish on a lizard { I wanted to show the fish something new.}

Carolina ?? most guys have depth finders..say the lake is 20 foot but the fish are suspended at 15 foot..they will use carolina...or a rattle trap becasue most lipped crankbaits won't go down that far..


3) bodies of water. How does the body of water affect the above? What do you look for to maximize catch rates in a body of water? I have a small jon...so I try to fish spots no one else can..I covered this in the top..

Something else..I talk with people who are GREAT in hunting and fishing..I humbly act stupid and it make them feel smart when they teach me something LOL ..but as they are teaching I'm putting it all down in my LONG TERM MEMORY..here's a few nuggets I've learned..if from HNI I share the author..{ -;

"Try a jig..you won't get a lot of bass but the bass will be bigger than usual." MTHands...and he was right..

I watched a man THIS year fish in back of me..I had caught 8 small but he was flipping and caught 2 monsters..he reminded me ..I needed to be flipping this year..I never looked back.

" You need a 7 foot rod for more leverage." Josh Keller he is correct..my hook ratio went way up with a longer rod.

"you need to use Power Pro to get rid of memory and for more strengh when fishing structre..Oneshot7..I've never looked back..

"If you all want to catch big hawgs..use a Horny Toad," Childers..DANG!!! was he right..

"try terminator spinnerbaits" I did and they are GREAT

"Let the worm and jig sit a while before moving it." Doug Hannon bass professor..he is correct..

"You got to fish the moon phases...great days before new and full moons." WOW!!!super right on..

"dig the bottom up when fishing crank baits..it turns fish on..this is where you will get your hits." Paul Elias...set a record using crankbaits on Lake Falcon