good luck guys, if the spawn is starting for you in sothern florida, it should be starting soon for me in east texas as well. Congrats on the catches guys :)

oh...and beleive it or not ..another 30degree cold front in 2 days..] -:

yeah, we are in that front now, and got snow last night which is unheard of, atleast until this year. will be 20's tonight. might throw your pre-spawn back a little.

10-4 ..
Hey I bought some Hitchhikers to keep the Horny TOads on.

I'll check them out. I have been using Owner Twist Locks and they did great last season.


just did a search for them and they look like they would work great! You could slap a few of those on some 4/0 or 5/0 (my preferred HT Hook size) EWG's lying around and be set to rock the boat. :)

Actually Aaron,
I've never used these before..a local tackle shop was closing down and I saw these on the peg board..I asked what they were....a customer told me it keep the rubber baits from sliding..so I bought the last 2 or 3 packs..I'll let ya know how they work..

Aaron, I had the gadget upside down LOL..now that I got it right..I love them..They come 8 in a pack..you simply slide this coiled wire .point first up the hook toward the hook's eye..Then using a needle nosed plier hook the little clip unto the eye..This simply keeps the Horny Toad from sliding backwards..nice invention..I'm sure there are other like stuff on the market..These were 50% off so I bought them....and glad I did.Horny's aren't cheap and I need to preserve them as much as possilbe.

these are what I have been using, the owner twist locks. I believe they porbably look very similar to your setup now :)

I got the same thing..but have mine hooked totally upside down..I have the coil on the down side of the eye..wrapping around the shank of the hook..this way it holds Mr. Horny..I had it like your picture at first..and I didn't like it..because it extended the frog in front of the hook's eye..making my hook point nearly impossilbe to hook into rubber..
My new way holds Horny snuggly and allow the normal place fo rmy 4/0 hook to come up through

If need be I can make a video { -:let me know..

no video needed but I appreciate it, i used to hook mine that way with a 4/0. I used it this way:



but with a frog :)

Great Illustration..now your talking..that is how I hook mine too..the hitch hikers look just like that..

DANG..thanks for the illustration..I could make my own from the spring from an ink pen..

haha, probably could! :)

or really any piece of bendable but stiff wire..

Good weather
 

Things are starting to heat up this weekend. I haven't been out in awhile has the spawn started yet. I might be going this weekend.

I'll be out at OUR SPOT tomorrow at 6:30..no matter how cold..Gangly has me all stirred up with the jig thing..He's getting too close to winning the tourny..I need to step up to the plate and land a good one..

Plan to fish till one..

Weather

36-61 tomorrow
Wind from the north at 4 MPH nearly all day..real nice day..
1/4 moon..fishing prediction..fair

Got a couple nice ones this morning..at our area..{ -:...fish pics and story are on the Tournament Thread.at the top..
God bless,
C7

Good Job
 

Those were some nice fish. I had one on a jig but I didn't set the hook right. I was trying to figure out the deeper water cause my fishfinder was spotting hem but I couldn't figure anything out. What spot were you at. Was it by me. Anyway good job.

I was about 300 yds south from where you and I were talking..
They are not spawning yet..I pitched the first 2 hours from 7 till 9 and only had one hit.I changed my my fishing strategy... I went to finesse fising { Lighter tackle}fished deeper water 10 ' and started catching fish.like this 5 1/2 and the 3 1/2 on video..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AvY6LgwsJQ

The small area?
 

I was looking at Google earth and 300 yards is that by the pond to the right of the long road that points out. After the road you can turn left to the open lake or right to the enclosed pond area. That is where Google maps shows 300 yards. This is also where I had the bass on the jig.

dadgum Chuck, nice fish

hey..it's your fault for getting me pumped with your outstanding story.

Boat ramp
 

Hey I was wondering how did you clear the weeds for your boat ramp area. I wanted to make my own where my truck was so both of us could have one.

Was your truck the red truck parked beside mine? I didn't clear the weeds..someone else did..I only had a spot big enough for my boat..After about 10 fishing trips other folks started using the area..I hope it doesn't get soft there because my truck gets stuck easily. I was in that back pond in the back.not the first one close to the road..but the next one. I've hooked into some monsters over 10 back there. In the summer it's vey hard to get bass out of there as the bass bury down deep into the THICK hydrilla. I was there from 9_30 to- 11 ish

Thats Me
 

Yea mine is the red truck. My truck also get stuck real easily. I just pushed my boat off the ramp

I hope to go today
 

I hope to go out there this afternoon about 1 or so for a couple of hours.

Question
 

When you finesse what types of rigs do you use Texas, Carolina or drop shot. Do you also downsize your worm.

I use 10 pound test..7 1/2 inch worm...retrieve slower than your slowest retrieve..a BB round split shot as the sinker..TEXAS RIG..I anchor in a place where I believe there are fish and fish for about 20 minutes or so than move to my next spot..Our bass are still not bedding and moving around like they are dazed..Maybe this weekend..Good luck today..I went to the back pond and caught one ...a 1 pounder..my only hit. Got some steaks on the grill..gota go { -:
God bless,
C7

Nothing
 

I didn't get anything today. In the pond area on the left those dead trees my fish finder said there were fish and I saw one come up and down and I fished it forever couldn't get a bite. Hopefully next weekend they start up.

Yes sir..at one point today I was at that sme spot jigging ..the fish were on lock jaw mode..I got my 1 pounder on the far west side of the pond...in the middle..tap tap froze..I tightened up the slack..and set the hook.The fish was very skinny ..they are not eatting right now.

Yea I was mainly jigging that area. I didn't try the far end. I saw the man and his wife in the floating canoe outside the pond burning crankbaits and spinnerbaits. He said he hadn't got anything

There will be a time for burning spinnerbaits..but not now ..The 2 bass I saw looked like they were in shock..Florida has never seen thi smuch cold before..

We keep having cold front after cold front. I think there supposed to be another one later this week too.

Hey what type of worm do you use Ribbontail, etc.. I have tried to get a 7 1/2 inch black worms but Walmart don't got em. Where did your worms.

I had to go to Bass Pro to find the black Culprets...I then buy #5 round split { Size of 00 buck shot} shots and spray paint them either red or black..
Here's our back pit..the yellow dots are fish over 5 pounds I've caught out of there..I made the map last year..the flourescent color around the pit was last years hydrilla.

You really know your stuff. The hydrilla has gone down this year or it is just deeper on the water. Next time I'm at Bass Pro i'll look for them. Thanks

Zach

Zach..I also insert glass rattles in the worms..there was a study on this ..they work and will increase the hits..

The water is a little deeper...I caught both of my bass on the west side of the pit yesterday..Once it warms up the hydrilla will be more visable..Another place I was telling you about that is 15 minutes from your house and easy to fish with big bass is Lake Fish Hook of Tenoroc..

That is very interesting. When I started fishing I used the lures and thought that was it, but there are all of these little changes and details that make a great amount of difference. I am growing in my knowledge of bass fishing. When I go off to college next year I hope to join the bass fishing clubs and to start tournament fishing. I hope so at least.

Well partner...
I get up at 4:30 AM
Have a nice week. Next weekend shuld be better with the new moon approaching March 15th...We start FCAT testing on Tuesday..I hope my students do well.
Tight lines,
C7