How to get a fishing education?

[SilverDawg]

Fishing Education....

What is the best way to learn about fishing.*A little background....*I fished a little as a kid, but mainly only for blue gills with the old zebco reel, worm and bobber.*

I now live in Texas and have several*lakes* (Lake Grapevine is my home lake)*that have quite a few bass in them.* I don't need to*get crazy, but would like to learn how to best fish for bass (and other*indiginous fish), what type of lures to use, and how to tie them on, best way to cast, etc.* Would really like to teach my kids* (ages 11 and 14).* I have two new*Zebco poles and some basic tackle.* We have been out a few times, but have not even*got a nibble.*

Any good web sites or books anyone can recommend?* I guess there is also the option of hiring a guide as well.* We did this in Colorado this summer when we went fly fishing.

I have a 24' bowrider that we would be utilizing. Not a bass boat by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have* a great swim platform, and we can always fish from the shore.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[fisherman for life]

BFHP(bass fishing home page) then click on your state. Bass Pro Shops usually has a couple free seminars per month on different fishing techniques but I don't know if a store is convenient to you or not. Also a few of the magazines like in-fisherman, bassin, southern outdoors, etc. to name a few are full of good tips. I learned drop-shotting from a magazine article last spring and it was by far my best technique this past summer when the fish go deep. I don't no if you have a trolling motor but if you don't its often tough to do anything other than anchor or troll as bass usually hold tight to cover.Without a trolling motor you are at the mercy of the wind unless anchored or trolling. A depth finder is also helpful for looking for underwater structure. If fishing is something you are thinking you'll do often enough in the future you might look at one of the fish and ski combo boats like the procraft or something. I rode in a procraft a few times that a friend had, is the only reason I mention that particullar one. It seemed nice enough and fished alright but he was more serious than the boat would allow so he sold it and got a pure bass boat. Originally his wife made him get the fish and ski because it had room for the entire family. it was a bow rider type boat with plenty of seating for joy rides and skiing with two small decks on the front and back and had a trolling motor mount on the bow. After a couple of years of him fishing weekly and the wife and daughter going on the boat once or twice a year he sold it and got a bass boat with more livewells, rod holders, tackle stations,etc.

[Sandtiger]

I would do some research on the area you live in and look for a fishing club. Most have monthly meetings with speakers and there always seems to be someone looking for a crew. THis is about the fastest way I can think of.

Good luck.

[Sandtiger]

Other sources:

You can also read sites like this one here on The Hull Truth, this one at http://www.tidalfish.com/boards2/sum...MB_AP934078799 , and this one http://www.pswsfa.com (fishing tips section)to gain a vast amount of knowledge.

[dogboy]

there is a "bass fishing university" (i am not making this up!)....guys from the bass pro circuit book a function room in a local hotel for a few days every year...a buddy of mine goes with 2 or three friends often enough that they consider it a tradition....some of them are the same fellas you see with their own tv shows, bill dance, etc......this is up in the northeast, maybe they don't do it down your way, but who knows.....

[marsimi]

I am not sure if there are any guides around you but I have hired guides in NC to go saltwater fishing. My experience is that they are very willing to "teach" as well as put you on fish if you set the expectation up front with them. I have found this very productive and it shortens your learning curve dramatically.

[Jack Hexter]

There are three ways to learn how to fish. First is to go it alone, a very long and generally over the period of time it takes you to learn, expensive proposition. Second is to hire guides, which shortens the learning curve in terms of time, but is still relatively expensive. Third is to join a club and learn from fellow club members as well as the seminars the clubs usually hold at their meetings, or other seminars in the area.

When I move into a new area, teh first thing I do in regards to fishing is to search out and join a club in the area. Even though I am considered a fairly accomplished angler, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE greatly reduces the learning curve. A club also provides me with boat partners to help launch, recover and share expenses along with the fun

[Frank007]

Here are a few links that should help:

http://www.texasfishingforum.com/cgi...ultimatebb.cgi Look particularly at the comments regarding Grapevine in the bass forum. Read back as far as you can because things change during the year.

For Lake Texoma: http://www.sixoldgeezers.com/ See their message board and fishing reports.


I used to fish Grapevine quite a bit. I had my best luck fishing for sand bass using Heddon Hellbenders with a Pet spoon, particularly near the aerator down near the dam (where the bubbles are). You can troll up a large quantity of sand bass, which is nice for the kids. It is not a lot of sport (particularly with the drag of the hellbender in the water), but you can catch a lot of fish. Others have had a lot of luck around the island and at various other places. Birds sometimes show where the schools of fish are.

Get a Hellbender lure and remove the hooks (wirecutters work), then attach a small (#12 or 13) pet spoon (god, silver, combo, with and without white or yellow feathers) to the eyelet where the front hook was attached using at least a 5 foot leader (a little bit longer doesn't hurt). You don't want the spoon too close to the Hellbender or you will lose some of the spoon's action. Some leave the rear treble hook on the Hellbender as you sometimes get a fish on it. http://www.texasfishingforum.com/.ub...ML/001573.html

I also have had luck with small Mepps spinners, particularly the green/orange and chartreuse versions. You need to experiment with how much you let it sink before reeling in. People swear by Mann's Little Georges (white and blue or black; chartreuse) and roadrunners. Rattletraps are also usually effective.

Largemouth bass tend to be back in the coves around structure. In addition to the spinnerbaits, try various types of worms and other soft baits like crawfish, lizzards, etc. Carolina rigger (weight sliding on the main line). Watermellon and purple were favorite colors in the past.

Bass Pros Shop and Sports Authority are good sources for lures and equipment.

There are some tournaments around the local lakes. You might be able to get some tips from the pros if you can catch up with them.

Make sure also to try Ray Roberts (should be really good for largemouth bass) and Texoma.


The stuff below is some information I picked up from one of the internet boards in 2002:

Hey Everybody, The last 2 days on Grapevine have been great for the Sandies. The fish are out in front of Murrell Park (North side about mid lake) on the shallow flat and steep drop off about 200 yards off the point closest to the dam. A lot of people know about this spot so if you are unfamiliar with this lake right now you can just look for either the birds or the boats. Either one will show you where the fish are. I fished Saturday with 2 men and today with a father and son. Saturday was a better day just because the wind was lighter and we could stay over the fish much easier. We found the fish in the place I mentioned above as well as just out from Sand Bass point and back West between there and the island. The fish were also on the hump in front of the cove where Scott's Landing is. The wind today made it tough to stay on the fish but we still caught a lot of fish and had fun. I let the boy today reel in every fish I caught unless he already had one on himself. Tally for the weekend was 75 Sandies and 1 Crappie on Saturday and 39 Sandies and 1 Crappie Sunday with easily twice that many fish under 10" caught and released. I have to apologize to the man in the boat I spoke with today on Grapevine. I was aggravated becuase he was trolling over the Sandies we were catching on Slabs. I am sorry, I was wrong. I will be much more tolerant and not so quick to anger next time. I hope you and your child caught lots of fish and had a good time today. Once again all the fish were caught on silver or chartreuse Rainbo Shad Slabs. Most fish we kept were between 10 and 12 inches with a few between 14 and 16 inches.


I am glad my reports are of use to you all. I get the slabs at Oak Cove Marina on Richland Chambers. I am going down there next Sunday if anybody wants to follow me down there. Paul right where I was at there is a major dropoff from 19 to 30 feet quicker than I can type it! And we can definiely be great freinds I was just being a grump! FBT I may have another trip next Saturday but they haven't confirmed with me yet. If they don't maybe you and the little lady could join me, my treat (that may be the only way I ever get to meet you...LOL)Custom 30 thanks for the extra info. We can all use it.
Omar


I was on Grapevine last Sunday also and caught many sandies on the hump that Omar is talking about. I don't normally share my secrets , but one time will not hurt and everyone probably already knows this. We were using Chrome with Blue back Bomber slabs to fish off the bottom and hooking a bunch of 9-10" fish with a few big ones mixed in. The secret part is when the sandies start surfacing, we switch to a Clear, Blue back Pop-N-Image and catch them on top. For all of you hard-core people that have to jig for them on the bottom, you don't know what you're missing. By the way, if you move this bait too slowly, they will swallow the hook every time. Move it quick and you might miss a couple, but the hook won't get so deep. Plus, I have had many double hook ups. And, last thing I promise, if you happen to run across some Kentucky's chasing shad...very easy to do at Grapevine, they will eat this thing up too.
Happy Hookin' @ Say Hi if you see me...
Jeff / White 20' Cobra.



It was a great morning on Grapevine! I fished with two gentlemen and we started off kinda slow. I started off in front of Murrell Park in 18 to 23 feet of water and we managed to put 8 good fish in the boat there. I moved around to several other spots and the fish did just not seem to want to bite. I headed up the lake toward the bubble generator and the fish were out in the deep water just in front of Scott's Landing. There were several Gulls and Egrets working them pretty hard so they weren't hard to figure out. With the slight wind it was even easier to locate the surfacing fish. The fish were in 30 to 48 feet of water and a lot of fish were caught suspended by letting our slabs fall to the bottom and then reeling up through them, quite a few hit it on the fall also. Almost all out fish were caught on chartreuse Rainbo Shad Slabs - Thanks Doyle! The fish we caught were mostly keepers with some small fish and some real good fish for Grapevine (14" to 16") fish thrown in the mix. There aren't many birds on Graevine yet, but you need to watch the ones that are there. FBT - Thought I saw you up by the bubbles but wasn't sure it was you.



I have even taken a "plain" lure and doctored it up with the clear nail polish with the big holograpic glitter flakes in it. This has turned an average lure into a great one! I think it resembles the busted up scales on a bait fish. If you ever hold a shad that has has been injured and let the sun reflect offint, it has this same effect.


I picked up a few #15 pet spoons (they even had some #17's) at Oshmans and thought I would try them out last weekend. They made the hellbender run funny. The hellbender didn't seem to dig in at all. Should I try hooking it other than where I would with the #12 or #13 spoon. I assume the same would happen with a trailer like a 1/2 ounce roadrunner. THE LARGER LURE PUTS TOO MUCH LOAD ON THE BACK OF THE HELLBENDER CAUSING IT TO FLATTEN OUT AND NOT DIG IN.TRY ATTACHING THE LEADER TO THE FRONT HOOK EYE ALONG WITH THE WEIGHT.

[jtburf]

Call this man he runs a bass school on SamRayburn !!!!!


WILL KIRKPATRICK
SAM RAYBURN
409-584-3177


He's tops in Texas


John

[reefhunter2]

Just go out and do it! Experience is the best teacher.

For many years I was land based, had no boat and no friends with boats. Oh, lots of friends, just none that owned boats. We all fished from the bank, later waded creeks and tube floated small rivers and ponds. We always yearned to be boat fishermen.

When we got our chance, we promptly dunked the truck (parking brake) and forgot to put the plug in the boat. Many years later, having spent much of it fishing overseas (from boats) I always go back home for a few weeks, dig out my waders for small creek trout fishing. Even in the winter!

[Gingersdad]

Another great place to get an education is your local bait and tackle shop. The customers might give you some BS, but the shop owners are usually knowledgeable and will give you good info because they want you to come back.