Tip's For The Beginner

Setting Out Structure

Written By: Rick McFerrin

Owner/Full Time Guide

February 2008

How many times have you been on the lake and just by chance found an old sunken tree that someone planted that you couldn't see? Chances are depending on the season, and if you didn't get hung up in it, you may very well have caught any number of species of fish out of it. Of course the Key Word are "If You Didn't Get Hung Up In It". Right?  Planting structure has long since been a key way for Bass, Crappie, Shell Cracker and Blue Gill fishermen to increase their catch potential. In past years the structure of choice many times was a discarded Christmas tree, which definitely will attract fish. But they are hard to transport in your boat and because of their buoyancy and depending on the size of the tree took a lot of weight to secure them to the bottom of the lake.  Then, someone thought of using PVC pipe which was a great idea. The PVC helped eliminate having your bait hung up but to get the attractor to resemble a "Tree" or a "Bush it took several different size of pipe and multiple elbows and t's. And depending on the size a bigger chunk of something to hold it down. Then a gentleman (and Crappie fanatic) named Larry Harper helped improved on the PVC idea to create what I believe to be the best attractor on the market today. The Porcupine Fish Attractor. Let me explain how the Porcupine works and what it is.

The Porcupine Fish Attractor

The center of the attractor is a round globe looking sphere that has 26 holes drill into it that accommodates 1/2 inch thin wall PVC pipe cut to the length of your choice. The PVC pipe plugs into the sphere and sticks out in all directions. The pipe is secured to the sphere by using a good PVC glue that can be purchased at any good hardware store. That's me with a saw in my hands instead of an All Pro APX Rod. I think the rod fits my hands better. If you look closely at the picture to the right you can see the green sphere, cut PVC pipe and the bricks that we used this time as anchors. The only thing you can't see is the 1/2 inch  T's that you place on the bottom of the center pipe that will hold your bricks. (See picture below) The first thing I did and I would recommend you think about doing the same, is building one of these in your back yard first to get a good idea of what you will be faced with when you get to the lake. I decided to cut my pipe in 3 foot lengths which made the entire attractor almost 5 feet tall when completed. You can get a good idea of it's size by looking at the picture to the immediate left with my youngest son Daniel. Daniel is right at 5 feet tall even without the heavy coat, toboggan and hood. By the way it was 26 degrees when I did this project at home and he kept saying. Daddy can't we put this together in the barn?  Having every thing pre-cut and organized it was very easy for Ken and I to assemble these in the parking lot at the lake. Now you can begin to see why the Porcupine Fish Attractor has so many advantages over a real tree or a conventional PVC pipe attractor.  The spine that stick out gives these a much fuller "PVC TREE" for the fish to swim in and out of, but yet still retains the benefit of being snag free with your artificial and live bait. The PVC pipe provides cover and will collect algae which will attract bait fish which will attract the ones your looking for.  Since the PVC is hollow on the inside water will fill the tubes quickly as it sinks and unless you place these where there is a lot of current 2 bricks should be plenty to hold them securely.

Where Do You Place The Attractor?

Truthfully you could place the Porcupine just about any where. And depending on the length you cut your pipe in all depths of water. My dilemma was that on the lake I guide, the water  fluctuates in depth as much as 15 feet or more due to the winter draw down and can vary from year to year. So it was very important to make my decision on placement before I ever got to the lake. With the help of long time good friend Mr. Ken Jenkins we did a little map planning well in advance. Be sure that the map that you use has GPS coordinates on it so when you get to the lake you can enter them into your GPS when you drop the sphere and mark your map as well. It was important to me to get these within my fishing comfort depth range and still have them hidden out of sight until the water comes up. Why? Well if I don't they will just become another community hole. And since I guide full time I'm kind of stingy like that.  The Porcupine Fish Attractors will work in ponds, around boat docks, either sunken or suspended with a cable or rope. Spawning areas, flats, ledges and drops.  You can create a "stump row" leading from deep water to shallow water. The possibilities are endless, especially if your lake stays at a fairly constant water level.

Conclusion

Larry has sure helped to come up with a great idea that I know will increase my customers catch over the next year. And the Porcupine Fish Attractor can do the same for you. They are durable, easy to assemble, provides habitat for spawning areas on older lakes that have lost some of it's original structure, gives the fisherman some private structure of their own. And can make the difference between a so so day and a good one on the lake.  It is a good idea to check with your state fishery department to find out if any laws pertain to dropping structure before you start out. For more information on the Porcupine Fish Attractor you can click on the logo and go directly to their web site, call 270-254-0150 or e-mail Larry Harper at lharper@fishattractor.net. It's going to fun to see what comes off my Porcupines this season. Watch the Home page of my site for follow up reports and pictures. Rick Mcferrin Owner/Full Time Guide www.tennesseebassguides.com

Tip's For The Beginner

Fishing Deep Water Covered Floating Docks

Written By Rick McFerrin

Full Time Guide/Owner

Tennessee Bass Guides LLC.

August 2007

www.tennesseebassguides.com

This article is intended to help the Beginning Fisherman better understand the makeup of deep water (15 ft or more) covered floating docks and what techniques work best for me during the hot weather months when water temperatures reach the 80's and above.  Let me say that this is not the only way to catch bass out from under and around docks.  But the techniques that I will be sharing fits my fishing style perfectly and has proven over the years to be very effective. There are several other articles aimed at the Beginner that you can view by going to www.tennesseebassguides.com and clicking on the Tips Archive Tab on the left hand side of the home page.

Before We Catch A Bass

Before we catch a bass we need to cover this first.  It is always important to remember that the dock and everything either sitting on it or attached to it is someone's private property and should be treated as such. I have never had a dock owner run me off in all the years I have been fishing them. Why? Because I respect the other persons property and their privacy if they are on the dock. But I have witnessed others being asked to leave the dock area because of not using their heads and doing something stupid!  The water is public but the docks are private!

Why Deep Water Covered Docks?

Truthfully this question could be why covered docks period!  The answer is very simple, boat docks offer Smallmouth, Largemouth and Spots several important things that attract them such as.

(1) Natural Forage: Many docks will support a variety of small bait fish, blue gill and other smaller species of fish and sometimes crawfish that bass just love to munch on.  To a bass some docks are like going to an all you can eat restaurant. The key is to find those particular docks, which we will talk about later. It's also important to remember that Older Docks will have a tendency to have more algae on the areas below water level, simply because they have been in the water longer. Why is this important? Because the algae is one component that helps create oxygen and attracts the smaller species that I just mentioned.  Bait fish, Blue gill and others will feed on the algae and small aquatic bugs and set up a homestead under the dock, which in turn attracts lager predator fish.

Many States here in the U.S. have changed their construction codes to where any type of real wood cannot be used in the building of docks for environmental and safety reasons. Wood has been replaced by man made synthetics which take a little longer to build up a algae covering depending on lake water clarity and purity.  To help you find docks that potentially will have more of this algae buildup look for older docks that still have the wood construction, boats moored at them and jet sky platforms which have visible algae buildup on the areas below water level. Let me stress that Algae Alone is not the only factor that makes a good producing dock. But it certainly gets one started out in the right direction.

(2) Shade:  I don't know where you live, but here in middle Tennessee it's HOT! Daytime temperatures have consistently hovered in the mid to upper 90's and this week we will break the 100 degree mark several days. The suns beating down, we have mile high sky's and once again it's just plain old HOT!  When I take my dogs outside to do their business where do you think I stand?  If you guessed under a shade tree you would be absolutely correct! It may still be hot "But" it is several degrees "Cooler" than just standing out in the direct sunlight. The same principle applies to docks.  Look at the picture here to the right. This picture was taken on a bright sunny day last month. Look at the shaded areas under the dock. To a bass it's like walking his favorite shad out in the yard letting him swim around while he gets under a shade tree. It may still be hot but the water temperature under the dock can range as much as 8-10 degrees cooler (sometimes more) depending on the density and square footage of the dock.  Some of the docks I fish on my favorite lake are 600 square feet and larger. Some are one story tall and other two stories tall.  The larger square footage of the dock the greater the shade.

Without getting to technical you have to remember that all fish including bass  "breathe" by absorbing dissolved oxygen through their gills. Oxygen enters the water in several different ways such as, directly from the atmosphere, absorption directly from aquatic plants and algae photosynthesis. The cooler the water under the dock the more oxygen can be dissolved in the water. That's why under normal conditions oxygen levels are usually higher in the winter than the summer.  Shade provided by docks tend to lower the average summer water temperature and increase the oxygen levels.

(3) Accessibility to deep water:  Even though bass are predators they still want a sense of safety. The docks I concentrate on during hot weather sit in water anywhere from  15 feet to 35 feet deep.  One big advantage to the deeper water (verses shallow water) is bass on these docks tend to move up and down in the water column instead of out and away from the dock when frightened or reacting to weather changes. Another factor that help hold bass is submerged timber and other structure under the dock. Many dock owner have sunk brush and PVC trees as fish attractors which just adds another plus to that particular dock.  Any time you see lights and rod holders on a dock always probe around and chances are you will find some type of structure that has been planted. When bass are moving up and down in the water column and they aren't as aggressive you have to experiment with your presentation. Size/weights of lures, rate of fall of your lures and even the type of lures that they want can change from trip to trip. We will discuss this in a minute.

To me these three things are very important when fishing this time of the year. Dog days of summer drive many bass fisherman in one of two directions. The first would be to their recliners and air conditioning awaiting cooler temperatures or to the lake at night. "BOTH" of these have their own distinct advantages for sure. But I can tell you that you can catch good quality fish during the day from the right docks on your lake. It just takes a little trail and error, effort and practice mixed with a whole lot of patience. But when you find those key docks the fish will consistently be there.

What Areas Of The Dock Do I Fish?

It would be very simple for me to say "All Of The Areas" and I would be telling you the truth. However that won't help you and that is what this article is all about. Helping the beginner learn new techniques and short that learning curve a bit.  I'm going to show you several pictures in this section and try to help you see the great potential that docks have.  So lets get started.

The picture to the left is a side view of this dock. The key areas to concentrate on are the right and left hand corners of the dock and the shaded open areas between the floatation blocks. If you will notice that the height of the dock roof and the height of the boat is casting a shaded area toward you. This will be the angle that provides the most shade. If the bass are active it is not unusual for them to chase the bait out several feet into this shaded area.  You will want to "skip" your bait into these open areas between the floatation as far back under the dock as possible. You corner cast should be several feet past the corners to allow you to work the bait correctly. The picture to the right is a portion of a different dock. The key areas would be the entire length of the right side of the dock, the right hand corner and all of the water under the boat lift including the left and right corners of the slip opening. Once again it is very important to skip the bait as far as possible under the boat and the make your right side cast as close as possible to the dock.

The picture to the left is the back left hand corner of this dock which is nearest the bank.  They key areas are the open portion between the floatation (hidden behind the 2007 date) the back corner, the length of the back side and the entire area between the bank and the dock.  If you will notice in the picture to the right that this lake is very low this summer due to the drought that we are experiencing. All the wood decking you see would normally be in the water at this time of the year.  This is a "MUST FISH"  area when the water is up. The best way that I have found is to position by boat against the cable that is running from the corner of the dock to the bank and actually fish over the cable pitching and skipping my lures into and around as much of the wood as possible.  I will work one side of the structure at a time. When I reach the other side I will fish the other side. Another thing to notice in these pictures is the walkway from the dock to the shore. This will also provide shade to one degree or the other and that shade will increase the closer you get to the dock. I have caught and lost some "big" fish in this type of areas.

The picture on the left is a different dock looking at it from from the opposite side from the ones above. The key areas remain the same. Opening floatation areas, back corner, entire length of back side and the open area between the dock and the shore. The picture on the right of another entire side view which affords us some additional opportunities. The key area here would be the right and left hand corners of the dock, the open areas between the flotation, the white PVC hose pipe hanging down and the back of the pontoon boat parked in front of the dock. Once again it is important to get you bait as far under the dock as possible.

The pictrue to the left is a close up of the one above right. You can see the additional shade the exists under the pontoon boat. The picture on the right gives us some different opportunities. Not only do we have the opening between the dock floatation and the area between the dock and bank but the big float tube and slide as well. Have you noticed something different about this dock? Yes? No? Take a closer look-the dock isn't covered. It has been my experience that this type of dock will produce less during this time of the year than a covered dock, but big shaded areas like the one under the tube should be checked out. Just please don't stick the tube...remember our dock owner conversation?

These two pictures are of the same covered dock and gives us even more possibilities. This covered dock has jet ski platforms attached in two different areas of the dock. So we have the corner of the dock, the entire length of the front of the dock, the open flotation area, the side and corners of the jet ski platform and the crack between them.  Don't ever discount the crack between the platform. I have caught a lot of good fish that was suspended directly under them. We also have the back side of the dock which is not visible to us in this picture.

These are the key areas that I concentrate on when fishing deep water covered docks during the hot weather months. With a little bit of a learning curve these will work for you as well.

What Do I Fish With?

Now that you have a better idea on what areas of docks to key in on, lets explore each individual part of the what do I fish with piece.  I want to preface again that there are several baits and techniques that you can use. BUT for day in and day out consistency fishing docks this time of year what I'm going to share with you works for me over and over again year after year.

Go To Baits

There are several reason that my #1 go to bait for fishing docks is a 5 inch Prowler Soft Shad www.prowlerlures.com like the one in the picture to the left and the bottom bait in the right hand picture. My #1 color choice is pearl as shown on the right, then I dip the tail of the Soft Shad (and all pearl or white baits) in a chartreuse dye made by JJ's Magic. (I'll cover dyes in a minute) This bait is about as versatile as a bait can get. It can be fished in all level of the water column, it can be fished weightless-weighed-exposed hook-Texas rigged-Wacky rigged-fished on top or on the bottom with a Carolina rig and as a spinner bait trailer.  The action of the bait once you get use to using it mimics that of a dying shad as it darts, vibrates and slowly falls when rigged weightless. There's just something about the Soft Shad year around that Smallmouth, Largemouth and Spots just can't resist when you pitch it under the docks like we talked about above.  I also catch a lot of fish on the Prowler Slim Jim in either a pearl or watermelon red flake. These baits are heavier and fall at a much quicker rate. I skip these baits under the dock just like the Soft Shad but I tend to let them sink on their own for several seconds and use my rod to twitch them more than make them dart like the Soft Shad. Folks I can't emphasize enough how good these Soft Shads and Slim Jims are in producing quality fish. If you haven't tried these Prowler baits you are sure cutting yourself short.

What About Using Dyes?

About 3 years ago I was introduced to JJ's Magic and man am I ever glad that I was. I use JJ's on everything except under my arms and on my toothbrush. This dye comes in Chartreuse, Blue, and Myth lade. And there is also a Clear that will not change the color of your baits but still leaves that heavy garlic scent that just won't come off cast after cast. Soft Plastics, Spinner Bait Skirt, Swim Baits and Jigs. This product is phenomenal for giving you that extra several seconds to set the hook because the fish just don't want to let go of the bait.  I like to dip the Soft Shads tail in the Chartreuse (let it dry) then dip the whole body in the clear.  You will NOT find me on the lake without JJ's on my baits....end of subject.  www.jjsmagic.com

What About Hooks And Line?

I have to admit that the older I get I get a little more cranky and much more particular about everything I fish with from rods-reels-line-hooks-snaps-baits-dyes you name it. It absolutely drives me nut's to have "Product Failure" due to manufacturing error. Where am I going with this? I have been a avid user of Pline for the past several years. On a early spring trip with my youngest son Daniel to Louisiana a rep gave me some line made by another big name manufacturer ands asked me just to try it. To make a long story short after breaking off 3 "GOOOD" fish in the cypress trees I respooled immediately back to what I should have had on in the first place Pline CX. Problem solved! Is Pline infallible? NO, but I will tell you this, as long as I watch what I'm doing and check my line as I should I have almost "ZERO" problems with Pline. I use it in different pound test for every technique that I use. I like the 12lb test CX Florescent for fishing docks because it is invisible under the water but highly visible above so you can watch your line for those very subtle hits that happens many times fishing docks. It comes off the reel very smoothly and has a very low memory rating  but yet is very strong. Just good stuff. www.pline.com

Lets talk about hooks for a minute.  There is an old saying that go's the chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Same is true with the fishing equipment we use. I guess I have bought about every brand hook manufactured. Some have been good some haven't. The biggest problem that I have isn't the strength of a hook as much as having a razor sharp point that will stay that way. I started using Mustad Ultra Point hooks about 8 months ago and I can tell you that I'm impressed/ These hooks are needle sharp. Mustad uses a new technology that is called "Opti-Angle" that creates a true needle point that is stronger and "Much More" durable than any other hooks that I have used.  Under normal conditions I use a #5 Mustad Wide Gap Ultra Lock Hook fishing the Soft Shad. I also use a #4 and a #2 for smaller baits. Now there are times while fishing docks I want my baits to fall a little faster "But" I don't want to make them nose dive by adding a sinker to the front. When this happens I use the Mustad Ultra Point Power Lock Plus Hooks that you see on the right side of the picture above. The round piece that you see on the shank of the hook is a weight that slides up and down the hook but  will stay put where you want it. I use these in 2 different weights 1/8oz and 1/16oz depending on how fast I want the bait to fall.  If I move the weight forward the bait fall head first. If I move the weight to the back the bait falls tail first and if I place it in the middle the bait will fall at more of a level angle.  This allows me to effectively fish the docks using the right size bait at the right of fall. www.mustad.no

What About Rods And Reels?

Let's start with reels first.  I have been a Shimano fan for years. I use 2 different size Stradics on my spinning rods.  St4000FH for 10 & 12 lb test line and the ST2500FH for 6 & 8lb test. Why? They hold up like no other reels I have ever used, and when you fish as many days a year with as many people that I do you come to appreciate the quality that is built into these reels. 

For those of you that know me I'm sure that I sound like a broken record. But I will tell you this, that the rod physical weight, quality, power and sensitivity that is packed into the All Pro APX Series Rods is unbelievable. I have owned at one time or the other just about every high end bass rod that has been made and I can tell you that the APX has them all beat hands down in my opinion. I have used these rods to Bass, Salmon, Musky, Northern Pike, Rock Fish, Hybrid, Walleye, Catfish (you name it) fish. I have used the 5 foot Ultra  Light APX on all varieties of pan fish. I use the 7 foot Medium Heavy Tennessee Graphite Handle Spinning Rod to throw my Soft Shads around cover and docks. I have one APX that has never been used for anything else except to fish soft plastic jerk baits. The sensitivity is astonishing.  You can feel the "slightest tick" all the way through your hand and wrist with the APX Series Rods. This is so important when the fish are lethargic and they just "Grab" the bait and that extra sensitivity make the difference between a hook up and a miss.  All Pro make a full line of APX Rods for every need. www.allprorods.com 

Conclusion

I hope that the information above will be beneficial to you, and help you put several more fish in the boat fishing deep water covered docks. If you have any questions concerning this article, our guide service or web site don't hesitate to contact me at 615-765-7303 or rickm@dtccom.net  Thank you for taking time to read this article. Rick Mcferrin Owner/Full Time Guide Tennessee Bass Guides LLC

Something Different Can Make A Big Difference

By: Rick McFerrin

www.tennesseebassguides.com

April 2007

Introduction

Let me start out this article by asking you to do some reflection and then answer a couple simple questions. Here's the reflection part, think for a minute about your two most favorite lakes that you fish for bass. Got them locked in? Alright here comes the question. How many people fish your favorite lakes during an entire year for bass? How many total man hours are spent by those fishermen on the water? How many casts did these fishermen make totally during that same period of time?  Wow! When you look at it from that standpoint it can be a little staggering.

I don't know where you live but I can tell you that here in Tennessee our lakes (large and small) are covered up with bass fishermen 12 months out of the year. Daytime, nighttime, spring, summer, fall and winter. 1000's of fishermen spending 1000's of hours, making 1000's of casts at every bass in the lake. No rock, lay down, ledge, drop, hump, weed bed, channel, boat dock, marina, standing timber, weed bed (I like weed beds), bluff, mud bank, gravel bank, rock point (and the list go's on ) remains untouched!  Big crank baits, small crank baits, big worms, small worms, big spinner baits, small spinner baits, big buzz baits, small buzz baits, big jerk baits, small jerk baits, big jigs, small jigs, big spoons, small spoons. Carolina rigs, Texas rigs, shaky heads, fast moving baits, slow moving baits. Man I'm getting tired just thinking about it. Now, if I can get tired just thinking about this I wonder how Mr. Bass feels over the period of a year? How many "Me Too" baits are dragged past the nose of the bass in your lake every year? I can almost hear a couple of 5 lb Smallmouth hanging out on the end of a point saying "Here comes another crawfish colored bait and it looks just like the last 20 that pasted by.  Who do they think their fooling. Wow! Once again, when you look at it that way it can become even more staggering.

I'm not really babbling believe me, and my brain isn't completely water logged yet. (only 80%)  What I'm saying is simple. Bass fishermen that are consistent in catching good fish year in and year out aren't doing the same thing over and over that everyone else is doing. How many B.A.S.S and FLW events are won by a pro that tells everyone in the audience when he's collecting his $50,000.00 check. "I found a way to change this bait just a little" and did it ever make a big difference. How many local club tournaments are won consistently by a hand full of fishermen that are doing "something" just a little different?

So, back to the title of this article. "Something different can make a big difference" Sometimes we the fisherman comes up with the difference. Other times it's done for us by bait manufactures. Either way we need to be alert to changes that are going on around us and take advantage of those changes. Let's take a look at "something different" that is on the market right now that I have already found out can make a big difference in you bass fishing success. Hang in there this is good stuff!

Secret Weapon Sidearm Spinner bait

Before we talk specifically about the Secret Weapon Side Arm Spinner Bait I need to cover something else. Articles that I write go out all over the world on a variety of fishing web sites and are published here in Tennessee in several news papers and magazines as well. I said all that to say that some of you are already familiar with  Secret Weapon Spinner Baits, but many may not be. Because of that I need to explain what makes the whole Secret Weapon concept (Spinner Baits-Buzz Baits-Side Arm Baits) different from other spinner baits on the market today. So with that in mind let's start there.

First of all over the years I have come to appreciate the difference that Secret Weapon brings to the table. They have all the best features of a conventional safety pin style spinner baits plus the uniqueness of an in line spinner bait as well. This combination is achieved by the use of "Free Floating" in line clevis mounted blades that can be fished in a multitude of applications including through trees (which we will talk about in a minute) brush, weeds and heavy cover.  This design creates a "Different" sound from other spinner baits that fish are so use to hearing. Remember our two 5lb Smallmouth on the point? Well there you go! Something different that makes a big difference.

Another unique difference is the ability to change the blades on a Secret Weapon Spinner Bait in just a matter of seconds. This is achieved because of the quick change blade attachment design.   Even a guy with bi-focals and a little arthritis in his fingers like me can do it in no time flat. That gives you the ability to change the look of your bait as conditions change without tying on another complete bait. And when those hawgs take a shot at your bait the combination of the "Ultra Point" Extra long Mustad hook being aligned perfectly with the line tie and the blades swinging out of the way giving you an increased solid hook up ratio. I could go on and on about how well they retrieve, less tendency to roll at high speeds, excellent as a drop bait, superior craftsmanship and much more. But let's move on to what took place this past week while on vacation on one of my favorite lakes in Louisiana.

About a month ago I got a telephone call from Mr. Joe Haubenreich President of Secret Weapon Lures, telling me about the new "Side Arm Spinner Bait".  As Joe explained the new bait to me my mind raced ahead to the upcoming trip that my youngest son Daniel and I were going to take on a Lake Providence an oxbow lake in Louisiana. Joe sent me several of the new Side Arm Spinner Baits and last week Daniel and I had the opportunity to try them out.

The type of cover that we were fishing was 95% cypress trees  like the picture on either side. I have fished this lake since the mid 1980"s and have always had success with spinner baits and crank baits. Sometimes the bass will hold so tight to the trunk of the trees and knees that the bait has to beat and bang it's way through to get a hit. Other times if the fish are aggressive they will roam a few feet off the tree. Well this time was a "stuck like glue" to the tree trip. I threw both the original Secret Weapon Spinner Bait and the new Side Arm Spinner Bait and here is what I found out. I caught fish on both, "But" the side arm produced more strikes overall than the original bait on this trip and I think I have it figured out why.

Since the blades are directly across from one another (side by side) when I would run the bait lets say on the right side of the tree, the blade nearest the tree would make contact and flutter momentarily but the other blade would continue to spin. I believe it was that different turbulence the Side Arm made that provoked the strike. This was one of the slower trips I have had on Providence. But we still caught 62 largemouth in 4 days of fishing with multiple fish over 3 pounds all the way up to 7 pounds on this trip. Made Daniel smile. We talked to several local bass fishermen that found it hard to believe that we were doing as well as we were. Luck? Well, maybe something different made a big difference. I'm sure it was a combination of things. Like lighter line (nothing over 12lb test) fishing ultra slow and making repeated casts to the same areas. And using techniques and baits that these fish just don't see on a normal basis.

Joe and Secret Weapon has a real winner on their hands with this new bait. I can't wait to throw it this week here in Tennessee.  I love fishing grass, and can't wait to see how they will perform on Old Hickory here in Nashville. Just like the original Secret Weapon Spinner Bait the Side Arm uses the same free-floating, interchangeable, in-line spinner blades.  And as I have already discussed it creates a different vibration because of the two blades playing off one another. I also noticed that the Side Arm seemed to "stay up" a little high in the water column at a slower speed, which definitely was a plus on this trip. There's time that you don't want a bass to get too good of a look at a bait. But then on the other hand when they are a little finicky like this past week having the bait right in their face for that second or two longer was the trick. 

Unlike other the original Secret Weapon Spinner Bait the Side Arm uses a V-frame blade pivot bar (see picture to the left) that attaches to the spinner bait arm above the black double barrel metal sleeve (picture to the right) The metal sleeve slides down allowing you to attach the V Frame Pivot Arm. At the ends on the Pivot Arm you then attach the spinner blades of your choice. A simple, quick and "Different" approach to all me to baits. Another great aspect of this bait is that you can leave the V Bar off the bait and attach  a single Secret Weapon spinner blade and have a fantastic short arm spinner bait ideal for bottom crawling or let it helicopter  around docks, bluffs, pilings and ledges.  As on all Secret Weapon Spinner Baits you can modify them without tools right on the water in seconds. With just a handful of Secret Weapon Bodies and blades you can come up with the best combination that is going to work for you that day.

Conclusion

The Secret Weapon Side Arm Spinner Bait is available in two weights. (5/16ths and 9/16ths) and in 10 popular patterns for stained or clear water. Joe and his team offers several different packs designed exactly for your needs and budget. You can see all of the great Secret Weapon Products by going to our web site www.tennesseebassguides.com.  Just scan down and click on the Secret Weapon Logo. This product is also available all across the U.S. so check with your local tackle store.

If you are as serious as I am about getting maximum results every time I put my boat in the water. Then you understand why I said "Something Different Can Make A Big Difference". As the owner of Tennessee Bass Guides and a full time Guide I'm always looking new and better ways to help my clients catch fish. There is no doubt in my mind that by adding the new Secret Weapon Side Arm Spinner Bait to my arsenal for 2007 will help me do just that. I appreciate you reading this article and I hope that 2007 will be your best year ever on the water. God Bless. Rick McFerrin

Crank Bait Tip's For The Beginner

By: Rick McFerrin

www.tennesseebassguides.com

Revised March 2007

Introduction

Prior to fishing full time I worked as a regional manager for a large food manufacturer. As I traveled the Southeast, I would regularly drive by or fly over many fantastic looking lakes, rivers and streams. Gazing out or looking down at these bodies of water I must admit my mind would race back to being a kid years ago sitting in school on those first warm spring days looking out the nearest window. All I wanted to do was "Chuck" the books and just go fishing.  I couldn't wait to get home. I knew that my dad and I would either head to the river to wade or go to some of the farm ponds that were near by.

I know I have shared this before, but my father introduced me to fishing a crank bait in these rivers and ponds.

Back then we didn't have the unlimited choices in crank baits like we do today. Dad and I used lures named "River Runt" "Lazy Ike" "Mirr O Lure" "Cast Master" "Sparkle Tail and several more. At an early age I became "Hooked" on fishing a crank bait. Through the years I've heard crank baits called "Idiot Lures" You know, you just chunk and wind. But nothing could be further from the truth.  Through the years things have changed dramatically. Today's crank baits in the hands of a skilled crank bait fisherman is a  high tech tool that can add big numbers and quality to your fishing success. I want to revisit some prior thoughts that I have shared about fishing a crank bait, and do a little updating at the same time.

Where Does The Beginner Start?

One of our mission goals here at Tennessee Bass Guides is to be a good information resource center for "Beginning Bass Fisherman". With that goal in mind let's begin. When you go into many of our "Super Tackle Stores" you are automatically confronted with aisle after aisle of crank bait manufactures that produce baits in 100's of different colors and sizes. Most of these baits today will range in price from $3.00 all the way to almost $20.00. Some of these baits float, while others sink. Some rattle and some don't. Some are made from balsa, some hard wood and the majority from a plastic composite. Some crank baits because of their buoyancy rise quickly when you stop cranking while others suspend or fall. Some baits have long lips, some short and others no lip at all. Choosing the right bait and getting the most for your money becomes a "mind boggling chore" for a new crank bait fisherman. To get a good start you must do some home work "Before" you step foot in that crank bait candy store. Here are a few questions you need to answer first.

Where Are You Going To Fish Most?

Why is this important? It's simple,  if you are going to wade creeks, rivers or fish ponds from the bank you may need  crank baits that run shallower over all than let's say someone that fishes from a boat on deep rivers and lakes. Your color selection may be similar (we will cover this later) but your variety of deep running baits will most likely be limited. If you are fishing small lakes or ponds from a boat, your selection will increase because you will be able to fish the deeper portions of the lake and most likely you will be casting in towards the shallows and bring the bait back into deeper water. If the pond or lake that you are fishing has an abundance of vegetation this will also factor into your lure selection. If your fishing large deep lakes you may need baits that run from 1 foot to 20 plus. You just have to adjust accordingly. The possibilities are endless but I think you get the idea. Gear your crank bait selection to where you are going to fish the most. By doing this and "going slow" with your purchases, you can see what will and won't work for you. In the long run you can save money that can be used on other equipment needs.

Colors!

"I Wish I Hadn't Bought That"

Why would I say "I wish I Hadn't Bought That"? If you were here at my house I would gladly show you why! Down stairs in the garage I have a cork board that has well over a 100 crank baits stuck to it that I never use. Some never ran correctly, others didn't have the action that I wanted. And others are the result of "It Looked Good To Me" when I was at the store but it never looked good to the bass I was trying to catch. Through the years and several wasted $$$$$$

I have settled on some very basic colors that will produce for the beginner over and over, year after year.  How do I know that? Because they work for me. If you will start with these and gain confidence in your crank bait fishing you will then have a better comfort level in your next color selections.

Before I go any further, I need to say that we are proud to be sponsored by one of the largest Crank Bait manufacturers in the world, Normark. Normark brands include legends like, Rapala-Storm and Lure Jensen on the crank bait side. These brands offer a rainbow of colors including the ones we are going to discuss next. Through out the year I will be writing a series of articles addressing these brands and the various crank baits Normark produces. .

From my experience these are your "basic must have": colors.  (1) Silver/Shad (2) Firetiger (3) Chartreuse or Citrus Chartreuse (4) Dark Brown Crawfish (5) Chrome Blue Back (6) Sliver Black Back (7) Red/Red Crawfish. Will other colors catch fish? Yes! But once again, these colors have proven themselves to be producers over and over again. These colors will also cover different water colors that you will be faced with. As I said, take it slow in your purchases and gain confidence in what your throwing. Then you can branch out a little further.

What Depth Should My Crank Bait Run

And How Fast Should It Run?

Under most circumstances I prefer to use a crank bait to search out cover and structure always looking for that reaction bite. A crank bait is my "confidence" bait. There are times when you can't crank fast enough. I always like to keep my crank baits moving at a pretty good clip especially in clearer water. I don't want the fish to get a real good look at it, as I said I'm looking for the reaction bite. Then there are times when conditions warrant me easing  the bait through and around structure. To do this I always select a crank bait that will run deeper than the depth of water that I'm fishing. If I'm in 6 feet of water I want a crank bait that will reach the 10 foot level. If I'm fishing 10 feet of water I want a crank bait that will run 12 to 15 feet deep.  The reason for this is simple. I want to be able to keep in contact with the structure that I'm fishing. I want the bait bouncing off as much structure as possible. Let me clear something up. If your afraid to throw crank baits into heavy cover because you may get hung up, you might as well stay at the house or take up another sport. Besides that's what a good lure retriever is for, to get you free from where the bass live. As you progress in your crank bait fishing you will be able to fish them in many areas that you wouldn't think possible.

The one exception to having a crank bait that runs deeper that the water I'm fishing is when I'm fishing grass. This is where I select a bait that will touch the top of the weeds and has the ability to pull through when I jerk or snap the rod forward. Many times in grass when you are using a lipless crank bait like the Lure Jensen Sugar Shad the bass will hammer the bait almost immediately when it comes free from the weeds. Two other great crank baits for fishing weeds and grass is the Rapala #5 Shallow Shad Rap and the Storm Sub Wart. These baits run very shallow and produce for me year after year.

Most crank bait manufactures list on the package the depths their baits will run. A good example of this is the new DT (Dives-to) Series from Rapala. These baits are listed as DT4 (4Feet)-DT6 (Feet)-DT10 (10 Feet) and DT16 (16 Feet). This is very helpful when choosing the right depth bait for the water that your fishing. The Lure Jensen Radar series lists their baits as Radar 10 (10 Feet) and Radar 13 (13 Feet). Look on the package before you make your purchase it may save you a trip back to the store.

Other factors that effect the depth a bait will run is (1) Reel Speed. I prefer a reel with at least a 5:7-1 ratio. This gives me speed when I need it but I still the ability to slow down when necessary without working myself to death. (2) Line Diameter. I Fish all my crank baits on either 6lb or 10 lb test max no matter the depth.  (3) Rod length. I prefer a AllPro APX 6 1/2 foot or 7 foot medium action rod. The extra length gives me the ability to make longer more accurate casts and the extra length is very important when it comes to fighting a big fish at the boat. (4) Cast Distance.  The longer your cast coupled with lighter line and reel speed will help you achieve maximum depth with your bait.

What About Action And Sound?

Here's a couple tips on how you can determine what kind of action a crank bait will have just by looking at it.  (1) If the line tie is closer to the end of the bill the crank bait will run shallower than a bait that has the line tie nearer to it's face. (2) If the bill of the bait is angled sharply down it will run shallower than one where the bill is angled straight out (3) The closer the line tie is to it's face the tighter the wiggle the bait will have.  (4) Baits with a wider body will have more of a wobble where thinner baits will have a tighter wiggle. (5) Lipless crank baits like the Rattlin Rapala, has thin sides and the line tie is on top. These type of baits have a very tight wiggle and are very effective when retrieved at high speeds.

Another important part in achieving good lure action is making sure that you use a good snap (not a swivel). I never tie directly to the split ring on a crank bait.  This is probably the most contested area in crank bait fishing. Many folks won't use a snap, but over the years I have found that using a snap only enhances (increases) the action of the crank bait. I have fished side by side with many guys that won't use a snap and I will have many more strikes in a period of a day than they will. Will CHEAP SNAPS fail? Sure, but so will cheap line-reels-rods etc. Spend a little extra on good snaps and it will pay off big time when you get to the water.

Many crank baits have rattles in them. I have found that rattles are very helpful most of the time. But on the other hand I have found that rattles can be a hindrance in late winter and early spring in colder water. This is when I opt for the Rapala #5 or #7 Shad Raps which do not rattle. These baits are fantastic all year long but they can be extra deadly at this time of the year in cold water.

Conclusion

Like I always say in the seminars that I hold throughout the year. If you like to fish a crank bait you need to move south, because we can fish them all year long.  You may have to change your presentation-structure or depths. But if you are diligent in learning you can add many pounds of bass to your yearly catch. Don't load your tackle box down with dozens of colors and sizes. Take your time and find out what works for you best. I hope this article will help you in getting started fishing a crank bait. Let me know how you do, or if you have any questions feel free to contact me at. rickm@dtccom.net.  Thanks for reading and God Bless.   Rick McFerrin Owner www.tennesseebassguides.com

Grubs For Cold Water Bass

Written By: Tim Mason

February 2007

www.tennesseebassguides.com

Introduction

Do you have any Grub's in your tackle box? If you don't you are missing out on one of the most versatile lures that can be fished in all degrees of water. Warm Water or Cold Water a grub is an excellent bait that has one purpose in mind and that is to represents bait fish!  The grub is (1) Easy to fish (2) Good around all types of structure (3) Can be fished with an exposed hook (4) Can be Texas Rigged (5) Can be Flipped and Pitched (6)Can be used as a Spinner bait trailer (7) Great on Carolina Rig's.  Another good thing is that they are easy to fish and you don't have to be a rocket scientist to use them. But I can assure you of this! The GRUB can be one of the most deadly lures you may ever fish. In any water temperature. Saying that since we are Januray,  I want to share with you some COLD WATER TIP'S for fishing the grub and we can address WARM WATER TIP'S in a future article

When-Where- And How?

When the water temperature drops below 55 degrees the Grub is one of the best soft plastic baits that you can tie on. Through the many years that I have fished on various pro circuits-been a guide and fishing instructor at Bass Pro Shops I have fished several different styles and brands of grubs. I can assure you that one brand-one company continues to produce for me year after year and that is Prowler Pitch Lures! As I said, Prowler Grubs can be fished and rigged in a multitude ways. Let's look at some of these together!

When the water temperature begins to hit the 55 degree range and the fish are in  Shallower Water I always choose a Prowler Pro Fat Grub. This bait is in 8400 series is a little larger and bulkier at 4.5 inches in length. The tail gives off a great amount of turbulence and these baits are absolutely deadly on shallow water bass.  I like fishing this size grub on a couple different weights of ball type jig heads and on a couple different line weights depending on structure, wind and how aggressive the fish are. Let me explain.

If the fish are extremely shallow I will Texas Rig my Prowler Pro Fat Grub and use 10 or 12 pound test line a 3/16 ounce jig head. By doing this I'm able to flip and pitch all the lay down timber, rock crevices and other structure that might be holding fish that day. You don't want to miss any structure and you always want to be aware of line movement or just that "Different Feel". Sometimes the bite can be subtle but other times they will jerk the rod out of your hands. The additional line weight gives me a little more leverage in fighting fish in cover and the 3/16 ounce head provides enough weight to get through the structure when needed.

If the fish have Moved Away From The Banks and have began to Suspend  let's say at the edge of the creek channel where the bass have a choice of both shallow or deep water I like to use a 1/4 pounce ball jig and leave the hook exposed. I like to use either 8 or 10 pound test for this application.  If the fish aren't aggressive but still suspended in the same area I will switch to a 1/8 ounce jig head to slow the fall down. Boat positioning is critical on this application. There are times when when you will need to leave your boat in the shallow water and make a cast out into the deeper water of the channel.  It is very important that you count down the bait as it falls. If the fish hits the grub on the count of one thousand four then you can reasonably expect the same thing to happen on your next cast.  If the fish fail to hit the grub on the fall work the grub back up the channel edge keeping in contact with the structure using a semi-slack line presentation. There are other times when it will be to your advantage to position your boat out in deeper water and cast toward the shallow flat.  When this happens always work the grub quickly to the channel edge and then begin to count the grub down. This same application works well when sitting in deeper water off of points.

If I need a technique that will allow me to cover allot of water, make longer casts, target suspended fish and bottom bump my Prowler grub I always choose the Prowler 3.5 inch (8300 series) Grub rigged on a 3/16 ounce ball type jig head and 6 pound test line.  This combination lets you (power fish) work a multitude of area and various structure quickly. Once fish are located I adjust from there. I keep a open mind and I'm not reluctant to switch line weights, jig head weights and grub colors as needed. Many times just a little adjustment can add several more bites and bass in the boat over a period of a day.

What About Colors?

When it comes to colors everyone has their own that they have confidence in.  Let me add this, If you don't have confidence in what you are throwing you might as well put it back in the box!  At this point all you will be doing is thrashing the water.  The following colors are my confidence colors for the lakes and areas that I fish, they work for me over and over. Let's break this down in a way that it might help you in making your next grub purchase.

Sunny Days:  Smoke Glitter and Tennessee Shad are my first choice go to colors. Overcast Days: I like Chartreuse Glitter, Chartreuse Pearl and White.  Lakes Where Crawfish Are Plentiful:  Green Pumpkin or Pumpkinseed

Clear Water For Smallmouth And Spots:  Chartreuse Glitter, Chartreuse Pearl.

I have already explained that I like to use a ball head type of jig.  I have found this head to be the best all around style. This type of jig can be used for swimming, hopping or crawling and on suspended fish.  It can be used as an open hook presentation or as a Texas Rigged application. They come in multiple weights and hook shaft lengths. You can also purchase them either unpainted or in a multitude of colors. To get a good look at the entire Prowler line go to www.prowlerlures.com on the web.  Prowler can also be purchased in all major tackle stores. Check yours for local availability.

Conclusion

I hope this brief article will shed some light on how I fish a Prowler Pro Pitch Grub. You can catch fish on other brands but in my opinion being on the water day after day to catch quantity and quality fish my first choice is Prowler. Remember to always set a good example on the water, respect others, safety first, give someone a fishing tip, snatch hard and God Bless.......Tim Mason

Cold Water Spinnerbait Tactics

Written By: Tim Mason

February 2007

www.tennesseebassguides.com

Introduction

If your a spinnerbait lover it's awful hard to put one down when the weather is warm and bite is on. But during this time of the year even hard core spinnerbait anglers minds seem to change when the water temperatures plunge to the 47 to 55 degree range.  I must admit in past times I was one of those. I caught bass occasionally on spinner baits during the winter but truthfully I became frustrated because of the lack of performance with the baits I was using.

I wanted a spinnerbait that I could fish extremely slow but yet the blades would continually turn with the slightest lift of my rod tip. I wanted a bait where the blades would turn and I could feel the thump as it fell. I wanted a spinnerbait that resembled a baitfish with the color selection of crankbaits. I guess I always felt that a spinnerbait with these qualities would make a great difference in catching or not catching bass in cold water. It wasn't until Mr. Rick McFerrin owner of Tennessee Bass Guides who introduced me to Mr. Joe Haubenrich  President of the Secret Weapon Lure Company www.secretweaponlures.com that my search came to an end.

As a tournament angler, occasional outdoor writer, guide, seminar speaker and fishing instructor, I want to share with you some tips that I have discovered while fishing a Secret Weapon Spinnerbait. I'm confident that Secret Weapon Spinnerbaits can help the beginner and the Pro-level angler improve their cold water spinnerbait success.

Some Things To Think About

One important fact to remember when fishing for bass in water less than 55 degrees (especially largemouth) is that they can become very lethargic during this time. In the summer months bass may go on a feeding spree multiple times during the day. And because of the warmer water temperature they can digest their meals very quickly. But in the winter it's different. The colder water doesn't allow their digestive systems to function nearly as often, their metabolism slows and so does their feeding habits. They still feed but the time between feeding is longer. That is why I convinced that it is absolutely imperative to use a bait that will stay in the strike zone for as long of a time as possible. Using a slow methodical presentation, keeping the bait right in front of their nose makes a world of difference. This is why, if your a true spinnerbait lover that Secret Weapon Spinnerbaits will give you that extra edge in cold water.

Why Secret Weapon?

Let's begin with design. The last thing you want to do when fish are lethargic is to over fish your spinnerbait. I can hear people right now say "What are you talking about Tim?"   Let me give you an example. Many of the old spinnerbaits I used you had to constantly pick up speed just to keep the blades rotating. And when that happened it shortened the length of time the bait stayed in the strike zone. Folks this is very important and a key difference between Secret Weapon and other baits.  It doesn't matter if your fishing a Secret Weapon in a vertical presentation for suspended bass over humps, bluffs or ledges. Or in a horizontal presentation over flats these blades are going to turn at the slightest pull and continue to turn almost as slow as you want to crank.

You see Secret Weapon gives you the best of both worlds. You can have the performance and characteristics of a Short Arm and a Long Arm spinnerbait all in one package with all of the strengths and none of the weaknesses. And with the quick change system, I can take my three favorite sizes (3/16-5/16 and 9/16) and have dozens of configurations.

That is "Why Secret Weapon?" This is what sets Secret Weapon apart from the competition. More vibration, less roll over rotation at slower speeds, interchangeable blade attachments without tools, hook point aligned for maximum hook sets, heavy gauge stainless steel frame, rock hard powder coat base, minnow shaped heads, blood spot, 3 D eyes, keeper barb for rattle collar or plastic trailer and Mustad Ultrapoint Long Shaft Hooks for easy penetration and durability.

My Favorite Sizes And Colors

My all around favorite size is 5/16 ounce. However the 3/16 ounce tandem Colorado blade is deadly when the fish move shallow as the water begins to warm up and their spawning instincts begin to kick in. The 5/16 ounce Colorado blade is my #1 choice when I'm targeting suspended fish and covering a lot of water.  I like to throw a single willow leaf around rocks in less than 8 feet of water. The 9/16 ounce is my "Upgrade" choice when I need a larger bait because of strong current, wind or keeping constant contact with the bottom.  I fish these baits on what I consider to be the best spinnerbait rod made and that is the AllPro APX APX7MHCA7'. This is a 7 foot medium heavy casting rod that is ultra sensitive and extremely powerful. www.allprorods.com When you combine the thump of a Secret Weapon blade and the feel of the APX it's unbelievable. My reel choice is a 5:2:1 with 17 pound test line.

My favorite winter time colors are. Rock Craw (#308), White Shiner (#103), Threadfin Shad (#107), Smallmouth Special (#308) and Chartreuse Shiner (#208) but you can never go wrong with the many colors that are available in the Secret Weapon Line.

Closing Thoughts

I sincerely hope that these tips will help you on your next cold water spinnerbait outing.  When you weigh in that 5 or 6 pound bass at the scales and someone asks you what you caught it on, just tell them a Secret Weapon! I want to thank Mr. Joe Haubenrich and Mr. Rick McFerrin. These two gentlemen are avid experienced fishermen that deeply cares about the fisherman. These are two wonderful men that God has brought into my life and has made a positive impact on my fishing experience. I invite everyone to continue to visit the following web sites. www.secretweaponlures.com and www.tennesseebassguides.com  for great up to date information that you can use. Don't forget to put God First, think safety, respect others, snatch hard and God Bless. Tim Mason

Tip’s For The Beginner

Change Is Just Around The Corner

August 2006

www.tennesseebassguides.com

 Introduction

It’s August 18, 2006 and I have just got back home from a guide trip on Old Hickory Lake here in middle Tennessee. After a short nap I decided to finally sit down and begin to write this Tips Article that’s been on my mind.  It is now 3:45pm, I’m looking out the bay window in our dinning room at a thermometer that’s reading 97 degrees in the shade. This is a very typical day here in middle Tennessee lately.  It can be summed up in one descriptive word “Hot”. It’s just been plain “Old Hot” here for weeks on end.  I’m not sure that we have had a summer that has been this hot Without Wind! Most days there has been very little if any wind blowing during the morning and mid day hours. The heat kicks up a thunderstorm every so often late in the day, but for the majority of the time it’s just hot and still. “BUT” there is change coming right around the corner!

It won’t be long before the 97 degrees will be replaced with much cooler air temperatures. Shorts and short sleeve shirts will be replaced with Body Amour and Gore-Tex suits. Iced down spring water will be replaced with a thermos of hot coffee. Sun block will be replaced with hand warmers. A quick ride in the boat to cool off will be replaced with a Coleman heater to help stay warm.  Yes, change is just around the corner.

I can only speak for myself, but I can truthfully say “Man I’m Ready”.  I’m ready for the Corp of Engineers to drop our water levels to winter pool. I’m ready to kick my trucks 4 wheel drive in to get up and down the boat ramp. I’m ready for the extended points, humps and bars that have been invisible all summer to rise up above water level. I’m ready to be able to see my breath when I walk outside. I’m ready to look at my clients and say “Nippy isn’t it”.  I’m ready to hear my lovely wife say “You’re crazy for fishing in weather like this”.  Yes, change is just around the corner!

Not only is there weather and water change around the corner but there is also a focus change for me as well. My focus changes in the winter from primarily fishing for Largemouth on Old Hickory Lake  to fishing for those (as legend Billy Westmorland said) “Ole Brown Fish” on Tim’s Ford Reservoir near Tullahoma Tennessee.  To me there’s nothing better than chasing winter Smallmouth here in Tennessee. And we have an abundance of lakes and river systems to chase them in.

For the beginner these changes can become somewhat of a challenge and propose several questions like. (1) How do you adjust to a 45 degree water temperature swing?  (2) How you adjust when much of the structure that you have been fishing all summer long is now on dry ground?  (3) What kind of adjustments do you make in your tackle? (4) Do you make adjustments in your presentation? You know the list of questions can go on and on.  Hopefully I can shed some light on this for those of you that are new to winter fishing. I certainly don’t have all the answers.  I’m learning more every year myself. And I know that there are many ways to catch winter fish, but I just want to share some of what works for me. As I always say, “Take what you can use and throw away the rest. “. So fasten your seat belts, open your mind and here we go!

Why Switch Lakes?

Before I go any further I need to address why I switch from Old Hickory to Tim’s Ford during the winter months.  Old Hickory is a river lake that is known primarily for a solid Largemouth Bass population. Old Hickory (22,500 acres) most certainly has a Smallmouth population but acre for acre the density of Smallmouth vs. Largemouth is less.  On the other hand, Tim’s Ford is already famed Dale Hollows closest middle Tennessee rival. Tim’s may never match Dale Hollows reputation for quality but take it from this full time guide, Tim’s Ford is a blue ribbon Smallmouth lake already.  My personal best Tim’s Smallmouth last winter was 6 pound 2 ounces, a trophy just about any where. The pictures that are scattered through this article are just some of the Tim’s Ford fish caught during  the winter season. See what I mean? Also in 2005 the TWRA established an 18 inch size limit on Tim’s Ford Smallmouth which can only help to increase the quality every year.  Mile for mile lake structure on Tim’s is (at least for me) more conducive to Smallmouth.  There is an almost unlimited amount of deep water private boat docks, public and private ramps, rock points, shallow sloping gravel rounds, ledges, mud banks, long winding creeks and coves, islands, shallow water/deep water access areas and quick drop off’s, major river channel points. Many of Tim’s creeks are loaded with stumps and lay down timber protruding out into deep water. Although Tim’s is only 10,500 acres it fishes much larger and has an abundance of shad and crawfish for Smallmouth to feast on. Another factor is, in the winter months you don’t have to depend as much on generation schedules on Tim’s as you do Old Hickory.  Let me also say that Tim’s has a great Largemouth and Walleye population as well, which is always an added bonus. Spotted bass also roam Tim’s clear waters but on the average are smaller. If a fisherman is looking for a chance at a bragging size Spot, Center Hill near Smithville Tennessee is the answer. There are so many reasons why I fish Tim’s and one reason I don’t want to forget is “Tim’s is easy on the eyes”. What a beautiful lake, it’s not hard to get caught up in all the scenery around you.  Plus it’s just plain fun to fish Tim’s!  Moving on!

Answers To Some Puzzling Questions

In this section I’m going to try to answer some of the questions for the beginner that I proposed above. Please keep in mind this is what works for me on Tim’s Ford a deep moderately clear lake. Others may approach these questions from a different angle. There’s always more than one way to skin a cat, or in this case catch a Smallmouth!

How Do You Adjust To Falling Water?  There are several factors directly related to this question. #1) Normal surface water temperatures will still be on the warm side as the Corp brings the lake down to winter pool. Then as the a fall air temperatures and rains take on a chill and our nights stay down in the 60’s 50’s  lower lake temperatures will gradually kick in.  #2) “If” everything is normal the draw down will be gradual. On occasion the Corp will pull the plug and seemingly drain our lakes including Tim’s overnight. When this happens fishing can be difficult for several days until the bass adjust to being rudely moved out of their homes. Make no mistake about it when the lake drops quickly it will have an adverse effect on the bass until the lake and bass stabilize.  On the other hand I have always found it much easier to fish “rising water” on a shallow lake like Old Hickory because it tends to move the bass out and back into the creeks and coves that are so abundant.  On a deep lake like Tim’s Ford I have found the bass will simply follow the rising water up in basically the same relative locations.

Let’s tackle question #2 first.  If you don’t retain anything but what I’m going to say next it will be well worth your time.  Falling water will affect different lakes in various ways. Such as, if a lake is relatively shallow and the fish are in the backs of the creeks when the water begins to drop let’s say 5 feet, most likely they will move to the nearest secondary break or point. As the water continues to drop another 5 feet the fish will move on to the next available point or break and so on until the water stabilizes. But, on a lake like Tim’s which is a deep lake, the fish will move much less in distance and their move will be more horizontal than vertical.  Bass on Tim’s just have a lot more water to work with. So let’s say that this Saturday you get on some Smallmouth on Tim’s on gravel rounds ¼ of the way back in the creeks near 2 main river channel points and the fish are holding in 15 feet of water. The Corp drops the lake 5 feet by next Saturday. Where do you look for these fish that you were on a week ago?  Have the fish moved and you look for them on the channel points 75 yards away or still 15 feet deep on the same gravel round?  I always start at the 15 foot gravel round, Why? As I said the fish on Tim’s have a lot more water to work with. I’ve watched this over the past several years. On a deep lake it will take more factors than just  falling water to push a Smallmouth into a radical move.

Comparatively the percentage of decrease in water depth of 5 foot to total volume on Tim’s is very small compared to the shallow lake. So always start on deep clear lakes where you found the fish last time and “Then” work your way out.  Don’t panic as the water falls on Tim’s or other deep water lakes. Historically it has been rare that Smallmouth head for 50 feet of water just because of gradually falling water. Normally they are going to stay fairly constant at the same depths. Other factors might make them move but not gradual falling water.

How Do You Adjust To Falling Water Temperatures?. How hot has it been on the lakes where you fish this summer? Here in Tennessee we have had surface temperatures near 90 degrees on most of our lakes. Temperatures all most like bath water. When you talk about falling water temperatures this time of the year you almost have to look at it in multiple stages. Let me explain.

I’ve addressed this same question many times in various articles over the past several years. I was brought up under the teaching that there were “Magical Water Temperatures” that would push bass into (a) spawn in the spring (b)  fall patterns (c) winter patterns. Truthfully I have found that not to be so. I don’t believe it’s 70 degrees or 60 degrees,. Rather I believe the INITIAL FALL PATTERNS are kicked in when the water temperatures makes a permanent  8 to 10 degree decline in late summer/early fall and same is true in the Spring but in reverse.   So this year (ONLY AS A RULE OF THUMB) I would consider 75 to 65 degrees early and mid fall. 65 to 55 late fall early winter. Then 55 and below winter.  Remember I said I will use this as a rule of thumb on Tim’s Ford this year. It might be different on your lake but the formula should be close.

One way that you can visually see the beginnings of a fall pattern is by watching bait fish. Usually as the water cools the bait fish will move further back into the creeks and coves. NOTE: This paragraph is for those of you that might fish a lake with an over abundance of shad. As an example let’s look at Old Hickory in past year. Shad last year and two years ago was so thick you could almost walk across the water on them and not get your feet wet. They were every where, all the time. River channels, coves, docks, creeks and pockets, solid shad everywhere every day.  If your lake is like that it presents a little tougher situation and you have to rely more on covering a lot of water and good use of your electronics than just the presence of shad alone.

If we have a “Normal Fall” water temperatures will slowly but steadily decrease. Water temperatures won’t fall from 85 degree to 50 degree over night. This slow decline in temperatures gives bass time to adjust incrementally. Let me explain it this way. I know this may be somewhat simplistic but that’s just the way I am. As I said in the opening of this article it is 97 degrees in the shade, it’s hot! My body has adjusted to this heat, it’s hot but I’m use to it. Now let’s just say for fun that I go to bed tonight with the air conditioner left on 75 degrees like normal. Over night the air temperature outside drops from the high 90’s to 45 degrees or less.  A 45 degree drop over night and it’s not getting any warmer during the day. What a shock!  I wake up and I swear I see ice cycles hanging off our dresser mirror. I quickly by pass the shorts and tee shirt I was going to wear and grab a pair of jeans, long sleeve tee shirt and a sweatshirt. Man it’s cold, what a immediate shock to my system.  I wasn’t prepared for this. The temperature is 45 degrees but my body is still operating at the 90 degree level.  See where I’m going with this? But what happen if it takes 60 or 90 days for the air temperature to drop from 97 degrees to the same 45 degrees? The shock isn’t as great or maybe there’s no shock at all. My body has time to adjust to the declining air temperatures as I said above incrementally. I’ve adjusted gradually. 

This is probably an over simplification but the same principle applies to bass and their behavior relating to declining water temperatures.  If the water temperature dropped from 85 degrees to 50 degrees overnight the bass would be running for cover like me running for heavier clothes. They would have lock jaw for how long? How Long? If your answer is until their bodies have had time to adjust you would be very close to being right.  I can see the bass now, all huddled up under one big log, trying to get warm and looking at one another, not moving a fin and saying I’m not going out there!.  But when the temperatures drops gradually from 85 to 50 the bass adjust to it gradually as well. The falling temperatures begin to nudge them into their fall /winter way of thinking and reacting.  Then it’s up to us to adjust gradually in the way we approach our fall and winter game plans.  Don’t get ahead or behind yourself study the deep lake your on and be vigilant of everything that’s happening around you.

What kind of tackle adjustments do you make?:  As we move into the Fall and Winter you might be making the same type of move to a deep clear lake like me, there are several factors that I believe can make the difference between experiencing a good season or a so so season. Let’s look together.

Line: First of all let me say that I tend to be a “Light Line” fisherman most of the time no matter where I fish. So line adjustment which to me is so important especially on a deep clearer lake I already have in place. Over the years I have fished with 100’s and 100’s of people. Many of them in our pre-trip conversations will express their desire to use their own equipment. No problem-truthfully if I fished with a guide on another lake I would most likely want to us my own equipment as well. When we get to the subject of line size and I tell them that I use 6 pound test blue florescent for most techniques (occasionally 4 pound test) and when I’m throwing heavy spinner baits or some 20 plus crank baits I use 8 or 10 pound max there is a noticeable silence on the other end.  Most of the time they will tell me that they have 15 or 17 pound test on and they aren’t really comfortable with anything lighter. Not fully understanding how important light line is they come the day of the trip with heavy line.  But it isn’t long before their asking to use one of my rods because they can see the difference in the amount of hits I’m getting verses them using the exact same baits. Light line just makes that much difference. And when you combine the small diameter of light line with the visibility of blue florescent it gives you the ability to see the smallest of hit’s no matter what lure you are using. With florescent line you can see the bait move slightly off to the side, you can see the small quiver or tick in the line as the bait is falling.  I would just as soon stay home than have to fish Tim’s with heavy line for Smallmouth.

The question always comes up when you are talking about light line, What About Breaking Fish Off?  Well, I guess I would have to answer that this way. That’s what your drag on you reel is for. If you fish light line with your drag winched down tight I think you will be in big time trouble.  But on the other hand if you are using the correct action rod (which we address next) and a reel with good line that has the drag set properly, and retying when you should, you will break off very few fish.  

Rods:  This is going to be an easy on for me. There is only one brand of rod that I use and that is All Pro rods. www.allprorods.com  Roger Ray owner and V.P. Billy Campbell absolutely build one of the finest rods that you can ever have in your hands. It’s difficult for some folks to put down their pool cue rods and opt for different tackle. I can assure you as a full time guide making changes like this will increase you catch ratio drastically. I use basically 3 different All Pro Rods on Tim’s Ford. These are the length and action that work best for me.  

All Pro APX7MST 7 Foot Medium Action: Lure weight on this rods is 1/4 to 5/8 ounce with a recommended line weights of 6 to 12 pound test. These rods are 100% American made by American Rod Builders.  All APX rods are built with the blank running through the Fuji reel seat and handle which give you unmatched sensitivity. On the handle itself there are also graphite sensor rings that transmits additional sensitivity from the rod into your hands. From the instant you pick up one of these high quality rods you will be amazed at how light it is but how sensitive and powerful it is.   Finished off with Gudebrod thread wrap and polished titanium guides that provides smooth cast and greater distance with lighter baits (which is ultra important on clear lakes) this rod is unbelievable.  People laugh when I say I can feel the turbulence from a Smallmouths tail when he swims by…a little stretch but not by much.  I use this rod for all my crank baits up to 15 plus type baits, hard body and soft plastic jerk baits, most top water, some soft plastics  and light to mid range spinner baits and buzz baits.  All I can say is wow!

All Pro AtlAntis Series AT76MLS 7’6” Medium Light Action: Lure weight on this rod is 1/16 to1/2 ounce. Recommended line weight is 4-8 pound test. When I didn’t think Roger and Billy could come up with something else as fantastic as the APX they introduced the AtlAntis series rods.  Roger was approached by inshore saltwater guides to build a rod for redfish, speckled trout, tarpon and snook. The All Pro team went to work and over the course of many months of R&D these rods were developed. When the first proto types arrived at the office I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. Immediately when I held one my mind raced to small crank baits, mini hair jigs, finesse shaky head worms, whirly bee’s, small/light top water baits, live bait and more. The 7’ 6” length enables you to get extra long casts with extremely light baits. The same 100% American made construction but built extra tough for salt water use but yet light as a feather.  I have used these rods since the Fall of 2005 and I can tell you from personal experience that the construction and length of these rods will absolutely wear a fish down at the boat. Light weight construction, unbelievable sensitivity (let me say that again) unbelievable sensitivity and power when you need it.

All pro APX  Series APXCS7MHCA Medium Heavy Action: Lure weights on this rod is 1/4 to 3/4 ounce. Recommended line weight is 8 to 17 pound test. This is the rod I use for all my larger/heavier baits.  I particularly like the tip action on this rod and you can feel every thump of a spinner bait blade and every wiggle of a crank bait.  I spool my bait casters with 8 or 10 pound test max. This rod is ultra sensitive, strong, rugged and responsive to hook sets.  These are the 3 rods that I use day in day out on Tim’s Ford.  I can’t explain enough how important rod sensitivity is. Many times it’s just a different feel. Something that’s just not normal when a Smallmouth inhales a small bait. If you are sitting there with the wrong equipment you have greatly limited your success before you even get to the ramp.  Now let’s tackle the last point. Lure or bait presentation.

What adjustments do you make in presentation?   Most people that are use to fishing lakes that are more on the shallow side tend to sit out away from the bank and cast in.  This type of presentation works well in that setting. But when you are fishing a lake where the banks drop of quickly,  you are much better off to parallel the banks.  This is very easy to do with no more than one or two people in the boat, almost impossible with three.

Here is the way I approach an area that I intend to fish. First I shut my motor down a considerable distance away from the area I want to fish. I always use just enough trolling motor speed to do the job. My first thought is not to make any more noise than I have to. If the wind is blowing into the bank I’m going to fish (hopefully it is) I stay off the bank far enough to keep the boat from banging into the rocks but still parallel with the bank.  If there isn’t a wind I position my boat to where you can almost step out on the bank.  The whole idea is to keep the bait that you are using in the “Strike Zone” as much as possible. If you are throwing crank baits you will want to beat and bang off everything possible on your retrieve back to the boat. The same is true with spinner baits. When I come to a point or just before the center of a round I swing my boat out away from the bank so we can make repeated casts across the face of the point.  If I elect to fish the backside of the point I immediately reposition my boat back again.  I have also found that when fishing non-weed less hair jigs and live bait it’s better for me to sit out and cast in to keep from being hung as much. Saves a little aggravation.

Most of the fish we catch late fall and winter on Tim’s Ford will be in 15 feet of water or less. That’s not to say that there isn't suspended fish that can be caught in deeper water with a spoon or drop shot rig. But by in large if you will position your boat against the bank as close as possible you will find your catch ratio will go up dramatically.

Conclusion

Yes change is just around the corner and you can be there enjoying every bit of it. I hope that I have given you some things to think about. Every ounce of content in this article works for me day in and day out as a full time guide.  Remember all of these up coming events depend on decreasing water temperatures. Be aware each day you are on the water of the changes that have taken place.  Sit down at home before you get to the lake and lay out a tentative plan of action and then adjust as need on the lake.  If I can help you or answer any questions feel free to e-mail me at rickm@dtccom.net or through my web site at www.tennesseebassguides.com  Office telephone number is (615) 765-7303.  Thank you for reading this article….I hope you have a great fall and winter season. Rick McFerrin Owner/Full Time Guide Tennessee Bass Guides LLC.

Tip's For The Beginner

"Up The Creek Without A Paddle"

June 2006

Written By: Rick McFerrin

www.tennesseebassguides.com

Introduction

Every week when I'm on the water I see younger and younger folks launching their boats. 30-40 years ago that was me. Just seems like yesterday. Not that I have all the answers, but over these past years I have learned some things the hard way. Like many of you, I've paid my stupid tax. I've earned my sign.  Sometimes trial and error can be a hard teacher. I hope this article will help some younger folks avoid some of this when it comes to being properly prepared when you reach the lake.

I guess I'm showing my age when I begin to quote old sayings like the title of this article. For those of you that are considerably younger than me this old saying simply means your in a world of hurt with no immediate help in sight. Have you ever been there? Not a good feeling to be in a situation like that is it?  Hey! I can tell you another one. Ready? How about being at the ramp and your cranking battery is dead? Or even worse your 19 miles from no where and the cranking battery won't even click! Or you have worked 90 hours this week at your job, you finally have a day off. Your at the lake sitting right on top of a whole heard of 10 pound largemouth that haven't eaten in 2 weeks. They would hit a potato chip if you could get it in front of them.  The wind picks up to 20mph and your trolling motor batteries are D-E-A-D! Man that's not a bad dream that's a nightmare.

Does any of this ring a bell? Have you ever been "Up The Creek" with battery problems? All joking aside I've learned that it's easy not to pay enough attention to the condition of the batteries aboard your boat. You see our minds are focused on  "Rods"-"Reels"-"Lures"-"GPS" etc.  Hopefully this Tip's Article will answer some questions that may save you some frustration on the water somewhere down the road. Let's take a look.

The One Battery Type Will

Work For All Marine

Application Theory

Through out the year I have the opportunity to hold many instructional seminars speaking on a variety of subjects. I discuss rods-reels-line-lures and techniques that work for me on a seasonal basis. One area that I stress in every seminar is the "One rod for all techniques theory" just doesn't work.  As a matter of fact when you try to use the same rod for everything, from throwing small hair flies to crank baits to spinner baits to top water to Carolina rigging etc All your doing is setting yourself up for frustration and sure failure.  You see, the same principle applies directly to batteries that we use in our boats. The "One Battery Theory" is just plain wrong! Let me explain.

When we buy a new boat the manufacturer installs marine batteries that meet the need of that boat based on the electrical equipment that's onboard. Then after several years and multiple usage these batteries will naturally need to be replaced. What do we do then? Let me answer this question by explaining what we shouldn't do. It's tempting with all the rising costs for gas and oil that we put in our boats to think "I'll scrimp a little here" and buy a cheaper car battery for my boat instead of a marine battery. WRONG!   WRONG! If you do this you will look back and say "@#$%^&*" That's code for what a dummy. Let's look at the difference.

Car Batteries

Car batteries are designed to provide a maximum amount of current in short bursts. These batteries are designed this way to provide the needed current to turn over the cars engine. Then when the motor starts the alternator takes over and provides power for the car.  With this type of system a car battery may never be drained more than 20% of it's total capacity. When used this way a car battery can last for years. Not to get too technical but a car battery uses thin plates in order to increase it's surface area and provide power.  But on the other hand.

Deep Cell Marine Batteries

Where car batteries are designed to provide short bursts of current a marine battery is designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. A deep cell battery can provide a surge when you need it but not near the surge a car battery can. Deep cell batteries are designed to be "Deeply Discharged" over and over again.  Please catch this!  Deep discharge of a car battery over and over will ruin the battery quickly!  Thus "Up The Creek Without A Paddle"  See where I'm going? Marine deep cell batteries can withstand several 100 total discharge/recharge cycles. While a car battery is not designed to be completely discharged. So how do I choose the right type of deep cell marine battery to meet my need?

Choosing The Right Battery

This can be a fairly simple process if you haven't added additional aftermarket electrical equipment to your boat since you bought it. If everything is status quo and your current batteries were meeting your needs then replace them with the same Amp Hour rated deep cell battery.  But, if you have added additional equipment your minimum Amp Hour requirement will naturally increase.  This is where you need to discuss your current needs with a trained battery technician.  When replacing trolling motor batteries you need to know that a 12 volt system requires a minimum of 1.1 to 1.2 amps per pound of thrust.  A 24 volt system requires .85 to .95 amps per pound of thrust. And a 36 volt system requires .5 to .55 amps per pound of thrust.  Once again this is where a trained battery tech can save you a lot of frustration and head aches.  Now that I have the right batteries how do I recharge them?

Charging My Boat Batteries

Most bass boats manufactured to day come equipped with onboard chargers. So for many of us as long as they are working correctly our need is already met. But what if the charger isn't working correctly or your boat and you need to buy a new one? There are several different types of chargers on the market today that can be used to charge deep cell batteries. Most of them are parallel type chargers that have the capacity to taper the current (in amps) while regulating voltage at the same time. With so many brands on the market today here's some suggestions that might help you.

(1) Choose the right charger that is made for the type of battery you intend to recharge. Such as (a) Liquid Electrolyte (b) Marine/RV (c) Auto (d) Maintenance free or gel batteries. (2) Match the proper battery voltage such as 6 volt-12 volt-24 volt or 36 volt. (3) Choose the correct charger size in Amps. A good rule of thumb is that the charger should provide a maximum of 20 amps for each 100 amp hour of the battery (4) Your charger should be able to fully charge your batteries within 8 to 12 hours max. (5) To avoid costly mistakes choose a charger that is timed or will automatically shut off when the battery reaches full charge.

Additional Tip's

This is important.  (1) Always charge your batteries immediately after you use them When you allow batteries to sit several days without recharging it will hamper the recharge acceptance and over a period of time shorten the life of your battery.  (2) Avoid trickle chargers. For the most part these chargers are low current inexpensive chargers that lack the sophisticated electronic circuitry to properly regulate current and voltage. When you use a charger like this Don't use it for any length of time because battery damage can occur. (3) Check your batteries water supply regularly. By doing this you can determine whether your onboard or external charger is operating the way it should. If your batteries are using excessive water your charger may be overheating and overcharging charging your batteries. If your running out of power quicker than normal you need to check not only the charger but your battery condition as well.

Conclusion

Here at Tennessee Bass Guides our team is on the water 1000's of hours each year. We depend on having batteries that will meet our needs day in day out. Cold weather-hot weather-daytime or night. Just like you we can't afford to be "Up The Creek Without". That's why we only use Interstate Batteries in our boats. Interstate is the #1 Selling Marine battery on the market today. When you are in need of a new battery or advice on your battery needs check out your nearest Interstate dealer. These guy's know batteries inside and out and are always happy to help you diagnosis your needs. If you are in the middle Tennessee area see Chris Woods General manger of the Interstate Battery store at 3729 Highway 109 North in Lebanon Tennessee. If your not sure where they are located call 1-615-449-2555 for direction.  I sincerely hope this Tip's Article will help someone that is new to boats and batteries. Hope to see you on the water.  Rick McFerrin owner www.tennesseebassguides.com

The Pan Fish Comfort Bait

Written By; Mike Dial

www.tennesseebassguides.com

Introduction

Finding a bait you have confidence and comfort in using can be tough. This article will introduce you to my comfort bait for pan fishing. As spring rolls in so do pan fish such as Bluegill, Crappie and Rock Bass. These fish will move out of their wintering holes and into shallower water.  When this happens you have a fantastic opportunity to score big on these fish. Now what to use!

My Crappie Bait Of Choice

Jeff Smith at Leland Lures came out with the "Trout Magnet" a few years ago and it quickly became my comfort bait for Bluegill and Shell Cracker as they began to bed.  Last year Jeff introduced the Crappie Magnet. It didn't take long for this bait to prove itself big time on Percy Priest Lake here in Nashville.

The Crappie Magnet is very easy to use. It consists of a small bobber, a small lead head with a small plastic Crappie Magnet attached. The plastic bait has a split tail that gives a little tantalizing movement that Crappie can't hardly resist. On my last Crappie outing last week the day started out slow. We tried other lead head/plastic combinations and techniques with very little success. I just thought it was going to be a slow day. I tied on the Crappie Magnet and eased over to another tree and began fishing it extremely tight to the cover keeping my boat positioned correctly into the wind.  Sure enough the bobber went down and kept going down. When the Crappie hit the Magnet they usually inhale it deep and you can pull them right up out of the brush.

As far as rods are concerned I like to use a long 8 foot rod to be able to just lift the lure straight up and down keeping the bait from hanging up in the trees. Some situations like when you have clearer water and no wind you will need to keep your boat off the shallow structure making longer casts. When I'm doing this I like to use a 6 foot to 6 foot 6 inch medium light rods. As the Crappies begin to head out of the shallow water you can still use the Crappie Magnet to probe deeper structure.

My Bluegill-Shell Cracker-Rock Bass Bait Of Choice

You guessed it! The Crap