Think Pro Anglers Have It Made? Read This First

Thanks to the social media, it's quite easy to get the impression that professional anglers have it made today. You likely have seen or heard comments about them being born with a silver spoon in their mouth, using "daddy's money" to jump-start their career, and other things of that nature. Granted, some of the pros likely got a leg up that way, but most of them made it the hard way, including Brandon Palaniuk (seated right with his wife and dog).

Through years of hard work and sacrifice, this pro has built a career for himself that most only can dream of having. In addition to catching big bass, he's also known for being brutally honest when it comes to the sport of professional fishing.

"If you're talented enough and want it bad enough, anyone can make it in this sport," said Palaniuk. "You don't need to have a bunch of money...but you do need some talent. Some guys have it, and some don't. There has to be some self-awareness there."

Palaniuk went on to explain that he has pay stubs which indicate he made $26,000 working two jobs in 2009, the year before he qualified for the Elite Series.

"I barely made enough money to live on. I don't buy the 'silver spoon' argument one bit. It's a long, hard grind for the large majority of us," he noted.

With the emergence and growing popularity of high school and college fishing, it's becoming "cool" to be on a fishing team. That's awesome for the sport, but Palaniuk wants to make sure these young anglers have realistic expectations if they want to fish for a living.

"I want them to understand that you have to be somewhat selfish if you want to take it to the professional level," he said. "That doesn't mean being cocky. It means telling your friends that you're not going out on Friday and Saturday nights. It means telling your girlfriend that you're leaving for three weeks. It also means missing family functions.

"You don't have a fancy truck or boat...and that's OK," he continued. "I saved up to buy a $35,000 bass boat, and I towed it with a $1,500 truck. You have to go all-in. There's no grey area. You really have to shut yourself off from the outside world and your social life in order to dig in and focus on your goal. Not everyone can do that."

It's easy to watch professional fishing and think the anglers have it made, what with the fancy boats, slick-looking jerseys, and some even have lifted trucks worth more than some small houses. According to Palaniuk, though, there is a huge gap between the big guys and the little guys.

"I was guilty of this when I started fishing professionally," he said. "You assume that everyone is instantly making a bunch of money, and every jersey logo is worth $10,000. That simply is not reality. There is such an enormous gap between the guy who is making the most and the guy who is making the least. You have guys out here whose sponsorship money doesn't even cover their expenses, and then some guys who make seven figures...and they're fishing together on the same tour."

It's important to note, however, that even the big-name anglers earned every penny of their lucrative sponsorship deals.

"My first year on tour," said Palaniuk, "the only money I had was the little bit I got from B.A.S.S. Nation. I sold the boat I won in the Federation National Championship, so I could have some money. Got a Skeeter on a delayed bill, and that's how I paid for my entry fees. I didn't have a single paying sponsor. I think I got like $10,000 from the Federation because I was the first guy to go from the Federation to the Elites. The only other people who paid me was Berkley, and it wasn't even in the contract. After the Classic, they sent me a letter, saying they knew I was sleeping in the back of my truck, and they gave me $5,000. That was a huge help for me, and I'll always appreciate it."

This is a common story for a lot of professional anglers as they rise through the ranks. Oh, and this is just for entry fees. Now you need to have money for travel, food, and gas money, too.

All too often, all we see are a lot of photos with anglers hoisting big trophies over their heads. What we don't see is the stress and pressure that comes along with it, which, according to Palaniuk, eats a lot of guys alive.

"Perhaps the most unique thing about this sport is that you're going to get beat a lot more than you'll win," he said. "It doesn't matter who you are, or how good you are. You have to be willing and able to withstand those blows. It's so much more of a mental thing than you'd think. A lot of these guys are fishing defensively...meaning they're just trying to cut a check and pay some bills. I'd say that a healthy portion of professional anglers are scared to death about money while they're fishing. There's no doubt in my mind.

"Everyone is in a different position," he continued, "but man, when a guy has two kids, a wife, health insurance, and a mortgage to worry about, that stuff comes into play...big time. You don't want to drag your family down a financial hole. Some guys perform best under that pressure, but some will fish scared, play defense, and completely buckle. We see it all the time. This addiction we have to tournament fishing has ruined a lot of marriages and left a lot of families broken. It's no joke."

Because losses are such a common theme in professional fishing, your mental toughness and positivity becomes paramount to your success. If someone is bringing you down, sometimes you have to cut 'em out.

"I think you have to reject negativity at all costs," said Palaniuk. "You need to surround yourself with positive people, no matter what. I'm talking sponsorships, family, girlfriend, wife...everyone. Whom you hang out with makes a huge difference.

"When I roomed with Chad Pipkens on the Elite Series," Palaniuk continued, "I was much more positive than I ever had been. I would make a top 20 and be upset about it, but Chad might finish lower than me and be pumped up and optimistic. That type of stuff is infectious. It's so important to spend your time around positive people. You need that support system on the road and at home. You absolutely cannot be worried about what's going on at home. It takes a very special significant other to understand this lifestyle."

Today Was One of Our Better Turnouts for an Open Tournament

A total of 18 anglers in nine boats showed up at the Pungo Ferry launch ramp this morning for an open bass tournament. These fellas brought 39 fish to the scales at the 3 p.m. weigh-in. The combined weight was 82.94 pounds, which translated into an average weight per fish of 2.12 pounds.

Standing tall in the winners' circle at day's end was the team of Richard Hall and David Dozier, who captured 1st place and the bigger of two side pots with a five-fish limit weighing 15.32 pounds. Their catch was anchored by a fish weighing 3.82 pounds.

Finishing in 2nd place was the team of Jeff Hayden and Mike Watson with a limit weighing 13.12 pounds. Their big fish was a 4.88-pound bass, which was good enough to secure the big-fish pot as well. The duo also claimed the smaller of two side pots.

Laying claim to 3rd place was the team of Don Carter and Rob Peppers, who also had a limit that tipped the scales at 11.38 pounds. Their big fish weighed 3.06 pounds.

The remainder of the field finished in the following order:

     * The team of Andy Morath and Aaron Leigh had five fish weighing 11.37 pounds. Their big fish weighed 3.13 pounds.
     * The team of Mike Abel and Mike Looney had five fish weighing 9.60 pounds. Their big fish weighed 3.70 pounds.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Craig Jones had five fish weighing 7.82 pounds. They didn't have a big fish.
     * The team of Jim Leavis and Tom Dewitt had four fish weighing 7.66 pounds. They didn't have a big fish.
     * The team of Gary Coderre and Dave Anderson had five fish weighing 6.67 pounds. They didn't have a big fish.
     * The team of Wayne Hayes and Ken Testorff had two fish but elected not to weigh them.

For planning purposes, another open tournament at Pungo Ferry is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18th. Watch this blog for details of the event.

What's Wrong With My Fishing?

Gotta believe we all may have asked ourselves that question a few times...in my case, a whole bunch of times. In reality, there could be several "wrongs," starting with the one I raised a couple posts ago on my blog: lookin' for fish in all the wrong places.

Sometimes, I think we all forget that old angling rule which purports the philosophy that 90 percent of the fish are in 10 percent of the water. Reduced to its common denominator, this rule simply means that if you're not catching any fish, you probably should find a new fishing spot.

In other words, if you have fished the same spot for more than a half-hour without catching anything, it likely would be in your best interests to "move along, lil doggy." A good tip to follow is to keep moving until you actually catch something, or at least start getting some bites.

Another wrong could be your choice of baits. If you see other anglers catching fish in the area where you are, then the chances are that you aren't using the right lure.

Don't make the mistake of letting yourself get locked in to throwing the same bait every time. Instead, keep switching up your lures and technique until you find something that works.

Yet another wrong could be your choice of colors. In this regard, there is something to be said for going with dark colors on dark days and bright colors on bright days. And if you find a color that starts putting fish in the boat, my advice is to "wear it out," until the fish tell you it's time to go to something else.

It's also possible that you could be fishing at the wrong time of day. Many anglers believe that, with enough patience and persistence, fish can be caught at any time of the day. While there may be some truth in this belief, there is no denying that fish activity changes during certain times of the day, as well as during the changes of season.

Typically, most species of fish will be more active during the morning, late evening, or during overcast conditions.

Besides all the possible "wrongs" just covered, there's the matter that water temperature can play a big role in your fishing success. If the water temperature gets too hot or too cold, fish tend to shut down. When this is the case, try to slow down your presentation and cast directly on them. This technique will allow the fish to grab the lure without exerting too much energy.

No angler enjoys spending an entire day on the water without catching something. However, if you believe as I do, there simply are some days that I don't think it would help to throw a stick of dynamite in the water. If the fish are turned off for any reason, there's a good chance you may be skunked. I've certainly had my share of those days.

A Reminder About an Open Tournament This Weekend

In case you've forgotten the earlier note I published, there is an open tournament this coming Sunday, Oct. 29th, out of Pungo Ferry. Wayne says we will go at safe light (about 7 a.m.), with weigh-in at 3 p.m. Entry fee is $100 per boat (including $5 per angler for a big-fish fee), whether fishing solo or with a partner. There also will be an optional side pot, with a fee of $20 per boat. Everyone further is reminded that you can recover your boat prior to weigh-in at this site.

Some People Go Lookin' for Love in All the Wrong Places...

Leave it to me, though, to go lookin' for fish in all the wrong places.

A month or better had passed since I last launched my boat, so decided to get 'er wet for a while this morning. Ended up only checking out different stretches both north and south of the bridge in West Neck. Began the day by merely catching three tiny pickerel and a yellow perch.

It wasn't until I went back under the bridge and started fishing south that I found any bass at all, and even at that, they all were small. Biggest I could muster was one just shy of a pound and a half. Caught three others, but only one of them would have gone 12 inches.

A half hour or so before I quit, my Dewey's tournament partner, Wayne, came by in his boat, letting me know he had managed to find fish in all the right places today. Seems he caught about 25 during his four hours on the water. As a result, he indicated that he might have to make another trip before the week is over to see if he can improve on that number.

With an open tournament scheduled for this coming Sunday, I undoubtedly just will lay low until then and give all my aches and pains from today a chance to subside.

Fishin' News Sometimes Travels Slow

Seems that bass fishermen aren't always quick to share their newfound secrets with other anglers. Wonder why? Reckon we likely all know the answer to that question.

In any event, stumbled across a rig that fellas out on the West Coast have been using...and winning a lot of money with, too...for a long time. It's called the Hover Rig.

At long last, however, the cat is out of the bag on this old Western tournament technique. The key to the spiral bait is the "death spiral." Learning to adjust each bait to get a wide death spiral will allow fish more time to approach the bait before it hits bottom. According to the fellas at Tactical Bassin', as well as countless other anglers from out West, this technique really works.

Rather than my sitting here and trying to explain it so that you understand how it works, Tactical Bassin' has a video that provides all the details you'll need to try out the Hover Rig for yourself. All you have to do is click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyHB2XFYkJc, then sit back and enjoy.

"Doc" Scores New Personal Best

Had a note from my friend, "Doc" Murdock, this evening, telling me about his time on the water today. The highlight of his trip was a new personal-best bass that weighed in at 6.6 pounds. Until today, his personal best was a 4.10-pound bass.

"Doc" also caught three dink bass, as well as a 2.8-pound striper and one white perch, with all the best fish going after a crankbait. His new PB came just 20 minutes after launching about 11 a.m. this morning.

My friend noted that he was one happy camper when he recovered his boat about 1:30 this afternoon. Can't imagine anyone who wouldn't be after having a day like that.

Congrats on a superb day! "Doc."

It Never Fails...

Wash your car or your home's windows, and it will rain every time. Put something away so you'll remember where it is, and as sure as heck, you'll forget where you put it. The same sort of thing is true with all kinds of fishing matters, too.

Take, for instance, the fact that, about five or six months ago, I went to looking for some feathered treble hooks that I absolutely knew I had bought and put away in a safe place in the garage. Then, here just a couple weeks ago or so, while rummaging through tackle stuff for something else, voila! I found those missing hooks. Just one problem, though; instead of taking the time to put them on my desk or some other out-in-the-open place, I kept clawing after whatever new thing I was after at the time. Now...once again...I cannot lay my hands on those hooks, to save me.

Finally, then, consider our Classic tournament held just this past Saturday, a day when it rained most of the fishing day...oh! and did I tell you how tough the fishing was that day? My partner and I struggled to boat just three keeper fish during the 8-hour event...and ultimately decided just to dump them over the side at weigh-in, rather than bring them to the scales.

Today, we decided to spend a little "fun time" on the water, since my partner had to meet someone at Pungo Ferry to check out his boat anyway. And don't you know that, in only about three hours of actual fishing time, we combined to boat about 12 keeper bass. So there were no big ones in the bunch...the point is that they all were 12-inch or larger fish, and we didn't burn but a very small fraction of the gas we used Saturday, if truth be known.

Now, to be honest, I have to admit that, once the water started coming in hard this morning, the bite we had enjoyed for the most part stopped. Bites weren't coming anywhere near as quickly as they were earlier.

My partner summed it up like this: The conditions...that's what matters. 

Early Winter Bassin': Bane, Bust or Bonanza?

According to a nearly 25-year-old article I found online here recently, it could be any one or more of those possibilities, depending on which body of water you fish and/or the lure(s) you choose to use. In the writer's own words, "It can be a very frustrating time of year...or the most exciting time of year." Let's just say it's a lot like that old quote by Charles Dickens, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

In any event, the writer (a fella named Dave Brummond) took a survey on the Internet of the top five best bass lures, then matched it with the right techniques you need to be successful this time of year. What follows are the results of his research.

A spinnerbait got first nod, especially when fished in 3 to 7 feet of water. Bright colors, such as orange, white and chartreuse produce best in murky-water conditions, and translucent colors, such as light gray, generate best in clear water.

"Using a slow retrieve this time of year, due to the falling water temperature, is a common tactic," said the writer. "On the other hand, make sure to always let the bass tell you what speed they prefer. Vary retrieves until you catch a few. Adding twitches with the rod tip for a reaction strike can be a useful method as well. If you are attracting tentative bass (e.g., short-strikers), experiment with a trailer hook.

"Spinnerbaits most commonly produce best when fished around cover like logs, stumps, lily pads, salad bars...and don't forget another top producer, downed trees."

The next best lure, according to the writer, was a jig and pig, with black/blue the best color in off-colored water. Black and brown is also an excellent choice.

As he noted, "Most anglers tie on this bait during a cold front, when the bass have buried themselves in cover. Many anglers use it as a 'go to' bait when they can't buy a bite with any other lure.

"Make sure to fish this bait slow this time of year. Flip or pitch between 5 and 15 feet around dense cover, such as thick weeds, logs and downed trees. Once it settles to the bottom, utilize the rattle (always have a rattle on your jig) by lightly shaking the jig to make fish aware of its presence. Hop the jig four to five times, delaying about five seconds between movements, and pitch again. Work it into stump roots and drop it so it penetrates into thick weeds. Once you feel the lure brush against cover, shake the rod tip to exploit your rattle to attract the curiosity of a nearby bass.

"A high-visibility line is recommended to detect sudden line twitches. If you see or feel anything strange, different, or out of the ordinary, set the hook immediately."

Next up in the survey results of best early-winter baits was a floating Rapala. This well-known producer is hard to beat when bass are in the shallows, looking for an easy meal to start the winter. They don't want to chase a meal too far. Rather, they prefer an easy-to-eat bait, such as a dying minnow.

Said the writer, "A rainbow trout-colored Rapala twitched next to dying lily pads is a deadly method. Make a cast next to cover or toward the shoreline, twitch it underwater, and allow it to float back to the surface. Make about five twitches, and then bring it in like a crankbait, jerking it underwater all the way back to the boat.

"Do not set the hook very hard. It's easy to jerk too quickly and take the bait out of its mouth. Wait until the splash is gone to assure yourself a solid hookset."

Coming in next to last was a 7-inch power worm, which the writer defined as "a great weapon to have in your arsenal this time of year." The most common size, as he noted, though, is a 6-inch worm, adding that a 4-inch one can be just as effective. Texas- or Carolina-rigged (18 inches between hook and swivel) worms will produce year round when working drop-offs and breaklines.

"Cast out to structure, and let it settle to the bottom," said the writer. "Hop it slowly, like you would a jig. In between hops, shake the rod tip to allow the brass and glass combination to make some noise and possibly attract a fish from nearby dense cover. Keep your rod tip high to detect light bites, and be ready to set the hook at any moment.

"It's also extremely effective under docks and around logs and various underwater structure and cover. Make sure you always use glass with brass weights. Vary the size of your brass weights, depending on the size of worm and depth of water you are fishing."

And finally came a Rat-L-Trap...an ideal lure this time of year, especially for big bass. Extremely noisy, it attracts bass from distant cover and structure and works best when used in depths ranging from 6 inches to 10 feet.

"Retrieve it just fast enough to stay a little above the weedline or bottom," said the writer. "Give it sudden twitches for maximum sound. This lure can cause a reaction from a big bass holding next to cover. Run this bait parallel to docks and lily-pad edges. You even can run it down the side of a log, keeping your rod tip in the air. Don't set the hook too hard, as you do a worm or jig, because the fish usually hook themselves. Change the factory hooks with larger ones the day you buy the bait. Big mouths require big hooks...plain and simple."

A lesson to be learned here is that, in some respects, bass fishing really hasn't changed all that much in the last 25 years. These same baits are just as effective today as they were back then.

I'd Like to Say It Was Wet, Wild and Wonderful...

However, that description really doesn't tell the truth about today's 2023 Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic field, consisting of all 21 participants who earned their spots by virtue of fishing five of the 10 regular-season qualifier contests. Oh, it was plenty wet...from about 10 a.m. through the remainder of the day, but I would be hard pressed to describe the action as "wild," and as far as "wonderful" goes, I reckon you could say that aptly described the 1st-place winner today, Mark Ingram (below).

This man weighed a limit of five bass that checked in at 13.02 pounds, anchored by a 6.36-pound largemouth that not only took today's big-fish pot but grabbed the seasonal-lunker prize, as well. And get this: Mark caught his lunker on his first cast at 7:05 this morning. How's that for starting your day on a positive note? That's not all, either. Mark also laid claim to the bigger of two side pots, giving himself a seldom-achieved four-figure payday in the Dewey series.

Taking the 2nd-place honors and the smaller side pot was the team of (from left) Eric Killian and Jim Crist, who brought a five-fish limit to the scales, weighing in at 11.80 pounds, and buoyed by a 4.96-pound big fish.

Finishing in 3rd place was the husband-wife team (left) of Andy and Diana Morath. They, too, weighed a five-fish limit, totaling 10.07 pounds, with no big fish.

Here is the order of finish for the remainder of the field:

     * Gary Coderre, five fish, total weight 9.77 pounds, 3.04-pound big fish.
     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five fish, total weight 8.88 pounds, no big fish.
     * The team of Steve Bailey and Dennis Dean, five fish, total weight 8.39 pounds, no big fish.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Craig Jones, five fish, total weight 8.22 pounds, 2.12-pound big fish.
     * The team of Ken Matthias and Jim Leavis, five fish, total weight 7.49 pounds, no big fish.
     * The team of Dave Anderson and Skip Schiable, three fish, total weight 6.44 pounds, no big fish.
     * Ryan Land, three fish, total weight 4.36 pounds, no big fish. I overheard this competitor explain that he spun the prop off his trolling motor about 9:30 this morning, which had to have created some challenging conditions for him the rest of the day.
     * The team of Wayne Hayes and Ken Testorff didn't weigh their three fish.
     * The team of Bobby Moore and J. P. Twohig left the tournament area early.

Tournament director Wayne Hayes began today's awards presentations by recognizing Dave Anderson as a repeat Angler of the Year winner. He then held a free raffle of several different prizes to various competitors. Rounding out the presentations was a first-of-its-kind plaque to the first-place winner, Mark Ingram (see earlier photo).

In conclusion, please allow me to apologize for the undeniable lack of quality in today's photos. I was too trusting of the low-light conditions today, especially since we had to hold the presentations on the porch of the marina store. The first two photos were barely passable, but the one I took of Andy and his bride was so bad I had to use a substitute from an earlier tournament.

I started the tournament today a bit unnerved by a medical matter I experienced yesterday. Thankfully, I was able to begin immediate treatment at home and appear to have overcome the situation...at least, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

That said, I also want to congratulate all of today's tournament winners on their performance under less-than-stellar weather conditions. Will be hoping that we see all of you back in March 2024, when we begin the new season. Until then, have a nice winter and enjoy all the holidays heading your way soon.

In the meantime, here's wishing all of you Tight Lines!

One Angler's Ticket to Success in the Fall

The angler in question here is two-time MLF Angler of the Year Michael Neal, who explains why bass like vibrating jigs so much in the fall--not just any vibrating jigs, mind you, but more precisely "smaller" vibrating jigs. In his own words, "The smaller that you can make your bait appear but still be able to cover a lot of water seems to be the trick."

Besides fishing a smaller vibrating jig, Neal encourages you to also opt for a small-profile trailer. His personal choice is a Big Bite Cane Thumper, which only measures 3.5 inches. He also prefers the pearl-colored model, which matches his choice in skirt color.

"Why would you want anything bigger...when you're keying in on bait that is only two-and-a-half or three inches long?" he asked.

Neal went on to note that the fish you're after typically will be found in creeks, in pockets, in big marinas.

"Sometimes, the fish use that as a go-to in the fall, but you want to fish this bait on the bank 90 percent of the time," he said, "unless it's a grass lake. If you're fishing on just a natural lake, or a dammed-up empowerment, and the fish migrate to the backs of the creeks, then you just want to cover water. You want to focus on your high-percentage areas.

"In the fall, I don't like to fish slow at all," he continued. "I feel like the fish are active and are going to bite when you get a good bait presentation in front of them.

"And it's not that you have to try and flip and pitch and try really hard to fool them. Thus, you can burn down a bank. If you're fishing a creek, go two-thirds of the way back and start fishing. It doesn't matter if it's a steep bank or a flat one. If it has pockets or wood on one side, with rock maybe on the other, just start fishing in the fall, and you will start to develop a pattern as the day goes on. However, be aware that fish can change from hour to hour or day to day, and sometimes they like that steeper bank, and other times the flat bank, which really has to do with where the shad are located."

Regarding line choice, Neal goes with 20-pound Sunline Sniper because, as he explains, "You can throw it around anything. It has plenty of abrasion resistance, and you don't have to worry about the fish breaking you off."

He usually throws a three-eighths-ounce chatterbait in shallow water and just keeps moving down the bank, hitting as many high-percentage places as he can find in a day and keeping a sharp eye out for baitfish, which, as he described, "are going to be moving a lot since the water's cooling off."

In Neal's words, "Fall is the time of year when you can lock a vibrating jig in your hand from take-off until weigh-in and catch them literally on any bank you fish."

Whether Fallacy or Myth, Bass Fishermen Know a Few

And in case you're not sure what the difference is, let me explain. A fallacy is often based on a correct argument but applied to a wrong set of circumstances. A myth, on the other hand, is a worse form of fallacy because it is not true or correct.

While digging around the Internet recently, I ran across a few of the latter, as revealed by bass pro Bernie Schultz (right).

Seems he and an old tackle-collecting buddy had been talking about various bass-fishing fallacies they had heard over the years. Some seemed so believable that one and all had bought in, only to later learn there was absolutely no validity to the claims. With that in mind, here are a few of the more absurd ones Schultz and his friend shared.

The 10-second rule. There was a widely accepted rule among anglers as to how to set the hook on a bass when worm fishing. Nearly every angler you talked to subscribed to the concept...Schultz included.

"I think it was Homer Circle, the legendary outdoor writer, who proclaimed it as the only way to ensure a high hooking percentage," said Schultz. "The theory was that once you feel a bite, you should wait 10 seconds for the fish to fully secure the worm in its mouth, then set the hook as hard as you can. If you did that, you were doing it right, and you were in step with bass fishing's elite.

"But I recall a lot of gut-hooked fish using this method, and I knew there had to be something wrong in the approach.

"Laughing about it with my collector friend, he reminded me of the old three-tap adage: 'The first tap is the fish biting your worm. The second is him spitting it out. And the third is me tapping you on the shoulder, telling you what a fool you are.'

"No matter what anyone tells you," continued Schultz, "if you feel a bite on the end of your line, don't hesitate to set the hook. Fish don't have hands, so when you feel a tap, there's a pretty good chance the lure is in his mouth. Enough said."

When wolves howl. "Another shared misconception...even today...is that bass spawn only on a full moon. That's simply not true. They can spawn through any phase of the moon and in other seasons besides spring.

"Although I concede that a full moon in spring is a great time to look for bedding bass, experience has shown that a new moon can have equal impact on the spawning cycle. So instead of focusing so much on moon phase, consider water temperature, photoperiod and water level and clarity. These are likely to have much more of an impact than the moon."

Run away from the light. "Something I hear all too often is that bass only respond to topwaters when light levels are low, like at dawn, dusk or during dark, overcast conditions. This, too, is untrue.

"Some of my best topwater days have been under bright, bluebird skies...and season wasn't always a factor, either.

"I guess the belief stems from the notion that bright skies hurt the eyes of a bass. While it's true they have no eyelids or irises to control the amount of light entering their eyes, keep in mind they are sunfish. And sunfish, according to biologists, are not adversely affected by direct sunlight. They may look for shade to find cooler water during hot weather, and shade or cover will help any ambush feeder, but the light isn't bothering them.

"Still not sold? Consider schooling bass or bass cruising the shallows during the spawn. They're not hiding from the light. They going through their normal routines, oblivious to the amount of sunshine they're subjected to.

"If you're still doubtful, I suggest you try a topwater on your next fishing trip--perhaps a popper, walking bait, or hollow-body frog. Whatever you choose, make it a lure you have some confidnece in, then throw it close to any object a bass might use to conceal itself--like lily pads, cypress knees, standing reeds or dock pilings. And be sure to give it a fair shot. The results might surprise you."

Learning to Catch "Fish in a Funk"...Otherwise Known as the Transition Period

As related by one of my favorite outdoor writers, the transition from fall to winter never is easy on the bass angler, what with one day warm and the wind hardly blowing, followed by one that's freezing cold, with a stiff, spine-numbing wind. 

That same writer went on to note, however, that there are a few fishing patterns, which will help you keep catching fish during this awkward transition period. Make an effort to check out some areas like what's described in the following, and you may be pleasantly surprised at the results.

While many anglers are dead set on fishing boat docks throughout the entire year. Simply stated, these docks are low-hanging fruit that normally hold a bunch of bass. However, the bank between these docks also deserve your attention.

If you stop to think about it, boat docks get fished to death because they're easy targets. This means that the resident bass that may live around these docks have been hammered by jig, Texas rigs, and shaky heads for months, and they've become incredibly spooky and wise to offerings. This is when they'll often shift to nearby seawalls and position on really small pieces of cover.

Huge laydowns might seem appealing to the angler, but that's not always the case with the bass. If you're fishing down a bank and see a twig the size of a toothbrush hanging over the bank and potentially creating a tiny bit of shade, you'd better pick up a lightweight jig and pitch to it. More times than not, there's a solid-sized bass sitting under that little twig, ready to attack nearby prey. The bass feels protected by the little bit of shade provided by that twig and is confident enough to attack anything that happens to swim by.

So when you see a crappy-looking twig hanging over the water this time of year near the mouth of a pocket, pitch a jig to it.

Something else that often gets overlooked by bass anglers is shoal markers...those big ol' poles sticking out of shallow humps to tell boaters to stay away.

As the writer of this item learned from several decades of experience, though, these ragged-looking poles can provide some of the best bass fishing during the fall-to-winter transition. As the bass leave the creeks with full bellies of baitfish, they love to use these shoals as stopping points on their journeys back to their deep-water haunts for the winter.

This same writer happened to be on a photography mission with some anglers one day when the bites were few and far between. While sitting in the bottom of the boat, with a camera strapped to his neck, he saw a big shoal marker and a noticeable shallow spot under it. He told the anglers to go to that windblown marker and throw a jerkbait on the downwind side.

The anglers did as they were told, and within three casts, they caught three spotted bass weighing more than 3 pounds apiece.

"These places evidently look too obvious because hardly anyone ever fishes 'em," noted the writer. "The smart angler, though, never passes one by...especially this time of year. They're always worth a few casts."

Much like the aforementioned shoals, clay points also are a great option during this awkward transition phase. They don't look like much to the naked eye, and it's tough to pull up to 'em with a bunch of confidence, but once you start getting a bunch of bites, you'll quickly become a believer.

As the temperatures drop this time of year, bass are looking for just about anything that holds more heat than the rest of their surroundings. This can mean metal seawalls, riprap, floating docks with black-colored floats, and in this case, clay banks.

Flat-sided crankbaits tend to be a solid choice for this situation, followed closely by a medium-diving jerkbait. If you catch one on this type of area, make sure you inspect the belly of the bass. If it's covered in a clay or mud-type substance, or looks a little red, that tells you they're most likely positioned this way throughout most areas of the body of water. They'll hug that bottom so tight in an effort to stay warm that it'll actually temporarily dye their bellies.

So, if you're running around and can't get any bites, make an effort to stop at any clay points you might happen to find.

Remember, too, that big bass love isolated cover. When you're fishing a featureless bank, a single small, crappy-looking piece of cover, such as a single dock, laydown, log, or even a tied-up jetski floating in the water, can hold an absolute giant bass.

And finally, the tough conditions you encounter during the fall-to-winter transition sometimes can demand that you rig up a Carolina rig and drag it through the ditches at mouths of small pockets and creeks.

Bass pro Mark Menendez explained it like this, "As bass are leaving the shallows, heading toward the main body of water, they'll often stop on small stumps in the 'guts' of these small pockets, and a Carolina rig is an outstanding way to catch 'em... . So if you're struggling, keep this tactic in your back pocket, and don't be afraid to use it."

There Are Some Misconceptions About Fall Bass Fishing

That's the take of Wired2Fish writer Walker Smith, who sees lots of anglers who resort to the same old routine when fall rolls around. He has some ideas to expand everyone's approach to bass fishing this time of year.

It's not that lures like lipless crankbaits, jerkbaits, walking topwaters, and the like won't catch fish in autumn. However, there are other moving baits without treble hooks that can draw some pretty vicious strikes. One in particular, especially if your fishery has grass, is a topwater hollow-belly frog.

Said Smith, "More than likely, you won't catch a pile of bass on this bait...it's not something you want to throw if you're looking for 2-pound bass. But if you're looking for a sure-enough giant or a few 5-pounders, I can't think of a better way to catch 'em.

"I suggest looking for irregularities in the vegetation," he continued. "Whether it's a small point (the size of a dinner plate) or a small indention in an otherwise straight grass edge (the size of a basetball), cast that frog around these areas. Don't get discouraged if you don't catch one on your first few stops. That's totally normal. If you stay focused, you're going to experience some unbelievable topwater explosions that rival anything you've ever seen."

Further, Smith took note of the fact bass anglers in general appear to have been trained to put away soft-plastic baits when fall rolls around.

"We throw 'em a lot in the spring and summer, but they tend to get the backseat once cooler nights start happening," he explained. "I'm here to tell you, though, to keep a few packs of soft plastics in your boat or tackle bag throughout the fall months.

"While shad or some other type of baitfish tend to be the most prevalent forage in most fall fisheries, not all bass are going to chase them to the backs of creeks. Just like humans, I believe each bass has its own preferences and appetite. You might love a big ribeye, but your neighbor might like spaghetti instead. I think it's the same thing with bass.

"You'll see plenty of anglers flock to the backs of creeks in the fall, and they will catch plenty of bass. However, one thing that tends to plague those anglers is small fish. If you're willing to sacrifice quantity for better quality, stick your favorite flipping or pitching bait in your hand and go pick apart some thick cover. Big bass tend to want to 'own' a piece of cover, and they don't play those games the smaller and younger bass play. They understand they can just sit on their favorite stump, laydown or grass bed and get more bang for the buck.

Granted, everyone's goals and preferences are totally different, but said Smith, "if you're specifically targeting big bass, I strongly encourage you to fish some shallow cover near deep water. I think you'll be blown away by the results."

Smith went on to say that he believes overnight lows are much more important than daytime highs in the fall.

"While it certainly changes, depending on your location," he said, "I like to see those overnight temperatures dip into the 50s for several hours at a time. That's a quick way to get the water temperatures cooled down, and it makes those bass more active.

"I know we're all used to looking at that top row on the 10-day forecast, but this time of year especially, make sure you're keeping a close eye on that bottom row, too."

Any time of year but fall, it seems like the words "cold front" scare the ever-loving crap out of anglers. After all, who wants to fish with high barometric pressure, finicky bass, bluebird skies, and lots of wind?

However, cold-front days in fall are the ones that Smith circles on his calendar.

"I always try to get on the water during the first day or two of a cooling trend," he said. "These cold fronts can offer some incredible fishing days.

"I've noticed that I don't catch a bunch of big bass on these days. But if you're sick of slow, tough summer fishing, who cares? Sometimes you just want to get your line stretched a little bit, and these cold fronts offer you that opportunity.

"I wish I had some really smart-sounding, biological explanation for you, but I honestly don't. Based just on my personal experience, I feel like these little early-season fronts simply wake up the bass, just like they do for humans.

"While I'm certainly not the best fall bass-fishing angler on the planet, I definitely have learned some things over the years, and I think these lessons can help you enjoy this time of year even more. Dig out your favorite hoodie, smell that two-stroke smoke, take in that cool morning breeze, and savor that cup of coffee. Fall is here, and the bass are biting," concluded Smith.

October 2023 Bass Fishing Forecast

It Was a Day for Catching a Bunch of Small Fish

Because of the uncertainty about what the incessant northerly winds of late were going to do to the water level, Wayne decided to host today's open bass tournament out of Pungo Ferry. A total of five boats with eight anglers aboard showed up this morning to pit their skills against one another. The one common theme that emerged from this competition at day's end was the number of cookie-cutter bass that everyone caught.

With the small turnout, the tournament director only paid one place, plus big fish, and the side pot. Walking away with first place and the side pot was the team of (from left) Don Carter and Rob Peppers. They had a five-fish limit that weighed in at 12.34 pounds. Their big bass weighed 3.62 pounds.

Taking home the money envelope for big fish was Andy Morath (left), who fished solo today. His big bass weighed 4.19 pounds.

This prize money made it a bit easier for Andy to deal with the fact that he made a mistake while culling one of his fish today. Seems he ended up releasing both the smaller fish, as well as the one with which he was going to replace it. Accordingly, he ended up with only four fish at the scales, for a total weight of 9.77 pounds.

Meanwhile, the team of Dave Anderson and Skip Schaible weighed a five-fish limit that tipped the scales at 10.85 pounds, with a kicker fish weighing 2.52 pounds. Steve Bailey also had five fish, which weighed 8.77 pounds, with a big fish at 2.19 pounds. Bringing up the rear was the team of Wayne Hayes and yours truly, who had five weighing 7.25 pounds, with no big fish.

Next up on this year's schedule is the annual Classic contest that is slated for Saturday, Oct. 14.