Conference wahoo::fishing

    Mike,
        You might want to try using a tube lure (gitzit style) they
    seem to work well when all else fails, try brown or chartruse for
    colors.  Also curly tail grubs on light weights are good producers.
    On a calm night floating rapalas twiched along the surface can be
    deadly on bass.  
         If this pond isnt fished much and is near other waters try
    doing what I do to a couple of local ponds near my house, about
    the same size.  STOCK IT!!  I have been stocking a pond for 2 years
    with alot of my catch.  Some guy was fishing it the other day a
    claims he caught 20+ Bass in 3 hrs.  I know they werent all from
    me but it is good to here that this 2-3 acre pond is doing so well.
    
    good luck.
    Les

     Try a large floating Rapala.
    
    --The Skoal Bandit

    Get yourself a short, round stick and some chewin'-baccy. Cut
    the baccy in small 1/8" chunks and throw them in the water;
    when the fish come up to "spit", wack'em with the stick.
    
    BM

	Well, softball got canceled and it was such a nice night I decided to
try the pond again.  I went and got a new lure, one of those diving fish, it 
floats till you pull it then the little plastic front piece pulls sit down 
I figured it looked like the sunfish on the hook being pulled in.  In
about 2 hours I got five.  3 Largemouth and Two Small.  One about 3-3�# the
other in the 1-2# range.  Do bass often strike things shortly after the hit the
water.  Three of them hit the bait on  right after I started the retrieve
and the lure just started "swimming". 

	I think this pond was stocked in a similar way.  When I had heard about
it it was from a friend.  He said him and his older brother had put many
of their catches in it.   I also started talking to a guy whos house is
right next to the pond.  He siad he used to do the same, but hasn't for the
last 8 years.  He said it has been productive and he hasn't thought a need 
for it anymore.  He said he's got some real big ones (8#) out of there before.

	Seeing I don't keep any of the bass I catch (too 'fishy' for me, I
don't care much ofr fresh water fish,) I release all I catch (someday I may
keep one if I ever get a trophy size.)  I read the notes on catch and release
and was wondering if you can buy unbarbed hooks?  I didn't see any at Kmart 
but was wondering if tackle shops have them.  Or is the best way just to remove
the barbs from barbed hooks? File them off, bending didn't see to work (but
all I had was hemostats.)

thanks
Mike

    Back when I was a kid and could go fishing every day I didn't always
    have money to buy bass lures. this is what we did. We would catch
    a few sunfish and make what are called strip baits. All you do is
    slice off either part of the dorsal fin or the pectoral fin with
    a little meat on there  Cast it out and slowly work it back
    to shore. I haven't used this method in years but it does work.
    It's fairly similar to fishing a pork rind bait. From the sound
    of you note the bass in your pond are fond of sunfish and using
    a strip bait is certainly worth a try.

re .1

Les,

	FWIW:  catching bass in one pond an releasing it in another is
specifically PROHIBITED in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  I be very
careful about advertising it if I were you. 

	You, amoung others in this conference, are role models for those of
us with lesser piscatorial skills.

	What kind of example are you setting here???

Al 

	Now if you'll tell me exactly where you released all those bass.....

>
>	You, amoung others in this conference, are role models for those of
>us with lesser piscatorial skills.


	No kidding.  I come in here and ask for advise and the advise I get
is against the law!  Geeze.. :-)

	Seriously, thanks for all the advise (on and offline) given so far!
	
	I went out for a bit at lunch and tried rubber snakes.  I'd cast them 
on some lily pads, then drag them off into the open water.  Had no weights on
them so they stayed at the top of the water.  Worked well!  Had three in a 
45min span.

thanks again
Mike

    Re: a couple back:
    
    Making barbless hooks is easy -- take a pair of needlenose pliers
    and squish down the barb.  I've been doing this most of the time
    for the last few years (mostly fishing jigheads with plastic grubs).
    You might have to "roll" the hook back and forth in the pliers a
    couple of times to really get the barb down flat.
    
    If you keep a tight line, you won't lose many -- and it is MUCH
    easier to get the hook out.  (Also applies to people, in case you
    happen to be fishing with kids...)