Recently, one of the FishFerris members asked some questions directed at the current top four leader board names.  I thought I would share the questions and my responses in case anyone else wanted to know.

What makes you guys throw what you throw?
I have to be honest, this is my biggest weakness.  I am mostly monogamous to the tube insert and tube for Smallmouth and Texas Rigged 5”-6” worms for Largemouth.  Every once in a while I deviate and throw the tube for a Largemouth and the Texas Rig for a Smallmouth.  I usually always stay with a green pumpkin or brown pumpkinseed color pattern.  Last week on Hillsview, I threw a black worm with red flakes as I was desperate!  If things are real slow, I might throw a top water popper or something similar or a spinning bait, but I have to see fish surfacing to do it so I know they are looking up and not down.  But, I get bored with that quickly and go back to my slower presentation of a Texas Rig.  This is an area I need to make a change.  I should purchase a very good casting rod (I have two but they are not that good), and through more crankbaits and heavy jigs by pitching and flipping in slop.  Good fishermen cast cranks or work jigs fast to catch the active fish and then slower presentations like a Texas Rig to catch the inactive fish.

Fish where you fish?
The Lindner Family originally from the In-Fisherman organization, but now Angling Edge often talk about the “spot” on a “spot”.  I mostly believe this.  As most of you know, I like to fish deep, 8’-16’ usually.  I like to find vertical weeds or submerged leafy weeds (not slime like in Hillsview), sunken islands, and rock formations.  Then I look for variations in depth, 2’-4’ changes and that is a good example of a “spot” on a “spot”.  Structure is what holds bait fish and a change in depth or current like in a river is a place where predatory fish wait for an unsuspecting food to come to them.  On lakes, when there is some wind, I use a drift sock to keep us on these spots longer and to keep the boat parallel with the wind so we can cast  farther away from the boat using it to our advantage.  I mention current for Smallmouth like in a river.  Think about a large rock (3’ or more) in the path of moving water.  Where will the Smallmouth be?  On the backside where the water is not moving in that pocket.  This is where swirls of water move into and that means food swimming and being taken into these eddies and currents.

On YouTube, you can watch the Angling Edge and In-Fisherman TV shows that are loaded with tips about how to improve fishing.  I started with the In-Fisherman TV show and purchased some videos 10-15 years ago.  These guys are good and know how to explain things, the best teachers for freshwater fishing that I have experienced.