Why Crawfish Change Colors

Most of us have walked the shorelines of our local pond and streams, flipped over a few rocks then suddenly see a crawfish or two scurry away.

When that happened, did you ever notice that the color patterns of the different crawfish are often different?

I know I have & always thinking it was simply a color change to help the crawfish blend in with the environment and escape detection of roaming predators…

Well according to bass pro Michael Murphy, it’s actually a little more complicated than that as he explains in the following short video… enjoy!

So I guess the next time I am working a crawfish bite, I’ll pay a little more attention to the water clarity, presence of vegetation, etc. to help select the best bait color for those conditions!

Are Storm’s Arashi Series Crankbaits Unique?

If you’ve followed any of the Bassmaster Elite tournament events over the last several seasons and listened to up and coming pro, Brandon Palaniuk, you’ve probably heard him elude to a new bait he was helping Storm develop…

He even started to let the cat out of the bag during the Elite Series event on the Mississippi River in 2013 but the actual unveiling occurred at ICAST 2013. The once secret lure, the Arashi Crankbait series hit the scene and instantly created quite a buzz…

Why you ask?

Well for starters, the lure was playing the key role in Palaniuk’s two day Mississippi River tournament before an inadvertent culling error caused his disqualification…

Add in the self-tuning line tie, offset hook hangers and other features and this new bait from Storm Lures looks to be something of a different critter but I let Brandon tell you more about it here…

So what do you think?

Fish Docks for Shallow Summertime Bass

The Sun is high…

Air temp is well into the 80s or 90s…

Time to fire up the depth finder then search out deepwater structure and cover, right?

Nope, not in my kayak 🙂

It’s time to head to the bank and slowly, diligently work one of the best shade creators on the lake… docks!

And here’s a video featuring FLW Pro Terry Bolton showing what I mean 🙂

Enjoy!

Shade is always welcome to most anglers during the summer and you can bet bass feel the same way don't you think?

Ledge Fishing Tips

New too off-shore fishing and want to learn some of the basics of ledge fishing?

Not many anglers are better at playing the ledge fishing game than FLW Pro Mark Rose so take a moment and hear what he has to say about the do’s n don’ts of fishing ledges…

Time to break out the deep crankbaits, hair jigs, football jigs and mag spoons?

Different View On Frog Fishing

One of the really cool things about underwater videographer Kim Stricker and crew…

They definitely know how to give a unique perspective to various bass fishing topics…

In this video segment, the gang from Hook n’ Look Splash take a few moments to provide so great frog fishing tips with an underwater view added in!

Enjoy!

Not only did the folks at Hook n Look provide a unique perspective, they gave a few tips on prepping the frog as well!

Tips on Fishing Koppers Live Target Frog

You've been to all the online stores...

Checked out all the different hollow body frogs on the market...

Reviewed the specs on frogs of interest...

Now it's time for a few tips on fishing the Koppers Live Target Frog so enjoy the video!

KVD’s System for Cranking Offshore Structures

Did you know it takes more than just picking a deep-diving crankbait to effectively fish offshore structures such as ledges?

Absolutely and Bass Pro Kevin VanDam (KVD) explains his system to optimizing his offshore cranking efficiency in the following video…

Think the bass are on ledges, creek bed bends or deep points?

These tips will definitely help!

Search Baits for Bass

Though the tips in this video are geared towards search baits for spring and Lake Fork, with a little adjustment they can be applied anytime and anywhere…

Some interesting pointers on a set of great search baits for bass!

Don't you agree?

KVD on Fishing Lipless Crankbaits

Did you hear that Kevin VanDam (KVD) won the 2010 Bassmaster Classic on Lay Lake, Alabama using Strike King’s Red Eye Shad?

In this short video, Kevin VanDam discusses the characteristics and describes how to fish lipless crankbaits under a variety of conditions…

Great video isn’t it!

KVD provided a number of pointers on how to fish the red eye shad more effectively including:

• Use different sizes of the red eye shad to cover different depth ranges
• Vary the retrieve using yo-yo, stop n go, sweep-stop approaches
• Keep the bait in contact with bottom cover such as stumps & grass beds
• Use a few different baitcasting combos rigged with different line weights (helps with depth control)
• Vary the speed of retrieve to help trigger strikes …

Benefits of Kayak Bass Fishing

The Benefits of Kayak Bass Fishing
By Craig Sheppard

If you like to fish for large-mouth bass then you will love kayak bass fishing. One of the best things about kayak fishing is that it can be whatever you want it to be: an afternoon on the lake with a bag of rubber worms, a weekend fishing trip with the family, or an extreme multi-state kayak fishing adventure.

Why use a kayak to pursue and catch your favorite game fish?

1. Kayaks are stealthy & can get you very close to fish and the structure that they inhabit.

2. Kayaks are very portable & can be transported by car, van, or SUV – they can even be rolled on special kayak carts.

3. Kayaks can access remote fishing locations that are too shallow for power boats and too muddy for wade fishermen.

4. Kayaks are relatively inexpensive & and will last many “maintenance free” years.

5. Kayaks do not require a registration or an operator’s license (this is true in most states).

6. Kayaking/Kayak Fishing is an excellent form of low impact exercise.

7. Kayaking/Kayak Fishing is a great family & social activity.

8. Kayaks are environmentally friendly – they do not require gas or oil.

9. Kayak Fishing is fun! (just add water).

Typical On the Water Scenarios

Spring

It is spring time just after ice-out and the bass are soaking up the afternoon sun in warm shallow coves and creek arms on the Northwest side of your favorite lake. The bottom substrate of these fish holding areas is mud and muck and unfit for wade fishing and your powerboat is too big and too noisy to sneak up on bass in 2 feet of water. What do you do?

1. You launch your kayak and quietly paddle into the fish holding coves. If you see carp milling about or turtles basking then you are in the right place.

2. You pick up your favorite rod on which you have tied a jig and pork trailer, a small profile spinner bait, or a small shallow diving crank-bait.

3. You cast your lures in and around any lily pads, weed growth, logs, or dark looking depressions.

4. You hook up with a big fat pre-spawn large-mouth.

Summer

It is summer time and the bass or either holding tight to shoreline cover, docks, and boat houses or they are hunkered down deep in the thickest greenest weed beds. What are your options.

1. You can fish the shoreline by skipping rubber worms into and under cover. You’ll catch many fish this way, but not always the biggest ones.

2. You can position your kayak close to shore and makes parallel casts with crank-baits, spinners, etc being certain to focus your attention on the edge of the drop off to deeper water. Active fish that are cruising the inside of weed edges or drop offs will give you plenty of action.

3. You can cast heavier spinner baits or jig and worm combos and work the outside edge of the weed beds. Bass and other game fish hide in the weeds so that they can ambush bait fish that swim by. The best outside weed edges are near steep drop offs and secondary submerged points.

4.You can wait until after dark and work the shallows paying special attention to the mouths of feeder creeks, outflows, submerged humps, and points.

5. You can skip the lake altogether and try one of your local rivers. Most rivers are under fished compared to lakes and most trout fisherman have given up on the rivers by summer time so you will more than likely have the river to yourself. If the current is slow enough you can launch your kayak and exit from the same spot eliminating the need for two vehicles. If the current is too quick to paddle against, be sure to plan your trip carefully so you know where to take out at the end of the day. Try casting spinner baits, rubber worms, or jigs into shoreline cover or work mid river rocks and weed patches with tube jigs, spinners, or small crank-baits. Be sure to pay special attention to seams, eddies, drop offs, and creek mouths. If you get tired of sitting in the kayak drag it onto the shore and wade fish a while, you can work your way down stream using the kayak as a transport to your next wading spot.

Fall

It is fall (September/October) and bass are feeding heavily in preparation for the cold water season. Some fish are suspending on drop offs or over deep water and some are cruising the remaining weed beds looking for a meal. What are your options?

1. You want to be fishing early afternoons until dark, the water will be warmest this time of day and the air temperature will be more comfortable too. You may even be able to sneak out of work early enough to get in a few good hours of fishing before nightfall.

2. You can work buzz-baits, weedless spoons, rubber worms, jigs, or spinner-baits over remaining weed beds, paying special attention to weed beds around the mouths of feeder creeks and outflows. Also look for lay-downs, submerged logs, boulders, and brush piles.

3. You can work deep points and drop offs with jigs, drop-shot rigs, deep diving crank-baits, or jigging spoons. Once you find the depth the fish seem to be holding at repeat the pattern on the other points and drop offs.

4. You can troll deep diving plugs just over suspending fish, drift fish with a float and fly set up, or live line a bait-fish in the strike zone.

Winter

It is winter time. If you live in the south put on a sweater and go fishing. Be glad you are not shoveling snow or scraping ice off of your line guides. If you live up north, pack up your kayak and fishing gear and go visit one of your friends down south. If you don’t have a friend down south FIND ONE on the Kayak Fishing Stuff Forum paying special attention to the Florida, Georgia, Carolina, and Louisiana forums.

So, be sure to give kayak bass fishing a try. It will change your life, improve your catch ratio, and you will be doing your part to make the world around you a better place.

Craig Sheppard is an experienced kayak angler, outdoors enthusiast, and the General Manager of Kayak Fishing Stuff. To learn more about kayak fishing and fishing kayaks visit: http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com

Kayak Fishing Stuff has been serving the kayak fishing community since 2001. If you fish from a kayak or have been thinking about starting this is the place. At KFS you will find brand name kayaks, quality kayak fishing gear, and a tremendous amount of free kayak fishing information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Sheppard/484376
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Benefits-of-Kayak-Bass-Fishing&id=3363619

Tips When Fishing A New Lake

Though most of us do a little background research and map work-work before heading to a new lake or pond…

What do we do once we are on the water?

This video from WFN provides several “on the water” tips about how to approach your day on a new body of water…

A Different Twist on Chatter-type Baits

There is little doubt that chatter-type baits catch bass, especially during the cool and cold water periods!

Although a standard bladed swim jig is usually very effective, sometimes changing it up a bit will produce bites when the standard version is lacking…

Take a few moments and watch the video to see how Justin Rackley otherwise known as Lake Fork Guy on YouTube tweaks his baits for optimum results…

Consider this...

Different types of soft swimbaits, grubs, buzzing craws & frogs are all possible replacements for a chatterbait skirt :)

Just saying!