Colorado River Guide Blog

SPLITSHOTTING
One of the types of finesse fishing for black bass is called splitshotting. This rig is designed for fishing a worm through mossy areas. This rig consists of a worm rigged on a hook without a weight directly on the worm head. Instead of using a worm weight a tiny splitshot weight is attached to the line about a foot and a half above the worm. A splitshot is about the size of a BB. The weight has a split just big enough for the line. The rig can be fished across loose moss and other aquatic vegetation without being entangled and hung. Splitshotting gives a worm a very natural look because there is little weight used the bait has a good fluttering action.

The splitshotting rig should be fished with a spinning rod with eight to twelve pound test line. The rig is very light, weighing less than a quarter of an ounce. The light line is small in diameter and draws little wind resistance when casting. The rod should have a medium action and the hook should be extremely sharp. The light line will not stand up to heavy hooksets so a milder hookset must be used in order not to break the line. If the hook is extremely a mild hookset will get enough hook penetration to land the fish.
To tie the splitshotting rig run the line through the eye of the hook and tie a knot. Next rig the worm onto the hook like it was a Texas Rigged worm. Once this is completed add a splitshot weight about a foot and a half above the worm. Pliers will aid in pinching the weight in place on the line.
Fishing the splitshot worm is very similar to the Carolina Rig. Cast the rig across aquatic vegetation and start to work it back to you with the same rod positioning as the Carolina Rig retrieve. A slow retrieve allowing the rig to fall into the pockets of aquatic vegetation draws the most strikes. Once a strike occurs use a moderate hookset in order not to break the line. The drag setting on the reel should be set so that line may be automatically released before reaching its maximum stretch factor and breaking. Big bass can be landed using light tackle if they are allowed to run and not “horsed” back to the boat. Patience, once again, is the key to landing fish hooked on light tackle

WEIGHTLESS WORM
The weightless worm is very similar to the splitshot worm only this rig has no weight at all. This rig is designed for areas where the aquatic vegetation is so thick that a worm with any size weight becomes hung up. A worm alone will float and even when rigged with a number one or number two worm hook will still have enough buoyancy to be fished weedless across aquatic vegetation.

Dragging the weightless worm across aquatic vegetation has been a successful method of catching fish out of thick grass for years. There are not many techniques that will allow a lure to fished in such heavy cover. Fishing the hard to reach areas is often effective with the weightless worm because the fish in these areas have not seen very many baits. These fish are less likely to be conditioned to any type of lure. The more times a fish sees a lure and is caught or sees another bass get caught the more chances increase for that fish to become conditioned so that it avoids lures. In an area where not many baits have been thrown the chances of the fish in the area to be conditioned are very slim.

FLORIDA RIG
The Florida Rig is identical to the pegged Texas Rig except that the weight is a little different. Instead of using a worm weight and using a toothpick to peg the weight a Florida weight is used. The Florida Rig weight is a normal worm weight with a spring attached to the end of the weight that faces the worm. The spring attached to the weight is used to screw into the worm, holding the weight against the worm. This eliminates having to use toothpicks. The action and techniques to fishing the Florida Rig are identical to the Texas Rig.

DO-NOTHING WORM
The do-nothing worm is a method of worm fishing used when a cold front has occurred or when the fish are not feeding. Do-nothing worms are a finesse worm used when
a bass has little or no appetite and must be “force-fed”. The worm is a four to six inch worm rigged onto a tiny jig head usually weighing less than an eighth of an ounce. This method of worm fishing requires light tackle. Fishing the bait slowly and tight to cover is effective for catching bass even in the worst weather conditions when they are not feeding.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

December is one of the best months of the year to fish Lake Conroe. The lake is practically deserted this time of year which is a little ironic because the fishing is always hot this month. Most of the fish are on main lake humps and ridges that apex in 20-33’ of water.

A 3/4 oz Cobra Jigging Spoon is the number one bait for the deep schools of fish. Black bass, white bass, crappie, catfish, and most other game fish will be holding on the main lake humps and ridges. All of these fish will hit the spoons as it resembles a wounded shad when on the fall. Big bass will be common this month on white and chartreuse Cobra spoons. Every marina around the lake has photographs taken during the month of December of big bass caught on jigging spoons.

The main lake structures are easy to find and there are plenty of them with fish on them. Graph out the bigger main lake points looking for the edge of the point where it meets the river. The most distinctly breaking area of the structure will usually hold the most fish. Anywhere you have a bunch of bigger fish within three feet of bottom on top of a hump or ridge is a good spot to mark and spoon. Fish that are suspended on the edges of the humps say five feet or higher off of the bottom are not as active and harder to catch. There is usually allot more fish suspended out on the edges of the humps but you will usually do better if you fish for the few that you see close to the bottom on top of the hump because they are feeding.

The top of the humps is a constant feeding area for fish. Fish are continuously pushing shad up onto the humps. The lunar tables will prove themselves to you daily if you pay attention the highs and lows in the feeding times. Fish turn on and off to these tables almost like clockwork.

Well this spoon pattern carries all the way into January and will get better daily from now on until then.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

December is one of the best months of the year to fish Lake Conroe. The lake is practically deserted this time of year which is a little ironic because the fishing is alway hot this month. Most of the fish are on main lake humps and ridges that apex in 20-33’ of water.

A 3/4 oz Cobra Jigging Spoon is the number one bait for the deep schools of fish. Black bass, white bass, crappie, catfish, and most other game fish will be holding on the main lake humps and ridges. All of these fish will hit the spoons as it resembles a wounded shad when on the fall. Big bass will be common this month on white and chartreuse Cobra spoons. Every marina around the lake has photographs taken during the month of December of big bass caught on jigging spoons.

The main lake structures are easy to find and there are plenty of them with fish on them. Graph out the bigger main lake points looking for the edge of the point where it meets the river. The most distinctly breaking area of the structure will usually hold the most fish. Anywhere you have a bunch of bigger fish within three feet of bottom on top of a hump or ridge is a good spot to mark and spoon. Fish that are suspended on the edges of the humps say five feet or higher off of the bottom are not as active and harder to catch. There is usually alot more fish suspended out on the edges of the humps but you will usually do better if you fish for the few that you see close to the bottom on top of the hump because they are feeding.
The top of the humps is a constant feeding area for fish. Fish are continuously pushing shad up onto the humps. The lunar tables will prove themselves to you daily if you pay attention the highs and lows in the feeding times. Fish turn on and off to these tables almost like clockwork.

Well this spoon pattern carries all the way into January and will get better daily from now on until then.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Going from Winter to Summer without having much of a Spring seems to be a common subject among fishermen. The intricate patterns of Springtime fishing were blurred by the prevailing twenty to thirty-five mile per hour winds that blew from the end of February through May. As of this writing(late May) I have counted only four days that the wind did not blow over fifteen or so.

Many portions of the lake have been totally unfishable because of the wind, areas that are in open water like some of the mainlake humps and ridges. Some of the mainlake brushpiles have been untouched due to the swells rolling over the top of them.

Water temperatures were on a quick rise through April, I was already recording temperatures in the eighties the first week of May. The fish have been responding to the warming water as if we were deep into the summer. I have been taking customers out to fourteen to eighteen foot brushpiles and dragging Carolina Rigs for black bass this month and pretending that its summer time. The early morning bite has been on, rocks and breakwaters have been giving up good fish on crankbaits and Texas rigged worms. Even the Caronlina rig has been producing early fish on the rocks and breakwaters. Later in the morning those deeper brushpiles are holding good numbers of bass in and around fifteen feet. Pumpkinseed, smoke/blue, chartreuse pepper, and watermelon colored french fries have been my number one Carolina rigged baits.

The crappie quickly recovered from their spawn and stacked up on the brushpiles. At times during the last few weeks I’ve graphed a brushpiles to mark and there will be so many crappie suspended over them that the depth will change from the bottom to the top of the school of fish. The crappie are so thick in numbers that they collectively have enough density that the sonar cannot penetrate. Unable to see the brushpile for the fish I’ll just throw a buoy upwind of the fish and start fishing. Crappie numbers are high again this year with alot of fish around the eleven inch mark. When measuring crappie or any other fish close the mouth and push it to the zero end of the measuring board and then sweep the tail for an accurate measurement. Also remember that if the fish is barely legal that it will loose a little bit of length when you throw it on ice or if it dies in the livewell.

Looks like we are in for a hot summer so be ready to fish those deeper structures in the lake.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

One of most effective ways of fishing shallow shoreline structures for largemouth black bass is using a Texas Rigged worm. The rig is designed for fishing shallow water with precision and thoroughness. Shallow water structures are any object in the shallow water that will hold bass. Some of these structures include: tree stumps, lay down logs, boat docks, bulk-heading, rocks, hydrilla lines, and drop offs.

The rig is very easy to cast with accuracy which is a must for shallow fishing. When casting at shallow water structure it is very important to lay the bait tight to the cover very quietly. The Texas Rig, when cast correctly, can be cast out near cover and land in the water without making a splash. Landing a worm around shallow water cover without making a splash can make the difference of catching fish or not catching fish. Black bass hide around the structure and will be easily spooked if a worm is not presented to the fish quietly.

Tying on a Texas Rig worm is very simple, however, there are a few tips that will give the bait better action. The rig includes a bullet weight, a number two worm hook, a toothpick, and a plastic worm. Start rigging the bait by running the line through the small end of the bullet weight. Slide the weight up the line and run the line through the eye of the hook. Tie the hook onto the line and clip the excess line with a pair of clippers. Next, take the weight and slide it down towards the hook. Take the toothpick and insert it into the big end of the bullet weight(the end facing the hook). Insert the toothpick as firmly as possibly and break it off in the weight. Use the clippers to remove any splinters that may be left.

Now it is time to rig the worm onto the hook. Take the hook and insert it into the head of the worm about a quarter of an inch. Bring the tip of the hook back out the worm and slide the worm up the shank of the hook. Now insert the tip of the hook into the body of the worm. Make sure that the tip of the hook is not pertruding the body of the worm. This will ensure that the bait is as weedless as possible. When the tip of the hook is protruding the bait tends to hang up on everything that it comes into contact with. Now that the bait is rigged onto the hook take the weight and slide it down to the head of the worm. The weight is rigged with a toothpick so that it is pegged to the head of the worm. With the toothpick inserted it will remain stationary on the head of the worm rather than sliding up and down the line. This gives the bait better action and also makes it easier to cast.

Keeping the weight pegged to head of the worm will make it easier to detect strikes. When the weight is allowed to slide every time the rod is lifted the weight hits the worm and it may feel like a strike at times. Pegging the weight will eliminate the false strikes and when a strike is detected there will no question that it is a fish.
Fishing the Texas Rigged worm requires extreme patience. The Texas Rig, like most other forms of worm fishing, must be fished extremely slow. “If you are fishing the worm slowly you are fishing the bait too fast”, is a phrase often used when teaching a beginner how to fish a plastic worm.

Suppose you just entered a small cove that you intend to fish by boat. In the cove there a several stumps that look as if they hold fish. Position your boat so that you are not too close to the stumps but also so that you are not out of casting range. Make your cast past the stump and let the bait fall to the bottom. Let the bait sit there for eight to ten seconds. Now lift the rod tip very slowly to eleven o’clock without reeling. If a strike is not detected, slowly lower the rod to nine o’clock reeling the up the slack line at the same time. Let the bait settle on the bottom for a few seconds and repeat the technique again. When the bait becomes close to the stump your concentration needs to be very focussed in order to detect a strike. The area around a stump or any other structure where a bass will be hiding is known as the “strike zone”. The strike zone is the area where a strike is most likely to occur. Keeping this thought in mind that fish will hit when the becomes close to a structure will allow you to put emphasis on the action of the bait when it is in the strike zone. When the bait enters the strike zone refocus your concentration on the bait and be very alert.

When a strike occurs a powerful hookset is necessary for landing a fish. Largemouth bass have a tough and hard jaw. A powerful hookset is necessary so that the hook
penetrates and does not become extracted during a battle. To perform a correct and effective hookset there are two rules that must be followed. 1)Reel up any slack 2)Set the hook with plenty of power. When setting the hook you need to reel up the slack in the line and jerk back with the rod away from the fish. The rod must be jerked hard enough so that the hook will get deep penetration.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Recently I was on the water guiding a father and son party on a fishing trip. We were fishing a couple of main-lake humps down on the south end of the lake and spooning up crappie, white bass, black bass, and yellow bass. The bite was good and even I sort of got caught up in the action. A bank of clouds had rolled in low from the northwest and they covered us before we had a chance to outrun them.

The wind turned from a southerly breeze to a powerful northwest wind and within about three minutes we were bobbing in three to five foot rollers. Quickly getting the tackle stowed beneath the decks I dug out rain gear for the three of us and we prepared for the worst. With life vests zipped and fastened we turned into the wind for the ride back to StowAway.

The waves were to far apart to get on top of them so we just took them one at a time. The Mercury motor groaned as we would climb each wave. To keep the bow up I had to goose it up a wave, let off the throttle and fall into the trough and goose it again for the next wave.

My party was probably thinking that they could have gone offshore and had better conditions than this and I was amazed again at how rough a lake could get. Had we been in anything less than a twenty footer I think we would have had a tough time getting back safely.

We took our time and made our way back up the lake to the marina. My clients were from Houston and don’t get out on the water very often. The afternoon was a real adventure for them and I must admit it was a rush to me as well.

Mother Nature deals out some tricky situations at times that can take you by surprise. Sometimes weather builds up and is easy to spot and avoid but weather can also roll in low and quickly before you are ready for it.

Changes in air temperature and wind direction are definitely factors to take note of when on the water. Especially, when the wind shifts one hundred and eighty degrees. Also clouds patterns can help you make on the spot weather observations. Low rolling clouds, thunderheads, and cloud banks are all indicators of possible bad weather.

Remember to always check the weather when planning a fishing trip. A small radio tuned to one of the many weather stations will also help you avoid unsafe weather conditions.

When fishing in unstable weather, rain gear and lifejackets are a must. Good luck fishing.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

ROCKPORT, Texas — On Nov. 9, a manatee was spotted just outside of Rockport at an area known as Cove Harbor North, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department experts. The manatee was caught on video by some local residents and T.P.W.D. personnel were also on hand to witness this rare sighting. Aransas County Game Warden Danny Flores and Coastal Fisheries Biologist Dennis Pridgen also responded to the sighting.

“The manatee was videoed swimming in the area before disappearing. Sightings of manatees are extremely rare for this area as well as for the State of Texas,” said Capt. Henry Balderamas. A manatee was last seen just South of Corpus Christi several years ago.

“The last time we have seen a manatee (or more than one) was July 2001,” said Karen Meador, of TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division in Rockport. “More than one was observed off Galveston, Port Aransas and in Rockport. Before that, we observed one or more manatees during late summer of 1995. What’s interesting in all three instances is that tropical activity in the eastern Gulf of Mexico was above-average. As you know, this summer’s weather could’ve easily blown this animal west of its habitat. There are no resident populations of manatees in Texas,” said Meador.

Deborah Cohea, administrative assistant in the Rockport Law Enforcement office, witnessed the animal’s rare appearance. “Game Warden Danny Flores said they had a manatee sighting and I said ‘Where, I want to see it, I’ve never seen a manatee!’ So I drove down there to Cove Harbor. I lived in Florida and I never saw one the whole time I lived there, it just made my day. We were standing on a dock and he was about five feet out on the water and he was huge, they said no less than 7-800 pounds, and a full grown healthy male. He rolled over and his front flippers came up by his face and it was just too cool!” – Lake Mohave

AUSTIN, Texas — It is said that giving is better than receiving, but why not do both this holiday season.

Persons who order a Texas State Parks Pass gift certificate before Dec. 31 to give to that special someone will receive a Texas State Parks holiday tree ornament just for giving a gift of the great outdoors.

The $60 state parks pass, which debuted on Jan. 1, provides not only a year of free entry to more than 120 state parks and historic sites for members and their guests, but also discounts on camping, state park store merchandise, recreational equipment rentals and other perks. Through October, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had sold 53,772 park passes, generating $3.3 million to support Texas state park operations.

“The parks pass paves the way for the gift recipient to enjoy a year’s worth of the beautiful Texas outdoors and many of the state’s most important heritage sites,” said Walt Dabney, Texas State Parks director. “The commemorative tree ornament just sweetens the pot.”

You can purchase Texas State Parks Pass gift certificates at your favorite state park or historic site, or by calling TPWD’s Customer Contact Center at (512) 389-8900. The center’s operating hours are: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Pass members also are entitled to receive a quarterly e-newsletter, “The Getaway Planner”; a free copy of the Texas State Park Guide; and an “I Belong in Texas State Parks” decal. For more information about the park pass, visit the Web (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/parkpass/).

In addition to the parks pass, holiday shoppers can purchase a host of other unusual gift items from TPWD, such as books, videos, conservation license plates, posters, wildlife stamps and more, by visiting the Web (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/) and selecting the “Great Holiday Gifts” link. – Lake Mohave

It’s already the time of the year to start planning your winter bass fishing tactics. Cold weather is possibly the toughest weather condition to fish in because, not only does one have extreme temperatures, but one must also contend with finicky fish.

Here are a few basic questions you may have when changing your tactics from summer to fall:

Color selection:
Most feel color is not as important as the type of lure you use. I disagree. Color has just as an important role as the lure. The color on the lakes I fish tend to be darker colors for plastics and jigs, and lighter colors for spinnerbaits and crankbaits. It is important to match your lure color and size to the baitfish of the lake you are fishing. For example: Lake Conroe’s main source of baitfish is shad approximately 2” in length. They are silver in color and tend to exhibit a blue hue. The lure that I would choose would be a ½ oz. white/chartreuse Bull Dog spinnerbait and slow-roll it around pylon docks.

Retrieval change:
Because a bass’ metabolism tends to decrease during this time, your retrieval should also decrease. This is why jigs are so productive during the cooler season. They have little action and are the big bulky bite bass are looking for to fatten up for the winter season and also for the pre-spawn season as well.

Cover:
When the front passes, the strike zone decreases and bass bury in cover. Turn to tree tops, brush piles, grass beds and docks. When fishing brush piles or tree tops, work the biggest limbs. It is important to remember that bass will bite after a front blows by, but you will have to use more finesse.

Patience is the key, but also remembering these minor changes will help improve your catching more bass.

EAT. SLEEP. FISH. SKEETER. – Lake Mohave

Recently, I was speaking with two of my fellow Skeeter Pro Staff buddies, Andrew Faterkowski and Mark Wheeler. We were going over our tournament plans and started discussing the transition stage from the late-spring post-spawn stage. That conversation inspired me to write about several of the most-asked questions we feel you should know and keep in mind when searching for bass on Lake Conroe.

1. How should your lure selection change?
“Color is important. The tendency on Lake Conroe is a darker color during the spawn and a lighter color during post-spawn,” Andrew stated. “The use of a bait with increased action, such as a Texas rigged Cobra lizard, a steady-retrieved Cobra spinnerbait or a crankbait that runs 7-10 foot in depth with a tight pattern, will increase your odds of catching fish as well,” Andrew said.

2. How should your retrieval change along with your lure change?
Because a bass’ metabolism increases during this time, your retrieval should also increase. The bass have just spawned, are hungry, and looking for action. However, if you are using a Texas or Carolina rig, retrieval should remain at a steady, slower pace.

3. What changes in areas and depths should you make?
Mark, Andrew and I agree that with the water temperature increasing during this time, bass will have the tendency to move deeper. Early morning will be best for a topwater lure or spinnerbait action. When you notice the action diminishing, move to the 4-10 foot depth with a crankbait or Carolina rig. A key to remember is to fish verticle drops where deep water is nearby.

We hope these tips will help increase your chances of catching bass. Remember, bass are at a fragile state during this time because of the stress associated with the spawn. Handle them as little as possible and release them quickly. Remember to give your bass CPR: Catch, Photograph, Release…it’s the best way to catch another in the future.

Special thanks to Andrew Faterkowski and Mark Wheeler for helping contribute to this article. If you can “catch” these guys on the water, they’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Also, a really BIG thanks to Andrew – He jokingly told me he was going to catch a massive fish for my cover story…that’s when he caught this 9 1/2 pounder shown on the cover.

Andrew is sponsored by Skeeter Boats, Louis DelHomme Marine, Cast-A-Way Rods, Cobra Lures and OkieLite Lures. Mark is sponsored by Skeeter Boats, Louis DelHomme Marine and Cobra Lures.

In closing, remember the three necessities:

EAT. SLEEP. FISH.
– Lake Mohave

Attend an Angler’s Choice tournament early one Sunday morning, before the flight numbers are called, and witness which brand of boat dominates the field. If you have been there, you know. If you have not, I will let you in on the secret; it is a Skeeter. According to Angler’s Choice tournament directors, thirty percent of their field is running a Skeeter and this number is certain to increase thanks to the new ZXc line.

Skeeter has made a tremendous comeback over the last couple of years. Skeeter challenged their engineers (some that came from the F-16 sector of the aerospace industry) to build a bass boat that would meet the demands of a serious tournament fisherman. To accomplish this challenge, the boat would have to be fast, turn on a dime, provide a smooth ride in rough water, be durable enough to withstand the pounding of four foot waves, and be laid out to accommodate an angler’s needs. Above all, this boat must be safe at all speeds. The engineers at Skeeter came up with the new “ZXc” class of boats. From the hyper-space quickness of the 190ZXc to the brute strength of the 300ZXc; each boat has been designed to meet all of these needs.

Staring at the front of a new Skeeter, you can’t help but notice the deep-vee that appears to never end. The degree of the vee changes as you make your way up the side of the boat enabling the hull to direct wave spray down and out. This makes for an extremely dry ride. This deep-vee design, although not new to the bass boat market, has been coupled with an idea that no other boat builder can duplicate. The patented reverse draft transom located at the back of the ZXc series offers stability at all speeds and will counteract the “tip to the side” characteristic of other deep-vee bass boats. In addition to greater stability, this transom virtually eliminates backsplash over the transom when coming off plane. This hull design provides an excellent holeshot, (typically not more than four seconds), awesome turning ability, exceptional lift at high speeds, and a comfortable ride in the roughest of waters.

Skeeter has also tackled the gel coat cracks and transom damage resulting from the pounding bass boats endure while running through four and five footers on Rayburn during thirty mile an hour winds. To remedy these problems Skeeter’s engineers have employed a truly composite (that is the “c” in ZXc) material for all structural components. This composite material (technically known as an elastic polymer latex) along with klegicell make up all structural components in the ZXc series. This composite material tested by an independent laboratory to be three times stronger than materials perviously used. Other manufacturers may claim to have tried quote “composite” materials, but usually these materials were some mixture of foam and fiberglass and were only used as either a liner or in the building of the stringers. Skeeter’s hull, transom, and stringer system are made of this composite material while the deck and floor are made of klegicell. The only wood found in this boat is in the compartment walls and where screw retention is a high priority. This composite material, combined with the aid of computer modeling during the design and drafting stages, will allow for precision tolerances ensuring a near perfect product from every mold. Stomp your foot in a Skeeter ZXc storage compartment and then test the competition. There is no question about the quality in this new line of bass boat.

After the performance and durability needs were met, Skeeter engineers turned to the tournament fisherman for suggestions on how to accommodate his fishing needs. The tournament angler responded, “We need:
lighted rod boxes capable of holding 71/2′ flipping sticks,
retractable rod holders that are out of the way when not in use,
large storage boxes that utilize power lifts and have extra tall lips to keep water out,
an intermediate step between the floor and the flipping deck,
massive deck space to accommodate two people comfortably,
a location specifically designed to mount a “hot foot”,
hidden propeller storage,
driver/passenger glove compartments and ice chests,
a tilt steering wheel,
easy
to read gauge placement that is not blocked by the steering wheel,
a place to mount an LCR or paper graph that does not hinder our view while driving,
separate livewells with their own timers, pumps, and release valves capable of
keeping bass alive in the hottest of summer months,
and comfortable seats that reduce lower back pain after a long day on the water.”
The layout of these boats is perfect for anglers who enjoy fishing team events. Each compartment, from the rod lockers to the glove compartments, have an almost identical twin. This feature makes storing a non-boaters fishing essentials a breeze. Skeeter answered all of these requests and many others with the new line of ZXc boats.

From the design of the hull, to the “composite” material that makes up the structural components, to the layout of the deck; the Skeeter ZXc line of boats will remove “the bad taste” from the mouths of previous owners and soon become the bass boat others are trying to copy. Visit Louis DelHomme Marine on I-45 at the Airtex exit to see the new line of ZXc bass boats and understand why Skeeter owners EAT. SLEEP. FISH.
– Lake Mohave

If you want to up your average on catching your fish, try some of the new Fortified Riverside soft Plastics. Riverside, Big Wag, Big Claw, and Big Foot are now hyper charged with the same all-natural, real crwfish extracts found in Riverside Real Claw attractant. The Riverside Grub and Big Gun are hyper-charged with real Baitfish attractant.

The Big Claw has the most lifelike action of any soft plastic crawfish on the market today. The Big Claw in five weeks of feild testing was credited the winnings of almost $15,000 in just four tournaments.

Each Big Claw is hyper-charged with Real Claw, the only real crawfish extract in the world.

On Lake Sam Rayburn, in 1991 the call time B.A.S.S. ; 11 time B.A.S.S. Master Classic Qualifier, 7 time National Champion, 1987 B.A.S.S Angler of the year. One year later Denny’s record was broken by Kevin Van Dam, using the Riverside Big Foot Lizard with Real Craw scent.

The Big Foot Lizard has more detailed features than any other lizard on the market today. The head, body and feet have been sculptured to great detail. The lizard has more flash and action, with the flexible tail and legs.

The Big Wag curly tail worms, with side to side action, will produce unbelievable strikes. The Big Wag is excellent will fishing weeds, brush, and grass. The flat belly and flotation allows it to be perfect for a topwater also. The worm is available in 6” and 7 1/2”.

The Riverside Grub, and Bigt Gun are hyper-charged with real baitfish extract. The Grub comes in the length of 5” and 3”. The Big Gun comes in 4’ and 6’. The Grub and Big Gun jerkbait come iun the colors that will all produce good quality bass.

All of the Riverside plastics come in resealable packages, with easy access for the angler. All plastics have each been hyper-charged with scent and flavor.
– Lake Mohave

The popularity of Richland Chambers is on the rise and will continue to become even more popular. Richland Chambers has some of the best fishing you will find in the state of Texas. If you fish for black bass, white bass, crappie or catfish, RC is where the action is at.

In 1991 my husband and I won a fully rigged Champion Boat, fishing the TABC Classic Championship here on RC. I had located the fish about a month prior to the tournament. The day the fish were located, I had cast a bubble gum/ June bug worm into some timber. The action took place, I had a ~51b bass on and their was at least five other 5 lb.’ers trying to take the worm away from the one I had hooked. Action such as this will get your blood to pumping. I loved it , pulled out of the hole knowing that the quality of fish that lived here would definitely be a win for the boat. We never returned to the hole until tournament morning. First day of the tournament we had a limit within 15 minutes of over 20 lbs. left the hole for the rest of the day. Second day of the tournament had a limit again within 15 minutes , took a little longer to catch our bigger fish, but we done it by ~1:00 and pulled out of the hole with the confidence of winning. That evening we pulled a new rig home.

My opinion of course is RC is the best lake in Texas. It’s normal for a guide to praise the lake they guide on. Other anglers I have spoke with have mutual-feeling as ~I on RC.

Bob Rayel from Whitney a tournament angler, believes RC has better quality and quanity of black bass than any other lake he has fished in 5 years. His experience while fishing was on tank dams. Bob caught fish all over the lake , but the most exciting experience was when a tree would begin to shake, a explosion on his worm while in the tree, out would come a ~51b bass. The shaking of the trees yielded Bob a first place win in a Angler’s Choice tournament in 1992. He has also placed high in other tournaments here.

Ken Knott, TABC President and tournament angler states RC is in the league with Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend as far as quantity of. RC is the best producing lake in the state of Texas. The studies from Texas Parks and Wildlife shows RC has a faster growth rate of fish than any–other lake in Texas. Ken has won and placed high in tournaments here.

I could continue for pages giving different opinions of the fishing , from different anglers. Everyone ~I spoke with agrees 100% RC is one of the best lakes to fish. – Lake Mohave

Over 45 years ago, a man named Holmes Thormond of Shreveport, Louisiana designed what has recognized today as the original bass boat, the Skeeter. Unknown to Thurmond at the time, he was laying the initial groundwork for not only a new company, but also one of the largest booms in the history of the marine industry.

The original Skeeter was a little over thirteen feet long and made entirely from marine plywood, With slanted sides, flat bottom and pointed bow, the original Skeeter was considered a bass fisherman’s dream come true, With the introduction of fiberglass into the marine industry around the same period. the adaptation to the Skeeter came only natural, and did much to assist the boat in gaining quick recognition and acceptance. Idealistic, as the Skeeter was at the time, the people at Skeeter recognized that with the coming of the new man-made reservoirs in the 1950’s, changes were inevitable.

Shortly thereafter, a new and larger version, the “Super Skeeter ” was born, The bass boat, as it was known in those times, offered the fisherman more than he had ever hoped, Capable of handling outboards up to 35 H.P., the Super Skeeter skimmed across the water at unparalleled speeds, better than 30 m.p.h., However, the history of fishing was about to embark on a new trend, which would greatly alter the wants and needs of the fishermen.

With the era of competitive or tournament style fishing taking hold, Skeeter quickly set out designing a boat to meet the competitive anglers’ needs. The demanded boats which would handle even larger motors, take on the rough water the reservoirs handed our, and interior layouts more accommidating to their specialized sport. Skeeter answered these demands with the Skeeter hawk, whose design eliminated the characteristically pointed nose of the original Skeeter, Sponsors at the bow allowed for a less jarring ride, where the raised platform in the front made fishing more comfortable. The demand for the Hawk by both tournament fishermen and guides was phenomenal, vaulting Skeeter to a dominant position in the marketplace. It was a new beginning, a trend of listening
to the customers needs, that has held its theory for over 45 years now.

At this point the bass fishing craze was approaching near epidemic stages. Hundreds upon hundreds of bass clubs sprang up, leading to more and more tournaments, which in turned to new requirements by the fishermen. Faster, larger boats capable of handling the worst of mother nature’s elements were high on the fishemans priority list.

What came next was probably the biggest gamble in Skeeter’s history. Knowing, there was a fishing and boating market growing by leaps and bounds, Skeeter pushed hard to design a new boat which would not only expand the existing market, but create a new one and dominated it. Once satisfied they had developed the “ultimate” boat, it was time, to lay the cards on the table. The showdown took place on the number one lake in the country, Toledo Bend Reservoir, in an American Angler’s Tournament in 1975. Skeeter took with them a boat which was a radical departure from anything any fisherman had ever seen, They called it the Wrangler. The boat was 16 feet long, over two feet wider an its forerunners (89 inches), had a sponsonless vee design, and carried a horsepower rating of 150 HP. With a resemblance similar to that of a bath tub in the water, only Skeeter’s past history of producing superior boats refrained the pros from laughing the boat off the dock. But as they often do, conditions changed come tournament day. The fishermans biggest foe was present for the Wrangler’s debut. The howling norther was there in full force with winds packing four foot waves. At the blast off, the wrangler left all of the fishermen nearly spellbound, The Wrangler, high on its pad, blasted around the conventional boats at near full throttle, yet yielding its occupants a smooth, dry ride, Total amazement was on the, faces of all that attended and competed, A now dawning had evolved in bass boats -Skeeter’s gamble had paid off. During the next five years, over twenty one different manufacturers copied or imitated the Wrangler, Skeeter Products was moved in the early seventies from its’ plant in Longview, Texas to Kilgore, Texas where Skeeter still resides today.

“Anyone can copy a quality product but not everyone can build quality in.” John Ruskin.
During the later 1970’s the fishing public again turned towards Skeeter for something now, innovative and dynamic in every aspect, The pressure on Skeeter to produce back-to-back winners was immense, yet viewed as a rewarding challenge for being the leader in the bass boat market. In 1979 Skeeter took another giant step towards their dominance of the market their introduction of the Statfire, Akin to something out of the distant future, the Starfire left its rivals in awe, The uniquely different, patented hull design allows maximum stability at any speed and offers comeforting abilities far superior to the products that were available in the marketplace. The Starfire series was expanded over several years bringing innovative deck layouts and more choices to the marine consumer. Skeeter led the pack with innovation. Bigger decks, larger storage compartments to accommodate the modern fishermen, new Fish n’ Ski models were introduced, By the end of the 80’s Skeeter fishermen had completely dominated the Professional Bass fishing tour, taken several world championships, and the status of owning a Skeeter boat had poured into an image only a company like this could hold true.

From that point on Skeeter has led the way to modern performance watercraft. In 1989, the all new 200SX series of boats was introduced as a “top end” to the complete Starfire lineup. This boat was bred for speed and handling the demands of the modern competitive fishermen. After throughout the last three years, many changes have come about as a result of this boat, and as Skeeter has grown both internally at the factory, and extemally in market share, new horizons have been approached.

In the Spring of 1993, Skeeter products introduced at the Houston International Sport Show, its first product designed for Sal*****er, Skeeter has brought 45 years of boat building experience to the designig board to make the BAYPRO series. These are deep “V” designed boats that incorporate a “pad” for the boat to run on combing both soft rides along with speed and top end handling benefits. The Skeeter bayboat family offers center console enthusiasts a platform for perfomance in all three (21’ 19’, 17’foot) models. Modem internal design and materials make this one of the most technologically advanced boat in the complete product line.

To complete the circle of 45 years of boat building, Skeeter has brought forward its newest member. the 200ZX. A pinnacle in the line, this boat will be the highlight of the 1994 boat shows and consumer demand has taken production schedules well into the 94’building season. A boat which was designed using Skeeters biggest asset, its ears. The all new boat incorporates the stylish ZX hull and transom design in a 19 foot 9 inch boat, bringing an all new meaning to “Total Performance”. Skeeter has utilized its leading ‘ledge” technology in boat design to build up a strong dealer base, and widespread customer loyalty, The growth of Skeeter has lent itself to look further into the market and begin a new committment to refining the definition of modern boating.
– Lake Mohave

Pre Spawn: When the water temperature is between 45-54 degrees in early spring, bass begin their movement away from the deep water. This movement will be slow. You will find bass in or near deep water during this period, on drop offs, points, creek banks and creek beds. A few bass will move to shallows on warm sunny afternoons. The bass metabolism is slow and they won’t chase fast moving lures. Slow rolling spinnerbaits and crank baits will work, but you must retrieve them slowly. When the water temperature rises over 55 degrees, the bass move from the deeper water into the shallows.

The warmer water will make the bass more aggressive. The best lures will be spinnerbaits, Texas rigged worms, crankbaits and top water minnows. When the water temperature reaches the 60s, tie on a spinnerbait and work the shallows — the bass will be selecting spawning sites.

Post Spawn: Some bass will remain in shallows for a short period and will strike

spinnerbaits, worms and top water lures. Bass will leave the shallows and head for their summer homes. During this time bass are hard to locate so stay on the move, and work creek banks, points and drop offs.

The warmer water accelerates the bass metabolism; therefore, early in the morning and late in the evening, bass will come from deeper water up in the shallows to feed. Spinnerbaits and buzz baits will produce good bass. As the day progresses and temperatures rise, fish deeper waters: drop offs, the edge of creek banks, tank dams, and sloughs. The Texas rigged worm will produce some good bass.

In the early fall, bass will go on longer feeding sprees. Larger lures will work — spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and buzz baits. Your retrieves should be from moderate to fast. When the water temperatures reach about 55 degrees, the bass will begin to move to their winter homes. You can locate them on creek banks and points as in early spring.

During the winter, bass stay deep near drop offs, creek channels and submerged timber. Fish your lure slow. Jigging spoons, jigs and worms will produce some large fish. During winter months, I always use a dark colored worm, preferably black/blue.

If you need guide service, or I may be of any assistance to you give me a call. Happy Holidays!!!
– Lake Mohave

Asking ten anglers to define finesse fishing would likely result in ten different perspectives. To many, finesse fishing is equated with light, ultralight, or microlight tackle and vague concepts such as splitshotting, slipshotting, doodling, shaking, stiching, and other mysterious techniques. Consequently, finesse fishing is frequently dismissed as too slow, too complicated, or necessitating fragile tackle. The common denominator in the various finesse techniques is an unobstrusive, natural presentation. Bass subjected to intense fishing pressure become inured to frequently encountered lures. Under less than ideal conditions they may respond only to specialized techniques, Quiet presentations, and lures that they haven’t grown weary of seeing daily. One of the least utilized finesse techniques for bass is fly fishing. How many Lake Conroe bass have ever seen a Silver Darter or Gray Ghost or Mickey Finn – all very effective streamer flies?

Fly fishing has surged in popularity the past several years, but its positive aspects have been largely overlooked by bass anglers. Generally regarded as a fun way to catch small bass and panfish, fly tackle can produce quality bass, and do so when all other techniques fail. Fly casting facilitates a more delicate presentation than any other system emloying artificial lures. Shallow, spooky bass are extremely wary of intrusions within their environment; a feather is much less imposing than a chunk of wood, metal, or plastic. The long, soft rods utilized are capable of exerting substantial leverage on a fish. And today’s bass boats provide an excellent fly casting platform. The application of fly tackle to bass fishing is limited only by one’s imagination.

Mastering the fly rod is not as difficult as it may appear. I’ve never been accused of being particularly dexterous, and I taught myself to cast unassisted in one afternoon when I was twelve years old. The following year I caught my first tarpon – on a fly rod. Learning the fly rod requires balanced tackle. The line, rather than the lure, provides the weight for the cast. It must be matched to the rod to properly load it. Although really long casts are seldom necessary, balanced tackle will facilitate powerful, accurate casting in the wind. An 8 ½’ or 9’ rod matched to a 6,7, or 8 – weight floating line will provide a good balance of power and manageability, A basic single – action reel will suffice. The reel’s primary function is line storage, although some anglers prefer to play larger fish off of the reel. Tapered leaders enhance accuracy and soft entry by helping the fly “turn over” properly at the end of the cast. They may be purchased or made up from lengths of progressively lighter monofilament.
– Lake Mohave

With the Sunday Morning Tournament held out of ~StowAway Marina reaching five fish limit weights of over twenty five pounds it is obvious that the bass fishing in Conroe is improving. Various attempts seem to be paying off for an improvement in Lake Conroe’s black bass fishing.
The improvement has been a gradual comeback which I have noticed throughout this Spring, especially back during the spawn. During the spawn my clients and ~I enjoyed very quality black bass fishing. Many of the spawning females that we boated were from four to five pounds. So many of the fish were in the same size range it seemed that they were all twins. The majority of these fish, if not all of them, were Florida strain black bass released by the Lake Conroe Restocking Program. Through the prespawn and spawning stages of the bass, we caught numerous males and females in shallow, a positive sign for a successful spawn. A good spawn combined with the efforts of the Lake Conroe Restocking Program can be the most influential improvement to Lake Conroe’s bass fishing.

Another factor to be figured into the comeback of Conroe’s black bass is the sixteen inch limit. With more of the fish shy of the sixteen inch limit remaining in the lake since September 1, 1993 there were more of those fish able to spawn this year.

All throughout the Spring there were good reports of big bass coming to the scales. Most of the bass fishermen fishing spinnerbaits and worms along the bulkheads and shallow timber were rewarded with good catches. Several fish over eleven pounds were weighed this Spring and even a couple over twelve. This is proof in itself that the fish quality is improving.

“Catch and Release,” is becoming standard among bass fishermen. Catch and release is a way we can all work together as bass fishermen to keep up the bass population. Catch and release fishing is like a restocking program in itself. This method of fishing is simple and rewarding. Always have a camera on hand, when the fish is caught quickly take a picture and get the fish back into the water. Revive the fish by holding its mouth open and moving the fish back and forth in the water. This rejuvenates the oxygen level in the fish’ gills. Always work fast when the fish are out of the water and try to handle the fish as little as possible. The more that a fish is handied the higher the possibility of a fungus eventually growing on the fish. To catch, photo, and release a keeper or even a trophy black bass shows true sportsmanship. You will find this very rewarding and habit forming and if a young angler is present you will have just done the future of bass fishing a favor.

After the spawn the black bass started to scatter and were not as easy to pattern. This is when I started concentrating my guide parties on catching crappie. The crappie population on Conroe this year as been incredible and long stringers of them common. Many of my clients that I take out are first time fisherpeople (men,women, and kids). To witness those people catching these crappie fast and furiously brings me great pleasure and job satisfaction. Catching fish brings the best out of people young and old. The crappie fishing has a great impact on the youngsters. There is no time for them to lose interest and they quickly become “experts” telling everyone in the boat how to catch ’em. Catching one, two and sometimes even three limits of keeper crappie consists of catching four ti~mes that many fish. The short crappie to keeper crappie ratio is about four to one. Days of catching over a hundred crappie have been pretty common.

All in all, the Spring and early Summer have Proved Lake Conroe to be one of the best fishing holes around. But don’t take my word for it, come on out and rediscover Lake Conroe. Good luck fishing.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

After fishing seven tournaments last Fall from here to the Canadian border in New York I feel confident in saying that a bass is a bass no matter where you are. I fished tournaments in New York, Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas. Once I was near the bass the catching them was relatively easy. I had to learn to look past the unfamiliar scenery and terrain in order to fall back on my previous knowledge. Fish positioning around shallow cover was the same everywhere. Stumps, rocks, laydowns, various vegetation, or anything else along the shallows proved to hold fish the same way they hold fish here in Texas.

I lived on the road for three and a half months last Fall from mid July through October, the tournaments were simply too far from home to travel back in between competition. So I would pre-practice days on ends for the next tournament. I got a first hand look at how some the other Top 100 pros would approach tournaments and who pre-practices and who doesn’t.

Surprisingly some of the pros high in the standings don’t pre-practice. They show up to the tournaments and fish them cold turkey. Most of them have several tournaments under their belts on those waters, however it is still impressive that some of their tournament performances are very successful with three days of practice. Their practice time is limited because of various speaking engagements and also public appearances. Some of them are busy shooting their fishing shows in between tournaments like Jimmy Houston, Roland Martin, and Larry Nixon.

Fishing the Top 100 has been a real incredible experience. Everyone in the Top 100 is there for a reason and the competition is tough. Weighing in a limit everyday of competition has always been my goal but I am learning more and more that weighing in a heavy limit everyday of competition is what it takes to be successful in the Top 100.

The best way for me to describe fishing the Top 100 is to compare it to golf. Fishing the BassMaster Top 100 has been like getting my tour card and playing on the PGA Tour. No golf tournament competition is as solid as that of the PGA Tour and the same can be said for the Top 100.

I have four more B.A.S.S. Top 100 tournaments and four more B.A.S.S. Invitationals for the second half of the season this Spring. The upcoming tournaments are in Mississppi, Alabama, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and even one here in Texas at Lake Texoma. It has been a nice break to be home through the holidays but I already have tournament fever and I am ready to hit the trail.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass are spawning this month in the shallows. Spinnerbaits, Texas rigged lizards, and wacky worms are the best baits for the big females. On the warmer days they will occasionally come up to get a surface bait like a pop r, zara spook, or boy howdy. Buzzbaits and tiny torpedoes can do wonders on bedding fish as well.

White bass are in full swing making their annual run up the creeks. Harmon, White Rock, Bedias, and Nelson are all loaded with whites. Rattle traps and small jigs are the ticket. Twenty five fish a piece with a minimum length of twelve inches are the laws for white bass. Harmon Creek Marina has excellent facilities and is located right near one of the best areas of Harmon Creek.

Crappie are shallow and spawning along the shorelines. Fish the creeks with live minnows and crappie jigs and you should do well. Around the bridge piling in some of the creeks I have seen people catching them regularly.

Catfish are hitting an assortment of baits. Prepared dough baits, nightcrawlers, shad, and chicken liver all will work for catching catfish. The catfish are in the shallow water already but will really move in next month as they usually spawn just a few weeks behind the first waves of the other spawning fish species.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

BLACK BASS
Many of the bass here have spawned. The last two weeks of March were real hot for spawning bass. Creek backs and rocky shorelines held spawners. Those fish have not left those areas at all in fact many of the fish were in those exact areas to begin with. Livingston is definately one unique lake when it comes to black bass migrations. The bigger bass over four pounds have a more distinct migration than the smaller bass. Livingston is without a doubt a lake that you can number os bass shallow under any condition in any season.

The Carolina Rig is being fished a little more every year on Livingston. Fishing for black bass after their spawn can be tricky. Initially the female bass are sore and not ready to feed, they are in a lull state. Using their side fins as “kickstands” they prop themselves up on the bottom and just sit there for a few days and heal up from the spawn. The Carolina Rig set up with one of Top Brass new Finesse Carolina Kits and a weenie worm or french fry will entice the moody females to bite. Since the bass spawn is intermittant through February, March, and April their is always fish in the “lull” state that I am talking referring to.

WHITE BASS
The white bass made their usual run up the creeks at the beginning of March and then turned right around after a few days and headed back to the river. They got up into the backs of the creeks ready to spawn but the water was low with no current. Since we had no rain the creeks had no running water, a necessity for a white bass spawn. At the time of this writing their have not been any white bass being consistently caught day after day anywhere which is usually the norm this time of year. I cleaned twenty four on March 24 th and females were still full of eggs, but the eggs were not that pretty gold/yellow color that they are at the beginning of the run. These eggs were not held together by the clear membrane that surrounds them and there were no red veins surrounding the egg sacks. They appeared to me that the eggs were overdue and soon to be discharged freely. So we may not get a white bass spawn at all this year. I am not a fisheries biologist by any means but I see enough fish and clean enough of them that I can put two and two together and give a pretty logical assumption. Mother Nature has her ways some of which we do not understand but maybe she knows what she is doing by not giving us our normal average rainfall this year. We’ll see.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: Some bass are still spawning at the time of this writing but the majority of them have spawned out. The bass that have recovered from the spawn will be aggressive and ready to feed. Sluggos and jerkbaits as well as topwaters and crankbaits are some of the baits these bass will eat. The number one bait this month is usually a buzzbait. Fish can be caught on a buzzbait here all day on overcast days and sometimes all day on sunny days. Pop r’s and Zara puppies fished around shallow cover are also effective this month. Carolina, Harmon, Bethy, Caney, White Rock, Newton, and Sandy are all good creeks on the north end of the lake.

Crappie: Live minnows and crappie jigs fished in brushpiles 10-15 feet deep should be one of the top patterns for crappie this month. Also standing timber in the creeks hold good numbers of crappie.

Catfish: This month catfish will be spawning so they will be shallow, especially on the bulkheads. Night crawlers, shad, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits are just a few of the baits these spawing cats will eat.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave