Colorado River Guide Blog

Black bass will be recovering from the spawn this month and will be extra aggressive at times. Sluggos, jerkbaits, pop r’s, zara puppies, and buzz baits are some of the “junk baits” that you will be able to draw strikes on. Most of the female bass have healed from the spawn and have come out of their lull ready to feed. However, not all bass spawn at the same time so remember there will be a few fish still on the bed and also many bass will still be in the lull mode.

Probably the most prodominate patterns will be the buzzbait fished around shallow timber, rocks, and other shoreline cover. Chartreuse, black, or white skirted buzzbaits are top choices. If the cover is not too thick try adding a trailer hook or even a trailer treble hook. When the bass really get on the buzzbait the single hook of the buzzbait is enough. But the bite can change from day to day and the trailers will help you land the short strikers(especially on sunny days).

On overcast days the topwater baits can be effective for a few weeks this month. You can catch bass on a variety of topwaters on your most productive areas that you never dreamed held topwater fish. When conditions are just right they will hit topwaters all through the year, but this year the conditions stay right longer for days at a time.

Carolina, Bethy, Newton, White Rock, Caney, and Sandy are a few of the creeks up on the North end of the lake that I frequently fish. All of the creeks have excellent shoreline cover. Bethy has plenty of rocky shorelines, Carolina has reeds as well as White Rock and Caney, and Newton has log jams. Whatever cover you like can be found in the Northern creeks even coontail moss if you look hard enough. The lake is a little high right now so you have to look around for clear water if you are fishing up north. There are always clear water pockets up north no matter what the conditions are.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: The summer bite is on and in full swing. Quick bites early in the morning on buzzbaits will be a prominent bite all summer. Once the topwater action slows a firetiger crankbait, chartreuse/ white spinnerbait, and a Texas rigged Power Worm make the rest of the day real simple. Shoreline structures like laydowns, stumps, rocks, boat docks, and reeds are the prime targets. Harmon, Bethy, Carolina, White Rock, and Caney are my favorites up North. Run the shorelines fishing the baits mentioned should put fish in your boat.

White Bass: The whites will start stacking up on the mainlake this month and schooling. The 190 roadbed and flats, mainlake points, Pine Island, and many other mainlake humps will be productive all summer. Birds usually are dead givaways when they are working shad over white bass so watch for them. Cobra jigging spoons in white or chartreuse are the key bait for the deeper fish while Rattle Traps and topwaters will work on the schooling fish.

Crappie: Standing timber in fifteen to twenty foot of water along with brushpiles in the same depth will produce crappie all summer. Minnows and black/chartreuse jigs being the prime baits for the white perch.

Catfish: Early morning action is good this month along bulkheads and shallow timber. Trotlines along the river and creek channels have been producing well in the last few weeks and will probably get better with the warm temperatures of summer. Night crawlers, shad, shrimp, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits just about always work for catfish.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The summer heat has arrived and the summer bite is kicking in. Quick bites early in the morning on buzzbaits will be a prominent bite all summer. Once the topwater action slows a firetiger crankbait, chartreuse/ white spinnerbait, and a Texas rigged Power Worm make the rest of the day real simple. Shoreline structures like laydowns, stumps, rocks, boat docks, and reeds are the prime targets. Harmon, Bethy, Carolina, White Rock, and Caney are my favorites up North. Run the shorelines fishing the baits mentioned should put fish in your boat.

White bass: The whites will start stacking up on the mainlake this month and schooling. The 190 roadbed and flats, mainlake points, Pine Island, and many other mainlake humps will be productive all summer. Birds usually are dead givaways when they are working shad over white bass so watch for them. Cobra jigging spoons in white or chartreuse are the key bait for the deeper fish while Rattle Traps and topwaters will work on the schooling fish.

Crappie: Standing timber in fifteen to twenty foot of water along with brushpiles in the same depth will produce crappie all summer. Minnows and black/chartreuse jigs being the prime baits for the white perch.

Catfish: Early morning action is good this month along bulkheads and shallow timber. Trotlines along the river and creek channels have been producing well in the last few weeks and will probably get better with the warm temperatures of summer. Night crawlers, shad, shrimp, chicken liver, and prepared dough baits just about always work for catfish.

The lake level is around normal pool and right now. Mainlake water color up north is a little off color due to the rains but the creeks are holding clearer water. Fishing will continue to be good on Livingston through the summer so plan a trip here and enjoy it.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass:
The lake is just over two feet low and the water temperature has been in the mid to upper eighties for the last few weeks. All through June the bass were aggressive except during the week that the lake level fell over a foot. Buzzbaits, crankbaits, and crawworms have all been exceptionally productive on shallow bass. Most of the bass on Livingston are in one to five foot of water. Believe it or not on some of the hottest days you will pull solid keepers in less than two feet of water. Concentrating on shallow cover is the key; stumps, laydowns, rocks, and reeds(toolies).

White Bass:
Good limits of white bass have been coming off of the 190 roadbed, 190 flats, mainlake points, and Pine Island. Jigging 3/4 oz Cobra Jigging Spoons has been one of the hottest producers all summer. Stripers have also been mixed in with the whites quite often and will also hit the Cobras. The birds will give away the schooling activity most of the time but if they are not schooling graph the humps and ridges and find schools of whites close to the bottom on the top of the structures in 14-25 feet of water.

Catfish:
Plenty of catfish have been caught early in the mornings around the bulkheads especially after a good rain. Night crawlers, shad, chicken liver, shrimp, or prepared dough baits will usually do the trick. Later in the day head to a creek channel or the main river channel and fish deeper through the hot hours.

Crappie:
Crappie have been pretty good around marina boat docks and standing timber in 10-20 feet of water. Minnows and crappie jigs have been responsible for most of these fish. Crappie jigs in black/chart., black/blue, and pink/white have been working. Remember through the hot months that the crappie will suspend so figure out how many turns off of the bottom that they are.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bass have positioned themselves from about half way back in the creeks to the mouth of the creeks near the main lake. The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek mouths and have been hitting an assortment of lures. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to ten feet of water. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craworms around shoreline cover has been one of the most productive presentations. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most effective baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Early and late the buzzbait will draw them to the surface.

White bass: Large schools of whites have been common on the main lake. Plenty of schooling fish have been easy to spot most of the summer, just look for the birds working or fish boiling on the surface. Main lake points, Penwaugh slough, the tram, the 190 roadbed, the 190 flats, the Banana ridge, and Pine Island have been prime areas for the action. When the fish are not schooling, use your graph to scan these areas and look for the whites and schools of shad. Once you locate a school spoon with a 3/4 oz Cobra jigging spoon, white with silver sides. Stripers have been abundant this year so don’t be surprised if you hook up on a fish that rips line off of your real and gives you a real war.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

Bream: Panfish have been easy to catch around rocks, piers, shallow timber, bulkheading, and reeds. Night crawlers and meal worms are two sure bets for catching plenty of bream. All of the marina have access for bankfishing and there are plenty of bream to be caught in these areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek mouths and have been hitting an assortment of lures. But be careful getting to these areas especially up north some of the creek mouths are blocked off by sandbars because of the low water level. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to ten feet of water. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craw worms around shoreline cover has been one of the most productive presentations. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most effective baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Early and late the buzzbait will draw them to the surface.

White bass: Large schools of whites have been common on the main lake. Main lake points, Penwaugh slough, the tram, the 190 roadbed, the 190 flats, the Banana ridge, and Pine Island have been prime areas for the action. Once you locate a school spoon with a 3/4 oz Cobra jigging spoon, white with silver sides. Stripers have been abundant this year so don’t be surprised if you hook up on a fish that rips line off of your real and gives you a real war.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

Bream: Panfish have been easy to catch around rocks, piers, shallow timber, bulkheading, and reeds. Night crawlers and meal worms are two sure bets for catching plenty of bream. All of the marinas have access for bankfishing and there are plenty of bream to be caught in these areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

The month of September is the beginng of some excellent bass fishing on Lake Livingston. The heat waves of summer are almost over and we will start getting mild cool spells from time to time which in turn get the fish out of their lull and biting.

Black Bass: Spinnerbaiting bass on Lake Livingston each Fall has become well known among the local bass fishermen. Running the shoreline and slow rolling spinnerbaits around laydowns, standing timber, rocks, reeds, and other shoreline structure is the ticket from now until December. This pattern works well all year long but is especially effective during the Fall. Also fishing buzzbaits, pop r’s, and zara puppies will draw aggressive strikes from black bass as the water begins to cool. Cooler water temperatures will create bigger strike zones for bass and make them easier to catch.

White Bass: The first few months of Fall sends the white bass in many directions. They tend to scatter and gradually push into some of the major feeder creeks and up the river. By October there is usualling some good schooling activity around Bethy and Harmon Creeks. However, there is always some whites on the main lake humps where we have caught them all summer.

Crappie: The old timers on this lake catch more crappie than anyone realizes. They usually fish standing timber and fish minnows and jigs. They are very secretive of how and where they catch them probably because they fish visible structure and know that without secrecy their spots will get pounded. Maybe one of these days someone will follow them and find out where they catch them.

Catfish: Trotliners are continuously catching numbers of catfish. There are regulars that fish out of Ed’s Marina that bring in fifty and sixty pounders everyday. For rod and reel action fish the main river channel on the north end or any of the bulkheading of the south end. Also most of the marinas have fishing areas and catfish can be caught there. Various prepared doughbaits, chicken liver, or fresh shad will get you hooked up with catfish day in day out.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

The month of September is the beginng of some excellent bass fishing on Lake Livingston. The heat waves of summer are almost over and with the rains we are getting the lake level is sure to be on the rise.

Black Bass: Spinnerbaiting bass on Lake Livingston each Fall has become well known among the local bass fishermen. Running the shoreline and slow rolling spinnerbaits around laydowns, standing timber, rocks, reeds, and other shoreline structure is the ticket from now until December. This pattern works well all year long but is especially effective during the Fall. Also fishing buzzbaits, pop r’s, and zara puppies will draw aggressive strikes from black bass as the water begins to cool. Cooler water temperatures will create bigger strike zones for bass and make them easier to catch.

White Bass: The first few months of Fall sends the white bass in many directions. They tend to scatter and gradually push into some of the major feeder creeks and up the river. By October there is usualling some good schooling activity around Bethy and Harmon Creeks. However, there is always some whites on the main lake humps where we have caught them all summer.

Crappie: Standing timber and brushpiles in 10-15 feet of water have been producing crappie. Minnows and jigs have been the best baits.

Catfish: Trotliners are continuously catching numbers of catfish. For rod and reel action fish the main river channel on the north end or any of the bulkheading of the south end. Also most of the marinas have fishing areas and catfish can be caught there. Various prepared doughbaits, chicken liver, or fresh shad will get you hooked up with catfish day in day out.

Remember the lake is low and be careful running the timber and also the creeks. The creek mouths up north can be difficult to enter because of the sandbars that build there. Some of these sandbars are exposed and some just below the surface. The lakes are easily navigable if you pay attention to water color(looking for shallow sandbars) and watch your flasher.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: Bass have been very aggressive and this will continue through the Fall. Spinnerbaits fished around laydowns and standing timber has been a hot ticket. Also firetiger crankbaits fished around rocks, timber, and reeds has been effective. Early and late a buzzbait is very effective-chartreuse and white skirt and fish it just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. Zara puppies and pop r’s will also work. Also look for bass schooling in the backs of the creeks.

White Bass: Whites are sporadically schooling with black bass up on the north end creeks. September 25 we got into schooling whites in Harmon and Carolina Creeks. There were also some black bass in there with them. The fish were schooled up on shad that have been in the creeks spawning and hit anything chartreuse. The whites are not real predictable this time of year so when you get into them you better stroke em’ because more than likely they’ll be off to some other creek the next day

Catfish: Trotliners are bringing in good catches with some really big catfish showing up in the river. Also rod and reel fishermen have been catching them early in the morning feeding around bulkheads. The best baits have been shad, chicken liver, prepared dough baits, and live earthworms.

Crappie: Many of the marinas who have their docks baited with brushpiles are preparing for Fall crappie fishing. A cold spell or two will cool the water and get the fish active and biting. Minnows and jigs fished around the brushpiles is a sure bet for catching crappie this month.

Fall is Lake Livingston’s highlighted season for fishing. Overall fishing is excellent and the temperatures are mild so make sure to plan a fishing trip and enjoy the lake.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: The cool front we had that last weekend of September gave a jump start on the Fall bass fishing. Bass have been very aggressive and this will continue through the Fall. Spinnerbaits fished around laydowns and standing timber has been a hot ticket. Also firetiger crankbaits fished around rocks, timber, and reeds has been effective. Early and late a buzzbait is very effective-chartreuse and white skirt and fish it just fast enough to keep the bait on the surface. Zara puppies and pop r’s will also work. Also look for bass schooling in the backs of the creeks.

White Bass: Whites are sporadically schooling with black bass up on the north end creeks. September 25 we got into schooling whites in Harmon and Carolina Creeks. There were also some black bass in there with them. The fish were schooled up on shad that have been in the creeks spawning and hit anything chartreuse.

Catfish: Trotliners are bringing in good catches with some really big catfish showing up in the river. Also rod and reel fishermen have been catching them early in the morning feeding around bulkheads. The best baits have been shad, chicken liver, prepared dough baits, and live earthworms.

Crappie: Many of the marinas who have their docks baited with brushpiles are preparing for Fall crappie fishing. A cold spell or two will cool the water and get the fish active and biting. Minnows and jigs fished around the brushpiles is a sure bet for catching crappie this month.

Fall is Lake Livingston’s highlighted season for fishing. Overall fishing is excellent and the temperatures are mild so make sure to plan a fishing trip and enjoy the lake.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: The bass have positioned themselves from about half way back in the bigger creeks to the backs of the creeks. The bigger fish have been concentrated near the creek backs and have been hitting an assortment of lures. Most of these fish are relating to shoreline structure in one to five feet of water. A 3/8oz Stanley spinnerbait(white with a silver Colorado blade) is one of the best baits this month. Flipping Texas rigged worms and craworms around shoreline cover has also been a productive presentation. Black/chartreuse, black/blue, red shad, and tequila sunrise plastics have been the most productive baits. Shallow to medium diving plugs in fire-tiger cranked around shoreline cover has also produced strikes. Buzzbait have been effective all day especially on overcast days.

White bass: White bass will be scattered among the upper end of the lake feeding on shad and preparing for the winter and their run next Spring. Look for sporadic schooling in the bigger Northern creeks and in the river.

Crappie: Many of the marinas are set up to accomodate crappie fishermen. They brushed the areas for years and have strong concentrations of crappie right under their boat docks and piers. These marinas provide some of the best crappie fishing on the lake. Minnows around standing timber in White Rock, Kickapoo, Caney, and Indian creek will also get you hooked up with soc-a-lait.

Catfish: As always catfishing is excellent. Baiting areas with soured maze will have you catching catfish in large numbers. Shad, chicken live, and dough bait will all work well for whisker fish. Lake Livingston is one of the finest catfish lakes in the country and constantly produces monster catfish.

The lake is still low so be careful when entering creeks. Be watching for sandbars and timber when running unfamiliar areas.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black bass: Bass have been biting a jig pretty well all year long. Here lately the jig bite has been on due to the cold fronts and cooler weater. The fish are still scattered throughout the creeks with the majority of them being near the creek mouths and closer to deep water. Trolling the shorelines flipping a 1/4 oz Stanley jig with a no.11 Uncle Josh pork frog has been the best bait for me for the last two months. The bait falls slow and this is what the fish are looking for this time of year. On warmer days the water has a chance to warm a little and you may need to go to a 3/8 oz or 1/2 oz jig for a little faster fall. Caney, White Rock, Kickapoo, Carolina, and Bethy are all good creeks to flip a jig this month.

White bass: Mostly scattered throughout the north end of the lake in creeks. They are slowly pushing their way north and feeding in the creeks on shad. Sometimes they will school around Caney and White Rock and also in Carolina Cove. The schooling is sporadic because the fish are always on the move. 1/4 oz chrome rattle traps are probably the number one bait for locating and catching white bass right now.

Crappie: Crappie fishermen have been catching good numbers of crappie in 10-18 feet of water around standing timber and brushpiles. Minnows and jigs have been the best baits. Creeks with clear green water have been producing the most crappie. The standing timber in Kickapoo usually holds good numbers of keeper crappie this time of year.

Catfish: Fishing creek channels and the main river channel has been productive this fall for whisker fish. Chicken liver rolled in strawberry jello, prepared dough baits, nightcrawlers, and shad have worked well for producing catfish.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Black Bass: This month bass will be shallow as usual on Lake Livingston. This report probably seems a little redundant at times but the patterns are usually about the same only the fish locations change. Fish will move towards the bigger portions of creeks towards main lake. Main lake bass will pull to the points. A 1/4 to 3/8 oz black jig with a blue no.11 pork chunk will be a good choice this month. A slow rolled spinnerbait near shallow cover is another top choice.

Crappie: The brush piles and standing timber in 15-20’ of water will hold crappie this month. Minnows and jigs are top baits. Also the floating boat docks around some of the marinas with depth will also hold crappie.

White Bass: Sporadic action on the upper end will be common as the fish push uplake to the bigger creeks and river. Rat-L-Traps and model A Bombers in chrome and firetiger are top choices for white bass.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

My January column titled “Little Things” was about all the little steps you take as a fisherperson and how they all work together to make you a better angler. I am going to be writing about some of the little things that you can do that will make you a better angler, regardless of your experience level. Some of the “little things” I will be discussing may be tips that you already know, in that case it will be very valuable for you to read them and let your mind be reminded of these crucial tips that make you a better angler. Whether you know these tips already or not is irrelevant because touching areas of your mental arsenal with these tips will open your mind to new ideas and allow you to discover new tricks and tactics.

No one fisherperson dreams up all of the best ways to catch fish. You can be just as productive at discovering new tricks within your techniques as a professional fisherman. Great fishermen were not born great, they developed into great fishermen by years of on the water experience. Some excelled faster than others because they picked up on patterns quicker than others. And patterns being within techniques as well as within catching fish.

The guys you want to pay close attention to are the older, salty veteran pros that have been fishing professional tournaments for years and years. I shouldn’t even have to mention any of them because you already know who the “DADDY’S” are. The reason I use them as examples is because they are going to go about their work the easiest and most efficient way possible. They flow through situations and travel the path of least resistance even if the situations they are in are unpleasant. They subconsciously flow with their surroundings because that is their home, they have been there for thousands of hours. They don’t have to react to weather and pattern changes they act with them.

There are allot of “little things” within this article but I am going to pinpoint one of them in particular. Watch two television shows. One hosted by Larry Nixon and the other by Shaw Grigsby. Both of these guys are tournament champions of the past and present and every single move they make and attempt to teach you is one they learned through years of tournament fishing. If you don’t trust baits they are throwing is what they really throw in the tournaments that’s fine, sometimes I am skeptical of that, IGNORE the lures they are throwing. Watch their mechanics, every single move they make. You will learn from their mechanics, pick out one thing that they do and practice it next time you are on the water. You must master your fishing mechanics.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Dewey Kendrick, the B.A.S.S Tournament Director, walked into the Jasper High School gym and slammed the door telling one of his staff members to fine anyone else who walked through the door. It was 7pm and in B.A.S.S. you are fined for being late to the meetings. This was a pre-tournament meeting for the Texas Invitational at Sam Rayburn, February 12-17, 1996. There were over 300 hundred of us sitting with our eyes on Dewey waiting for him to start the show so that we could hear all of the rules of the tournament again and get our partner pairings for the next day(the first day of competition).

There is plenty of anxiety for the B.A.S.S. rookies in the house(like me at the time) and some of the other fisherman who are relatively new to fishing national tournaments. You are sitting in the same room with veteran aces like Rick Clunn, Gary Klein, Denny Brauer, Tommy Martin, Zell Rowland, Dion Hibdon, and Larry Nixon to name a few. Some of the anxiety stems from the fact that you could very easily draw one of these “big namers” for a day of fishing(only you cannot draw someone from your home state).

Dewey started reading off the pairings and in the third flight I heard my name called, I stood up and said “Yo” extremely loud, because if Dewey doesn’t here you say “Yo” he gets mad and makes a fool out of you, as I learned the hard way previously at the Arkansas Invitational. He looked up and found me, then looked back to his pairings and said “Larry Nixon”(no doubt, one of the biggest names in fishing). Larry and I left the gym and went outside where there were dozens of pairs of guys who had drawn each other for the following day. We were all huddled in pairs exchanging secret locations and baits quietly so that no other pair would hear.

Larry said he had fish in about the same area that I did and we agreed to go to the area and spend equal time on each other’s fish. We discussed tactics and baits so that I would know exactly what to bring. I could quickly tell by talking with Larry that he was a genuinely nice guy and sincere in everything that he said about his fish and the area.

We met the next morning and launched the boat with all of the other competitors and spectators and made our 3c flight out and headed up the lake. We pulled up to Larry’s area, a big flat with a creek running on one side of it and lots of timber. Larry had three keepers in the boat before I even had a bite, fifteen minutes later he had a limit. The fish
in this area were “easy” Larry said. They were all two pound fish just as Larry had told me the night before. I finally scrambled up three of the two pounders by around 9am. We had been working the same area all morning, Larry was waiting for me to limit before we proceeded to an area that had bigger fish. “We’re not leaving this area until you limit”, Larry kept saying. Not many guys would have been as patient as Larry was, most would have gotten their limit and went on to bigger and better things. He knew that if he waited I would definitely limit which was extremely critical on the first day of a three day tournament. Larry continued catching two pound fish left and right, I could not get bit. We were standing shoulder to shoulder on the front of the boat. I was at no disadvantage except that maybe his twenty five years of B.A.S.S. tournament experience had kicked in. Larry was on another planet catching fish one after another and telling me everything he was doing. My confidence never lowered for an instant because I was so impressed just watching someone “smoke fish” the way he was.

At times I thought Larry wanted me to catch the rest of my limit worse than I did, he was doing everything in his power so that I would. He even stopped fishing at one point. Finally I told him that we could just head to the bigger fish and I would just act like I had a limit. He reluctantly agreed and we moved on through the timber flat to a spot we had both caught big fish in practice.

We pulled into an area and Larry said, “This is it, this is the spot. Flip over by that big stump.” I flipped in there three consecutive casts, nothing. I picked out the next stump and flipped over to it, Larry flipped into the stump I had just fished and set the hook. He wrestled about a five pounder to the boat. He culls a fish and joins me back on the front and we continued. He caught two more solid fish that culled and said, “We need to go back and fish that big stump.” We eased back over to the stump and he tells me to flip in there. I flip in there about eight times; on the sides of the stump, around back, and a couple of times to the front of the stump. Larry flips in behind me and sets the hook on a “horse”. He fights the fish around for a while and finally lips a giant. On his computerized culling system he weighs the fish, 9.15 pounds.

Words could not describe the show he was putting on, it was truly a work of art.

It was almost time for us to head out of the creek and timber and head down the lake to weigh in. I still had three fish. I quickly fished my way out of the timber as Larry sat behind the steering wheel eating a Mars Bar and drinking a Diet Coke. He looked up just at the edge of the timber and said, “Make sure you flip into that stump right up there.” I saw the one he was referring to and flipped into it, automatic hookup. The fish was small but a keeper anyway, and Larry had called it sitting down not even hardly paying attention.

We ran back to weigh in and we had about five minutes to spare. Larry suggested I make a few casts but he was going to remain seated behind the wheel. Without lowering the trolling motor I jumped on the front deck and hurled a rattle trap with the wind about fifty yards. I reeled it in radically trying to catch my fifth fish for a limit. I cast out again with no success. A small mudline was within reach near the bank, I had seen it but not thrown at it intentionally. Just as I was about to make my third and probably final cast Larry said to bring my bait through the mud line. All in one motion I adjusted my cast and sent my rattle trap into muddy water. As I got the line tight I could feel a fish on the other end. I was so amazed I could hardly turn the handle to reel the fish in. I got the fish to the boat which gave me my limit at the very last minute and we quickly entered weigh in. We bagged our fish and walked through the crowd. I weighed first, my five babies weighed 9.15, exactly what Larry’s big fish weighed. Larry weighed in, the scales registered over 24 pounds and the crowd went wild.

I walked over to part of tournament headquarters where the partner pairings for the next day were posted. I found my name, looked out beside it-Ken Cook…..that’s another story.

I still analyze that day and learn something new each time that I carefully think the whole day through. What I probably learned most from that day fishing with such a great fisherman was that there is absolutely nothing that can replace experience, especially the many years that Larry has put in.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Anxiously awaiting the first tournament of the 96-97 B.A.S.S. Central Division season on the Arkansas River reminds me of my first B.A.S.S. event. My first event was this same tournament last year on the Arkansas River and what a rough one it was.

My traveling partner and I had located an area full of bass in practice. Quality fish where I felt that I could get an easy limit each day. In a three day tournament a limit a day has got to be your number one goal. Well one draw back to these fish was that they were 65 miles from the tournament headquarters and there were two locks on the river that I would have to lock through to get there. Each lock takes approximately 30 minutes. So I was looking at two hours of travel time one way. As rumor had it many of the fishermen made the run and made success with the limited fishing time on the unpressured fishing areas that were so far away.

I intended to make the run if my partner did not win the toss. Once you meet your partner you have to flip a coin to see who’s boat you take and also to see who’s fish that you go to first. My first day partner was from New Jersey and he was willing to make the run. We left out in our flight and started our long run. Two locks and two hours later we pulled into my area. I quickly got the trolling motor down and started fishing. I made a few cast and eased up to a big laydown. I made a cast down each side of the tree and let the spinnerbait fall as it reached the end of the log. No fish, so I picked another target and cast. My partner is flipping a jig and flips into the same laydown I had just fished and sets the hook. A three and a half pounder comes to the boat and into his livewell it went. First of all I was amazed that the fish had not hit my spinnerbait because I know that fish had just seen it and secondly this guy was catching my fish. We fished our way around and this guy catches two more quality fish on the jig fishing behind me, used water. I come off of my game plan and put the spinnerbait down and tied on the exact jig he is throwing.

I pull up to a big tree top in the water on the edge of the bank. I have good position on it so I make about ten casts into every little nook and cranny. No fish, so I pick another target and cast. This “guy” flips in there and sets the hook. A solid fish is in the tree tangled up and dangling under a branch. I get on the trolling motor and crash into the tree trying to knock the fish off, just kidding, trying to get into the tree far enough so that I could reach it. I did and he has four solid fish in his livewell. I back off of the tree that I had just crashed into, banged into all of the branches, and even ran the trolling motor all over and figure I had better make a couple of casts into anyway. I make several flips and feel there are no more fish in it or that if there is they are so spooked that they won’t bite and then I flipped to another tree. My partner flips in there and sets the hook. It’s another three pounder and my mind is now totally gone. I was a FISHING FRUITCAKE from that point on. I somehow managed to catch a keeper fish to keep from blanking that day before we had to head back, but that was totally by mistake because I was in la la land kicking rocks with a fat lip.

Day two and three went about the same and I ended up way…. way back in the standings. It took me a while before I could analyze the tournament and see what all I had learned. One thing I had learned was don’t get waxed by your partner on your own fish. But looking back now it is kind of a humorous memory. Maybe I could have been a little more tuned in and a little more aware and the outcome would have been better for me.

Well I will be there the third week of this month and with the knowledge of what not to do and with a little luck maybe I will come out on top.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave

Last spring I was guiding everyday on Lake Conroe during my two week off limits for the Texas Invitational at Lake Sam Rayburn. I had been counting down the days before the event and running bass fishing trip after bass fishing trip, either two half days or a full day everyday before the tournament.

I had scheduled guide trips all the way through the Sunday before the tournament week which would begin on Monday. Well during the weekend I became so caught up in preparing for the tournament and taking care of business that I forgot about a trip that I had booked on Sunday afternoon.

I knew I was guiding Sunday morning and did not need to look at my schedule for that trip because I knew where to be and at what time to be there.

I had booked the trip for Sunday afternoon a week or so before and had good intentions of running it. When I was discussing times and meeting places with this regular customer of mine he said that he was going to be staying at April Plaza Marina over the weekend at their motel on the water. It was a thirty minute drive for him from April Plaza Marina to marina where I run out of up the lake. Even though that marina is ten miles by water out of my way I offered to go and get him and then drop him back off when we were done.

Running this afternoon trip was going to put me at Shane’s (Shane Allman, a friends where I was staying at Rayburn that week) late that night. But I figured that I could tough it out, a fishing guide/tournament pro always needs the extra money.

O.K., now you are informed on the situation so I am going to change tenses in this story and tell it as it was happening step by step.

I just got finished with my morning trip and put my boat on the trailer. My bags are packed in the truck and I get on I-45 to head up to Huntsville to take 190 to Jasper. About thirty minutes go by and it hits me, I have a guide trip booked for this afternoon. I pull over and look at my schedule, I was supposed to be at April Plaza Marina at 12:30 and it was about 1. I call April
Plaza and ask if there is anyone there looking for me, she says that there had been a couple of guys there and that they weren’t real happy with me and that they had already left.

I call the number that I have down on my schedule to at least leave a message. It’s a fax line, I know I have called them before at this number what is the deal I thought? Oh well, there is nothing I can do about it now except go on to Shane’s. What got me was that they were not at the marina waiting for me as I came off of my morning trip because I had told them that I would pick them up down the lake. I was trying to be nice but it cost me because I forgot. This would have never happened if I would have had them come to my marina like normal.

I get to Shane’s and try the number again but the fax sound comes back again. I guess that I’ll just have to wait for them to call my house and leave me a message as to where in the hell I was and why I wasn’t there to take them fishing.

On Tuesday night I call my house to check the messages on my answering machine. They had called and left me a polite message wondering why I didn’t show up and also left their phone number.

I called them right then. My customer answered the phone and I tell him who I am and he awaited my explanation. I told him that I completely forgot and that I had tried to call the marina but they had already left and that I tried to call his house but only got a fax. He said that they had accidentally left the fax on instead of the answering machine and he seemed as though he might forgive me. I told him that I would take him out fishing for free trip in order to make up for my mistake. This is where the story begins.

A few weeks later when I take them out on their free trip they tell me of their horrible weekend that goes like this.

He and his friend had come to the lake with their own boat on Friday, got settled into their room and decided that they were going to go out on the town that night. They called a limousine service and arranged for a nine O’clock pick up at their motel. About ten thirty they were still there waiting, they called and waited some more but no limo. About eleven they said the heck with it and went to sleep.

They got up the next morning and went fishing. They caught a few fish and had a good morning and decided to come in and rest up for the afternoon. They went out that afternoon and caught a nice bass, about a seven pounder and wanted to take a picture of it but the camera was in the truck. They got back, pulled the boat in their wet stall and left the livewells running to keep the fish alive. They decided they wanted to take the picture the next morning in the daylight.

The next morning they get into the boat and push off, they start rigging their rods and gear, meanwhile the wind pushes them out into the lake. They get ready to start the motor but the battery is dead from the livewells running all night. They drop the trolling motor in but it doesn’t work. They try paddling but the wind is too strong. They finally wave down another boat who comes and gives them a jump. They put the boat on pad and run back to the marina to charge the battery and check on the trolling motor.

They go to get tools out of the truck but remember the keys are in a jacket on the boat. They look for the jacket but it must have blown out of the boat while running back to the marina. The keys are gone. It’s Sunday morning about eight am, not the best time to be trying to get a locksmith. Anyway they finally get a locksmith and for eighty five bucks he opens the truck and makes him an ignition key. They start charging the battery and work on the trolling motor until they get it working. They figured that they would just right off the morning and wait for me to show up to take them out at 12:30. About 12:15 they go out on the dock to wait where I said I would pick them up. They waited and waited, but I never showed. They ask the marina operator but she didn’t know where I was.

Finally, agreeing that I was pretty much a you know what, they went fishing in their own boat. They ran way up the lake to fish some rip rap. They put the trolling motor down to start fishing, one of them on the trolling motor and the other was digging in the tackle box for the right lure. The trolling motor was not running properly and they were about to be blown into the rocks. So the one on the trolling motor jumped behind the wheel and cranked the big motor and goosed it to avoid hitting the rocks. The other guy fell into the tackle box and got a treble hook buried in his hand pass the barb on two of the three hooks. They went to a marina nearby and tried to get someone to help. One guy tried the string trick to get them out but they were too deep. They left the boat tied up and got a ride to the Medical Center in Conroe. For three hundred and seventy five dollars the emergency room removed the hooks and sent them on their way. They got a ride back to April Plaza to where their truck and trailer was, packed up their stuff and went all the way around to the north end of the lake to get the boat. They successfully got it on the trailer and made it back to Houston all right by midnight on that Sunday night.

We have had some laughs together over this and this has got to top any of the mishaps that I have experienced. Someone really took a lot of things into consideration when they said, “Once a fisherman always a fisherman.”

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide
– Lake Mohave

It is approaching that time of the year that I absolutely love. Early springtime is when BIG ol’ hog bass in the 10-pound range will be prowling the shallows going through their annual spawning ritual. Many different lures will be chunked at these big bass during the upcoming months, but I assure you that few will be as effective as the spinnerbait.

Spinnerbait’s come in all shapes and sizes and more than a few pro’s believe the spinnerbait to be the best all-around lure that you can have tied on your line. As with all baits there are a few on the market that have a reputation for being “real killers”. Strike King produces the Pro Model and Spin-Dance spinnerbaits with the always attractive Mirage silicone skirts. Stanley Baits has a full line of baits that are proven winners, and the Houston-based Texan Lures has an assortment of baits that are flashy and get the attention of lunker bass. Just recently the Texan 1/2-oz spinnerbait (chartreuse body with chartreuse willow leaf blades) accounted for some real heavyweight fish on Lake Conroe and Lake Sam Rayburn. You never know for sure what these Texas bass will want, but I would sure have a few of these chartreuse on chartreuse baits in my tacklebox before I head to the lake. And as most of you know, during the springtime there is not a hotter color than red for our East Texas lakes. This is basically because the red is an easy color to see in murky water and at this time of the year there are an abundance of red and red/orange color crawfish in area lakes. My son and I stuck some real heavyweight bass on Lake Fork last year using this red on red combination.

One of the deadliest techniques for fishing a spinnerbait is what we commonly refer to as “slow-rolling”. Best results come when using a spinnerbait weighing between 1/2-ounce and a full ounce. The heavier spinnerbait will allow you to cast further and keep the bait deeper than when throwing the lighter varieties. The heavier weight will also allow you to feel the bait better when that north wind makes fishing other lures difficult. Best depths to fish tend to be between 5- to 15-feet. If you think you are fishing too fast… slow down even more. The key is to allow the bait to work slowly and stay in contact with stumps, grass, weeds, or anything near the bottom. You should be able to feel the blade as the bait “thumps” it ways along, and any interruption in the blades rhythm is a signal to set the hook hard because a big ol’ lunker bass is probably on the other end of your line. A longer rod is helpful when slow-rolling because it allows you to not only make longer casts, but it also provides the backbone to set the hook with authority. Keep a tight grip on your rod when slow-rolling a spinnerbait or a big bass might take it away from you.

Here is a general guideline for selecting that early springtime spinnerbait:

Blades – Murky water use larger blades. The red and chartreuse colors work well, but remember that vibration is really the key. Use a blade that will give off maximum vibration so that bass can easily pick up the sound through their lateral line. Some anglers sware by the Colorado blade because of it’s vibration, while others say there is no better blade than the willow-leaf, especially when fishing near submerged grass.

Color – White and chartreuse are proven colors, but be sure to toss in a couple of black, yellow, or a combination of the two. If I had to select one color pattern it would probably be the white/chartreuse combination. It is an all-around dynamite color and has been for a number of years.

Trailer – There is nothing that makes a spinnerbait come alive more than a plastic worm or pork chunk placed on the hook as a trailer. The trailer will slither and undulate through the water and make the bait look like something that a big bass just has to clobber. I recommend the Strike King Pigtail Trailer because of it’s diamond dust finish and lifelike leg movement.

Spinnerbaits and early springtime weather go together like cowboys and rodeos or red beans and rice. If your not chunkin’ a spinnerbait during the next few months you will definitely be missing out on some great fishing action. – Lake Mohave

Get Ready!!! The Texas Black Bass Unlimited (TBBU) Houston Gala and Conservation FishFest ’96 in Dallas are on their way. TBBU, it’s fine members, and platinum sponsors, will join together to promote a project involving the revitalization of aging Texas fisheries. The Houston Gala and Conservation FishFest ’96 fundraising will champion the cause for re-establishing native habitat in Texas waters. TBBU has targeted Lake Lewisville in north Texas and Lake Livingston east of Houston to be the two test lakes in the habitat restoration program. And to make things even better, the Army Corps of Engineers and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will match TBBU fundraising donations specific for aquatic habitat restoration. Along with funding for this very worthwhile purpose, TBBU will continue it’s commitment to youth programs and support of the Texas Freshwater Fishing Center and Fish Hatchery in Athens, Texas.

The Houston Gala will take place May 4th, 1996, and host site will be the fabulous Sam Houston Race Track. Rumor has it that this will be one of the most spectacular conservation fundraising events South Texas has ever seen. May 4th is also Kentucky Derby Day, so the TBBU event should be a real show-stopper. Entertainment for the Houston Gala will feature one of country music’s very best as fellow bass fisherman Mark Chestnut takes the stage. This is one of the hottest acts in the nation and will be a guaranteed winner. In addition to the fine crooning of Mr. Chestnut, there will be a silent auction and raffle that offers the opportunity to bid on guided fishing and hunting trips, guns, art, boats, and much more. If you want to rub elbows and have your picture taken with fishing celebrities and other dignitaries… this is the place to be. Mark May 4th on your calendar and plan to attend the Houston Gala for some super fun.

And don’t think that Dallas is going to take all of this Houston celebrating lying down. The 1996 edition of Conservation FishFest will once again be held at the world famous Southfork Ranch, home of the famous Ewing family of DALLAS TV fame. A silent auction and raffle will also take place at this event, and the prizes will be fabulous boats, outdoor merchandise, guided fishing and hunting trips, and much more. Entertainment for Conservation FishFest will be provided by country music legend Waylon Jennings. A *****tail reception will also allow you to meet all of the celebrities and dignitaries as you leisurely tour through the Ewing Mansion. And oh by the way…. did I mention that a host of the top touring professional bass fishermen will be on hand to give you tips and techniques to improve that upcoming fishing trip? What A Night!!

Rumor has it that the Houston event will outshine the Dallas event, however, when I talked to the Dallas folks they were saying that their event would be the biggest and best ever. Only time will tell which group comes out on top, but I assure you that each of the events will be first class and something you don’t want to miss. – Lake Mohave

If you are not currently a member of Texas Black Bass Unlimited (TBBU) you sure need to be. TBBU is an organization that works for fisherman and is operated by fishermen. It’s a hard working group of folks that certainly look out for your best interests when it comes to issues involving the outdoors. And in the past year TBBU’s hard work allowed the organization to donate $100,000 toward the completion of the Texas Freshwater Fishing Center in Athens, Texas.

During 1996 TBBU will continue an aggressive campaign involving habitat improvement in lakes across our state. You and future Texas anglers will be the big winners of this fine program by having the opportunity to catch more and bigger bass.

And don’t think that the younger anglers are not a major concern of TBBU. Youngsters across the state are being introduced to TBBU youth programs that teach the fun of outdoors, fishing, and the importance of conservation. The anti-hunting and fishing movement continues to target the sports that we love so dearly. Pro-sporting organizations such as TBBU are essential in assuring that our future generations hear the real message.

TBBU is an organization that will keep you informed and one that you will be proud to associated with. I encourage each of you to take an active part in assuring that your kids, (and their kids), have an opportunity to enjoy the sport tomorrow that you enjoy so much today. Join TBBU and make a difference. – Lake Mohave

The Carolina Rig is a method of plastic worm fishing that is very effective for structure fishing for black bass. There is a wide variety of structures in the lakes of East Texas.

On Lake Conroe there are pond dams, old road beds, old railroad trestles, creek channels, ridges, and submerged timber. Most of these structures are below the surface, some of these as deep as fifty feet.

The Carolina Rig is designed for deep water fishing with a plastic worm. This method of fishing separates the weight from the worm so that very heavy worm weights may be used without taking action away from the worm. The heavy weight of the Carolina Rig makes fishing deep water structure much easier. Even in water twenty feet deep or more the Carolina Rig with a one ounce worm weight will get down to the bottom quickly and allow you to stay in contact with the bottom. Constant contact with the bottom structure will keep the bait in the strike zone longer. When fishing deep water, long casts are necessary so that more water is covered on each cast.

The Carolina Rig is rigged in a very unique way. To rig a worm Carolina style you need: three quarter to one ounce brass worm weight, glass bead, barrel swivel, and number two hook. Before rigging cut a piece of line about three feet long for your leader and put it aside. Take the line coming from your rod and run it through the brass worm weight. Next run the line through the glass bead. Slide the weight and bead up the line and tie the line to one end of the barrel swivel. Tie the three foot leader to the other end of the swivel. On the loose end of the swivel tie on the number two hook. Then rig the worm onto the hook as if it were a Texas Rig.

The purpose of the brass weight and glass bead are to make noise and attract bass. Each time the Carolina Rig is pulled across the bottom the brass weight and glass bead engage they create a clicking sound. The clicking sound resembles the sound that a crawfish makes when it pops its tail for locomotion. Black bass feed on crawfish and are naturally attracted to the imitation of the brass and glass. Using brass worm weights instead of lead weights is better for the environment. Each time a rig is hung up and lost the weight falls to the bottom and contaminates the water. One weight is not harmful but figure every time someone goes fishing they lose five to ten weights. Over the years these lakes build up a high content of lead and become contaminated. Brass weights do not emit hazardous elements and are environmentally safe. In the future lead fishing weights will be outlawed and brass weights will take their place. Using a seven foot heavy action rod will make the Carolina Rig much easier to handle and cast. The two to three foot long leader is very awkward to cast when using shorter rods. Long casts are necessary and the long rod handles them with ease. The rod must have plenty of length so that when a strike occurs on a long cast a powerful hookset can be attained. On a long cast there may be ninety feet of line out and a long rod will allow you to generate the power to overcome the stretch of the line.

Fishing the Carolina Rig is one of the simplest methods of worm fishing there is. Once you are in an area that you want to fish simply cast the Carolina Rig towards the structure you intend to fish. Let the rig settle to the bottom. Often, this is when a strike occurs because the weight falls to the bottom quickly and the worm is left suspending and slowly falling to the bottom. This fluttering action that the worm has when falling to
the bottom is one of the most important features of the Carolina Rig. After letting the rig settle on the bottom for about twenty to thirty seconds begin retrieving the bait. Hold your rod parallel to the water and in a direction forty five degrees away from the bait. Slowly turn the handle on the reel so that you make a full revolution of the handle about every ten seconds. If you reel your rig across some bottom structure, like a tree or a log, let it settle to the bottom. You should be in constant contact with the bottom, but when you come into the strike zone you want to let the bait flutter to the bottom in the strike zone. Strikes on the Carolina Rig are not always very obvious. Sometimes several taps on the line are all that will be felt. Other times a pulsating pressure will be felt. Also, fish will actually inhale the bait and nearly jerk the rod out of your hands. Most of the time the bites are subtle and a great deal of concentration is necessary to detect these strikes.

Once a strike is detected a sweeping hookset will increase your chances of landing the fish. Because most bites will occur with a lot of line out if you sweep the rod to set the hook a more direct line to the hook is attained. If the rod is jerked straight up, the weight must be lifted before a direct line to the hook is achieved. When the sweeping hookset is used the weight must still be lifted to create a direct line to the bait but more power is generated in the hookset.

Fishing line is also an important aspect of the Carolina Rig. Fishing the deep waters of the lake requires a line that is strong enough to handle the torture of being exposed to rocks, trees, and other rough bottom features. A new type of line was introduce to the world of bass fishing in 1993. A line composed of braided Kevlar and polyethylene was introduce. This line is very small in diameter yet extremely strong. Monofilament, a plastic based product, is our conventional line. To compare the two and their qualities almost seem unfair. A piece of monofilament with a pound test rating of ten is equal to the diameter of the Kevlar braided line with a pound test rating of thirty. The Kevlar braided line is much more sensitive and does not have a high stretch factor. Because the line stretches very little, there is hardly any loss of sensitivity due to the line absorbing sensitivity.

Bill Cannan Professional Fishing Guide – Lake Mohave