Northwest Fishing Reports

Well guys and gals i think this is the 3rd year that i have started this thread and i look forward to it each year . Really for me, this thread has become a awesome reminder of what i want to achieve for next years fishing season .I feel like if your honest with yourself and others and highlight areas in which need you need improvement in , threads like this will help you become a better angler overall IMO.

Last year one of my main goals was to spend more time fishing off shore structure , i was tired of being worried about racing other anglers to docks, pilings , etc . Well now that the year has come to an end and i reflect back , I feel pretty good about accomplishing that tuff goal . The reason i say "tuff" is because it is very hard to break away from being a target junkie, however in the long run its all worth it IMO .Fishing off shore WILL force you to really study your electronics more and it also give you much more water to fish with worrying about another boat sitting on your rockpile in the middle of the lake in most cases ..

Okay as for 2011 , I have a couple of new goals for next year that im really excited about and cant wait to execute . Goal # 1 : Get back to fishing my reaction baits . Fishing my cranks, jerks , traps , etc . I took good notes this season and found it caught the majority of all my tourney fish using plastic , I think back to certain situations in which a crank or jerkbait could have help the cause .

# 2 : River training 101 : I have been advoiding tourneys on the river moslty because i have minimum experience on the Great Columbia river . I have spent time on roosevelt and vantage here and there but not as much dedication as i need to in order to compete with the river rats on the eastside of the state , this year my goal is to change that ..

# 3 : My last goal revolves around competing at the Nationals on lK Nickajack in Tennessee April 13-16th .This will be the biggest and most important bass event of my life thus far . I cant wait to get back to familer water and yank on a few good LMB and monster smallies in hopes of getting my ticket punched for the 2012 FLW Cup , wish me luck .

Okay guys lets here it ! who has ambitions and goals for the 2011 bass season

Fish a couple tournies if possible. Spend LOTS more time using the dropshot. Spend some time with the Carolina rig again, been years since I used it other than a couple times the past summer of 2010, and even caught a good 2 lb smallie, right where I cast it too. Then rig up a splitshot and use that again, has been a great method on Roosevelt among other lakes and the river. Now have a swimbait so can try that come spring time. I REALLY NEED to get back into jig, worm, and lizard fishing.

Fish bass less and fish summer steel and springers more:-"

What are 'steels' and 'springers'?

crankbait42 wrote:Fish bass less and fish summer steel and springers more:-"

hahaha I think I might try for bass once or twice a year.....

Looking forward to using lessons learned last year. I need to add the use of crankbaits and jerkbaits more, I rely on
finesse fishing to much, need to get better at using reaction baits so I can be a more rounded fisherman. Looking forward to fishing more tourney's, love the two I entered last year. Get better at reading the water and conditions, then apply and try different methods that catch fish accordingly. I have had problems getting stuck in a rut and I really need to learn to venture outside my comfort zone to try different techiques when Im struggling. Continue to be active in this forum and in my bass club, its the information I recieve from these two that help me the most.

Hmmm I still seem to have alot of goals on the list ...

1. Gain confidence in the jig
2. Work the swimbaits
3. Catch a winter smallie
4. Practice casting more off the water
5. Learn electronics

There is a handful ... 2011 I am ready for ya!!!

I plan on some more pigones this spring on some new waters. This new year with less rain would be great.

I tend to make my list too long and only get to about half of the items. So for 2011 i am going to keep it simple.

1) Punch Rig & Frogs for summertime fun!
2) Expand use of crankbaits.
3) 100% effort towards club tournaments.
a) Focus on pre-fishing each event.
b) Better utilize off water tools prior to hitting the lake.
c) Improve mental game come tourney day.

My goal this year is to sharpen my skills. Im holding myself to a higher standard this year. I can't remember being more excited for a season to begin. From club tournaments to Qualifiers to Divisionals, and all the opens, every body of water is going to require my top game. Mental game as well. Between about 15 tourneys and pre-fishing this year to me is all about being on the water more than ever before. Can't wait. Dez, Good Luck at the Nationals. If you need to borrow some Panic Minnows, let me know

He'll just give them back to you with a BUNCH of fishie teethie marks all over them.

Well this is my first year heavily targeting LMB, and with the heavy population of bass down here in AZ, get one over 7 lbs. :thumleft: :thumright

Ya, and a trip to Tennessee in April

basser90 wrote:My goal this year is to sharpen my skills. Im holding myself to a higher standard this year. I can't remember being more excited for a season to begin. From club tournaments to Qualifiers to Divisionals, and all the opens, every body of water is going to require my top game. Mental game as well. Between about 15 tourneys and pre-fishing this year to me is all about being on the water more than ever before. Can't wait. Dez, Good Luck at the Nationals. If you need to borrow some Panic Minnows, let me know

For those of you that didnt get the hear about some of the details of the divionals in MT earlier this season allow me to explain his comment about pannic minnow .

Larry aka Basser90 and i were standing outside of our hotel after day 2 of competition and i was complaining to him that i only had 1or2 pinnic minnows left in my box .Let me point out that "all" of my fish came on these baits , so if you can imagine the disappointment i felt knowing that i was only 2 baits away from my dreams being over was a tuff pill to swallow .
The next morning arrives and im in my room getting ready for the final day of competition when all of sudden there went a knock at our door . I opened the door and saw that it was larry , after our usual good morning and good luck speech , larry did the coolest thing ever . He reached in his bag and handed me 4or5 pannic minnows in the exact color i was using . Larry look me dead in the eye and says "Dez, get in done today you have a shot at advancing to nationals"...needless to say i went to on to making the final cut that day and i owe larry "bigtime" for being a good sport and sharing is his baits with me , had that not taking place i know for a fact that i would not have been able to exucute like i did that day . THANK YOU Larry , you rock bro !! =d&gt]

I just want to catch a bass worth holding up in the air for a pic. I catch bass but never Hawgs.I catch perch size bass.Im hoping this comming spring to go out with some of y'all to learn how to catch them Hawgs. Steelies and Springers arent hard for me but Bass for me is a challenge.

racfish wrote:I just want to catch a bass worth holding up in the air for a pic. I catch bass but never Hawgs.I catch perch size bass.Im hoping this comming spring to go out with some of y'all to learn how to catch them Hawgs. Steelies and Springers arent hard for me but Bass for me is a challenge.

I'd be happy to take you fishing come spring. I usually start fishing again mid March, depending on the weather. I'm tired of cold winter weather. Altho I've caught fish on Washington in Jan.

For me it would be to fish more crankbaits. Used to fish with these all year and kind of started picking up the drop shot more and other baits.

Russ

Nice thread! I like to do a "Top Ten" list for myself every year in preparation for the coming season. I have already gone through all my tackle and reorganized it, cleaned all my gear and re-lined my reels. I am definitely ready to put 2010 in the rear view mirror, not my best season at all. Well, here are my top 10 goals for 2011:

1) Complete my goal of catching at least one 2# bass in every County in Washington State. At last count I have 28 to go.
2) Break the 9# barrier for largemouth and 6lb for smallies.
3) Get back to keeping my personal data books i.e. personal maps, trip notes, weather conditions and moon phase info.
4) More trips to the Spokane area.
5) FIND FISH!! I refuse to be skunked next year! On tough days I will explore water, change baits and tactics until I touch a bass or collapse trying.
6) Upgrade to a 24 volt trolling motor for dealing with Mrs. Wind.
7) Look into tourney fishing as a non-boater.
8) Continue teaching two of my co-workers the way of the bass
9) Lose 20lbs...already doing the P90X thing!
10) Kiss and hug the wife that lets me pursue all these goals as much as possible!!! Maybe that should have been #1?


Good luck to all next year! I hope everyone has a productive 2011!
B8

Well no kissing for me, no wife or girlfriend, can I borrow someone's...............sister?

For the last few years my "go to's" have been finesse set ups like drop shot, shakey head, and light C-rigs for Smallies. It's time to get back to power fishing for green fish!!!

Spend more time fishing the Pot Holes, Moses, and Banks
Tie on and consistently throw larger baits
Commit to and become more confident throwing reaction baits