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February 2009 - "Tip of the Month"

Team Otter
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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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We are ~3 months into the '08/'09 hard water season and the lakes in our area have and are seeing pressure like I haven't seen in the 10+ years since setting up shop in the area. Fortunately, the fish are cooperating. Let's just hope the sportsmen and women out there are practicing catch and release and/or selective harvest too. Please pass the word!

Rotating Live Bait and Plastic on Pressured Fish

Pan fish can and will tire from seeing the same thing over and over again. This time of year, your favorite jig and spike (or wax worm) will get a cold shoulder and you'll leave the lake scratching your head. These fish need to see something different and now is a perfect time to experiment with finesse plastics. Yes, there is a wide range of plastics to choose from but more than making sure what you have in your tackle box is right, focus on how your presenting that plastic. Plastics quiver and shake with even the slighest of rod movement so be sure you're considering that when threading plastic onto your favorite jig. "Wacky-style" plastics is a great way to start and there are certainly many variations beyond that. Also, don't be afraid to fish plastics aggressive and even motionless. If there is any moving water under the ice on the lake you're fishing, plastics will move with the water and often times trigger bites that live bait can't and won't.

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AndyM Collaborator

AndyM

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Good info right there. I had an awesome day today fishing with the "ratso" I think that's what it is called. I tipped it a few times with a red eurolarve, and it was unstopable, the fish just loved it, sometimes I was catching over 12 fish every 10 minutes, (we were betting on it that's how i know). Never really tried plastics till this year and the pink head with white body has been very good to me lately.

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zepman Grand Master

zepman

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I never thought I'd see the day when T.O. started talking about "wacky rigging". Watch out all you bass guys, I think T.O might have turned the corner. Nice reports guys.

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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I never thought I'd see the day when T.O. started talking about "wacky rigging". Watch out all you bass guys, I think T.O might have turned the corner. Nice reports guys.

It was a U-turn. Ha!

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Rippinlip Veteran

Rippinlip

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Prime example of what happened to me this morning, the old stand bye's were just schrugged off, went to a plain Schrimpo (glow head and pink body) and it was on, size wasn't there, but action was.

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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I used plastics today and it definitely helped this afternoon but I had to switch back to "meat" and plastic this evening.

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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i wish i would of tried that tonight but i forgot to give it a shoot ....well maybe next time

You can blame me for dropping the ball rather than blaming yourself. I was a week late with getting the tip out.

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Cold_blood Collaborator

Cold_blood

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ha yea you were BUT....when i switched to plastics today and got bites i told him since i knew we were on the same lake that maybe he would get more bites lol

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7outof10 Proficient

7outof10

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Originally Posted By: 7outof10
i wish i would of tried that tonight but i forgot to give it a shoot ....well maybe next time

You can blame me for dropping the ball rather than blaming yourself. I was a week late with getting the tip out.

sounds like a plan i love blaming gophers when ever possable

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Cold_blood Collaborator

Cold_blood

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thats not nice mike but i mean if TO wants to take the blame can i blame him for the fish not biting to?

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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When experimenting with plastics, don't be afraid to try multiple jigging techniques. In the actual "tip", I reference aggressive or motionless but mixing it up isn't all bad either sometimes.

Little things go a long ways...

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7outof10 Proficient

7outof10

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When experimenting with plastics, don't be afraid to try multiple jigging techniques. In the actual "tip", I reference aggressive or motionless but mixing it up isn't all bad either sometimes.

Little things go a long ways...

when i was out on sunday they wanted no motion at all if i was holding the rod the bate still moved a little becouse i can't stay that still but the fish would not hit but if i put it in the road holder and wach the spring bober after about 30 sceonds they would hit it but you had to have a spring bober to see it but not a one of them hit when i was holding the rod just that little bit of movemetn was to much for the fish

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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Originally Posted By: Team Otter
When experimenting with plastics, don't be afraid to try multiple jigging techniques. In the actual "tip", I reference aggressive or motionless but mixing it up isn't all bad either sometimes.

Little things go a long ways...

when i was out on sunday they wanted no motion at all if i was holding the rod the bate still moved a little becouse i can't stay that still but the fish would not hit but if i put it in the road holder and wach the spring bober after about 30 sceonds they would hit it but you had to have a spring bober to see it but not a one of them hit when i was holding the rod just that little bit of movemetn was to much for the fish

Could you see the line move before the spring bobber moved?

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7outof10 Proficient

7outof10

Posted
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Originally Posted By: 7outof10
Originally Posted By: Team Otter
When experimenting with plastics, don't be afraid to try multiple jigging techniques. In the actual "tip", I reference aggressive or motionless but mixing it up isn't all bad either sometimes.

Little things go a long ways...

when i was out on sunday they wanted no motion at all if i was holding the rod the bate still moved a little becouse i can't stay that still but the fish would not hit but if i put it in the road holder and wach the spring bober after about 30 sceonds they would hit it but you had to have a spring bober to see it but not a one of them hit when i was holding the rod just that little bit of movemetn was to much for the fish

Could you see the line move before the spring bobber moved?

i dont think my eyes are that good to see that ....and i was watching the wild game at the same time .....

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Team Otter Grand Master

Team Otter

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For those attending this weekend's GTG on Duck Lake, be sure to put the February '09 "Tip of the Month" to the test. I'm excited to hear how things go.

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