Smallie Fishing

Bill's Guide Service

2012-02-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention/advertise my long time friend's Bass Fishing Guide Service: http://www.billsguideservice.com/ Bill Albright is a former B.A.S.S. touring pro and currently a full-time bass fishing guide. Bill guides on many lakes and rivers from the Potomac River in MD to the St. Lawrence River, 1000 Islands in Canada. He's not only fished these bodies of water but he's had tournaments on them so he knows them well.

Bill lives in Lake Ariel, PA (near Lake Wallenpaupack). You can hire Bill for a full-day or a half-day. See Bill's website for his rates. For 2012 Bill will be running guide trips out of a brand NEW fully-rigged 21 ft. Ranger 520 bass boat. This boat has an MSRP close to $60k. There isn't a finer bass boat on the market. Plus, the 21 ft. makes it easy to accommodate 2-3 fishermen on guide trips...not to mention the smooth dry ride.

Bill is already taking reservations for the 2012 season and his calenar is filling up fast. So, don't wait, book your trip now. Email him at info@billsguideservice.com

Fish ON! Rob

The Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Sportshow

2012-02-17T08:24:00.000-08:00

It's really great to get back into bass fishing. Granted, I don't think I'll ever Tournament Fish like I did back in the early 90s. It's just too much work/travelling for me. I used to come home on Friday night after being away all week for work. Then, frantically hookup my boat, load all my fishing gear in preparation for an 0500 Saturday morning tournament launch. I usually didn't get into bed BEFORE 11pm on Friday night. Not to mention that I had to get up at 3a.m. and be on the road to wherever the tournament was (usually a 2 hr. drive). Follow that up by 8 hrs. on the water in 100F heat, and a 2 hr. ride back home. Then, once home, the wife wants to go to a movie or out to dinner since I've been away all week. How I managed to stay married during those years is amazing. Not to mention being away from my daughter who wasn't even in her teen years. Now that I look back on it, it wasn't fair to either my wife or daughter..but we managed. After all, if you love bass fishing as much as I do, you make it work...any way you can.

When I was tournament fishing I took a "scientific" approach to bass fishing. I didn't care about lures, hotspots, dock talk, etc. I wanted to learn about bass- EVERYTHING about em. I wanted to know where they lived, what they ate, when they ate, why they ate what they did, etc. If I could be a bass for a day..I would. After all, how can you tournament fish for bass if you don't know how they think? If they even think? Maybe they just react? Trust me, there are a LOT of tournament fishermen out there that don't have a clue about any of this. And, it's a shame. I can tell you for a fact, knowing Kevin Van Dam and Mike Iaconelli personally, they know these answers and more. That's why they are the sports best. They know why bass relate to certain structure. They know what they eat and when they eat. They even know why they eat.

So, what's all this have to do with the Greater Philly Sportshow? These are the places where you can learn from the Pros. When I started tournament fishing I think I went to EVERY show in a 2 hr. driving radius. And, I listened to EVERY Pro. I learned from the best too: KVD, Houston, Klein, Iaconelli, Daves, Martin, etc. I still remember things they told me. Just last week I ran into Jimmy Houston at the Harrisburg Show. He was just window shopping up one of the ailes when I stopped him and shook his hand and told him what a fan I was of his and still remember what he had taught me 15 yrs. earlier. He was impressed. And, I can never forget the information Dr. Lauren Hill gave me when I first started. Dr. Hill was one of the top fish biologists at the time and he studied bass more than any man on the planet. If you old-timers recall, Dr. Hill was the inventor of the pH/Combo selector which helped you select which bait was most visible to bass based on the water conditions. The pH meter also helped rule out oxygen deficient and acidic water..where bass avoid. I learned a lot from Dr. Hill.

When you go to the shows and sit down and listen to the Pros..listen to what they say about bass patterns and techniques used to catch bass. Don't worry about the lures they use. They're going to tell you to throw whatever sponsor is sponsoring them. I'm serious. But, pay close attention to sizes and colors..because that will be true. Specifically, learn why fish do what they do. And, if you're lucky enough to get a guy like KVD or Ike in a seminar, ask them how they break down a new body of water by looking at a good Map. They'll show you on a good map where fish will be during different times of the year...and trust me..that's half the battle...knowing where they're going to be. The other half is knowing how to get them to eat your bait.

I'll be there on Sunday meeting my old friends in the business. It's going to be fun. I'm also going to sit-in on a couple seminars. You're NEVER too old or experienced to learn something new. I'm learning new stuff re: bass fishing every day. It's fun learning..at least I think it is. It makes catching them all that more satisfying knowing that you did your homework and you had success..rather than one of your buds telling you to take this bait and fish this point and having NO success. That's how it usually works out.

Fish ON! Rob

2012 Skeeter TZX 190

2012-02-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

Well, pulled the trigger last week at the Harrisburg Boat Show and bought the TZX 190. With all the rebates from Yamaha and Skeeter I got this boat "loaded" for just above the advertised MSRP. I bought the boat from Towne Marine in Bloomsburg, PA. Towne is the largest Skeeter dealer in the States. It's hard to believe..if you've ever been to Bloomsburg before. (BTW, my wife went there for College).

At the show, I spoke with Ron Shaw, B.A.S.S. Touring Pro who was being sponsored by Skeeter and Towne Marine. Ron went over the entire boat with me and helped me pick some options that he said he would DEFINITELY get if I were him. Here's what I got on the boat:

a. Upgrade engine from a 150 to 175 hp Yamaha HPDI (2 stroke, fuel injected)
b. Dual console (for my fishing partner and dog..ha)
c. Upgraded Humminbird Electronics at the Console (Side and Down-imaging)
d. Swing-away tongue (need that to fit it in the garage)
e. 3-bank Battery Charger
f. Upgraded wheels (from Chrome to Aluminum)- easier maintenance

There's a couple other things I want to get like a Custom Cover for trailering and a Hamby's Keel Protector. I had a Hamby's on my 1996 Ranger 461VS and it's worth it's weight in gold. I might upgrade the Trolling Motor too..we'll see if I have enough cash leftover. Like I said, I still have to sell my BMW to pay for everything.

I'm really excited about the boat. I think this will be my last one. I don't need anything bigger than this for fishing the Pack (Lake Wallenpaupack). After all, I'll be fishing at first light and at dusk when the lake is normally like glass. Even if the lake turns rough, I know this boat will get me back to the dock dry and safe. I've got a bad back and last thing I need is getting beat up on a Lake. Besides, my tourney days are over and no need to bury the throttle to get to a fishing spot. I think this boat will do 65 mph (GPS) with the 175 Yammi...we shall see!

Fish ON! Rob

Skeeter ZX 190

2012-01-20T09:11:00.000-08:00

Well, you can't exactly fish very well for smallies without a boat. And, right now, all I have is my Hobie Outback Fisherman Kayak. Yes, I know you can fish for smallies from a bank or wade fish in a river. I've done it before even when I had a boat. But, you can cover MUCH more with a boat. I've fished out of all kinds of boats too: canoes, row boats, kayaks, bass boats, pontoon boats, etc. You name it..I've fished out of it for smallmouth. But, without a doubt, there is NO BETTER tool for catching smallmouth bass than a good "quality" bass boat.

I say "quality" boats because I've owned some crap before. Not because I wanted to buy crap but because that's all I could afford. Trust me, when it comes to "tournament level" bass boats..you get what you pay for. Only a true tournament fishermen can appreciate that. If you don't believe me, ask my old fishing partner Kirk about a Tournament on the Potomac River where we "beat the shit" out of my boat trying to get back to the weigh-in on time with a "definite" lunker in the livewell. When I say "beat" I'm talking: cracked windshields, broken steering mount, broken trolling motor mount, broken rods, etc.

So, who makes a "quality" bassboat? Ranger, Triton, Skeeter, Nitro (only some models), Bass Cat, etc. Basically, any boat you see a Bassmaster Pro fishing tournaments out of is a "quality" boat.

I'm currently looking at a Skeeter ZX 190 or TZX 190. I have a BMW to sell before I can afford it though. Until then...

About Me

2012-01-15T11:55:00.000-08:00

4 lb. smallmouth, 5 lb. largemouth (1000 Isles)

I've been bass fishing for 40 yrs. now (I'm 52 at the time of this blog). I started fishing when I was 12. To be honest with you I had no clue what I was doing when I started bass fishing. (Nobody in my family fished) And, to make matters worse I had no money. But, I did what I could. I primarily fished from a row boat at our new house on Lake Wallenpaupack in the Pocono Mtns. of PA. I had one rod and one reel and that was a Zebco push-button reel. No, it didn't have Snoopy painted on it..ha. I fished primarily with the live bait I could dig up in the woods: worms, salamanders, bugs, etc. I never really caught anything big..mostly sunfish and an occasional bass off the dock. When I was in the row boat, I tied on the only lure I owned and that was a Chartreuse Beetle Spin Spinnerbait. Little did I know at the time, that Pickerel loved Chartreuse. Therefore, about 50% of the fish I caught were Pickerel (Pike Family).

When I got out of College in 1982 I finally had money to buy some decent bass equipment. My college fraternity roommate Kirk Zucal showed me how to fish for bass. I was amazed at his tackle box- at the time. It was bigger than the suitcase I owned. From 1982 to 1986 I think I read just about everything there was to read about bass fishing. I also attended any bass fishing seminar that came remotely close to my house. I remember dragging my poor wife to a weekend bass fishing seminar in Hershey, PA. She was a trooper to go along with me. I took a particular interest in the science of bass fishing and remember talking to Dr. Loren Hill about fish biology for hours. I bought my first bass boat in 1986. It was a Tracker FS180 Fiberglass bass boat. It was a terrible boat. It was grossly underpowered, it was a wet rough ride, it was constructed poorly, etc. But hey, it was mine and that's all I cared about.

I joined a local bass club (Peace Valley Bass Anglers) in the late '80s. I didn't win any money in my first year of the club but in my 2nd year I started winning some money. In my 3rd year of being a member of the club I won my first tournament on the Delaware River. I also won lunker fish awards on the Potomac River in addition to placing 2nd and 3rd at other Lakes: Hoptacong, Greenwood, Wallenpaupack, etc.

In the early 90s it was time to trade in my Tracker bass boat for a REAL Tournament Bass Boat. I bought a Ranger 461VS from my friend, and guide, Bill Albright. I also gave up on the local bass club tournament scene and decided to fish the Red Man Tournament Trail. There were only a couple decent fishermen in the local club and winning at the club level didn't mean much to me. It was like stealing money from a drunk at a bar..since most of the guys fishing these local bass clubs were drunks- I'm serious. The Red Man trail was an amateur trail and feeder to the B.A.S.S. Professional trail. Now, I was fishing North from the 1000 Islands, St. Lawrence River South to the Potomac River and everything in-between. I was also fishing with the BIG BOYS now. These guys were serious about bass fishing and most of the guys were trying to reach the next (Pro) level. It was a lot of money and a lot of travelling for me. I never used my boat in tournaments. I always went as a rider because it ensured my travelling partner (Bill Albright) the use of his boat for the tourney. I can't tell you how many bad boaters I was paired with which is why I never got "in the money". When I pre-fished with my friends I caught a lot of fish..that were BIG fish. (See photo above) When I fished the tourney with a boater (picked out of a hat) I caught fewer and smaller fish. I never really had fun on tournament day. I gave up tournament fishing and sold my boat because my parents sold their house on Lake Wallenpaupack- my home lake. I just burned-out of the tournament fishing scene...but I didn't burn-out of bass fishing..it was in my blood.

Oh, along the way, I got to meet some of the best Pros in Bass Fishing: Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, etc. In fact, I befriended Mike Iaconelli and helped him put together one of his first Bass Fishing Seminars out in Harrisburg, PA. I also put together Mike Ike's website when he first started out on the B.A.S.S. tournament trail. Now, he has a professional doing his website and it's one of the best on the internet (in my opinion). And, that was BEFORE Mike Ike was a millionaire like he is today.

In the early 2000's, I bought my Hobie Outback Fishing Kayak and decided to start fishing locally. I fished Lake Nockamixon (now the Dead Sea) and the Delaware River (the Big D). I fell in love with the Big D. I don't think there was one trip where I got skunked- I always caught fish. I got my brother-in-law Matt hooked on bass fishing too. At first he was pretty bad. His technique was bad as well as his equipment. In recent years, he's gotten MUCH better. In fact, he may have outfished me a few times. Nothing wrong with that. The better he gets the better he'll force me to get.

This year we decided to build on my property on Lake Wallenpaupack. We had owned the lot for 20+ yrs. I figured if we weren't going to build anytime soon..we would never. The house is being built as I'm typing this blog. We hope it will be done this Summer..weather permitting. Now, I'm getting the bug to buy another boat. I'll probably buy something similar to my Ranger 461VS. I'm looking at a 2012 Skeeter ZX190. In fact, I think the Skeeter is selling less than the Ranger MSRP'd for back in the late 90's early 00's. And, that's equally equipped. Skeeter may not be up to par with Ranger but it's a good boat..much better than Tracker/Nitro. So, we'll see.

That's it for now. I'm getting excited to do more bass fishing this Summer...specifically SMALLIE FISHING out of my boat at the Pack and out of my kayak at the Big D. I'm hoping to get out to the Susquehanna River this Summer too for wade-fishing. I'll be sure to post a blog of my bass fishing trips and any tips I can pass along.

Smallie Fishing

2012-01-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

This is a NEW blog of mine where I'll be sharing information on Pennsylvania Smallmouth Bass Fishing.

I pretty much grew-up on one of the best, if not THE BEST, smallmouth fishing lakes in Pennsylvania (excluding Lake Erie). That Lake would be "Lake Wallenpaupack" in the Pocono Mtns. of PA. Lake Wallenpaupack, or "The Pack" for short, is a 13 mile man-made Lake in Northeast PA. My parents had a house on the Lake for 27 yrs. where I used to fun-fish and tournament fish. (I had a Ranger Tournament Bass Boat.) Although the Lake has an abundance of species of fish, it is renowned for its Smallmouth Bass Fishing. For those of you that fish a lot, you know that (pound-for-pound) there is nothing like hauling in a 3 lb. smallie. I think that's why I target smallies- because of their spirited fight. Don't get me wrong, fishing for Largemouths is fun too...but I'd rather catch a 3 lb. smallie than a 6 lb. largemouth...any day of the week. If you've never caught a big Smallmouth, you need to hire a guide to show you how to do it. For smallie fishing at the Pack, there is no better guide than my friend, and former B.A.S.S. touring professional- Bill Albright. You can visit Bill's website at: www.billsguideservice.com

In addition to the Pack, I regularly fish for smallies on the (non-tidal) Delaware River (aka the Big-D) from Trenton, NJ up to Easton, PA. That's because the "Big D" is no more than 5 miles from my primary residence in Doylestown, PA. (I fish the Big D out of my Hobie Outback Fisherman Kayak.) Although, I don't catch Smallies as big as at the Pack, I catch them more frequently. That's because the River is not affected as much by the Weather as the Pack is...especially during the Summer months on bluebird days. I'm not sure who is a "good guide" on the Big D but when I find one..I'll post you the information.

In addition to fishing the Pack and the Delaware River, I also fish the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg, PA for Smallies. I kid you not, you can catch upwards of 100 smallies a day on the Suskie. Again, you're not going to catch 3+ lb. smallies but you'll catch a boatload in the 1-2 lb. range. And, the best part of the Suskie is that you don't need a boat..you can wade fish. It's really fun. For me, the Susquehanna River, where the Juniata River dumps into it, is about a 2 hr. ride from my home. I don't visit it often but when I do..it's always productive. I don't have any personal friends that guide on the Susquehanna River, but when I do find one I'll be sure to post the information here.

Other than the waters I just mentioned, the only other Lake in PA that is "Smallmouth noteworthy" would be Lake Erie..where you can catch big-ass Smallies. It's hard for me to call Lake Erie a lake because it's really like the Ocean since it is so big. I haven't fished Lake Erie yet because it's an 8 hr. drive from my home. But, one of these days..I'm going to have to bite the bullet and drive up there. When I do, I'll be sure to post info on this blog.