








                             Mass Bass Association

                Supporting Bass Fishing Throughout Massachusetts

                        Mass Bass Electronic Newsletter

                            Founded By Mark Linehan

















                          
                          Mass Bass Newsletter # 0004












DESCRIPTION                                                     SECTION

Q&A FORUM: The Rat-L-Trap Technique                             1

OFF THE TRACK: Trout Fishing                                    2


















                         Q&A FORUM: BIG BASS & PICKEREL
                                By Mark Linehan


        I was angling the other day, at a small lake in Middleton, I'm not sure
of the name. It's funny how you can fish somewhere for so many years and never
even know the name of the lake. It's pretty small, maybe there is no official
name for it. It's a long narrow strip of water, shaped lie a finger. I call it
Old East Street Pond, because that's where it is located. If you are ever in
the area, try to find it. There are some really good size large mouth in there
if you have the patience and the knowledge of where to drop your bait.

        I was using various lures, and getting nothing that day. It was a clear
day, late in the afternoon, say around 6:00. I was getting fed up with the lack
of action, and just for laughs I tied on my Rat-L-Trap. It's a pretty big lure
for this area, and I had never had any luck with it before, so I threw it in
and started cranking. Now I never got any pamphlet with this lure, so I wasn't
exactly sure how to fish it, but here is the logic I used. The lure did not
float, so I knew I would have to crank at least faster than a slow draw, but it
wiggled back and forth very nicely, so I knew I didn't want to crank at full
speed either. It rattled nicely when I drew it in, so I picked a pretty quick
retrieval speed on it, and I fan casted in the spots I had caught bass in
before. Nothing. For about twelve casts I didn't get a thing. Then I changed my
tactics.

        I started cranking in faster, but instead of a steady even pace, I
would crank it fast, then stop for a couple of seconds, crank again, etc. Well
after stopping for the third time, I got a hit and at first it didn't seem like
much. Just a little tug here and there as I drew it in. When I got it about
five feet from shore the fish must have realized its predicament because it
went haywire darting back and forth along the shoreline. It broke the water
once and I saw it was a very big bass. At least for this area. My largest
landed large-mouth right now is at a little over 4 pounds. This one, was longer
and fatter than my biggest caught. Unfortunately as it continued to cut back
and forth in the water (and I was holding onto my south bend with both hands at
this point) it must have loosed up the hook. I realized, as the Rat-L-Trap
sprung up into the air, that I had neglected to set the hook. The fish was gone
faster than I could scream, unceremoniously into the surrounding trees.

        Needless to say I fished a while longer with the Trap, and I nailed two
pickerel and they also got off the treble hooks mere feet from shore. I am
frustrated with this lure, and I would like some response from the readers who
are familiar with the Trap lures. How hard do you have to set these lures? They
are treble hooks, and a medium size lure, so I wouldn't think you would have to
set it as firmly as you would set say a single hook in a texas rig style.

        If you have questions and answers for the Q&A FORUM of Mass Bass
Association, please send them in. We'd love to hear from you.





















OFF THE TRACK: Trout Fishing

Ahh, trout fishing. I think they should have named TROUT, catfish. They are the
most picky paranoid fish I've ever tried to reel in. You have to do things JUST
right or you won't ever get the strike, never mind reel them in. However trout
give a very good fight, and they are good eating to boot! I'm afraid I can't
say that for BASS, I never got a taste for large mouth bass, but to each his
own. On with TROUT fishing. Fall is the time of year, at least in my area, when
they start to stock the lakes with trout. This is good. Yes? Yes.

Unfortunately, catching these newly placed fishies is somewhat of a task. It
requires the utmost care and patience when rigging your line. In fact, the
hardest thing about trout fishing is rigging your line. There are a few key
facts about trout you should be aware of before you go out and try to catch
them. For one thing, trout don't do weight. Which is to say if they feel any
weight at all when they take the bait, they'll spit that hook out faster than
you can say "Got any more grubs?".

So here's how what you'll need to rig your line. The smallest split shot you
can find (those are the ones shaped like a ball with two appendages on one side
so you can squeeze it open and closed), a sliding weight (those are the tubular
sinkers with the holes drilled through them so they slide up and down your
line), a swivel lead, and a small hook (say about size 2 is good). Now what you
do is, first slide on the sliding weight, and put the split shot bead weight
about two feet up the line. The split shot will keep the slider from sliding
down into your lead, and wearing out your knot. tie on your lead and hook.
That's about it. Make sure you wrap the line twice around the split shot to be
sure it doesn't loosen and get forced down by the sliding weight.

Here's what you'll want to fish with for bait. Get yourself some of those tiny
marshmallow's, slide it onto your hook first, this will give flotation to your
bait. Now if you choose to use a grub, hook it through the tail, and you're
ready to go. If you choose to use trout formula power bait (that's the pink
goop), with dry hands roll a small portion into a ball and firmly place it over
your hook. If you use power bait grubs, hook them through the tail as you would
with a live grub.

Throw your line out, let it settle to the bottom, then tighten the light up
enough so you'll see the rod tip move when the trout come calling. Keep in mind
that you may have to wait a while so you'll want a stand for your rod, rather
than try to hold it steadily for ten or fifteen minutes.

Trout like deep water, so find yourself a lake with a serious dropoff or hole.
That's where you'll want to drop your line.


                           THE MASS BASS ASSOCIATION

A non-profit organization dedicated to BASS fishing in and around Massachusetts

                       MEMBERSHIP FOR 1994 IS ONLY $5.00

To join the MASS BASS ASSOCIATION:

Submit your Name, Address, Phone # to           MASS BASS ASSOCIATION
                                                32 Beaver Street
                                                Salem, MA 01970

This is a brand new organization, and we don't offer much yet, but that is why
membership is $5.00 As we grow and we can offer things for becoming a member we
will charge a modest membership fee. All money brought in will be used to
FURTHER "The MASS BASS Association", and to sponsor various events involving
BASS Fishing such as the following:

Lake & Pond Cleanups
Tournaments
Purchase & Evaluation Of New Fishing Products
The collection and distribution of pertinent information

We Need Your Help!

That's right, we need the help of other bass fishermen in and around
Massachusetts who are willing to send us the following:

Hints & Tips
Lure Reviews
Lake & Pond Reviews
Information on conventions and seminars
and any information that pertains to Bass Fishing in Massachusetts

All submissions are done voluntarily and no fees are paid for this information.
All information and submissions become the property of The MASS BASS
Association.

Send submissions to

                        The MASS BASS Association
                        32 Beaver Street
                        Salem, MA 01970



