Fishing University Feb 27/ March 4

He's recognizable, having been a prominent BASS and FLW competitor for years and a show host for . I'll be the short guy in the back of the boat who can't catch a bass.

Ingram told us a few years back how impressed he was with Rickard's design, and he's been real encouraging to us all along, suggesting a few modifications and configurations that produce well for him.

For the show we fished a lake down in Alabama. I usually manage ok when I'm tossing Secret Weapons, but I couldn't hold a candle to Ingram. He's a real pro with the spinnerbait, pulling fish out of places that I'd cast to a couple of times just moments earlier. He caught 20 bass ranging from one to four pounds before I caught my first. I think he kept fishing, and the crew kept filming, much later than planned in hopes that I'd finally catch a bass or two. I ended up with two... each of them about three pounds. We'll see how they turn out after editing.

I studied Charlie's lure placement, presentation, and retrieve and tried to match it. I switched blades several times during the day, trying to come up with a combination that worked as well for me as his did. He was fishing what I suppose is his favorite SWL -- a 1/2 ounce chartreuse and white with nickel willowleaf blade. He may also have had a single CO blade in front.... I don't recall for sure.

I was throwing a 3/8 ounce Blue Avenger (chartreuse, white, with blue accents) with similar blades, just slightly smaller. I also tried another color or two in 1/2 ounce or 3/8 ounce sizes, including chartreuse and white, like his, but to no avail.

Charlie finally laid it out for me.... When we both retrieved at the same speed, having put both our lures in the same spot, his lure was swimming back up to a foot lower in the water than mine. My bait was swimming by overhead, ignored by bass that were hunkered down among submerged logs and brush piles. Charlie's bait, though, was smacking into the wood all the way back... banging and careening off logs, enticing bass that were waiting for something to swim by within easy reach. In the end, he stopped casting and pointed to where I was to cast, and then coached me to slow down enough to feel the timber, and that's when I finally connected.

Another thing he pointed out.... I have a tendency to twitch my rod tip every fifth crank or so. I noticed that when I momentarily pause and then twitch the bait during the retrieve, the skirt flares just before the bait darts forward. My theory has always been that erratic motion triggers strikes. Charlie threatened to whap me if I didn't stop that, and I noticed that his retrieve was steady and moderate all the way back to the boat, altered only as he guided the lure over and past obstructions.

I wasn't discouraged by my lack of success..... there are days that my technique and retrieve would have paid off, as they have in the past. But on that day, as we fished a variety of areas (docks, weed beds, clay banks, standing timber, log jams, and old flooded fencerows) he was able to pattern the bass and consistently produce fish that eluded me.

One other piece of advice he offered was that I should take advantage of any opportunity I had to fish as the non-boater in BASS or FLW competitions. He said that was a great way to learn to fish better as well as to network in the business. Judging from my day on the lake with him, that sounds like a good idea.

Thanks for sharing, and congratulations on the show! Talk about being "on the spot"! I can imagine the pressure to perform when the camera is rolling and your partner is just reeling them in.

It takes a lot of courage to admit that you were in the same boat, throwing nearly the same lure, and one guy out-caught you. It takes more of a man to admit it was the other guy's "presentation" that made the real difference. Armed with two great SW baits, one guy outfished the other.

What your story gives me is HOPE. How many times have I been someplace where I just --know-- the fish are there..but I am not catching anything. I change my lures all of the time. I thought I changed my lure speed enough. ...I guess I don't change my "presentation" all of the time... at least not enough.

Thanks a lot for sharing your slightly embarrassing moment. I learned more than if you would have come back with ten fish in the boat, but not really understood why he caught twenty. RichG TX

hit it with a rock!! or rather, hit the rocks with the spinnerbait. bang it off structure, cause a commotion. let them know there is some thing in trouble looking to get et'. this can also work if you have had a short strike, cast out again and really hit the bottom like you can barely swim after that vicious nip from that bass a minute ago. this has produced my largest small mouth bass on a hot spring day using a white and chartruse on a rock point, casting out near the tip and reeling back parrallel to the point.

Now he doesn't talk about speed or rettrieve, but you and Bob picked ipop as the winner in the spinner bait tips contest when he said to keep it in contact witht he structure.

Joe __________________ "Bob La Londe" <usenet@diycomponents.com> wrote in message news:36rv7bF5490mtU1@individual.net... That's too funny Joe. Remember this?

hit it with a rock!! or rather, hit the rocks with the spinnerbait. bang it off structure, cause a commotion. let them know there is some thing in trouble looking to get et'. this can also work if you have had a short strike, cast out again and really hit the bottom like you can barely swim after that vicious nip from that bass a minute ago. this has produced my largest small mouth bass on a hot spring day using a white and chartruse on a rock point, casting out near the tip and reeling back parrallel to the point.

Now he doesn't talk about speed or rettrieve, but you and Bob picked ipop as the winner in the spinner bait tips contest when he said to keep it in contact witht he structure.

Joe ____________________ "Marty" <Mart915@REEMOOVEfrontiernet.net> wrote in message news:gWhOd.144$o52.39@news02.roc.ny... Good story Joe, I'm looking forward to the show. When Charlie was fighting a fish, did he say to the bass, "don't you get tangled up in my Minn-Kota"?