The guys that I know who catch lots of fish are pretty smart and they do a lot of work in the off season. Studying the fishes behavior and putting in brush piles or bamboo condo's for crappie. They study the topo maps and learn the structure under the water. They look for long points that extend down into the deeper water form land to river or creek channels.

I highly recommend the In-fisherman books on various species of fish. Crappie Wisdom books are great and will show you how the crappie behave year round. From the early spring season to the late winter and every thing in-between.

And time on the water with a good guide can't hurt.


Quote Originally Posted by Rob1678 View Post
I posted this question several weeks ago and wanted to come back and give an update. I might get laughed off the board but here goes. I TOTALLY AGREE that the number one way to get better at bass fishing is to get on the water and figure stuff out!! BUT if you do everything in the off-season you can do to increase your odds or better yet confidence, you might have a better chance of figuring it out on the water when you do go fishing. I spent the last weekend in Indiana attending BASS UNIVERSITY seminar. The seminar was very informative, but the basstv is also very informative and hopefully beneficial. Keep in mind I am a total redneck nerd. I put together spread sheets and track ph, water temp, water color, barometric pressure, lunar tables, etc... I research crawfish and shad lifecycle and migration patterns. I really do try to do my homework. This is the kind of “fishing knowledge” I was trying to expand upon, but keep in mind... I am still a terrible fisherman, though educated... terrible! LOL! I think the fishing logs and the hiring of a guide is probably the MOST important in increasing your knowledge, but I just can’t afford to hire a guide 5 times a year even though I really want to!! Good luck and tight lines!