Imagination Bassin Company Information

It always amazes me that those "doubting Thomas" type people out there will question the reports and our veracity. I got the following anonymous e-mail this morning.

From: RicoDeT6@aol.com [mailto:RicoDeT6@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 9:43 PM
To: acstech1@bellsouth.net
Subject: C' mon!

I am an avid Bass fisherman, I fish the Stick Marsh at least 4 or 5 times a month, I do Okay, but the numbers that you write in your articles seem to be quite ridiculous.
I am reading your article posted May 30th, I see numbers like 70 fish, 50 fish, 41 fish and a crazy 140 fish! C'Mon now George Ive spoken to many many fisherman at the marsh and we all have a good laugh when we discuss your numbers. I know that you are a guide, and you have to pump up the numbers to get business, but lets be a bit more reasonable. It seems that nobody but you gets 140 Bass at the Marsh. Now I do believe you do get more fish that most of us, because lets face it you do it everyday, and I envy you for that. But you are either the best Bass fisherman in the universe or the P.T. Barnum of the Stick Marsh!!

My suggestion to those that wish to question our integrity and our client's integrity might go to these pages and contact some of the people directly. There are e-mail addresses for those that placed comments, and in many cases phone numbers. I would further offer to any of those such as the above the possibility of us being not only more knowledgeable about the Stick Marsh but also much more knowledgeable fishermen. I tell everyone with extreme emphasis: get references before hiring a guide: we are not one of those "have boat am guide" operations. We love what we do and give away as much free information to those that ask, as we do to paying customers.

We only have one day to report on as the last two have been total washouts. Storms are rearing their ugly heads very early on and they are loaded with lightening and severe winds. We do not fish in the circumstances.

Monday, Scott took my oldest son, George jr. and my Grand-Daughter Caitlyn. I took Scott's wife Tamara. We headed to where the action has been and proceeded to work rattle traps which has been the bait of choice for a while now. Fish hit sporadically for the first couple of hours then the shad came and bass broke loose.

Some of the many fish that Caitlyn reeled to the boat. I think she was having a fantastic time.

With today being a scheduled family day the fishing trip was only a 1/2 day, however it didn't end before 103 bass made it to the boat.

For the months of June, July, August, and September you can fish what I consider the best fishing grounds in the USA during what I consider to be our best fishing season and save big time. Book a two day trip and pay 1/2 the full day rate for the 2nd day. That's a savings of $150.00 for the trip: enough to definitely help with the transportation getting here, or to pay for the lodging. Book a four day trip and bring a 3rd person for free. Fee for the four days: $900.00 That's a savings of $600.00 for the trip.

The last week has been an interesting one, with a minor front pushing in from the NW by weeks end.

We started Monday with a pretty good day of fishing. No fire setting pace, but steady production throughout the day, starting with top water in the AM, and ending with a Senko bite for the majority of the day. The rattle trap bite seemed to have waned.

71 Bass made it to the boat thorough our efforts including this 7 pound lady that succumbed to a Senko that was laid in perfectly next to a lay down. One of the things of note was the closeness that the bass were holding to cover right at the beginning of the week with the frontal passage still a couple of days away.

Tuesday, Scott and I hit it again, fishing until 11:00 AM. Top water bite, which was fair yesterday, was almost non-existent today. Even though it was breezy we managed to put 27 in the boat using both Senkos and Texas rigged worms. As the front continued its march this way, the wind was on the rise along with the temperature.

Wednesday, Scott had a 3-party trip, so I went out to do a bit of scouting. Scott went to an area that historically has been a producer this time of the year, and I headed to the south end of the Farm. By 8:30 AM I had two bass boated and Scott's clients had already boated over 50 bass. As I left for his area, I saw a friend and told him about the apparent bonanza, so off we both went to the area where Scott was.

Scott's people were hammering the bass on this last day before the full frontal arrival. Rattle traps were the bait of choice and the bite continued throughout the day. Wednesday count: over 140 bass to 6 pounds.

Doubles were common and many times all three were connected to bass, as weather and bite cooperated. I stayed till 10:30 and then checked some other areas out, but where they were was the place to be and no other location had that heavy active bite.

Thursday, Scott headed out with his client for the next two days. Late Wednesday the front arrived and the bite slowed considerably. I took Don, and we worked in the same area as Wednesday bite, but a repeat of yesterday's fishing was just not there. Don and I ended up with 41. Scott and his client didn't fare as well.

Senko bass!

Friday, although slightly better was still very slow for Marsh standards. The fish that had been in the SE of the Marsh although there on the graph, never were there on the hook. Moving back to the Farm side Scott headed south and I headed to the ditches. At one point I called Scott to come to my location but the bite was short lived. We did manage to put some numbers in the boat due to shad busting on the center ditch, but it was a short lived bite. I went and checked some of the other areas on the Marsh side, and left about 11:00 AM. Scott moved to the Marsh side and checked the incoming pipes from the Farm. Within minutes, fish to 7+ pounds were landed, but as was the case in other spots this bite would also be short lived.

The first day of the Memorial Day weekend we expected to see a lot of boats. However, dense fog that hung until about 9:30 AM kept traffic down, and placed a major damper on the bite. Until the fog lifted we only managed to put 4 fish in the boat. Once the fog lifted we Scott and I headed out to various locations on the Marsh side scouting. We ended at Twin Palms, and there managed to land another 5 bass before calling it quits at 11:00.

All in all, we had one super day out of the week, with the frontal movement playing havoc with the rest. With the summer moving in on us, thunderstorms are arriving late in the day so keep a sharp eye out for them. Scott made the ramp ahead of a storm on the three trips that he had out there with all three storms arriving around 2:00 PM. If you see or hear one coming head for the ramp and sit it out there in safety. The Marsh/Farm is no place to be in a thunderstorm. Remember that as the weather warms, those early morning mosquitoes will be there, so spray! Also, the sun is heating up, so use the sunscreen liberally.

See you out there. Say Hi if you get the chance. Watch for the announcement of our summer SALE later today! Not only will you save a good piece of change over the next couple of months but the fishing is outstanding during the summer months.

Dates Fished: 5/16-17/05
Water temperatures: 80-83
Water clarity: 1 foot to 3 foot
Weather: Air temps to high 80's - clear skies with afternoon clouding - light winds varying from south to east.
Hours fished: daylight until 1:00 on Monday and 9:00 till 12:00 yesterday.
Baits used: Chug Bugs, rattle traps, Senkos, buzz baits.
Numbers: 78 bass on Monday with two fishing and 27 yesterday with one fishing.

Areas fished: South end of Farm 13 from eastern N/S ditch to western N/S ditch - fish were found scattered with the highest concentrations between the center N/S ditch and the western N/S ditch. Monday we found the fish moved in closer to the shore in the Pinball area and were well out further west. Yesterday I found the fish to be well out and between the center N/S and western N/S ditches. When I say out, I mean well offshore, but not out of the wood yet. Quality has been good with largest fish for the two days at 7 pounds.

Top water bite has been there on both days in the AM although on Monday I did get a couple at mid-day. Chug Bug was the producer, not the buzz bait. Rattle trap has produced from early to quitting time. Senkos produced well on Monday but not as well yesterday.

Chug Bug produced with a mixed cadence. Rattle trap produced using a steady medium to fast retrieve. Senko produced weightless and slow retrieve as usual. Senko produced the biggest fish both days.

Outlook: Top water will get stronger and stronger. Look for the bass to be moving northward along the ditches. Keep the north end of the Farm in mind with emphasis on the swale line that runs across the north end of the Farm. Areas on the Marsh to watch would be the SW just off the divider ditch (ditch 7), the NW area and the western wall, Twin Palms, and of course that area that is just inside the cut into the Marsh.

See you out there. Say hi if you get the chance.

Submitted 5-13-2005 - Scott

Yesterday I took Glenn Miles of San Antonio, TX for his third trip out with me. Loaded with plenty of rattle traps and Senkos we headed to the south end of the Farm. The catching started immediately and continued until we called it a day at 3:00pm. The rattle trap bite was excellent, but when the bite slowed down a switch to Senkos was all that was need to entice the bass. By the end of the day a total of 70 bass were landed.

Today I met Roger and Theresa Bickler from Pine Beach, NJ at the ramp at 6:30am. We headed to the south end of the Farm and immediately starting catching bass. It did not take Theresa long to land the first big bass of the day weighing just over 6lbs. Not to be out done Roger landed a beauty weighing 8.5lbs a few casts later. Rattle traps and Senkos produced quality bass all day long. Theresa whooped Roger and me with the rattle trap, but Roger took the big bass honors for the day. By the time we called it a day at 3:00pm over 70 bass made their way into the boat.

Scott

Submitted by George, Imagination Bassin Guide Services

The wind has settled down and the weather is beautiful. The bass are very active right know and easy to catch. The cold fronts are behind us and now is the time to come and enjoy some of the best bass fishing the Stick Marsh/Farm 13 has to offer. The bass are actively feeding on shad, and the baits of choice are rattle traps, chug bugs, and plastics. The south end of the Farm has been the hot spot, but don’t forget about the ditches some of the largest schools of bass will be found along them all summer long.

I spent Monday fishing with Terence Holt and David Stonitsch of Miromar Lakes, Florida. We started the day fishing the wood on the south end of the Farm and never left. Burning rattle traps continue to be the most productive way to catch the bass that are spread out along the south end of Farm 13. We have also had success catching bass on a verity of plastics and shallow running crank baits. Well over 40 bass where caught making it yet another excellent day of bass fishing.

Yesterday Don and I left the ramp at 6:30am and headed to the south end of the Farm. We started with buzz baits and chug bugs, but it did not take us long to grab the rattle trap rods. The bite was good early and then slowed down as the morning passed by. As we worked our way east I made a cast and my rod flew into the water. Don sliding off the back of the boat caught my rod and saved it for me. I helped Don back into the boat and after some drying out Don was alright. We moved to the C54 canal and caught a few more bass on Senkos in the wood before calling it a day at 1:30pm. We landed 25 bass and lost almost as many.

Today repeat clients Earl Henderson and Bud Garrett joined me for a ½ day of fishing. We left the ramp at 6:30am and headed to the south end of the Farm. Rattle traps where the bait of choice and the bass where more than willing to cooperate. Most of the bass caught today came west of the center ditch and well of shore. Unfortunately two bass in the 8lb range were camera shy and got off. By the time we called it a day at 11:00am over 20 bass in the 2 to 5 pound range where caught.

Water clarity and temperature has been in constant flux on the Marsh with the winds and rain of late, but the fishing has remained good to excellent. We have had to make adjustments of location for some of the days but for the most part we are still finding good fishing in the south end of the Farm.

Scott and I worked the south end of the Farm with rattle traps 3 days ago and had 32 bass in a 1/2 day. Yesterday, with Eric Fuller and Kent How from Atlanta, I spent the morning in the south end of the Farm and the afternoon on the flat off the C54 canal. Rattle traps worked in the morning and Senkos in the wood worked in the afternoon for a total of 32. Big fish for the day was about 6 pounds. Storms and wind moved us out of the Farm and up to the north end, and an impending T-storm kicked us off the lake a bit early. Keeping an eye on weather is part of our job for safety's sake, and we got off not a minute too soon. The storm was a real beaut.

Today Scott had John Hazlett and JB out for a 1/2 day. It was windy but thanks to all the rain the water was flowing at a set of pipes and the fish were drawn to activity due to the current. Twenty-two fish by quitting time answered the call of the plastics and made for a pretty good morning irregardless of the 20 plus MPH winds.

The front has just about moved out which means the weekend should bring good weather and light winds. The forecast is for 5-10 tomorrow and 5 on Sunday. Hope to see you out there. Bring the rattle traps and the Senkos and catch a big one.

Say hi if you get the chance.

A light layer of fog hung just above the water as we departed the ramp this morning a daybreak. A light breeze put a slight ripple on the surface and the swallows were having a field day as they chased the bugs from the grass for their early morning feast. A lone doe laid along the side of the levee road like a regal queen surveying her quiet surroundings. It was a fantastic morning to be going fishing.

Heading out for the Farm side, Scott and I were going to spend the day marking locations to fish for our upcoming trips. We do this in between trips so that we know if the schools have moved or stayed put. Friday we had them off shore on the south end of the Farm and we wanted to make sure that the locations were still good.

One of the gals that helped to confirm their locations came early on and was caught on a rattle trap worked through wood by Scott.

The days total at 1:00 when we quit was 53. Quite a few fish were in the 3-6 pound range.

It was a day of chucking rattle traps and fast retrieves. It can't get easier than that. A good rod, stout line, and a fast reel are all that is needed to catch the fish. Wood is where there are located and there is plenty of wood on the south end of the Farm. Persistence will pay off quite handsomely as you can see by the quality and quantity of fish we have had on our last couple of outings. Other baits will catch fish but I don't think you can beat the consistency of performance that we are getting with the rattle trap right now.

As we have told you over the last couple of months: The warmer weather is big fish time and warmer weather means more active bass. Get on the phone and give us a shout. We will be glad to get you out there and right now we have plenty of time to do it. Whether you live locally and just want to hone your knowledge of this fantastic lake, or you want to come on down and get in on what promises to be another fantastic May, give us a call.