Imagination Bassin Company Information

Submitted 11/3/05

Scott spent the day fishing with Willie Dobes and his brother Matt from Orange Park, Florida. Matt decided to do both shiners and artificial. Loading the boat, we left the ramp at 6:45am and headed to the spillway. The spillway gate was out of the water so the current was moving fast. We got our position secured and Scott explained to Willie and Matt how to fish the area. Matt immediately had success with the shiners.

The Shiners where fished both free lined, and under a float with a split shot.

It didn't take Willie long before he grabbed a shiner rod and got in on the action.

Carolina rigged dark colored Senkos with a 1/2oz weight was the other technique we used to catch bass.

We headed back to the ramp at 4:30pm after catching between 75 and 80 bass with 6 bass weighing between 7 and 8 pounds.

Obviously current is an area that bass love. However, just casting into the current doesn't mean that you are going to have success with live bait or artificial. The guys caught on quickly with the information that we provided and it was a banner day. If you want to get in on the action that we can direct you to give us a call.

See you on the water. Say hi if you get the chance.

Submitted 11/3/05

Wilma came and blew, but with no damage other than power outages we pretty much functioned as normal. Not having electricity makes it very difficult to keep the refrigerator cold, the batteries in the boat charged, and it makes it downright impossible to post fishing reports. However, with limited power from a generator we were able to keep the refrigerator cold, the boat charged up, and get out to do some fishing.

Scott's reports for the last week:

10/30/2005: I meet Daniel True and Corey Poirier, both local fishermen, at the ramp for a ½ day afternoon trip. We headed to the Spillway and tied of on the pole. With the strong winds the current was screaming so we had to move up to 1oz weights on our Carolina rigs. Right around 2:45pm St. Johns came down and lowered the gate to three feet which reduced the current significantly. Switching back to1/2oz weights kept the bass biting. We headed back to the ramp at 3:00pm after catching around 30 bass up to 6 pounds.

10/31/2005: I meet Don Willis at the ramp at 6:00am and we headed to the Spillway. Tying to the pole we started catching bass immediately. We noticed bass chasing shad but unfortunately they were just out of reach. We did manage to convince a few bass to chase our chug bugs. The bite started out with a bang but slowed as quickly as it started. We were able to catch 33 bass including two bass over 7 pounds by the time we called it a day at 2:30pm. All bass where caught on Carolina rigs, and swim baits.

11/1/2005: I meet Don Willis for another day of what we hoped would be an outstanding bass catching. Like the day before the bass started biting right away and slowed down. The only difference today was they just did not turn back on for us. By the time we called it a day at 12:00pm we caught 15 bass with the largest bass weighing 5+ pounds. All bass where caught on Carolina rigged Senkos and 10” worms. I did manage to catch a few on swim baits.

My trips for the last week:

Ron Buchwald and Dave Goyer are regulars and when they come they do it a week at a time. They travel all the way from Oregon for the big bass of the Marsh and this years trek turned into quite an adventure. Due to arrive at the scheduled arrival of Wilma they changed their flight and trip dates, but Wilma proved quite fickle and they arrived in Atlanta the day Wilma knocked on our door. Once in Atlanta they found themselves stranded with no guarantee of any flight out for the next few days. They were able to find a car to rent, but luggage proved not as easy. Eventually they did get some assistance and the luggage was found intact. The drive down was uneventful and they called upon arrival ready to go fishing.

The first day out things were messy on the Marsh. The spillway was loaded with grass and debris coming in and the rest of the lake was chocolate brown. Eight hours of fishing proved difficult to say the least, but we didn't go off skunked as six bass did cooperate.

The next day proved quite a bit better with the water in the spillway a lot cleaner and the bass partaking of the Carolina rigged Senkos. Ron managed a nice eight pound fish which was part of an excellent day of fishing.

Subsequent days were repeats with both Ron and Dave catching bass fairly regularly and adding some nice fish to remember until their next trip. Carolina rigs and Senkos proved to be the best bait, for both size and numbers

Their final day was, weather wise, projected to be the best. The forecast called for chances of rain and thunderstorms. Skies were overcast, the wind was light, but the bass were not advised of the conditions. The morning started off excellent but as the hours passed the bite died. Unfortunately it did not turn back on, so the last of the seven day trip proved to be the second worse day of their quest.

Think upcoming spawn and you can see the potential for some real dynamic fishing in the upcoming weeks. The water will clean up, the south end will come alive, and the fish caught will be fat and healthy.

See you on the water. Say hi if you pass by.

Submitted 10/17/2005: Scott & George

The artificial bite has been doing pretty good if you are in the right spot but it is not lake wide. Saturday the area we have been fishing in the south end of the Farm was alive and well and the bass responded to Senkos, (dark colors), spinner bait, (gold/gold willow), and black worms. The major key was working the area, and to accomplish that you needed to anchor and comb the spot over and over. Even with drift socks out, the wind was too much to keep things as slow as they needed to be. In addition to the spot that we have been catching in, we also tried the SW and the pump house. The SW provided one bass for us and the pump house was a zero. The wind was stopping the limited current and also made it difficult to anchor and fish. With forty+ bass in the boat we called it quits somewhere between 12 and 1:00 PM.

Today we were off before daylight, but with the full moon and clear skies it was well lit up out there. Heading to our southern spot we anchored and the catching was immediate. We used the same baits as Saturday, however Senkos were the only thing working. When the bite stopped we tried closer to the south levee with only a couple of bass to reward our efforts and a big decrease in size. Moving east to Pinball Alley we continued working the Senkos, and then added a rattle trap in chrome/blue. The rattle trap has not been working, but today it would prove once again why it is one of the best hunters out there. We worked eastward until we came to the east N/S ditch and then headed north.

It became pitch and burn and the bass liked it. It wasn't anything close to a fish on every cast but the three to four pound bass we were catching came often enough to keep us very interested. As we approached the intersection we moved over to the middle N/S ditch and worked our way to its end in the south end of the lake. There were less players on this run and the ones that did hit were smaller, but bass nonetheless. We opted to head back to make one more run on the east ditch. A few bass later we called it a day at about 2:00 PM. Although we didn't have as many as Saturday, the thirty six that we did catch were on average bigger and meaner. Our big fish for the day was just over four pounds, with most of our catch today in that three-four pound range.

Submitted 10/14/05: George & Scott

The weatherman said that there was a 30% chance of rain and winds would be from the north at 10-15. During the course of the morning we got all of the rain I guess, and wind gusts to 25+ MPH.

However, weather aside the fishing, the bass were willing to play and that's what really counts. A windsock, raingear, and a good trolling motor kept all the distractions in check and allowed us to concentrate on what we had to do.

Scott and I will go out and check locations so that we can stay as current as possible on the lake. Today we were only able to check a couple of spots but the payoff was there. The gal below is similar to what you will be exposed to as you fish with us.

Scott and I do these fishing finding forays on an almost daily basis. Days off give us the opportunity to explore all of the many areas that historically hold fish on the Marsh/Farm. That is how we gather our information on this lake. We do not gather our information from someone who fishes the lake less than we do.

Today's trip we tried rattletraps, Chug Bugs, spinner baits, hard jerk baits, Zoom plastic, and Senkos. As during the previous days, the Senko and plastics ruled. We found bass in two out of the three areas we hit with all bass holding close to cover. A lightly weighted T-rig and weightless worked well enough to land us 28 bass by 10:00, and with the rain falling and wind howling we decided tomorrow would be a better day.

The pump house was running full tilt and a quick run to the spillway found it closed with some in that area working it with shiners. Shiners can be a good option if the weather isn't nice, and the spillway can be an excellent place to work them. A little instruction in the use of shiners can go a long way, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to call. We will be glad to help if we can. If you are going shiner fishing you don't need any special equipment. A good rod, reel, and stout line is all that is needed. Someone asked me about special shiner equipment in an e-mail yesterday, but I am not aware of any equipment that is sold as "special shiner equipment". We use MH rods with Shimano Chronarch reels, 20 pound line and 4/0 Kahle hooks.

All of our fish caught are weighed on a Boga Grip. However, if you don't have a scale on board and want to guesstimate your fishes weight, a typical Florida Largemouth according to Florida Fish and Game would measure approximately 27 inches long with a girth of 17 inches. You can obtain measured guesses by formula at: weight. When weighing, measuring, and photographing fish please handle them carefully and get them back into the water as quickly as possible.

In closing, for bigger fish and more fish look for wood, and stay well away from the shore. See you out there.

Submitted 10/13/05: George & Scott

As we neared the ramp today we were welcomed by a sky blackened with heavy clouds to the west and a wind that was calm. With all screws firmly attached under my cap we proceeded with an uneventful launch as we pondered the need for rain gear. The decision was made to be adventurous and to risk the possible wet stuff, so off we went across the Marsh and into the Farm. With yesterday's success in mind it was a no-brainer decision to head to the same area looking for a lunker to be mixed in with the count.

The first bass came before the boat had slid to a stop and the second and third came on consecutive casts. It was not a bad way to start the day.

We tried rattletraps, Chug Bugs, and Senkos. The only bait to get bitten was the Senko and it was presented both weightless and with a 16th ounce weight. Both methods were quite successful as they yielded 26 bass and just a few missed. Our area we fished was no more than the size of about 12 boats square. It's main feature was wood, and the major key was that the wood was well off shore. When the bite slowed we checked a couple of other spots but the count remained at 26. We called it a day before 12:00 with blue skies, a bright sun, and the lightest of breezes.

If you would like to be throwing baits at a fish like the 8 pounder in the picture above, give us a call. We can't guarantee that you will get this one, but we can guarantee that you will be in the right place for a shot at one as big or bigger.

See you out there. Say hi if you happen to be in the area.

Submitted 10/12/05 - George & Scott

The temperatures remain high, and the weather in a state of constant flux. Storms are still being named in the Atlantic, the northeast is being flooded with torrential rains, and the Gulf Coast citizens are at a loss for the road to follow to recovery. It is our sincere hope that if any of the above is affecting you that you find a positive resolution to your recovery and that God look after you and yours.

Here on Stick Marsh/Farm 13 the greatest effect from all the weather has been a substantial slow-down in the bite, probably mostly due to the heat. The last month has seen fishing swing from fair to poor or vice versa on any given day. Factors such as running water have done little to abate the swing and you never knew with certainty that today would be the day that they would bite. However, we that fish these waters on a constant basis have become tainted with catches that surpass other lakes in both quantity and quality. We take for granted the 100+ fish days, and the bass that weigh over 10-pounds. This type of catching has not occurred in the trips that we have taken over the last month but the change is coming and coming rapidly.

Today using T-rigged Senkos, weightless Senkos, and C-rigged Senkos we managed to boat 32 bass up to 9-pounds 3 ounces. The key factors were wood, Senkos, and persistence. Based on what we saw today if you find the fish, throw the right bait, and keep at it you can expect to participate in great catching as we wind down from the heat of summer and experience the relief that will be flowing in from the north via frontal passages.

Many things out here have been different this summer from previous years. High water, lack of weed, and water temperatures constant throughout the water column have all contributed to keep us on the move as the baitfish roamed, with the bass in pursuit. Even when a congregation was found, getting them to bite was not the easiest to accomplish. Those that were caught were fat and in good shape. It was obvious that although we weren't seeing the shad busts associated with our summer fishing the bass were having a field day down in the murky depths. All of the big fish that we have gotten were like the one Scott is holding below: fat and sassy. She weighed in on the Boga Grip at 9-pounds 3-ounces and was caught on a watermelon Senko.

This fish along with three others were caught in current produced by the pumping station on the Farm. The rest of the fish caught today were caught on a weighted and non-weighted T-rigged Senko. History and wood made the 5-hour day a success.

It's that time of the year, and the bookings are rolling in. We have some openings left this month for those on short notice so give us a call. We anticipate November on to be very busy so call early to ensure the dates you want. See you out there. Give us a call if you have any questions and if we can help we will be glad to .