Mar. 17, 2008
Let’s talk tournament fishing! The new season is upon us and most of us are looking at our budgets to determine what we can afford to fish. Fuel isn’t cheap these days. My trips to Washington and Clear Lake last year were over $2,700 in expenses! The economy right now is going to make us very selective in what we’re able to fish and I bet a lot of us will be fishing more local tournaments.
Navionics’ new Hot Map Premium for 2008 is out. The one you want is the Prem-w4 for 2008. If you have older chips you can send them in and get credit towards an updated one. The new Platinum Lake Hot Maps will not work in the Lowrance units until Lowrance sends out the updated chip. Do not buy it! Wait for the units to get updated. These chips will be much better than the Hot Map Premium. Stayed tuned – I’ll keep you informed!
This past winter I’ve been guiding on local lakes, teaching fishermen how to use their sonar units under today’s fishing conditions. The fish have been suspended and I have been catching a lot with my old tried and true method of “Doodle Sliding”. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this technique, it’s shaking a worm as it sinks. The bite feels like a rubber band. My doodlin’ tape best shows this method on Lake Mead. The only change I’ve made to this technique is I now use a 3/16 Top Brass Brass/Glass pegged with Bead peg (kept about two inches from the hook) and Owner model 5133 size 1/0 on a #1 hook with 6lb Max regular mono green.
I have also pulled out my Fat Boy Blue thunder worm S-37 with much success. Sometimes, after working hard at all these new techniques, you forget about the old methods that worked for years and recall how well they once worked for you. Suddenly, you’re on fire again and wondering how you could let yourself forget an old reliable?
When fishing for suspended fish, I like to use a rod that has a tip with a strong back end. Lamiglas makes my rods and I currently favor the #1062ml in spinning or bait casting for suspended fish. I’m also currently using Ardent Reels (made here in the USA) with my rods which makes for a great combination. You can cast the 3/16 sinker a long way with this setup.
I recently filmed a show with Roland Martin and it has been showing on the Venus Outdoor Channel. Those of you interested in El Salto fishing should give me a call! I’d love to set you up with my agent and recommend some good tackle. The fishing is improving and April and May are good months for big fish.
Feel free to email me at don@iovino.com or call me at 818-848-6180. I use a lot of Gary’s double tails down there, as well as his 6 and 8-inch grub. My most effective colors are 208 and 066. They work best on a dropshot rig with a 3/8oz lead sinker, pegged with Top Brass Peg It with about an 8-inch drop on 20lb Maximo mono.
Another product tip: Dave Nichols has a new bait out, the Chatterbox Craw, and it’s red hot on Falcon and Amistad Lake right now. I tried it in my pool and it’s awesome. And the craws come in 12 colors. This is going to be a big fish killer this spring.
Lastly, I know most of my fishing friends know my wife Darlene. Please keep her in your prayers – we just found out she has cancer. We are optimistic about treatments and we hope the good Lord will keep her strong and help her recover from this.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any of your sonar questions at don@iovino.com.