November the Turkey Month

            Let's talk turkey since it's turkey season. For the most part a lot of fisherman stop fishing in November because of a little thing called deer season. Can you believe it? They stop everything their doing and put deer hunting first and you will never guess what that does for me. I love it too.

            You know I love to deer hunt, I love getting out there in the woods before day break and the thrill that you get when that big buck works his way out in front of you and the shivering felling you get as you raise your gun to draw down on that buck of a life time, and that felling you get when you at last get to pull the trigger on that big high caliber rifle and the big boom the rifle makes as the firing pin drops down on the primer and last but not least is taking your big buck into camp and showing it off to your hunting pals. Wow that's the felling you think you will never forget but then on the other hand there is the fisherman.

            Yea, the fisherman! He's the guy who loves hitting the deck before day break and hooking up to his favorite bass boat and going out on the water searching for that one big giant trophy bass or crappie or maybe the big stripe bass or the big flat head catfish. Which ever he goes far he gets that same feeling the hunter gets when he has been in the woods and made that big kill and when it's the hunter that has gone fishing and he hangs into that big trophy fish he to will sometimes forget about that kill for a while, for when he hangs into that big trophy fish his heart will begin pumping faster and faster making him think only of that big trophy fish.

            I bet you hunters didn't know that there was anything out there that could make you forget that big trophy buck for a few minutes now did you. It's true that big bass will make you forget everything for the few minutes you have him on the line, and did you know the best part of fishing verse hunting is when you catch that big bass you can kiss, take a picture of him/her and then let her go but on the other hand when you shoot that big pretty buck your fun is then over and the work begins. That's right the work begins when you kill that big deer you now have to field dress him and then take him in to either clean yourself or have someone else package it up for you and your hunt is over where as if I boat a big bass I can measure her, take that photo, kiss her and release her to be caught again by someone else.

            Now that you have killed that big buck are you ready to go fishing again if you are heres what you will need to do to catch that big trophy bass this November.

            Now this for the fisherman out there.

            (LAKE PALESTINE )

            Bass will be in the back of your main lake creeks and feeding up on shad, craw fish and small perch.

            Up north you will find your bass in the channels around the stumps and grass. Lake Palestine has had good amount of grass come back this year and like any other lake where theres grass you will find bass. The best locations to find your bass will be where you find a drainage or a slough that feeds into the creek. These spots should have grass and stumps in close to them and when you find these areas you will find bass. In October I caught some really nice bass working areas of this type and all through November we will catch them fishing just this way.

            Now when I refer to up north I mean north of the 155 bridge and this gives you several good creeks to explore. You have Caney Creek, Flat Creek, Kickapoo creek, Indian creek, the Niches River and the old folks playground area. All these places are great big bass areas.

            Here are my lures of choice. 1^st  my choice is my Diamond Head Jig in both the black/Blue and the famous black/brown/amber both colors are great when it comes to catching big bass. Fish every stump and every grass point that you can find and fish very slow hitting the same spot two or three times and this will help you get more strikes. Remember when fishing a jig that the bass won't hold on to the jig as long as he will a plastic worm.

            2^nd  I will throw my Shimmy Shaker swim bait, the Shimmy Shaker Swim Bait puts of a great flash and vibration and along with the flash and vibration it swims just like a bait fish. I will work the shimmy shaker swim bait as slow as I can and I will really slow it down when it gets to a high productive area and then rip it up and let it fall back to the bottom. 3^rd  I will work my 430 special spinner bait in a chart/white color along the grass and this will get the aggressive fish that lay just under the grass beds.

             Down south of the bridge I like to fish the boat houses where you find brush and I will pitch my Diamond head jig in under the boat dock and work it back out very slow.

            Crappie in November will be found under the bridges near the 20 to 25 foot depth ranges. You can catch them on both jigs and minnows. You will also find some big crappie in the man made brush piles that are in about the 20 foot range.

            Lake Fork

            Bass will be in the same type locations as on Palestine you will find them in the back of your main lake creeks where you find grass and stumps along your channels.

            Bass can also be found out on the old road ways and on the humps out in the lake. It will take some work to find these bass but when you do you will find big numbers of them. It takes a good Lowrance fish locater and a good map of the lake and a lot of patience but when you do find these bass you will go home a winner.

            When you locate these bass you will need a good jigging spoon, one that won't twist your line but one that has plenty of flash and I have just the spoon it's called the Dimple Spoon and I have never found one better. It won't twist your line and it comes in three great colors and sizes. Colors chrome, chartreuse and blue. All three work great. Just find your fish and vertical jig your spoon up and down or cast it out and fish it back you will not go wrong on either technique. The Dimple Spoon comes in ¼ oz.1/2 oz. and ¾ oz.

            The lures I have mentioned you can purchase from the Texas Spinner Bait Company, call you order in at (903)561-7299 or you can mail your order to 18179 CR 1108 Flint Texas 75762

            Well if you are hunting for that big bass this November try some of my tips and I feel very confident you will find a trophy bass to brighten up your month but you know we fisherman are just like the hunters they are looking to fill their freezer with meat and put a big head on their wall and we are trying to catch that trophy bass to get a replica made to what? Go on the wall.

            If you are a hunter be sure to hunt safe and I will see you in the woods or on the lake.   

            Good hunting to you and I hope this Turkey season is the best ever for you.

            Until next month I hope you hunters all get your trophy bucks and all you great fisherman catch that bass of a life time.

            Remember the fish you release today our kids can catch tomorrow.

        Your Fishing Guide Ricky Vandergriff

                                          Your Guide, Ricky Vandergriff