What's up Ralph??

[Kelly Ripa]

Am I going to kick bass at Casitas tomorrow?

[Kelly Ripa]

I did.

[Ralph]

I did get to go fishing Friday the 2nd and yesterday. Friday: The very first time I have caught BIG bluegills. I caught four of them and yes I ate them They were actually very good, and good little fighters too! But I tell you Kelly, I have been after this one freakin' bass that has been exploding my topwater frog for four times now and I have missed him four times! I actually saw this fish yesterday and it is hanging underneath the mat in the same place every time. It looks to be about 4-5 pounds accompanied by a little male. She only gives one time each day to get her.Yesterday: Feeling tired from the vacation in Vegas and a pinched nerve on my right neck area, I ventured out to get the mat bass. She got me again! Swing and miss So, headed to west side main island and topwatered Zara puppy. Again four missed strikes and came home empty handed. Not feeling my best and I do contribute the misses to my mental and physical health. I thought about this and wondered; The way you feel mentally does have an effect on the way you fish.And I also thought...seriously, I should hit up Kelly for a guide trip to show me how to fish this grass.I have to rest this week. This nerve is getting on my last nerve. I did buy some nice toys at BPS in Vegas though. A sweet Johnny Mo' reel, Strike King 6xd's, and lots of plastics. Take it easy Kelly, gotta go back to work now.I'm already thinking about this weekend...
Could you give a little insight on the grass thing?

[Kelly Ripa]

Well Ralph there are a zillion ways to skin a cat this time of year. I will say this...How fast do you think I can cast out and reel in(slowly) a buzzbait and how far would I have to move my boat forward to not have my buzzbait be on the same water twice? This time of year I am using electricity up! I am on the move and I don't slow down for much. How do I deal with the weeds? I don't!!! I am not fishing in that junk. If I was I'd be using screw in style weights for plastics. I also use a screw in style clear plastic bullet sinker shape in front of baits like horney toads so I can slow down occasionally and fish the stuff that I can't buzz with a blade. The fish you have missed 4 times are on weed edges and stick ups all around the lake. I could slow down and fish for her ( I do) but I am running the bank looking for fish with poor decision making skills. I caught a buzzbait fish in 25 feet of water 10 feet from my trolling motor at high noon with the sun up... ... It requires athletic abilities to stand on one foot and run the trolling motor with the other while casting as hard and far as you can and feathering the cast as it hits so the bait hits the water moving. I missed a fish on my first cast because I sucked and my timing was off...it took me three hours to get my groove back for this year... I caught fish on the banks/in the trees/next to weedlines/on shear nothing...Is there a pattern in this. Actually if you sit back in retrospect and look at where I was and where it paid off...YES...would this pattern hold up another day or two? I will be doing it until October I'll let you know! I truely am a power fisherman and it takes a lot of nothing for me to pull out a worm. I have other things I am working on but I drove my boat over the top of 5 fish in the back of a cove and didn't slow down until I got to the opening of the cove where I turned around and went back to the spot I drove over 3 minutes before and caught two back to back on senko's. Your frog fish can be caught on a senko...you know exactly where the fish is so get in position and make the cast. You didn't find her by not looking so keep that boat moving with these 75+ degree water temps.

Rip