So you just went out and bought yourself a fancy new color unit. Get it all set up, head out on to the lake and start graphing, when you realize you're not really sure what all those colors mean. You scan the message boards and hear things like "it's just like color weather radar" or "yellow is hard bottom stuff". Well, kinda', but not really (LOL). Simply put, when the transucer receives a return signal, that return signal has a certain strength associated with it (expressed numerically in the little computer chips brain). That strength level then gets assigned a certain color band to represent it. So the stronger the return signal the higher up the color band that signal will be expressed. Take a look at this next graphic showing the Lowrance default signal strength color band for a better understanding.
Where things get a little tricky is with interpretation, especially when taking into account user settings. You could adjust things so that you never see a yellow pixel on your screen if you wanted, where the stronger return signals were more magentas and reds. Doesn't mean anything as long as you understand the basic principles behind color. Some color will always represent the stronger return signals and other colors will always represent the weaker return signals. The fine tuning comes in optimizing settings (colorline and sensitivity) to get the maximum (color) distinction possible across the widest range (strengths) of signal returns. When you've accomplished that, you've completed the first step in better understanding what your unit is trying to show you.
Back in December of 1999, the West Fork of the White River (WFWR) suffered a catastrophic fish kill over a nearly 55 mile stretch of her banks. Since that time, there has been a huge amount of stocking and follow-up research into the rehabilitation of that stretch, including over $6 million in damage money that was specifically earmarked for habitat and recreational improvement. One of the local pushes has been for a restrictive length limit above what the standard state wide regulation is (12 inches). The most recent survey work was tailored to specifically address this issue. The following is the Executive Summary of that report which I just received. I'd like to thank Brian Schoenung, Southern Fisheries Supervisor for providing me with the complete report:
It seems a bit "out of place" to be talking bass spawn in November, but I came across the following article in Field & Stream and wanted to get it linked into the site. You just never know how long some of these articles stick around on the servers. Good photos and some interesting observations abound in this 13 page article (it reads quick). 
Another must have cold water bait that I always have tied on is a Silver Buddy. Often referred to as blade baits, they (there are many different versions by various companies) have a pretty big following down in TVA country as a smallmouth killer, as well as a decent following through the northern and NE section of the country as an all-around catcher on natural lake systems. It tends to get overlooked by a lot of our flatland reservoir counterparts, but if the water has some clarity to it there is no faster way of covering decent amounts of deep structure searching for bass, green fish included. 
I have to admit that I've not been a huge fan of Scott Martin, son of the infamous Roland Martin and FLW Touring Pro. I've just never really followed or paid much attention to him through his career. But I came across some online TV shows of his entitled "
When the water is cold, you'll find a hair jig on my line 95% of the time. If you want numbers of bass bites in cold (<55 deg.) water, you really should have one tied on. Now, forget all those articles and arguments you read on other message boards about this hair or that, or how technical and specialized some guys like to make hair jigs. Not saying they're not right, but largemouths in cold water could care less most of the time, at least that's been my experience. What jig do I toss the majority of the time then? How about a $0.99 Cabela's hair jig (pic).
You can fish these without a trailer if you'd like, but I have this mental hang-up about trailerless jigs (LOL). I'll be working on it the next few trips out if I get the chance, but in the mean time, a simple ISG Bambino Finesse Chunk will do the trick just fine (right). Just pop it on like you would any standard chunk and you're good to go. 
