"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I could end this story here and now but then you wouldn't know what I didn't want to talk about plus the editors would have a big space to fill in this issue. So I'll tell this tale as nicely as I can. I won't tell you the name of the place I was hunting or the names of those who run and operate this joint, but if you follow the clues I hope you can figure out who it is when you come across this outfit on the web. So, here we go.

  It started last fall when my nephew Tim, (I'm using his real name here. After all, it is his fault I got sucked into this whole thing) asked who wanted to go to south Texas in February to hunt wild hogs. Myself and Kenny, (also a real name) jumped at the chance. After all we'd never done anything like that before and it would be a nice diversion in the middle of winter. Tim also suckered his buddies Jeff and Andy (real names, show no mercy!) into going. Poor saps!

  We all got excited after looking at their web site. "Big mean wild Texas hogs", bobcats, coyotes and various varmints were suppose to rule the night. After reading "the record this year for lost nerve at night is but a short 20 minutes!", we were really pumped and started counting the days until we left. Little did we realize that it was all just good salesmanship and the deception (I don't want to sound to harsh by calling them lies) had started.

  While waiting to check-in we became acquainted with two fellow hunters from Utah, Jim and Christian. They had flown in to San Antonio, rented a car and drove to the ranch. After checking in and paying our lodging, meals and guide fees, we went through an orientation. Rules concerning gun safety, what to do if you killed a hog, meal times, etc. were covered. This was a good idea and things were running smoothly. It wasn't until we started asking some questions that things started to take a turn.

  We found out we were hunting a "ranch" 300 acres in size surrounded by an 8 foot high fence. Didn't seem "wild" to us. When asked about hunting bobcats we were told you may luck out and see one, but there hadn't been any spotted since last summer sometime. "What about coyotes and mountain lions?" Same answer. We figured these were on another of their "multiple ranches located within 120 miles of San Antonio, Texas". Well we'd just have to concentrate on those "big mean wild Texas hogs". Yeah right!

  After the "orientation" we were split into groups and dropped at different corners of the "ranch" and told to spot and stalk hunt in a clockwise motion around the property. Hunting in this way, we were spread out and covered more ground. Kenny, Jeff and I teamed up and started our "hunt". After walking through the brush and grass for about half an hour, I heard some noise in a thicket and out ran a hog. It was moving to fast to get a shot plus there was too much brush in the way. It ran off to my right here Kenny spotted it a minute or two later. Jeff, in the middle, was lagging behind and never saw it. Poor bastard.

  When everyone regrouped back at "camp", it turned out the hog we saw was the only one spotted. Uh oh! What happened to the packs of 10 - 20 hogs running together? I mean, with seven guys in the field, hunting 300 acres of fenced property, there should have been more than one hog seen. Whether they were hiding or running, someone should have caught up to them somewhere. We weren't discouraged yet. After all, nighttime was suppose to be when the big ones came out to prowl.

  After supper we once again split into groups and headed for one of many blinds located around the "ranch" shortly before 8:00pm. Our "guide" had spread some corn around the blinds we were going to hunt from to bring in the hogs. This seemed like a great situation since each of us had brought along "2 bags" (100 lb's) of corn apiece as requested. There should have been piles of corn for the hogs to feed on but we saw the "guide" leave with only 2 bags on his 4-wheeler. What was going to happen to the rest?

  I forgot to mention there were elk, buffalo, Sika, Fallow and Axis deer living on the property as well as some exotic sheep, longhorn cattle and Blackbuck antelope. How did all this "wildlife" survive? They survived on all the corn the customers brought with them to bait hogs with. Nice scam. Let me also mention that you could walk up to most of these animals without them spooking and running away. Sounded more and more like "a shoot, not a hunt". Okay back to the "hunt".

  Kenny, Jeff and I lasted until eleven when we decided to give up. There were deer, possums and raccoons feeding on our corn below our stand, but no hogs. We did hear a few hogs out from us. We figured out the next day that they had been on the other side of the fence about 30 yards from our blind.

  Tim and Andy never saw any hogs either and they stayed out until 3:30am! They did manage to kill a couple of possums and a rabbit that night. The mighty hunters!

  The next morning we were quizzed by our hosts on the night's hunt. I really didn't see any expressions of disbelief on their faces as we related our tales of woe. It didn't matter, they had a great plan in store for us later that morning that would surely produce results and we were all up to the challenge although the wall of doubt was starting to build.

  After a breakfast, we all gathered around to hear the morning's strategy. Everyone was going to the front of the "ranch", spread out about 100 yards apart and drive everything to the rear. Sounded like a good plan and it would have been if there had been any hogs! We managed to run the deer, elk and rams ahead of us until they just stopped and let us walk by.

  When we got to the far fence we had to search around for each other. See, no one had any idea what to do once we got to the end so we milled around until we finally found each other. After about 45 minutes we had all found each other and started to share stories. Seems once again only one hog was seen and it had been in the same area I had spotted the one the previous day.

  There was diffidently something going on here. That nagging feeling of being had started to surface. The idea that you were baited in to hunt "big mean wild Texas hogs" and then giving up on that you pay them more money to shoot one of their more expensive animals. Their plan was starting to work.

  After lunch, which was ham sandwiches and chips, the wheeling and dealing started. Andy and Jeff finally worked a deal with the owner, which we never saw the whole trip, that a person could shoot a ram for an extra $150.00. This was on top of the $300.00 each of us had already paid for 2 hogs. Sounded like a scam to me since the price of a ram was only $299.00. This guy was really making out. He finally settled on a deal of 4 hog tags for a ram. That meant $600.00 for a $299.00 ram. Still a great deal for him especially since the hogs were suppose to be wild and not costing him a thing!

  Oh yeah. During lunch, three more suckers I mean hunters showed up to chase the "big mean wild Texas hogs". None of them looked too enthused while we told them we had not killed any hogs and that only one (we'll pretty sure it was the same hog) had been spotted. The bad news traveled fast and our hosts were probably wishing we were checking out the day.

  Anyway, while Andy and Jeff were trying to work out a deal for us, Tim, Kenny and I decided to go for a walk. No need in calling it a hunt. We spread out and started across one corner of the property. We really didn't think we would see anything but it was better than sitting back at camp sulking and feeling like a sucker. Once getting to the fence we just followed it at a leisurely pace around the ranch back to camp.

  On our way back in we heard a shot. We immediately knew someone had taken something other than a hog. A deal had been struck. Jeff had taken a nice ram. When upon hearing the deal and seeing Jeff's ram back at camp, Tim decided he would go get one too. He came back in with a nice trophy. We teased him about walking up to it with a hand full of corn and shooting it between the eyes with his pistol.

  Andy had made a deal on taking a buffalo the next morning. The wheels started spinning. I offered my tags to Kenny so he could take a ram and he offered his to me so I could take one. But by that time we had drank a couple of beers and didn't feel like beating the brush again. We decided to see what happened that night and then maybe go after one the next morning.

  By the time supper was over, which by the way was the best meal yet, bbq'd chicken and fixings, it had gotten dark and plans for the evening were being made. Tim and Jeff decided to head to town for more ice for their meat and trophies. Things were about to get interesting.

  Our host had disappeared for awhile. We thought he was out spreading corn for the new guys. When he showed up a short time later he started enquiring who was going out that night. There weren't many takers and he kept saying you should go out. I wasn't paying much attention until he came to Kenny and I and asked who that was that left out in the truck earlier. We told him where the guys had gone. He asked if we were going out and we told him no. He then said "things can change in a hurry". When we asked what that meant, he just told us to ask our buddies when they got back. What did he mean by that?

  While Kenny went to get his cell phone to call the guys and get the scoop, the others had pinned down our "guide" to see what was going on. He cracked under the interrogation. A trailer load of hogs and just been unloaded at the front gate. The jig was up! No need in making the call.

  Later while talking amongst ourselves we felt that if Tim and Jeff hadn't have went to town for ice and caught them red handed nothing would have been said. They were going to let us think that we were a bunch of idiots and that ten guys out "hunting" 300 acres of fenced property weren't able to spot any hogs. I guess they thought we would assume they had suddenly decided to come through the 4 or 5 traps they had rigged in the fence. Now I really felt like a sap!

  When the guys made it back from their ice run they confirmed the unloading. Probably 20 - 30 hogs of different sizes had been let loose. This got everyone excited. They were going to get a hog one way or another and not go home empty handed.

  By this time Kenny and I had all but given up. This wasn't hunting to us. If these guys wanted to go shoot a penned up hog, they could go right ahead. This wasn't we thought we were getting into and in some way didn't want to give our hosts the satisfaction of seeing us jump at the chance to chase the new arrivals. I made a deal with Andy that if wanted to fill one of my tags he could if I got some of his buffalo meat the next day. He accepted and came back later with nice hundred pounder.

  One of the new arrivals, Justin had decided to take a fallow deer. Since he had freezer full of deer at home, he just wanted the trophy. I quickly informed him that I would gladly take the meat and he could have the backstraps from it. He accepted and off he went to return later with a nice buck.

  The next morning, Andy was true to his word and took a nice little bull. He gave me one of the shoulders from it. So now I had a hog, meat from a $1500.00 deer and some meat from a $800.00 buffalo and hadn't fired a shot. Not too bad. I wasn't going home empty handed.

  We were packed up and checked out by 11:00 that morning. I had the feeling our hosts were glad to see us go before the new batch of "hunters" arrived that afternoon. I'm sure they didn't want us telling all we knew to the fifteen guys coming in but I'm sure Justin filled them in since he paid for extra days and was staying the weekend.

  Our usual saying, "it's nice just to get out", just didn't seem to apply to this "hunt". I left with the deep feeling of being taken advantage of and being made to look like a fool. These folks watched us "stalking" through the brush like we were really doing something. We joked that they had a pool to see who would stay out in the blinds the longest at night or to see who would go on the most "spot and stalk" hunts. I can say for certain that our "guide" didn't earn his $75.00 fee and I sure didn't eat $75.00 worth of food in two days. I mean how much can some chicken and rice, boxes of cereal, rolls and muffins cost? Also sleeping on one of three bunk beds crammed into a room and then walking behind the "bunkhouse" to shower and go to the bathroom wasn't worth $75.00 either.

  In conclusion. I can add this to my series of unfortunate hunts but not because of something I did wrong like a missed shot or falling asleep in the blind but because it was a setup from the get go. We did have some laughs like the night we were hunting from the blind and thought there was a hog nearby. Jeff got his gun ready while I stuck the spotlight out the window. He said he was ready and I turned on the light only to shine it in our eyes because I had it backwards. Classic stuff. I hope you, the reader, were able to pick up the clues in this story and apply them when researching a place to hog hunt in Texas. I will tell you the name starts with the word "Wild". If you really want to know the name and web address, e-mail me and I'll be glad to send it to you. Until next time - Jim Bob.

  When I first heard of all these giant bass being caught on swimbaits in the West Coast, I wasn't that familiar with the tactics these anglers were using to catch these monsters on swimbaits, but I was very interested. So somewhere in late 1998, I bought a 7 inch AC Plug. I took it with me to Lake Isabella while I was visiting my relatives in California, and I threw it religiously, but on most occasions, I never had so much as a follow. Then I went to the Big Bass World Championship with my brother Kurt, and we started talking with big bass hunters like Bill Seimantle, Ron Casner, and others. I decided that these tactics that they were describing would also work on the biggest bass back here on the East Coast. Why not?... They had been hitting large 8 and 10 inch shiners here and in Florida for years for us, so why not the big plugs and swimbaits? Bill Seimantle said, "Just Throw Them, and you will see!"

  In the following years, I bought just about every big trout and shad imitating lure on the market and tried them all. I fished Noxontown Lake in Delaware, for 2 years and caught more than 50 bass over 5 pounds on big baits of all kinds. Although the fish in Noxontown Lake and others here in the Northeast, are a Northern Strain and not as big as their west coast and Florida counterparts, I learned a lot about fishing these types of lures, and about the larger fish in the lake that like them. In 1999, I fished Noxontown Lake as much as I could, and soon after landed a bass that was just 4 ounces shy of the state record at 10.16 pounds! It appeared in Bassmaster magazine, local newspapers, and Bass Pro Shops Master catalogs. Although I have found that the trout plug bite is not as consistent for Florida strain fish as it is for Northern strain, I still managed quite a few big bass from Lake Walk-In-Water and Lake Jackson before it dried up, and several other Florida hotspots. I have also come to realize that big bass will eat trout lures whether or not there are any trout in the lake. Lakes like Noxontown and Killens have demonstrated this quite clearly to me over the last few years.

  Now, there is no way to fully explain trout plug or Swimbait fishing for big bass in a few pages, so what we are going to cover here are the basic techniques and tackle you will need to catch these big bass in the Northeast. Hopefully, armed with the basics, you'll be able to go out and learn your own little tricks to hooking and landing big bass on trout plugs, and big swimbaits.

  Each of the big trout lures has a unique personality that, to truly master, requires many hours on the water. After trying dozens of trout plugs, I can still only say that I am very good with fishing a handful of them. If you're just starting out using these big baits, it's probably best to pick a few proven baits and work hard with them.

  Throwing Big Baits

  Tackle

  The right tackle is critical when you are throwing big baits for bass. The wrong tackle and a good lure will catch fish, but if you are serious about catching the fish of a life time, you can't leave anything to chance. If the wrong tackle lands 2 out of 5 fish that hit your lure, the right tackle will probably land 4 of those 5, and you never know if one of those that get away will be the ten pound plus hawg that you spent your whole life waiting for. Remember, the right tackle is CRITICAL when you are throwing big baits for bass!

  Rods

  When I first got into fishing these big baits I tried flipping sticks, 7 foot crankbait rods, 7 foot "Ugly sticks" rated up to 30 lb line, 7 foot worm rods; I tried them all! During the course of trying all those different rods I lost a lot of fish, especially on the hookset. At the time there simply were no good commercially made trout plug rods that I could find here in the Northeast. G. Loomis had some very expensive rods that worked OK, but even those rods were too stiff in the tip for many applications.,p>   When you are throwing a giant bait that weighs between 2 and 7 ounces, you need a rod that is 8' long. Seven foot, ten inch rods work for most baits, but for the big stuff, 8' or longer is the best choice. Eight and a half foot is great, but there aren't many 8'6" blanks and for tournament bass fishing your rod almost always has to be under 8' in length. So after a lot of trial and error, I now have several rods that are made just for swimbaits. Now that it has become more well known, numerous companies are getting into the act of making rods for swimbaits and other big lures for bass. These rods are great for the 7 and 9" plugs and swimbaits. If you're going to go the custom way, I would recommend Furnace Bay or another good custom rod maker, as there are more and more now all over the country.

  Reels

  A good reel is very important, just as much as a good rod and line are. There are only two brands of reels you should check out. Get the largest reels that Shimano or Daiwa make. Basically what you get depends on how much you want to spend. Bass just don't pull much drag on 25 or 30lb test, so there's isn't a real reason to fish a bigger saltwater size reel unless you are trolling or fishing a really big bait. I fish Shimano exclusively so I can't really give good advice on the Abu Garcia/Diawa stuff, but as long as you get something in the larger sizes with a good free-spool and a smooth drag, you should be in good shape.

  Line

  Line is your third critical component. I fish Stren line in 25 to 30lb test. Other anglers swear by P-Line or Power Pro. Line is an area where your personal preference will determine what you use a little more. Bottom line, make sure it's heavy enough and make sure you have confidence in it. The new P-Line fluorocarbon is very hard to see in the water and is also very abrasion resistant in case the fish take you into really heavy cover. I have been using P-Line's fluorocarbon and like it a lot. Sequar is by all accounts a quality fluorocarbon as well. Berkley Vanish and P-Line "Floroclear" are not pure fluorocarbon and do not perform anywhere near the way pure fluorocarbon does.

  Hooks

  Hooks are as important as all of the other tools mentioned above combined! I used to think for the longest time that stock hooks were plenty good, but fishing big plugs, and numerous tournaments over the years, has proven me completely wrong. With the correct hooks Vs the stock hooks you will hook and land at least 3 times as many bass. Before I switched to Gamakatsu, I lost a few big bass, and that convinced me to switch to premium hooks. I now use 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsu round bend trebles on all of my 7 and 9 inch baits. These Gamakatsu hooks are so sharp that if you're using a two hook lure and you hook a fish on the front hook, the rear hooks will usually hook into the bass somewhere else. In other words, spend the money and replace the stock hooks or you will learn your lesson the hard way. For the really big baits, I use VMC's and I sharpen them with a file. It's about 80% as sharp as a new Gamakatsu hook, but you don't want to go to a small hook on a big lure. No matter what hooks you use, check the hook-points frequently and replace the hook if it gets dull.

  The Lures

  There at a large number of big baits on the market these days. I will discuss just the ones that I have used here in the Northeast and in Florida with some success.

  AC Plug / AC Minnow

  The AC Plug and Minnow are not quite as popular as they once were but they do catch fish. The baits come in 7, 9, and 12 inch versions. The minnow comes in 7 and 9 inch. I have caught a number of bass on the 7 inch minnow; it has a round bill, great action and catches fish. The Arbogast AC Plugs come with those chrome saltwater type hooks. Take them off, and replace them with some size 1/0 or 2/0 Gamakatsu trebles. If you do catch a few fish on your plug the paint tends to chip off. This can repaired with clear nail polish, and if you need to do it, it means you are catching big bass, so it is more than worth it!

  Stocker Trout

  The Stocker Trout has accounted for many big largemouth. It has a unique design with a plastic hinge in the middle of the bait which causes it to swim very much like a trout. I was shown this bait when I was fishing out in California one year, and brought a few back with me. It looks a lot like a trout in the water and really draws strikes. It comes in a 7 and a 9 inch version. The 7 inch has a very sharp hook but the 9 inch came with a chrome saltwater type hook, so I replaced it. A trailer hook is almost required on these baits especially in the 9 inch size. I like the Stocker Trout and have caught some good fish on it. The frustrating part is the number of fish that you will miss, even with the trailer hook. This is true all over the country when using these baits, but when you do land them, they are huge!

  Castaic Baits

  The soft trout started in a 9 inch version, and now comes in even a larger size. The lure has a plastic molded head and a rubber tail. The one hook setup is a real drawback to this lure though in my opinion. I have heard so many stories of big fish eating the trout whole and still not getting hooked, so use the treble that comes with it, as it is for balance, as well as for hooking the bass. It's also a good idea to either sharpen or replace the stock hooks on these baits.

  The Castaic Hardbait Trout is no longer in production but is really something to see if you have never seen one. They are the most realistic bait without a doubt. The paint jobs on the all wood plug are excellent. The plug also has a two hook setup which is nice. One drawback is the action. The plug swims OK but just doesn't quite look lifelike in the water. I have tried mine on many occasions but have only had two strikes on it. The plug bobs up and down like a trout dying on the surface. If you have the chance to get one for a reasonable price, I would recommend it.

  Locations

  A big part of the challenge of catching big bass is locating them. Giant bass need a steady food supply, lots of cover, and access to both deep and shallow water. When you're throwing big baits, this means finding ambush areas where shad or trout are likely to swim by. This could mean a shallow flat with a nearby drop-off or a long tapering point with deep water on either side where the wind blows insects and baitfish around the point creating a feeding area for the trout and shad and in turn, the bass.

  Other good locations include large laydowns on steep banks that allow bass to hang in deeper water, such as Turner's point, in the Sassafras River, but still stay close to shore where a baitfish might swim by. This type of cover is especially important in the afternoon hours when the sun drives the fish deeper but the wind and associated chop make for ideal swimbait throwing conditions. Look for these "combo" areas and you will find big bass lurking nearby. Whenever you find an area where there is deep water near the flats, and wood mixed with 2 or more types of grasses, you will find big bass.

  Best Times

  For big fish, the afternoon is prime time. It took me a long time to figure this out, but when I look back at all the fish over 5 pounds I ever caught out of Noxontown, or anywhere else, all but one fish came at midday and especially in the afternoon. For whatever reason, big fish seem to get really active on certain days in the mid afternoon. So although getting up early and fishing late has it's advantages for numbers of bass, if you are going to hunt true trophy bass, the afternoon is the best time.

  Techniques

  Many anglers ask me just how do I fish these giant baits? Well, the answer is pretty simple. Steadily....... I basically use one of two retrieves. Slow and steady across the surface allowing the tail of the plug to move back and forth making a small wake, and slow and steady underwater. I like to keep the plug about 2 to 3 feet down, not much deeper than that, and I just swim it along. You will get a feel for the right speed once you catch some fish. Basically, work the bait as naturally as possible, the same way a shad or trout moves. Now, here in the Northeast, there are not any trout in most of the waters, but if you get out past the Mississippi River, then bring your trout baits along. Like I mentioned before, bass here will hit the trout bait also, but I like to match the baits to the local forage most of the time. That's what the bass are looking for.

  Followers

Probably the most frustrating thing about throwing big plugs is that you will get follow ups from fish that won't strike the bait. This can be very frustrating and sometimes there is nothing you can do. What you can do though is mix things up on the days when the fish are following the lure a lot. Sometimes a very fast retrieve will get them, sometimes switching sizes and colors will do it. If you see a fish come up on the bait and you start ripping and jerking the bait, you can sometimes trigger a strike. Often, the fish will follow to within a few feet of the boat. If you really can't get them to strike, just remember where each fish was that followed your bait, and give them a try another time.   How To Set The Hook

  I use a sweeping hookset usually to the side. You don't need to really cross their eyes, just hit back when you feel them, kind of like setting the hook with a spinnerbait. The one time when I will hit the fish hard is if I'm fishing subsurface and I lose contact with the bait because a fish has grabbed it and started swimming towards me or to the side. If you ever feel that, set the hook on the fish hard and fast.

  There are a lot of things to learn about catching monster bass on these baits, and I have covered only a few, as big bait fishing can't be taught or learned in a day, a week, or even a year. Like every technique time on the water will tell you what is right and that is wrong. Nothing ever beats hands on experience catching the fish on these baits. The long days of catching nothing can get frustrating, but if you stick with it and keep casting, one day that giant bass of a lifetime will hit your bait.

Visit Steve's site at www.skguideservice.com.