WHEN BASS GO TO ROOST WITH GEORGE MAYFIELD

Catching Instead of Fishing

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you want to learn more about any subject, you always talk to the experts. George Mayfield is an expert on bass-fishing lakes like Lake Dancy at The Roost.

George Mayfield brings out a really strong point when he says, "Most people who say they like to go fishing, really mean they like to go catching. Now we have to realize that everyone is not a professional bass fisherman who is highly skilled with all the lures. But at a lake like Lake Dancy, anyone who wants to catch a bass on any type of lure can take a bass at this lake, which makes the fishing fun. When you consider the time, the energy and the expense that a bass-fishing trip involves, compared to the number of bass you catch, paying $125 to go fishing at a lake for one day, and possibly, catch and release 20 to 30 fish for one hour is a really good investment. A catch-and-release lake like this also allows you to try a wide variety of tackle, lures and techniques."

I really enjoyed fishing Strike King's Micro Mini spinner bait at The Roost. I fished that spinner bait on 6-pound-test line around weeds, logs and stumps. When the rain started pouring down, I'd swim my lure just under the surface and watch the big bass blow-up on the lure. Before the rain, I let it sink down a foot or two under the surface and work it through thick cover to catch bass all day.

For more information on fishing The Roost, contact George Mayfield at (205) 373-3174, or write to him at The Roost, P. O. Box 509, Aliceville, Alabama, 35442, or visit his Web site www.theroost.com.

TOMORROW: HOW TO BUILD A BASS-FISHING BUDDY FOR A LIFETIME