Our good cold and drizzly weather continues this week. The mornings have been mid-30's and foggy. The water temp is around 55 degrees. We've got strong reports this week of some good solid bass fishing, the crappie bite remains about the same as it has been the last couple weeks, and the catfish are still in predator mode. Here's what we're getting:

Bass anglers are enjoying a lively bite on jumbo minnows. The morning hours are still producing the best bite, but anglers are having success into the early part of the afternoon hours. Fish shallow water in the morning, move to the cover of docks as the sun comes overhead, then out to the deeper water and rock piles later in the day. Look for shelves and drop offs, too. Angler Ross Christensen made an astute observation this week - he noticed that the hundreds (perhaps thousands) of baby bass that were in shallow water lately have done a disappearing act. I believe that signals another change as we get further into our fall bite. Be it part of the maturing process or due to the colder weather, they've gone deeper like the larger of their kind. Artificial lures are still a tough sell for largemouth bass. Typical lures and techniques this year are lipless cranks, jerk baits ??? both hard & soft, drop shot rigs, and jigs. Look also to some of your smaller hand-poured swim baits.

Crappie hunters have found some nice fish at Kono Tayee & Shag Rock. Action is on-again, off-again as the schools move through the area. Find the school and you'll find the bite. For best results go with a live minnow on four pound test under a slip bobber. Pay attention to what other anglers are doing, often the school is so concentrated that one angler on the boat is on it while others, just a few feet away, are not.

Catfish are taking jumbo minnows, shad, and mackerel readily these days. Drifting live bait at night has been the trick for several of my dedicated anglers. Bass Alley and Rattlesnake Island have been good producers for us.

We're celebrating Christmas through the entire month of December this year. You'll find some great specials throughout the store ??? our way of spreading the cheer! Here are a few?Ķ Pair any in-stock Shimano rod with any in-stock Shimano reel and take TEN PERCENT off the package price. Also available this month, we're offering certificates good for the Four Day Defensive Handgun class at Front Sight in Pahrump, NV. The course is valued at $2,000. We're offering these SIX certificates for only $450 each. Plus, we'll take another $50 off each certificate when you buy more than one. That makes the certificates $400 each when you buy two or more. World class firearms training at our nation's top firearms school ??? what could possibly make a better gift for the gun guy or gal in your life? Stop by the store for your FREE copy of the Front Sight Story DVD and a 2009 Schedule of Courses.