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From Texas used as brood stock. Beautiful fish!! From the site where I found the picture: " This is a 15lb+ fish caught earlier this year by a fellow TFFer "Bassbuster". Since Justin caught the fish, Mike has had it in a small brood pond with another similar class fish also caught earlier this year. Even in the small brood pond he was unable to entice this fish into biting again and had to remove it via sein to relocate it to a larger body of water. He successfully bred one or both fish this spring and now has fingerlings. Talk about genetics!! In any case, I thought I'd share the picture of this rare beast. To the best of my knowledge only a few fish of this size are caught annually across the globe, and a large percentage of them are coming right from our own backyard!"

Sorry I had to

So I posted a public mea culpa for showing off in sight of a bank fishing dad & his sons the other day and decided to do something to balance out any bad karma. My buddy's sister was in town for the day & he couldn't get off work, so I offered to take her out fishing in his place. She is an avid fisherwoman, pretty skilled at most power techniques, so while it wasn't a complete act of charity, I figured it was a good deed nonetheless. We launch before daybreak & I get her off a point with some isolated cover. She gets a blowup on a topwater immediately, so I tell her to toss a wacky Senko to the same spot (she rarely fishes soft plastics or jigs). She hooks up, ridding herself of any possible skunk minutes into the day. Now I am fishing as well, but not so much to catch fish in front of her, but to figure out what is going on and then get her into a position to catch more. She is switching between a Jitterbug, a square bill and the wacky Senko (which she has quickly fallen in love with) while I am throwing a Ned rig to try to determine what depth most of the fish are at. I make a cast up to a seawall that hasn't produced a fish in 3 weeks, when my line starts to go sideways. I set the hook & it keeps going sideways. This massive head & shoulders come out of the water & my passenger's jaw drops. She has never seen a bass this big and is stunned, to the point that she doesn't reel in the senko and it gets tangled with my line. With the fish at the boat, I undo the tangle and lip this 8 lb beauty (http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/155892-uh-yep-the-ned-rig-is-awesome/?page=2#comment-2010527). My guest is going nuts, she really doesn't care that I caught the fish, she is just so happy to see a big fish. It gives me some solace that she is happy for me instead of being jealous. As the morning progressed, it appeared most of the fish had moved deeper or under the shady docks, so I spent a few minutes showing her how to skip cast. She did okay, some of the casts went awry and probably spooked off fish, but it didn't matter. She caught 7 bass skipping docks with the Senko while I kept the boat in position & made casts out to deeper water picking up fish here & there. After a while, she told me she had to make some business calls, but didn't want to get off the water. She asked if it was okay that she get on her cell for about an hour while I continued to fish. No problem, in fact I though it might be worth while for her to watch me skip some more docks, maybe there were things in the technique she could learn by observing instead of me telling. Yeah, you guessed it, I hit a hot stretch of docks with 6 fish on successive casts. While on the phone, she is giggling as I shrug my shoulders. I finally make a cast that results in no bite only to have the next cast hook up with a 5 lb, 5 oz brute (picture below). As I landed "her fish", she rolled her eyes at me, shaking her head and smiling as she chatted with a client. As soon as the call ended, she said "The hell with business, I can't let you catch any more of my fish!!" She ended the day with another dozen fish, one just under 3 lbs. The Senko is now her favorite lure & she told me she had a wonderful day, even though her "guide" took all the big fish.

You're a absolutely right! Darned kids. STAY OFF MY LAWN!

Got out on the home lake this afternoon.Goals were to try a new finesse outfit, to try my new frog rig, and my new swimbait combo.By the way, I have a friend who works on used r&rs as a hobbie.So I have a lifetime of old broken equipment he recently fixed.So now I have quite a few combos I can use for different applications. 1.finesse rig:Used a Penn slammer 6.6 .light wieght rod with a fairly stiff action.I have some power pro my friend lined it with.Not sure of the pound test.I just started using it again after a long time so I cant tell the test by feel.I have what I I call a medium light shimano spinning reel.I used the 4 inch gy senko on this.I loved how accurate it casts.Used it around our Island where there is a lot of downed trees , overhanging branches etc.I could skip with it very well.With the braid and rod tip I could feel everything so good.Caught 10 on the east side of the island.I give this combo an A rating. Frog combo:For this I use a shimano catala 300 reel with a 7" mh Berkely lightning rod.Using a heavier braid on this one.Had a problem casting.I have not used casting reels much since the 80s.Getting back into it.I would cast, it would go about 20 feet and act like there was a knot in it and plop down.I tried the adjustment knob and i just couldnt get it to cast the way I wanted.Had one fish( big) on it and I swung and missed.Got to re- group on this one. 3.Swimbait combo.Its an old quantam reel on a vortex spiral wrap the friend did for me.6.6 mh. Thing casts a mile.Occasional back lash but I still havent got the settings just right yet.Result: My first bass on a weighted swim bait rig.Whoo hoo.! This combo feels good .Got to finish on the settings. 4.And fished my favorite reel.My Strada with new Yo zuri 8 pound test on an old 6.6 medium heavy ugly stick.Fished The 5 inch senko with this.Caught 2. Summary: Been detirmined to try new things this year.Its hard but starting to pay off.As usual, i really enjoyed the evening on the water.Full moon was nice too. Mike

Absolutely. If the moon phases is "wrong", I know exactly why I didn't catch any fish. Wasn't my fault. I'd write more, but I Gotta run and see if this woman floats or sinks to determine if she's a witch or not.

I won't go into much detail but I have been without my boat for some time. It has had some issues and `hasn't been herself this year. Well I listened to a couple friends with good intentions and had quotes of over $3500. This was not in the budget to say the least. My fishing partner said he would look at it and we thought we had it fixed but it only lasted a day and then it just wasn't quite right so took it to a local dealer that I have delt with in the past and after a couple weeks (horribly busy time of year) I got her back last night. She just purred and I even put a limit in the boat for the evening tourney and won!!!! It was just one of those good good days if you know what I mean. Note to self....save time, money....go to where I know they do good work!!! Tight Lines

2-3 Lbs. You should teach her how to hold the next one properly though.

Not at all. Let me ask you this, since you brought up youth. How does making a video with the intention of getting people to like or follow you, make you better at the sport? I believe it to be a rarity that fishing and equipment review youtube videos are made for the benefit of those that are watching them. The reality is none of you "kids" are doing something that hasn't been done before. Why aren't you "kids" making videos on how to read sonar or how to read a topo map or how to follow weather and moon patterns or how to chose presentations based on water temperature and clarity or how to fish current or how to fish a break or how to eliminate unproductive water? The answer is twofold. First, it's because you don't know how, and secondly because it's not entertaining.....to kids So, go stroke your ego and get people to "like" you and when your done doing that hopefully, they'll still be enough time in your life to learn how to fish and while you're at it, get off my lawn LOL

The newest addition. I am now officially running with a fearsome fivesome.

Here is an example of that occasional larger fish, I caught her yesterday. She weighed 8 lbs even, hit a California Craw TRD on a 1/15oz Shroomz head. It is amazing how such a small, simple lure convinces so many big fish to munch down. I imagined her cruising past the TRD & just opening her mouth to filter it in like a Baleen whale...

This is a no brainer. Keitech swing impact fat.

45 yrs of night fishing from April through October during every possible moon phase I've logged no distinct advantage of one phase over another.

When you catch a 15lb bass you get to hold it any way you want!

Please please TW....DO NOT SELL!!!

went to cabela's last night and found some evergreen baits marked down from like $17 to $7.88 and the squarebill was $3.88 so i had to snag a few to try them out! while there, might as well grab a few other things i had on my list....

Here are a few photos of my boat showing the deck extension and rear hatch cover, planning to install the carpet this weekend.

Nope. Now that basspro owns cabelas they will have less competition, so there already crazy prices will likely go even higher. Luckily for us there is still tackle warehouse, but I am going to miss Cabela's bargain cave.

Over a pound and under five

And to show you what a good sport I am, I'll be first in line to watch and even purchase a video by Catt or WRB or WayneP or Dwight or Paul Roberts. Possibly A Jay but I don't think I could get thru an entire video listening to that Boston accent. Thank God he does more fishing than talking.

I'll do one of two things on the same retrieve. I'll either stop the retrieve if I'd been reeling fairly fast, or speed up if I'd been reeling slow. No love. Replicate and do just the opposite. If I still don't get bit, but the lure and retrieve were producing, I'd just stick with the pattern and chalk it up to a fish that was unwilling to commit. If the bumping is the only response I've been getting, I'll either downsize or change colors. In Florida, try switching colors first. For some reason they can be very color selective.

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ As an admitted new & inexperienced Bass angler, it's a good idea seeking the advice of those who have been down the road ahead of you. However, instead of offering choices that you made using little experience, perhaps tell us where & what type of waters you plan of fishing and what your "super tight budget" actually is. Then you'll no doubt get a much better list of choices that will certainly meet and most likely exceed your expectations. Good Luck and again Welcome A-Jay

I got to share my passion with my daughter who turned 6 yesterday. For her birthday she wanted to fish with dad. We've tried a handful of times from shore without any luck. Yesterday was special. She really enjoyed catching two fish.

Seems everybody's an expert fisherman nowadays posting their fishing exploits and equipment reviews on youtube. The challenge of catching fish takes a backseat to gaining a following. Were it not for the editing process, their fishing trips would be just as boring an uneventful as mine Just an observation.

I use an Owner Beast, 6/0 or 8/0. Gamakatsu also makes a 6/0 weighted hook that works well. You don't need a really heavy one, just enough to get it to flutter on the fall. What's cool about the trash fish is the body (where the hook goes) is a tougher plastic than the tail (the action part). Get some Mend-It though. It'll help your baits last longer, no matter what you choose. I even glue broken Senkos together sometimes.

I was fishing this weekend and almost fell off the boat when my Minn-Kota Edge 45 trolling motor (standard on my Tracker Pro170) suddenly went to full power when I turned the motor 90* to port with the speed control set to "2". When I got home, I took a look at the foot control and found one of the large power wires to the on-off foot switch was rubbing on one of the connections on the speed control rheostat. The insulation had worn through and the power wire would short to the rheostat when the motor was turned hard to port, giving the motor full power. I was able to easily fix the problem by simply bundling the wires to keep them from rubbing where they shouldn't; two small zip ties did the job. If you are using a Minn-Kota Edge series trolling motor with the 5-speed foot control --I think it only comes with the 45 and 50 lb. thrust models-- you might want to take a look at the routing of the wires to be sure you won't have a shorting problem. Tight lines, Bob

Almost all modern, low profile casting reels have a disengaging line guide on the cast.

Top of frog, not really unless in very clear water, but the bottom color can make the difference between them crushing it and taking it down, and those half-hits they like to do. If you are getting those half-bites and no hook ups, change color the right way, and they will try to drown it. Of course, down/up size if necessary and vary your cadence until you find what they like.

In the age of Social media (of which this site is one example), people (and especially youth) have somehow come to believe that the world hangs on their every word and action. Maybe (spoiler alert) its' like telling a child their is no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny but, sorry, we really don't care. We're too busy finding Pokeman.

Really wish the fish would follow the rules. It would make life a lot easier.

Think I'll miss the bargain cave most of all.Cabelas seem to have better stuff on sale, not just house brands

See the new LiveTarget swimbaits coming out in 2017, debuted at the 2016 ICAST show!

You can drop shot anything - it's a terminal rig, not a style. I know quite a few that have been drop shotting smaller Keitechs, so I don't see why a big one wouldn't work.

I like the whole line of Pfluegers. If you want to save a little money the Pflueger President is almost bulletproof. it is a step below the Supreme so I do not want anyone thinking I am against the better reel.. It is just that for the last 10 years my wife and I have fished a total of 7 Presidents and they have battle stripers, bass and big cats. After all of their use they are all just as smooth and work as good as new. Right now Dick Sporting Goods has a mail in rebate so after the rebate a President will cost around $50.

My experience has been the opposite. I get much better service from Cabelas than at Bass Pro. I think it just depends on the location. I prefer Cabelas' house brand rods, line, and some of their reels over the same Bass Pro house brand items. I do wonder how this buyout will affect their house brand stuff. Another question I thought of early on in this buyout process was that perhaps Bass Pro may re-brand/re-focus the two stores. With the buyout of Cabelas, I wonder if they will shift Bass Pro to strictly a fishing focus; where it made it's bones early on before expanding into hunting. Likewise, I wonder if they will shift Cabelas to strictly a hunting focus; which is how they originated. Either way, less competion in the market is never a good thing. The consumer will suffer. Hopefully online tackle companies such as tackle warehouse can provide enough competition to at least keep them honest.

I killed it when i got a bump on a big swimbait to land my pb

I don't switch out all the trebles on my cranks. Only if they are looking bad/have been dulled from fishing. I found some Eagle Claw trebles at wally world that I like. Fletcher Shyrock EWG trebles. They are dang close to KVD's, If you put them side by side, I probably couldnt tell the difference. I think they are like 15 for bout 5 bucks. I might dig them up and post pics.

@Big-O, stop already! I got enough tackle!

Me? I still use transom savers.

Tough to tell by the pictures but I would guess 23 lbs- at least! Probably a new world record.

Choporoz is the man! Like I said its amazing how only a few tips can turn a skunk day into a productive day. It really shows you how a bass can see the action of a lure and tell that something is not right with it. I use to watch a guy on ESPN called bass professor. He would talk about how a bass can tell if the lure is not acting right and not commit to the strike. Also thanks everyone for the input. This is why I love being apart of this community. I have fished this place the last few weeks and not one bite. Now I have something that works. I will tell you that watching the bass feed is a cool site. they push the bait fish up close to shore and when they go in for the kill the water looks like it is boiling! A very cool site and a example of a perfect predator.

Definitely a pig....but do you really have to hold a 15lb bass with outstretched arms?

I use a sideways pitching motion from my kayak and it has worked for me. I still need more practice though. It also helps to turn your brakes down all the way so you can just use the momentum of the lure to carry it out instead of using a lot of force with the rod lift.

I'm digging this reel. Had to swap out the factory knob. Too skinny for my liking. Time to test out how well the drag works

Caught this toad this past Friday evening just as the sun was going down. Wacky rigged Berkley Money Maker. 1st time using this worm. Think I'll keep it in the rotation! She weighed 5.5. That makes 5 smallies over 5 pounds for me now. Still looking for that 6 plus!! Custom 683ml Phenix K2, Megabass FX68 Rosso with 8 lb Seaguar Tatsu. She had my heart pumping for sure.

dobyns fury 735. this is what i run and i love it

Wait...what?

Who is this "we" you speak of?

Big O needs no introduction here, so here he is introducing new baits at ICAST, along with an exclusive announcement only seen here!