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11.12 lbs on this very 8" Hudd

Definitely not my target species, but it sure was a fun fight! Right at 22 pounds, kicked off my new years and continued attempt to learn blade baits with a bang!

Talking about the homeless, I went surf fishing and before I could even get my stuff unloaded I was approached by a man and woman.With a story,and needing 2.37¢ for bus fare.So the man was covered with sand.I asked what happened and he said he just got beat up and as if on cue a third man showed up and just came walking slowly up like a zombie without the foot drag.So he walks up,looks in my truck,and grabs a rod holder and turns and walks off.I said Hey, bring it back .He keeps going.So I'm wondering if I want to fight over a rod holder or not.And have decided I will.The woman suddenly pipes up and says " bring it back!" He immediately spins around,comes back and drops it in the back of the truck and walks away.Never said a word.Im thinking " If there's one within a hundred miles they'll always find me " I just loaded my stuff back up and went somewhere else.

Have you ever had a strange thing happen while bass fishing? One of the strangest happened to me years ago, and I will never forget it. I was bank fishing in Weston Florida in one of the biggest man made lakes in the area. I had caught a bunch of bass in the 1 to 2 lb, size. I caught a nice two pound fish and released it at the edge of the bank and it swam several feet and right into a potato chip bag that was in the water for some time. I don't know if he thought it was a cave to swim into for shelter. The entire fish was in the bag except the tail that was sticking out. The bag with the fish raced away into deep water and disappeared for a while and reappeared in the middle of the lake on the surface. For quite a while I watched the bag motor around the lake changing direction, and diving every once in a while. This went on for at least 30 minutes. The bag finally made it back to the shallows and within reach. I positioned myself to be within rod length. I finally got my rod tip in the bag and my little friend was free at last. I don't know who was happier me or him. It was definitely one of the strangest fishing days I have ever had.

Post your the lake you want spots marked and see compare what we suggest to your spots, should be a interesting thread. Tom

Paul, No one is "biting" on your trick question ? Seems the obvious answer would be, if he's catching fish, then he's not wasting his time. If he's not catching anything, then I'd say he is wasting time ?

Written by George Welcome Let's get technical, as there are in fact reasons, not just some lame holdover from days past that put the handles where they are. What will move the fish during retrieval is placed to the strong hand! A baitcast is designed to be used as a winch, so it is the reel that retrieves the fish. Hence if you are right handed the handle is in your right hand. A spinning reel is designed to pick up unloaded or loose line, not retrieve the fish. Hence it is the rod that does the retrieval, so it is the rod that is in your strong hand. If you are right handed then the pole goes to the right hand.

1. First there is no reason to waste time using a leader, even slow rolling bass aint gonna see your line. 2. Siebert Outdoors 3. I personal use Stanley 4. Yes, no, & maybe so; sometimes a trailer makes a difference, sometimes a trailer hook is necessary. 5.Walmart cheap curltail grub 6. See pic below 7. Control depth with your rod tip, guide it through cover with your rod tip

First post here, I've been reading up for a long time and trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. Anyways, my biggest bass came while fishing a Musky tournament on big Whopper Plopper 190. Unsure of length/weight, but it was by far my biggest of the year.

I have 2 really strange stories that come to mind. The first one me and my friend were wading a creek below a spillway. We found a big heron that had gotten caught in fishing line attached to a tree and broke his wing in half. He was still wrapped up in the line so me and my friend worked our way close enough to him. I had a net to hold out just in case he tried to attack us which he didn't. My friend was able to cut him free so at least he had a chance of survival. The other story me and a friend were at a power plant lake a few hours away. We were fishing when we saw a green snake swimming by our boat. He started freaking out because he doesn't like snakes and tried to get away with the trolling motor. We lost sight of him so we thought he had just disappeared. So hours later we packed up and left and went to cracker barrel on the way home probably an hour in. As we get out of the car he starts freaking out again. I see the green snake's head sticking out of the boat motor. I took the motor cover off and he was coiled around the motor. I have no idea how he stayed in there with the boat running and the hour car ride but it was pretty crazy. I got him out of the motor and let him go luckily green snakes are not at all aggresive.

I change trebles on most all baits. I use the Mustad hooks discussed in this video. Rather than telling you why I do it, this guys knows a thing or two about the subject. A-Jay

Based on your synopsis, you already know the ropes. The word "punching" is often used to describe simple 'weed-probing', but true punching is essentially a vertical delivery using heavy weights that start at 3/4 ounce. Braided polyethylene is the punching line of choice (e.g. 65-lb Sufix 832), but that's not etched in stone. Tungsten weights between 3/4 & 2.5 ounces are typically used (tungsten is preferred, but not necessary) In Florida's salads bowls I prefer a heavy power rod, but by all means use your frog rod before investing in any specialized outfit (Rod lengths & reel speeds are based chiefly on personal choice) The trailers used are generally referred to as 'craws', but due to the heavy weights & fast sink rates, stuff like lure placement and lure behavior are far more important than shape. For example in Florida, 'twin-tail grubs' get far more play than plastic crayfish. Keep your casts short and wait for bottom contact after every cast. Good Luck Roger

I asked the bait monkey and he was very unhappy with your suggestion.

The new setup is to pretty not to share.Curado 70HG 7.2:1 on a 7'1" St. Croix Mojo MHF.

What an idea! I have a better, however: You don't have to quit fishing because you enjoy it as much as I do. Therefore you should keep your gear. Understand though, that I would like more gear - expensive, top-of-the-line gear so I could enjoy fishing even more . . . so why don't you send me gift certificates to online retailers and I will choose my own fancy fishing tackle. Thank you in advance for your generosity. In return, I will give you a real deal on a bridge I have for sale. Thanks again and I hope you don't get too bored during the winter and start posting and replying to foolish threads on BR during this time.

Are tractor-trailers allowed in your neighborhood? Three of them???

Seen bigfoot taking a dookie behind some bushes. I got so scared I dropped my brand new tfo fly rod.

You need to quit fishing and give me your lures. Think about it. Then you won't have to worry about financial trouble if you stop spending all your money on tackle. Let me know when you want to quit, because I am now accepting all fishing gear new and used

20" smallie on the Ned Rig. I was lucky this year to have caught a bunch of nice river smallies, but this one took the cake. Didn't get a weight but I'd guess about 4#.

http://seaguar.com/freshwater/technique.html As a fan of this company and their fishing lines I am proud to have Seaguar rejoin us a a sponsor. Welcome aboard!

Biggest fish of the year was a 9.7lb (fish on the right in profile pic). Fish came off a a rock that came up to 4ft from 8ft on a Spro Rock Crawler Crank. Btw, the fish I'm holding up with it came off the same bait as well.

I caught my best 2 fish ever this year within 10 minutes of eachother on a yumbrella flash mob junior. Didn't get weights but got length and girth and used the estimator on here and it said 5.2 and 4.6.

I can only think of one weird thing. This last summer I had some time off and took the kayak out in a small pond near my house. It was dead calm conditions and I started throwing a Whopper Plopper as soon as the sun came up. I had some good success in more ways than one. I was throwing parallel to the bank with my kayak resting against the bank edges in very shallow water, and as I reeled in one fish, it must've scared another that was in the shallow water, because it jumped clear out of the water and INTO my kayak! It wasn't big, pretty small, but it's the first time I've had a fish just jump in. So I guess it was two fish caught at once, with only one of them being hooked. Can't say that'll ever happen to me again.....

I cast with my right and reel with my right. I switch up hands while the lure is still in the air. Why do I do this? No clue really, I imagine this is how I first started casting and it's stuck with me since. I've tried using left hand reels but I just can't get the hang of it

Re where I fish, mostly Saginaw Bay for smallies. It is common that our take for the day averages over 3 1/2 pounds, not unusual 4 pounds. Largest last season was 6-14 by my son. Since it is open water a medium lite will work, and I use one for my ned rig fishing. But for other stuff, it is not the ideal rod. I stand with my recommendation of med power fast action for better hook sets and better control of the bigger fish. Re backreeling, I have done it, but I find using the drag with the anti-reverse on to be more reliable for me. I tend to lose control of the reel sometimes without the anti reverse on. I tend to keep the drag on the light side from what I think most will do. I might do otherwise if the water were not open as it is in Lake St Clair and Saginaw Bay.

Totally personal preferences! I never Snell a hook & seldom peg a weight If I want to add a skirt I'll use a Texas Rigged Jig; less parts required Don't fish the grass, fish the structure under it Lures; pick one, last year my #1 was Zooms Ultra Vibe Speed Worm

Even if I did.. give you every single rod and lure I owned.. a 50 dollar budget and a trip to Walmart would put me back on some bass. You can bet your ace.

Good advice in here. I'll add that I will always use the lightest weight I can get by with. If a 3/4oz weight will get me through the vegetation and to the bottom, that's what I'll use. Sometimes it takes as much as 2oz if I'm trying to punch thicker/heavier stuff, but I will start with the smallest weight I think will do the trick and work up as needed. I always use tungsten to keep the profile smaller. Always pegged (2x bobber stopper is a good idea or you'll be stopping more to re-rig). Always a straight shank flipping hook tied with a snell knot. One thing i didn't see mentioned above - you really don't need to leave your bait in there for very long. Drop it in, feel it hit the bottom, give it a hop, then bring it back and toss to another spot. You should pretty much be in constant motion, and you can cover a lot of area efficiently. And always be ready to set that hook. Most bites will come on the initial drop.

There aren't a lot of fish offshore right now due to high water temps. You'd be better off fishing shallow grass right now on Rayburn.

Nice job. I got a colder water bass today tho!

Is this even for real ? Projecting an individuals level of Success based on when they were conceived seems bizarre and more akin to an April's Fools Day Joke than an actual indication of fact. Sort of like saying all the best anglers have a dog named Benny . . . I'm not seeing it Sam. A-Jay

Not exactly this but I do break out the light and ultra light gear at ponds when I want to catch numbers, tons of fun and when I hook a 1 pounder it feels like a giant

Bobber stops are a must. use slim profile baits with appendages that won't tangle in the vegetation. Be ready for a bite as it can happen very shortly after it enters the water. Sometimes u have to lob the bait higher to get it to penetrate the mat. Experiment and have fun.

It's funny how some of us come full circle. Over the years I started with cheapo stuff like most all of us do, over time, my stuff progressed to increasingly more expensive rods and reels to the point where when I thought I needed a new rod, I had to save or budget for $300+ to get the rod I "needed". Fast forward to present, I am established in my job, home and marriage to the point that I can buy whatever rods I want and I find myself using rods and reels in the $100-150 range. I can tell the difference between say a *** and a St Croix Legend Elite but is it worth 4x the price? It isnt to me anymore. I'd rather spend the money elsewhere. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the rig you are using. If it works for you, you aren't missing anything at all.

I am bringing all mine over, wait outside until I get there.

Most would agree that Tanqueray makes a better martini than Seagrams, but you can get equally intoxicated on either one. Roger

1/2 seibert jig- bamabug color. Yum craw for trailer She was 8lbs 12oz

After returns and gift cards I got this bad boy for 5.75 out of pocket! Only 70 size in RH left in BPS.I wasn't leaving without it.

Here are a few of my reels. Shimano JDM Conquest 200 Shimano JDM Metanium Shimano Excense DC Daiwa Steez LTD SV 105XH DAiwa Steez LTD SV 103TN

Feeling so lucky this morning. Cold and rainy here in North Dallas...woke up at 6 and almost said the heck with it, but I got out and braved the elements. Total of 9 in two and a half hours, this moose being the best of the bunch by far. Gonna be a great year. Ps. Thanks bassresource, she came on a rattle trap, which I only threw bc I read here that they are good winter lures lol!

Darn, they were on the page when I hit Submit Reply. Funny teacher stories. Nothing nasty. Oh well, better luck next time.

Sorry for the delayed response - I assumed that some of the folks that had DIY'd some outriggers would chime in. As you know, my outriggers are "store-bought" and you are looking for a DIY solution. About all I can contribute is that my floats are closed-cell foam, 25" long, and 6" in diameter. So, to get the same flotation as my rig, it looks like you would need TWO of those buoys per side (roughly...). Another thing, unless the outriggers are somewhat hydrodynamically optimized like these, the floats will add quite a bit of drag if they touch the water while you are motoring - something to think about as you are designing your rig. In my case, my rig provides for vertical adjustment of the floats and I keep them a couple inches above the water when the boat is trimmed laterally, so I have no drag when motoring (or paddling). This photo shows the floats above the water while I'm under power:

I'm happy to take another fisherman along. Her parents live in a cul de sac in Port Charlotte with three canals that meet in the back yard. My FIL built a 12x10ft deck with pontoons and a trolling motor with solar battery charger for drifting up and down the canals. It's awesome. We went in July of this year, it was so darn hot, but was still a ton of fun. So much water to throw a line in. They run a nursery on their property and the two on each side, with every kind of citrus fruit you can imagine, palms of every type everywhere, it really is like a tropical paradise. Another family member took us out in Charlotte Harbor when we were there and we caught some Sea Trout, Snapper, and my wife caught a Bonnet-head shark. You can take a shift driving so I can nap. God knows my nerves are on high alert when she is behind the wheel and couldn't think of relaxing......... Uh oh, I gotta go, I think she's watching me.......he he

Hey, I retired from the Army a few years ago and just bought a lake house at Clark's Hill. If you need or want more info PM me we can talk. But I will say it's was the best thing I have ever did, I am I love with my place on the lake!

During the 5 day seminar Buck taught us how to dissect maps, what breaks/breaklines to look for once on the water; we talked structure fishing. I have a surveyor's map of Toledo Bend that is in 1', 3', & 5' contours. Part of Buck's map study was where to find maps; county surveyor is a public official in many counties of the USA. A major player in the bass fishing boom of late 60s-early 70s was the building of lakes all across the south. TVA Lakes comprise of 33 lakes, every lake in Texas is manmade. One would be amazed at how much mapping was done before these lakes were built!

I have "some" stories of strange behavior. One is,.... My home lake has alot of homes on it with docks, and there was this one home I liked that was for sale, and I'd dream of buying it, well it sold, and one day after I was flipping the line of docks where its located, and I was moving along quietly and caught a few smaller fish as I was doing so. I got to a few docks away from "my dream home" and noticed a woman sunning herself on it's dock with some earphones on. So I just continued on flipping and when I got to her dock I flipped in next to it's piling and BAM! instant hit, I set the hook on a nice 7 or 8 pounder, as I lipped it I said "YEAH BABY!" as it was the best fish I had caught in a while, and the woman jumped up, as I startled her,.I apologized,.. but she just kept slowly backing up, I said again, "Im sorry, I didnt mean to startle you", before I released the fish,.. and she replied "I didnt know there's fish that big in here", and quickly scurried off the dock and into the house. a few weeks later I was back fishing those docks, and there was a for sale sign back on that lawn again. One day just after work, I decided to go bait fishing for stripers at the bridge not far from home, before dinner. I grabbed my gear and cooler with some mackeral in it and off I went. I got there and was surprised that there wasnt many people fishing, just a few there. Traffic was heavy as it was about 4 pm, so i figured everyones just getting home from work. I got my tackle ready, when it was all set I cut a large piece of bait, put it on the hook and cast as far out as I could,.. Instantly a seagull dove down on the bait, came up with it in its mouth, and proceeded to swallow it.,.. so,..., there I was during rush hour traffic, on a busy bridge, battling a seagull with a surf rod, I got hollers, horns beeping, and some people stopping to see whats about to happen. I finally get the bird close to the rods tip and its going frantic by now, I grab the line and pull it close, but not close enough to hurt me or it, and cut the line as close as I could to it, I had no other choice as this thing was flailing about trying everything but attacking me, to get free. About a few days later I pulled into the Beverly peirs parking lot (just downstrem) and one of the lobstermen, that I give some of the mackeral I catch off the pier, for him to use as bait, in exchange for a couple lobsters now and then, had the same gull under his arm and was removing,....MY HOOK!,. The gull had landed on his boat and kept following him around till he noticed the hook stuck in its beak..so I had to explain my story. Now thats irony

Like my mother always told me, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything to all.

Yep, Today's mid priced stuff is so good I don't think you need any more. Heck ,guys are making a living with average equipment. .I think it's the Indian not the arrow.

3/8 Jig - Black/Green. It gets my biggest LM of the year more often than not...and stuck my #1 and #2 LM of the year on the same tournament day this year . One of these was 6-1 and the other was in the upper 5 range (didn't weigh the second one). Coincidentally, my biggest smallie of the year was also on the same jig, but it was only in the 3 lb class...It's usually a little better and on something different, but oh well...No complaints .

I can remember those days. Many times having oatmeal, potato pancakes,or peanut jelly sandwich for supper, Getting needed clothing for Christmas & not much of that, mom repaired a lot of our clothes.one of our best Christmas mornings was when my sister got a new store bought doll & I got a cap gun & holster. I feel family life was much better then. I could go on & on about growing in the 40's but so as not to bore y'all I'llshut this down with I hope y'all had a Merry Christmas & will have a great New Year.