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Caught em at Diamond Valley Lake dragging a 3/8 football jig in deep water

Jerkbait kind of day...Rapala Shadow Rap Shad in yellow perch produced on outside weed edges.

Needed to pick up a couple packs of small swimbaits and then just couldn't help myself...

Really depends a lot on location for me. Some lakes in the area have big fish, some don't, and you can't catch them where they don't live. One of my favorite lakes, I'm disappointed if I don't catch something over 4 pounds every trip. Other lakes I fish, I've only caught a handful of fish over 4 pounds in all the years I've fished them. Baits will make a big difference too because some just tend to produce larger fish. If you fish a 5" finesse worm on a shakyhead all day every day, you'll catch a big one occasionally, but if you fish a 1/2 football jig with a 5" twin tail instead, chances are you'll see more big fish.

Kind of in limbo as boatless bank trash at the moment, but banked 15 little chunks in 75 minutes after work the other day despite the post frontal clearing skies, stained water and 15 mph NNE winds.

Bull sharks actually swim upriver into fresh water to give birth. The pups will then stay in fresh water until they are large enough to leave the freshwater sanctuary and head into saltwater. I think it's to keep them safe from larger saltwater predators. Pretty sure bull sharks are the only species that can live in freshwater for extended periods of time. This also happens off the African coast on the Zambezi River. But the bull sharks down there are called....... you guessed it, Zambezi Sharks. There are also documented cases of freshwater bull shark attacks in the rivers of Australia. I'm not a marine biologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night (where I watched a lotta Shark Week).

3 pounds is a big fish where I am at. People catch them way bigger than that sometimes but it's not a constant thing around here. I'm in Indiana so fish don't grow as rapidly as they do in warmer places. If it makes you feel better a lot of people tell lies and guesstimate what a fish weighs.

Now I know you have a light spinning outfit and use 6 lb monofilament line. Telescoping rods seem like a good idea but they don't do anything well except easy to store. it is what it is as the saying goes. Bass like to be around objects or under them, they are not out in open water very often. Places they prefer are docks, weed beds, trees in the water, rocks or boulders etc. We call things that make up the lake bottom from the edge where the water starts to the deepest areas structure. Things that grow in the water or float on top we call cover. Lures that work well for bass need to be able to be retreived in cover or around structure without snagging. The 2 lures you are using are ok for open water areas with very little cover. The closer you retrieve your lure to both structure and cover the more likely you are going to catch bass. You rod isn't very good for fishing bass lures, the reel is ok. Until you can change the rod to a medium fast action 1 piece bass spinning rod, your rod should be able to work for a few other lures. You may need to change the line to a premium 8 lb test mono like Berkley Trilene XL, 6 lb is ok you will lose more lures. Soft plastics can be fished using what you now have. I would start with 6.5" Zoom Trick worms and 5" GYCB Senko in green pumpkin color. You will need size 2/0 and 3/0 off set worm hooks, Mustad Ultra point are inexpensive hooks and good quality. The 2/0 for worms, 3/0 for Senko. The worms I suggest using a split shot rig, the Senko unweighted. The split shot is round type without ears (ears snag weeds) in size #4 or 1/8 oz. Tie on your hook using a good knot like a Uni or Trilene knot. The split shot is clamped on the line about 14" above the hook. The worm and Senko are hooked weedless..see Texas rig worm, vedio on this site. Since you are new and shore fishing try to find an area with a point of land going out underwater or start at the dam. I want you to make a fan casting pattern, that means cast paralell to the shore about 3' to 5' out from the bank about 25 yards in front of you. Let the worm or Senko hit bottom, then lift the rod tip up about 2' and let the worm or Senko fall down to the bottom. Repeat this retrieve moving the work or Senko about 2' each time. Repeat the cast out about 10' from the bank and retrieve. Continue casting until you make a full fan pattern all the around to your back side. Walk down the bank about 30 to 40 yards and repeat the fan casting pattern. This is slow but very effective method to cover water. Bites feel like something is pecking, tapping or tugging lightly in your worm or Senko or you see the line moving. Set the hook by reeling fast and sweeping your rod back hard. Good luck and catch lots of bass. Tom

@Siebert Outdoorsstrikes again! I love his jigs, I especially love the chatterbaits!

"Three more payments and this net is finally all mine . . . ." A-Jay

It aint your line, rod, reel, or lures! It location. Y'all can change all the tackle ya want but it ain't gonna change the results! Failing to understand what structure is, how to truly identify it, interpret it, and then fish it effectively. Failing to understand what the predominate prey species in your lake and how that species relates to structure with each season...morning, noon, and night. Failing to understand that next after location is timing; just because you don't get bite does not mean the bass aren't there or you tied on the wrong lure. Failing to understand that to consistently catch bass is a process of elimination and duplication. Eliminate patterns and waters that are non-productive and duplicate patterns and waters that are productive.

Never bought a true BFS reel. Was told all the cool kids had one and if I didn't get one the bullies were going to steal my lunch money and give me a wedgie. Decided on an Airy Red mainly because of the spool being one of the best. Need to find a rod but hey it looks good with the the furniture so it may be a "couch queen" for now!

Yep, we don't exactly live in the best state for bass fishing. My bar for big bass is also at four pounds (around here), and a 6.5 is definitely well into the trophy category. I fish more than anyone else I know, and I've only caught a few bass over six pounds. Going up to Michigan every year reminds me of just how bad the bass fishing is in Indiana, a fifteen to twenty pound bag is easier than a 7 pound bag around here, at least on the terrible lakes my club fishes lol. And even with only about 25 hours on the water last time I was up there, I still caught one bass that weighed a hair over six even.

Just placed an order for one Loomis E6X SWB 884C, it´s going to be my new small swimbaits/heavy cranks rod...

Parts delivery 3/3 Steez star painted gloss black. Still waiting on 1 small piece but I'm calling this one pretty much finished though.

Wheeler, Lefebre, JVD, Lucas, Zaldain. Bombed yesterday with only Wheeler & Zaldain over the 50 mark, and nobody better than 30th. Now, I see Basstrakk has Wheeler at the top right now, Lucas at 23, Zaldain and Lefebre right around 50, and JVD (I assume) unaccounted for. Here is what I think I have learned about fantasy fishing research: A little goes a long way, but a lot doesn't get you much further.

How often depends on two things. Location and location. The location of the reservoir, then the location of the larger fish within that reservoir. What is average on one reservoir may be a trophy on another. Alabama is blessed with some great fishing, but even within the state there are large differences in quantity and quality of the bass. Alabama DCNR has a group called B.A.I.T. (Bass Anglers Information Team) that looks at all the data and compiles it annually for the different bodies of water within the state. http://www.outdooralabama.com/sites/default/files/bait2015.pdf It's interesting to see the major differences on size within a relatively small area. On Guntersville this spring Casey Martin put 5 fish in the boat that weighed 40-11, at a lot of other lakes in the state that would be close to impossible.

Moving fish with your rod is much more efficient as well

I like to target the big girls. I'd personally rather catch one 4# fish than four 1# fish. A 2.5# bass is a quality fish in my book though. They can't all be bigguns.

Indiana here as well, 3lbs is a nice fish where I'm at as well. I would consider 4lb a big bass and anything over 6.5 a trophy for where I'm at. I've caught 3 over 6 the last few years. 1 Over 7. Keep plugging along and researching here at br and the bigger fish will come.

Me with my little guy. Born 7/27/17. 3lb 7oz. 10 weeks early.

Love catching them, but we don't have many here. Our state record spot wasn't quite 4.5 pounds, and that's from the 70's. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a largemouth and not a spot. I caught one of the largest spots I've ever caught in Kansas about a month ago. They do love their topwaters.

Picked up 2 (2-$20) whopper ploppers at Dicks. On the way home stopped by one of the ponds I fish to check out what the hoopla is all about. About 10 casts in got me a new personal best - 5.44lbs.

OK we talking extremes You go out in KVD's tournament winning Nitro with all his tackle & you will still get skunked!

Buts it's on Instagram... not YouTube... how can I be a master bass fishing star without YouTube???

My mom already said I was a star though. ?

Watching Bassmaster Live, Brandon Lester nailed a nice size smallmouth....on a ned rig!!! still ain't gonna do it.

You didn't read my long post on how to fish a weedless worm or Senko, so can't help you any further until you take a few minutes and watch Glenn's instructional video's how to rig Texas rig plastic worm. Video's are located at the top of the forum. Everyone has responded to the title of your thread, not recognizing you are a novice angler asking the wrong question, should be "How do you catch bass?" Tom

Loosen the knob on the mount. This will allow the shaft to rotate inside the breakaway part of the mount.

I believe you can mount it below the water line as long as the tubing, at least a few inches, runs above the water line. This is to prevent water back flowing into the pump. The more tubing above the water line the better.

I heard the net has a special "wobble" that really attracts the bass to the net.

I rig them like this (photo below) but without the weight. Hook point is on top with the hook point slightly buried or skin hooked (texposed); the flap of the tail is pointing downward. I normally use Gamakatsu 5/0 Superline EWG hooks (although a round bend hook is in photo) to give the bait a little more weight so I can throw it with a baitcasting reel. But you can use a smaller/lighter hook. You might need to add a small 1/16 oz bullet weight to give it some extra weight to make it easier to throw. The trick is to find the right balance - you want enough overall weight to be able to throw it decently, but not too much weight that it's hard to get the bait up to the surface and use it like a mini buzz bait. I would think a 3/0 or 4/0 EWG would work fine. Again, I usually use the 5/0 just to give it a little extra weight so I can throw it easier. Most times I'm throwing it around lily pads & grass. So I'm using a beefier set up: 7' MH rod with at least 30 lb braid.

I'm lucky enough to fish some private strip mine lakes. Spoiled rotten lol

I haven't cracked open my 201I in a while but I'd imagine it's the new micro brass gearing looks a little wider than the I's that's adding some weight. Just a guess. .2oz more weight for a little smoother retrieve sounds like a decent trade off. Have you considered a 150 size reel? I'm one of those guys who can't say enough good things about the Chronarch. It's a bit thinner than the Curado I but still holds enough line for bass fishing, about 20 yards less line than the Curado. It's a subtle difference size wise but the performance and feel are night and day...and I love my Curado. The Citica MGL is a JDM only so far but it's also worth a look. Same size as the Chronarch minus the brass micro gearing. If I didn't own 2 Chronarchs I'd probably take a look at it. Who am I kidding I may take a look at it anyway.

flyingmonkie pretty much covered it. They work great fished as a weightless t rig on topwater - think finesse buzzbait. Make sure the tail is pointing down when rigging. This provides the best buzzing action. They work great like this around lily pads & grass. You can even kill it in pockets & let it slow fall in the gaps. The last couple yrs I've found them to work great on a light shaky head too, 1/16 - 1/8 oz.

I have 1 inside the cut as of now.

I put in a lot of research for this event, and I still would have done better if I'd picked randomly.

Had company over the weekend and my friend's 8-year old wanted to catch a shark. We headed out on Puget Sound with nothing but jigs and Trick Worms because I had nothing set up for saltwater fishing. Within 10 minutes we hooked a 3 foot dogfish on a California Trick Worm. Bonus points because it was Shark Week! I never thought in a million years we'd get lucky like that, but Zoom came thru in the clutch again like they seem to always do. Great products, great people!

What's kinda strange is tw has the k listed at 7.6oz yet the I is listed at 7.4oz, but the k is supposed to be 10% smaller. Kinda confusing

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is pitch to anything that looks different. A small gap, a floating lily pad root, a little stick poking up, a couple dead reed stalks. Dont waste time punching every square inch.

Well I went to Academy today looking for some Zoom Centipedes, no luck. However, I did pick up some of these. Zoom 10" Ol' Monsters in junebug red and some 6" Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worms in green pumpkin. Hoping to try them out tomorrow or at least soon.

I catch several big bass every single month that I fish for bass.It helps that I live in South Florida where the fishing overall is spectacular and the fact that I often fish +8 hours at a time, rain or shine.

caught a 25lbs striper last night! had another solid hit cast after. went bass fishing after had 2 hits, missed a good fish!

question: How often do you catch a big bass? answer: Not nearly often enough! I fish frequently (at least 2-3 times per week in season) and I seem to get one to two "big" bass per month. Big in my area (Maryland) would be a largemouth bass 20" and larger.

2 years of bass fishing and caught 2 average size bass isn't bad if you only went fishing a few times. Your problem isn't catching big bass it's catching any size bass. Everyone crawls before they walk and walks before they can run....learn to walk first. Where are you located, general region would help and what type of tackle do you bass fish with?? Tom

Let me know what you think!

Personally, I'd be looking at two different units. The reason being, is pontoons are like kites in the wind, if you plan of fishing out of them often at all, you need a pretty beefy tm unless planning on only fishing dead calm conditions. I wouldn't suggest anything under a 24V tm for a pontoon, where that would most likely be overkill for the john boat depending on size.

Here are my favorite pistols from my collection. Top Row (left to right): Colt Python, Les Baer Monolith Heavyweight, FNX 45 Tactical Middle Row (left to right): H&K P7M8, CZ Shadow 2, S&W Model 41 Bottom Row (left to right): Sig P210, Sig P226 Legion SAO, FN Barracuda

just wanted to say thanks GHOTI. if everyone else is like me I think that we are getting just as much enjoyment seeing these fine people receive these rods. they certainly deserve it!