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Though the belly isn't as big as @A-Jay's pb from the other day, this little guy sure put on the feedbag over the last few days...lol The structure was a rock finger between a point and an island with current coming across it from left to right, and then finally going over a small dam a little ways downstream. Caught a whole bunch tonight on the Strike King KVD 2 Hook Jerkbait in ayu pattern and the old reliable, the Rapala Shadow Rap in yellow perch pattern.

I went out the other morning trying to get back on a top water bite. After not getting bit on the plopper and a buzz bait, I decided to pick up the pompadour and see what happened. On my third cast, I got my first pompadour fish when this guy crushed it like he was a fish twice his size. Cut him loose, and picked up the senko and threw it in the same general area and felt that familiar tick. I set the hook and battled this chunk to the boat...

my grandson 6 years old likes catching bass when I landed the big one between 6 and 7 lb , he said put him back so I can catch him!! he did manage a couple as you can tell by the smile. made for a great evening!!

Strange day. Landed ~15, but had almost twice as many bites. Tick/ bump/ loss contact usually followed by a swing and a miss! I don't carry a lot of stuff with me, played around as much as I could with the limited resources at my disposal. Finally started connecting on pretty much every swing with a 3/16 oz jighead and a rage menace in the fourth quarter. Oh well, I hate fishing on weekends anyway. -Bass for dinner. -One of the ~10 that didn't make it to the table.

My son broke yet another reel this summer so we headed to Dick's to get him a replacement. While there I noticed a Lew's American Hero baitcaster on sale for $69 and was tempted. Then I saw that Dick's had a promotion to get $20 off when you spend $100 and they had a $10 off flash sale. I couldn't resits. I set it up with some 20lb Spiderwire braid and my son and I headed off to Sun City Hilton Head to do some fishing for the afternoon. It was a little breezy out and within 15 casts I bird nested the reel so I went back to my spinning reel for a while. We decided to take my dad's golf cart and try some other lagoons and before we left I cut out the bird's nest on the baitcaster and was determined to give it another go. We hit a few more lagoons but had no luck. The good news is that it was pretty easy to get the hang of the baitcaster. I kept reducing the brakes and within an hour or so I was close to free spool and could bomb some casts when needed. I got the occasional loop in the line but no bird's nests. I'm sure I'll have my fair share of those in the future. The hardest part is getting used to the right hand retrieve. My cadence is really off trying to reel with my right hand even though that's my dominant hand. And holding the pole in my left hand seems odd as well. It just feels uncomfortable right now. This Lew's MH 6'6" rod is also a lot different than my 6'6" MH Ugly Stick. I liked the baitcaster, but everything felt "off". I hadn't had a bite yet and was wondering what it would be like to land a fish on this new setup. But as the sun went down I got my chance to find out. I was throwing a Rat-L-Trap lipless crank and didn't even feel the bite. I was casting far out from the bank and the line got heavy. About halfway in I was dragging the fish on the surface. It turned out to be a crappie just under two pounds. Throwing the Rat-L-Trap turned out to be a good idea because it helped me get a better feel for this new rod. The thump-thump-thump as I raised the bait felt a little more pronounced. It was also easier to feel when I hit the bottom as well as the slight "tick" when a fish bumped the bait. Then something slammed the bait and it felt pretty big. As I'm trying to reel in a decent sized fish, trying to get used to holding the rod in my left hand, trying to get used to fighting a fish reeling in with my right hand, and trying to adjust the drag, the nearby 10 foot gator takes note of the action and starts cruising over. As it turns out this fish wanted to fight. He makes a run away from the shore but lucky for me away from the direction of the alligator. I finally started gaining some ground on him and he gave me a scare when I got him in close and he paralleled the bank in the direction of the gator but luckily the alligator had backed off and stopped 15 feet from shore. It wasn't as big as I initially thought while I was landing it but still tipped the scales at 4.5 pounds. All in all, it was a good day for my first day with a baitcaster. I threw a lot of different baits with it today and overall it felt pretty good although I wonder if I should have picked up a left hand retrieve instead. Right now it just feels weird holding the rod in the left and reeling with the right. I like the feel of the Lew's American Hero rod and it seems to offer a lot more sensitivity than my MH Ugly Stick. I have no doubt this will be my primary rod even though I love my Pfleuger President spinning reel. And suddenly I'm a two rod guy. Next thing you know I'll have eight!

caught this one this pm on a homemade frog sorry for the poor pic casting left handed and trying to take a pic with my junk right hand is a real pain forgot the pic of the frog I caught a couple pounders after the one pictured

The TSD sale got me to give the Hippy Rat a try; Took it out this morning and felt a bit silly, until I got a blow up. I missed the hookset but I buckled down and keep casting around the same area. A few casts later the rat got smashed. I was delighted that the rat worked and kept casting around the same area, about 10 more casts then this guy hit; My scale battery picked that moment to die, but he was a bit smaller than the first one. I was throwing the rat on a Fred's Magic Stick and it felt really overpowered. The rod is only rated for 2oz, but it throws a 2oz Huddgill perfectly, so I was surprised at how hard it was to cast the rat. I can bomb it out there, but any kind of close range lob was very awkward and inaccurate. I bought the Fred's as a frog rod, but I have been throwing big baits with it far more often, so I might look at replacing it with something more powerful and finding a new frog solution.

Past few days I've been going for nothing but rainbows and sunfish because on the 10th is our stocking day for our river. They will be releasing 1700 rainbow trouts into the river and i'm hoping i can do well and get my limit in one day. But, I decided to switch things up and went for bass before heading home and caught it on weightless senko on trapper hook and on a spin caster outfit. "Not my normal outfit for bass." Personally, I'd use my bait caster but i wanted to see if i could get a bass on this outfit and the picture shows for itself. I have all these neat lures and stuff but bass don't want it. But they'll take a weightless wack rig senko. So here is a picture of my bass before leaving for home, The bass was calm and didn't want to give up my sister's thumb lol.

They've been treating the heck out of the small lakes I've been fishing trying to knock out the algae. Three weekends in a row, and the water is almost a cobalt blue color. Still finding a few bass willing to eat my finesse baits though.

I prefer one of the Charlie Brewer techniques... more fishing, less defining. oe

I'm finally getting out of bed and starting to move around. Feeling better. I went for another round of knee injections. Faster than jiffy lube to get them. I had them last year. Three weeks, three injections. I just received my first injection on this go round. Going to go fishing soon. Opened the tackle box yesterday I chased the moths out of it. By the third injection I may try stairs next. Haven't been in my tackle room in 5+ years.

This is the way Shaw Grigsby put it to me, its call the three tap theory. The first tap the bass has inhaled your bait The second tap the bass has exhaled your bait The third tap I'm tapping you on the shoulder asking you why you didn't set hook!

And that is probably the safest bet. "Ned Rig" is an ambiguous and ever changing term. It has been captured by Zman and the masses, and is constantly evolving. Even Ned himself has no control over the term. It has been interesting (and sad) watching the whole thing play out. Fortunately, there is a Ned system It is called "Midwest Finesse," and it has more defined boundaries. The media hasn't been able to screw that one up yet, and probably won't. It is where Ned himself lives and plays, along with the rest of us 'originalists.'

Caught this one on a Popper last night right at sunset.

I hate being as big as I am because in pictures every fish I catch looks so small hahaha.

Fun last hour of sunlight and then a tank just after sunset...all bass released to fight another day.

Managed to pull off a win this past weekend on Choke Canyon with tough conditions, fish with Lock-Jaw, and 96 degree temps. Had 17.8 lbs anchored by this 5.43 Florida. Caught all but one on a drop shot in 10-20 fow. Pulled 7 lbs ahead in AOY standings.

Caught my first swimjig bass burning it above receding weeds. Weapon of choice: 3/8oz Pepper Signature Swimjig (Hawks Secret) paired with a BPS Speed Shad (Sexy Shad)

After 13 years, I finally decided to use my walleye boat for it's intended purpose. Years ago, I thought I was gonna walleye fish, so I picked up some gear. I hate trolling, so nothing ever came of it. Heard stories that the fish have been committing suicide, so I rounded up 2 rods and rodholders and set out for 70'+. Didn't get the boat in the water til about 1pm. Was done packing up to run back to the ramp by 4:30. 12 keepers, 12 short and a big white bass. Heading back out early tomorrow. Hope to be back by noon.

Huge fan of St. Croix. Like everyone has said, their warranty and customer service are the best out there. I have 8 Croixs and they're all fantastic.

What model was it? Mojo? I have over 25 SC rods, in Avid, Eyecon, and LTB series. Love them.

With the barb pinched down, hooks bury deeper, more easily so they often are hooked better with no barb. Yes, you might lose a fish or two without a barb, but you generally don't land every fish even with a barb so if you keep good tension on the line, you shouldn't notice any more fish lost. Besides, the hooks come out so much more easily, you won't be killing any bass.

You may have a hook setting timing problem, which will improve in time. Personally, I started crunching down barbs years ago for easy deep hook removal when I fish plastics. I don't lose fish because the barb is gone and simply reach in with this hook remover, grip it, turn it and lift it out. http://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-squeeze-out-hook-remover

Unused outboards still need to be maintained... ...stuff that sits unused can go to crap much faster than you'd expect.

Nothing wrong with eating some bass. They are some very good eatin'! This summerlike weather we're having here in central Louisiana is for the birds. Had that kinda cool spell for a week or so when Harvey come through and did all that damage in Houston. Since then we've have temps in the low 90s during the day and high 70s at night and over night. Heck I got sunburned yesterday. I've never gotten sunburned in late September. Be glad when those high 70s low 80s are the daytime temps and 50s and 60s at night get here. I've gotten skunked everyday for the past week. I've almost forgotten what it feels like to catch one.

Not as of yet. I have had a slow tattoo year. I'm getting ready to get two possibly three tattoos before the year is out. My arm needs more art work! I can't expand to my chest until I get this sleeve finished. Never in the history of tattooing has a sleeve been drug out for this long. Its all on me though. I also plan on getting an industrial in each ear before the year is out. I've always wanted them I've just never gotten around to it yet. I've never had the cartridge in my ears pierced so I'm a bit curious to what its going to feel like. I figure it will either hurt like hell or it will kick an adrenaline high. I'm seriously thinking more of the first than the second. Repositioning jewelry and to a much larger extent a needle in a fresh piercing never feels good. Plus my wife is not helpful i this at all. Her definition of pain and mine are completely different. Get your tongue pierced she says. It doesn't hurt at all she says. Ummmmmm. Wrong. The needle didn't hurt at all. Those stupid hemastats hurt like all get out though. Good lord those hemastats were horrible. So yeah little miss, "I may have been imbibing at the time, so I don't really remember", is not allowed to advise on piercings anymore.

I fished Toledo Friday. Boated 54 bass, top 5 went 22lbs. Lost 2 fish well over 8lbs also. We stayed in 15-20ft and caught most fish on crankbaits. Look for shad and bass on ledges with creek bends nearby.

The vanish made your fish vanish. I would suggest a leader that is actual leader material. It is better suited than vanish.

I raised 3 sons that are not mine while I never adopted them all 3 call me Dad & call their biological father just a sperm donor. Anyone can father a child but it takes a real man to be a Dad! Raider

Congrats ~ PB's are always a Blast. btw - you're almost up to one post Per Year. Keep it up ! A-Jay

Almost forgot what a bass looks like; so I had to go out and remind myself. Bluebird skies, no wind, fished from 1230-400 pm. It was pretty brutal. 7 dinks, and a 3# fish.

Went fishing with my best friend and his uncle to a spot that t really produce much and this weekend we just started slaying them left and right. One of the funnest days of fishing in a while.

Here's my tip - become a more experienced/better caster ...and I don't mean that negatively. I am almost 100% fluoro on every baitcaster I own, ranging from 8# up to 25# test, throw everything from Shad Raps to A-rigs, and I don't have any issues - never used line conditioner. It might help you initially while learning, but you don't need it. Simply become a better caster and your fluoro "issues" will go away.

This is no longer true, I have a new PB found lure. While fishing Saturday, I saw something near surface of the water. I motored over to it and at first thought it was a dead bluegill attached to some kind of fish stringer. As I reached down for it, I realized it was a medium sized hard body swimbait in bluegill color (Jackall Gantrel Jr.). Great lure, it even fooled me. Took it home & it cleaned up well (before & after pictures below). In regards to the poor soul who lost a $30 swimbait, I am 99% sure it wasn't one of the other two serious fisherman on the lake. Since I found it close to a green belt area that is accessible to the public, my theory is that a knowledgeable fisherman who doesn't have lake rights snuck down here to do some fishing and hung up the lure on something. If it was another homeowner or a guest of a homeowner, most likely they would have jumped in a boat and motored over to retrieve it. I do get this is Orange County, but a $30 floating bait is worth some effort in retrieving.

Funny story...My buddy and I a few years ago were surfcasting for stripers from a beach in Rhode Island. We were into some solid fish for about two hours.....well, HE was into fish.... It was a breezy night with an east wind in Novemeber. It was cold, and bitter, and the surf was up pretty good. He was fishing a large needlefish plug, and he was able to get it out beyond the breaking surf. I had a couple of lighter needles, but I couldn't cast them very well. He was catching fish on almost every cast for just about two hours. He hung up in the rocks and broke it plug off. Now that he lost the magic lure, the bite stopped. He left and walked down the beach a little bit. A few minutes later, I reeled up my plug, and saw his plug hanging off of it. Now I'M into fish! He came walking back when he saw my light on a few times and he noticed I was catching fish. It's the middle of the night, and you can hardly see your hand in front of your face. He saw me catch several big fish, and he wandered over to me asking what I was using. I turned on my light to show him. The look on his face was absolutely priceless!! LOL!!!! He let me continue to use if, but the bite died quickly. I told him I would sell it back to him when we got back to the truck. I teased him a bit about it, and gave it back before we went home.

Will do!

In the winter I will fish for crappie and bluegill if the water is not frozen over.

I agree, while i would prefer it in the back, it is by no means a deal breaker for me. I would hardly use tho OB and when i do, 1-2 mph is nbd.

I'm not sponsored by them. This is just my Gods honest opinion.

Interesting first post. How long ago did your sponsorship kick in?

Thanks for sharing this special time in your life with us.Thanks for stepping up for your niece. We need more real men to do what youre doing. I have an adopted daughter and son that are now grown. I always wanted another daughter for some reason and had the name picked out ( Mackayla ) My daughter then had a daughter and named her Mackayla.( She didnt know that was what I would have named another daughter ) So now they are living with us and she is like a daughter to me,since her dad rarely visits. We fish, take walks, do hikes, swim,play sports etc. And I got her brother in the deal too. So never a dull moment at our house.Sounds like at your house too,Raider.

Congratulations brother! There is clarity in a child's eyes!

You're absolutely right. Blood doesn't make you family. Loyalty, and don't forget honor and respect, makes you family. I have several brothers from other mothers as well as sisters from other misters that would do whatever they could in their power for me and I for them. Regardless of your rugged lifestyle, you've apparently been loyal to her, honorable to her and respected her. She in turn has honored and respected you with asking you to adopt her. She's already your family now. Don't need no paperwork or lengthy processes to say so. You feel it in your heart and so does she. That's all that matters. You are very blessed and I'm happy for you and her. I'll keep y'all in my prayers that everything works out for the best and that the tough times be limited and easily overcome. There's something really special brewing there and all you should do is cherish it and keep doing what you're doing, your best. Way to step up, that's total loyalty, honor and respect! Amen brother, Amen! ?

You're a good man Raider. P.S. Any new tattoos or piercings?

Grats. You clearly did something right because she looks up to you. You don't need to be perfect, but she sees you as someone she can look up to.

To give your all in order to provide for and protect a child- no matter whose it is- and to earn their love and adoration is the single most rewarding thing a person can do with their life. Good on you Raider, and cheers to anyone out there working hard and making tough decisions to provide for those who count on us.

They are.....and can be BIG!! 14lbs on 8lb test!!

Up here, it's not like I target other species exactly. It more like just 'being prepared' for other species . . . A-Jay

Most expensive usable lure I "found" was a Storm Arashi crankbait attached to the mouth of a big catfish that ate my swimbait. He also had a football jig stuck in his side, so he had been busy breaking hearts & lines. Changed out hooks on the Arashi & it was like new. The lure I was happiest to find was one of my own. I busted off a Strike King 3XD in a brushpile and then found it floating in the same cove about 5 months later. I say it was mine because it had the red hooks I always switch too that I am pretty sure no one else on the lake uses. It had some moss & gunk growing on it, so it had been underwater a while. Not sure how it finally broke loose & floated to the top, maybe that catfish freed it. .