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Biggest swimbait fish of the season so far. She had a big ol belly but unfortunately the pic didn't do her justice. Just a bit over 5 on the scale. Pops with a nice smallie on a wacky rig

Air Temps in the low 30's early this morning. This Pretty Lady warmed me right up. A-Jay

Bank fishing, 7 tighteyes & 5# kicker ?

So today was a day of firsts for me. 1) My first broken rod. I had just gotten the Cabela's XML spinning rod 6' L/F last week. I had fished with it once for crappie and loved it. I was off to fish for LMB and brought it along just in case the bass weren't biting. As I was folding down my back seats, the line must have caught on part of the headrest and snapped it down. *CRACK*....I'll never forget that noise. Luckily, it's a Cabela's rod and has the lifetime warranty. 2) Caught my first fish on the most expensive rod in my arsenal, something my wife got me for X-mas. A pre 2018 Megabass Orochi XX EMTF. I'm loving this rod for Keitech swimbaits. Can't wait to throw this more tomorrow. 3) First ribs of the year on the smoker! Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

The spawn is on at Lake of the Ozarks! Caught this one sitting right outside our condo...

I have been looking at Okeeheelee Park in Greenacres, FL for years during my daily commute but had never stopped to fish. Yesterday I decided was the day, picked a random bank and started casting. I was rewarded with this little guy just over a pound. I love going to water I don't know and catching fish.

Never have I appreciated all that underwear does for us then I did in that instant.

Dinkfest yesterday. Tried a lot of different locations and presentations. Nope, just caught more dinks. About 25 of them in ~6 hours.

First Bass of 2018! Air temps reached 80 degrees for the first time this year here yesterday. Warmed up the local pond enough to make the Bass start biting. Gave me a break from Trout and Pickerel. Not or a monster by any means but a great fight on the light action Kastking Calamus rod and 4lb P-Line Floroclear line.

Caught a few nice ones at a little pond in the military training area. It feels like it’s my own personal pond. My wife says it’s because I’m the only idiot that goes fishing at lunch next to the impact area. The artillery can be a little loud at times.

I don’t mind getting up at 5 to go fishing ? this is my first top water bite for the year, it was a blast!

My idea of fun is battling a good smallie on on a ML rod and 6lb. line.

Biggest Brook Trout I got this year. I have had success with rooster tails, powerbait and trout magnets

I'm just waiting on one of these famous bacon cheeseburgers you speak of.

So, this year is the first time I decided to purchase some 6th Sense cranks/square bills. And I gotta say, if they work as well as they look, I'm gonna be one happy man. These things are a work of art. Not to mention they come with some great hooks. Pictures don't do these paint jobs justice. You have to see them in person to truly appreciate them. Question to those who have been fishing these....how does the finish hold up?

Good one from day's trip. A-Jay

It was time to restock. So, I gave in and placed an order for Siebert jigs, RES and Black Fat Impacts.

It all depends on the kayak, really. What you will be up against is the amount of additional weight you bring - i.e., is your gear, combined, going to be 30 pounds, etc. So add your weight and the gear estimated weight and you'll have a good idea of how much you'll be adding to the kayak. This might be of some help to you: http://www.yakangler.com/blogs/on-the-line/item/3067-weight-capacity-explained And here's another to consider. The writer lists several kayaks with high weight capacity. Used would be your best bet for these: http://the-crafty-designer.com/how-to-buy-a-kayak-for-a-fat-person/

Lucky Craft Pointer or Duo Realis The Duo's have been my best jerkbaits this spring.

Sooo, you're thinking about trying a Ned rig?

Yes I've seen them and they are delicious. No mustard or ketchup needed. Yum, yum and yum.

Finally get to share some info! Fished TBend Tuesday through noon Friday. Had a great Thursday afternoon fishing c-rig with baby brushhog in watermelon/red and pumpkin green. Humps in main lake fish in 20 to 25 ftw, all solid but nothing over 4lbs.

I wear clothes when I fish. I don't go in the buff. I'd be afraid of "snagging"

Most days I simply go fishing, usually with a minimum amount of tackle (relatively speaking). I try and catch them how I want to catch them. If that appeoach doesn't work, I either adapt or go home.

As Tom stated it is very popular. Also as Tom stated, it's a good way to squeeze a little more $$ out of us anglers. I'm sorry but I'm old school. When I need braid, I throw braid. Straight braid, no leader. And 35lb braid is the highest test I throw. I don't buy into fish being line shy. When I don't need braid I throw good mono and in a few cases fluro. As I have said, I am a finesse guy through and through and adding additional knots to achieve....?????? More sensitivity? Not really. Strength? Not needed. IMHO, it gives more failure points without a lot of added value. You put braid on for it's lack of stretch and then add a leader so that it will stretch???? I'll stick to my straight lines......But that is just me.

Three most difficult questions to answer! My best answer, follow your Instincts (experience) ?

Yo-Zuri Hybrid 10 or 12 lb test... extremely versatile and strong, low stretch.

Braid with FC leader is hands down the most popular line combination on this site and amoung pro's using finesse spinning presentations. The belief is FC is invisiable to bass that might shy away from straight Braid or mono and the majority of anglers believe FC stretches less and has greater abrasion resistance then mono line. The fact is FC has weaker knot strength, less abrasion resistance and equal stretch to mono. It's my opinion that anglers pay more for FC and get little for there investment. Popularity trumps logic. Tom

Got bit by the line monkey today ( cousin to the bait monkey). Just showed up in the mail, got a pretty good deal on a 2000yd spool of 20lb. Should be good for a little while now for a lot of my pike rods and flippin and pitchin sticks.

I stretch. . . either on the boat or just before launching. Never seen anyone I fish with nor any of the guys in my club do this but when you fish 10 hr days it sure helps

Dink tamer reporting for duty...I swear I can catch bigger fish ?. Anyways, first smallie of the season, so that’s noteworthy! The river was all kicked up with mud and exceptionally high, the mountains must’ve had some rain.

In the creek.

Oh you can get them to backlash. Bomb a 1/2 ounce rattle trap with the brakes set on 0. I did this by mistake and had to cut brand new line off. Lol

I put a few of these wipers in our tiny little pond a couple years ago, never expecting them to survive, but when I drove the whole family back to the pond to feed the fish and toss my throw net a few times to see what had survived the winter, I got a big surprise when this guy was stuck in my net. Not only surviving, but appeared to be thriving. I also netted a large gizzard shad, so he had at least one more big meal swimming around in there for him as well as several 6-8 inch crappie. Lake was really excited about the big "Fwhopper" as he calls any big fish.

Mixed Bag today ~ A-Jay

Gotta love the smile of a happy fisherman when he’s stuck a good fish!

Only one good bass bite this weekend, but it was one of my favorite ways to get them. The shad are spawning and the big girls are just getting done spawning and are hungry. A Savage Gear Shine Glide off a dock corner brought this one screaming out and hit it so hard going away from me that I couldn't even set the hook, just cranked like crazy.

looks like you’re gonna have to sell your house james ? good luck brother and let us know when you solve this one.

Really depends on what techniques you like. Maybe something like a 7' moderate fast crankbait rod. Spinning I highly recommend st Croix 6'8 m-xf. Pflueger and Daiwa have good reels in the $100 range.

I am currently using sunline sniper or berkley 100% flouro on most of my casting rods. the cost is ridiculous. after you mentioned the high seas grand slam, I decided to give it a try. it has worked well, so far. It handles similar to the Sunline. one major advantage is it is much more forgiving on knots. I plan on using it to replace the more expensive lines as they wear out. at $7.99 a spool it is hard to beat. It is also available at Walmart.

x2 I mainly use a baitcaster for the Pad Crasher JR Unless it is windy and I am trying to cast into the wind, then I will use a spinning. And I do the same thing with a MH spinning with 20# braid. Some could argue that isn't heavy enough braid but I live in Nebraska so I'm willing to take the chance of losing that 10 pounder that is probably not even in the pond.?

There you go papaw. Or whatever she calls ya. That's gettin it done !

I already have some idea but it need more steps and not sure it it would work my idea is too switch between proper ball mount and higher ball mount. Use higher one when back in or get out from driveway and switch to proper when on street where I have more leverage. But if towing with higher one not gonna create problem then it would be a lot easier and quicker. BTW I cannot use the adjustable ball mount hitch it would bottom out for sure. I have to use 2 different mount. Such a headache for me, my wife on the other hand just point the finger like I want that boat, I want this color, I want it park there, it block my golf cart, I want cover on .... on and on and on, LOL poor James. And this is not the end of the world yet, wait until I have to teach her how to back up the trailer or operating the pontoon when launch or load that gotta be even more headache.

Yeah, that was gonna be my question as well. A 2" is actually gonna make it worse if it's the trailer/toon scraping. James, can you possibly back in at an acute angle, and then straighten it out once your past the spot that scrapes? You want to be on the road perfectly level, so make sure you have that right.

Keep the 7.3:1 on the MH/F (weighted t-rigs/jigs). Put the 6.3:1 on a 7' M/M or M/MF (treble hooks). Finish things off with a 7' M/F spinning setup (wacky/weightless). I've had good luck with a Pflueger Supreme in the $100 spinning reel category, 25 size.

I use to roll my own cigarettes - cast the frog - roll a smoke - light up and watch - some days this was the way to get 7lbers -

The #1 most productive technique; Texas Rigged plastics The #2 most productive lure; Jig-n-Craw Why y'all wanna restrict their productivity by limiting when, where, & how ya use em? They can both be cast, pitched, flipped, & punched. They're both productive winter, spring, summer, or fall. They both catch Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spots Both can be thrown on any structure, in any cover, under any water conditions, & any weather pattern. Y'all really wanna limit that? ?

If you go the Steez route, make sure you have $1000 saved up, because it's dang near impossible to not want another one.

Dobyns fury 735