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Knowing the signs of trouble and what to do can make a difference. A-Jay

But I'll never know. Decided to stop by the little river in the town just north of the house about 10 minutes after work this morning. Loaded with gar and when the river gets low, they're really aggressive. I know most shun gar, but they're hard fighters, aggressive, and very acrobatic, on top of the fact that they're dang near impossible to hook. I was fishing a 6' 8" M/F Mojo with a 30 size Pflueger when I got that telltale sharp tap of a gar's beak slapping my grub. When I set the hook, it moved really slow, kind of started wondering if I hadn't missed the fish that bit and snagged a different fish, which happens because of how stacked up they get at times. A normal fish down there is 28-36 inch range, but when I saw this mammoth longnose gar's body, I seriously thought I might have hooked a rogue alligator gar that had somehow found it's way up the river. It was gigantic, I was positive it would swim into one of the 2 log jams pushed up against the concrete walls, but when I was able to slowly finesse it away between leaps and wild tailwalks across the small pool, I started to realize I had a real shot at landed this monster. I grabbed my grippers that were attached to my scale from my open bag and walked to the most opportune spot to try and beach it, really wishing I had a pair of gloves like I normally would so I could just grab the beak. The fish made several more slow, determined runs and at one point stopped and did some massive headshakes that resulted in my line being between it's teeth, I knew the clock was ticking on my 8lb leader then. One failed attempt to clamp the grippers on it's beak, then I lead it to shore once again and clamped further back and drug it onto shore, I could not believe the girth on the fish. I've never seen a gar look fat before, but this looked like a giant muskie's body with a gar head. I had a tape with me, it went right at 53" long. Tried to get a weight, wouldn't open it's mouth, so I tried to pry it open with pliers despite knowing it was a bad idea, and I was right. One huge headshake and I was dripping blood all over and just as fast the fish had propelled itself back to the water and bolted off. The pictures are terrible because they don't really show how truly massive the fish was, but it gives a little idea anyways if you take into consideration the size of the objects around it. It was as big around as my leg with scales the size of nickels.

I fish with my grandson much of the time now, at least once a week. When we finish fishing, we make a quick sweep of the lot and pick up trash. We sometimes bank fish a small lake, and as we walk back we pick up what we can, and throw it away.I know there are others on this site who do this too. I carry a small roll of trashbags in my boat. Before we go to a new spot, we make a quick scan of the boat to make sure nothing blows out once we are moving.Do others do this too? If you saw someone intentionally being careless with trash would you confront them or report them? I don't like people who trash the lakes. We don't spend a lot of time on this, but every little bit can help. At some point the wind will blow these things onto the surface of the water, eventually going into the water. Some lakes are worse than others, but it doesn't matter how big or small. If you do this - that's great. Good fisherman respect the waters they fish, and want to keep them in good shape. Would you rather pitch your jig into good water, or onto a pile of floating debris?

Snuck in a session this morning before work. Hit a lake at about 6:45 and started with a topwater popper. Casted it way out and started popping it in. Had my first ever hit on the popper on a pause. Bass came up and just gracefully slurped it down without a splash. I had a lot of slack so I reeled in and side swept it. Missed! It was just too far out I think. Oh well. Ran a swim jig for a while. Managed to launch it into a tree. Lost it. But I will go back with a lure retriever and hopefully get it back. Picked up my lightweight spinnerbait rod and tossed around a little Booyah crawfish/perch colored 3/16 pond magic spinnerbait. On one retrieve when I was about to pick it up out of the water I felt that wonderful tick, pull, pull from a bass. Reeled down, set it and got 'em! He's not big but I'm proud all the same. Ill take it any day!

Oh I knew what it was, and I know it was close. I shot a 51" gar that wasnt nearly as thick that was 23lbs several years ago. This one was in a whole different size class. It was an awesome catch regardless and I don't think I would have killed it even if it was a state record. I know where it lives and it's a small area, hoping maybe I can catch it again.

I know this is a bass forum but, struck out on bass today. Caught this guy on the Saginaw river today. I think it is a flat head. If it is a flat head it is my first one. I was throwing my chatter bait with boot fluke white trailer to some wood and bushes. Before it floated to the bottom he grabbed. I’ve fought a lot of salmon while trolling and this guy will give 18 lbs king a run for its money. I have never felt anything like this while casting. I was using 10lbs big game line. After I netted him the chatter bait fell out of his mouth. He bent the kvd snap all up. He gave my Black maxx rod and reel everything he had and the rod and reel came through with flying colors.

Great reminder here. Another key is to stay hydrated and not just the day of. When i know i am going to be cycling in the heat i will almost drink water to the point i can't stand it for a few days beforehand and it really helps. the same thing goes for fishing, especially with me being a kayaker and physical exertion helps. I also wear long sleeve sun clothing and you wouldn't believe how much it helps to just dunk it in the water and put it back on. Cools you off pretty quickly.

Try the Mann´s Hardnose Jerkbait! They´re bulkier and a bit longer than the 5" Zoom Flukes: They cast like a bullet, even weightless, and the action is great!

Most believe one passes through heat exhaustion before entering heat stroke. While it often does, it is possible to get there in minutes. Finding shallow water and getting your butt in, is the quickest way to drop body temperature. If you can't get shallow get a life jacket on and get in the water

It's been hot and miserable here in SC for the past few weeks. The heat index has been about 108 with 75% humidity. Even at 6-7 pm the heat index has been at 100. To make matters worse, the few times I went fishing the bite was almost non-existent. But after work tonight the heat index is supposed to be "only" 91 degrees! You can bet we're headed out to fish after work.

Soooooo....you've met my ex-wives?

I am like you, but I am sad to say that we who do this, are in the minority. It got so bad at the dock that they not only added a large trash bin, but also installed receptacles to dispose of line. Garbage still finds its way to the dock floor and sometimes even the water. The line bins are also load with garbage such as soda cans, fast food to go things yet there is a freakin' trash can strategically and conveniently placed for everyone. It's more the stupid adults than the kids too! I'm too sick and tired of being a goodie two-shoes nerd to politely talk to them anymore. Tempers are short on people these days. I'd hate for any of them to pull out a knife or gun on me too, because they might regret it. Forget sleepless, they're clueless in Seattle.

I jumped on the bandwagon 3 years ago. The TRD finesse jig head pairs perfectly with the Zman finesse 2.75" plastic as was stated by Bass Turd in the prior post and the hook size, although relatively small, hooks and holds fish. This lure will catch just about anything that is swimming around wherever you are bass fishing. I have found, in most cases, the fish are hooked in the front of the mouth and even when I hook a toothy critter such as a pickerel, I seldom get bit off. Take a look at the various pictures I have posted of LMB,SMB, pickerel and lake trout that were caught on this bait. I fish out of a kayak and don't have any electronics, yet I still manage to do pretty well because I use this rig whenever the conditions allow. I went out with my neighbor last year in his canoe and he had never caught a bass in his life and he managed to catch some with this. Also, the Zman plastic is indestructible and you could literally catch dozens of fish on this set up (my record is over 80 before I was bit off). You will get bit off or hung up and break off before you will need to change out the plastic. There are certainly many other lures to use but I am a big fan of this one. Edit - Note: that even though most fish are hooked in the front of the mouth, I still crimp the barb down in case one takes it deep, so the fish can be easily unhooked. These hooks are needle sharp and will still hold. I remembered this point after reading the post below by smalljaw67 - "To make it even better he pinches the barb down and still catches fish with it"

I have been on a quest to reduce the amount of tackle I carry around. This has not been what you would call an unqualified success. I've tried and discarded several ideas over the last few years. I may have a solution. Plano, a new forum sponsor, just sent me three of their new Weekender series bags. A 3500, which holds three 3500 size utility boxes, a 3600 which holds three 3600 size utility boxes and a 3700, which holds, wait for it.......three 3700 size boxes. They came with two boxes each. And a shoulder strap. The small one is now my walk the bank bag. One box has terminal tackle, the other has a few cranks and jerkbaits, and the rest of the space has a tube a Megastrike and a few bags of plastics. Clip on the strap, throw it over my shoulder, and I'm ready to go. Got enough stuff to walk the bank at my favorite local ponds. The 3600 bag is my new kayak bag. I have three boxes in it. Terminal tackle and jigs in one, cranks, jerks and spinnerbaits in the second, and topwaters and frogs in the third. Front and side pouches have a selection of plastics. I can place it behind my seat, or between my feet. It is just the right size for the yak attack. The largest box has not been filled yet. I'm going to try it out next time I head south to fish with Kent and Rick. I've been using a BPS boat bag for these kind of trips, and it is not optimal. The boat bags are good for all kinds of storage, but not so good for organization. The large Weekender, with three 3700 boxes, a front pouch and two side pouches will hold enough tackle for me for just about any day trip I will be involved in. If you're one of those guys who wants to lug around every bait you own, these new bags are not for you. If you're looking for an affordable way to carry around "just enough" stuff, these might be what you're looking for. One more thing. No danged zippers. These bags have straps and buckles. Pull the top flap over, secure the buckles, and nothing is gonna fall out. A lot easier to open than zippered bag too!

We all know that the good folks at Savage Gear are one night of hard drinkin/weed smokin away of coming out with the 3D Suicide Manatee but man do their baits look cool! Yep! After two ducks, two rats and one bat... i´m gonna get me a couple snakes!

Yep, I finally got to fish the legend. Did pretty well too, caught about 10 bass, and got the trifecta of species. They were mostly small ones, but I did get a couple good sized Spots, (maybe 2 lbs, good sized for around here anyway) got a nice 3 lbs Largemouth, and managed one good Smallmouth: Fun trip for sure. I really wasn't sure what to expect, but it was pretty classic post-spawn fishing. I caught every single fish shallow and on a Trick Worm.

Easy answer.....Yamamoto DShad. Made out of the same material as a senko and weighs more than most any 5" fluke style bait. Heavy enough to drag weightless like a tube. It's one of my most favorite baits Yamamoto makes.

Fishing the Potomac it is a frustrating situation. There are so many tributaries that flow into the river that every time it rains there are tons of trash that get picked up and deposited in the river. We always ****** what we can when on the water, especially large pieces of plastic like grocery bags, ice bags, etc., because those are lower unit killers. With DC and other large metro areas on the banks, there's some pretty nasty stuff that I won't touch like condoms and syringes that are pretty common floaters. When I used to wade fish the North Fork of the Shenandoah river, a lot of the access points were shut down due to people completely trashing the areas and I mean everything from a to z left behind, clothing, beer cans, bait containers, dirty diapers, paper plates, fish carcasses and damage from campfires just to name a few. As a result landowners just shut down access. I was fishing a spot with a friend and we collected 4 bags of trash before we started. Unknown to me it was private property and it wasn't long before the Sheriff showed up. Because of the litters, there is a -0- tolerance for trespassing and just as he was getting ready to write me a ticket, he noticed the bags stacked up next to my jeep. He asked what they were and I told him. Instead of writing me the ticket, he thanked me and was going to the landowner to tell him what we did and to make sure that we could get access anytime by letting him know who we were.

Heading up in the morning to pick up the boat and bring it south to install new electronics. May fish tomorrow afternoon, but just around the house.

I will admit that I seem to have several of these symptoms once the the lakes up here start to freeze. Of course that's more about a lack of any Heat . . . . A-Jay

My grandson loves to grab trash while the boat is moving slow down the lake. As we go from spot to spot we'll see the floaters and do a fly by. Thank you to those that care.

I've seen people who struggle on the water, but have fun, and enjoy it. On the other hand, I've seen those who could sink their boat with what they catch yet they gripe, complain, cuss, and throw things around. They are obviously not having fun. You tell me, who's the better fisherman?

Always carry a trash bag in the boat, pick up anything we see.

The things you guys remember... Actually, if i do recall, in the Simpsons prediction the Mexico VS Portugal game was in the final so... ain´t gonna happen this year (only chance for that game is in the half finals)! Maybe in 2026 world cup in the USA.

I became a believer when I had one of my best days ever on it this Spring, even though I broke off the biggest one and one other when I got wrapped around timber. I got back to the ramp and everyone was talking about how slow the bite was. That little light went off in my my head and I knew it was the real deal. That's also the day I decided to switch to straight braid and haven't broke off since.

That is without a doubt, a flathead catfish, congrats on your first one. They are one of the hardest pulling fish in freshwater in the US for sure, especially if you get ahold of a really large one.

Doug Hannon must be looking at this and saying oh my! Tom

I love to read things like this. It’s great seeing others care enough to pick up someone else’s garbage. Any trash I see on the boat launches or in the water and I can reach it with the net, I will dispose of. Won’t always confront people, because that can create bad situations, but sometimes I literally can not help myself. At the very least I will report a litterbug. In my opinion, littering is one of the most selfish, ignorant, scummy things a human can do. What really makes my blood boil is seeing trash strewn across my favorite lake’s boat launch and park, when there is a huge garbage can right there. How can someone not feel guilty or embarrassed about leaving their trash to clutter up a public place, or for someone else to clean up. I can not comprehend that mindset.

A family friend came to visit this weekend and asked me to take him fishing. We asked my son to come along and he did. While we were fishing my friend suggested we have a competition to see who can catch the most fish. My son is very competitive. Little did I know that was all it took to get him into fishing. We fished 2 days with my friend and 1 day together after he left. So far I am winning by 1 fish. I didn't have to use my excuse that I am the knot tie, snag and tangle person on all our trips. Luckily we are doing quantity over quality because he had the biggest catches.

Everyone knows that’s the Simpson predictions always come true ? MEXICO VS PORTUGAL who will win ?

I even used it successfully this year (I know I said I wouldn't buy it after the whopper plopper fiasco). It does indeed catch fish.

Can't flip more than 15' any further you are pitching. Dee Thomas usually was about 5' to 10' from his target when flipping, that is why a long flipping rod is needed. Tom

It would be VERY difficult for a fish to open a FishGrip.

1. Try to learn something every time you go fishing. 2. Learn to appreciate all the other benefits of fishing and not just the catching part.

Young anglers are at sort of a disadvantage now days compared to when I was a young angler because of all the lure choices they have . Drop shots , wacky rigs , huddlestons , shakey heads , Ned rigs.... the list goes on and on . A cousins kid is getting into bass fishing and he is routinely getting skunked at a lake I routinely catch 50+ fish .He keeps asking about all these lures . I tell him where to go , where the brush and laydowns are and stick with spinnerbaits , buzz-baits , Texas rigs and crankbaits but he still says he struggles to get a couple of dinks . Sometimes you need to forget about all your lure choices and stick with a few that will work well in the conditions you encounter . Over 90 per cent of the time I am either throwing a Texas rig , spinnerbait , buzzbait or crankbait and put them where bass hang out .

Every time I try casting with my reel I have problems ? My rod does a way better job!

Your PB grew a pound in this thread

Had some more success on the stream after work this past Friday. Here's a quick snipnet. I get to the spot where I last caught a brook trout. It's really shallow and I wonder how on earth I caught a fish from here. I pitch out my spinner a few times and nothing hits. Alright time to move a little further downstream. I round a bend and my eyes light up like it's Christmas. Right in front of me is about a 25 foot long cleared off stretch of stream that is perfect for casting into and the stream runs tight across an undercut bank with a tree bulging out of the water. It looks like the deeper portion will be at least 4.5-5 feet deep. This should house a couple big brook trout. I wade into a position where I can cast from and wait for the mud clouds to settle. After a little bit, I fire off a cast and watch as a big brook trout comes up from under the bank, slaps my spinner and darts back under the bank! I throw the spinner right back and then something truly remarkable happens. I got it all on GoPro so I'm hoping the footage turns out. The big brook trout comes up to the spinner and slams it but somehow is barely hooked so he pops off right away and as he pops off he jumps out of the water and lunges for the spinner! He misses it so I reel it back in and know what cast number three will yield FISH ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's the brute!!!! He's going crazy and is barely lip hooked! I get him in close and flip him onto the bank. Yes! My new Personal Best Brook Trout at 12.5 inches long (at the time haha) Alright!! That undercut turned out to have 5 brook trout stacked under it. Craziness!

Accidental tiger muskie when I was bass fishing yesterday morning. Smoked a buzz bait in 8 feet of water. I initially thought it was a pike. Measured 33 inches, and released fully alive.

Lol well that's the plan! I like this little spinnerbait a lot.

Worse case if the fish ain't biting you can get a pretty good burger?

Yup!

Better late than never! I've seen this thread before, but it just never sank in seeing old sales that I had missed. So I started coming here more often and just now subscribed... THANK YOU! Discovered the Academy sale and bought a bunch of H2O items along with a few others that have been in my list. The prices (even those that were not on sale), were pretty good, so... Now I just have to wait by my door! LOL! My wife's is taking me up to Ten Mile lake here in Oregon for a "mini-vacation". She's even springing for a boat rental so I don't have to get mine in order and have to tow it up there. (How lucky can one guy get? She loves fishing and comes from a heavy fishing/hunting family.) She's planned for us to both spend most our days up there fishing! =D Thanks for all who post here! Just save me a bunch of $$$ (I don't think the "bait monkey" had anything to do with this purchase... I'm pretty specific about my "wish lists" I keep on my computer and only purchase what I really want to use/try out... LOL! (rolling eyes)... Thanks again! Richard

My buddy demonstrates when you "long arm" a 2 pounder

We decided to go after walleye on Sunday because of forecast. Boy if I was that bad at my job ild.get fired. Switched to bass and the air craw was the ticket. Picture don't do it justice. The claws have air pockets in them .

Well you said all are casting so why not look into a spinning set up for dropshot and shaky heads, or other smaller finesse stuff? Another helium, z-bone, or glx with a shimano ci4+ Reel?

I forgot about jelly worms! I still fish those (and sniff them too every time I open them).

I always thought you looked at RC for a cranker, and AH for a deep cycle. Is that wrong?

beautiful as always..........they look good enough to eat.