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This one recently showed up in the reports thread. But it's such a special and rare fish, I feel like she deserves her own thread. A separate video account seems appropriate as well. Plus, I will probably never see another one bigger. When she struck my jerkbait and I felt her weight, I was really hoping she was a brown bass and not one of the many other plus sized species that inhabit these lakes. Despite not knowing for sure, I really took my time bringing her to the boat. Was especially hard not to get over excited but I managed to keep my cool. Once she was on deck, I was pretty pumped. Be a while before I forget this one. Fish Hard A-Jay

Managed to hit my favorite three times in 11 days now and have a decent idea what’s going on. I posted about my anniversary trip on Memorial Day. Two more trips (one early morning and one late evening) have yielded 9 and 15 bass plus a few more lost fish. Nothing over 16-17” but I’ll take the constant action in a time period I’ve struggled in the past.

Recently decided to work on fishing the jig, both standard and swim jig, and am loving it. Soon as I caught a couple, my confidence went way up, can’t stop throwing them now!

Catching a 4lb smallmouth was a thing I will never forget, I hope you both get that experience this year This is that fish:

I came across this photo on the web recently. It was suppose to have been taken in 1923. It brought back so many memories for me, I thought about posting it here. This is the way I started bass fishing. Back then, bass fishing was a poor man's sport. We weren't fishing for our dinner, but we fished without many things we take for granted today. Most bass boats were small back then. A 25 hp motor was huge. There were no pedestal seats, you sat on planks. Trolling motors did not exist, so we took turns at the paddle. Reels were like fishing with a boat winch with the handles turning on every cast. Lures were heavy chunks of wood or spoons made of metal. Lines were thick and black. Despite all this, some things were similar to today. A few people caught more bass than others. There were more fish back then and they were bigger. Boat ramps were dirt and never crowded like today. Like today, bass fishermen were an enthusiastic bunch. We bragged about our catch and competition among anglers was high. No one painted their name or sponsors on their boat. We knew who the real fishermen were. You will notice that there are no other boats in this photo. That's the way it was. Enjoy!

Brother-in-Law and I hit the small, local lake last Saturday in the rain. We caught about 10 Largemouth before the weather started to get annoying. I decided to end the short trip using my new Jackhammer and Yamamoto Zako along a steep bank. 1st cast was a 3lb Largemouth then after 4-5 more casts a fish nailed it on the drop. To my pleasant surprise it was a decent smallmouth. The species isn't even listed on DNR site, but there are a few. People asked me if I was BS'ing them because they have never caught one in 20 years lol. I feel vindicated for taking out a 2nd mortgage and buying a Jackhammer!

5.8 pounder 23” long Swam away nicely upon release. Never mind the smile- I had a dip in 🙂 #3 ewg with watermelon n red flake plastic worm. 1/16 pegged bullet weight

Daughter's Kia was at dealership getting new engine...and the cat converter was stolen. Service manager tried to say it was my responsibility, I had to turn in to insurance. They would not cover the theft or repair. Little did he know my college buddy, and insurance man, actually WROTE the insurance policy for that dealership chain(!). Yes, it was their responsibility...service manager was just trying to avoid a claim...and get me to pay. Nope. Buddy coached me on language and who to speak with...and the dealership replaced her cat converter. Bass Pro is responsible for the boat...it was under their care. They have insurance. Just don't want to use it.

I wanted to get a spinning setup for hair jigs and one that could also handle small swimbaits. So I picked up a Megabass P5 Whippet and a Shimano Twin Power C2000S. I have been fishing this set up for about a week and have been killing it. I did post some thoughts on this in another thread but the reel is super smooth and built to handle some big fish. The rod though has been blowing my mind. I am a big fan of my NRX+ rods but the Whippet might be more sensitive and that is saying something. The exposed rod blank hits my hand just right, as to where the NRX is making contact with fingers. It's different but somehow I think I'm feeling more bites as I am catching fish left and right. My only issue has been the lack of quality fish lately and the rod is also slow to load, unlike every NRX I have.

After having a full fishing day, I say to myself, "Okay I should really take a break." Next day, I'm tying on a new rig or lure in my garage, putting my rod back and saying, "Yeah maybe I'll test it out for an hour". 1 hours pass, 2 then 3 and finally 4. Sometimes I'd even skip breakfast to get in on the morning topwater bites. I realize all of this sounds rather childish, and the simple solution is to just take a break... But the entire day I'd just think about getting that hook set in, trying new lures, and feeling the weight of my catch as I land it. I also feel this causes environmental concerns as well. I fish this one lake everyday, and I feel like I need to give these bass a break. One measly man with an obsession is pressuring this entire pond haha. Also in the back of my mind, my neighbors are thinking "Ah he's here again!?" Do you guys fish as much as I do? I know those with boats probably go around 6 hours at a time, since the amount of effort to dock and stuff.

When the DLs were first released, they were only sold through jewelry stores. They were statement pieces that were intended to be displayed, but not fished. They were still just as capable as their chrome plated counterparts. That continued for about a decade then they started selling them in tackle stores. Early DLs were all stamped in sequential order and the lower the number the more valuable it is. I watched the reel with foot number 10, a 5000DL sell on eBay 5 years ago for just shy of $5k, and it was very well used. Mind you, this wasn't a CDL, no C denotes a bushing reel so this was a very early example. The side plates were scuffed, the gold finish had pitting, and it looked like whomever had it in the past kicked it around the deck of their boat. I was shocked at the selling price, but the low stamping number was the kicker. If that reel was mint in box, it would've brought double at the very least. DL is Abu nomenclature for Deluxe denoting 24k gold plating.

I bought the reel the OP is asking about from Fisherman's Factory Outlet a year or so after they came out, which would put the date 2000-2002 (date might not be exact, if someone knows better please say so). Used it once and put it back in the box. Sold it on the big auction site about 2 years ago, looked brand new, with box, oil, and paperwork. Had to drop the price a couple times after being listed for several weeks. Ended up getting about $120 for it. For some reason there's just not much demand/value for that particular reel. To the OP, hope this helps.

It’s time you learned the #1 rule of baits - if you find a bait you really like, buy at least 30 of them 😀

Lew's love in Texas goes back to the '80s and fishing Mecca Roy's Bait & Tackle in Corpus (also Larry's Tackle Town in Rockport before Larry sold it), and the number of small pro shops that popped up around the state before BPS moved in. We fished these for decades and wondered why anybody would want to buy a Revo, though we understood the $400 Calcutta urge. That said, Lew's love is alive and well, and it simply defines baitcaster for many. The only thing that ever sent me to Daiwa was the range of aftermarket spools made for SV reels, and the total dearth of equivalent spools for Lew's reels. I'm also beyond Meh on Lew's centrifugal brake, because I don't fish the weights that need it. Specific to the OP's question, Lew's builds off 2 basic frames using different MOC, 3 different brake systems, different spool capacities, finish grades including use of ball bearings to replace bushings. While Doyo builds Lew's reels, and many parts interchange, you'll note many spec differences between Lew's reels and Doyo-built reels for other marques. Backing up to 1973, Lew's BB-1 was one of those paradigm changes in reel design that happen 3 times/ century and sent every reel maker scrambling, though he didn't patent it before he asked Shimano to build it for him. If he had patented his design, Shimano (and Every other maker) wouldn't have copied it for 18 years.

Sevens are really special especially when you understand the countless hours & preparation it takes to achieve them.

As long as fishing doesn't cause a problem in your life, fish as much as you want. My son and I fished together for years. We left in the dark and came back in the dark. At my current age, I'm good for 3-4 hours max because my body won't let me fish longer. There was a time when I would fish in any weather. Today, it's often too hot, too cold or too something. I will say fishing can cause family problems. Winning tournaments takes a lot of time and effort. When you see a winning bag of fish, you don't see all the effort behind it. I once prefished 40 hours before a club tournament. I won that tournament with three fish, one I caught previously while prefishing. Don't let fishing take the place of your family. One day you may call home and no one will be there to answer.

@Dan N Swim Jig is one of my all time favorites. Some fun things to try: Shake your rod gently with your rod tip high using some kind of chunk of craw trailer and a lighter Swim Jig like a 1/4 oz or 3/8 oz and try to keep it just in sight through out the retrieve killing the reel for a millisecond here or there at random and hold on tight! BOMB a 1/4 oz swim jig with a lighter wire hook, thin out the weed guard or even remove it if there's mostly open water with a bigger swimbait trailer (4"+ pick your favorite) on lighter monofilament line (12-15 lb test) out on a flat or paralleling some rip rap or into a pocket etc and let the jig get to the depth the fish should be at and point your rod at 11 o clock and just reel sloooow and steady. When you feel the thump, point the rod at the fish and reel as quick as you can and pull. No fanfare with the hookset. It catches giants even in clearer water with pressured fish. Long cast and lighter line and hook and pressure hook set are the key to this technique. @WRB is a big fan of this type of jig hookset and it works.

I hate theft. Keep your booger pickers off stuff that isn’t yours. People work to hard for what they have.

I keep posting up the lake. Don't know what else I can do ? 😎 A-Jay

Maybe it’ll be an 8 pounder next spring.

While I can't speak to the frog issue, I do know for sure that crawling a big swimbait on the bottom you can't set the hook on the first thump, gotta just keep reeling. Story is that the bass is knocking it into the bottom to stun it. Maybe true, maybe not, but if I swing on the first thump I usually come back with nothing.

Got a couple pickup beds full of composted manure this spring. Our raised beds have never taken off like this. We're going to have more than 7 beans, I think

Yeah I did 🤔 Drove 1 1/2 hours to the marsh, launched the boat, parked the truck, walked back to the boat. When I got in the boat, I realized I had left my rods at home!

I always pre-rig prior to a trip. Might not always require much change. Sometimes it does, especially when I am fishing a different body of water. Once I get there, I will often tweak a few deals based on the conditions; wind, turbidity, water level etc. Much of my fishing is done right at first light. So timing is a big deal. Don't want to miss what might be a fairly small bite window if I can help it. Pre-rigging baits supports that goal. Will admit to re-rigging at the ramp with a headlamp a few times. Besides, how long do you think takes . . . ? 😎 A-Jay

No - but I often leave the lake with the fish fully uncaught regardless of what I arrived at the lake rigged with 😂😂😂

6 hours??? I prefer 14

$215 to-my-door for two mint condition old magnesium JDM reels - one first gen Steez (with a SV spool), one first gen Aldebaran - I'd say it's a pretty good deal.

As I get older, my Autopilot 120 kayak becomes more and more of a beast to wrangle. But this week it got a lot easier. I added a winch post and winch to my Malone Ecolight single kayak trailer with the bunk kit. My kayak is usually stored down by my dock and seawall and when I travel I put it on my Wilderness Systems cart, haul it up to my trailer, then wrestle it onto the trailer )it’s really nose heavy), then when it’s up on the bunks I release the kayak cart. With the winch today it was about the same keeping the cart attached, but with the winch I didn’t have to wrestle the kayak up onto the bunks and it took just seconds to get it up there. It will obviously also be a lot easier recovering it in the water. Instead of pulling it up on the trailer with the tow rope the winch will do all the work. I know this all sounds simple especially if you’re a boat owner, but I’ve always been hesitant to fish a lot away from simply because of having to wrestle with a heavy kayak. Now I wish Zi had added the winch months ago when I bought the AP 120.

Mt used Lews were selling like hot cakes, even faster than my S and D reels, so I, too, have been surprised before.

There is often a huge rift between an asking price and a selling price. It's pretty common with quality, yet minimally desired products. The market on those reels are slowly growing. In reference to the listing @bulldog1935 mentioned above; at the time, the other Max reels could be had in excellent used condition for as little as $40, even on eBay. Many people bought them by the boat load. I owned 8 of them because they were cheap and high quality. Some of them I paid a whole $20 for which was a bargain considering what I'd have to spend on something newer and as capable. As with many things fishing, once the Japanese fall in love with them, the market will reflect that.

Shush, I was hoping he would slip up and leak the coordinates to Menderchuck......he'd have fools from Alabama making the pilgrimage up there for SMs like he catches 🤣

Unrigged? Very rarely. Unhinged? Often.

That’s my experience too. Lake run versions are thicker, river versions were leaner and stronger.

I am already fishing it sharply differently than I did last year. I've learned that the bigger bass can be caught by hitting the ambush pockets in the marsh and also at dusk, when they're wolf-packing far from the shore, but those open water pockets are even smaller. I have to drop my lure within inches of where they just fed within three seconds of when that happened or they won't hit it. Plus, most of my casts are looooonnnngggg, so I feel like Steph Curry shooting from the logo. It's a challenge, which makes it fun. Sometimes I just sit when they're wolf-packing and wait for a bass to show itself. I sure hope so, Alex, but I fear that in the eight or nine days I won't be fishing, they'll have moved and want something else and I'll have to go find them again, but I'm pretty good at that. I am fishing fewer ponds. I have yet to fish a couple of my favorites from 2023. Surprisingly, it is exciting to really focus on fewer ponds. P. S. - I ordered seven packs of Crush City Mayors in green pumpkin today. They'll be here when I return from my road trip!

A @WRB summer tip from a few summers ago: crank your electronics sensitivity up and find the thermocline. It'll be a fairly obvious fuzzy. Don't fish deeper than that, there's limited oxygen and probably no bass. A @Catt summer tip - find the intersection of the thermocline and structure and you're likely to get on some nice fish. Both of these really transformed my summer fishing. My tip - if you have grass, outside weed edge has always been productive when it gets hot. Might be right on the edge, might be a little further out depending on the water clarity and water temp. More clarity and hotter both drive them out, because out is deeper. I think a bunch of these outside weed edge fish are really shallow fish driven out by the heat.

Thanks - Yes and Yes and Yes. A-Jay

I don't doubt it, I was just listening to a podcast discussing the fact that SMs, and SM bags seem to be getting bigger and bigger. I think this is supported by evidence as well. B/t the Gobys and Zebra Mussels, along with in some years, a month longer growing season because of increased temps, it all adds up to growing bigger fish. Not sure if Andy is fishing a place that has those things though. Either way, incredible catch and fish, congrats!

I like the way you think Sir ~ I caught my PB in Sept - Wouldn't that be something ? A-Jay

For sure. The whole point of the ned to be really compact and as light as possible. Once you start using wider gaps, longer shanks and heavier wire you're getting away from the point of the ned rig.

x2!

I usually go unrigged because I quit the last time when I broke off

Can’t think of 4 major influencers who helped me regarding bass fishing. Jason Lucas was my mentor via Sports Afield magazine and he became my pen pal suggesting rod and reel to use. Jerry “Red” Cowan Pleasure Point boat landing manager took the time to teach me how to cast, tie knots and bass fish using a Hawaiian Wiggler #3 weedless spoon. Didn’t have any other adults that had the time to mentor me as a pre teen. Observing other anglers bass fish and trial & error was how I learned, too shy to ask questions. 70 years later still learning, love this sport! Tom

When I had my own boat with lots of rod/reel combo’s I may have tied on a clip to the crank bait rod and rigged spinning rod with slip and drop shot the night before. Mostly I would string the rods with a loop at the end attached to the reel handle ready to rig when fun fishing. My habit was to launch the boat and let the current realtime conditions guide my lure choices. I trust fresh knots more than knots tied hours before. Tournament fishing I have a good idea what going on before rigging and re-tie every pre rigged outfit before using it, again fresh knots. Tom

Eagle claw makes a surprisingly good ned rig jighead imo, my hookup and land ratio is extremely high which I attribute (at least partially) to it's unique "V bend", a modified J hook bend. It has a great keeper as well as a great price, I'm surprised I've never seen it mentioned or recommended before.

Yes, I have seen the theory of relativity in Bass fishing. My catching is relative to the accuracy of my casting. Also E=MC² The energy (E) of my lure hitting the dock, tree or side of the boat equals the Mess (M) of the birds nest compounded (C) twice as bad (²). Fishingmickey

Around 100 days a year. 8 hours minimum. Usually 10-12. I feel like I don't get to fish enough.

I used to live on the Wisconsin River. Clear. Sandy. Good current. Its smallies were also lean...and strong. The bass I caught in Ontario, Lakes Superior and Michigan, and the Mississippi were footbally. They were strong, but not as strong as fish that fight the current all day. Nice catches, @bp_fowler! Good bellies on those bass.

This is the way Shaw Grigsby put it to me, he calls it 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! I don't wait on anything, my hookup ratio is in the upper 90 percentile range. Like @casts_by_fly said...4/0 hook.

With any Texas rigged soft plastic I expect to have zero fish throw a hook. It might happen, but I’m surprised when it does. The plastic has basically zero weight to lever the hook and a single sharp hook will penetrate well. Plus, when fish hit a fluke it’s easy for them to inhale the full thing on the first strike. If you’re losing fish that way, there is something amiss. to that end, a 3/0 ewg on a 5” fluke isn’t enough hook gape for me. At a minimum a 4/0 ewg with a longer shank that puts the bend far back in the bait is the starting point. Owner light 4/0 hooks with the cps spring or even 5/0 depending on the specific bait.