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I missed three really nice fish. One of them hit it twice the exact same way, I hooked her the second time but she dove into the weeds and shook me. From what I could see that looked between 6 and 8lb. Without a doubt would have been one of the top few fish of the year so far. Always hurts. Didn't see the other one but the swells were big big. It happens. The part that I took note of though was that I didn't stop getting hit until noon. I would say that I landed 60-70% of what struck today which is a notable improvement from the last few outings. Everything i landed was about a pound, but eight of those makes for a fun morning. At one point i had a guide troll right through my casting zone and park directly on top of where I had been getting strikes. After about 10 minutes I got a bass right behind them. They stayed about 10 more before I caught another one and then they left shortly (but very loudly/angrily) after that. If given the choice, I would rather not have that experience. But if you roll up on me when I have a bite figured out, there's a good chance you're gonna get your feelings hurt by a man with a walking bait. I've been using a strike king dawg Jr exclusively the last week or so. Thing just gets bit and bit and bit.

I've not been posting a bunch because of some life issues. My van tore up, and I had another car, a Chevy Tracker but it needed some repair before I could drive it. This took a while, and as a result I only fished 2 times in 3 weeks. During that time, I went through a spell of poor service too, so I wasn't able to check in as often. Well, after I got my Tracker running, I took it to town and went fishing. I went to the heavily pressured public lake that I've mentioned several times. I like fishing this spot because it's a challenge. It's fun to catch a fish here and there when others say they've fished it, sometimes for years, and never caught anything. I'd learned some about tying soft split rings with braided line, and I thought that this trick might just be something that'd give me an edge. I tied my favorite gold crankbait thusly, and had tried it a few times with no luck. It does feel differently though. It pulls through the water with less sound, less vibration, and overall is just "different" feeling. Well, this day, I was by myself, I started working my way around one of the holding ponds that is attached to the north end of the main lake. These ponds are connected to the lake via a small channel, which the city dams up to hold the fish in case they need to work on the dam at the other end of the main lake. This particular day, there wasn't a crowd, but there was 4-5 other people fishing. I fished a split shot rig a bit, with no success, so I switched to the crankbait. I caught a nice 1lb10oz bass. I worked my way down about 20 yards, making a few casts. I was working the squarebill crankbait at a medium speed, probably just nipping bottom on occasion, in about 4 feet of water. I was sweeping the rod tip sideways to move the lure, but not letting the lure pause between sweeps, rather, just letting it slow down. About 10 feet from shore, I felt a strike. I set the hook. I saw my line moving sideways to the left, I began reeling, and the fish ran directly towards me! I reeled as fast as I could. This bass knew all the tricks, he went right for a bush! A skinny bush, but a bush nevertheless. The shore line in this spot is about a 3' drop off. I held my rod out with my left hand as far as I could to persuade the brute to come free of the bush, all the while thinking... I am glad I have 12 pound Big Game mono, and not something lesser! The fish emerged from the bush and just sort of submitted, swimming right to the shore's edge and the surface, looking right at me. I could see it was a very nice fish, and guessed 3-4 pounds. By this time, someone was walking by. Three younger guys. I'd played the fish maybe 30 seconds, but it seemed like 5 minutes at this point. I was thinking... how am I going to land this thing without a net? I was reluctant to flip it because I didn't think it was hooked good enough, and I couldn't tell for sure, but I know there are some 6+ pounders in there, and I didn't want to chance losing this trophy regardless of weight. Well the passerbyers saw the fish and congratulated me. They offered to help, so I let one of them hold the rod, while I collected my possibles, which consisted of my tackle bag and another rod, that were about 30 feet away. I returned to the rod, and took it in hand, then I proceeded to walk up the shoreline about 40 yards towards the nearest spot I could reach the water, pulling the fish with me. The fish knew his environment well, and lunged for another bush, then a large stick that was in the corner. After I made it around the bend, it wasn't far until the water was at foot level, and I was able to swiftly slide the fish from the water right up onto the shore, which consisted of short grass. Without further ado, here is my new personal best, a weighed 4lb7oz, with my scale registering 3/4oz light. I'm quite proud of this fish. I know that it's not the largest fish in the lake, but for me it shows that all the hard work I've done to learn the lake, and how to fish pressured waters is paying off. Up until the above fish, I thought that the following was my PB, but I had not weighed it. I estimated it at 5 pounds based on my box that I had previously weighed. Then, I caught this one: and I weighed it at 3lb14oz, so I was pretty confident that the fish above was closer to 4 pounds, rather than 5. Now, after catching the fish in the first picture there is no doubt about the one I didn't weigh. The new PB fish was physically larger, and it was noticeably heavier to hold. Shame there wasn't someone handy to take a picture of me holding it. I unhooked and released it. I thanked God, and I hollered whooo! Then I got a text message from a friend that heard me holler. He said "you at the lake? I heard you whooo!"

Took me a while this time to figure out what the bass were biting... Thankfully didn't get skunked!

I react to it better than I used to for sure. Roberts is a busy lake in the spring and fall, if I wanted it to still be relaxing I had to figure out how to deal with it a little bit. Occasionally it still gets me pretty upset, I'm not gonna act like I haven't come into this forum and ranted about it multiple times in the past. But anymore, today's experience is what I get 60%-70% of the time - they show up, I catch, they leave, I keep catching. World keeps on turning

Got her back up and running!!!! my neighbors down at the lakehouse gave me permission to cut up at least 3 of their fallen trees as well, going to be a busy firewood season ! I’ve missed it. Only cost me a $20 carb plus $10 shipping 😂 . might try to help cut up some hurricane damage too if they will let me

Regardless of how much water there is in the glades right now, the black bass bite has been nonexistent: fortunately the Peacck bite has been crazy. A local guide has caught over 100 peas in 4 hrs and not one single black bass. They seem to focus on small hard stickbaits like Rapala # 9 or torpedo type baits. As bad as the bass fishing is right now in south Florida, the Peacock are on fire! Fish close to the weed edges and look for big rocks along the edges. Strikes have been violent! They are not everywhere, but moving in packs, so don’t focus in one area too long. When you find one, you may get multiple fish in quick succession. We are so lucky to have these fish in our waters.

Hate it for both of us, but I am right there with ya ~ Last two trips on two different lake Menderchucks. I went Sunrise to Sunset, (Plus the drive) which is a marathon for this OG. #toast Got No Bass - so you did better than me. Worst part for me is, I'm clueless as to when the smallies are and perhaps more importantly, where the heck they might show up next. Expect better results here in Oct and it's Not the way I want to wrap up any season. But I'll keep fishing when I can and we'll see what happens. Might have to breakout the Old Town Canoe and play some small ball. Help me . . . . 😎 A-Jay

I should not be allowed to watch any more YouTube videos. JDM Expride 6'10 Medium, OneTen +1 Jr. in Frosted Wakasagi and ITO Clear Laker, and the Zumverno 95 SP in ST Purple and S Smelt. I'm going to pair the Expride with a Curado 71 MGL but I might keep it braid to leader for now.

It's gonna get harder and harder to tell a real pic from a computer generated one...you thought all the Photoshopping was bad the last couple decades - AI imagery makes Photoshop look like a kid's crayon drawing.

Got this in today from Digitaka, my third one but in a 6.2 speed, tried it already and this thing is a winch!!!

Wednesday was my mentee’s 1st work birthday - he’s an engineer fresh outta school and getting the hang of the job very well. So I said we should celebrate and go fishing (he’s an avid hunter and fisherman). He liked the option of topwater smallies, so I hoped for a repeat on that. We launched into thick fog at sunrise and ran the same plan as Wes and I did on Sunday. It held up well and we caught probably 20 smallies and a handful of pike. Average size was down a bit, I caught a 3.75# and a 3.92# near the end but most were 1.5-2.5#. No complaints though, it was a good couple hours. Our topwater bite died not long after the fog finally cleared, so we went shallow for the last 45 minutes and blanked on trying to find any largemouth.

Steez the one and vanford 2500s. You may call me godless if you wish, but these two match better than my socks.

Nothing 🤣 Possibly the only bait I’ve never caught a bass on. I even caught a bass on a Whopper Plopper - once 😉

About the time I think, I have them figured out, they prove to me I don't! @Pat Brown Everytime I hear someone say, all "scopers" do is stare at a screen, I just walk away. 53 fishing Toledo Bend y'all wanna guess how many hours I've spent staring at a screen? That's some nice information to have.

You have paint on your lower unit? Gotta try harder man….. 😂

Wacky - skipping docks and fishing in water 5 feet or less because of the slower fall rate Neko - deeper weedlines at least 5+ feet deep because of the faster fall rate Ned - more of an open-water tactic for me because of the exposed hook. Tends to get hung up in thicker weeds. Just the other day I was using a ned outside the weed line (the small version) and catching some bass but they were all on the smaller to medium size. I upsized to a bigger worm and immediately caught 3 bigger bass.

It's normal for me especially this time of year. I fished multiple days in a row this new moon period during the hurricane and got one fish out of it.

I think I've said this before somewhere else - @Catt knows what I'm talking about. Most days are 'opportunistic reconnaissance' every month. There's about 4-6 days a month where *you will have a shot* at Nadine. I don't get discouraged by a skunk. I expect them. I DO still catch fish but they're bonus fish. I'm out there gathering data/information so when I encounter the monthly solunar peaks - I can capitalize and be *in the right place*. I am a big game hunter. I ain't fishing for tight eyes. Most of what I'm doing is looking for where the big girls are feeding and when they are feeding - with low expectations of aggression levels conducive to biting artificial lures *most days every month*. If I can figure out where they're eating and when - I can nail them when the sun and moon and conditions all get right *maybe*. For what it's worth the only thing that will change my tune in a hurry is weather. Low pressure front? Gentle rain? Little breeze? Clouds roll in? Sun comes out? Oh yeah. Now we just might be in hunt mode and out of recon mode for a lil bit. 😎😉🤙🏼🎣

Usually have a whitish swim jig tied on from May until November. If anyone is wondering how to fish them it is simple. A swim jig is just a bladeless spinnerbait nothing more, nothing less. Allen

Touching photo but it looks to me like it was generated with AI.

School bass harassing a Threadfin Shad school causing them to ball up in lieu of a large cloud I use a structure spoon that flutters on the fall. Couple of casts with no strikes move on. If the bait ball is moving toward shallower structure that compresses the bait I move ahead of the bait and wait using that is where the larger bass are waiting to feed on the Shad. Spoon in the fall has been my most productive lure for bass feeding in Shad schools. Tail spinner is 2nd, underspin 3rd. Tom

For a few weeks this fall, I was thundering, catching between 35 and 70 bass per session and landing one to three four-to-five-pounders per trip, but then I caught 25 the last time I fished and 20 this morning with no four-pounders. I started hot, landing 12 bass in the first hour, but only eight in the next three hours. Their size was so consistent, nearly all footbally 16.5 inchers, which weigh about 2.5 pounds. I caught a couple longer, but not as footbally: So, I caught 16 lmb and four smb. No pattern beyond the first hour, where I went old school and steered a Whopper Plopper through weed fields. After that, just a bass here and there, some shallow and some deep. My camera died for good, so once again, I had to use my cell phone, which takes great pics. See: I'm thinking I forgot how to catch bass. I should start all over again. I hope I can buy a Snoopy rod on Amazon.

You have more tolerance than I do for this sort of thing. Whether the guy was pre-fishing or actually in a tournmanet, it doesn't make it right. Your fishing zone on the bank is very limited AND you were there first. Being in a boat doesn't have that limitation and yet he chooses to fish there. #idiot

It's that time of year. I really enjoy cutting firewood and messing with chainsaws. Dropped a large Oak last week that was full of those huge Asian hornets. 😳 Think I'll wait till it gets cold before blocking it up. 😅

I get mine from Simmons- they auction a lot of LC baits on ebay and will combine shipping. Edit- Your post just cost me $20. Checked the 'bay and couldn't pass up the MS zebra ghost minnow lv500's.

Last night cousins turned in only the 25th 500 yard passing game in the history of the NFL

You’d have to log some serious mileage walking if you read a lot of bass resource 😂

I would have totally done this

And just to finish this one off ~ I've run my Leash equip rig around Lake Menderchuch a couple of times now since the initial install. As always put her through the paces. Bottom line, Boat still runs like a raped ape. And like I said before, pretty much forgot it was even back there. Stay Safe A-Jay

September into early October is always a transition period here in the south. The days are rapidly getting shorter, but the water temps may hold or get cooler based upon the weather. Fishing gets tough, then one day it’s like someone flipped a switch and the pre-winter feeding frenzy begins.

I really like the NED and wacky. Never really fished Neko. In general, I start with a buzz-bait and spinnerbait to start the day. I always have a squarebill tied on and ready to throw. I'm initially looking for aggressive, active LMB's (sorry, no SMB's in the lakes I fish). If the bite is on, I will stick with power-fishing. If the bite is slow, I'll throw a t-rigged worm, NED, or weighless t-rigged Senko. Sometimes a wacky senko. If the wind is calm, or relatively calm (rare here in Nebraska), I will continue to toss NED and Senko, and mix in drop-shot. Those three will usually put fish in the boat. If the wind is a blow'in...it's back to power fishing, or pitching a jig-n-trailer. Good luck!

Ned is very reliable and versatile, so generally I start with it. If no action, change color. If still no action go with something entirely different, like a crank or Keitech swim bait. I will now and then use wacky if not in depths over 8-10, but generally, if they don't want a Ned, they don't want finesse. At least that's how I see it where I fish.

That’s an AI generated image.

There’s nothing serviceable in the DC module. If you’re suspicious of it after it dries, I’d spray it down with electronics cleaner rather than disassembling it. I think you’ll be ok though.

It was my secret lure for fall tournaments until I stopped fishing them in ‘98. Kept it secret even after I did.

SMOKED WHOLE CHICKEN I bought a 5.5 lb never frozen chicken at Walmart. I picked up a couple of roasting ears and a cucumber. I had fresh tomatoes in my garden. I washed the chicken and patted it dry. Then I sprayed it with olive oil and covered it with a dry rub. I put it in the smoker at 225° and cooked it to 157° (about 4 hours). The corn was cut through the husks to the cob then cooked for 6 minutes in the microwave. When done you can hold the end of the cob and with a mitt slide the husks and silk completely off. The chicken was moist and tender. We ate half of it tonight and will have the other half later. I used a little barbecue sauce with mine. COST chicken $6.88 corn $1.00 cucumber 1.00 Total. $8.88 with half a chicken left over.

Swimming for suspended bass around cover, often over 15’-30’ of water.

Foul hooked a good size channel cat that blew up on my walking bait. Made me think it was a big fish until about half way through the retrieve. Fun though. About seven missed blowups later I managed to stick this 3.5lb CHUNK of a fish and that was the end of the morning. So many missed strikes. Half my fault, half theirs. We'll hope for better tomorrow

I would say that the fall bite is just beginning to turn on here. Been doing well on shad jigs and topwater. Really hoping the water temp settles in the high 60s soon - that's when topwater really gets crazy.

Been a fan of Bizz Baits since they were a site sponsor here a number of years ago. I haven't bought much tackle this year, but I saw they had some good looking stuff in their custom shop, including some limited-run plastic colors and "Fall Fry" triple willow spinnerbait:

Scheels clearance rack, $9.99 each.

Fish long enough and It happens to everybody. Don’t believe them if they say it didn’t Mike

So I finally got my Birthday Box my wife bought from The Hook Up Tackle and for $100, I don't think I've seen a better deal, especially for OSP baits. The 4 packs of dice and the 5 packs of beavers alone are worth it. All together I got 25 packs of softplastic. The only thing that might be a bust is the micro MMZ worms. They are smaller in diameter than a spaghetti noodle.

Took advantage of a few sales going on out there on the ol' worldwide web. Not sure what's going on with the Bait Fuel. It's always been clear for me. I wonder if it's old? Anybody else ever get any that has a slight yellow/brown tint to it?

Picked up a couple CR-10s that Amazon was selling for half price recently, unfortunately one was a return that someone had swapped a generic crank into. Amazon made it right, was just funny opening the package and seeing this junk.

The Bait Monkey got me for a few this week. The Megabass White Butterfly is one the best colors I've seen. I know the bass don't care but man, I wish I would have bought two of each.

You can even upgrade within the warranty program. I upgraded my snapped Victory to a Legend tournament and only had to pay the difference. I think Mojo to LTB is $150-200. Would smoke any rod under 200 bucks. You could get the 7’3” MHF or the 7’3” HXF (it’s really a MHF, just has a stiff backbone) for T-rigs and jigs, and move your Fury to moving bait duties. if you wanna go another direction, the Shimano Zodias, Daiwa Tatula Elite, or a Dobyns Champion XP on a discount would be my top 3 rods under 200 bucks. The St. Croix Victory rods are good too and I’d put them up there. Never used a Levante but I’ve held them in the store and they feel very nice in hand.

Trilene XL.

@ToothyCritter Dumping fish is always a bummer. I fish my open water spinnerbaits on a 7'4" MH Mod Composite rod and 15 lb FC line. This set up allows me to get a solid hook set and keep the rod bent until the fish is in the net. I might lose one or two a season but it's pretty rare. My advice is to keep the stick you have but switch out the braid and go with the 12-15 lb Fluorocarbon, Copolymer or Monofilament Fishing Line of your choice. In the clips below there's plenty of chances for the bass to throw the hook - not happening. https://youtu.be/NpVmd8ll1Dg?t=162 https://youtu.be/Z95g3H4qmp0?t=83 Good Luck A-Jay