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@Bluebasser86 and @T-Billy That's brutal guys, really hate hearing those stories. We're in a club that nobody should ever have to be in. I won't forget your story Clayton especially since you still have the card and recovery might be possible. Prices go down, new tech comes out, I don't blame you for not spending that much. If mine is successful, might be worth getting a quote from them. Few lessons I want to share with anybody who needs to hear it. 1. Going forward I will always re format the card a new each time out. 2. I will always make sure I safely remove hardware or eject media on my PC before pulling the card out 3. I will pay attention to the warning signs before the mega disaster strikes, when I insert a card into a drive and it says something is wrong it wants to scan and I x it out because I've done so without consequences 1000x before, don't do it. Enough of that, had a great day which was about the only thing that was going to put me in a better head shape over the data deal. Didn't catch but 11 Bass but managed a 21lb on the dot bag. The two prizes were a 7lb 11oz fish, and a 5lb 2oz one. The 7.11 ate the red vault, the 5.2 ate the shad vault. @Blue Raider Bob What a fantastic reply brother! A big girl awaits you in the New Year! 😎

Fishing in the present ~ Moving forward, I plan on working towards fishing more in the present. I believe each moment in my fishing has meaning, some more significant than others, whether I notice its importance immediately or sometime later. Making the most of my fishing as it happens, rather than wishing for the past or worrying about the future. I think this can & will improve the quality of my fishing and help me feel more optimistic and prepared to face any challenge. Feel like I already do some of the above but I'm betting there's room for improvement. I can admit that being too much up in my own head may distract from my success on the water. It may be all about balance, seems it usually is. Fish Hard A-Jay

Learn to catch fish 😂

No backlashes. I'm trying to break my record on shortest New Years resolution.

Cherish each moment on the water.

Finally getting back to freshwater fishing after a 5 year hiatus. It's been quite a while but I have no regrets and happy to get back

That's a BIG compliment in my town ! Get over it. 🤪 A-Jay

I'm with Andy. I also aspire to be present and grateful. Like @Rockhopper's dad, my fishing days are waning. I want to remember as much as I can until I no longer can...fish. I expect to still be fishing in ten years, but not the kind of bushwhack fishing I've long enjoyed for decades. Heck, wilderness fishing is already too demanding for me. Sure, I could do a fly-in, but bushwacking-into the wilderness with all my gear is too tough for me now. My resolution is to fish my baitcasters more.

Keep on learnin' and hopefully trickin' a fish or two and making friends and memories along the way and maybe get my first teener! Would be neat to win the big bass bash that I qualified for this spring - but I won't cry and quit fishing if I don't. That's about all I got for y'all! I love bass fishing and ain't nothing gonna change that this year.

I don't really have a resolution for 2025. I'm just thankful I'm still able to go fishing, and catch a few. I hope everyone who has a resolution can make it happen, amnd achieve your goals.

Oh someone’s in the stuff now! 🤣

Did @AlabamaSpothunter just call this Canuck a Yankee? 🧐🤔😝🙃

I'll sneak this in, despite today being National Quitter's day with respect to resolutions. I vow to be more comfortable fishing solo. I am a kayaker, so there are inherent risks., but I'll stay safe (100% PFD). I am talking about not worrying about my circle of bass fishing kayak "friends". not worrying about what they are catching, or not catching. not worrying about not getting invited, etc. Just fish ME. I'm the keeper of secret lake locations anyways. I already hit a far lake solo and I did well. I dont even post pics of my catches to them anymore. (unless it is a WHOPPER!)

@Swamp Girl - been chatting with my fishing buddies and we think that basically it kind of has a similar effect as a controlled burn does above land. It kind of kills off the weak fish and a lot of the bacteria and fungus and parasites and infections and sort of has a purifying effect on the shallow water on the lakes we fish. I definitely think it leads to much healthier and much fatter fish in the spring with less parasites and infections and signs of stress. And much fatter fish because of all the Shad dying that they get to eat without having to chase. Overall it's a very good thing and I'm trying to be thankful for it and look forward to the goodness that is sure to come!

um, you know google can translate those photos online, and you can download the translated image.

I'm in the "simple looks" camp myself. I like my gear non bling and utilitarian looking. Matte blacks. Clean. Simple. No stupid graphics, goddy colors, or polished bling metal. That's not for me and never will be.

Used to get it...and used to give it out. Now, when someone gets something new, my standard response is, "Good for you! Enjoy!" And I go about my business. When I get something new, or find a good deal on eBay/Craigslist/FB Marketplace, and someone makes a comment...I just say, "Thanks" and go about my business.

A bit late for the thread and I have seen some in the past, but what are people's fishing resolutions for 2025? My main one is to find more locations, and minors are to use my baitcast more often as well as taking my family out with me more often on fishing trips.

That’s why I started making my own jigs a long time ago. Even with today’s prices I buy the hook I want for about $.30 and skirt tabs for $.30 each. A hook and 2 full tabs run me less than $1.00.

Agreed! This coming from a former yankee too! Been a minute since I’ve posted hasn’t it?

Haha, for us simpletons everything above the Mason Dixon line is Yank territory 🤣 Back me up fellow redneck 😁 Nice to see you posting again Scott!

This is key. I don't have wide feet, but I buy wide cold weather boots. Gotta have some insulating air space in there even when wearing wool socks. Preach it brother. It ain't easy getting two inches of wiener out through six inches of clothes. Err... Uh... So I hear...........😂

Mississippi winter is too cold for me. I don’t know how you guys up north do it. Personally anything less than 55 degrees is considered too cold 😂

Here we go again ~ While there's still some details to workout regarding exact travel days & air travel, the first week of Nov 2025, I hope to be chasing crazy huge green bass in Mexico. Didn't really know if I'd ever even be able to plan another one of these. So it feels pretty good just typing that. Mean while, the Lake Baccarac top water selection is good to go ! Looking at 297 days and a wake up. A-Jay

Alright guys, here they are in English - complete with FULL specs! Shimano Launches Ultegra FD Shimano Unveils Tackle System For Technical Swimbait Anglers

2024 was a reall rough and also very busy year for me. I intend to fish as much as I possibly can with my father in 2025 as he is now 71 and there are not going to be a ton of "quality" years left to do so. He is still as capable now as he was when he was 60, but I know that time is becoming more and more limited. I want to make as many memories for both of us while we still can.

That will be coming to a screeching halt very soon and they'll end up on your christmas tree as an ornament instead.

Loosely using an old analogy...... The Antares is heavy like a 175lb 6' Blonde fitness model. With that said, the Yen dropped. 24 Steez SV TW on the way. 🐒

Physically and mentally increase my ability to muskie fish longer. I feel as though even just an extra hour on the water would help that cause. Like 5 hours instead of 4.

Jig head & Minnow Got a real aversion to throwing exposed hooks

If the conditions are right I would like to throw a Bomber Long A Minnow with the tail prop more. It gets big bites .

13 fishing dual pitch 108 maybe? The gill detail and ewg hooks look like a match

Whoa! I didn't know that NC could freeze...and three winters in a row. I'm assuming your ice isn't thick enough to fish. Am I right? How exciting! I would have loved that almost as much as catching bass. I agree. I'm assuming Alex is going to catch some big bass and bags in the next couple months. Mid-winter is Alex's happy place. I'm a little farther north than you, so I feel really lucky to catch the bass that I do. I think it's a combination of being coastal, which moderates temps a bit, and fishing water that's harder to reach with boats even smaller than yours. However, your proximity to Lake Ontario should moderate temps a bit too, since it's really an inland, freshwater sea.

I like @Tennessee Boy response....lures are tools. A Swamp Lord is not used if the bass are in 12 fow, a Wiggle Wart is not used if the bass are under a weed mat. One lake I fish now has lots of duckweed. Where a squarebill used to be my most productive lure now a frog produces the most. Can I go find some crankbait fish? Yes, I could, but I've fished there all day and the only lure that I got wet was a frog, because it's so much fun!!!!

I wrote the above back on page one and the average of four lures per angler is holding steady. I have yet to acclimate to how different these four or so lures can be. Some of you are catching the majority of your bass on lures I rarely/never use. For example, I've never used a speed worm, buzzbait, dropshot, or hair jig for bass and have caught one bass in my life on a chatterbait. The good news: I'm not about to place an order for speed worms, hair jigs, and chatterbaits, so maybe Lure Anon is helping, which doesn't make the Bait Monkey happy. Take that, Bait Monkey!

Wow, that’s pretty awesome fishing for anytime of year.😎 We’re in a cold snap here, and it feels like it’ll be forever until I’m fishing again. When I do get fishing again, I sure hope to catch one over 5#. I couldn’t crack that nut last year, several 4’s but the magic 5 never bit. 6’s can happen up here too, but they’re rare. A 7 is a once in a lifetime bass and could happen with a smallmouth just as easily as a largemouth, although my boat’s too wee to spend much time on Lake Ontario where the really big smallies live. It gives my hope to have the little boat ready to unwrap in April and go after some shallow water pike, to get warmed up. Hopeful a warm spring.🤞🏻

After work, some people take the edge off with an adult beverage...me? I spent evening with the Dobyns Champion XP 735CB Glass. This is a rod you love or hate. The vibration from the chatterbait is somewhat muted with a glass rod, but for me it's just enough feel to be effective. That glass taper pins that fish. The strike feels like you caught a wet sock. It's truly a unique bite. Today was awesome! This pond I fish has a been called The Dink Factory, because the fish are tiny. I go there to finesse fish with dropshots, Neds and finesse shakyheads. There is something fun about a 10 inch bass on 8lb braid with a 6lb leader, peelin' drag! I caught most of my fish like that today. However, this setup I have is killer. Dobyns 735CB Glass paired with an SLX DC. Today on my first cast with this combo, I caught this beautiful girl. Caught her on a red Mini Max. I knew it was a different kind of fish when I heard the splash, you can a tell what a little fish from a larger fish. I knew it was much better than what I have been catching. She was right at 13". Fun catch after work!!!

They say it hit 50 briefly today, but it didn’t feel like it. The sun barely appeared though they said it would shine, and they claim the winds only blew NW @ 6-10, but they seemed stronger than that. Cold rain came through overnight, and water temps are now down to 43-44 degrees and still stained - and the Arctic blast and possible snow is now just days away. All that to say I made one more afternoon run to the lake. Only got one bite, but it was a decent fish over 3-1/2 pounds, cranking.

The new products from Shimano are being revealed in China market, and a lot of goodies are coming the next spring: new Antares with MGL IV, Aldebaran DC with MGL IV, new TranX with CoreSolid body, new SLX BFS... Here are the pics and intro. Google translate may be needed.

54 and sunny today. And what's the butcher's name on the Brady Bunch? And no Googling it! If you know, you know.

These things are unacceptable for any rod that is worth over $70 to me, but even if everything was flawless, what is up with the GLX, NRX and the NRX+ looking ghetto as hell? How is it that from generation to generation, its going from ghetto looks to ghetto looks? If a $35 rod from Aliexpress can look like a $350 rod, i don't want to hear anybody telling me that a $500+ can't or shouldn't look sweet. Loomis rods straight up looking like they're from 1985-1997 to me. Never understood what's their deal about.

I fell for this, “the action of this lure is so lifelike tournaments are banning it.” Yeah, I’m an idiot. 😂

I have 3 bfs set ups on ML rods. 10 lb braid on all of them. No worries on having enough line as long as the baits aren't more than .25 oz. Thumb education comes into play...... The alpha and zillion are awesome reels! I have both and love em! Welcome to the forum!!!

aw, come on, all fishermen love trucks

@CoryRobertLowe I fish a few retention ponds in my immediate area and one thing they all share in common is they are in neighborhoods which means the weeds are dense from the fertilizer runoff, also I fish from the shore so in my case it’s longer casts that I try to run parallel towards the weed edges if that makes sense. I am also going to try small spoons this season as we have a pretty good amount of crappie in the ponds but the bluegills dominate other than early spring and late summer/fall. As far as slower to strike I’ve not found that to be the case and usually the larger more dominant ones will strike first. I forgot to mention another favorite lure is a small rattle trap which if I can keep it out of the weeds the bluegills seem to really like it.

How many lures catch 80% of your bass? How many worms come in a pack?

I feel your pain. My SD card from Day 2 of the Kayak Bassmaster Classic got corrupted and I haven't been able to recover it. I got a quote recently from a company that said it would be $900-$2400 depending on the amount of data needing to be recovered (there's a lot, I was catching them good all day that day). Kills me not to be able to even watch the video again, but I can't spend a house payment to get it recovered. I'm in a year long challenge of sorts called Catch and Release Alive for 2025. The goal is to CPR 2025 bass by the end of 2025. So I'll be tracking all my fish this year. I got out Saturday right before the big winter storm hit. It was 27* pretty much all day with 10-20mph east winds and 41* water. I fished from 7-12 when the freezing rain started and I wanted to get home before the roads got bad. Ended up with 34, bringing my yearly total to 36 fish and 477". I only brought 3 rods and fished with 2 of them most of the time, a Ned rig and Jackyll Bling.

Had some heavy rain but it stopped for a while , got the kayak out with some nightcrawlers. It was about 33-34 degrees but I got a nice SMB and yet another walleye. I’ve caught more walleye than bass this year! That’s a first . Todays was just over 22”