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I had “one of those days” on Saturday. When more goes wrong than right . I had app 15 bites , and lost fish every way imaginable. I was able to get 5 in the boat, nothing to write home about in size. I lost 2 big fish, but that’s become par for the course for me lately. The 2nd pic is of the east side of our island. Caught 3 of the 5 there. Lost another 5 or so on the west side…

Boat ramp fishin'. Went with a t-rigged Senko worm. Probably about 1.5 pounds or so. Sometimes you just gotta get back to basics to reel 'em in.

Today they quit hitting spinnerbaits but inhaled Chatterbaits, go figure. Water temp 53*

I love topwater season

Went out today to Flagdale lake. Last time I was here I was in my brother in law’s kayak and had a rough go of it. Winds were crazy I struggled to keep the kayak in position and I lost two at the boat. Today was more of the same wind wise, 40 mph gusts. Found a pocket that the wind was blowing into, also had birds swooping and diving into it. Caught two out of there on the black/blue mini max. Like to think that they were the same two I lost last year. Either way I feel like we’re even now.

Went to the local river this afternoon and even caught a fish. Fished for a couple of hours until my shoulder started to hurt. Caught 6 bass with a 2.95 lb largest. Almost every cast I had a stumpknocker or redbreast bite on a worm so at the end I threw a beetlespin and caught a dozen or so. Everyone has seen the picture of a LM bass with me holding it. With no rain the river is dropping and it's getting harder for me to get up river. There are many rocks and trees upstream that I have to be very careful not to tear the lower unit and prop up. There's also a tree across the river that I have to bump over even trimmed up.

Nice upstate NY walleye caught a couple weeks ago, my biggest ever.

We have all seen it, felt it, sensed it. You turn quickly but you don't quite see it, but you know its there and getting closer. You can feel its fetid breath on the back of your neck as you make your next cast. It's stench permeates first the air around, then seems to seep into your very soul. The skunk is there waiting to pounce on its intended pray and you feel helpless as you are caught in its remorseless gaze.... That is how I was feeling on Sunday. I was fishing the Columbia out of the Dalles for the second time ever and things were not going well. I had last fished in the spring several years ago and had a monster day. I could not help but anticipate another monster day. Last time the fish were feeding along a shallow rocky reef and were loaded up. Several times I had back to back to back fish. Only occasionally did I make a cast without at least a hit. That was an amazing day. I woke up extra early so I could be on the water early and I was out fishing by 7:30am. The day was perfect. It was calm and cloudy with some sprinkles on the way. The water temp was 46-47F and a foot or so of visibility. I could not have scripted more perfect conditions for an awesome day of bass fishing. I was almost shaking with excitement when I got to the magic reef. I made my first cast and it came back without being bothered. "That's OK, its bad luck to catch a fish on the first cast anyway" I said to myself. Then came the second cast, then the third, then the hundredth cast. OK, I guess they are not up shallow so they HAVE to be either a little deeper in 10-15' range or out in the deepest close by water in the 25-30' range. Well, that was good reminder never to tell the fish where they HAVE to be. If the fish were there they were pickier than I could accommodate because I could not buy a bite. I did not know the area very well so I went into explore mode. I tried spot after spot. I even went all the way across the river to fish a deep rip rap/boulder strewn stretch. Nothing, nada, zilch. I ate my lunch and went back to fishing. More casting without even a hint as to what was going on. I finally just started pedaling around looking for something to fish that I had not fished yet. I was just zig-zagging my way downstream when I saw some rock in about 25' of water. "This looks promising" I said for the millionth time that day. I tossed out my drop shot and did not get bit on my first cast, or second cast. I am not sure how many casts I made. Feeling the rock ticking my drop shot sinker, it just felt so perfect. Then, as I was scraping along the rock I felt a thump. I almost could not believe I was getting bit. I jerked up and it was fish on. I babied that fish and played it like my life depended on it. I whooped out loud when I slipped the net under that fish. It was a respectable 2lb 5oz smallmouth. All of a sudden all thoughts of doom and gloom were erased from my mind. That one fish, that one beautiful fish completely turned my day around. On the next cast I had another bite but lost that one after a short battle. l wish I could say that it was on fire and that they were stacked like cordwood but that was not the case. No more bites on the rock so I moved around until I found another patch of rock. This one was empty. I kept searching for rocks on my depthfinder and when I found some I would sometimes catch a fish but most often not. I just kept plugging away and over the final four hours of the day I landed 8 bass. Once again, not on fire but after thinking you are going to get skunked it felt as good as any day ever. Fish were OK sized. BIg fish was a 3lb 10oz and the best 5 went 13lb 30z. Not going to win any records but after that start I felt like a world champ and I had a lot of love for each and every fish that I caught. Here are pics of my best 5 and a video from the day. Here is the best one:

Went out yesterday even though the forecast called for 20mph gusts out of the north. Water temps were 55-60. Fish have been on the beds somewhat. Good chance for me to give the new Ghost trolling motor a good field test. And to run my boat for the first time this year. Fueled up with non ethanol on my way to the lake and actually misjudged how much was already in my port tank (26 gal capacity) and belched some very expensive fuel on the concrete. Always a puzzle to figure out on this lake, shallow, deep, blades, Ned’s, etc. Normally this time of year we would be vertical jigging blades in 30+ft of water. At the current temps, the fish were scattered and setting up to spawn. We caught males up shallow and females a little deeper. Best baits were Ned’s with a 4 inch Senko, 3.5 Shad Shape Worm and a 3in Scope Shad. The Ghost performed well and was invaluable when we needed to hold in place for a net fish and to keep constant on facing into the wind. We found them in pockets as well, they seemed to be bunched up in the pockets when there was deeper water nearby. Easy 60 fish day. I’m now off to Florida for some beach time. No fishing though.

Thanks for the compliments on the boat. It’s a sad story I have tried to make better. I bought the boat in 2014 when I moved back home to Virginia from Florida. I took my old guide boat with me to Florida since I had a rental house on the St Johns with a dock and boat lift and ended up selling it there to a tournament buddy before I headed back home. It’s a 2005 Z21 powered by a 2005 Yamaha HPDI 2 stroke. Original to the boat. I have been meticulous about care but alas, the fact I have stored it outside is catching up to it. Even double covered, the black/gold color scheme generates a lot of heat in the summer sun. I put a portable fan under the cover in summer but after all these years, the clear coat has developed “stars” and cracks that are all cosmetic but drive me bonkers. I have been told it’s age related more than exposure and that other boats of that age that have been stored inside have also developed the same condition. Back to the sad story, when I got back from Florida, I thought I was going to hold off on boat shopping for a while. Not having a boat was driving me nutz. I went and looked at a few but they all didn’t pass inspection from my well versed boat expert friend. My tournament partner called me up and told me about a boat he saw on Craigslist. Normally, I would have dismissed any Craigslist boat but agreed to go look at it. Called the owner and arranged a time. He lived on a large property and the boat was sitting alongside a huge machine shed under a tattered and torn cover, full of leaves, sticks and mold. I just about walked away but my buddy stopped me and said we need to look at its “bones” not the cosmetics. We uncovered the boat and while the owner and I discussed price, my buddy was in the compartments and inspecting from stem to stern. After a short private pow-wow with my buddy we agreed on a fair offer price considering the condition. The owner flat out refused it and we left. About 3 weeks later, the boat popped up on Craigslist again with a lower price but still higher than my offer. I called the owner and said my offer still stood and after a little back and forth, we met in the middle. I told him my offer was contingent on a water test to make sure everything worked. We set up a date and met him at a launch on the Potomac river. He had put some fresh fuel in it and it fired off first crank after having sat for over 2 years. While we were out putting the boat through its paces I noticed the owner was very sad looking, almost to the point of tears. That’s when I got the rest of the story. The boat was originally a touring FLW pro’s that his brother bought in 2006. His brother retired and bought a place on the Potomac, and this was going to be his forever boat. He enjoyed the boat for a number of years but the summer 3 years earlier he decided to buy a kayak as well and on one of his outings, he turtled the yak, got wrapped up in vegitation and tragically drowned. He had 2 boats, the bass boat and a center console. His sister got the center console and his brother got the bass boat in his estate. His brother owned a huge landscaping business and was also a blue water guide in the outer banks, so the bassboat sat because he was sentimentally attached to it. We had a heart to heart talk and I promised to take care of it to the best of my ability. It ended up a labor of love getting it back into shape. The worst was the mold that I fought for years. The “Black Pearl” as my friends call her, has been all over the country and has served me well.

Snack-size preference lasted all of one day. They're back on the 4"

Got this fat bullhead on a zoom horny toad, of all things…

Fished my first little local derby this weekend out of a Jon boat and caught a 4 and 1/4 lb bass that earned me 7th place out of 12 boats - felt cool to catch one in a tournament and weigh it in! Caught it during a shad spawn right at sunrise on the Berkeley stunna in a color I custom did (scratched the paint off and made it chartreuse with black back but see through). Fished hard all day in 30+ mph winds and got one more in the boat that didn't help me out And headed back in at 3 pm - missed a few bites on the fluke that could have helped me but the winner caught an 8 lb 10 oz bass on a main lake point before the sun came up in 19 feet of water on scope - so I don't feel so bad. Meagan and Jake took me fishing to make me feel better on Sunday after my defeat - 3 casts into the day - I hook an 8 + lber on a black and blue jig - she comes up jumps one good time Two feet before netting range and comes off in slow motion and then sort of slowly swims back down. It was really something. Kinda hurt my feelings. She was real fat and healthy - but I had such a good week - I accepted it. Managed to boat 4 nice fish on a nice fun trip with the family mostly flipping shallow cover with t rigs - my kinda bass fishing! Didn't get another shot at a giant yesterday - but if last week is any indication - it's giant time here in NC! @Bluebasser86 WOW! That clump of brush is something you'll be dreaming about for decades huh!?!? 😂😂😂❤️❤️❤️

Took my boys out for a few hours Sunday evening where a creek runs into the river. Everything gathers here in the spring but all we found were little channels and drum. Nice weather and the boys were having a blast chasing frogs and cranking in fish.

After spending the week on Fork in my kayak where the wind blew 20-40 mph almost every day, the wind is not my friend 😂

I've been saying it for years, Okuma is such an underappreciated brand in the bass fishing world. I've owned, and still own, many of their rods and reels and they always rank among my favorites. I caught my 8.49lb fish last week using their ITX Carbon spinning reels. I've got an RTX that is over a decade old on my dropshot rod that has been one of the most dependable spinning reels I've ever owned. I have another old white spinning reel I bought on clearance in a blister pack that I use for brush busting and creek fishing, that thing just refuses to die. My oldest son caught a tank wiper on it a couple years ago out of a creek small enough to jump across and it handled it no problem. The Helios and Helios TCS reels that I have are probably close to a decade old and I beat those things up every year and they just keep going. I could keep going but I don't want to completely derail the original topic of the post. The Hakai has been a great reel for me for a couple of seasons now. Before I went to Texas, my biggest fish of the year was caught using it to fish a suspending IMA lipless bait.

I've come to realize it's one of those things that's absolutely visceral one way or the other to even the non fishing public. I've told a number of people who have never Bass fished a day in their lives about what FFS is, and they all instantly said "that's cheating". Do I think it's the coolest technology ever invented for fishing.....1000% Do I think it ruins the true nature and magic of Bass fishing.......1000%

My experience with it is fairly limited. My wife confiscated it the first time she tried it. It's her favorite baitcaster. 😂 I've enjoyed what time I've spent with it though. Seems well built and is very user friendly.

Part 4 of the Adventures of Blue goes to Lake Fork was a very windy Tuesday that was supposed to be the day before the first day of the tournament. I had gone out to try and find a way to fish in 30mph winds in case we did fish on Wednesday, but I found out around 10am that day one was cancelled because of the wind so I headed in. We were allowed to fish on Wednesday, but we couldn’t fish Fork. I didn’t want to sit around the camper all day, so I drove to nearby Quitman Lake to see if it was a potential option. The lake was much smaller, muddy, rocky, lots of docks, seemed to be shallow, and most importantly, I caught 2 healthy bass right next to the boat ramp on a bladed jig. So Wednesday morning I headed out to Quitman and loaded just a few casting rods and zero spinning rods into the kayak. I started right at the ramp and after trying a few different baits, I pitched a black and blue jig into the opening between the boards on the launch dock. I picked up and felt pressure and the hookset had a good fish thrashing on the surface quickly. I held it’s head up while I worked the kayak next to the dock and was able to reach through the dock and grab a 19” fish. After releasing that fish, I pitched back under the dock and my jig got slammed immediately. I could tell by the thrashing it was a bigger fish. I did the same maneuvering and got a grip on a 5+lb 20.50” fish. The wind started blowing pretty good and I only got one small spot before I came around a corner that was pretty protected. I ran my bladed jig down a seawall and it just kind of got heavy. When I leaned into it, I felt the headshake and knew it was big. She darted past the kayak right on the surface and I was quick with the net and she was mine as fast as the fight started. A beautiful 22” bass that weighed 6.72lbs. I caught a little 12 incher (that would be the last small fish I would catch), before pulling up to a tree growing out over the water. I pitched my jig and hopped it once before I got a bite that shook my whole rod. The fish was in about a foot of water and came charging across the surface. The back was so thick, I knew it was big, but when I scooped with the net and my jig popped out of her mouth at the same time, the realization hit me how big she was. I was sure I’d just caught a DD. The first time on the scale she came up 9.58, but then I realized it had started in the negative. When I zeroed it, the scale locked at 9.72. The 2nd largest bass I’d ever caught and way prettier than my PB, the fish just didn’t look real in the net. I couldn’t believe what just happened, but the shakes hadn’t even worn off from that fish when I pitched into another laydown and yanked out another 6.5lb 21.25” fish. That 20lb Seaguar Tatsu was earning its keep with these fish I promise you that! I didn’t catch a single one that wasn’t rubbing on something at some point in the fight. I had to surf the waves around the southeast end of the lake. It was too rough to be safe to try to fish and run the boat, so I just focused on driving the yak and getting to calmer water. When I got to the northeast side, it was a good, solid 2 hours before I got my next bite, a fat 17” fish in some shallow grass. I passed another kayak angler who said he hadn’t had a bite all day. When I got to the area by the north ramp, there was some bushes growing out over the water. I pitched my jig into, picking them apart. I knew when I finally made the right pitch, because my jig hit the water and the whole push shook. Another pig of a bass came boiling out of those bushes and crashing across the surface, putting on a whole show until I got it in the net. This one was just an absolute toad of a bass at 7.11lbs and only 20.75”! 2 more kayers passed me and asked how I was doing, and I told them. I don’t know if they believed me but they also said they hadn’t caught anything all day. I kept flipping those same bushes and about 5 minutes later my line jumped again and another big fish bolted out of the bushes. This time it was a 21” 5.66 pounder. I was at the end of the road at that point unfortunately. I was going to have to crash through a lot of big, rolling waves to get to the next safe spot to fish, or make a short run through much more manageable ones to get to the ramp I launched from. It was only 2pm and I wanted so badly to continue on. It was already the best day of my fishing life, how much better might it be able to get? I made the decision and pointed it towards the opposite shore and rode the waves the short distance across to the ramp and called it a day. My longest 5 were 108.25”, my heaviest 5 weighed 35.71lbs. My homemade silicone/living rubber jig and Yum Christie Craw combo that did most of the damage.

When I got back from Lake Fork this weekend, I had a rod tube and box waiting for me 😍 I’m a big Okuma fan, I have several of their bait casters and a few rods, they’re a very under appreciated brand in the bass fishing work I feel like. I don’t understand why when they make gear that looks and feels like this thing does. It looks sharp and is incredibly light. I got the 7’ 3” H/F and the 8.1 reel to put braid and use it for straight braid applications only. I got to take it for a test spin Sunday. I was just blown away how light it was. I expected a little weight for a rod with those specs, but I didn’t feel it at all. It fished as nice as it looked too. Can’t wait for the grass to grow so I can really test it.

Big shout out to japanlureshop.com. I order c3000xg vanquish, metanium dc, and daiwa steez real control rod and it was ship here within three days. Not also that the vision 110 and dark sleeper was given to me as gift. I usually order from digitaka but now japanlureshop is slightly cheaper for most fishing gears.

I know this looks like a fresh new calf. To me it's two glidebaits, three Vision 110's, tank of gas in my truck, a bulk spool of Tatsu.

I’d agree with @Columbia Craw, it’s fairly small so it fits quite easily in the palm of your hand. I was launching a fluke halfway across the river with it Saturday

And scene....

We stare at computer screens all day...at work...at home...and now at the lake. It's a must to win a bsss tournament now. Sigh...

I find that there's times we are finding where they are and times we are catching em. Ain't always the same days. It's a chess match. You got this Mike!

@N Florida Mike: Losing bass? Been there. Done that. Again and again. Even Pat Brown, Alex, and Clayton lose bass. That bass in your photo is a football.

Whether you're just starting out or chasing trophies, this is must-watch stuff. Hit play, take notes, and go catch more bass!

Me likey!!! As an aside, after trying many trailers I've found what has become my favorite minimax trailer, the missile baits ned bomb. Perfect body thickness and length right out of the package, great subtle fluttering tail action, and pretty durable too.

New addition to family, This morning.

Got rewarded today with a nice spotted bass after a 5 hour skunk on Saturday. The fish ate a black finesse worm on vertical rock cliff and fought like the devil! Took me for quite a ride in a tiny kayak. It was 3.56 lbs and 20” I also got a couple dinks like this All I got from Saturday was a picture at the ramp, had to wade up thru those shoals in blue jeans 😂 oh, and a great blue heron rookery in the tree tops

The Hakai reel and Cerros rod I just got are the first Okuma anything I’ve owned. Really happy with the reel as I explained above Mike

I order from them way to often. Great service and I always look forward to the free surprise they send.

I’ve made a few purchases from them as well and have nothing but positive comments for them.

Although my 2 aren’t technically Okuma I have the Dream Tackle version who created the spool in the Hakai and other than the spool it’s the same reel as far as I understand. I will also agree with @Columbia Craw in that when I tried it out with a med light crankin stick I couldn’t get over the ease of casting a KVD 1.0 square bill, I liked it so much I bought a second one to dedicate to the crankin stick. I’ll also add thanks to the gear review on this site along with @MiceNReets I have 3 Okuma rods with my TCS-A med plus being my favorite.

I drive past a few different options on the way to and from work. Many times, I'll have 15-30 minutes before I need to be there or home so I'll stop and make a few cast. I usually just have one rod with a wacky rig or Ned rig, or whatever is appropriate for the season and conditions. They'll either eat what I'm offering or they won't. I've caught some really nice ones on those quick stops though, and I catch nothing a lot like I did this morning. It was nice to stop and make a few cast while I had a minute though.

Thanks for the story, @TOXIC. One time my Dad and I found an abandoned fishing lodge in northwestern Ontario. Pinned to the walls were photos of fish caught in that lake. The lodge's guestbook was left behind, in a stack of old fishing magazines. That felt wrong to us for reading the entries, it was clear to us how much that lake and lodge meant to so many. So, we sat and I read all the entries to my dad and then we cleaned that coffee table, put the fishing magazines on a shelf, and centered that guestbook on the table, hoping someone else would find it, read it, and remember those people and their moments. The two best hours of my fishing life were in a howling wind. In one hour, I caught five muskies and lost a sixth. In another hour, I hooked lake trout on every cast. I can no longer fish wind because I'm alone in a lightweight canoe, but boy, oh, boy, if I owned a 2005 Z21 powered by a 2005 Yamaha HPDI 2 stroke, I'd be launching in gales!

Big Bait = Big Fish Until it doesn’t 😊 Mike

You can throw a trick worm on about any baitcaster with no weight, just don’t overpower it or throw into the wind

I’ve had mine for three years. It does cast well. I have it set up for throwing poppers. It handles lighter weighted lures really well. Palms nicely. I’m actually surprised it isn’t talked about more.

Hi, GBass37. Welcome to Bass Resource. Your first post is a hot potato. I don't even use an anchor or motor, so FFS is beyond my ken. I understand your well-stated position, but also understand @KP Duty's screen weariness. I prefer to look around when I'm fishing. Witnessing the morning is as much fun as catching bass.

Yup. And it shows the Baby Jack is the same $15.99 as the full-size Jackhammer. I don't see sales being that great with the cheaper MiniMax EVO available.

Look at the spinning reel spool rim, the line should be at the top where the spool radius starts ( about a penny thickness below the spool top surface. The line needs to be spooled tight not loose! If the line is loose it falls off the spools. Easiest method is running line out 50 yards of line behind a boat at walking speed and reel the back onto the spool while the boat is moving No boat then walk off about 50 yards on line on a lawn source and put the line between a folded wet terry towel and rewind the line back onto the spool to tightened it. Too low line level do what the original reply suggested, then respool the line tight as suggested above. Tom

I fish with the plastic wrap and tags on as well too great looking combo. I really want to try the rod. Not sure what one to get

From post spawn to late fall I have both rigged up. I throw a few casts then switch until I get bit. For me it is mostly the terrain that seems to favor one over the other. My shaky is usually a ZinkerZ and the jig is Pee Wee 3/16 oz with a trailer. I use various head sizes for the shaky and several colors and trailers for the jig. Generally the jig works best close to deep water while shaky shines in coves and shallow points.

Them dirty nippers are messing with me!!! 😂 Six bites in six hours today, and only one made it in the net. 🤦‍♂️ She's an absolute chunk of a 34" though.

I went fishing and I caught these bass

I use one for my trap rod. It cast really well and is a great “workhorse”, type reel. It was a little finicky to dial in, but it was a “set it and forget it”, once I got it dialed.

I often have short trips like this, either to a couple nearby ponds or the river. I stick pliers in my back pocket. Usually take two rigs, one with a search bait like a spinnerbait, the other with a soft plastic, usually a stick bait. I put a bag of soft plastics in my pocket and hit the water. Feels nice to keep it simple and bonus if I catch a fish. I cover water fairly quickly.

So I fished with a lizard the past two days and caught 11 bass, so not bad. But I did not have them on a Texas rig. I was going to Texas rig a lizard, but the night before I had just tied on a new 1/0 circle octopus hook on my wacky rig rod, and it was sitting right there with an empty hook, so I decided to just hook the lizard in the head from bottom to top and try it weightless. I’ll say this- it has a ton of action with little movement. I caught all 11 on the same bait and it’s still fishable. That’s hard to beat. I’ll be doing so more experimenting during this spring. I’ll Texas rig one for sure. But that simple hook-in-head rig worked pretty well.