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Pulled another limit of bass out of the mud today despite a completely blown (pun intended) wind forecast. Was supposed to be calm, and it was until 30 minutes after I launched, when SW winds kicked up 15-20 the rest of the afternoon - whitecaps everywhere. Did get one over 4 and another at 5, so it all worked out.

Second biggest bass of my life 9 lb 14 oz (a shad shy of 10) and another giant off a school in 14 feet of water today. On the 1 oz @Siebert Outdoors grass jig in 'Pats Gizzard' slow rolling deep with swimbait trailers. 😎😎😎🥵🥵🥵 Flying solo mid day during a warm front. Both fish released and swam away with vigor! Happy spring FINALLY!!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🎣🎣🎣 Fish that are basically 10 lbs make me smile really really big yes indeed. 🙂🙂🙂🙂

I catch fish like @Team9nine, only smaller…… my wife wanted me to go down and clean up the lakehouse because she might have a friend that needs to stay there this weekend. Went straight there after work, cleaned from 5-6 and fished from 6-8 😂. @Jigfishn10 knows my habits…. Fished a row of docks for a while and only got the one bass. Was pondering if I should go out past the marina to main channel for smallies or stay put. Decided to try the crappie dock and it was loaded, got 7-8 in half an hour and paddled back home.

Dang @Pat Brown , congratulations! --------------------- I just got my first of the season. I had fished a few times over the course of winter, but hadn't had any success. Then, I started having a bit less time, and I made a 3 week trip to California to visit a friend. I came back to nice weather! There was 6" of snow on the ground when I went to the airport. I had only about 30 minutes before bible study today, but I got this little guy with a Fat Albert grub. New Cherrywood rod I'm trying out, so far so good. It does much better than the $25 price tag would have you believe. I only wish it had about 3 more eyes down it's length.

Caught these 2 the first 15 minutes and nothing the next 4 hours...... spinnerbait. Surface water temp was 48*

Given the current state of affairs regarding Lynn's decline in health and the outlook that accompanies that, last week I applied for the Veteran Administrations Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC). It was a tough decision for me. Admittedly the reality of it is hard to put into words. Very thankful that the VA does recognize the important role of family caregivers in supporting the health and wellness of Veterans. So far the folks we've been in contact with have made the process fairly painless, and that is most definitely a relative term. There are several steps along the way to where 'eligibility' is determined. So far we are about half way through. I am looking forward to the support and the training they offer as well as knowing that I can be the best version of me for Lynn in these trying times. Stay Healthy & Safe. A-Jay

Today I had only a bout 30 minutes to fish before bible study. I almost decided to not even bother, but I figured 30 minutes is better than nothing. I was able to connect with a little guy: Having only such a short time, I know the odds are against me, but I planned my lure choices beforehand and I was basically ready to go when I got there. Save 2 minutes to put the line through the guides and tie on the hook. There have been other times in the past, especially before bible study or church, that I only have 30-45 minutes to fish. The fishing hole is right next door, but having such a short time means I have to fish right next to where I park, and not do a lot of lure swaps. So what does everyone else do in this situation?

Thinking about you both man. Never feel like needing a break is failure. None of us are made of stone and packed with energizer batteries. Take what you need because it will only make you better for her overall. Something I had to watch my father learn the hard way over years of caring for my grandmother.

I saw the talking frogs once too, it was right after a Grateful Dead concert,,,,I don't remember a TV being on though

Thanks everybody for the kind words! The Big Fish bash for my local Lake that I qualified for back in December with the 7.35 is coming up. Not this Saturday but next Saturday and I'm really glad I'm getting my mojo working finally because I need that confidence going into this event. I'm going to be going up against some serious hammers and sticks that have been doing this event for decades. I'll be fishing out of a Jon Boat with a trolling motor! 😂 These two fish are just the juice I needed in my tank and I'm hoping I can develop some patterns between now and then and follow some fish to some places that could help me win the tournament! It's really nice seeing all the big fish here being caught - it was a really long, very educational winter with very few fish caught for me and a lot of ice on top of the water and these two fish right here were two of the best feeling fish I've ever caught.

it would have to be a letter to mono. to braid, you email that message

Girls gone wild? Nah. It's southern boys gone crazy! Way to go, @Team9nine, you crazy guy, you. And thanks again for the water pic!

@Pat Brown is back at it. Wow, man. Awesome fish!

Started out with mono just like everyone else back in the day. Tried everything else but went back to all mono, all the time. More specifically, BPS Excel mono.

Found one! Now I just need a free afternoon...

No Sir, not that. This is a program that helps me support her. As an eligible primary caregiver, I may receive: Access to health care insurance through Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Mental health counseling. (and we all know I need all of this I can get) Certain beneficiary travel benefits when traveling with the Veteran to appointments. At least 30 days of respite care per year, for the Veteran. Respite is short term relief for someone else to care for the Veteran while I take a break. A monthly stipend (paid directly to the caregiver.) A-Jay

If the Rapala digital reads 5.95, can we just call it a 6 pounder and assume it reads a few hundredths of a pound light 😆

It takes me a half hour to decide if I want to use a Junebug colored worm, or a Greenpumkin worm.

Amongst the competitors sure. I just listened to portions of the two latest Mercers. I can never get through the whole things. Feider said that he was happy that BASS was finally cracking down on the cheaters. From the sounds of it I bet if you took an anonymous poll of the anglers these penalties are popular. Feider also said that Martin has been cheating for 30 years and that he can think of 10 cheaters in the Elites off the top of his head. The other episode with Palaniuk. Herren failed 4 successive polygraphs. Passed the 5th after opening up about speaking with two different individuals. That doesn’t sound so innocent. Martin, he simply said that there was more to it and left it at that. The rule is very old and was made and requested by pro anglers. They don’t want outcomes affected by “information”.

I have caught fish on red up here in New England but I haven’t noticed a difference in bites. It’s not crazy good bites like oh red is definitely a factor. A fish here or there. I could be getting them on a jig then try a red jackhammer pick off fish or 2. Not the other way around where I’m crushing fish on the red jackhammer then pick up a jig and pick off 2 more

^^ It's worth reposting^^ but I left out this: I used to watch the Hank Parker show all the time. I taped every episode. I remember telling myself, "Wouldn't it be great to be on his show one day?" And then it happened... I still pinch myself about it.

Medium 8 1/2” MS Slammer, 3 1/2 oz Tom

I have no idea whether this works to an advantage in the north, as I don't have much experience with early-season fishing. I usually reserve reds for muddy conditions, especially in rivers. However, In addition to the explanations you cited, I've also heard red contrasts well against early green weedgrowth, giving a visual detection advantage in clear, weedy waters during a time when they maybe are feeding even more opportunistically than usual.

What a difference a few days can make ~ With a recent lack of snowfall and stupid warm/mild temperatures, we have seen quite a bit of snow disappear. We are (roughly) down to maybe 12 inches. Snow is deeper in some parts and lower/gone in other parts of the property. But after this weekend, forecasted to be even warmer with Big Fat Rain, most if not all snow could be, dare I say it - gone. Of course we'll be dealing with a rather robust Mud Season, but we gotta take the good with the bad I suppose. btw - my poor truck is a total disaster of salt & road groad. 30 Days and a wake up - could it be ? A-Jay

I’ve never seen a Rayburn red colored crawfish in my lake, but that color sure catches fish for me. Try it and see. It might work.

That's a great Bass ~ Congrats Now Enter that beast in the 2025 State vs State deal . . . A-Jay

@Pat Brown Way to go Pat, what an awesome fish, congrats!

Yeah, I caught that on a live mosquitofish when I was 8 and trying for bluegill. I'd be happy with a 7 or 8 pounder this year because I got a 5 last year.

!!!!!!

Im purchasing a used pond prowler this weekend. Thought it would be fun for me and my son to get out and fish on. Plus, I convinced my wife that the reason I’m such a bad fisherman is only because I don’t have a boat

I prefer to call it Nylon Superline. It sounds newer and cooler and yeah I like it. Only downside is you don't get that extra confidence boost that comes from paying $50 for spool of fluorocarbon. 😆

Thank you ~ Life's the ultimate challenge and I can only imagine what that's like for you both. So glad to hear you're getting what sounds like effective & most welcome support. This is how we both role my friend. Remember when we took a day on the water for granted ? Not any more. Be well Sir. A-Jay

Latest project - still in process. What's left to do is build the steering assembly, mount the handle, route controls and electrical and build the coupler ball support...but at least it's recognizable as a dolly now - or what will become one.

I'm about to find out!

Having moderated FB groups and Use-Net groups in the ancient past, I know how far down some people can go. That I've actually made friends here - even if only Virtual - speaks highly of the class of people we have here. The wealth of knowledge freely shared is also an eye opener. BR Members Rock That is all.

well at least it looks cool. Spotted bass on Hartwell have some of the most vivid coloring of all spots.

I've struggled fishing from the bank so far this year so I was excited about my first trip of 2025 in a boat. The air temp started out in the upper 30s, but warmed up to a perfect 70 degrees. Bluebird skies, 50 degree water temp. It started immediately. I hooked up on the first cast! I was pumped...until it turned out to be a drum. Sorry, no picture @TnRiver46.🤣 That was the last bite for over an hour, and the next bite was just a dink smallmouth. After the dink we got nothing for about two hours. The wind was blowing hard against the current which made it tough to manage the boat. We were getting frustrated, but things finally started improving. After only catching two fish for the first three hours, we got 8 in the next two hours. The best two are pictured below. It slowed down again after that burst of activity. We only managed 2 more over the final two hours, but these two fish are enough to make it a good day. 4 lb 9 oz smallmouth 4 lb 13 oz largemouth

It's been a really long winter in Maine. 😀

Let me start by saying that I realize I am late to the game... But wow, where has mono been all my fishing life? Like most, I fished a little bit when I was a kid with unmemorable gear and mostly a hook, worm, and bobber. I imagine at that time that my dad, or grandpa, or whoever was there with me didn't think to question the line, or the reel, or anything but the weather for that matter. It was all about the fun we were having. Fast forward to my older self (I was born in '87 for reference) wanting to get into fishing and later wanting to expose my kids to another activity they could enjoy outside - we're now in the age of information abundance, marketing patterns have been well established, and gear has (I imagine) come a long way. I've spent far longer than is necessary thinking about all the nuances of my setup, but more specifically, my line choice. I've tried various braids, numerous iterations of fluorocarbon, but the lone holdout for me had been mono... Which leads me to say, I love monofilament! (And d**n could I have saved a lot of money over the years.) Over the winter (I fish through the winter) I switched all of my casting rigs to Sunline Supernatural and I will never go back. In my search for the "best line" it was rare, almost nonexistent, for anyone to mention mono. It's like the older child that was great as a kid, grew up, succeeded, continues to live a happy and fulfilling life, but doesn't come with the drama of the younger ones, and thus, get's less attention. Is it the price? Maybe. I think a lot of fishing equipment is sold simply because of the perception that more cost = more better, but maybe that's not it. My experience with it has been nothing but stellar. It casts easier than braid, pulls them in like no other, costs less. It’s the best. How many of you have had great experiences with mono, or use it exclusively? Long live mono!

It's all good. Confusion is my middle name. Good Luck with the new baits. btw the stock hardware on them seems mostly lethal. A-Jay

you’re right, I confused myself since I mainly use Tatsu. I use this on my JB rod, 14lb but a different brand -

These are exactly what i wanted. Got 8 of them today…

@Pat Brown: And let's not forget about Mike Siebert:

I sure hope you get approved for this program. We love y'all. The prayers continue............

I like to toss a weightless senko or trick worm, wacky and texas rigged. Mepps Aglia or Rooster Tail on my light setup if worm doesn't work. I just recently started fishing spinners again after fishing them all the time as a kid. Kind of mad I have not used them much in bigger bodies of water....

It's the way they handled it for me. BASS kept everything rather secretly while NPFL's was cut and dry on their stream. Speaking of double standards, BASS's double standard is the biggest issue with me. BASS slapped the wrist of an Open's angler with a $4,000 fine instead of a DQ just weeks before a complete DQ of Herren and Martin. Also, I think NPFL letting that angler keep the weight from his first two days was absolutely the right way to handle their situation. My understanding is that a lot of BASS leadership are not tournament anglers and it's shown a few times this season and offseason with their rules changes and punishments handed out for rules violations.

I certainly don't believe his or his son's side of the story 100%. Of course Jr is going to be loyal to his dad and not admit to something truly nefarious if it did happen. I think Crosby's being the most likely to be an honest mistake is very true. Otherwise, he's the dumbest cheater in history to try and do it on camera with an employee of the trail. We don't know if BASS knew or not, but it's on them as the tournament organization to fully investigate these things before going public. And let's say they found out later, why not release a new statement instead of helping to keep it buried? They were way too tight-lipped with the Jaden Parrish violation in the Open this year. They've kept the details of the Tony Christian cheating scandal under the tightest of wraps for decades. I'm just saying, at this point BASS has shown us their pattern of hiding ugly truths from us. It's beginning to hurt their trustworthiness and I'm not sure how long their run last with legit competition in MLF and NPFL if those organizations do it the right way.

They've allowed him to spin the story in a way that makes him look good. Even going so far as to have him on the actual broadcast for that event. Martin pushed a story about how he didn't stop someone from sharing info in his shop, when the reality is that he was asking for info. IMO, BASS should have been more transparent about that and not let him lie about it.

This is a great forum. I like most of you.

How I sleep when I have to stay at a hotel with my boat in the parking lot during a tournament.