Leaderboard

Here's a little piece I put together, The jig is my favorite lure to fish because of it's versatlity. Representation, First let's start with what a jig represents underwater, I believe the most Popular use of it is to imitate a Crayfish but they also can imitate baitfish as well. Jigs come in many different shapes, sizes and colors etc. The most popular crayfish imitators seem to be the good old skirted jig usually tipped with some sort of plastic or pork trailer. Speaking of sizes, shapes, colors, I'm only going to really get into the skirted jig with a plastic or pork trailer as this is the bait I primarily use, and use it as a crayfish imitator only. Sizes, There is a very large size range available, I mainly use 3 sizes of Jigs in my arsenal or depending on manufacturer the closest weight to these sizes 3/8 oz , ½ oz and ¾ oz. I will mainly use a 3/8oz when fishing really shallow. The presentation has more time to be subtle because of the lighter weight than just crashing on the bottom in the shallow water. 1/2 oz. Jig This is my go to, if there was only one jig weight aloud in my box, this would be it. I guess you could say the happy medium. I fish this 99 percent of the time from a regular bank down to 15 ft and anything in between. The only time I go to a 3/4 oz. Is if I need to get through some thick weeds, the wind is really blowing or I am fishing dep but want to fish it faster than normal. Colors, I don't get crazy on colors when it comes to jigs. I have 3 colors that I have a ton of confidence in and those are Browns, Greens, and Black. It seems the jig has excepted rules on what colors for what conditions were faced with, green or brown, natural colors for clearer water and black or darker colors for murkier water or night time. I do follow that to a point but not because of the rule but because I have confidence in throwing those baits in those conditions. Ive caught fish in clear water with a black jig and fish in murky water and at night with a green jig so what's that tell us. Color is confidence in my book. Trailers/Chunks These come in many shapes and sizes, Most of them are made to represent the pincher end of the crayfish which are either threaded or simply hooked on to the jig. I go rather simple in this area as far as selection. I mainly use 3 colors in 2 sizes, Green, Brown and Black in 2 or 3 sizes I always match the color of the trailer with the jig, (just a confidence thing) I will normally start off fishing with a 2 trailer in tournaments, I feel the smaller size may get me more bites in order to get my limit then I may upgrade trailer size to go after larger fish, but there is no rule here either, as I have caught fish over 6lbs. on 2 trailers and fish less than 12 on 3 trailers. As far as the many styles and brands of trailers, my selection is simple I use my own, I feel they give me the best chances of catching fish and here is why: When a bass hits a jig they will normally engulf the whole lure, Jig and trailer. It only takes a split second for that fish to reject the bait if it notices anything artificial about it. When I make my trailers I add a lot of crayfish oil to the plastic prior to cooking then once poured they go through a 2 stage salting process. Once you get a fish to bite them they are hard pressed to let it go because there is so much taste for them. Because there is so much craw oil in the plastic it makes the baits very soft which helps release the oils and salt when the bait is bitten. (Shameless Plug I know, but the truth as well) The Bite! I have been fishing a jig predominantly for the last few years and have probably experienced every type of bite possible, but then again maybe not, sometimes you don't feel anything at all, then sometimes they almost rip the rod out of your hand, and then you have everything in between, you must always be ready to set the hook. It is a must to be a line watcher when fishing a jig because you may not always be in direct contact with the lure, and the little twitch in the line that you didn't see could have been a 10 fish or the fish of a lifetime. One thing I really like to do is know the depth of the water I'm casting to, I feel this is very important, a ½ oz jig on 15lb mono sinks at about 1ft per second. So I know if I'm casting it into 12ft of water and the line stops sinking when I count to 6, something sucked it in, reel in any slack and set the hook. This is where I believe salts and scents are very handy, normally when I'm fishing a jig I'm fishing some type of structure, rocks, wood, grass, etc. with the equipment on the market you can pretty much feel everything the lure bumps into, when first getting into jig fishing I might have questioned myself was that a fish or a rock, don't know for sure. But now using my own baits and good equipment as well as a lot of time fishing the jig, I have the confidence in them to know that when I feel that little bump, I can pause and wait a second or two to see if there is any activity or lack there of on the end of the line before ramming the hook into a nice bass, or a stump. Equipment: For fishing these type and size of jigs, I use a 7' Heavy action bait casting rod, I feel this is very important and will not use a Jig on anything lighter, for a few reasons, 1.) These jigs normally have stout hooks that require a decent amount of force to get good penetration. I don't want to take the chance of losing a big fish because my rod didn't have enough power to drive the hook home, 2.) You have the weed guard to deal with as well when setting the hook. 3.) A lot of times the bass will really clamp down on a jig to crush it making it harder to move the jig on the set to get a good hook set, I noticed this especially with small mouth bass. As for the brand of rod that is personal preference but I think you should get the best you can afford in this area or the added sensitivity. For a reel, I prefer High speed reels 6.1:1 or 6.3:1 and a decent amount of line retrieval per handle turn. I like this because I can pick up any slack really fast as well as keep up with the fish if it is charging towards me. This is another brand preference issue, I prefer smaller profile reels so I can palm the reel and rest the line going into the reel on my pointer finger for extra sensitivity. Line I mainly use 15 lb test mono line for most jig fishing, I don't really go any lighter than that, I will go heavier for certain situations depending on a few factors, structure or cover that I'm fishing, or even the size of the fish I have a chance at catching will dictate the size. In really clear water I will use fluorocarbon line for reduced visibility. And if I need to go above 20 lb mono for any reason I will switch to a braid for line diameter purposes. You can use any of the three all the time, these are just my preferences and how I utilize each for certain situations. This is not intended to be a know all of Jig fishing document, these are the ways and equipment I personally like to use and have confidence in for the situations I face,(Notice the title) there are so many variables in fishing that could call for a different tactic from the lure type and size, to the tackle and line, it would be impossible to list them all. Some techniques I use... When I make a cast I let the bait sink, you must always watch your line, a lot of times they will hit it on the initial fall and your line will either twitch, stop before it should, or start going sideways, when this happens reel up the slack and set the hook. If the bait makes it to the bottom I will wait about 3 or 4 seconds and then drag it about 6-8 inches (Right now he's just cruising on the bottom), then pause, after 3-4 seconds drag again, and repeat this. Once I feel any obstruction, I pause then shake without dragging, I feel this simulates the crayfish trying to burrow under whatever obstacle it just bumped into. Then I give it 2 quick very short snaps, this would simulate the crayfish fleeing from a predator, then let it hit bottom and repeat the whole process. A lot of times right after the pause when you go to drag again it will feel heavy, set the hook. Hook sets are free, If you haven't fished a jig a lot , it takes time before you can get a really good handle on determining fish bites from obstructions. Practice makes perfect and when in doubt set the hook. That's for mostly open water hump style fishing and beating a bank. In cover I like to throw it in the nastiest stuff possible and shake it around then repeat casting to it (pretty much pick it to pieces.) Don't ever think there is such a thing as to shallow, I use to cast to about a foot off shore till a guy on the back of my boat beat me bad, the fish were in that spot right on the bank, now I cast to were I'm pretty much hitting the shoreline.

The topic of Night Time Bass Fishing came up in another thread – this builds on that. The BR articles section has solid info regarding the subject and interested members can & should definitely check that out. I’m offering & directing this information to those bass fisherman who may have never tried it or even considered it. I say you may want to. Though the majority of this will revolve around angling from some type of vessel, some can be applied to fishing from the bank as well. Safety ~ Right off the bat. It's very important to understand that fishing at night - especially by yourself & in a remote area, is no joke. Safety is the primary mission every trip: Day or Night. Night time Bassing isn’t in my estimation, dangerous per se, but small problems have a way of compounding & becoming magnified at night. So it’s important to follow a few “rules”. Wear your Life Jacket all night. Only Fish bodies of water that you are Very Familiar with. Always operate at a slower speed than you normally would during the day. It’s Very Easy to lose situational awareness at night and speed in that situation is your arch enemy. Just like any trip on the water, make certain someone responsible (insert adult) knows where you’re going, what you’re driving, where you’re launching from and when to expect you home. And if you change plans – Let Them Know. Additionally, I’d encourage you to also leave them with the number & info of who you want them to call if you don’t return on time. (Police, US Coast Guard, Fire Rescue etc). Lastly, I do not recommend fishing at night on rivers, tidal water or any place with a moderate to heavy current. It certainly can be done, but Is No Place for a beginner. An organized / neat boat is a must. It will help keep you from tripping & going over the side and stray trebles will inevitably find some skin at night. Both are highly undesirable. I carry and use only 3 or 4 rods & reels at night. Without going into detail, this is much less than I’d normally use during the day. When I find the right night bass, they are usually very cooperative and experience has shown that a ton of gear on deck is rarely needed. (Probably could say that for daytime operations as well, but I will not because the bait monkey would blow up my house). A couple of flashlights & two head lamps are a must (I like red lenses to help maintain night vision integrity). Let’s discuss “Night Vision” - what the heck is it ? Basically, once you’re eyes have not been in the presence of white light, they are able to see surprisingly well. It takes upwards of 20-30 minutes to fully develop and each human’s adaptive time & final ability is different. But what one must remember is that once the eyes have full adjusted, ANY white light – even for 1 second, erases this ability and you’ll have to start the acclimation process again. So using a red (some use blue or green) light is helpful. Additionally, I’m always under the assumption that I’m alarming the bass to my presence using a white light even for a second. The Why ~ My night time operations were born more out of requirement than desire. As a younger human with family obligations & a career, the little & only “free” time I had available to fish was at night. And so there began a journey into an aspect of angling I personally feel is so awesome and so beneficial to day time fishing, I can easily state that I would not be even half the angler I am, so many years later, had I never tried it. More about that a little later on. Besides the above, the reasons one may choose to night fish can be many. To escape the heat, to escape the crowds, to catch more or bigger bass, all of these can apply. For me, I do it mainly because bass fishing at night is Intense. It’s a chance to experience the sport at a whole different level. If you do it enough you really come to trust & depend on your electronics, your intuition & your instincts. Because in the black of night, that’s about all you’ve got. The reduction of vision will allow one to tap into the senses that remain. Hone these at night and your day time ops can only get better. So there's no line watching - but all of this makes one so much better during the day - it's unmeasurable. When you can get them good in the dark of night – a bright sunny day might feel like cheating. When ~ A good way to start out fishing at night is to get out on the water before sunset and just stay out there. This offers an angler the chance to acclimate to the Night as it falls. Sort of like the opposite of getting to the lake before sunrise & waking up with the lake. I did the sunset to night deal several times in the beginning but as my abilities & confidence grew I shifted gears. I now prefer to arrive after dark. There seems to be 90 minutes or so after actual sunset where the bite is pretty slow. So I’ll arrive after that. If the fishing’s good & I have the gas, I’ll stay for the grey light & sunrise bite too. If not, I bail. I don’t think there is a “Best” night fishing season. If I can catch them during the day – I can catch them at night. It just depends on if I want to be out there. Very early & very late in the season are clearly less comfortable but I’ve had some very successful nights in both April & October. These results will vary depending on one’s local & legal fishing season. Once the dog days of summer hit - and the lakes are getting a fair share of recreational boating, jet ski & fishing pressure, mid-week night ops are often present the best opportunity for any decent action. Then there’s the Moon. Is it good or bad? Does it help or hurt ? And what about artificial lights like dock lights and street light etc. May be No definitive answer. The water's here in northern MI are for the most part Very Clear - often 15 feet plus of daytime visibility. As much as this plays a role during the day, it matters at night as well. Fish can still see me on nights with a big moon or in areas where there is sufficient ambient light. And the Shadow the boat makes on a brightly lit night sticks out like a sore thumb. If I disregard this, it definitely negates the effectiveness of being there after dark. Moonless nights are by far The Best for Fishing but were hardest to learn to fish in. Even nights where I can be out there before the moon comes up or after it goes down are always much better for both numbers & size. However, some my best nights have been Full Moon events BUT there was sufficient cloud cover to obscure it. Even a partially cloudy condition is often enough to do the trick. Clearly, some full moon nights are almost like day time. You may not even need a light of any kind, it’s so bright. These times are definitely easier to get around in, cast and fish in. I say cast because there may have been an occasion or two where a lure was launched across two or three docks or even 50 feet or so straight into the woods. If the waters you fish have color & / or limited visibility, you could be golden & be able to hammer fish while having the benefits of the moons brilliant glow. The Where & How ~ This may actually be the easiest (and that’s a relative term) aspects of night bassing. I use the same rods & reels at night as I use during the day. I can & do bump up my line size / mono leader a little at night – just because I can. When I first started my night ops, I fished the tried & true night time baits. The Black Baits ~ (Jitterbugs, Buzz baits, Spinnerbaits etc.) and they worked well and I still fish them today. But what I have found is that any bait (and any color) that will catch them during the day, will catch them at night. The caveat to that is, whatever bait you choose, still needs to be presented effectively. The reason many choose the baits I just mentioned is they are for the most part “Easy” to fish. The topwaters stay off the bottom. Out of weeds & snags and only need 2 inches of water to run. I can’t tell you the number of times in the early days I fished topwater and wasn’t getting bit. Come to find out I was fishing in 6 inches of water for 30 minutes. Laugh if you’d like, but it’s very easy to do on a pitch black night. Same thing with a spinnerbait - - strike detection is easier. Blade stops vibrating – set the hook. Crankbaits offer the same benefit. But learn to present the right jig, at the right place & time at night – you may never fish another bait at night again. I will admit that the spinnerbait is still one of my favorite / effective night baits. Although night time does hide some of the boat’s & the lures negative cues, please know that night time is not some magic witching hour for bass where all the trophies become suicidal and will attack any & every lure with reckless abandon. This is simply not the case. Lures still need to be presented with the same Stealth & Care at night as they do during the day to be effective. I’ve noticed a couple of things here. Bass seem to relate more loosely to cover at night (except in the presence of bright moonlight or artificial light, then it’s just like day time). They can & do still tuck into places but often times they’ll be “around it" rather than in the middle of it. This is a good thing because it’s not easy to make pin-point presentations when your depth perception is all but non-existent. Shadows are just as important at night as they are during the day, fish like them. Tips – in no particular order and this is especially important on the blackest of nights. Fishing down, along or over any weedline, surface (lily pads) or sub-surface (coontail, milfoil, cabbage) is best done without treble hooks. Handling a hooked fish is tricky at night. The bare handed reach is not recommended – use a net & a light to remove hooks. Windy nights are very tough to fish in effectively. Super long casts are generally not necessary and in the beginning should be avoided. A swimbait, paddle/boot tail type trailer on spinnerbaits, swimjigs & chatterbaits seems especially effective at night and the slower I can roll it - the better. Keep “Tools” accessible ~ pliers, scale, camera. If you take pictures of your catch, your “Flash” will Toast your night vision. If fishing conditions permit, set your trolling motor speed to “slow”. If you avoid that sudden burst in the wrong direction, you may also avoid wetness. That’s my story & I’m sticking to it. A-Jay

As much as I love Fishing and collecting fishing gear, it takes up too much of my time and I am struggling to keep up with the everyday basics such as cleaning and maintaining my home, so something has to give. I will be getting rid of my collection. Below is a list of what's available. Serious inquiries only, please and don't insult me with your offers. Thanks for reading and understanding... 1. Dustpan and brush 2. Sponges 3. Febreeze spray 4. Mop and bucket 5. Window cleaner 6. Vacuum 7. Dishwashing liquid 8. Laundry detergent 9. Fabric softener 10. Laundry baskets 11. Toilet brush 12. Cleaning sprays 13. Scrubbing brushes

The biggest key to becoming a better crankbait angler is to pay attention to the vibration. Try to block out distractions and tune in to what your bait is doing. Feel the vibrations the whole cast and retrieve. Use the force! Concentrate on the vibration and keep a positive attitude. The more you pay complete attention to the steady vibration of the bait the easier you can detect a difference or change in the vibration. You can tell when your bait comes in contact with cover or when its about to. You can feel the rush of water that means a fish just rolled on your bait. Sometimes you just loose the vibration which means the fish has your lure or when you feel slack. Most strikes are not bone jarring but a slight difference in the vibration and almost feels like an interruption in the vibration. Most guys say well with a crankbait the fish hook themselves. Well, unless you spend hours sharpening your hooks and if the bass turns with your bait more than likely your missing fish. If you do not react to the strike you can have the sharpest hooks but guess what they can still spit it. You don't set the hook like a jig or worm but I sweep my rod to gather any slack and line stretch just that tension is enough to drive the hook but if your sitting there waiting for the fish to hook themselves your going to be waiting a long time. If your using a dead pulling crankbait where all you feel is the pull and not the vibration you will never feel the difference in vibration and will never have a clue how many fish hit and spit your bait. Color is a factor to what bait to use in what water color or clarity but your first step should always be vibration. Depth control, lip style, line size all need to be factored in also. When figuring out what retrieve to use I try to make an educated guess of what I think the activity level of the bass should be then tweak the way I work the bait as I learn more through the day. I feel that a single rattle or no rattle work best because it gives a bass more of a direction of where the bait is. Sound from rattles kinda spreads out and doesn't give much of a direction just an are of noise but vibration gives more of a pinpoint direction. Baits with tons of rattles in them call bass from an area and in clear water to slightly stained water can be very effective. You need to understand that rattle noise and vibration are two separate things. You can't put them in the same category. Vibration gives a pinpoint direction and rattles give a general direction. Rod position will effect the depth of your bait and will change the amount of feel you have. I try to point my rod to my bait and as the bait runs deeper follow it with my rod. If I keep my rod high it will loose depth if you point your rod to the side you will have a hard time feeling that rush of water I was talking about. Casting distance will effect the amount of room the bait has to reach its deepest running depth. Its kinda a game of angles if you get good at it you can hit structure or a depth zone with some consistency. Different lures that are identical will have different running depths so you need to play with them to figure out what depth they run. The depth on the lure package in most cases is an average running depth. Lur Jenson and DT lures are the few that have an accurate running depth not an average but always factor in casting distance and how much running room your bait has to reach that depth. A Bill Norman bait kinda slowly works its way to the depth and about when the bait reaches the boat is the max depth it will run. It took most of the cast distance to work down to that depth. As a bait gets close to the boat it looses depth and starts working its way to the surface. So if I make a long cast with this bait and reel it in about 30 feet out away from my boat is the max depth that bait will run. The DT baits are different because it digs as soon as you start reeling and in a short distance gains depth. Most baits don't do that and take more running room to reach the same depth. The wider the wobble the more resistance the bait has and the less depth the bait can go. This is crankbait season and I hope this helps you this season ;D

I'm getting so close to a trophy DD fish! I beat my previous 7 pounder from December by over 2 pounds. I changed a few things up for this trip and it payed off big time. First was noise & boat positioning. I kept myself as shallow as I possibly could, positioning the boat in a foot of water or less, and being very mindful of any noises I was making. I didn't fire up the outboard until the end of the trip. I cast toward "deeper" water that was maybe 2 feet deep max, this was where most of the bass were caught this trip. I also cast parallel to the bank toward the shallowest cover I could find. All of this is different than my usual approach (put the boat in the deeper water and cast to shallow water perpendicular to the bank). Second was modifying my spinnerbaits. I've never had a ton of luck with the typical double willow blade. This trip I was throwing one I custom made with a large single Colorado blade and a high quality swivel. I was using a 4.5" paddle tail for a trailer without a skirt. It worked so much better for a slow retrieve and it got hit hard. The big Colorado blade thumps like crazy and I noticed that my trailer looked much more alive and moved with much better action compared to a double willow. Also my hookup ratio improved significantly, and my hooksets were much easier vs. double willow blades. This could be my new favorite spinnerbait configuration. It was kind of funny how I ended up catching the 9-10 big girl. I was catching a few small 1-3 pound bass (along with a bunch of pickerel) when the action died down around lunch time. I told myself "OK 3 more casts then I'm sitting down to eat." I cast twice toward the area where I was catching the small fish. No bites. OK one last cast... for whatever reason I decided to cast toward some very shallow water next to a bush. I begin my retrieve, and when my spinnerbait is maybe 10 yards from the boat all hell breaks loose. I didn't even feel the bass hit the lure, I just saw a huge rush of water, spinnerbait disappeared, then massive headshakes and huge waves of water everywhere. I was fighting this fish in about a foot of water, less than 10 yards from the boat. Thank God I got a good hook set! I managed to work the fish back and forth around the front of the boat until she calmed down and I got her in. I never would have thought a fish that size would be in water so shallow. My guess is maybe she was lounging around in the shallows soaking up some sun? It was warm yesterday (low 70s) and the sun was out when I caught her. My quest for a DD largemouth continues... I've learned so much from y'all reading all the old threads on here, and I can't wait to get another new PB soon!

Got my second DD this week, a 10lb 4oz TN pig! She hit right at the boat, so I was able to watch it all go down (as my heart exploded in my chest...LOL). She was beautifully built, 25" x 18.5" and was released unharmed to potentially grow to the new TN state record. I've been "trophy hunting" hardcore the last 4-5 years and it's good to see my long hours on the water, money and mental grinding paying off. Even though it's not my PB I'm going to get Dave Campbell to make a replica of her because I'm not in CA, FL or TX and it's not everyday you catch a DD!

There seems to be a lot of members that are not catching bass, some are just starting out and a few have never caught one. If that's where you are, then this short piece is for you. If you want to start catching some bass, follow these instructions EXACTLY, no modifications or adjustments. Equipment: Medium or Medium Heavy Power/ Fast Action spinning rod and reel. #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid, Ultra Soft, P-Line or XL. Gamakatsu 4/0 EWG Offset Worm Hooks. 1 bag GYCB 5" Senkos, watermelon with black flakes (194) 1 bag GYCB Fat Ika (194) Place: A pond at least 5 acres in size, preferably with some bottom features or contour. Or, if you have access to big water, a well defined cove, not a bay. Whether you fish from a boat or the shore, you will fish exactly the same way. Method: Start with the Senko. Cast parallel to the bank, 10-15 yards off the shoreline. Let the bait sink to the bottom, count to 30 (as in 30 seconds) then move the Senko 6-12" with a slow horizontal sweep, allowing the bait to fall on slack line. Count to 10, then repeat. Continue all the way back, move ten steps forward and repeat. Fish the ENTIRE shoreline regardless of whether you see cover or structure. Fish two Senkos and if you are still not catching bass, switch to the Fat Ika and fish it until you lose it. Don't switch back and forth. Fish the Fat Ika EXACTLY like you fished the Senko. To make this testing fair, you need to spend at least one hour out fishing, two would be better. You can't hurry and you must stay focused. If you don't catch a bass after two trips or four hours of fishing, you need to find new water.

Coming up on February 9th the day I caught my 1st bass over 18 lbs at lake Casitas 1981. Like this week it was very windy but Monday light rain was forecasted, mental health day from work! I decided to fish from my 14’ Lund to park near shore and fish uphill all day using hair jigs. About 9:30 after trying a few spots arrived at a major lake point with a saddle, the light wind and rain to my back made a very long cast watching feeling the line and nothing when taking up slack to move the jig. Kept reeling faster until a head shake then sweeping the back as hard as possible. The rod loaded then nothing until the bass jumped completely out of the water. I am thinking maybe a DD but the fish was moving very fast unlike a big bass and right at the boat, then turned and lucky the drag wasn’t too tight. Now the bass acted like a big fish running deeper looking for anything to wrap the line in. The bass came up to the surface about 10’ away, my heart nearly stopped at the size of the bass. Backed the drag off slightly and managed to hand land the bass using both hands. On my scale the bass weighed 18 lbs 11 oz. Put the bass in my cooler aerated “livewell” and run to the marina for an official weight. 3 weeks later Ray Easly catches a 21 lb 3 oz state record bass. Tom PS, to be continued.

We are extremely excited for Wes and his accomplishment. Here are his details with his permission to post. Here is my story: There was no epic battle with climatic finish. There was no bravado, no yelling or touchdown celebrations. This is a story about two knuckle heads doing voice impersonations while swinging 1lb spots into each other. This is a story about my iPhone dying, very bad cell service, a lot of luck and most importantly my friends rallying around me. In this story, the Department of Fish and Wildlife went above and beyond their call of their duty to provide guidance to two guys who weren’t prepared for what transpired that day and who didn’t bring enough cold weather gear. This is a story of one leftover Christmas ham sandwich and one pending world record spotted bass. This story starts back in November. I was originally suppose to get out on the water the last weekend in November up to the lake but,my wife pulled my yard pass on account of bad behavior and put me on landscaping duty. As a result, I had to reschedule the trip. I will never forget the look on my wife's face when I showed her the amazing fish that Paul Bailey had caught that weekend. She apologized several times but still didn't pull me from landscaping duty. Fast-forward a month later. I finally got back out on the water on December 27, 2015. My former tournament partner, John and I were running late to get up to the Lake; so late that literally we only fished for four hours or so. The day was an uneventful. After about an hour we finally started catching some dinks. We moved spot to spot catching a small fish here and there. About 2:00pm we pull up to a SSDD spot. At that point I mentally kind just checked out. I mean I was full on sitting in the old-man chair, sandwich in one hand jig rod in the other dragging a jig on the back deck. I make a cast and I get bit right away. My drag slips and I boat another dink. I remember that was odd and realized I had not adjusted my drag since my last trip in November. I adjust the drag and make the same cast. This time my sandwich is in my mouth, water bottle in between my legs and I get bit. Again my drag slips and now I am like "great, my reel is jack". I quickly reel up the line and see the color of the fish. I tell John get the net. She made one dive and with four full turns of my reel she was in the net. The whole ordeal was a whooping 8-10 seconds. At this time, I am still grubbing my ham sandwich and John tells me "Hey bud, she is big. She is a Double and might be in contention for the world record." I stand up and see her and immediately and get his live-well going. At this point I am concerned about the fish as I do this with all of my big fish. So we get her in the box, I text my friends for help on what to do. While I am waiting for cell service for my text to go through we hung her on John's cheap mustad scale and she bounces between 11.4lbs and 11.05lbs. The scale eventually settled at 11.05lbs on the water. At this point, I remember all the issues Paul had with trying to get his fish submitted. Then I began to worry about what I was going to do because like Paul, I was not willing to kill the fish just for a record. He did the right thing I planned to follow suit. Just then my phone gets reception and my friend tells me he has two certified scales was now running across the lake to get the certified scales. This whole time I was pretty much just in shock and I felt bad that he was going to come over 3 hours to meet me. I squeak out One last call to my amazing wife that I won't be home for dinner. It is now 3:30pm and my phone has died. He boarded our vessel and checked out the fish. Unfortunately, he didn't have a certified scale. The reality is it is not part of their job at all. Their job is to protect our California wildlife resources and prevent related crime. So here we are unprepared on all fronts, in the dark and the temp is dropping into the thirties when we finally see headlight coming down the hill towards the ramp. At this time it had been 4 hours since he left his house. Tim gets out of his car and walks me through everything I needed to do. It as at that point I realized exactly how out of his way he came. He literally left the warm of his home and his family to drive in the snow on his day off 4 hours away to help me, (who he had met twice before) potentially beat his world record. I literally had to say it out loud to him and John for it to set in, for me to realize exactly what a stand up guy he is. Tim walked me through all the steps that I need to do just to be able to submit the application for my fish for a world record. In the end, she settle at 11.00lbs even on Tim's certified scale and was released back into the lake. In the end, I was highly unprepared. I have amazing friends who rallied around me to get help when I needed it. My Setup: The fish ate a 3/4 oz football jig from Siebert Outdoors in a custom color I had him make. Mike is a great guy who offers a quality jig at a reasonable price and will make any color pattern you request. Check him out at Siebert Outdoors. The rod was a Dobyns 744c DX paired with tuned 100 Lexa. I apologized for not responding to people who inquired about my fish several weeks ago. I wasn't ready at that time to tell my story and I really didn't plan on telling it today. I will never forget that day and I am ever grateful for what everyone did to helped my very unprepared self. California has some amazing fisheries and I am confident the record will be broken again. Tight lines.

I finally got out one afternoon this week in the midst of a stretch of the nicest weather we've seen this season. I only had three, but one was 3#+, and this one weighed in at 8lbs 15 oz, a personal best for largemouth in 60+ years of fishing. She inhaled a chatterbait with a curly tail trailer. A quick pic, a quick weigh-in, and then she swam quickly away. By all indications, the bass had spawning on their mind until the bottom fell out of our weather. The second cold front within two days just blew thru, with another coming right behind it along with a string of 4-5 mornings around freezing. Regardless, a good sign of things to come. ?

Found this guy this morning as I was heading out to fish. I ended up not getting much fishing done. Apparently someone had been standing under the tree casting from the bank and got hung up above their heads. The line was only about 10 feet off the ground, and it took me less than a minute to get the line out of the tree using a stick that was laying just a few feet away. They obviously didn't even try to get the line down, they just left it there and this poor bird flew into it. The owl landed on its feet after I got the line down, and puffed up in a defensive posture. It still had line all wrapped around the tip of its wing though. I didn't know if it could reach the tip of its wing with its beak or talons, and it was so worn out from hanging upside down in that tree all night it could barely move, so I didn't want to just leave it to fend for itself. I called the park management and a nice young lady came out with some thick gloves and a towel and captured the owl, which was surprisingly easy since it was so worn out. The owl is now with a local animal rehabilitation center. Hopefully it will pull though. There's no need for this beautiful creature to die like that. I know you fine folks know better than to leave line in trees like that, but I just wanted to put this out there for the slim chance that I might get through to someone who doesn't know what can happen.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members, and Friends, Today we celebrate an extraordinary individual who has been the heartbeat of our community for nearly two decades. Today, we honor and bid farewell to Kent (A.K.A. RoadWarrior, or RW for short), who is retiring after 18 years of dedicated service as a global moderator. When I think about the journey these forums have taken, it’s impossible to separate its success, growth, and culture from the incredible contributions of RW. He has not only been a moderator but also a mentor, a friend, and, most importantly, a cornerstone of the community we cherish so deeply. RW joined us at a time when these forums were just starting to grow, and through his hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment, he helped shape them into the thriving, vibrant community it is today. His influence can be felt in every corner of this place—from the way we welcome new members to the traditions we hold dear, RW's fingerprints are everywhere. For 20 years, RW has embodied the values we hold high: integrity, excellence, and a deep sense of community. He has been a guiding light, ensuring that our members always felt more than just part of the forums—they felt part of a family. His ability to connect with people, to understand their needs, and to make everyone feel valued has been nothing short of remarkable. RW, your retirement marks the end of an era, but your legacy will continue to inspire us. The warmth and camaraderie you've fostered here will resonate for many years to come. While it’s hard to imagine this place without you, I know that the values and culture you’ve instilled in us will continue to thrive, thanks to the solid foundation you've laid. On behalf of everyone here, I want to express our deepest gratitude. Thank you for your years of service, for your dedication, and for being the heart and soul of this community. You will be greatly missed, but your influence will remain with us always. As you step into this new chapter of your life, we wish you all the joy, relaxation, and adventure that retirement brings. You’ve more than earned it. Remember, this will always be your home, and you will always have a place here with us. Let’s all raise a glass to RW—a true legend of Bassresource. Here’s to you, RW. Thank you for everything. Cheers! Glenn

About 2 PM I was headed back to the ramp, going to call it quits. Couple comes running down the ramp, said a Kayaker needs help...his buddy flipped kayak. Wind was blowing 25+ today, water temps 42-45 degrees. Two mid 60's fishermen in two kayaks...One fisherman lost paddle, so the other was trying to tow him back to the ramp, in to the wind. Kayak got sideways and dumped fisherman in to the water...had his lifejacket on. They managed to get to shore, and left the wet fisherman standing on small rock-dike. Other guy tried peddling to ramp, but got exhausted...that's when he flagged down couple and got me involved. I was able to find the capsized kayak, and a hat...but we could not find the wet fisherman. He has muscular dystrophy, and his buddy was worried he didn't make it through the shallow water and reeds back to the shore. We searched for about 40 minutes...then finally headed back to the ramp. Guy was getting worried his friend did not make it. We found the wet fisherman in the parking lot...upon realizing his friend was safe, the guy in my boat fell to his hands and knees and started sobbing. Relief! Got them both in my boat, headed back down lake...tied on their kayaks and towed them to the ramp. They could not stop thanking me. I'm glad I was there and able to help(!) Wow.

I have been very fortunate to have caught three 7 lb. Smallmouth in my life and after catching my third last Spring, I thought I needed to commemorate those catches. I reached out to several taxidermists and artists with a sketch of my idea and a lot got back to me interested in the work, but one by one, I decided not to choose them (either they couldn't get the molds in the size and shape I wanted the fish, price was very high, etc.). Then I decided to contact someone who to me was more known for musky replicas than anything else (he actually did my musky replica) and I asked him if he was interested and could do the display. He was more than excited after I showed him my diagram. So I sent him pictures and dimensions of my three fish along with the lures I caught them on and off he went. Well, today I received that display and I was blown away! Here is the diagram I showed him… And here is the display he created… He far exceeded my expectations and I wondered why I didn’t consider him for this display in the first place. I know guys ask questions about different taxidermists or artists they could use for a replica so I thought I would share my experience and results with Joe Fittante of Fittante Taxidermy & Fish Replicas, who as it turns out not only produces incredible Musky Replicas, but certainly produces extraordinary bass replicas as well. Thanks again, Joe!! Here are a few close-ups of the fish...

I made a bank trip to a small lake near my house last night after work. When I got there I noticed an older man standing on the bank, holding his rod close to his face. I came by and ask him if he needed help. He had gotten a backlash, and had forgotten his glasses in his car. He couldn't see well enough to fix the backlash. I offered to get his glasses for him. He gave me his keys, and I made the hike to his car, bringing back his glasses. He was very grateful for the help, and was casting again in short time. He explained that he used to own a bass boat, but had to sell it. He couldn't go out by himself any more. He also said he fished a few tournaments years ago, and that his fishing buddies were all gone now, so that left him as he said,"walkin the banks alone". He was obviously an avid fisherman. I moved down the bank casting as I went. When it was almost dark I heard him holler" hey there thank you again". I said " your welcome". For the young guns just getting into this sport, I hope you always respect the older anglers you meet. Give them a kind word, and help them out if they need it. One day, you may need a hand too. When your "walkin the banks alone".

I want to take a few minutes to thank everyone on this site for helping keep my sanity and enjoy fishing via this site. Met a new friend who is a BR member Big Hands and Jeff has taken this old timer out on the water and catching a few bass. This morning Jeff’s son Ted shared the boat with us and we had an epic day, definitely a trip to remember. 10+ bass each doesn't sound particularly outstanding until you factor in the bass average close to 4 lbs each, we all had several 4 1/2+ lb bass each on spinning tackle. Happy 4th of July Holiday, I had mine a few days early??? Tom

Got another good one this week, a 9lb 4oz tank! Thought I had my third DD when she hit the net, but she was a couple gizzard shad in the belly shy of it. She had a huge mouth like a flathead cat! Maybe I can trick her again in the near future when she's a DD... The adrenaline rush when the big ones hit the net never gets old! And watching them swim away healthy is even better!

As many of you know, I run a hotel for a living and on many weekends I host my Fishing With The GM program where I get kids and even adults interested in fishing. It's a great time and I spend my morning baiting countless hooks while the anglers catch bluegill after bluegill. But this time of year, when school starts, I shut down the program until next season. But yesterday I received a call from a gentleman who wanted to know if we had any more fishing events this year. I explained to him that the season ended, but if he visited the hotel I would try and find some time to fish with him. Then he told me his story. It changed everything. He said he was "newly disabled" (his term) and was looking for something to occupy his time and he wanted to learn how to bass fish. He read about my program and hoped that I could teach him. That absolutely floored me. I immediately shifted gears and told him that whenever he came to town I would take the time to fish with him. He thanked me and told me he would get back to me. We talked fishing for a few more minutes and he told me about the spinning combo he had just bought and the few baits that he had. I told him that his best and most consistent opportunities to catch bass would be a Texas rigged, 5" green pumpkin Senko as well as a 3/8 ounce chartreuse/white spinnerbait. He was ready to go to Bass Pro right then and there! An hour later he called and asked if I could fish with him the next day (today). I told him I would clear my schedule and might even by able to fish with him when arrived later that day. Luckily, I just happened to have a few rods set up and a change of clothes in my truck. With him arriving in a few hours, I hatched a plan and sped off to the tackle shop at Sugar Creek Marina. I bought him some 5" Senkos, 3/0 AWG hooks, some tungsten bullet weights, and that spinnerbait. He had told me had had limited use of one hand, so I tried to find one of those Hook-Eze devices to tie knots with one hand but they didn't have them. Instead, I printed out a page from Amazon so he could order one. He arrived a bit to late for us to fish yesterday, but we made plans to fish this morning. As we mad our way down the hill to the lake today I learned his story. He had been a doctor for decades running his own practice and suffered a brain tumor a few years ago. After it was removed he could not fend for himself and relied on his wife and others for everything. He was so despondent while he was in the hospital that he asked if they had a Dr. Kevorkian on staff as he no longer wished to live. I cannot imagine what he endured and how he got through it. He can walk a bit now with a walker and even a bit on his own, but relies mostly on his electric wheelchair. Today, as we headed down our steep hill to the lake he almost went off the sidewalk when one of his back wheels locked up. We got him out of his chair and he used his walker to go the rest of the way. Meanwhile, I dispatched my Maintenance Chief to see why the wheel had locked up. Luckily it was an easy fix. The Doctor had fished as a kid, but told me he hadn't fished in 60 years. But now he really wanted to learn to bass fish as it gave him purpose and something to focus on. He had bought a fishing chair at Bass Pro and we set it up at the end of the dock and talked a bit more. I went over the basics of cover, structure, wind, sun, and locating bass. I set up his rod and showed him where to cast parallel to the seawall. That was my mistake as he popped up his first cast into a tree. Luckily, it was close enough to the shore that I could save is bait and his line. So we had his next casts further away from the seawall, and he gradually gained confidence and was able to cast nearer his targets. I wish I could say he caught a bass, but it was not to be. It was a hot and sunny morning, and our shallow and narrow creek channel is lousy when it comes to summer bass fishing. He fished and we talked, and he tried his new baits, and I could see his smile and his confidence in his cats and retrieves. We worked on a few different retrieves with the Senko, including casting it in the shadow of the dock and letting it sit for 20 or 30 before working the bait. After all he has been through, it was great to see him smiling and having a good time out there. Even when he got a little frustrated because of his limitations, he worked through that and had a good time even though he didn't catch anything. I asked him to come back next March when the fishing was better and I'd take the time to fish with him again. He and his wife live right near Lake Allatoona, but I also told them to check out nearby Rocky Mountain PFA as that location is set up for bank fishing. I know from what he said and his reactions that this interaction lifted his spirits, but it also lifted mine. This was a man that spent his lifetime taking care of people, and now it's a challenge to take care of himself. But he pushes on. He is finding his new purpose in life, despite the challenges. I greatly admire that and hope that I can remember to do the same. I'm going to follow up with an email to him tomorrow and provide him some more resources for fishing with disabilities as well as some links to general bass fishing topics. It just goes to show that you never know what life is going to throw at you, and with all of the craziness in the world today there is still some happiness and joy - even if you don't catch a fish.

The truth right here gentleman!

I just placed an offer on five acres of waterfront property and it was accepted. It's on a pond I LOVE. It doesn't have bass four pounds or bigger, but nearly all its bass are 2.5 to 3.5 pounds. The lake is 170 acres and only one of its four sides can be developed as three sides are marsh. The one side that is developed only has about ten homes on large lots, all set 100' back, so when I look out from my shoreline, I only see water and trees. I am so excited. I'm not going to build on it. I'll leave it wild. It's five minutes from my house, so I'm going to stash an old v-hull on its shoreline and fish like a fancy angler, in a boat that can't tip and I can actually stand. So fancy.

Guess where I'm going guys? Yep, Japan! At the end of this month. I've been invited to tour the SPRO and Gamakatsu international headquarters and factories, and meet the CEO of Gamakatsu (I'm also invited to his home), and the President of Gamakatsu. Oh, and attend one of the world's largest tackle shows - bigger than ICAST. I'll also do some sightseeing, try new foods, and stay up way late drinking sake and singing karaoke. LOL Plus I'm told I'll be going to a very large tackle store stuffed to the rafters with JDM tackle where I can buy whatever I can haul home. If that weren't enough, I'll also be visiting Himeji Castle and Kyoto by way of a bullet train. This will be a trip of a lifetime! I'll try to chronicle the trip here, but my posts will likely be in the middle of the night due to the time change. So, if you were me, what would you do? What tackle would you get? What would you say to the CEO?

Got my third ever DD this week, a healthy bug eyed 10lb 12oz beast! She was 25.5" L × 20" G and she anchored a 37lb 4oz bag I had that day. I also had a 8lb 12oz, 7lb 8oz, 6lb 4oz and a 4lb. Watched her swim away alive and well, man it's an awesome feeling watching the giants go!

Sitting on the bed last night switching out some trebles for an upcoming trip. I went to sit up, not realizing that I had dropped a 110 next to me, and buried 2 hooks through my shorts and into the left butt cheek and the other hook through the sheets and into the mattress. I can only tell what’s going on by feel as I can’t see. At this point I am pretty immune to hook sticks but I am literally pinned to the bed, no one else is home, no knife, and the hook cutters are 10 feet away teasing me. I yanked and pulled but gave up and finished my project. A few hours later the wife comes home but she’s not going to touch it, so I had to wait another hour for one of the boys to get home. After a few wire clips, a lot of laughter and pictures, and my inability to coach through 2 failed floss tricks, I convinced them to push the hooks through and I was a free man, none the worse for wear. The only cost was $100 to keep my wife from posting it on her d**n Facebook. Just curious if I am the only one that has brain fart moments. Unfortunately, this experience is called a Tuesday in my world.

I caught this beast yesterday in the Memphis city limits. It's twice as big as any bass I've ever caught (I had caught a handful of six pounders before, but was "stuck" at six). I went walking with my wife and baby girl yesterday afternoon around our neighborhood lake. As always, I was scouting. Last year, I saw some monsters along this same bank this time of year on their beds but could not for the life of me provoke a bite. Saw this shadow on her bed-- she looked big, but had no idea how big. Came back after our walk with a Senko. Threw it for five minutes or so and the bass was not interested. Then put on a shallow crank-- she started turning towards it. I stopped the crank right on top of her and all of a sudden I see a giant mouth take the crank from the top of the water. Great fight-- could not believe how big she was when she jumped. I only had 8 lb test on. It was the most nerve-racking minute of my life. The best part was when I pulled the fish out of the water-- there was an elderly gentleman crappie fishing nearby-- and the look on his face! He was laughing and just so happy-- I wish I could take that amount of joy from someone else's catch (honestly, I'd probably be jealous). Anyways, my pops came with the scales and she weighed in at over 12 and a half pounds. Had a good photo session with the fish before letting her go-- she swam off with no problems. I'm still in absolute disbelief this happened (and I was so amped after catching her that I left my rod on the bank-- came back to look for it this morning and it was gone).

1) With the hook in the gullet, note which side of the fish's mouth the hook shank is toward. Note: For illustration sake, the line is eliminated here in steps 2 through 5. In reality, the line stays connected as this technique is performed. (2) With a finger or two, reach in through the last gill arch on that side of the fish and push and pull down on the hookeye so the hook turns and . . . (3) rolls out below the gill toward the side of the fish. At that point, amazingly, the hook, barb and all, almost always pops free from its hold in the fish's gullet. (4) Reach into the fish's mouth and grip the bend in the hook (which is now up) and . . . (5) lift it free. If the fish's mouth is too small to reach in with your hand, use a needle-nose pliers to grip the hook bend. What needs to be emphasized is how resilient a fish's gills actually are -- far from being the fragile organs often suggest by some sources. And the occasional bleeding fish? Does it have to be kept? Just get the fish back into the water as soon as possible and, more often than not, the bleeding stops. The technique also works superbly on walleyes, smallmouths, and other fish, usually taken on smaller hooks, often salmon-style hooks.

Met Johnny Morris today at Rodman Reservoir campground boat ramp. He spotted my Tracker V-18 and introduced himself. He complimented me on the condition of the boat and thanked me for being a customer. Very friendly and personable.

It was only 36 degrees out, but I figured it would be nice to get out for a little bit. Just as I was getting ready to pack it in after 2 hours, I caught my Personal Best on a Squarebill. It was pretty exciting, but no one was there to take a picture of me holding it. Took a few pictures and got it back in the water. Thank you for looking Nelson

A tackle room is an angler's refuge. It's a place to shut out the clamor and clutter of everyday life and turn thoughts to fishing tackle. Join me on a tour of my Fortress of Solitude. I designed and built this bench and shelf unit for R/C model construction. It now accommodates a miscellany of articles of interest to the lure builder/fisherman. The tackle boxes, used for storage now, give you an idea how long I've been wetting line. The Old Pal on the floor was purchased circa 1965. It was my second tackle box. Couldn't pass up this steel locker at a tag sale. Face shield, goggles and 3M respirator with organic vapor cartridges are on the top shelf. The middle shelf holds Do-It molds with hangers detached and I.D. labels on the end of the handles. Non lead alloys are boxed on the bottom along with the Lee Production Pot IV. This solid oak rod rack, sold by Cabela's, is better finished than most of my furniture. There are more than a few feathers in the cabinets on the top shelf. The Sterilite shoe boxes await filling with the packages of soft plastics on the floor to the right. I'm sure you're familiar with the footprint of 3700 boxes, but maybe not with the big plastic box below. I bought it from a big office supply company which had it mislabeled, "sliding letter/legal file box." How could they not have noticed that it holds six Plano 3700s perfectly? It's my office afloat! The utility carrier (see sunscreen and MegaStrike sticking out) also fits in the 14' aluminum rental boat that takes me to where the smallies swim. A fan blocked in by a double layer of 1" insulation foam is essential if you're using vinyl paint. Use it when you're molding jigs or spraying mold release. All fumes including super glue and flatulence will go out the window. How about this slide-on stainless steel bench top? Friend and bassmaster, Fred, a fine craftsman of many materials, fabricated this from a hood that once hung over a commercial oven. Here's where everything comes together. Good lighting is a great friend to the craftsman. Not shown is the full spectrum desk lamp that I use when tying flies and jigs. Magnetic strips work well for tight-packing tools. Before I stack any more Sterilite 3 drawer components cabinets, I'd better check my town's building codes for a height limit. I'll leave you with a photo of some of the products - (Aargh! I forgot to sprinkle some steelhead flies into the picture!) - that leave this room and find their way into a fish's jaw.

Went out today at the ponds I caught my PB, wanted to see if I could make something happen. Lines in at 1:50 PM and stayed until 6:30. Bite was slow going, not much activity on top as I would normally expect for this time of year and moon phase, but I ended up with 8 (and a tilapia, I cannot escape them). Six (+ tilapia) on the jerkbait, two on the lipless. Didn't hit my first bite until ~2:35, but it was a doozy. Nice healthy 22.5" 6lb 12oz girl out of a pond I've never broken 3lb in but always had a hunch it held bigger fish. I was already stoked to finally get my first one over 5 for the year, but bites continued to be slow. Got a 2lber a bit over an hour later, then just a handful of casts after I hooked into The Big One™. I was doing a somewhat brisk cadence with the jerkbait, she hit it between the second and third twitch. Twitch, twitch, then loaded into what felt like a massive log until that log let off a massive headshake. A few seconds into the fight and she came up and jumped, managed to get completely out of the water and my heart STOPPED. Kept the rod loaded as deep as I could without pulling the hooks and just held on, reeling when I could in between her runs. She only managed the one jump, but dear god she had some legs on her. Eventually got her tired out enough to bring her in, and my eyes were BUGGING when I got a better look at her in hand. Got a pic and a weight, then put her back in for a breather before I got length/girth measurements. She ended up coming in at 10lb 9oz. And to think I how stoked I was about the 6lb 12oz only an hour and half earlier, I was over the friggin' moon by now. She was 25" long and a girth of 19.5", but a smaller head than I was expecting. Luckily I had 5 hooks in her, because she bent out 3 of them on the Gamakatsu EWGs I have on that jerkbait. One of them was bent out so bad it snapped while trying to slowly work it back to true. I may end up switching to some heavier wire hooks (or try out those Owner Zo wire trebles). I sat with her again in the water for a little while to make sure she had a good strong release. She took a few minutes to get her energy back but I was happy to see her go. The next few photos are a little tougher since my hands were shaking and my rear facing camera lens is a bit messed up. I ended up getting another decent one that weighed in a 3lb 5oz, and a few smaller fish, the biggest of which was ~1.25lb. Best five for the day ended up right around 23.87lb. Today might not have been a great numbers day, but oh man what an unforgettable day it turned out to be. I am so grateful to this fish for giving me such a wonderful experience, and I am super excited to see my jerkbait grind pay off so incredibly this early into the year. But if I learned anything it's that I need a consistent fishing buddy, these pics are getting harder and harder to take by myself! ?

Caught my first jig fish tonight and it also happened to be my PB. I didn't have a scale but I think it was between 4-5lbs. I know for most people that isn't huge but I was super excited. Don't have any fishing friends and wanted somewhere to share my catch. The feeling of the jig bite was so much better than getting bit on a moving bait! It was a 1/4OZ keitech finesse football with a 3" hazedong shad as trailer btw. That combination happened to be pure luck because it is all I had left in my bag. Also just want to say I usually don't let fish touch the ground and get them back in the water as fast as possible but I really wanted a picture of this one as a reference.

Well guys I set a "trophy bass goal" for myself when I decided to take up bass fishing as a hobby back in June of this year, and that was 8 pounds. I've caught a few 5s and one 6 since then. I've been totally addicted since I caught by first bass (one of the 5 pounders). I basically fish every morning before work and during my break (I drive half the day for my job). So I stopped at a decent sized pond I was driving by yesterday and threw an H2O Express squarebill hoping to get a few little guys, which I did catch one dink. I walked to the other side and on my second cast I thought I hit a log til I saw a HUGE mouth break the surface and my lure came flying at my face.... Oh hell no.... I throw it right back, and wouldn't you believe it, she hits it even harder! Really got a good hookset and the fight was on. She peeled off 30 yards of drag that was TIGHT and jumped 3 times. My knees were weak. My hands were shaking... When I pulled her out the water I got two treble points almost to the barb in my finger and didn't feel it. I ran back to my truck to get my scale thinking she has to be close to 8 if not 9.... 8.15 pounds and 26 inches long!!!! I did it! I'm definitely getting a replica mount of this beauty! I want to thank all of the members here, for I've learned invaluable things from you guys! I attached a pic of her... You can see I'm in a daze from the adrenaline!

With the Elite Series stopping on my home waters of the Potomac River I had to sign up as a marshal to see how these guys attacked it. I was confirmed for the first 2 days and got as lucky as you can get by drawing KVD for day 2 of the tournament (Friday). After launching we had some time before take-off so in between him doing a couple quick interviews we got to discuss his first day and his plans for day 2. KVD's first day was a nightmare...Other boats in his spots, timing off, best areas trashed by the wind, and lost fish. He told me that it was one of those days where everything that could've possibly gone wrong did go wrong. We spent the first few minutes in the morning on day 2 talking about the weather, he was hoping the wind changed direction enough so that his best area wouldn't be blown out again. After checking the weather a few different times he concluded that it was probably still going to be trashed, but there was enough of a chance to at least go check on it when the tide was right. When we finally took off as boat #60 he started up river to a spot where he saw several good fish in practice. The first thing that jumped out to me was how he drove the boat...It was like a race car driver, not becasue of the speed but the 'path' he takes. He runs right on the shoreline when he can (said it was smoother, and it was), as in you could touch it with a fishing rod, and cuts corners/points literally as close as you can. I knew that in some areas he was in less than a foot of water. It reminded me of race car driver cutting the apex of each turn...Zero wasted time and not even a foot of extra distance traveled. None of the other pros seemed to take it to this extreme, including my day 1 pro (Cliff Prince). It wasn't a far run to his first spot and there were 3 other competitors already there from an earlier flight. He told me that all 3 were there yesterday too and had the very best spot locked down. He wouldn't encroach on them, but said he was hoping to pick up fish on the periphery. Two of the three were Hackney and Vinson and they did not move more than 50 yards all day, for both day's 1 & 2. He caught his first fish quickly on a popper and made a joke about finally having something weigh in....He hung around for about an hour and besides one other blow up that missed his popper there was no action. His next stop was a short distance down river, a stretch of docks with good grass in front. He spent most of the time here using frogs. The new Poppin' Perch, a regular KVD frog, and a new SK toad with 'flat' feet (like a Ribbit). He had two good blow ups just inches behind his toad and had a good fish knock his KVD frog in the air on a blow up...All were decent size fish but they never completely got the bait. He switched colors a few times to see if that would get them to commit a little better but it ultimately didn't result in any more bites. As he was re-tying he pulled out a bunch of the new Poppin' Perch frogs to show me and explained how he worked with SK for almost a year to get it how he wanted....After a few passes up and back with the frog he went into the docks and flipped them with a Menace, but had no bites. From there we ran upriver to a popular creek with another spot where he saw several quality fish in practice. As we rounded the corner and set down he cursed when he saw Gary Klein sitting literally on his waypoint. He showed me on his GPS and sure enough, it was exactly on top of his mark. Klein was getting bit almost every cast on a walking bait and we watched him put his whole limit in the boat...KVD said that he probably got there just a few minutes before we did. He got close to Klein but stayed away from the main spot. The fish weren't as interested in his popper so he said he had to try a walker. He pulled out his walker box and I learned that besides his Sexy Dawg bait, he also really like the Evergreen Shower Blows...He asked if I'd ever used it and when I said it was one of my favorites he agreed and I think his exact words were 'yep, it's a baaaaad sum-b****..." . Even KVD likes a little JDM style . He got no love on the walker since he couldn't hit the main spot, so he started digging in his rod boxes and pulled out a spinning rod. He rigged up a 4" Caffine Shad and started skipping it quickly across the surface, trying to imitate the needlefish we get in the river this time of year. He cycled through colors every few casts before finally settling on one. This was the ticket for him as it resulted in 4 fish to fill his limit in the next hour or so. Nothing huge, but he was happy to get 5 after the disaster on day 1. The tide eventually brought too much dirty water into the area and it was about the right time to go check on his primary spot. We headed down river and as we got closer he looked over holding up his crossed fingers hoping for a little luck. Unfortunately, the wind had it trashed again. He still gave it a few minutes before giving up and we ran back up the river. We bounced around to a few more areas but he wasn't able to connect on anything else that helped him. I know a lot of that is a little vague, but if i went into all the details this post would 4 pages long! Honestly, the actual fishing part was awesome...But the real highlights to me we the conversations about tackle, strategy, locations, and everything else. I asked about a lot of his baits and colors and the level of detail he considers for everything he has is impressive. There is a reason/purpose for everything he uses and/or has his name on. For example, we talked about the Caffine Shad and he told me that he designed it specifically to be different from the Super Fluke. He said he wanted it to fall completely horizontal like a stick-bait instead of gliding around like the fluke. He also told me that they have the Jr sized Rage Bug in the works . His name on the package isn't just marketing, if it's got KVD on the package it's because he either designed or modified it to his liking. The thing that impressed me the most was how well he knew the Potomac. He knows this river better than any local I've met, which obviously includes me too. I'd like to think I know this river better than most and he was on another level. He never went to an area that I haven't been (and neither did my day 1 pro), but the level of detail about each area and the history he knew was insane. A few of the places he hit were some of my favorite areas and he had those places dissected to such detail that I never once thought "I wonder if he knows about 'XYZ' in this spot"...He knew it all. I know he has a long history on this river, but even still it's unreal to me how much detail he knew. He couldn't have been a nicer guy and was very easy to talk to. We talked quite a bit about some other waters in the area like the Upper Bay, James/Chick rivers, Gaston, and Kerr which was fun...Nothing like comparing strategies with greatest of all time . I know in his mind he was probably fuming since he was having a tough tournament, but you never would have known it from talking to him. At the end of the day I helped him bag his fish for weigh in and with a handshake I thanked him for the day wished him good luck with the rest of the season and he wished me good luck with rest of mine (which was cool, even though I'm just small time). It was the best day I've spent on the water and I never even made a cast. I also don't want to overlook my day 1 pro, Cliff Prince who was also great...But I'd be writing all day/night if I put everything that happened on both days in text....I'll just end by saying that if the Elites ever make a stop in your vicinity you should jump on the marshal opportunity...Even just hanging out before launch or at weigh in is awesome, every single pro was friendly and approachable. It's worth every penny and every second.

God lined up the stars again for my first trip of 2025! He gave me the opportunity to cross the path with five DD bass in 7 days!!! My best 5 for the trip went 54lbs! Also had a 8lb 4oz, 7lb 4oz and 6lb 4oz. The breakdown of the top 5: 11lb 4oz / 25¾" L × 21" G 11lb 4oz / 25½" L × 21½" G 11lb / 25½" L × 21" G 10lb 8oz / 25½" L × 19½" G 10lb / 24" L × 20½" G I've been trophy hunting for ten years now and this trip is what it's all about! I still can't believe what went down. The first 11lb 4oz hit the net within the first few hours of day 1 of the trip! I was on cloud 9 and told myself any fish from that point on was just a bonus, not knowing four more DD's would hit the net before it was over! I was able to watch all five DDs eat on the new Mega Live 2. I also was able to hone my mental fortitude this trip by sometimes going 6-7 hours with zero activity/hits and staying mentally in the game. I weighed all the DD's multiple times on my IGFA certified 15lb Boga Grip. As usual, my custom F5 rods paired with the Calcutta Conquest 400MD's put in work! All were caught on various swimbaits. The series of pics below are in order of the top 5 listed above (better quality pics on IG - 22RangerZ520R, had to resize/shrink them to post here). Man, it's going to be very hard to top this trip and I'm smiling ear to ear just typing this. Can't wait to go again....!

As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable journey we have undertaken together. I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes to each one of you for a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. The growth we have witnessed this year at BassResource has been nothing short of extraordinary. Each year brings its own set of challenges and opportunities, but 2023 has been particularly notable for the influx of enthusiastic new members who have joined our ranks. Your active participation and fresh perspectives have been invaluable to our community's continuous evolution. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the new members for choosing to be a part of our community. Your engagement and contributions have significantly enriched our collective experience. As our community expands, so does the wealth of our connections, knowledge, and friendships. Furthermore, a special word of thanks is due to our senior members. Your willingness to share your knowledge and assist others is the cornerstone of what makes our community exceptional. The spirit of collaboration and support you demonstrate is truly commendable and plays a pivotal role in fostering a welcoming and productive environment for all. To our newer members, I extend a warm "Welcome Aboard." I am eagerly looking forward to meeting many more of you in 2024 and watching as some of our 2023 newcomers evolve into seasoned contributors. Your choice to make BassResource your home is greatly appreciated. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey and for contributing to our vibrant community. Wishing you all a joyous holiday season and a wonderful year ahead! Glenn

The Easly 21 lb 3 oz Casitas is the 1st 20 lb+ Bass caught outside of San Diego lakes and stirs a lot of excitement. Lake Isabella in north central California produces a 18 lb 13 oz and several other 18 lb class giants in 1984, fueling more excitement that California could break the world record standing since Perry’s 1932 record. Wednesday January 27th 1988 is another light rainy day time for another mental heath time on the water. Castiac has been producing some giant bass for the live bait anglers Crupi. Kadota, Samson etc and I have dialed in a good jig bite. The light wind is out of the NE with a drizzle. Every place I want to fish has a live bait angler anchored fishing crawdads. So decide to try Sharons rest area points, but need to cast into the wind, try it anyway. There is a center point off the middle of the ledge area drops into very deep water. I make a cast into the using my jig and miss where I wanted it to land and loose line to pull out. Turn the reel once after taking up slack the jig doesn’t move. Getting ready to shake the jig free and feel movement. Drop the rod tip and reel fast with rod sweep, strong heavy bass runs into deeper water. All I need to do is fight this bass nothing to get into. The bass doesn’t jump but stays deep until I try to land it, then it makes a head shaking surface run. This bass lets me open it’s mouth and grab it by hand without any fuss. Weigh it 17.4 lbs on the digital scale. 2nd giant bass takes 7 years after the 1st. Tom PS, to be continued.

Hello, My name is John, and I am a new member here. Making my own fishing lures has been a hobby and passion of mine for 8 or so years now. I began making my own casting and jigging spoons out of metal tubing and lead, and now make my own crankbaits out of wood. (Mainly cedar) Lately I've been building these square bill rattle cranks and mid diving walleye baits. Below are some samples of my work in metal and wood.

EDIT: Here's the article Louisiana Sportsman wrote on me and the fish: http://www.louisianasportsman.com/details.php?id=9644# PB went from 6 something to 11.12 last night! Last year I lost one that I "know" was over 10, this makes up for it. Didn't break me off this time because I was prepared with the right equipment. It qualified for Toledo Bend's "lunker program," so I'll get a replica for free. I weighed her in on an official scale and let her go back into the lake, it was a beautiful sight. WOO!

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

Had an amazing trip last week and caught my 5th DD at 10lb even! 😁 Also caught a 9lb, three 8lbers and a 7lb (the rest were < 6lb)! The 10lb cleared the water a foot right at the boat, it was a fifht I won't forget! If I did the GoPro/C2C stuff I would have got some awesome footage... I've been focused on hunting trophy bass for about 10 years now and this trip is what makes all the time, money and effort worth it! God blessed me and lined up the stars! More pics on IG - @22RangerZ520R

But not this year! For the previous 4 years, during the last week of March or first week of April I have managed to catch at least 1 giant bass. I thought that streak was for sure going to end this year. Newborn. Working 100+ hours per week. Mom in the ICU. And frankly, just tired. Well I got out today to a newish to me lake, I had fished for the first time last fall and had a lot of fun with wipers and a few decent bass. It has a ton of vegetation and rather clear so I suspected it held good fish. Plus, I’d never heard of it until last fall, which makes me think it’s not pressured too terribly. I made my way there this morning and knew it was supposed to be a little cool but then warm up quickly. The forecast had said 33 degrees at 7A the previous day. When I got to the ramp the thermometer on my truck said 23! Given the clarity of the water, I wanted to throw big swimbaits, in part to dial in my Humminbird Mega Live. About an hour and a half passed and I’d seen a few fish turn toward the swimbait on the Mega Live but nothing seemingly too interested. I ended up on this big grass flat in about 10-12’ of water and really I was just cruising it looking for the edge when I saw what I thought was a school of crappie or Shad on the Live about 100’ from the boat. I tossed my glide bait out toward it just to see if I could pick it out of the crowd. As I swam it by one of the markings followed along. I was intrigued as I didn’t think a crappie and certainly not a Shad would follow the glide. I tossed it out a again and watched some big markings come up from the grass, heart beginning to speed up I was just waiting for the weight, the glide made it back to the boat untouched but I watched fish follow it on the live all the way back. I tossed it out again let it sink down to the level of the fish and on the first half turn of the reel I felt the tick and weight to reel in a big mamahachi. I was able to reproduce this over and over again. WHAT A DAY! My new PB 5 fish bag of 33.27 lbs with an 8.35 lb kicker! But I caught way more than just 5 fish. Had at least 3-4 additional 20 lb bags.

Yesterday evening was breezy and heavily overcast. Went to my private lake in Virginia and got an 8 pound 3 oz. bass and then 15 minutes later, an 8 pound 13 oz bass on the frog!!! Also landed a 3 pounder on frog.

Fishing has been a big part of my life. There were times when catching fish was more important to me than eating or sleeping. It dominated my dreams at night and consumed a lot of my daytime too. Tournaments, travel, having the latest gadget, boats, even moving my family so I could be closer to water. I have no complaints and would do it all over again. I have seen many changes to the sport of bass fishing over the years. When I started fishing, an old wood rental boat was what most people fished from. I bought my first car top Jon boat in 1966. Terry Bass, Rangers, Hydrosport, Gambler, Storm plus the same number of salt water boats up to a 40' sport fish. When it comes to fishing boats, I learned simpler is better. These days, I fish strictly for enjoyment. Even though I still find myself carrying 6-8 rods, I rarely use more than two. I would rather catch one fish my way than fill the boat using something I don't enjoy doing. Modern electronics are great, but I choose not to use them. Other than knowing how deep the water is, I could care less what they tell me. My fun is hunting fish without having a machine tell me where to fish. I have no problem with others using whatever they want. If I was still fishing competitively, I would have whatever it takes. Today, I prefer to fish small water. The Eustis Harris Chain boat ramp is 2 blocks from my home. I drive 6 miles to fish small lakes nearer to the forest where I don't have to fight for a parking spot at the ramp. I like quiet fishing without radios, jet skis, pontoon boat tours and tourists. The water is clear in these lakes and the bass are not so picky. I catch most of my fish on top water and it's just me and the fish. Luckily, there are at least a dozen lakes like that in the surrounding area. While others are beating the big lakes, I'm having a nice quiet time on the water. It takes me back to a simpler time when bass fishing was what we did before TV, money tournaments and sponsors. The cool thing about bass fishing is you can make it as simple or as complicated as you want. I'm slower now and I tire easily. I don't fish if it's raining, too hot or too cold. My Ranger is two years old, but it's still new. My wife says I should sell it, but I can't bear the idea of not owning a boat. So many great memories. I once had a large lure collection. I sold most of them when lure prices went crazy a few years back. I kept a few with special meanings for me. I still have a couple nearly a 100 years old. They aren't perfect, they've been fished. I often think about all the fishing days these lure have seen and what it was like when they did. My greatest memories of fishing are about the people I have met along the way. Most are gone now. Some were and still are famous fishermen and women. They were all characters of one kind or another and I enjoyed them all. Fishing memories are forever.

I am kicking myself for not putting in the effort to learn the jerkbait sooner, it is FAST becoming one of my favorite presentations. Headed out today to the same water I caught the last double digit and the bite was slow, a few fish here and there. Got to the area I caught my PB in and knew I'd be remiss if I didn't make a few casts just to see. First cast in that spot and WHAM, fish hammered the jerkbait in between twitches much much more aggressively than the last one. Not as long of a fight, a handful of nice solid runs and she got off two spectacular (but nerve-wracking) jumps. Got her landed and couldn't believe I got another DD so soon after my last one. She was a little smaller, 10lb 2oz, 24.75" long by 19.6875" girth. Again caught on that H2O Xpress jerk shad in the crackle color. Thrashed another one of those Gamakatsu EWG trebles, too.

As many of you know, I'm the General Manager for a hotel on a lake, so of course I tried to find a way to make fishing part of my job. I'm trying to promote the "guest experience" at our hotel with different family friendly events. Friday night was S'Mores night down at our fire pit and tonight was Fish with the GM night at the hotel. I purchased some cheap Zebco spin cast rods, some soft plastic grubs, and some night crawlers and redworms figuring the best bet was to fish for bluegills, bream, and crappie and maybe luck into a bass or two. I even bought some pond fish food to help chum teh water a bit. Fishing at our docks has been lousy lately. The water level is normally 4-6 feet around the docks, but the water level has been down by a foot lately. Other than one guest catching a 3 foot gar on Friday I haven't seen anyone catch any fish and I've been fishing elsewhere on the lake out in my kayak. Tonight was also really, really windy out making it even more difficult to cast those little Zebco's. So I set up the rods with tiny little hooks and instead of having the kids cast I had them punch the button and just drop the line and tiny bobber off the dock. It was slow for a bit, but I chummed the water and the kids had a blast catching bluegills. There were even a few tiny bass and tiny catfish caught out there. Best of all, every kid and even the adults that fished all caught something. I had made up some "Certified Angler Award" certificates for the kids and put their names on them along with my official signature. The kids and the parents loved it. I spent most of my time putting worms on hooks, teaching kids to fish, and showing the kids how to release the fish, but I did manage to take a few casts with some bass gear and I caught - nothing. Zip. Zilch. I was hoping to catch a decent sized bass to show the kids, but it was not to be. The little girl in the picture below caught 5 or 6 little fish and she was just thrilled with her evening out there. It looks like we'll be doing this on a regular basis as the kids and parents loved the event. As for me, I made fishing an integral part of my job!

Saturday, my son's 16 year old girlfriend wanted to go fishing. I practiced casting with her 3-4 times in the yard and explained how to set the hook. We went to a neighborhood pond near my house that I fish regularly for her to practice casting and then we were going to go to a better location. Usually the pond is good for a 1 pounder, or maybe two one pounders at most. She cast out and I was explaining to her how to use a nedrig when suddenly the drag started screaming. She reeled it in and this is what she caught....First ever fishing trip and first cast...she didn't even set the hook. 6 pounds 7 ounces. I told her she may have caught the biggest first cast bass in history.

Today I caught my first 8" hudd fish... after over 100 hours fishing it over the years. I've caught fish on bigger baits but for some reason I could never get them on the traditional slow bottom crawl. I was retrieving it mid column and watched this fish engulf it near the end of my cast. A new personal best!

Ended 2023 with my 6th DD! She went 10lb even, and it's my second DD this month! Don't know that I'll ever catch two DD's in one month ever again, definitely a month to remember! The rush of adrenaline when they hit the net is definitely addictive! All the time, money, mental fortitude, and patience chasing the giants has paid off. It was a great year considering I only went on 4 trips (14 days on the water total). Best 5 for 2023 was 45lb: - 10lb - 10lb - 9lb - (2) 8lb More pics on IG - @22RangerZ520R

At 73 years old, I have learned a few things about fishing. I will list some of them, in no particular order. 1) Forget about all the various tables about when to go fishing. Go fishing when you can, as often as you can. 2) There is no such thing as a "magic" lure or technique. Fish with what makes sense for the conditions and what you have confidence in. 3) Don't be afraid to go against conventional wisdom. Sure, try doing what is supposed to work, but if that doesn't work, don't just keep doing it. Do something else even if it seems like it should not work. What have you got to lose? 4) Unless you are a tournament fisherman, the only person you are really competing with is yourself. Just try to get better each time you go out and don't get too concerned about how others are doing. 5) We all have bad days. Getting skunked does not mean the trip was unsuccessful. At the very least you learned what did NOT work. 6) While searching and scoping can be good for getting ideas, don't forget the idea is to go fishing. As the great Bill Dance says: "Wet lines catch more fish". 7) Unless you are in a tournament, or are in another persons' boat, or are taking someone else fishing and they really want to keep fishing, if you are not having fun, just quit for today. There always another day. Don't sour yourself on fishing by forcing yourself to have a crappy time. ? Maintain awareness of your surroundings and the weather. Don't put yourself at risk by being unobservant. 9) Be kind and considerate of others and respect others property. Trespassing or being rude will only make others less amenable to letting fisherman have access. 10) Always leave an area cleaner than you found it. Remember that the water is not a garbage can. 11) Always be willing to help a child or inexperienced angle. Grow the sport. I usually carry an extra inexpensive but serviceable rod and reel (Walmart sets up you can get for under $25.00, or one of my old but still working rigs) which I will loan to a young person if they don't have a working rod and reel. I don't give a set up away all that often, but I will loan one out just about every time I am around youngsters. 12) Always do the right thing, even when no one else is around. Respect the rules and regulations.

Well, Facebook famous anyways From the Rage Tail Facebook page today.