FishLaughAtMe

I'm with KU on this one. Go with a top water lure, like a Chug Bug or Hula Popper. I love seeing and hearing the bass take one of these down. They seem to be really effective around 6-8 am. I'd try to time it so you're making your first cast right as it starts to get light out.

This has happened to me twice in one week... After bringing in a bass, I find that I have hooked it right between the eyeball and the socket. I'm trying to figure out how this happened, especially since I had the plastic jerkbait hooked weedless. Maybe they test the bait once hard enough to expose the hook, and do another test strike against the exposed hook? Normally, I'd let bass like those go, but I figured they would die soon anyways, so I kept them. Would being hooked like that be fatal? I'd like to know how this happens and if it can be avoided.

I usually set twice. When I know a fish is on the bait, I give a tug that is usually enough to get that hook where it needs to be, but not too hard (ie not hard enough pull the bait out of the water flying to the other side of the boat). After that, I give a really hard set to seal the deal and make sure she's going nowhere other than the boat. Probably not the best way to do it, but it's what works for me. My fishing buddy sets the line really hard as soon as he feels anything (weeds usually). One time the bass, a 1lber, came flying out of the water and hit me in the last place a man would want to be hit with a fish :-X I turn my back and cover myself whenever he says "I got something" now.

I love bass, and everyone I've cooked it for has liked it, too. The bass I keep are from cleaner lakes (small, private lakes well stocked with Largemouths), so that may have something to do with it. I mostly practice catch & release, but I like to eat bass every so often. Doesn't seem to have as much of a "fishy" taste as some other fish. Alot of people say "huh?" when you tell them you cooked bass, but they're suprised when they like it. Can't hurt to try it. RoadWarrior's recipe is basically what I do, so that's what I suggest.