Fat-G

Gonna give the live and freshly cut gills a shot tonight, my brother will use chicken liver. I really want to get a real big one, like 15+.

UPDATE: Went out again and the bite was slow for about 2 hours...we switched ponds and it was like we flipped a switch. Automatic for 30 straight minutes, a fish on every cast. We would still be out there if the curfew didn't exist. No big ones, biggest was 6, but we did get a good double.

How often do you guys get a big girl? I know the definition of "big" is varied for us depending on location, but do you catch nice fish regularly? For example; I consider a 4 pounder a "good" fish, 5 is a nice fish, and then anything over 6 is entering the territory of a big fish. In the spring and summer, I can catch a 4+ probably every other trip. That's not to say I haven't had days (and weeks) where I've caught nothing but small ones, or even none at all, but I have also had trips where I have caught three or four 6+ pound fish. I understand that a lot of people consider pond fishing to be "easier", and I agree to some extent. I don't think I would do as well on a public lake or even a big private pond that I didn't know like the back of my hand. I pretty much know all of my ponds really well, so it's that much easier. So, do you guys rarely catch good fish, and catch a lot of smaller ones, or do you catch bigger than average fish regularly?

I would definitely consider one of these rods for a buy if I had a 100% confirmation that they were a very much upgraded blank. They look great, but the original GL2 blanks blow. My only gripe is that I think it would look way better without the inwards hump on the handle.

By the way, the bass in the pond this one came out of are incredibly un-healthy, due to the big cats eating all of the gills. The bass have actually resorted to biting the chicken liver as well. It's kind of sad, really, but it is what it is. Every cat is fat as can be, and probably 50% have a gill in their gullet. Side note - we hit a grand slam the other night, catching a bass, catfish, bluegill, turtle, and racoon all in the same night. That coon was not very amused.

I've taken about a week and a half break from the bass, and focused on the kitty-cats. Man, I tell you what; Channel cats fight so hard, especially if you have the right rod. It's an absolute blast. My love for cats started two summers ago when I started working with an awesome catfish guide on the James River. I have learned a lot about not only the catfishing aspect, but also how to carry myself as a man. My boss, Mike, is one of the best guys I have ever known, and we are very dear friends. Last summer, I actually got to do a little solo guiding after we got the insurance and licensing taken care of. Working as a guide on the river taught me an awful lot about catfishing and the environment itself. My buddy and I have been hitting some exceptional Channel cat ponds just about every night for the past week, and have caught some real nice ones. Biggest one is 8 pounds, but in one of the ponds I know there are 2 over 20, which is a true monster cat. That's like catching a 10 pound bass. If you get a goodo ne, they take 5+ reel screaming runs. Catfishing is incredibly cheap, I'm using an $80 Sahara on a $10 6' M/F Shakespeare spinning rod with 6# CXX, 2/0 circles and no weight, Chicken Liver. It's a nice change-of-pace from the "high intensity" bass fishing, just sitting there waiting for a bite. At night, we're averaging a fish every 10 minutes. Seriously, I like cats as much if not more than bass fishing. And you guys know I love bass. This is a bad, out of focus picture, but I got the night focusing down now, so the next big one should come out clear.

I know I probably sound like a Rage Tail tool, but they just flat catch fish for me. Every one of them is a truly outstanding bait, that is perfectly designed for what you want to do with it. They just catch fish, plain and simple. I know there will be times out on the lake that conditions will call for a finesse worm with a slow presentation, a Senko, spinnerbait, lipless crank, etc., but I haven't encountered too many trips in the past two years in which a Rage Tail won't catch a fish. They have baits for all sizes of fish, pike, and many other species, as well as a Crappie Grub! Steve Parks (Big-O) is a class act, very nice guy who is more than willing to give his input on anything fishing. When he does, listen up. The man is one of the pioneers of the industry. I am in no way affiliated with Rage Tail, ywt I promote them in my signature. I think that goes to show how much confidence I have in them. Rage Tail plastics changed the way I fish, forever.

Copenhagen Wintergreen. I don't use dip baits but dead shad, Ivory soap, and smoked sausage work well too.

Channel cat bite has been on fire recently. Chicken Liver and a whole bunch of dip.

You obviously don't have ADD. I have it bad and need my Adderall if I have a big test or the like. I very much need it. The amount of work you can do IS insane. Like clean the whole house in ten minutes insane.

It's workin for you though haha

Yep, the water is about five inches low.

I've had about a 12 pounder spit it right at the bank. That was pretty bad. It messed me up and I didn't catch anything for the rest of the day.

Nice man. My bro just got his first guitar, a Mexican Strat. He's learning at warp speed and is pretty good already.

It's a huge chain, that's how. I doubt their fishing section is their high revenue section as well.

Those rods are surprisingly sensitive. Minus the reel I say you did a good job.

Dude I'm lovin the lawlllzzz. You know how good we are at flipping gills though on the real..

Well, my buddy Mitchell got his new PB today. This kid just got started fishing last year, and has got the bug big time. He was fishing a lot of spinners for a long while using a spincaster. He told me he had an old Daiwa baitcaster that his grandpa bought right before he died and left to Mitch that he didn't really know how to use. I told him to bring it out today, and we spooled it up yesterday with some 50# braid. He paired it with a 5'6 Wright and McGill rod that is in very good shape. I told him a couple months ago when he asked me how I catch "huge" 4-5 pounders a lot, and I replied: "man, you need to get a couple packs of Rage Tails." Caught this big girl on a Baby Thumper, t-rigged in about three feet of water. I was more pumped than he was! 4 pounds 10 ounces, but this fish should have been pushing 6 easy! On a side note - I'm starting to worry about this pond, and you can see why. It's like 2-3 inches deep in some spots and the bass can't get to the gills to eat them. I see a lot of the bigger fish cahsing the smaller ones in deep water.

Wow, Tee Clarkson who runs the camps is a good friend of mine. That blows. He's a really good guy.

You should flip down here with 10# flouro.... I use braid but if I was going to use flouro it would he AT LEAST 20 pound. Anything under 17 and it would bug me. Not saying it wouldn't work, but I wouldn't be confident in it.

No doubt, man! A M/XF or a light MH is a sweet finesse jig rod!

We need a "highlight" option, LOL.

It fished kind of like my old Lowrider Lizard Dragger. Great rod though for sure. I really like the Powell rods, they just seem a tad tip-heavy to me. Pretty sensitive though!

If I pond-hop early, I'm out the door by 5 and back in bed by 9. Nice fish man!

Southeast, but I like jigs, spinnerbaits, lipless cranks, and topwaters. I love fall fishing. The fish turn on and strap on the feedbags for winter - awesome time of year.