Bankbeater

I've gotten hooked twice with treble hooks. Once in each hand. The first time the hook went through the corner of nerve tissue, and the second time the hook was very close to a blood vessel. Both times I went to the ER and had the hook removed. There was no way I was going to try to pull those out myself.

So sad.

I've used braid, mono, and fluoro over the years. The braid was always a pain when snagged, even with a leader, which I don't like using. I really never noticed a difference between the flouro and mono, except the fluoro was a lot stiffer. Now I use straight mono for just about everything.

I love pitching a Texas rig into wood this time of year. Thanks Glenn.

I fish with a lot of the older baits. I'm not one to run out and purchase a new type of bait, sight unseen, as soon as it hits the shelves. Nine times out of ten how I try a new bait is that I find one out on the water and tie it on.

You won't be boating that sunfish with 4 lb line.

I only have the light on when I retie, change baits, remove a fish, or untangle the bait. I try not to have it on very long since it tends to draw in bugs,

I've been fishing on days when the temps started out in the high 20's and warmed into the low 40's. That is about it for me. If the high temps are going to be low then I stay home.

About 10 years ago I was fishing with an old Daiwa rod from the bank. I reeled in my jig in and was raising it up out of the water when a big bass hit it about one foot off the bank. In a knee jerk reaction I just flipped the bass out on the bank, and that rod sure creaked when I did. That was a learning moment for me, and the last time I flipped a big fish.

With the high gas prices I stayed close to home this year. I did find a lot of new ponds to fish. Some of them produced bass and some didn't. I managed to hit my numbers goal, which is good because with work picking back up and the weather changing I think I may have only 1 or 2 trips left. My most productive bait was a 6" straight worm fished around vegetation. The best bite came weightless, or on a Texas rig fished on the bottom.

I wouldn't worry about it. You may not have gotten a 8+ lb bass, but you definitely avoided the skunk. Sometimes that is more important.

The worst part about fishing from the bank is that you don't know what is under the water, especially when fishing a new body of water. There are some baits I fish with just to feel out the bottom, and to try to get a handle on what type of cover is out there. Best 1. Texas rig with less than 1/4 weight 2. Split shot rig 3. Weightless Fluke or Senko 4. Topwater 5. Wakebait Worst 1. Carolina Rig 2. Diving or sinking treble hook baits 3. Jig 4. Texas rig with more than 1/4 weight 5. Drop shot

I've been working the same job for the past 36 years. I've seen my share of butt kissers, back stabbers, and people that are just not that bright. All I can say is that I'm glad I will be retiring in a few years.

My mom had shingles back in the late 70's. She said it was the worse pain that she has ever felt. Doctor's office keeps wanting me to get it for a few years now, but I have been putting it off. Doctor's office also wanted my wife to the the shingles vaccine, and my wife politely told them she has never had chicken pox.

Looking sharp

I use either a mh/f or a h/f. Catfish will hit a minnow under a bobber also.

This year its been close to 50/50.

Nice write up!

Knit cap for my head, layers for my torso, long johns and sweats for my legs. The rain suit goes over the top of all that to block the wind.

I got back into fishing back in 2002 after not fishing for 15 years. Work, family, and a new house kept me busy.

Nice going and congrats!

I'll be reading the responses and not looking at the profile pic, and I'll think that is what happens to me. Then I look at the profile and realize that I wrote it.

I still use a round Ambassadeur reel for punching and catfishing.

I have a few vintage older reels that I will take out and look at from time to time. It has been years since some of them have been uesd on the water.

For a stocked channel cat lake you could probably get away with using a heavy action bass rig. For fishing water that has channel , flathead, and blue cats in it we always used saltwater rigs.