Brian Needham

YAYYYYY, then I can move to Pickwick!!!!!!

oh I know, I never thought you were busting on me. In the past I was "somewhat" in the "I don't miss fish" crowd...... I guess this is why this is so earth shattering to me, LMAO. even if I was totally asleep at the wheel yesterday, my eyes are open to many things that make sense and things I must change. failure is a strong word, I suppose. Mistakes I made other than the obvious 10 second gap: 1. rod WAYYYYY to high, I don't know why I was doing that 2. when I dropped the net on the deck, I let slack in the line when the fish changed directions (lucky) 3. misplayed the fish. those things don't seem normal to me, but it is AMAZING what you see when you see yourself on film.....just like in golf we say "feel aint real" who you think you do and what you actually do is sometimes very different.

I didnt do a countdown, but I beilve it........ it was just so weird. dont know where you started your count, but the more I watch it the more I think the fish had before I lowered my rod the first time (you see it load a bit, but it actually might have BEEN A rock) its a "good" post for others to see IMO, we always seem to get mired in our success, and never acknowledge our failures...... and without the failures we have no room to grow and learn. to err is to fish right?

there is nothing like it, I love it..... if schedule ever allows we'll get together sometime!

I am scared to even think on how many fish I have missed in the past... as usual you are spot on, I indeed hope this is a "leap forward" because I never felt that bite until yesterday. I have caught them on the fall before and other various bite too, but NOTHING like what I felt, or didn't feel, yesterday.... makes me more excited to get back after them! THANKS CATT.

I asked, he decided to be responsible.... that is the funny thing, they never moved, never swam. which is why(in part) I mistook this one as a "rock" I was fishing around a bunch of mussels too, and they have their own distinct feel(as I am learning)..... there were times I was dragging and feeling mussels, then get hung on one. I wasn't getting hung on a mussel.. what I felt when I felt it was the bass spitting the jig that is the only "tic" I felt. when I landed the 5.20# fish, I set the hook when I felt the "suction"..... those are the hardest to feel and have confidence in, because you rarely feel it... and knowing you are fishing mussel mounds, drops, ridges, ect I can easily mistake it for "natural" d**n, learing is fun.....but WORK.

Weird story time…. Burn me a vacation day to go to Pickwick yesterday, been wanting to go during the week so here was my chance….. most know me a non sugar coater….. so I am I sharing the good pics and vids, I am going to share the not so good. It was the weirdest jig bite I have EVER encountered…… I consider myself a “jig guy” and fairly handy with the lead and hook if you know what I mean…. Siebert Outdoor’s jigs make it easy. I am not “accomplished” by any stretch but I do consider myself better than average…..anyways, what you are about to see and hear from me makes me look and feel like a total and complete novice…… so take heed and solace that it can and WILL happen to anyone on any day. I am fishing ledges, not full blown river channel, but intermediate, mid column ledges….. I had idled down about a 2 mile stretch and found a kick out.. Has a nice shape to it and a good drop and probably a deposit of mussel shell…… with as straight as ledge had been I felt confident that fish WILL be on this spot, because of current, they really had no other choice if they lived in the area. Make my first cast to what I figure is the sweet spot, and had to kick my trolling motor in reverse so I am drifting backwards as I make the cast….. This is an important factoid. My drift is starting to slow and I pick my jig up off the top of the ledge….. rock rock rock ….. lower my rod reel some slack to pick my jig back up, as I am close to coming off the top. As I begin to pick my jig back up, I feel my jig coming up against a rock and since my boat was still drifting backwards I didn’t think much about it, I just needed to pull it off…….. pull, pull.....hey dummy that aint a rock , LOL.. it was a fish, and a good one to boot. 4.40# on the scale. This happened more than once or twice yesterday……. It was the weirdest bite I have ever experienced… I had fish spit it at the boat, missed several….. don’t get me wrong, I had a good day with the 4.40# and a 5.20# anchoring a 17.82# bag, by myself. I am gaining confidence each time out on finding fish, bigger fish…… I needed yesterday, I needed to know what it was like to miss fish, be half clueless and still put together a sack. Granted after the day was over you always wonder how many you really did miss……. Never would you have convenience me on the water that I was THIS late on the fish, until I saw the video…. It is repugnant, and I am lucky to have landed the fish. I have some things about the bite (on the day, not this fish) and other bad habits/form I see that I will explain, but I want your eyes to see the video first……….moral of the video is don’t be braindead and be ready on the first cast to a spot, cause it will happen and know EXACTLY what you are feeling. SO LETS TALK ABOUT IT!

^ this guy

Jeff (00mod) ONLY uses a trick worm on a shakeyhead. so yes, it will without doubt work. Myself, I prefer the magnum shkeyhead worm by zoom..... but when it come down to it you can use ANY bait you want on a shakeyhead.

i love my Z9, front deck is HUGE..... but out of the 3 listed I would say the ranger because the are things I dont like about the Z8.... but if he could go Z9 then I would do that. it is all about what you want..... based on what I want out of a boat I would rank the Triton 3rd too so I agree with your buddy.

indeed........ let us know. I REALLY want to go tomorrow....

thats a pumpkin seed not a bluegill (not knocking it just a pet peeve of mine) really cool to catch a bass on a fly rod!!!!

going to be hard............ ask around on the boards, search the internet. out of the ones listed, the Ranger is going to have the biggest. the z520 is really really close to the same deck size as a Z9, with the slightest of edges going to the z9....... so the z8 is going to be smaller

LMAO, Behold the beast of beast (the fish not the beard)!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't understand what is mind blowing about catching a fish with a bluegill hanging out its mouth. have you never been full, yet still ordered dessert? LOL

mine was bigger.........Jeff has the picture to prove it!!!!

ok ...........does that mean I cant post it? sometimes people need to hear things twice. I don't understand your point...........especially since you said $10 "I heard".......... well I KNOW. so you can see my post as backup to yours, or pat yourself on the back for "being first" ........whatever. geez and people wonder why I havnt been on the boards for two weeks.......sheesh.

wrapping a guide is a $10 guide, just find a local to do it for you. there is no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water.

wow....... I haven't been around for a few days ............... I guess I got some catching up to do!!!

yep, some are right other are wrong, lol

a serious fisherman can not watch this video too many times.

and another thing we have to consider......bass don't move up, spawn, move out, yadda yadda all at the same time so why would anyone expect them to eat at the same time. I personally like to have lunch at 11am ....... many people like it at noon....but I know several people that don't eat until 1pm. same for dinner and don't even get started on breakfast.

there will be at least one bass feeding while you are fishing. it is your job to find it and feed it.

the senko is the best follow up bait in history. USE IT

I dont care how much yall bash it..... I am still not throwing a 1/8th oz drop shot on a punch rod!