68camaro

Thanks all, today I received my new Dobyns 735C FH and Curado 7.1:1 reel. I took it out for its maidan voyage and it casts like a dream. I put 50lb braid on it. Unfortunately due to massive rains the ponds are all flooded and there are no surface matts, pads or weeds so I couldn't walk it across matts or throw it in thick stuff, It seems the rains washed away the weeds because I wasn't getting hung up on bottom either. I did catch a 13 incher with a swimming jig so first time out I broke it in.

Done and thanks.

Chris, like you I am about 30 days into bass fishing. I have been having sime success and this morning caught my biggest, a 5+ lb'er on a swimming jig thriwn at shoreline. One of my best fishing accesories is a pair of Muck boots that allow me to walk into the ponds and lakes I fish. In some areas I can walk 20 feet into the water. this gives me great angle to cast into shoreline or parrelll to shore or weed lines. In areas I cannot walk out I have had luck throwing weedless swimming jig past weed line and reeling back in to shore. I have learned alot on this site in how to bank fish, from what I have learned here this is how I attack my fishing - i formulate a plan while walking to water - if I see a lot of topwater activity, I go with topwater baits, then jerkbaits than crankbaits to 6'. - after this I hit the parrell shore or weedline on either sude of me. - if I don't see avtivity on the yop of the water, I stand back from shore and pitch jigs in are in front of me starting a couple feet into water from shore than more out to 10' or so. - once cleared I go to edge of water or walk in to muck or water as far as I can get away with and start pitching swimming and other weedless baits close to shore and oarrell to shore and weedline. - i then start with topwaters, jetks than cranks I am not real confident with pladtics yet but do try. I still struggle with how long to use a bait or technique before moving on. Also, this sounds real basic but I was missing it, try to focus on where you think bass are and Have a purpose for every cast. Really study area and look for cover ateas,. Weeds have lately been a friend to me. Most of all you can't catch 'em if you aren't fishing so keep your line wet

Here's photo......

Just caught personal best on same swimming jig and trailer as in my original post, 5.5lb 21" large mouth. A cold front came in last and morning temps dropped to high 50's, plus we are getting hit by hurricaine so it was drizzling and very overcast. Pond water very high and chocolate color due to a week of rain. With Mucks boots on walked on shallow point 10-15' into pond and cast/pitched swimming jig into weeds on or next to shore, let jig drop in water and retrieved steady. After 20 minutes working two areas, I landed a 21", roughy 5 1/2 lb large mouth, biggest bass ever, still newbie. Will post pics tonight but for me it was huge. It has taken me many hours to get jig working, Because of all the weeds and snot where I fish this could be a winner method. He felt very heavy but put up very little heavy fight, he just kind of laid low and made me work getting him in, I had to put rod end into ab and get high grip with left hand to get leverage to bring him in.

A-Jay, newbie question, but does a mono leader tied to braid create a weak point and what knot do you use to attach mono to braid and how long of a mono leader? This sounds like a good idea when using same rod/reel for topwater and heavy pitch/jigging. I can put mono leader on for topwater and take off for jigs in heavy stuff or frogs. Does this make sense? BTW I was thinking to spool my reel with 40 braid so what ln mono would you use? Nee rod is Dobyns 735C. Thanks

Thats what I have , 68 RS convertible, 327/210 red on red, was borne with power glide but I put TH350 in and changed top of motor to all date correct 275hp version, plus mild cam and Flomasters. Gets a lot of attention. By the way I am from Albany, most of family still in upstate.

Being new I have been experimenting with different baits and techniques, my rule of thumb is if I catch 3 fish in reasonable amount of time I switch rod, bait or technique, or move to new area. This forum as introduced me to a whole new world beyond nightcrawler under bobber. Aside from Frogs, the one technique that has flustered me is jigs, up to today they have given me nothing. This morning I went out for 90 minutes in pond and pitched jigs, trying to fish them vertically. I had zero luck until I pitched past weedline and held rod high and let jig naturally come under rod tip and then let it sink at different rates. I did get two hits but nothing bagged. After work however, I went to large reservoir and cast and pitched a swimming jig with a Rage Chunk Watermelon trailer past weedline and and reeled back to shore. Sure enough after 20 minutes caught one bass and after another 25-30 minutes caught second, both in imbedded in weeds, largest 13". I also lost a huge one that came out of water when she hit my jig then dove down deep in weeds. I had St, Croix 6'6" MH with 12 mono and I really thought I would break line or pole, I could not lift her even with drag cranked down, getting nervous I was going to break something I let off drag and she ran and I lost fish. It was a blast though. Even the smaller fish were a struggle getting to shore due to weeds. the 13"er's tail was only thing visible in weed clump I brought in. I have spent hours with jigs to get nothing but today's success even with small fish will keep me trying, learning and experimenting. By the way Friday I get delivered my Dobyns 7'3" 735C for frogs and fun in thick stuff - like today. As soon as I get it I am going back to same spot at same time.

I jus cought Ppickerel and one treble hook hooked eye. i did my best to get it out but he lost left eye. I did get him back in and he swam away but I am sure life expectancy dropped. This sucked and I was bummed but as others said, its part of fishing. I did my best though to be humane under the circumstances.

I just started fishing small local ponds and have had success with shallow jerkbaits and crankbaits down to 6', anything lower and they get hung up. I have had very limited success with plastic worms. My ponds are heavily fished with nightcrawlers. Live minnows under bobber do great but I prefer to not do this.

Welcome and love the Spartan reference if that is where your handle came from.....Molon Labe!

I just hooked this guy yesterday, I guess it means our hooks are sharp.

Matt,I do notice your Bluegill hardballs are out of stock, when will you be making new batch?

Welcome, used to live in Alpharetta. Never bass fished Lanier but spent tons of hours trout fishing north GA. Miss it alot.

In another forum someone said this was a chain pickerel, are these common in SE, and will they hurt bass population?

I've heard of pickerel never chain pickerel though, are these non-native species to south and will they hurt bass population? What should I use to catch these? As you can see I snagged this one on his side? Funny thing is after cast my line broke at reel, so I held rod and line in left hand and was stripping line with right hand to get lure back when I felt this tug on line.

Crap:( thought it was a bass, still has to be a record. Fun day fishing though, first time ever using jerk baits and I snagged the nothern and caught two bass. The second large mouth was a nice 2lb'er that hit the jerk bait as soon as it hit the water. Had zero luck with jigs in matts and pads though.

...the worlds "SMALLEST" bass caught on rod/reel.....I snagged this little guy on a crankbait in local pond, gotta be worlds smallest fish caught on Strike King crawfish crank bait. Ealier in day also snagged this Northern Pike while fishing in local pond here in central VA. I didn't think northerners were this far south, never even heard of one around here:

Fishing this morning in my local Richmond area pond I snagged this fish on a jerkbait. I believe it to be a northern pike, this was my first time ever using Jerkbaits and shocked I snagged this. Is it a northerner and are they common here in central VA? I never heard of anyone catching a northern pike in this pond? Chuck

All great comments, some food for thought and thanks all for taking time to reply. BTW - I will stick with heavy app. rod as MLBasskayer asks since I really like action of frogs and since I pond fish I have a lot of matts/weeds etc around edges. Plus I like casting across pond to shore, weeds and matts and pulling into water. Chuck

Is Mono high stretch?

No very helpful thanks.

Good point, however truth-be told I am not sure exactly what finesse fishing is I am very new to this and when people say finesse it confuses me. What exactly is finesse, t-rig or tube? I do some drop shots and wacky worms with St. Croix rig.

I am trying to put together a 3 rod set that will cover most bases I will encounter bass fishing here in VA. Can you look at my two rigs and my potential 3rd and critique if I have a good three rod set to handle most presentation/seasons/techniques etc. I understand reel and rod choices may not be your favorite but please let me know if I have a gaping hole. G. Loomis, 7'1" E6x Med-Mod, Fast Action - Shimano Curato 5.5:1, 12 lb mono. - use for crank baits St. Croix 6.6" MH, Fast Action - Curato 6.3:1 with 12 lb Spiderwire Mono. - Texas/carolina rigs, worms, shallow crankbaits, lighter jigs, spinnerbait, chatterbait, top water Soon to be third purchase: Dobyns 735C F/H paired with Curato 7.1:1 with 30-40 braid (not sure I need more than this) - this will be for frogs, jigging in heavy stuff, pitching/flipping Is my method madness or sound? As you can tell the St Croix will be a more versatile rod than other more focused two. I understand not perfect but I really want to keep it to 3 rod/reels and I like the Curato so see no reason to change on 3rd rod. I have thick skin so if I am making a mistake or missing something please share your ideas and why and don't worry about hurting my feelings. Thanks so much Chuck