soflabasser

Have caught bass on a bare hook many times before on days that the bass where biting very good.

There was one quality sized bass that I caught at least 4 times in one of the lakes I fish. Have caught many bass more than once. Goes to show you that catch and release fishing works.

I have caught several trophy fish of many species and do not have a single mount on the wall since I prefer having photos in my photo albums. I would consider having a replica mount made but I will make sure to do lots of research to find a highly talented artist to make my replica mount. Have seen some terrible replica mounts and skin mounts that I would not even put on my wall if they gave it for free.

Good report. I agree with you guys that catching a bass on a frog is very fun.

Welcome back to the forum

The fish you are holding in your hands is a smallmouth bass.

I use a heavy action rod for bullseye snakehead fishing in South Florida and most serious snakehead fishermen I know use a heavy action rod. These fish fight harder than an equal sized bass and live in areas with heavy aquatic vegetation so it is best to use gear that can handle these fish.

There are days I prefer catching lots of bass and other days I prefer catching big bass.

Welcome to the forum

I have caught many bullseye snakeheads in South Florida and I prefer using a 6-7'0'' heavy action rod. Snakeheads have tough mouths so you need to have a rod with a strong backbone to set the hook. They like to live in and around heavy aquatic vegetation which is another reason to use a heavy action rod. You can find many rods like these that cost under $200.

Looking at bass from online pictures is very different compared to catching them yourself and seeing the difference in person. The 100% pure strain Florida largemouth bass I catch in some deep clear lakes in South Florida have a much more beautiful coloration than any largemouth bass I have caught in the rest of Florida or any of the several states I have caught bass in. The only black bass that could complete in appearance are some redeye bass species I have caught and even then I prefer the look of the largemouth bass I catch from some deep clear lakes in the South Florida area. As I said before the best way to identify a Florida largemouth bass versus a Northern largemouth bass is to send a fin tissue sample to your States Fisheries Biologist.

I have caught big bass on topwaters, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, soft plastics, jigs, and other lures.

Power Pro Maxcuarto is another good braid from the reviews I have read. For many years I have used the regular Power Pro and it has worked well for me. Would consider trying Berkley X9 since the price is ok and it has good reviews.

That bass appears to be in the 5 pound range. Next time measure the length and girth and you can use the following formula to get an estimate weight; Length X Length X Girth / 1200 = Estimated weight in pounds. You can also get a decent scale to weigh your bass.

Confidence is very important in bass fishing. There are times I will only fish with one technique for the whole day if I feel confident it will help me catch the bass I am after. It has payed off many times for me.

I like to use 30 pound test braid or 8-15 pound test mono for most of the largemouth bass fishing I do. There are times where I use lighter or heavier line depending on where I am fishing and other factors.

This lure could probably catch muskies but there are better options that cost much less. People will still buy it to put in their lure collection and others will buy it to fish with it.

The number of cast I do depends on where I am fishing, what I am fishing for, what I am fishing with, and other factors. I might cast 1-2 times on a spot or spend the whole day casting in a small area if I feel I have a good chance at catching a big bass there.

Congratulations to your son for catching his first bass. Now you have a new friend to join you on your fishing trips.

Thank you. Going to do some research on Berkley X9. Power Pro has been a good line for me for both freshwater and saltwater fishing.

Lots of good choices given. Rebel makes good crankbaits as well.

Do you like Berkley X9 more than Power Pro? Which one would you say cast better and which one has better abrasion resistance?

I am sure some people will buy them and put it in a lure collection they have.

9 pounds of drag is plenty for largemouth bass fishing. There are many spinning and baitcasting reels that you can purchase that offer more drag if you want.

Shimano Stradics are very good reels. They can fished for many years if you take care of them.