Eric J

My local is just like what you describe. I pulled 2 hawgs out of millfoil/grass beds that are visible just under the surface this morning. Temps are horrendous. They're there... Eric J

Got out this morning for a couple hours before work as I often do to fish my favorite local. Father's Day fishing found me hitting on a creature feature. So I started the morning using the same lure to no effect, well a couple dinks that just couldn't do more than nibble the appendages. I decided to jump in the car and try the other end of the lake, near the d**n. I cast a few more times around the paddys and brush and still nothing. I got my line wrapped around some rocks and wood so I decided to cut some line for a fresh line. And... I figured, what the hell I'll throw a popper. Lunkerhunt popper on I cast a couple shots and work the bait near paddys and tall plants with no results. A ways out are patches of underwater growth, grass, millfoil etc... just touching the surface. Bass like to hide in there, right?? I cast out a good distance and start jerking the lure; twitch twitch reel... repeat. I get the lure halfway back and SLAM!!!! I hesitate just a second and pull up on the rod tip to set the hook. FISH ON! She was a beauty! Great fight right up to the bank. No scale with me but 31/2 to 4 lbs. A few casts later, again out in the deeper water brush I hit and set another. Also a nice fish. I had a couple other hits but I was so schoolgirl giddy excited from the topwater hits I probably jerked too early and missed them. This Topwater thing.... Man is it exciting. That slam on the surface is awesome!! Eric J

this morning a buddy and I were fishing a favorite local lake. Pretty pressured. Anyway, I'm running a topwater popper and he's finessing a power worm. There's a guy fishing plastics with no luck. After an hour plus I decide to go with a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver creature. I cast a few times twitching then doing a slow retrieve but I did NOT like the action on this lure. So I figured this thing must need a fast retrieve for that reaction. I cast it out deep and pull it back fast and.... BOOM! Big hit! 4.1Lbs. So yeah... Sometimes ya just gotta move on or switch out... Eric J

We all been there.... Biggest fish I lose are the ones whjo spit out the hook before i get to see them.. ?

I had one of those once... then someone talked.... someone always talks... Now he sleeps with the fishes... ?

Took the plunge and picked up a Carbon Fire ll baitcaster and Light stick... First baitcaster... ?

Nice job! Keep on and tight lines! Eric J

Fishing off a floating dock. Lost a Lunker as I reached down to grab him. Guess I had him too low in the water, maybe a soft hook set.... I was a few inches away and he shook and flipped and bam... he was gone... just gone... I stood there mouth open stunned.... Then I just laughed.... Eric J

I've posted hereabouts of my post spawn experience of going from solid catches to absolute ZERO. This being my first season back after a decade and really my first serious foray into Bass I was at a loss as to what to do. Received some great advice from you all, THANKS. Last week I did a short stint trying topwaters but gavw up and went back to plastics which were always good for me. Day after day, nothing. Really felt just defeated. So this morning after an hour or so of the same tired thing I thought of that old adage; Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity..." And decided, as many here wrote, to go to Topwaters and learn to work them. Working a Lunkerhunt poppr for about twenty or so minutes and bam! A hit about 5 feet in front of me! YEAH BABY! My first topwater fish EVER!!!! Nothing big, maybe a pound and a quarter but d**n did that restore my confidence! I hit the back inlet and caught another, bout 1.5 and couldn't be happier. Thanks for all the help and advice! Eric J

Just got back from this morning's outing. Fished a Popr, a frog and a Sexy Dawg. Spent a bit over an hour each with the popr and the frog. Had a very tough time getting the feel for the popr, its a Clear Lake I received in my LTB box. Need to watch a few videos as I didn't think I was retrieving correctly and there was almost no splash. Do you jerk them or just straight retrieve? I feel like I worked the Delta frog better but had no luck with either. I was working the cover deep with the frog but nothing. The Sexy Dawg I was really just curious about the action. Spent about twenty minutes with it. Hoping to head out again this evening... Eric J

I enjoy fishing for many species... but I'll take a day of bass hunting over any other. Can't really explain it analytically because I fish for fun, adventure, passion and sport but as someone said, it's like constantly trying to figure out a puzzle. It's figuring out the tap; is that a fish or a stump? Finding that spot... we all know the one. Ultimately it's that strike and set when the fish sprays up and out of the water then dives down while I wrestle the rod and check drag. Always feel good when I land a fish but never so much as when I land a hawg... even if it's a HAWG only in my mind... ?

Thanks... and they are definitely in there. I did very well during spawn. I definitely want to learn this lake through each season. Tomorrow I'm out there with topwaters, a lure type I haven't spent any real time with. We'll see how it goes... A kayak is planned for next season. While I enjoy an "easy" day on the lake I relish challenges and working for that catch. So tomorrow it's out to the local with frogs and other topwaters.

Definitely bass in there... I've done very well even landing a PB. It's a great lake for bank fisherman with a very accessible walkable bank. Even backdoor pond and secret spots through the Woods. Think I'll try topwater Monday. Something I haven't spent time with...

I posted a couple days ago about the local lake I frequent the most and how the bite has died post spawn. I've been skunked or near skunked four sessions in a row. Going out Monday and thought about going to the mountains to fish the lakes about 15 miles north of me. But... A huge part of me wants to keep working my local to figure it out and I guess to learn, this at the risk of another no hitter... So... Am I stubborn to a fault or determined to overcome? Eric J

I started fishing in 1970 when I was 10. Through the 70's and 80's it certainly was different. As a community we were less connected, we did not have the social media community we have now. There was no WFN or myriad outdoorsman shows. Fishing was a more local thing. Boats were nowhere near the sophistication level that they're at now as was technology. Back then maps, all sorts were you're guide. We didn't have video clips showing every single facet of fishing from how to rig your plastic to an underwater camera showing the bite/set. Most info was through anecdotal conversation with other anglers, family, dads and grandads passing it on... I love all the great stuff we have access to now but still I miss the smaller community feel of those years. Its much like the loss of so much of the local tavern feel most towns had that has been vanishing for years... But still, nothing beats that feeling when the strike hits and the set sticks... Eric J

Haha... holy crap. I get annoyed at all the Carp In My local. Gotta rethink my priorities...

What a great post! I also caught my best trout on an inline. The only fish I ever mounted some 30 years ago. A Golden Trout. I have several I. My box and I am excited to use them again. Thanks for the post!

Thanks for posting this.... I just started messing with jigs and have been using a trailer with no luck. I'm likely going to go trailer-less while I figure it out...

So here's the deal... Since getting back into it and starting my Bass journey 'bout a month ago I've done pretty well even a PB of 7+ pounds. But recently it's gone quiet. Real slim... I mainly fish a high pressured lake local to me that's 106 acres, here in the Lower Hudson Valley, NYS. Most of it accessible by boat but a decent bit has a very walkable bank and dock with a small accessible d**n, I bank fish btw. This time of year the vegetation is THICK. Lots of tall grass or milfoil(?) under the surface. The pad sections are those plants that look like lily pads but extend several inches above the surface. The water has warmed up some Carp are in full on spawn making lots of commotion right now. I assume it is just post spawn but not sure. I have had great success with plastics; Rage Tails, worms, creature features and have not taken anything out of this lake on anything else, though that may be due to inexperience on my part. Given the above can you figure any reason for this? Am I missing something or need to change up tactics? Or is it just a slump? Yeah, I know... Not a lot you can tell just by this but you never know...

Well... I guess I know what I want for Father's Day! ? Eric J

According to the wife I watch WAY too much pro fishing... ?

Agreed. I'm pretty dam. Accurate with my spin gear also. Guess its what your used to...

NICE HAWG. Congrats on the PB!

AWESOME! now get back out there... stop wasting time with us!

That looks like a Garcia... JERRY GARCIA! ?