Bubba 460

Yep ~ I think they all have their limit.

"Yoked" I had to look that up. That came form 11 years as a rope and saddle tree surgeon (climber). I'm 73 now and still look like that ~NOT King salmon are shaped like a torpedo and have a tail the size of a trashcan lid

Yes I have and I think they are an improvement over the open eye. I thought I had found an end to my search. But it's still that blade wire that takes most of the abuse (getting bent) and if flexed to many times it will eventually break. All you have to do to test it is grab that wire and start bending out and back (not continually) and it will break at some point

Well, if it counts I'd have to say big king salmon that came into Alaska freshwater rivers from the ocean to spawn. Here is a photo of one about 30 pounds that is covered in mud. Powerful fish in a river current is a top drag tester. They run from pool to pool as they go up the rivers. If you're lucky you catch one and he stays in the pool, you're good. If he decides to leave the pool, he's gone.

Love a happy ending ~ I have been trying to move out that way for 12 years.

I've lost at least a dozen fish do to a spinner bait breaking while bringing in a fish. Terminator's were only a couple. I swear the cheapo Walmart buck fifty last longer then some of the more expensive. I'm gonna try some River2Sea spinner baits next.

I see... Looks like I will be in the fishbowl of life for a long, long time

Well, OK ~ That's encouraging for someone who has fished for over 65 years from Florida to Alaska and has a place card at the party of "Minnow".

OK, I'm kind of new here (signed up about two months ago). I'm all so kind of confused about the designations each person gets in the box to the left of their post. For example to the left of this post it says that I am Bubba460 and that I am a "Minnow". It gives my location, PB bass, says that I have made 64 posts, favorite bass, etc. I see that some people are a "Hawg', other's are a "Bucketmouth", "Big'un" and so on. I guess that has something to do with how long you've been here or how many posts you've made? Anyway, when I first started posting here I was rated as a "Row" or something along those lines and have graduated up the scale from that to ~ I can't remember them all but something along the lines of "fry", "figerling", "bottom feeder" and now I'm all the way up to "minnow". Now I'm a patient guy and It's all in fun but at this rate how long will it take me to be designated a "Leviathan"?

I have had some mangled and probably knew it was time to can it but you always think "Just one More cast with it", then you loose a nice fish when it does break. You bet they will ~ and yeah, the knot too... "I knew I should have retied that knot"

You are truly a blessed man. Good idea ~ "small-size musky spinnerbaits". I'll check then out Thanks ~I'll check them out.

Yep ~ the Terminator spinner baits... (said I wasn't gonna name names). Had nothing but trouble with them breaking.

Spinnerbaits, love/hate relationship. Lost another decent fish yesterday due to a spinnerbait breaking like a wishbone. You get back the blade(s) and the fish get the hook, shirt and trailer. Even quality brands (won't name names) break. I bought a spinner bait by a well known brand, bait was beautiful and all gussied up in a fancy package and it broke on the 3rd schooling 3# bass I caught. In other words it lasted about 10 minutes right out of the package. I did get a replacement from the company, as the price wasn't cheap but it eventually broke too. Yes, spinnerbaits catch fish and I have a spinnerbait box packed full of them but it's just that I'm ticked that they can't make a wire that last better than that. Anyone have any recommendations on a tough as nails spinnerbait? I've tried commercial and custom makers, all seem to have a short life expectancy.

NO~ but it would be about the same as putting a TRD on a Ned rig backwards or sideways it wouldn't make any difference to a bass, he'd still eat it. I mean look at wacky rig, who did that! I hooked a 6" lizard wacky style and caught a bass on the first cast just to prove something to a guy. I called it a "lacky". I've caught bass on just a hook.

I carry in the boat on me. I used to carry my custom Kimber 45 1911 but almost having it go over the side one day in a freak accident I switched to carrying my Ruger SP101 in the boat in a snap holster (a third of the cost of the custom Kimber *whew*). Just to many nut jobs and pecker heads out there now days. I've been carrying legally for 43 years~ then there was the times I just "constitutionally" carried before that. When you need a gun, you need it RIGHT NOW! . I was already put into the hospital once 50 years ago by the above mentioned nut jobs and pecker heads and it won't go down the same way next time.

Just a few... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMMTPt4OtG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqgr7R4zUMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hx4gdlfamo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1y4Wv2JlyM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FFtht9k87k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03P-dcQh4IM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1l0xpkk0yaQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVx8L7a3MuE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqoAwtgFziA

Mmmm... That do sound good. Now if I just get that backwash thing out of my head.

Do you gave a recipe for that bread pudding minus the barbecue and the backwash? Have not been able to find a good bread pudding sense my mom died.

I had Texas rigged 10 and 12 inch worms (both straight and ribbon tail) and swam them across cover or even pads with great success. Best let fish have it 3 or 4 seconds for one that big before you try for a hook-up. Last winter I bought SAVAGE GEAR 3D Snake in the 12" model. Can't wait for a little warmer temperatures because I know how big a snake a bass will tackle much less a worm. I'm sure we have all caught a 5" bass on a 5" jerk-bait... Imagine what a 10 pound plus bass will go after.

Have not kissed a fish since I woke up with this one morning.

I'm kind of new here and when I could not get on the site I thought I had been kicked off.

Check out Yo Zuri lures. They make a lot of smaller, shallow running jekbaits and cranks and otheres that are just killer for smallmouth in a creek or small river with light tackle. I can tell you that just because a creek is small doesn't mean there are not some surprisingly big smallmouth in the better holes ~ don't take a knife to gun fight.

There are times when you really have no choice but to power crank on a bass. Example: I fish a large lake here in VA that has A LOT of standing timber, stumps lay-downs. It's about as gnarly as it gets in some places and gnarly is what like to fish in most. If I cast a Whopper Plopper, a shallow swimbait or 12 inch worm out across that stump field and get bit ~ well it's "Katie bar the door" cause the fight is on. Best chance is stand up, try and get get her on top and reel like mad... Works like a charm~ when it works. But a big fish in those same circumstance that's a whole 'nother ball game. Turning a big bass in a large size pile of "pick-up sticks" and keeping her coming is bordering on miraculous. If she hits one stump or limb, that game is over and plan "B", "C" or "D" comes into play. Plan "D" is usually the "Agony of Defeat".

Most of my fishing is done with bigger spinning reels and med heavy or heavy rods. The exceptions are if I'm throwing heavier baits than, say, two ounces, I go to bait casters and heavy or extra heavy rods. For example, tossing light frogs into pads I use spinning reels in the 4000 size with heavy rods and 50 to 65 pound braid. I pull the fish out with the rod, not power cranking the reel. The bigger spinning reel is simply to take up the line and have a heavy drag. In open water this set-up is big enough to power crank but I believe not necessary in 90% of cases. A few of my go-to spinning reels are two Pflueger Patriarch 40 spinning reels (have lasted over 10 years of heavy use). The Daiwa BG 4000 is a great reel for heavy applications. Another reel I have tried and for the money (well under a $100) am very impressed with the the Piscifun Honor XT Spinning Reel in the 4000 size with 33 pounds of max drag. So far it's been a tank. I run straight braid or braid to mono leader on most of my heavy rods. I just prefer spinning rods but have no problem throwing bait casters and have them in left handed models as well. With spinning rods the reel is under the rod (weight) and you have better control holding the rod than wrapping your hand around the reel and rod of a bait caster; plus you don't have to switch hands casting. Anyway, that is of course just my opinion and preferences and they work for me. Everyone is different. Photo below ~ bass on black frog out of the pads on spinning gear. One of the most awesome blow-ups I ever saw.

Kicker Yes, I have watched Butch Brown videos and it makes me want to live in California... well, on second thought, uh, no. but I want water with those giants in it. I'll never even get close to a 19 lb bass here or a 17 or 15 but at least I did have a 13+ on last summer. (That fat old girl jumped clear out of the water 4 feet from the boat with a 12" Mann's worm in her mouth. The dove and rapped around a standing timber.