Biglittle8

You...my friend love fishing!

Now that's hardcore!

To me fishing is one of the most relaxing things a person can do. It is also one of the most exciting things. Not knowing what will be on the end of your line is like being a kid at Christmas for me. The satisfaction of picking the right lure or bait...The right presentation in the right spot is so gratifying. It's hard to not get caught up in all the technology and information that helps us become more successful at catching Bass. But in contrast , I also love watching my Grandkids fish or sitting down with a bobber and bait and catching some panfish. Sometimes I tend to forget that just being on or at the water(pond,lake or river) is a blessing no matter what I catch. I really do love fishing...Not just catching fish! *Disclaimer...Of Course I still seek that double digit Bass!?

R.I.P. Oregon Native.

Koz +1. I think any well established pond having the basics (food ,cover and a stable water source) has the potential to hold big fish. I have found the main forage of larger sizes bass(4lbs and up) in the ponds I fish, is Bluegill. I have caught several 4-5lb fish with Bluegill in their gullet. So, I look for bluegill feeding in the shallow flats and target those areas. I have found that drop offs from these flats hold some nice fish. Bigger fish want to have access to deeper water to escape if needed. Also, one of my favorite places to fish are bottlenecks. The areas where ponds narrow for a stretch. I have found that big Bass will take up ambush positions on the ends of these choke points especially if there is cover...ie: weedbeds or timber. Hope this helps you find bigger fish!

Bass are aggressive fish who feed in groups when large schools of bait are present but also can be provoked into a reaction strike with the right lure and presentation even when relatively in a resting state. I think their predatory instinct makes them hunters and opportunistic feeders who adapt very well to their environment regardless of the type of forage available.

I have been here just a few short weeks and I must say I enjoy the lack of drama! Some of the posts and topics will make you laugh or tug at your heart strings. The knowledge of all you guys and gals is amazing! I'm envious of some of your experiences and travels! The information available here is so vast. I have been fishing for most of my life and just keep learning. This site has become a habit quick. Thank you all for sharing your fishing lives !

Appreciate the offer but I passed on the boat. You can still come down and fish? Thank you for the reply, I've been a little worried about buying a piece of junk. I think I'll just have a marine mechanic check out whatever I decide on. I was really curious what the cost would be for the repair and if it would be worth it for the right price.

The gel coat is actually peeled or separated if you will. Not a perfect line, but irregular. I'll see if I can find a picture of it. I would call it a crack as it is through the finish.

Looking to buy my first glass boat, I have looked at two Rangers both from the 80's that had stress cracks in the transom area. The cracks we're almost identical. Is this a common thing for the "V" series boats? Or is it common on all glass boats? I am now looking at 90's models after finding out about the wood in the floors on pre 1989 models. But those two boats were cherry condition except for the cracks. Any comments? Has anyone ever had a transom repaired? What were the costs? Just curious.

Looks like you win!?

Some of these stories made me laugh out loud. Something strange did happen to me just a few days ago... I was fishing a golf course pond with great intensity, when all of the sudden I see something orange swimming towards me...it was a giant Koi goldfish. I mean that thing had to be 3ft. And fat as butter. I guess maybe someone's koi pond flooded during a hurricane.

What Blue said...Apply this to other things in life too!

Nice fish! It's funny how you are about to pack it in and you catch a fish and it makes you throw 100 more casts!

Yes, I always seem to find motivation to fish. I have to say, I've caught a lot of 3-4lb fish this winter. I'll take it.

We'll take it...Right.

I have found that in the ponds I fish, that the fish hang in whatever plant growth is still alive in the deeper water which is 8ft in our ponds. Maybe it's because the still living plants give off oxygen. We all know that bass like cover... Weeds included. I will throw a Rattle-trap and rip it through the pond until I come up with nice green plant life on my lure, the heavier the better. Then I work those areas. The results are usually good. The answer for me is anytime... Find the fish and pick the right tactic. Finding the fish is the hardest part to me.

Ok... I added photo.

I'll try...

So I decided to go throw a couple of casts this morning after telling myself I was going to take the day off. I went to one of the ponds on our golf course that I fish regularly, threw a silver shad Rattle-Trap and bam! I hit a big fish! It was taking drag on my tightly set Garcia. I was already thinking about all of the endorsements I was going to get? I finally horsed it in close enough to take a look at it...I had foul hooked a good size fish in the chest! A brute if hooked in the mouth... A MONSTER if hooked in the chest! I weighed and measured it... 20" 4lbs 15ozs. Tried to add a photo... Too big... I'll keep trying.

There is actually a chart on the "In Fisherman" web site that has a table of length to weight estimates that's a pretty good tool. I use it when I pond fish. I marked out 20 inches from the butt on my rod (small sharpie mark) and will use that as a guide when I want a quick estimate. 20" equals around 4.5 lbs. ( It's pretty accurate, I checked it with my scale a few times) that being said, if it's in that range or has a huge belly I get out my scale! https://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/bass-length-to-weight-conversion-chart/156649

Thanks for the welcome, been reading all the great information for a while. I have been fishing since I was a young boy and now I'm sharing that with my Grandkids. Anyway, thanks and "Fish on"

Greetings from Wilmington, N.C. Great site! Hope I got this in the right place.