Drawdown

Yeah, I suspect that it’s imperative to “call them in” when fishing from the bank, visually or by making a racket. Seems I’m either catching them on topwater or something that suspends, like a drop shot or free rig. But to that end, you’ve got to be near deeper water.

Awesome! Welcome! If and when I get a yak, I’ll give you a holler! I’m sure it beats fishing from the bank. How do you survive the wake from all the Atlanta boaters?

I am at the “I believe; help my unbelief” stage of throwing black plastic worms. I recently ordered some black Berkley finesse worm equivalents. One time black worms were a skunk-buster for me. It was overcast, and I was out of ideas after my dad and I have been beating the bank and fishing around docks. So I nose-hooked a black magnum trick worm with a weighted wacky hook (it’s what I had on hand at the moment) and twitched it aggressively. Caught fish every cast like I had flipped a switch. Only problem was, I lost the worm after every hit. So I quickly ran out of magnum trick worms. ?

I used to make the mistake of letting my Alberto knot go into the (spinning) reel. That’s just asking for a knot or break to happen. Learned the hard way.

I feel this way about bank fishing Carter’s Lake and also Allatoona in N. Georgia. Very clear, deep lakes that get too much pleasure boater traffic. Army Corps of Engineers severely limits bank access to non-campers (and I get it; they don’t want anyone and everyone able to rummage through camper sites at will). But when you do catch one of those spotted bass (and often on a trip, all I get is one), you feel you beat the odds, akin to killing a deer. And, once hooked, those spots surely do fight! Years and years ago, I hooked a nice 3lb-er from a boat on Allatoona while night fishing. I’d love to beat that, one day. I enjoy the style of fishing better at other lakes, but it’s most satisfying to catch by beating the odds in a pressured highland reservoir.

With the cost of living being what it is, and having two kids and a wife at home, it’d be stupid for me to take a job that pays less than $40k a year. For a young, single guy splitting rent with a buddy or living at home with his parents? It’s worth it—as an education for being an independent contractor in that field. If that field isn’t his interest, he’s better off stocking shelves until he has enough money to invest in the credentials/skills to do what he actually wants to.

I have noticed that buzzbaits can be effective even when you “over-work” an area with one. Like you really did aggravate an inactive fish the 12th time you threw it.

yes, who are “they”?

I think the updated trite expressions are “fish the moment” and (ughhh) “match the hatch.” But they’re true.

I see several knowledgeable members refer to rod rating with numbers when giving recommendations. I wish I fully understood what the numbers mean. Is there a handy reference for numeric equivalents on the “Ultralight, Light, Medium Light, Medium, Medium Heavy, Heavy, X-Heavy” spectrum? Or is there a different, better way to understand this? Finally, are these any different than ratings for fly rods, for which numeric “weight” ratings are the norm?

Now I’m in St Augustine (needing to get here was why I only had 2.5 hours to fish the other day). So far, I can confirm the pond fishing on Anastasia Island is no good. ? But I did see something curious in one pond: a fish jumping at least 3 feet out of the water, and maintaining airtime, gliding in the air like some sort of saltwater fish. Any idea what it was?

Got a great deal on some heavy skirted jigs on MidwayUSA. The brand is Crock-O-Gator, you get 2 for $2.99-$3.10 depending on the color. I got some 3/4oz and 1oz football heads. At that price, I don’t care if they get wedged in an offshore ledge. I’ll fish them like I stole them.

I’m still learning to pitch. So I hold the bait.

Well done. Eat what you kill!

Yes. Rigged weightless on a ML/F, you can stall it to your heart’s content and cast it a mile.

We did decently with just about 2.5 hours to work with, fishing offshore hydrilla. Loved being out there—first ever experience fishing Central Florida. My pilot had a 5lb+ hooked that broke off. Scale said 3.42 on my nicest one. The fish were awfully beat up, for some reason. @Captain Phil, hopefully next time I’m down I’ll have a full day or two to put your advice to the test! But I had to get on the road by the time the sun got high. Some dinks that got the morning started; the bigger of the two seemed to have recovered from an earlier injury.

I’ve got plans to go on Saturday morning for a couple hours with a mutual friend of the family. Very excited!

Tackle Talk is really good. The guy is to the point and organized. Not a bunch of bubbas kicking back saying “umm, yeah, so, it’s totally…” He’s at his best when breaking down how to pick up on a pattern. Just browse episodes for interesting themes. The interview with Jacob Wheeler he did awhile back was pretty good, too. I’ve just started listening to Bass Talk Live, also. The one episode I listened to was also good, though more conversational. Like you, I spend plenty of time on the road, for work.

When hunting, if you move, ducks show up.

This one was every bit of 3lbs. Hooked him tonight when that sun got at that “golden angle,” on a TX-rigged Black Grape Zoom Trick Worm with a 1/8 weight. Didn’t have my scale to tell how far north of 3 it was, but felt awful nice to catch one with a big ole mouth, again. But better still, my nephew caught his first bass tonight! Started him fishing last year, and he’s caught plenty of panfish in creeks, but always watching me catch bass I’m targeting. I was determined to solidify his obsession by returning to this spot tonight and coaching him on picking apart cover, and it paid off. He also lost a big one right as I hooked this one. Pretty crazy we were fighting good fish at the same time. But in a way, for the purpose of keeping him addicted, it’s even better it happened that way—he’s already insisting his was way bigger than mine. ?

Some fish are full of mustard, somehow.

Caught a few in the middle of the day at a new pond. Zoom lizard Texas-rigged (Pumpkin-chartreuse tail), and an Old Purple Trick Worm on a drop shot. Fishing, 1996-style!

Zoom Trick Worm 6” 5” YUM Dinger/BPS Stick-O Zoom Z-Drop - I used to fish Zoom UV Speed Worms a lot in high school. I need to “RETVRN.”

It would feel like you’re in “The Old Man and the Sea, with that thing towing you.”

Welcome! What else do you often catch besides bass? It is my understanding that some of the coastal areas get a nice striper migration at some point in the year—perhaps I’m not correct, but I saw a video of a guy catching one in Boston harbor.