AlabamaSpothunter

I'm willing to bet everyone who replies to this thread is guilty of mishandling Bass at one time, most being when they were kids, or first starting out. I know I'm not immune, I remember trying to drag a nice 5-6lb Bass behind the boat on a stringer to get a pic as a boy, and when I got to the dock, the fish was dead, I drown it? I don't think the 45 degree thing matters on dinks. I've heard it's bad to hold really big Bass vertically for a pic for that matter, and I still snap pics of 5lb+ fish vertically because it's just me, and not into selfies. Might have to change that policy the more I learn on this specific aspect of handling Bass. I say all that because I think we all are still learning the best way to ensure we release the fish in the healthiest manner possible. It's a really big priority for me the older I get.

People who leave tangled line behind are as low as it gets. It's almost a certainty seemingly that the line will end up on some animal, especially Ducks, Geese, and Swans. My fishing mentor had his arm broken trying to get fishing line off a swan's wing.

Way to go brother! I'll keep you in mind next time I'm complaining while fishing. Keep up the incredible fight, and I hope you get blessed with a new kidney!

Yes, but I'm not Karen enough to lecture people on it.

Limits, conservation, and protection of natural resources is a cultural deal, most of the world doesn't share our values especially on this subject. If you talk to any fish cop, this is a really big problem, and most people are petrified to discuss it.

Out of reactions, but seriously thanks to everyone for putting my mind at ease! Makes me feel much better. Hope that slimy sucker washes up and I can get my Lucky Craft back?

My state prohibits me from liking this post ?

When I was kid and would catch bigger Catfish, they'd "slime" the line by the way they fight, something about the tail thumping the line. I lost a $20 Lucky Craft BDS 3 to a really big fish this afternoon. Upon inspection right where the line broke cleanly (no curly cue tell tell of a failed knot), the first 12-18" had a thick coat of fish slime on it. I've broken off a few big fish over 5lbs, last being over the summer, but never had thick slime like that. Only time I've ever seen that is when I caught catfish as a kid. I just re spooled with Sunline 14lb mono a few days back because I didn't want to run further to a place that carries line I trust. Not all the blame goes on the sunline potentially though as the mystery fish blew up my CB right when it was bumping into brush, and I'd say the first 5-10 seconds the fish was lightly wrapped, but quickly it took straight off into deeper open water. Then about 30 seconds later that sickening feeling hit. The more I think about it, the stranger the fish pulled, or fought. Never once in that 30-45 seconds did I feel the fish was coming up, or I should be preparing for a jump. It's been decades since I caught a catfish so I can't recall the nuance to how they feel or fight. I just remember them fighting unique. Losing a $20 bait, losing potentially a really nice LGM, both not what really bothers me, it's the fact that a 3" long crankbait with big #2s on it could be stuck in a big LGM's mouth. Seems like it would be close to a slow death sentence. Nothing I can do about it anyways, but I let it ruin my fishing session like a petulant child. Kept hoping and half expecting to find the lure floating, but no bueno on that. I'm in central Alabama, I wish we had toothy long slender fish, but we don't. The only culprits here could be a Channel Catfish or a really large Bass. What says the hive: Channel Catfish or large LGM Bass?

I inherited my grandpa's Old Timer pocket knife that he bought in the 60s, and literally never left home without it. He was a mail carrier for a long time too, so I imagine he used for various things daily, perhaps why he was so religious about always having it. It's hard to open, archaic like a dinosaur, but the steel used, and the manufacturing quality of it ensures that I could give it to a grandson one day if I wanted. For me it's two companies......Kershaws for actually carrying daily, and using to cut, pry, scrap, etc. with, and then Microtechs, the knifes I buy thinking I'll carry them, but then realize I'm not about to cut some boxes with a $400-500 OTF knife. Kershaw makes a fantastic affordable blade, many great designs, and their assist opening models are darn near auto fast.

Dang I'll just go sit in the corner and be poor ?

Give this thread a read as it kind of documents my journey to finding the rod, never even heard of Alpha Angler a month ago, now I intend to buy a couple more rods from them. Since that thread has been updated, I already received my new rod from them with prepaid shipping label for old rod. New rod was perfect. The rod itself was a gamechanger for me, but to see how the company handled my issue really gave me confidence in the company going forward and recommending them to friends. I went from missing well over half the bites I had the chatterbait using existing rods I had, to now catching 90% of them. Caught a pig a few days ago that paid for the rod already ?

Okay so I went down and found the bait I was talking about, along with a few others I think would be great as well depending on water color/clarity Mattlures is who makes this nice one. Thing is huge, and unless somebody has DD fish swimming beneath them, kind of pointless to throw imo. Ironically I have DD Bass in the main lake I fish, but just don't want to lose it haha.

I'll take a pic of the bait, it's some custom high dollar swimbait I'm too afraid to throw lol. The Chatterbait is the 3/8th oz ZMan Weedless series in Breaking Bream. I use a Lake Fork Magic Shad in Albino on the back, and then spike the tail chartreuse like a bream has. It's dynamite for bigger fish. The reel is a JDM Daiwa Zillion SV TW 1000.

Chatterbait in Bream no doubt.....and I have a swimbait that looks exactly like that lol. Something about the "pulsing" action really drives big fish crazy, and I imagine it has something to do with the vibrations larger sized Bream and Crappie put off.

For whatever stupid hording reason, I put them in zip loc bags. Half of them have their bottoms ripped off from small Spots. My friends 12 year old son got a worm making kit, so I'm gonna see if I can donate all the old stuff to him so he can melt it down, and if nothing else practice with it.

Haha, I would have to agree with you. Sadly peak night fishing season is over down here for me. About July it peaks, and it's much easier for me to find bigger quality fish holding in the deeper parts of a lake, especially by dams. I can't tell you the number of times I set the hook on a Bat hitting the line ?

Very cool and gucci. Bet that is one effortless reel to wind.

Exactly I heard a rod maker describe it perfectly.....anytime you have a moving lure, you need a way to slow down the rod and angler's reaction time in order to allow the fish to suck that bait in. One other big reason why glass tips shine on a moving bait rod, the significantly more forgiving tip allows a bait like a squarebill or a chatterbait to "hunt" better, and to bounce off structure.

Nice, is that an aftermarket handle on the Zillion SV TW?

My most recent rod I've only had for a week....the Alpha Angler Chatterbound. I'm not a huge technique specific kinda guy, but for chatterbaits, this rod is an essential tool. The performance wow'd me unlike any other rod I've owned, including Loomis GLXs and Steez AGSs.

Crazy thing is that I believe there are significantly bigger Catfish than that. Everybody has a story about a diver going to fix something above a dam, and seeing swimming Punch Buggies at 200ft ?

You're so sweet and supportive Katie, really appreciate the kind words buddy It's gonna feel so great though when you back out on the water, but I know you're going crazy.....you'd fish everyday if you could. Hopefully it will turn around just in time to get some nice ones before the winter. You still got time Awesome fish, and thank you for your service! Congrats on your daughter's upcoming wedding, I guess the bait monkey can't scream as loudly when you got to pay for a wedding ?

Ultimately luck will always be the biggest factor in fishing imho. Time on water yields luck, but luck is what can overcome even the greatest Bassmaster, I offer the following short story as proof: At this point your humble narrator has been fishing for almost 3 hours and has yet to catch a fish over a pound......hundreds of cast, countless conversations with himself, nothing of merit to show for all this. He decides to motor for a long haul, and while passing docks he can't help noticing an older couple fishing while an automatic fish feeder sprays pellets. Right at that moment the water turns into a volcano of panfish and Channel cats. Not more than 10 seconds later, the wife is freaking out screaming....."get the net I've got a huge Bass on the line!", meanwhile a nice sized Bass is tailwalking right in front of her, putting on a real show. Husband runs over with a net and manages to land the fish for her. At this point you can tell this nice older couple is experiencing something so exhilarating and alien to them, they are completely unprepared for the moment. I yell to them "congrats on the great fish, do you need any help with a pic or a weight"......both instantly shout back "we'd love that, we are just starting out and don't have a scale". At this point I'm stoked for them and haul tail to them. Grab her net with fish in it, take it in my boat, get her a good weight on it, then hand the net/fish back to them. It was a 4.2 oz fish but was quite skinny.....so it had that big mouth that is so awesome for new Bass anglers. She caught it less than 5 minutes after starting, walked 30ft out her back door, and used a $30-40 panfish setup to land the fish. Considering her setup, and likely test lb line, she landed a really nice fish. She looked at her husband as I was motoring away..."we should buy a lottery ticket after that don't you think". They handled the fish very poorly which made me cringe the whole time inside, but I made the decision instead of "educating" them in their special moment, they'd either continue on their panfishing path rarely catching a Bass of any merit, or they'd get hooked, and hopefully shortly learn how important handling these fish are when you intend to release them. We've all been there. The fishing Gods rewarded me with a dark, and beautiful 2lb Spot about 10 mins later on a spinning reel setup so all was right with the world either way after that fantastic fight. I'll take a 2lb Spot over a 4lb LGM no problem ? As for the second pic, somebody was talking about too small to post pics....I submit it completely free of shame, and with great pride ? Lots of Deer out today

Dang, that's a sweet reel pal! I've gotten back into throwing spinning reels again, and truly do need at least one high end spinning reel, the Japanese monkey insists this is the case. JDM/exchange rates allow me to potentially get a spinning reel like yours, or a similar top tier Daiwa model, that I'd never splurge on at normal USDM prices. I mean you can get the $900 Daiwa Exist for $565 right now. I'd never buy a $900 spinning reel, but that same reel for 40% off......yeah that's real hard to resist ?

I bought a special glass tip/graphite composite rod for chatterbaits because all my current rods didn't have a forgiving enough action/tip to allow the fish to get the moving bait fully into their mouth before I'd detect it and rip it from them. I went from missing over half the hits I had on the chatterbait, to basically hooking everyone that bites now. Made all the difference in the world. While both a crankbait and chatterbait rod benefit from having the more forgiving glass tips, a Chatterbait rod needs a stiffer mid section in order to drive the big single hook baits. I've never had a problem fishing Crankbaits with any rod I use for other baits, however it took this special rod for me to really tap into the chatterbaits potential. To me you can fish both very effectively on a rod built for chatterbaits, but not so much vice versa.