AlabamaSpothunter

Dang Woody, hate to hear about the rod/reel. Really sucks it didn't make a noise so at least you could come back and magnet or stick fish it out. Awesome Spot though, and I'd rather have one quality fish like that than 10 dinks. The universe will see to it that you catch a big fish for the lost rod and reel Wow, hope that was a good buddy, or he might have been diving or swimming ? I just found somebody's $250 Crappie rig with a Loomis IMX and a nice little Shimano panfish sized reel. Tried to find the owner, even had a name on the cork handle, sure that person lost more than $250. I retire baits that catch very memorable fish.

Outstanding report brother, and fitting you'd catch the first one of the year on a spinnerbait. Looking forward to the regular reports, with you and Katie both casting for fish in the same day, Spring has officially sprung ?

LOL, sorry to laugh but you have such a fantastic way with words, shallow like a bimbo ? When you gonna fish the potential camp out dream looking lake?

Welcome Jay from Alabama ?

Hahahhahaha......I was gonna blame it on not being straightfluorobrigade, but maybe I need to rethink the braid deal ?

In to hear what is wrong with the drag. Digitaka is one of the best places I've ever done business with regard to customer satisfaction.

Gonna be a struggle for the Braves for a few weeks, but how can you not love a finish like that!

A bit over $250 currently at Digitaka, not quite the deal they were when exchange rates were better, but still the best deal going imho.

We just got baby Mallards on my homelake, snapped this pic earlier......when zoomed in there is 5 Ducklings.

Well today the music stopped in terms of a 7 month binge on moving baits. I can count on one hand the fish I caught since about the beginning of Sept. on a soft plastic bottom contact bait. I've had 7/7 rods rigged with moving baits for months on end, but I knew this day was coming, and I should have done it a month ago at least. Caught more today off a T-Rig than all those combined in 7 months. Caught about 10, two quality Spots, then just little LGMs. One fish came off the Shimano big bait and then I recommitted to throwing a T-Rig Missile Baits D-Bomb. Broke what I think was a nice one off on hookset with 12lb CXX, must have had a stupid nik. I spooled every reel I had with moving baits in mind lol.

I did it several times so don't feel bad. She's a unicorn around these parts ? She's a true hammer, and her style is hardcore. The only thing that can tame her is Maine's blustery winters. Awesome, first Smallie I've seen you post. Wish I had SMs closer.

Bawahahahaha.....I didn't even think about that. What a sneaky mastermind he is ?

Can a mod be banned for heresy, I have it on great authority that fishing tackle is one of the few things not impacted by inflation. What are you trying to do, sink Big Tackle, and put thousands of monkies on the streets ?

Poor Katie, we're always assuming she's a dude ?

That's epic, loved reading it!

Hey man big congrats, way to find them and bring home the hardware. One thing I've learned this year that will stay with me forever, if you think they might be spawning, they have already been spawning.

I'm the terminator then ?

To me the movement firstly, secondly the noise or in some cases lack thereof, and lastly the bait profile size are vastly more important than color. I'd rather a bait be in a rattling vs non rattling pair than a crawfish vs shad pattern pair. I'd rather have a crank that randomly tracks one way than the most beautifully finished one. Some of the most amazing days I've had in terms of dialing them in was when I perfectly matched the size bait they were keying in on. I always suspected and prioritized these qualities before starting down the big swimbait rabbit hole, but those big baits have taught me a lot on this topic. I believe the movement of a bait triggers a Bass's feed response more than any other single quality. You can catch the biggest Bass in your body of water with a big Goldfish, something most likely the biggest Bass in your body of water has never seen before. That Goldfish has the right size and movement to be food, the fact it's easy to see comes secondary to the Bass. I do believe color selection matters a bit more when it comes to dragging stuff slowly on the bottom. Just my 2 cents, I collect when I come to catch giants in Mexico ?

Matt Allen has easily cost me the most money out of any single entity, and the ATV is on my buy list after his recent videos lol. I've had some of the most amazing days on the water because of baits he recommended. I never would have tried something like the Axe Blade or perhaps even a Vault or similar blade bait. I like Tim, but I watch TB because of Matt.

Congrats on a truly beautiful fish!

Beautiful country and fish. Man it's crazy how much Kayak fishing has exploded in 20 years. That first picture really drives that home. I wonder what a boat ramp would look like around here if they closed it to boats. I would have said it would be empty until your post.

Yeah the 15 and 17lb varieties are the only ones I've bought, but I've bought multiple spools of both line class. It's a great deal, I actually saw it first this last week at my local store, told the salesman go figure as I just make the switch to FC sniper to try. I got the 15lb already swapped out and feel great about it. The P Line is still on my Zillion HD TW, but next refill is the FC sniper.

Been using it since August until like most Bass anglers I had to search for a better mousetrap. Not a single complaint, 9.1 came on the 15lb in February on my chatterbait setup. Used it all winter long on my big bait rod A-Rigging as well. I'm slowly switching over to FC Sniper due to diameter, and suppleness.

I'd catch a lot fewer fish if I listened to anything on the water. I fish a heavy Shad lake, hearing or seeing blowups are a great way to get of fish in a hurry.