OHBuckets

It's official! Heck yeah! NEO unlocked today - I literally watched the ice dissolve with the wind and water. Thank gawd, on the 2025 board. Chocolate milk water, 1-2" visibility dragging a t-rig dark chocolate senko with sapphire flakes. Didn't think I'd have water, so went for a haircut and thought WTH take a rod. So one rod, one weight, one hook, one worm -> one good fish!

For more of a baitfish profile, I was enjoying the Beast Coast Bladerunners (in addition to the "go-to's" previously mentioned). I did pick up some of the Bellows Vibes and NetBait HexTek Whip Tails to try.

My last bit of ground ice melted away yesterday, but I woke up to an inch of new snow and rising. So I'm just going to stare at this all day:

My most fun bites came on the Zariganist Jr

Absolutely. I run it on my canoe - I'll just wind/current drift along in small waters and fire things at structure as I see it. Dial it in and you see fish, schools, musky, cats. If I'm not as familiar with the water I'm on, I'm bringing it.

I'm waiting on a new Ark Logan 'All Chatter' rod to play with, as I drool over a dry box of new Seibert 3/8 and 1/2 Fogys. Not too happy with Phil's prediction this morning!

I got a Scheels house set that I quite like. I was on Champlain for 8+ hrs of rain last year and it kept me dry and comfy.

I too love me some D-shads. Monkey just also made me buy more 6" Sakamata Heavy Weights.

I got a few different styles from Island Optics. Quite like them and very comfy over a couple straight full days chasing Chesapeake bull reds

This. I fished an entire afternoon on the same Draggin' Ned hook, just replacing baits as they got chewed up. That has NEVER happened dragging/hopping neds before - I'm usually good for snagging and losing a few.

I saw this pic and realized I forgot to post it to impress (should be in other species thread, but meh). This is by far the smallest fish I have ever caught - it was wedged in the bill/split ring, but I still landed it Still a pretty fish

I paid my card down to zero yesterday and the monkey just made me buy Citizen Micros in the Sunday drop. Argh!

The thing that gets me changing the channel is obvious O line holding. Sure it happens to every team in every game, I don't like when a less mobile QB sometimes seems to get a second or two more time for progressions. There were instances in that game yesterday of obvious holds, illegal blocks in the back/pushes, and straight up tackling of the D rushers. Play on, I suppose. And the less I watch, the more time I can play with fishing gear in my living room and pitch hook-free lures at the dog. (JK, I wouldn't do that - time to play Fishing Planet! ha ha)

My best days in 2024 involved spooks early, then changing over to free-rigs/belly-weighted plastics (the Bellows Shad and the Zariganist Jr get special mention) - that'd be 80%. Then 10% on glides and hard swimbaits, 5% D-Shads, and 5% on Neds/cranks/random fun things. This is 1-4 lb LMB numbers. First 2024 5+ LMB was on a ned, last 5+ LMB was a wacky houdini senko. (previous year was more jigs, cranks, and the bigger fish on chatterbaits)

Ha ha - I've caught a 37" musky on a 1/2 oz Aruku lipless, and a 13" LMB on a Detonator :)

I just picked up some LC 97MRs in the Hook Up's 9.99 sale Also, can't go wrong with the Lake Fork Pig Claw Chunks - TW has them at 25 (3.5") or 30 (2.5") packs for $5.

While we're talking about them, this kinda reminds me of the Geecrack Bugpee. I've had some angry bites on those, as if the LMB reaaaally didn't like them scooting around.

I have some and like them too - they are in their own spot amongst the field. I like Duo in general; their silent cranks were catching me cold water fish when nothing else was.

See my post today in the Latest Catch thread

Cold, high water; cloudy and windy. For some reason known only to them, the bass wanted the Hybrid Hunter Jr today. Three nice fish! Then hands on coffee...

Yep - another one here! Still chasing a 50" (PB 48.5")

My unnecessary purchase today: I've been enjoying a Cashion Element Multi-Purpose rod as my truck bed rod, throwing almost everything I want to on it. Usually 129, but Sportsman has it for 91. No brainer for me (in all fairness, I do have a reel without a home, so that wasn't fair to the reel)

Caught a handful on this chillier weekend (love it though). Here's the best two, on a Cha Cha and a fluke:

I O!!! I'm pleased to report my first rat fish - on a Baby Bull Rat Caught 3, lost 2, and 2 missed blowups. A lot of fun! Note the little guy with eyes bigger than his tum tums

Got on 6 nice fish this morning before my pepperjack omelet, bacon, hash browns and coffee Only took tubes as I thought it'd be a brief session before a downpour - a downpour that didn't happen