mdgreco191

I think you are waiting too long to set the hook and/or you are probably not setting the hook hard enough. With all topwater lures I set the hook once I can no longer see the bait, which is barely a second between the strike and realization the bait is gone. With frogs you have to really slam the hook home, cause the hooks may snag the plastic body or have weeds/slop in the way of the hook point.

I always heard you needed to be quiet when fishing. I have caught my biggest fish while talking, so I guess that one is a myth.

I really like that frog idea! I never have used a frog, but I am gonna have to give it a try. I have not seen those monsters since the temps hit high 80's. I do fish those areas but I never tied on a large bait in those areas, so i am gonna have to try that. thanks everyone!!

thanks for the advice. There are big bass, I once saw 4 different bass over 8 lbs. when walking down the bank! One guy this spring caught a 13 lbs. bucketmouth! I don't have any swimbaits but I do have big worms and deep cranks so I will give those a try!

I have caught countless 1-3 lbs. bass out of my friends private lake, but I have not landed or even hooked a BIG bass. One question is have the big ones gone nocturnal? I have not caught a bass over 1 lbs. since the temps hit high 90's. I have fished thru sun up and thru sundown using mainly poppers. I have used other lures, soft plastics, minnow cranks, flies, spinnerbaits, and rattle traps, but none of these have worked. What is catching y'alls big uns!!!! I know their is big fish, I have seen them, I just can't catch them!!! :'(

I have quite frequently heard and read about changing out the trebles on all your lures. I have never done that and have not lost a fish that could be attributed to a dull or bad hook. Is that just for certain brands of lures or any lure at all.

Storm chug bug, in baby bass. Rebel Magnum Pop'r, silver sides/black back. Original Floating rapala (or any floating minnow), silver sides/black back. The magnum pop'r has caught the biggest fish, but it also gets lots of strikes from bream, and I even caught a 1/4 lbs. warmouth with it!

for large cats you will have the most success with fresh cut fish and live fish from that body of water. End of story.

For "bream" I like to use a small fly called a "bream killer". I forget who makes it but I got it at walmart one time. It is black, with a tuft on brown on the back, and half inch white rubber legs. I use 4 lbs. mono on a ultralight spinning setup. Don't cast it, just pitch it under trees and next to logs. When it sinks down you will see the white legs disappear,that means set the hook!

thanks guys, I am glad I asked!

I was wondering if I could catch some large bluegills and take them to a local pond and release them to help strengthen the bluegill population in the pond. I wanted to ask yall before doing it in case there is something i should know before I do it.

I taught myself, and it was hard. I just read everything i could, asked questions, and fished a lot!

I thought if a fish was gut hooked it was done for. Even if you cut the hook and completely remove it the fish still has one or two holes left in it's stomach. I don't know about yall, but I don't think I would live to long with holes in my stomach! ;D

I have noticed a decline in the bluegill population in the pond I fish, very slow decline but never the less a decline. We don't release our shiners, but others may. Is there any way to eliminate the non-indegineous population, or is it too late? I was thinking about cathing some bull bluegill and releasing them into the pond, would this work?

I have seen signs saying not to dump any left over bait in the water. What adverse affect does that have considering it is healthy, lively bait.

two months a go an itty bitty channel cat my fiancee caught wiggled hard in my hand when i was taking the hook out and shoved one of its dorsal fins a whole inch into my palm!! I had to slowly pull out the fin and it hurt like hell cause I didn't want it to break off inside my hand and cause a horrible infection. From now on I pull out a glove or am real careful with cats of all sizes!

I had a ten pounder get off 5 times in the same day! He would get stuck in brush and trees right below surface, next to the bank, and shake the hook out. I tried surfing him in but he just jumped and shook the hook again. I have a net now cause I would have landed him if I would have had one that day.

The catfish are spawning here in GA. This is the best time to catch them on artificial baits b/c they hit the lures out of aggression to guard their spawn, usually in shallow water. 3 days ago I spotted two cats guarding their spawn at my feet in 2 foot of water. I got one to bite a rapala floating minnow.

shallow crankbaits, worms, lizards, crappie jigs, and the occasional rooster tail.

I went back to the lake after my original post in this thread. I caught a 1 inch bluegill in a cup and threw it next to the dock on a bobber and 2 seconds after it hit the water my reel was screaming! I hooked into a 5 lbs+ bass! Unfortunately for me I was using my ultra light setup and about 30 seconds into the fight the fish snapped my 4lbs. test when it shot under the dock! I believe the fish are still spawning, but as was posted earlier, they are feeding on bluegill minnows and fry. I couldn't get a bite off anything other than a live bluegill, it's funny how picky bass and fish in general can be.

I live in GA and thought the spawn was over 3 weeks ago!! I noticed this schooling behavior where there will be 5-10 one pounders and one or two big bass with them. I also noticed there are tons of tiny minnows against the bank, I am guessing they are bluegill fry. So from what I have read everyone is saying that they are still spawning, is this true? If so what is the best lure for clear, warm water during this period? A week ago I was killing them with a silver floating rapala, but that bite has totally stopped. I used all different colors of worms on different rigs today and got one bite! What gives? They were feeding ravenously and now have stopped and seem to be spawning again!!!