What A Day!

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Is that first one a largemouth? Whats with the red? Ive never seen that before.

[Shewillbemine]

Aah, that's my red rain poncho reflecting.

The postman was nice to me the other day. I received these two things in addition to a new baitcasting rod/reel combo from Bass Pro Shops.

It was time for a new tackle box. I like this one because it's a soft tackle box that fits everything I typically bring on a fishing trip. It also comes with a complete set of plastic boxes that can be customized to your liking.

I've also been looking for a crankbait that will go deeper past the 10' mark. I selected a crawdad/crayfish color since I spotted this color combination in the water from the natural crawdads living there.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Aah, that's my red rain poncho reflecting.

Ok, gotcha. Kind of a neat effect. That crankbait looks pretty sweet.

[Shewillbemine]

Went out again today and caught one on the Shad Rap again, also caught on my brand new Bass Pro Shop Baitcasting combo. I love this lure! Also tried my new Rapala DT Crawfish but didn't catch anything. I think the lure's a little too heavy for my rigs so I may need to keep the DT in the tackle box for now.

LURE: Rapala Shad Rap

LOCATION: Casting towards eastern side of Bass Island into the weedline.

RETRIEVE: Quick with 2 short jerks ("tap tap" reel)...fish hit after first jerks. On a side note, imo, this is the "prettiest" fish I've ever caught. Just look at its color and eyes!

[WDinarte]

Nice, like I always say... Life is a leraning process.

You are correct this forum have a LOT - LOT of good information, " if i don't know today, we will learn tomorrow "

Congrats, great catch.

[Shewillbemine]

So I'm still on this bass kick and I decided to spread out to the ocean again, fishing from a jetty. The local shop recommended those expensive but effective Lucky Craft lures. I picked one up and caught some bass! I let go the tinier one and kept this 14 incher (measured). Dinner was nice and fresh tonight (yes I checked for edibility via Dept. of Fish and Game).

Lure: Lucky Craft

Location: West side of jetty; kelp bed

Retrieve: Slower and hanging out in the strike zone ("jerk jerk jerk"...slow reel)

[Shewillbemine]

Well, I knew this day was coming. I'd been flirting with the idea since I was 12 years old when my mom's response was "What the heck are you going to tow it with?"

Yup, I bought a boat and here she is. It's not the fanciest, most expensive boat on the water but she's mine and she's a virgin. I know Tracker gets polarizing reactions but for what I spent on it, I think it's a perfect first boat for someone like me.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Ha! That dogs looking at the fish like "what the heck is that?". Great picture and congrats on the boat.

[Shewillbemine]

While waiting for my boat to finish rigging, I dropped by a different lake today to test out my new stuff from Tackle Warehouse. I've always liked how the jig n pig (in this case "craw") combo looks but I've NEVER tried it.

I studied my depth finder and found a nice ridge/dropoff/shelf that went drastically from 10' to 16' and decided that's where the bass would be lurking. I fished the jig combo for the first time and got 3 nice bass!

I actually set up my GoPro Hero2 for the first time but my doom arse didn't press the right button to record. Hence, the only thing I have is this picture of the 3rd bass, which was the biggest of them all. I wish the picture showed scale to the fish--if you look at my hand, you can see how my fingers and fist relate to the fish. This was a nice one that would've been great on a tournament day.

Lure: Strike King Bitsy Flip Jig Watermelon with Big Bite Baits Swimming Craw Watermelon

Location: Santiago Flats

Retrieve: Rod tip down, jerking 2-3 times imitating swimming crawfish

[Shewillbemine]

So I finally kicked the skunk today. No, it wasn't a bass but at this point, I'm happy for anything. I actually had a second bite but I forgot that I was fighting a trout and treated it like a bass instead. Hence, my drag was set way too tightly and one powerful tail flip and my line broke. 

 

Nevertheless, this is a nice one caught trolling. Three and a half pounds weighed on-site. 

 

Lure: Rapala Rattlin Rap, Firetiger Color, 3 1/8" size
Location: Southwestern side close to boat dock (second fish came on Northeastern side close to sunlit shore)
Retrieve: Trolling, about 50-70' line (8 - 10 lb. test) at speed 3

 

[Shewillbemine]

Caught my first LMB of 2013 today! This was a welcome sight especially since I had been struggling so much lately and my confidence had waned (I started fishing for trout lol). 

 

The best part is that this fish was caught on a jig n pig, which imo is one of the hardest lures to master and remain patient with. I'm still learning how to detect strikes but I think I did an ok job today. I lost a MUCH bigger fish after this one because it threw the hook before I could get it into the boat. Nevertheless, I'm real happy that the skunk is off my back and my new boat was broken in with its first bass. 

 

Lure: Terminator Pro Series Jig Peanut Butter Jelly Color (1/2 oz I think)

Location: Crappie Hideaway, at one of the jutting, underwater rocky points

Retrieve: Cast and settle on bottom. Then slow lift with a few soft "pops" at the top of lift. Slow reel in between.

 

[Shewillbemine]

We've had a cloudy front recently and I decided to fish the ocean this time. In these parts, it's much cheaper to fish the Pacific than pay the private lake fees (I know some of you can't relate to lake fees). 

 

I used ghost shrimp for bait and a swim jig to land 3 Calico Bass and 1 Leopard Shark. The shark was all muscle and felt powerful in my hand regardless of its small size. 

 

Lure: Ghost Shrimp on Carolina Rig

Location: Dana Flats (waypoint on GPS)

Retrieve: Bait & Wait

[Lil'skeeter]

SHEWILLBEMINE....you've made a big mistake.......give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will.....have to buy more tackle, more rods, a boat, something to pull the boat, so on and so on....you're definitely hooked for life. Congrats and good luck!

[CayMar]

I like how you put the Lure,Location,and Retrieve. For a noob like myself it is very helpful.

[AngelaBarber]

http://www.ifisho.com/index.php?do=/forum/
 

[Shewillbemine]

Went out again today. A little windy out on the ocean but not too bad. Still getting bites mostly on the live ghost shrimp (it's like candy to the fish) and had a few bass follow my spinnerbait/jerkbait but no strikes. My last fish bite was HUGE and unfortunately it wrapped me around kelp and I finally lost it after a 10 minute battle. One thing I truly appreciate about ocean fishing is that you literally have no idea what you're going to get. Here are the 2 bass I caught. Also got sheephead but didn't snap a pic. All fish were released.

 

Lure: Live Ghost Shrimp

Location: Dana Flats, next to kelp paddies

Retrieve: Bait & Wait

 

 

Yes, I'm wearing gloves because a) it's kinda cold and sea bass teeth are tougher than LMB teeth. I find that my thumb eventually gets cut up if I don't protect it somehow.

[AK-Jax86]

Got some nice fish there man

[jignfule]

Wow, good job!!!

[Shewillbemine]

Continued bass fishing in the ocean, using plastics. I've noticed that I was getting a lot of fish following my lures and short strikers. 

 

I decided that scent is the key and I bought Uni Butter, which is more of a west coast staple I believe. 

 

 

Lure: Dark Green Warbait/Jerkbait style on missile jighead

Location: Dana Flats, next to kelp paddies

Retrieve: Slow rolling (strike felt like 2 quick tugs in a row)

 

And I used more ghost shrimp while bass fishing and continued to catch female sheephead. Unfortunately it isn't the season for them so I can't keep any. The male sheephead are gnarly looking things but so far I've only caught females. Dunno why.