Latest Catch Pics Thread

[Pat Brown]

I've caught a lot of big bass on spinning rods and a lot of big bass on baitcasters.

 

Where I'm casting these days, gonna have to be a baitcaster - Alex, the bait monkey fully and completely applauds your choices regarding rod, reel and line, knowing full well that breaking off means more money in his pocket, but he and I had a talk and as long as I keep throwing my baits into trees and heavy vegetation, we're good.

 

Got my first frog bass of 2024 and Jake got his biggest frog bass yet yesterday on a nasty muggy drizzly cold day where we caught the snot out of them.  Best 5 would probably tick 20 lb for the day which is pretty insane for my lakes.

 

 

I also caught my PB crappie on the spinnerbait which also caught the big bass for the day!

 

Bizzbaits 3/8 oz tandem Tn Shad color with no trailer.

[The Baron]

9 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Today though I tried the VMC Crossover Ring in #4 and might have finally stopped hemorrhaging senkos.  Still need the VMC Cross Over pliers because these things are near impossible to get on the bait. 

 

22lbs. is a great day! 
 

I tried the VMC crossover rings last year, and was quite happy with them. 

[Swamp Girl]

@Pat Brown: Twenty pounds from one of your ponds??? Man, oh, man, BR is sure stocked with bass whisperers. Jake is growing into a bass magnet like his daddy. 

[Woody B]

Myself and Mrs B are back from camping.   I'm off work through Monday so I'll fish some more.  I didn't catch them like I wanted to while camping.  I averaged a Bass an hour, but the biggest was a 17 inch spot(pictured).   Mrs B went out one time, but didn't fish long due to the cold and wind.   Dolly (our Yorkie) went out with me several times.  She get's really excited when I catch a fish.  She love to lick them.  She thinks she's a BIG dog, so I tell her the fish are all big, even if they aren't.  She thinks the one she's licking in the picture is a 5 pounder.   

Alex, hats off for mastering spinning gear.  I can't do it.  I simply can't cast accurately.   I have arthritis in my right trigger finger, perhaps that's part of the problem......or just my excuse.  It doesn't bother me shooting.    I use wackys with a bait caster all the time.  I'd estimate that 1/3 of what I caught, including my biggest was on a wacky.  Weightless Bizz Baits sassy stick.   Most of the others were on a spinner bait.  (don't tell Tnriver)

 

To the haircut police.  I don't want to cause any more stress.  I'll try to keep my hat on.  

 

 

 

[Pat Brown]

Dunno how I skipped over this thick beauty that was part of our banner day yesterday in my post but here she is!  Another tank on that bizzbait spinnerbait!

 

[Aaron_H]

13 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Had a great day yesterday with almost 22lbs, all on the whacky rigged senko.   Also included are a couple good fish I caught on Saturday and Sunday.....all on the whacky rigged senko.    Over the last two weeks I've blown through about 6 packs of yamasenkos, and countless O Rings/cross over rings.   Today though I tried the VMC Crossover Ring in #4 and might have finally stopped hemorrhaging senkos.  Still need the VMC Cross Over pliers because these things are near impossible to get on the bait.  

 

I've been using 3/8" clear heat shrink tubing for years on my wacky rigged senkos. Extremely cost effective, matches any color worm, hugs flush to the bait, and the durability is phenomenal. I paid $15 for 50 feet of it back in 2017 and I'm not even close to the end of the spool.

 

No special pliers needed!

[Swamp Girl]

@Aaron_H, what shrinks the tubing?

[Aaron_H]

23 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

@Aaron_H, what shrinks the tubing?

 

It's heat shrink tubing, so just a lighter held near it for a couple of seconds will shrink it. I find the best way to get a tight fit is to stretch the senko a little bit as I'm applying the heat so it shrinks to a smaller diameter. The 3/8" tube diameter is perfectly sized to slide over a senko.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Amazing day Pat!   20lb sacks = cracking the code 😎

 

@The Baron   Thanks friend!   Overnight I tried to pre rig a few more senkos with the #4s......first two broke so back to the drawing board.   Wish there was a size b/t #4 and #5.  

 

@Aaron_H  Thanks for the excellent tip brother, think a trip to Lowes is in my future.   

 

@PhishLI  gave me some excellent advice as well, he crosses over two orings so I'm going to give that a try as well. 

 

Thanks Woody!   I hear ya on the spinning gear, until I catch a fish on them they tend to drive me nuts many days.   I know I could reduce some of those headaches running braid to leader.   Gonna have to get a second setup so I try that out.  

 

Wish I had a fishing companion like Dolly 🙂

[Swamp Girl]

25 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I hear ya on the spinning gear, until I catch a fish on them they tend to drive me nuts many days.

 

As someone who used spinning gear 99% of the time, I just can't relate. I can hit the pockets with my spinning rods. I guess the credit goes to decades of using them. 

[thediscochef]

16 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

As someone who used spinning gear 99% of the time, I just can't relate. I can hit the pockets with my spinning rods. I guess the credit goes to decades of using them. 

I feel you, I started with spinning tackle and I was proficient with it before I ever touched a baitcaster

[Swamp Girl]

46 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I feel you, I started with spinning tackle and I was proficient with it before I ever touched a baitcaster

 

Does being okey-dokey with spinning gear make us these two? If it does, I'm good with it because, well, they're riding a hawg!

 

[Blue Raider Bob]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Wish I had a fishing companion like Dolly 🙂

Well.......I'm not as cute as Dolly.....and I sure as heck ain't lickin' fish....but I'm available! I excel at netting and that's all you really need!   😁

[MIbassyaker]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

 I can hit the pockets with my spinning rods. I guess the credit goes to decades of using them. 

 

1 hour ago, thediscochef said:

I feel you, I started with spinning tackle and I was proficient with it before I ever touched a baitcaster

 

.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Amazing day Pat!   20lb sacks = cracking the code 😎

 

@The Baron   Thanks friend!   Overnight I tried to pre rig a few more senkos with the #4s......first two broke so back to the drawing board.   Wish there was a size b/t #4 and #5.  

 

@Aaron_H  Thanks for the excellent tip brother, think a trip to Lowes is in my future.   

 

@PhishLI  gave me some excellent advice as well, he crosses over two orings so I'm going to give that a try as well. 

 

Thanks Woody!   I hear ya on the spinning gear, until I catch a fish on them they tend to drive me nuts many days.   I know I could reduce some of those headaches running braid to leader.   Gonna have to get a second setup so I try that out.  

 

Wish I had a fishing companion like Dolly 🙂

Braid to leader merely creates more headaches in my experience 

[A-Jay]

30 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Braid to leader merely creates more headaches in my experience 

??????

On casting gear maybe.

But when done correctly,

not on spinning tackle.

Don't make me come over there . . . 

🤪

A-Jay

 

[Pat Brown]

I LOVE fishing spinning rods and can relate to all the 'it was all I did for many years ' people and I don't dislike when I do use them for something but for around here you get your heart broken a LOT less when you go 12 lb and up for your clear line and that just generally rules out spinning rods most of the time for me.  I rarely go lower than 15 lb and still occasionally get snapped off in trees by big fish.  I try to avoid that at all costs for me and for the fish.  I hate them swimming around with stuff stuck in their face because of me.  I like fishing them at the small ponds when bass are feeding on the flats.  Nothing to break off on there!

[gim]

16 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

You might have a cardiac event if I posted a picture with my hair down

You best get it trimmed before I get my energy back. 😎

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

??????

On casting gear maybe.

But when done correctly,

not on spinning tackle.

Don't make me come over there . . . 

🤪

A-Jay

 

I tried it for a couple years, no bueno. We fish two different worlds, no sand here 

 

personally I’d rather be fishing than FGing around all day 

[T-Billy]

3 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 I know I could reduce some of those headaches running braid to leader.   Gonna have to get a second setup so I try that out.  

Braid to hook has worked well for me. 😉

[GreenPig]

Caught 6 Spots and 4 LM today on the T - Rigged TRD

[TnRiver46]

19 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Braid to hook has worked well for me. 😉

I shred that too but 50-65 lb holds up pretty well 

[T-Billy]

9 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I shred that too but 50-65 lb holds up pretty well 

Yeah, light braid doesn't hold up well to rock, but 20-30 works great for weightless senkos, and holds up fine to weeds and wood. 

[Swamp Girl]

I was skunked today. There were three limiting factors:

 

I fished from a narrow shore.

 

I only cast about 20 times.

 

I walked through snow to reach the water. 

 

 

I remember biking through snow to fish with my brothers about 60 years ago and catching nothing. Clearly, I've learned nothing in 60 years. 

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Well.......I'm not as cute as Dolly.....and I sure as heck ain't lickin' fish....but I'm available! I excel at netting and that's all you really need!   😁

It would be my absolute pleasure to have you come fish with me.....you ever get a bit more south, and a bit more in banjo country, hit me up friend!  I'm in central Alabama.  

 

That goes for all my friends in this thread, you got a spot in boat anytime!