Casting practice turns serious, new PB.

[fishwizzard]

I have been struggling to pick up using a baitcasting rig so I am devoting the last third of each outing to working with it.  Went to a local lake today after work and spend an hour or so working a small fluke through the grass and pads along the shore with no success.   Then I put that rod away and went out on a small floating dock to practice casting away from anything I could snag on. After about 45m I was making some good progress roll casting when my phone buzzed.  Assuming it was my girlfriend wondering where I was, I paused my retrieve about 3 feet from the dock and went to check my phone.   As my rod tip went up I discovered this guy on the other end.

I didn't even feel the hit and he was just barely hooked in the inside of his mouth.  Caught him on a green chatterbait with a rage menace trailer.  Right as I got him back in the water another guy came up to see what I had caught.  He was amazed there were fish this big in here as he said that an extreme drawdown a few years ago really hurt the fishery.  He then told be that I had been (unknowingly) fishing a creak channel that ran through the lake.  I guess I need to work this area some more.  

[A-Jay]

Nice Bass ~

PB's are always a  Blast

Congrats

A-Jay

[shimmy]

Congrats man! Fun when hard work pays off. 

[Fish the Mitt]

I too have been working with my new baitcaster. I don't get hogs like that but I do continue getting new PB backlashes! 

 

Congrats!

[Darren.]

Well done!

Keep at it, it'll become second nature in no time  

[Bankbeater]

Nice catch, congrats on the new PB!

[roadwarrior]

Congratulations!

 

[Hurricane]

Congrats!

[Senko lover]

Nice work dude!

[buzzed bait]

nice catch man!  congrats on the new PB!

[fishwizzard]

Thanks for the kind words guys.  I have had a good feeling about chatterbaits ever sense using the micro ones a bit in rivers but this is my first fish on a proper one.  However, I credit most of the catch to casting to the right spot, that guy's comment about the creek channel got me thinking.  When I got home I fired up google maps and looked at the lake, it was pretty clear where the stream ran before they dammed it.  I am going to start spending way more time researching the waters I fish and less time obsession over lures.  Well, after this one more TW order....

In any case, obviously I now have to go back there today after work and fish that channel at bit.  It is low 50s and raining but that is just a minor inconvenience.