cpvenom Posted December 16, 2017 Posted December 16, 2017 Hey y'all, just wanted to share this fine specimen I caught yesterday (12/14/17). After not fishing for almost a month, I decided to drive to a buddy's house to fish on his neighborhood lake. Big bass was the agenda, and the arsenal was swimbaits, and also a bulky jig for extra thick cover. This is my first year in the swimbait game, which I have taken semi-seriously. I started the year with a possible PB (no scale handy) on a Mattlures Bluegill. After yesterday, it looks like I get to close the year with a definitive PB, and a true swimbait passion. After throwing the Mattlures for the majority of the day without a bite, I managed to straighten my hook on a sunken branch. I decided to switch to a Huddleston 68 Special ROF 5 to finish my lap around the lake, my first time ever throwing the lure. I had gone all the way around the lake, getting used to the feel of branches and trees with the occasional false hookset. I approached the last spot, a steep point with cover strewn about right by my friend's house, and I decided to try something different. Instead of casting up or down the point (parallel) like I normally do, something told me to try casting across the point (perpendicular). I figured if a big fish was holding there watching lures go by all day in the same direction, maybe something different would trigger it. On my second cast I felt another tap, but something just felt different than the trees I was feeling earlier, so I set the hook. I had the fish moving fairly easily, and wasn't sure of the size until the mouth breached the water. I immediately told myself "Oh crap, this is it. This is happening". I was by myself with no net, so I reminded myself everything I have learned, read, or watched online about how to keep a Huddleston fish pinned. "Keep the fish moving forward. Don't let her turn. Keep the rod bent. Don't stop reeling". As I grabbed her lip, I let out a Ric Flair "WOOO!", then got her on the scale, as my friend came over to check out the commotion. The scale read 8-8 both on the boat, and on the dock, where she was released back go the cold depths. This experience opened my eyes in a number of ways, not only with swimbait and cold water fishing, but also just approaching things differently around big fish, as they didn't get that huge by being the same... 21 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted December 16, 2017 Super User Posted December 16, 2017 Nice Bass ~ Congrats on the New Personal Best. Welcome to the '8' lb club. btw - although not a requirement - I'm pretty sure you're allowed to smile. A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User Angry John Posted December 16, 2017 Super User Posted December 16, 2017 8 hours ago, A-Jay said: Nice Bass ~ Congrats on the New Personal Best. Welcome to the '8' lb club. btw - although not a requirement - I'm pretty sure you're allowed to smile. A-Jay That's the "I operate smile" 1 Quote
68camaro Posted December 16, 2017 Posted December 16, 2017 Great story and beautiful fish.......I threw big Huddleston yesterday with one bit but no landings. Quote
Super User Darren. Posted December 16, 2017 Super User Posted December 16, 2017 Congrats on the PB! Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted December 16, 2017 Super User Posted December 16, 2017 PB's are always sweet. Congrats. Quote
Pro Logcatcher Posted December 16, 2017 Posted December 16, 2017 Man, that's a fat fish! I don't have the funds to buy those big swimbaits, or I would be throwing them all day! Quote
UPSmallie Posted December 16, 2017 Posted December 16, 2017 Great story and beautiful trophy fish. Congrats! Quote
Super User Angry John Posted December 17, 2017 Super User Posted December 17, 2017 8 hours ago, Pro Logcatcher said: Man, that's a fat fish! I don't have the funds to buy those big swimbaits, or I would be throwing them all day! You can afford an swaiver or gantrel 1 Quote
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted December 17, 2017 Global Moderator Posted December 17, 2017 Congrats!!! Quote
madbass20 Posted December 17, 2017 Posted December 17, 2017 Nice Fish Was the Hud stock? Sink, Slow, low, and steady? Forage? was this in a trout lake? Quote
cpvenom Posted December 18, 2017 Author Posted December 18, 2017 10 hours ago, madbass20 said: Nice Fish Was the Hud stock? Sink, Slow, low, and steady? Forage? was this in a trout lake? Yep, stock Hudd 68, ROF 5, rainbow trout color. No scent, as I had run out earlier. Retrieve was slow near the bottom. No trout in the lake. The main forage is bluegill. Shad were introduced a couple years ago, but bluegill still seems to be number 1. This goes to show that a bass won't pass up an easy meal, even if it's not a familiar species. 1 Quote
Super User NHBull Posted December 18, 2017 Super User Posted December 18, 2017 Thanks for sharing and congrats! Quote
Super User senile1 Posted December 18, 2017 Super User Posted December 18, 2017 That's a very nice fish. Congratulations! Quote
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