Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 Bass under 2.5 to 3.0 lbs just don’t cut it anymore. Up until May, my PB largemouth may have been 2 to 2.5 lbs. I caught it on a nightcrawler when I was 13-14 years old in Wye Mills pond in the early 70s. At that time I thought it was huge. Other than that, it was a steady diet of 10”, 12” to maybe 14” bass. I really have not fished seriously for close to 30 years and just started to casually get back into fishing last month. I knew Texas was a bigger bass state than Maryland, but “bigger” does not always equate to “better” or more opportunity. Yeah, I knew the chance at a really big bass was better here than back in MD (I think the state record here is 7 lbs. more than in MD), but that doesn’t mean that I was going to catch bigger bass lol. But in a month and a half I’ve shattered my PB by 4 to 5 lbs. and caught numerous bass between 2 and 3 lbs, with some close to or exceeding 4 lbs. I never thought I’d ever catch so many “big” bass in my life. But now I’ve caught so many 2-3 lb. bass that...well, I don’t want to say I’m bored, but it’s no longer unexpected. I used to hang around some bowhunters that always saw trophy bucks while I seemed to always see spikes, forkies and small sixes. Same with bass. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I know many of you consistently catch 4,5 and 6 lb. bass and have PB up into the DD. That was a pipe dream not so long ago. Now it’s a goal. And to be truthful, this forum has helped me a lot. It’s a great site! 9 1 Quote
Super User RoLo Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 You're on a roll buddy It just gets better. Roger 1 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 Now you're talking. Suggestion - make sure your gear, (rod, reel, line & terminal tackle) are designed to met the challenges of the fish you 'hope' to catch. So that when you do hook her, you're offering yourself the best possible chance to land her. Good Luck and remember to have fun A-Jay 1 Quote
Super User Bird Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 Yes Texas is a significant jump from Maryland regarding bigger better bass. Reap the benefits and enjoy. 1 Quote
TriStateBassin106 Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 I wish I could complain about catching 3lbers. But in all seriousness You hate catching fish below 3lbs? Catching one 3lber would make the trip memorable for me. We are on two different sides of the spectrum my friend. Next time you hook onto a 2 or 3lber please pass the rod over lol. 2 Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, TriStateBassin106 said: I wish I could complain about catching 3lbers. But in all seriousness You hate catching fish below 3lbs? Catching one 3lber would make the trip memorable for me. We are on two different sides of the spectrum my friend. Next time you hook onto a 2 or 3lber please pass the rod over lol. See? Two months ago you and I would have been two peas in a pod. I’d have killed for a 3 lb’er. But lately I guess I’ve been on a roll fishing waters where a 2-3 lb. bass is like the norm. I’m breathing rarefied air! 1 Quote
TriStateBassin106 Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 1 minute ago, BrianMDTX said: See? Two months ago you and I would have been two peas in a pod. I’d have killed for a 3 lb’er. But lately I guess I’ve been on a roll fishing waters where a 2-3 lb. bass is like the norm. I’m breathing rarefied air! Yeah man I hear you, once you start fishing bigger water and get bigger bites the thrill gets much more exciting, one of the great things about this sport, I have a ton of respect and appreciation for the Trophy hunters on here, you guys are the real anglers who grind it out! Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 8 minutes ago, A-Jay said: Now you're talking. Suggestion - make sure your gear, (rod, reel, line & terminal tackle) are designed to met the challenges of the fish you 'hope' to catch. So that when you do hook her, you're offering yourself the best possible chance to land her. Good Luck and remember to have fun A-Jay THAT is one area where this site has helped a lot. I’ve learned so much in a short time. When I basically left fishing behind in the early-mid 80s, no one I knew spooled braid (unless it was a kid or a geezer handlining carp with Dacron lol), and FC? Wha-a-a? Wacky style, drop shot, Ned rigs...never heard of them until recently. A lot has changed. Punching? Flipping? Madness! I’m hopeful my “new” gear is up to the task. For now it’s basically fishing in ponds. No heavy weeds (just muck on the bottom), so my baitcaster currently is spooled with 12 lb. YZH on a Fenwick HMX 70M-FC rod. It’s a Garcia Black Max, which I know is entry grade, but as my other baitcaster is a Daiwa Millionaire 3H from the mid-70s, I figured I’d start back slow. The finesse rig is a Daiwa Revros LT2500 with 20# Sufix 832 and a 8# YZH leader on a Fenwick HMX 66M-FS rod. Nothing top of the line, but hopefully serviceable for now. 1 Quote
813basstard Posted June 20, 2020 Posted June 20, 2020 Quit your job, leave the significant other, fill the tank up and join the tour!! 2 Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, 813basstard said: Quit your job, leave the significant other, fill the tank up and join the tour!! Nah. That’d be work! 1 Quote
Super User jimmyjoe Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 32 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said: Wacky style, drop shot, Ned rigs...never heard of them until recently. A lot has changed. Punching? Flipping? Madness! Don't think you're alone! This place can turn your head around pretty quick. It's all for the good, though. I've learned to love it, all the new ideas and stuff. jj Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 23 minutes ago, jimmyjoe said: Don't think you're alone! This place can turn your head around pretty quick. It's all for the good, though. I've learned to love it, all the new ideas and stuff. jj St. Croix was an island. Loomis was in Halloween with Michael Myers. Dobyns. Wasn’t that the elf in Harry Potter? Almost everything is a new idea lol. 1 Quote
Super User Sam Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 5 hours ago, RoLo said: You're on a roll buddy It just gets better. Roger X2 Quote
Super User DitchPanda Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 Wow this must be a heck of a problem to have. Wish I had a pond where if I caught a 3lber I thought oh God another one? Boring! Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 41 minutes ago, DitchPanda said: Wow this must be a heck of a problem to have. Wish I had a pond where if I caught a 3lber I thought oh God another one? Boring! I wouldn’t quite say it’s “boring”, but normally it seems like I’m good for one or two that size in a morning or evening of fishing. So in the not-so-distant past catching one that size may have been a goal, the bar has been raised. A great thing in my opinion! 1 Quote
Super User DitchPanda Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 Oh yeah now I get what your saying. I aim for a 3 per trip anything over that is gravy. Where I'm at a 3 is a good fish..anything over 5 is big...my biggest of the year is 7. State record here is only 10 something. Quote
Super User Teal Posted June 20, 2020 Super User Posted June 20, 2020 I realize upping the ante and going after bigger 6plus lb fish and trophy hunting are different, but am intrigued by the guys who are intentionally fish for BIG BASS or DD BASS. I imagine once my son moves gets old enough and goes off to school, I'll really try to focus on trying to fish for BIG BASS season long. I imagine the style of fishing is different when you look for 9lb lb plus bass. (I'm in nc, so 9-11 is huge here) Quote
Super User BrianMDTX Posted June 20, 2020 Author Super User Posted June 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, DitchPanda said: Oh yeah now I get what your saying. I aim for a 3 per trip anything over that is gravy. Where I'm at a 3 is a good fish..anything over 5 is big...my biggest of the year is 7. State record here is only 10 something. I’ll always take a 3 on an outing. It’s just not that long ago, a 3 would have had me thinking taxidermist lol. I have no clue what the biggest bass is in this pond. My PB came from here. I had no scale but it was 22”, so should be between 6-7 lbs. I’m thinking that’s probably the upper limit, but maybe not. I hope to find out! Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted June 21, 2020 Super User Posted June 21, 2020 In the +20 years I have fished for bass I have caught hundreds of lunker sized bass and most species of black bass that have been identified so far. Many would think that I would only want to fish for lunkers but that would be incorrect. I still enjoy fishing for all bass whether they are under 12 inches or over 26 inches long. 4 Quote
Super User slonezp Posted June 21, 2020 Super User Posted June 21, 2020 We fish for the same reason people play the lottery. That one day, the payout will be worth it. 1 Quote
Super User RoLo Posted June 21, 2020 Super User Posted June 21, 2020 Quote We fish for the same reason people play the lottery. That one day, the payout will be worth it. I've never once played the lottery in my life, and considered that a wise move. Now that you've lumped angling in with the lottery, I need to rethink my sanity Roger 1 1 Quote
Super User slonezp Posted June 21, 2020 Super User Posted June 21, 2020 3 minutes ago, RoLo said: I've never once played the lottery in my life, and considered that a wise move. Now that you've lumped angling in with the lottery, I need to rethink my sanity Roger At my age, I just fish because it gives me peace of mind. When I was younger, the payout is what drove me. If I never catch a fish larger than 2lbs again, it really doesn't matter. Would just be a bonus. I spent a couple of hours today fishing with my grandson who is not quite 3. He's addicted. He caught around 25 bluegills today. I also brought a remote controlled boat to run in the lake but, the lake was too weedy. Anyway, I kept asking him, do you want to try out the boat. "No, one more fish" was his answer every time. 4 Quote
Super User RoLo Posted June 21, 2020 Super User Posted June 21, 2020 7 minutes ago, slonezp said: At my age, I just fish because it gives me peace of mind. When I was younger, the payout is what drove me. If I never catch a fish larger than 2lbs again, it really doesn't matter. Would just be a bonus. I spent a couple of hours today fishing with my grandson who is not quite 3. He's addicted. He caught around 25 bluegills today. I also brought a remote controlled boat to run in the lake but, the lake was too weedy. Anyway, I kept asking him, do you want to try out the boat. "No, one more fish" was his answer every time. It never ceases to amaze me, but every stage of life has something special and unique to offer. It doesn't get any better than sharing your boat with a youngster. You happily abandon your game plan, and give them your undivided attention, it becomes the new trophy. "25 bluegills" Frankly, it's been a long time since I earned that badge Roger 2 Quote
Bluegillslayer Posted June 21, 2020 Posted June 21, 2020 On 6/19/2020 at 7:25 PM, TriStateBassin106 said: I wish I could complain about catching 3lbers. But in all seriousness You hate catching fish below 3lbs? Catching one 3lber would make the trip memorable for me. We are on two different sides of the spectrum my friend. Next time you hook onto a 2 or 3lber please pass the rod over lol. Dang Right what he said!!! Quote
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