Jig'n Lobster Slob

[Fat-G]

Jig'n Lobster + Slob = "Slobster"

What a way to end the year. 2011 was my best year of fishing so far. I caught a lot of really nice fish, learned a ton, and made a couple of new fishing friends in the process.

My buddy Mitch and I went to a pond close to my house to more or less just hang out. I wasn't really expecting us to catch much, if anything, and for most of the day that was the case. The weather here has been really odd lately, lower 40's one day and 70 the next. Lots of rain has pushed the water up and turned it to "chocolate milk" status.

For two hours neither one of us caught a fish. Mitch is learning the jig and missed a couple bites, and I missed a couple on spinnerbaits fished in the flooded brush. I tied on a jig and went about my business working some flooded trees close to deeper water.

The gear was as follows:

Dobyns DX745

Premierosaurus

20# Superhard Upgrade

1/2 oz. Northstar jig, black/blue

Rage Lobster, black/blue, with two of the topsections bitten off

My reel has zero spool tension, so with 20# line I can just about spool it on a long cast. Given the distance I can get with the reel, I cut down the weedguard to 8 strands, spread out in a V shape to allow for a good hookset.

I made a long cast down the bank, five or six feet to the right of a fallen tree. The area is filled with wood, and a dropoff to 6-7 feet is a couple more feet to the right. I don't think the fish that reside near this timber get to look at lures too much. It's too far of a cast for a "normal" reel, and there is no other way to reach it. I let that jig sit there for probably three seconds before I felt a "thunk". Reeled down 'till the rod started to load up and swung away Zona style. Rock solid hookset. FISH ON. I could tell she was heavy right away. Not much of a fight, just steadily pulled me down the bank until I saw her coming to the surface not three feet away from me. When she got close enough, I loaded the rod up and and flipped her up to my feet. She didn't take any drag, no jumps, no head shakes, just steady pulling. As a side note, I would NOT recommend boat flipping big fish. That's a great way to break a rod.

I looked over at Mitch and said "this is a big girl dude". Before I said that, he had no idea I even had a fish on.

Usually when I catch a big fish, I'm in the zone. I don't get too excited other than my heart racing and adrenaline pumping. This fish was different. It was the only fish we had even hooked all day. My hands were shaking, my heart was absolutely racing, and my head was spinning. We both kind of lost it for a little while.

After a weight and a few pictures, she was released with a shower of water as a goodbye. This is a typical healthy fish. Very small head size/body size ratio, with a F-A-T belly. I know there's some straight up monsters in this pond. I would venture to guess that a 10 pound fish from this pond would only be around 25".

7 lbs. 2 oz., my third fish over 7 lbs. this year, second 7+ out of this pond. 23" long with an absolute bowling ball of a gut.

I typically wouldn't do a big write up unless I had some extreme adventure, but this fish for some reason is different. Very special fish to me, and I can't explain why. Maybe it's because during the trip I had been thinking about all of the nice fish I had caught this year and how blessed I am not only to be able to fish the ponds I do, but also to own the gear that I do and be so comfortable with my tackle arsenal I have. I was just kind of looking back on the great year that I had and counting my blessings, then I stuck this donkey.

What a perfect fish to end my 2011 fishing season with. I truly learned a ton about fishing this year, especially the big fish mentality. I learned the contour of my ponds, which allowed me to better understand how to catch big fish more regularly, and I learned a couple new techniques to boot. Thank you BR for everything you've given me over the years!

Hope you guys had a good year as well. Have a safe and happy holidays and go stick you a toad on the 1st.

Hayden

[roadwarrior]

WOO-HOO!

[Big-O]

HO HO HO That's What I'm Talkin' Bout! I posted your fine catch on my our RageTail FB site as well Fat G... WTG young Man, You're making us proud FO SHO and keep it up!

http://www.facebook.com/ragetail

www.ragetail.com

[Mrs. Matstone]

Beautiful fish G, you did it again. Congrats

[deep]

Awesome!

[Fat-G]

Thanks guys. This is the biggest "winter bass" I have caught, although the water temps sure don't suggest a full-on winter pattern.

I can't describe how good that hookset felt. It was a 100% steel-setter. One of the ones where it doesn't really move the fish, other than it's head.

Word.

[Fat-G]

I think I may have caught this fish twice in the same year, different spots.

[A-Jay]

Nice Job G ~

You are blessed . . .

First to be fishing in a T-shirt 2 days before Christmas,

And second, to be sore lipping such a Trophy Bass !

A-Jay

[Hooligan]

Stellar, man. Stellar. I got out for a couple hours today, too. Albeit in full raingear, fleece under-layers, a hat, neck gaiter, two pair of gloves, and 800gram insulated boots. I also didn't catch anything close to that 7-2. Just a 5-5 and a bunch of 18" fish.

[Bluebasser86]

Great fish G! Sure wish I had access to ponds that produced the quality fish you catch consistantly!

[Big-O]

You're right... it is the same Gal, or her TWIN! She loves you G

www.ragetail.com

[hookingem]

atta boy G glad you went and got the slob!

[Lake Forest Bassin]

Very nice fish fish G congratz!!

[hookset on 3]

That Story got me pumped. We still have liquid on our ponds (Christmas Eve ). I'm goinin' Tomorrow after Christmas with the family.

That is A big league fish you got there. I had the total obsession at your age too, 51 now. It stays with you for life.

Good Job! Merry Christmas G.