A-Jay

My wife & I got to spend a most excellent day together on the water yesterday. Lynn’s favorite lake is closed to fishing all but 8 weeks a year. We usually go to the opener, which was Sunday, but it was blowing 25 so we waited a day. As a sanctuary for loons & eagles, this water is artificial baits, paddle boats only (no electric either) and is strictly C & R. The somewhat secluded local and no ramp at all, requires a bit of a portage to get in and out but that’s half the fun and keeps many of the less than committed humans from making the trek in. The lakes healthy population of bass and pike go largely unmolested as most anglers who venture in do so with one man inflatables to fly fish for the waters abundant and over-sized bluegill population. We got a fairly early start into what started out as and continued to be a warm sunny day. It’s always fun setting out on the water for the first time each season knowing the place sees so little angling pressure. Despite the late spring, the lakes dense weed growth had still bloomed nicely and we selected our baits accordingly. Swim jigs, frogs & spinner baits took fish but the star of the day was a very light (3/16) skirted Texas rigged craw. The light weight kept the bait from burying in the weedy bottom and provided the fish ample opportunity to get on the bait; and the post spawn chow down was on. Many a long lean bass (and a few pike) came to the canoe and we were having a good old time. After sore lipping way more than our share of fish and burning through at least 3 bags of Chigger & Rage craws, it was time to pack our way out and call it a day. The big smiles told the story. A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

A-Jay

If you're looking for a slightly beefier rig - one you can throw in & around cover with a little heavier line - the Revenge Flippin Wackers jig is simple, yet incredibly effective. It include a low profile, sleek design custom painted head, with the super sharp, extra-strong Mustad Ultra Point hook. The weed guard, and weighted head allow you to fish your favorite bait in the heaviest cover and is perfect for wacky rigging a Yamamoto Senko. A-Jay

Nice - How to celebrate in your awesomeness Dads. A-Jay https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOKuSQIJlog

Good Morning and thanks to you all for your input - I'll be looking to something in the next day or two. A-Jay

Thanks New Dad, for the offer. But as much as I'd love the road trip and the opportunity to Hang with the RNF, it would be hard to justify the cash expended on petrol for the round trip. A-Jay

I have an older dell PC and 4 in 1 combo dell printer that came with it. The PC is OK, I've upgraded the memory but it still will need a replaced soon. But not now. But the P.O S printer is making me crazy. I'm done with it and am about to go totally Gallagher on it and Sledge - O -Matic the thing into several pieces. I'll need a new one - what say you ? Thanks in advance. A-Jay

Good Stuff. When a life is lived right, it just feels good. A-Jay

Yes ~ a Bass is a Bass. A-Jay

Many of the baits that are effective during the day will work at night as well. Treat any moonlight light like sunshine and fish accordingly. Look for shadow lines, the dark side of the lake or the cover to hold fish. Naturally & artificially lighted docks can hold smallies as well. I have found that No Moon (or New Moon) nights to be both the hardest to fish but often provide the best action. And though a calm flat night is fun to be out in and easier to fish, just like during the day, a little breeze at night is usually a good thing. No doubt however, that when there is a top water bite on calm nights, it's a blast. Also do not be afraid to fish right up on the bank or in very skinny water at night, especially if deeper water is close by. If there is one thing that I've learned from quite a bit of night ops, is that bass will often times be in some surprisingly shallow water looking for chow. The bait below has been good for me. Good Luck A-Jay

Up here (and probably many other places) where it falls in relation to the spawn is different each year. This year it's post spawn for the brown bass & pre spawn or right at the spawn for the green big mouths. I hate the stuff but have had some good outings while picking it off my line. A-Jay

Hello Noah and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Good One ~ For me (I'm in a canoe) no matter where the hook(s) is/are, it's got to be - Hold the beast by the face with Boga grip while over side & in the net, insert Jaw Spreader, & Use Super long hook remover or pliers; otherwise I end up leaking . . . . . . A-Jay

Be careful what you ask for - there could be some lost baits in your future as well as a loss of blood ~ A-Jay

Wow ~ Nice Pike ! And Congrats on your new PB Gator ~ A Real Trophy. PB's are always a Blast. A-Jay

Hello Kayla and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

Yup ~ and what we never want to happen but is much more the norm, when that fish of the year (or life time) presents herself, she will let us know about any & all short comings in our game plan . . . which often results in a good fish story rather than smiles & photos. So this video is a good thing, for all of us - Every sub - PB bass is just practice for the real deal when Slaunch Magnum Momma eats that jig. I'm hoping that the practice is good & done right and will pay off with success. A-Jay

Hello Karl and Welcome to BR ~ A-Jay

I'd have trouble calling that a failure with a nice bass in the net. I am not busting on you Brian, like I said, that happens to everyone; and anyone who denies it either doesn't recognize it's happening, is in denial or doesn't jig fish. (and probably doesn't own a scale) As I watched it, it looked like the fish picked up the jig at the 25 second mark and you seemed to detect it at or near the 33 second spot. The hook set at 35 seconds sealed the deal. I will say that I'd encourage you to keep that net right at your feet - All the Time. A-Jay

Nice Fish Brian and your post made me smile - and don't kid yourself - that could have been anyone of us on that fish. I watched the video before I read the text. I counted like 8 seconds between when the bite is evident in the video to when you detected the bite, and then another 2 seconds to set the hook - nice one btw. So that's easily 10 seconds from bite to hook set. I call those Suicidal Strikes and I LOVE those bass. I hope every PB I ever get from this date forward is just like that because I need the help. Good Stuff. A-Jay

Very Nice ~ Post Spawn Smallies can sometimes be pretty mysterious, and other times they'll chew the paint off your baits. Yours looked like a full & satisfying day on the water. A-Jay

Or I have and learned from it. In Every Situation a driver is responsible for the speed at which a vehicle is operated. A-Jay