A-Jay

Thanks guys - No fishing tonight - just laying low; a movie, hot pizza pie and a few cold rice sodas . . . . It's tough getting old. A-Jay

Congrats ~ Nice Bass. A-Jay

The Manning brothers have reached a new low - I don't even know what you say . . . . A-Jay http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn5zytfm9No&feature=player_embedded

Congratulations ~ ! Nice PB. A-Jay

You may need one of these ~ A-Jay

This one's been good this week. A-Jay

Thanks I really appreciate you reminding me - I'm leaving myself hanging too. But I'm liking The Bank. A-Jay

And yet you just can't stop reading them . . . . . . . A-Jay

I have a couple of thoughts - First, Are you sure these fish were bass ? Sometimes fish that are "striking at the bait, but not taking it" are not bass but something else, usually smaller. When a Bass wants a bait - even a small bass - they get it; often times no matter how bad we foul up the hook set, they still manage to hook themselves.(top water frogs might be an exception to this) With all the "Strikes" you got on that trip, if these were indeed bass, you'd have hook at least one. And second, I'd say you are fishing with a bait and in a manner that looks like something to eat, so keep doing it, just move around until you find fish that will Eat your offering. Because when you do, your "Hook Setting" problems will be over. Good Luck A-Jay

My original post was a little sappy and in poor taste. I have since removed it. I apologize for the inconvenience. A-Jay

Healthy Hawg right there Wayne ~ Night time is the Right time . . . A-Jay

Me too - Although heavily Modified. Base frame on the bait pictured is a SK Hack Attack Heavy Cover Bait. The Wire is extra stout improving it's durability and the hook is very good - like a gaff. I usually use black skirts at night but after running out of them one trip I started using this one and it seemed to work well. Might not even matter. Changed out the original blades and went with a slightly oversized Oklahoma blade. Not certain why, but it routinely out produces a single Colorado, day or night. Gold is usually the choice color on these clear water lakes up here. Swim bait trailers have really proved themselves as an effective night time (or dirty water) trailer. Skinny Dipper, Havoc Grass Pig and Powerbait's Flat Back shad and Hollow belly baits have all done well. I do like a BLACK Trailer at night and a Black Sharpie colors up just about any bait nicely. A-Jay

Went out again Friday night into Saturday morning. A/T's much cooler than two nights ago, high 40's ~ Ah, the summer nights in northern Michigan - not exactly Balmy. The spinner bait was the deal again in the darkness and Kermit made an appearance at first light. Feels like fall's coming on already. A-Jay

Thanks Guys ~ I really needed a night like that. It rejuvenated my fishing flame and rekindled my faith in the local fishery. A-Jay

I had not been able to get out on the water for a while now. And reading everyone’s reports and seeing all the PB’s and videos wasn’t helping any. I couldn’t take it any longer, so instead of hitting the rack last night, I loaded the “Night Ops” gear into the Truck and headed out. I was on the water around 10:30 pm and fished through the night. It was a calm cool evening. W/T was low 70’s and the A/T was low 50’s. There was a heavy wet fog/mist in the air that made everything damp. And the Bass, they were a chewing; single bladed spinner bait mostly with a decent topwater bite at first light. I hadn’t had a night like this one in a while. Smb and Lmb were being very cooperative and the average size was up a bit too which is always a good thing. I took several photos but the fog/mist made for mostly bogus pictures. I’m not complaining. I was glad to be out there and even happier to keep getting bit. My approach this night was no different than most summer night trips. I focused on wood and weed lines and the places that have both usually give up the better fish. It’s funny how when the fish are up and feeding, and I manage to stick a few, it makes me feel like I might have a clue . . . . . A-Jay

Trips where a Scale and a Camera are put to use are usually "Good Days" (or Nights). A-Jay

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Excellent ~ I was going to say Ghost White Spook. A-Jay

If you want to prevent that fishy smell in the first place ~ Just come fishing with me . . . . . . A-Jay

A-Jay

I have this and live it ~ http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-Waterproof-Digital-Camouflage/dp/B008JI0R8U/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1375299854&sr=8-6&keywords=cool+pics+nikon+100 But I'm going to get this as well - The remote and "video Tagging" feature is a game changer for me. http://www.amazon.com/Drift-Innovation-HD-Ghost-Waterproof/dp/B00A48RMKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375299802&sr=8-1&keywords=drift+hd+ghost A-Jay

Such a Fantastic shape on that Bass ~ She's the epitome of "Stout"; bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat: Synonyms: big, rotund, stocky, portly, fleshy. A-Jay

Congratulations Captain Shane ~ ! Your hours and hours on the water have be reward and it's well deserved. I know you're proud. A-Jay

So That's why they call it a Flipp'in Stick . . . . A-Jay

Swinging fish over the side and into the boat is a relatively "new" method of landing bass. I say new because bass fishing as a sport, has been around for a long time. Growing up and fishing with my Dad (mid 1960's) we were using the tackle of the times: Fiberglass rods and monofilament line. No one was swinging 3 lb. bass into the boat. First, that tackle made it tough to actually do, and second, it was considered, lazy and disrespectful to the sport. I would have received a quick dummy cuff to the squash if I did it even once. We weren't standing while fishing from a bass boat either. Being seated in a small outboard boat also does not lend itself to the effective bass swing tactic. I'd not seen an angler swing fish with any regularity (not including panfish) until Fishing tournaments first appeared on TV. With the advent of graphite rods, a whole assortment of new less stretchy fishing lines and the time constraints of tournament fishing, the use of a landing net went by the way side. So people do what they see on TV. I get it though. I don't like the tangled mess that a bass on a crank bait or jerk bait can make out of a nylon net either but I like a broken rod less. I will admit it, I've done it. I've also broke a rod doing the "High Stick" land job; A schoolie striped bass off a jetty as I recall. One busted pole was enough for me - I do like the boga grip quite a bit. A-Jay