senile1

That's a nice healthy chunk, Mr. Mustang.

Congratulations on the new PB!

Matthew, one of my favorite topwaters is a Zara Spook. I have had days where bass would leap right over the lure just nicking it and knocking it out of the water. It's strange and exciting to watch but frustrating as well.

Brian, this is a pretty good one. When Sam speaks of balancing I believe he is talking about setting the cast control knob for the weight of each lure you attach to your line. http://www.***/education/baitcaster-setup-101.html

Make the standard changes just like you did - presentation, color, size - until something works. Try different cadences and speeds. If you try all of these and nothing works, try switching to a different type of lure. For example, if you are throwing a walk-the-dog lure, switch to a popper, or maybe a Devil's Horse. BigBlock496 made a good suggestion about throwing a senko back to where the fish boiled as well.

Good post, Sam. I want to add that I guess you can be accurate without using your thumb but if you want pinpoint accuracy I think the thumb is essential. I also think that it allows you to feather the bait into the water creating less commotion if that is desired. I always use my thumb just before the bait hits the water.

That's awesome, Blue! Enjoy it. This is just the beginning of many years of "excitement, nervousness, concern, happiness, and messiness."

Not everyone. My post indicates that I don't think mine is the best.

I think adding rattles to each end of the worm would ruin the action of the worm. Maybe adding one in the middle would be better. It's that quiver on the ends of a wacky rig that draws the bass in. But who knows, maybe adding rattles to the ends would create another action that they like. You never know until you try it. I agree that the color is important in muddy water.

Very nice trip. Those are some beautiful smallies!

Awesome catch, Captain!!!

K_Mac makes a valid point. Your inches of line retrieved per handle turn decreases with less line on the reel, requiring more turns to reel in as much line as you would with a reel filled to 1/8 of an inch or so from the outer edge of the spool. I go a little further away from the outer edge with a spinning reel.

The GL series is the low end for G.Loomis so I am not surprised that you weren't impressed. I think they overprice that series of rods. The G.Loomis GLX series is one of the best for sensitivity. The NRX rods are beyond the pale, including the price.

I agree that a tempura roll is a good place to start if you want to try sushi but are put off by the raw stuff.

It didn't take him long to rehook that girl did it! What did he catch the fish on the second time around?

I have a 2000 Stratos 295 Pro Elite which is 19' 6". It is a good boat but I will definitely buy something with wider front deck space in the future. Stratos boats tend to angle toward the nose too far aft of the bow for me where some other boat manufacturers make the front deck wider. The 294 XL Evolution is the replacement for my boat if I were to want a Stratos, but the deck still appears to angle in too quickly even on the newer models.

Very nice! Did you measure that 6.5 fish? It really looks long in the photo and appears to have room to fill out its frame in the future.

Nice job! Congratulations on the PBs!

So we all know that the senses of smell and taste are tied together and we all know the fishy smell you get on your hands when you are catching fish. When fish are cooked, and they have that fishy taste/smell, I can eat them but that taste does take quite a bit away from the experience. I don't hate it but I don't love it either. However, when freshwater fish is cooked and handled correctly that smell/taste is eliminated and I love those fish. I soak my freshwater fish in milk for at least an hour before cooking and that fishy taste is removed. I don't fish for them that often but when I do, I'll eat freshwater crappie, walleye, bluegill, white bass, stripers, and catfish. I also eat saltwater fish and most types of seafood, though raw sushi and seared fish are not among my favorites. And I only like calamari from certain restaurants that do it right (usually expensive restaurants).

Wow! I've been out in Puget Sound and watched the Orcas and it was really cool. I didn't get to see anything like this though.

I think I will have a depiction of a shad ball added to the bottom of my boat.

. . . Darned hoodlums pooping up the shoreline! What will these kids think of next?

Congratulations! That's a nice fish.

Very nice PB! That's a very nice looking place where you are fishing too.

Yes to both, Mike. You have some color combinations that I absolutely want in the Big-O jigs but they are only available in your other jig types at this time.