Goose52

I think that perch made a run at the RES and missed - the rear treble got the perch on the outside of the mouth (actually through the eye socket). At the strike, I thought the RES was running through grass so I ripped the bait........and that's when the perch came flying out of the water and half-way back to the bank. That's when the front treble snagged the fish below the dorsal. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Dremel - otherwise known as a fully-automatic assault file.....

Yeah - their prices mostly aren't competitive. Their flat-rate shipping based on dollar amount of the order is archaic. I'm a fan of some of the BPS-brand stuff...but I don't order from them nearly as often as I used to.

Thanks! Luck, I still got luck! The craw-pattern RES strikes again - my first fish of 2012! :lol: Hopefully I can get an actual LMB later today...

Thanks Dwight - will do! I just stocked up on lipless cranks but don't have any more craw-patterns. Hmmm - does color really matter? Maybe I better order some more craws just in case it does!

Yeah - me too! When I got that 6.5lb bass the other day, it was 33 air temp, a light freezing rain, and 15 mph wind in my face with gusts over 20. It was great. People that saw me fishing probably thought - poor stupid man - doesn't he know you can't catch fish in December...and not even smart enough to get out of the rain and cold... I hope they keep thinking that.....

Thanks! Re a bigger bass...........I just had a front come through this morning and would have loved to fish "the front of the front" BUT - I promised the wife I'd take down the outdoor Christmas decorations this morning. While I was doing that, it started pouring. No telling what the bite will be like this evening when I finally make it out...

Thanks guys and Happy New Year to ya'll ! I'll be headed out as usual this evening. Hopefully, I'll get at least one 12" bass to start the year Hayden - a Champ Extreme (744 or 745) is one of my candidates - especially since you can get them with a full grip...

Yeah - that waiting thing ain't my nature - I like to crank Also, since the boat is put away for the season, these fish are being caught a LONG cast from the bank - out of range of jigs. Still, I gotta start using jigs and that's one of my goals for next year. I'm trying to figure out what I want for a dedicated jig rod and will try to use it next year...

Thank you ma'am !

I think I can scare up some sort of adult beverage to celebrate both the New Year and the hawg that closed out the old year! I'm almost ready to believe that color DOES matter! This is the only craw-pattern RES I have left - I guess I should order some more too. I had two craw patterns a couple weeks ago - one hung on the bottom and was lost. This one spent a day under water when I hung it up but I went back the next day with my canoe and got it back! Hey Hayden - you STILL caught more big bass in 2011 than I did - just trying to catch up! Not sure when my lakes will ice-over but we have a cold front coming in that will probably drop water temps down a few more degrees. Yikes, I might finally have to abandon the moving bait and start dragging a jig....................which I do poorly....

I hope I get a bigger one tomorrow! OTOH - maybe my luck is now toast and I won't catch a fish until February !

Thanks Shane. It was a great way to finish the year!

I bet you're way under 120 water/air temp - suit up and be safe!

Thanks John - a good way to finish the year! Now, let's see if I can catch anything at all tomorrow to start 2012...

Hmmmm - How to celebrate New Years Eve? Bubbly or big bass? I'LL TAKE THE BIG BASS! 25" / 8.4 pounds. Surface water temp 46 deg. Caught on what was going to be about my last cast of 2011 - right when it just got full dark. She hit the RES on the fall - I hadn't even started the retrieve yet! Happy New Year to the BR family !

Sounds like a great year Red - especially for a working man! (Us retirees have a little advantage! )

That's what I do ! Must work OK - I caught 455 fish on grubs this year...

I'm jazzed with the soft water. The problem here is that when the lakes DO freeze, the ice never gets thick enough for ice fishing so you just have to shut down... Thanks. It wasn't really a planned outing - I was coming home from the shooting range today and when I passed the lake I saw an on-shore wind with lots of clouds coming in - Pre-Frontal ! So, since I had a rod in the car, I stopped to cast for a bit. Took about 15 minutes to "lure" this ole girl in !

Now that's a great finish for the year! Very nice fish indeed!!

Yup - the craw patern RES called another hawg in 45 degree water! 22" / 6.04lbs. Supposed to get down to 19deg Monday night and be subfreezing all day Tuesday so the water temp might go down a few degrees...BUT, still no snow or ice in the forecast for the next 10 days Still the red on the lips and throat. A nice fish - plump for the length.

Thanks Paul. I still think you put some of your fish in my lake Yeah - she sucked it right down...far enough for the line just above the bait to be frayed from rubbing across the jaws. I try to make myself retie frequently, especially after a larger fish. When I caught this fish, the air temp was 33 with a lot of wind and my fingers were stinging pretty bad. So, I was gonna get lazy and not retie the knot and just get back to fishing. Then, I thought...at least do a little pull test on the line - grabbed the RES, put some tension on the line................and snap! Then I trimmed back the line a bit and tied a new knot...

Hah - no secret there - that little Speed Craw got me some fish in cold water last winter so I tied it back on this year when the water temps started to drop. However, the weather has been so mild so far this year that I haven't spent much time with jigs or soft plastics. I'm still getting bit on lipless cranks. Anytime I have a choice between cranking and just dragging something slow across the bottom...I'm gonna crank!

Well - you got the tools - go get 'em tiger ! A BIG X2 ! That actually sounds pretty good! A quick story of my last deep-crankin' fish before I put the boat up for the season. Little lake had me stumped - couldn't find the fish shallow, nor at mid-depth. Couldn't find them on the points. I go out to the middle of the lake - about 20 fow where I was and see on the sonar a little hump about 2 feet higher than the surrounding water. I tie on a Mann's 20+ and crank it down and promptly hang it up on the 18 ft hump - out comes the plug knocker and I get the Mann's back. Then I keep cranking around that hump and, finally, FISH ON ! The fish is no match for my 7'6"MH cranking rod - get that baby up to the surface and it's a genuine largemouth bass.........all 12" of it ! :lol:

I think he knows how to fish...REALLY well !