bassaddict62

23 inches a few months ago. Guess it weighed around 7 pounds or so, because it wasn't very fat. I've caught bigger fish, but musky and carp don't count. This is only my second year of fishing exclusively for bass, and I think I'll beat this fish record soon.

Johnson Silver Minnow. They aren't as popular as they used to be, but they work great. Dress them with a twister-tail or shad plastic or pork rind.

I generally fish during lunch and after work during the week, so I am used to fishing in one hour increments. On the weekends, I'll fish half a day or so, weather depending.

I used to fish a lake just about that size, and about as weedy. I know it's an old school lure, but the Johnson Silver Minnow was the most productive. Nothing goes across (or through/under if you want to) those bigger lily-pads I see in the pic better. Dress it with a short plastic twister or shad style tail and it will produce, guaranteed. BTW, that 23 incher is sweet!

I fish mostly clear ponds, and this happens a lot to me too. If you can, have a second rod handy, and rigged with a different lure. For example, if they are follwing a plastic worm, then use your second rod to cast an in-line spinner, or a jig. Just try to make the back-up lure as different as you can. In other words, if they follow a surface plug, then cast something that crawls on the bottom. Some people just say to change colors, but I try to give the bass something completely different. I'll bet I catch about 1/3 of my fish using the "second rod" trick.

I like the Pop-R a lot. The Heddon mini-Torpedo is great too. The original floating Rapala is effective but too expensive, so any similiar lure (like the Smithwick line of plugs) will do just as well. I've never caught anything on a buzz-bait, and for the life of me I don't know why. :-/

The pro-angler tournament popularity may slow down among the general public, but amatuer bass fishing will get stronger +stronger with the sheer amount of data and information on the internet and TV. As long as the waters are managed right, we'll never run out of bass. Trout and other high-maintenance fish might be screwed with global warming, but bass adapt to almost everything.

Wow-that's freaky. Last week a caught a bass missing a huge chunk of it's tail, and the tips of it's fins were jagged and cut too. Maybe I'll Google this to see what's up with this.

I feel the tap very clearly because I keep a tight line (working the worm slow, with a 1/16 ounce sinker) and use a graphite rod. And I love those super-sharp Japanese hooks too! Anyway, when I feel a solid tap, I point the rod tip toward the fish, and then slam the hook. By doing this, you get maximum leverage and power. So I guess I wait about a second or two before I set the hook. Now here's the most important thing: Once the hook is set and the fish is on for sure (about five seconds) set the hook again, hard. If you're using light line (I fish in clear water) it takes a while to bring in a fish, so set the hook hard every ten seconds or so. Don't set the hook once the fish is within ten feet of you, because that much leverage could break the line or rip out the hook. I still lose a few from throwing the hook, but I land more than I hook. It's just something you learn to live with, but the amount of action you get from using worms is worth it.

I put red nail polish on my bullet weights, and I have increased my worm fishing productivity, but can't prove it's a factor. I swear by red hooks, which of course are already red. Wonder why they don't make red bullet weights? Do they make them? :-/

I fish on an Army post with about 20 lakes/ponds. Almost all are identical (small size, less than 6 feet deep and weedy, man made from damming) yet some are called ponds and some are called lakes, with no apparent reasoning behind the naming.

My son caught a huge crappie on a big floating bass plug. I've caught big bluegills on floating bass plugs too. Last month I had something enormous take my plastic worm just after sunset in a lake that never produces huge bass. Because I keep my drag set light yet the line snapped near the worm, I suspect a big snapping turtle (which are in the lake). My buddy in Alaska caught a seagull on a floating Rapala.

Anyone else heard about his death? He invented the deep-water, scientific structure fishing that modern bass fishing is based on. Research him, it's a great story about a fishing pioneer.

Try a Johnson Silver Minnow. It's been around a long time, and nothing goes through/across weeds as effectively. You need to dress it with pork rind, or a Mister Twister style tail, etc. One warning: it's hard to get a good hook-set, so don't get frustrated if you get a lot of misses.

I'm from Evans, Georgia, a suburb of Augusta. I fish ponds on Fort Gordon, and sometimes Clark Hill.

Last summer I caught a 19 inch bass in a 1-1/2 acre pond. I was fishing from shore with light line, and had to walk in the water to land it! It had wrapped up in bullrushes. This pond is sadly shrinking, due to the watersource being changed.

You did nothing wrong, just set your drag lighter. I'm in the habit of setting the drag just heavy enough to set the hook. I used to fish an extremely weedy shallow lake, and caught some very big musky and pike on light line by always checking my drag. Also, check your knots and feel for tiny nicks in your line constantly.

If I'm fishing an area that has all the signs of holding bass (food source, access to safe/deep water, and cover) I'll change lures pretty frequently. Half a dozen casts with no action, and I switch lures. I'll never leave spot without working it over completely.

First, you won't feel anything accurately without a very sensitive rod (graphite). This really matters if you are working the worm across the bottom. Anyway, bluegills attacking it will hit the worm with several rapid fire taps. A bass hits with one solid tap. Point the rod toward the fish, then set the hook HARD! When in doubt (if it was a hit or not) wait two seconds then set the hook. A bass will normally swallow the worm so fast and deep, you'll have plenty of time before they can spit it out, if they ever wanted to. Lately since I started fishing strictly Texas style (research this technique) I've has bass fighting for a full 15 seconds before spitting out the hook, and the hook was never even in the bass! The hook never made it through the body of the worm. This is why you really have to set the hook hard.