Nitrofreak

Always a good thing to spend time with family on the water, thanx for the pics and the story, nice fish and i'm glad to hear you guys had a good time!!

Could have been small forage, and possibly carp or bass for the bigger ones, but yes I would have thrown some type of top water bait first, or a spinner and let it fall through the bait fish.

That and a few ice cold long neck buds usually helps too lol.

Don't fish the bait where the blades are completely on top of the water, what you want from a buzzbait is to have the blades just barely cracking the surface. I use a retrieve, pause for one second, retrieve when the bite is slow after/during a cold front, if they are pretty active I will slow roll it back. The dual bladded models are great for slow rolling. Hope that helps, have fun and be safe !!!

I am usually on my first spot before the break of dawn, I carry a spot light to travel the lake with, by the time I get all of my tackle out, rods, and trolling motor down, the shad are getting ready to leave their cover, and I am ready to fish.

The dam is where I would concentrate my efforts, I am not sure what baits you are referring to since you did not mention what you were tossing, I would toss a top water in the mornings back in the coves, unless the sun is already over the tree tops when you arive, as the day progresses I would work my way out to the dam, since you say it is very rocky there, I would start with a swim bait or a spinner and make sure the bait bounces off the rocks, work the shore paralell to where you stand.

First things first, nice catch, thats a good looking ol' girl !!! Since we are left to guess, I too will say somewhere in the 5 to 6lb range.

Looks like a lot of work, but it also looks like a lot of progress, don't rush it, but I can't wait to see the rest. And your mom will get over it...sooner or later lol. Just remember to fix the holes for her.

Out of 63 employees here at work only 2 of us bass fish, at lunch that is the topic of our conversations every day, we fortunatly get to fish together from time to time. I live in Va.

The best time I have found to use the smokin rooster is when the fish are in the summer pattern, not to say they have not worked during the spawn, just that most of my success has come during the summer pattern, rig it on a rage rig and make sure it stays on the bottom when fishing points and other structure. The Anoconda, I love to use on a c-rig especially when fish are on the flats and cruising around about 2 feet off the bottom, for me that has been the best action so far, I have had success with them rage rigged in deeper waters, more than 15 feet, on various structure as well.

Money makers !!!

I use a double blade, usually black in color.

X2 I do like them early in the morning and when the fish are in less than 15 feet of water throughout the day. Even if the fish are on the bottom in 15 feet the cool thing about them is they will bring fish up from that depth and sometimes deeper. I love these things, it wont take long to learn how to get them to walk, you just have to practice.

Got tired of catching 4 pounders? LOL, I want to move to Fla. Awesome job and congrats !!!

Congrats Jeff !!! I think the choice is a wise one and I also think you are going to be an awesome addition to the squad.

So you want a rat with chartruse tail ? Sounds more like a top water bait lol. just kidding, it really depends on the wrap, if I knew what the wrap is going to be or look like then maybe I could give some advice. If you want a neon green tint then I would suggest like an evergreen or an emerald green base and use the neon green for the trim.

OK so if you did have a shot, IN THEIR BOAT, and everything that goes with it, who's can would you wanna kick around? Me, it would have to be, Ike, our personality is too much alike, the fishing would be an added bonus, not to mention the highlight reels would be really fun...come on Ike you know you want it LMAO !!!

I am unsure of the name brand, it's new to me. He ment to use a triple stage process. Apply the base color, apply the flake using the clear as an active applicant, then clear coat 3 times.

This is the time of year that gets everyone throwing everything they have, eventhough your crank bait will not seem to go beyond 10 ft. you may be able to get that crank even deeper by putting your rod in the water about 2 feet. Spinners are going to be useful this time of year as well, if you can see the fish on your sonar, then fish the spinner like you would a spoon, this works great for fish feeding in the O2 rich layer of water, keep in mind fish this time of year are feeding in that layer of water for short periods of time, so keep a close eye on that sonar. Soon you will need to know your structure in the waters you fish, if not by now, they soon will be holding to all kinds of structure, then the T-rig and rage rig will be good tools to use. If the fish were not on the bottom, how far off the bottom they were will usually help me figure out what rig to use, on the bottom, T-rig, jigs, Rage rigged Rage tail plastics, and depending on depth and bottom structure, spoons too, 2-4 ft off the bottom C-rig, drop shot, swim baits, spoons, spinners, suspended fish, (in between or middle depths) medium to deep diving crank baits and suspending jerk baits, also I like to get their attention with spooks, you can call up a good amount of fish form 15 to 20 feet, stick baits are awesome as well.

Thanks Sam !!! I canceled the trip my daughter and I were supposed to take to Anna tonight, last night, I have not been out in over a year, man I was looking forward to spending some her and I time on the water, better safe than sorry though I guess.

That Dora is one crazy mixed up girl !!! Wow, what an eventful trip, look at it this way, all the bad luck should be gone, it sounds as if you used enough of it to get you through the rest of the summer anyway. Next time out, you will knock em dead im sure, thanx for sharing the story, I enjoyed reading of your... misfortunes LOL. just kidding.

Anything made by Strike king.

I get really excited over 2.5, I get overly excited at 4lbs, and I am "Ike" excited when anything over 5 gets pulled in...hope I never catch a double digit bass...Lord only knows what I will do then.

Ha !! So did the rum runners and the pirate's, I wonder who was drinking the most that fateful night when the first mermaid was spotted at sea.

Type of primer.