Bluebasser86

It's possible the strikes you're getting are territorial strikes where they're just ramming the bait to try to move it along. Hollow belly swimbaits are also notoriously hard to get a good hookset with, so that could be your issue as well.

The big baits move a lot of water, even if they don't do it with a lot of the traditional thump or vibration of normal bass lures. Most of our lakes are pretty stained in NE KS and they still manage to find them.

Congrats! Spots are a blast to catch, especially once they get around 2.5-3 pounds when they start pulling really hard!

I wish we had more people that would keep fish out of some of the lakes around me. Tons of bass that are under the 13" slot limit that would be perfect eaters, very few over the 15" limit though because of all the small fish.

In reference to the fall get together. For those that weren't at Johnny's that want to know the details, the fall get together will be at Perry on October 11/12 with a back up lake of Cedar Creek Valley in Garnett if it's supposed to be windy or bad weather. Teams just like normal, you can fish one day or both days. We also discussed starting some weekly tournaments and everyone was in favor of those. Going to start August 7th at Douglas State Lake in Baldwin City. Fishing 6-9, teams again, 3 biggest fish per team. Going to alternate Thursday nights and Saturday morning each week. If you want more details send me a PM.

An absolute monster that I really wish he would have taken a picture of, I'd love to see one that big from KS.

For those that weren't at Johnny's that want to know the details, the fall get together will be at Perry on October 11/12 with a back up lake of Cedar Creek Valley in Garnett if it's supposed to be windy or bad weather. Teams just like normal, you can fish one day or both days. We also discussed starting some weekly tournaments and everyone was in favor of those. Going to start August 7th at Douglas State Lake in Baldwin City. Teams again, 3 biggest fish per team. Going to alternate Thursday nights and Saturday morning each week. If you want more details send me a PM.

he reported catching it in his blog last summer. Don't think he has any reason to lie about it.

They see me trolling, they hating. Right Sizzle?

Not a chance I'm keeping track of every fish I catch, just don't have the patience to do it. I did fish for about 30 minutes a couple days ago and caught 4, 2 biggest were both in the 2lb range, one on a wacky rigged Senko, the other on the smallest size Pop R. Last time I kept track of the number of fish I caught was 2 years ago. I ended the year with nearly 3,000 bass caught. It was enough just to keep track of numbers, no way I could get myself to weigh, measure, and record what I caught every fish on

They aren't my favorite but they certainly have their place. They tend to be more effective in a little warmer water than other suspending jerkbaits because of their aggressive slashing action. I like the olive minnow color.

Black and blue Papa Pit boss, weightless. Buzz it across the top then let it fall into any holes.

Catfishermen around here follow the cormorants and fish under their roosts because their droppings attract large numbers of channel cats

I used to troll when I fished exclusively from a 2 man when I was making an extended "run". We used to troll buzzbaits way back behind the boat across shallow flats, caught a lot of fish doing it too. Personally trolling is right up there with going to the dentist on the scale of my favorite activities though.

Since you have a boat I'm assuming you'd be fishing as a boater. If that's the case you could show up at the ramp morning of and I don't think anyone would have a problem with it.

I have a few 100+ fish days every year (not nearly of that size though). If they're all little fish, it gets old. I'd much rather catch 2 over 5 than 100 1/2-1 pounders.

Learn to tie a San Diego Jam. I tie it carefully, slowly, and hold the knot in my mouth as I tighten it slowly. When tied correctly it's extremely strong. The added benefits of a GOOD fluorocarbon (big emphasis on good) far outweigh the negatives and make it a much better line than mono for the situation you're using it for. It isn't completely invisible, but it's much less visible than mono and on a long hookset mono stretches like a rubber band. Fluoro still stretches, just a lot less than mono does. I know a few guys who like it, but I've had nothing but bad experiences with Vanish. Seaguar and Sunline make my favorite fluoros.

Baby brush hog Power minnow under a bobber Home made casting jig Zman Zinker Havoc Fatty Craw Home made casting jig Gulp minnow Home made finesse jig Shakyhead and stick worm Shakyhead and trick worm That's a home made bladed jig all the way down there believe it or not. Strike King jig and rage craw Home made finesse jig Lots and lots of them on other baits that didn't get their pictures taken. Most of the other ones are smaller fish not really worth having a picture of and if they're caught on trebles I usually unhook them without grabbing them to try and avoid getting hooked.

Injured fish will often cruise slowly along the surface, I think that's a lot of the appeal of a floating trout bait and the deadsticking technique.

I've had good success with all their hardbaits and own several of their rods and one of their baitcasting reels, satisfied with all of them. I also like their worm hooks. They're sharp and for $5 for a 20pk if I roll a point I just toss it and tie on a new one.

Yes, like all electronics, by the time something is a couple months old there's already something bigger and better out there. This was the best Icast in the last few years IMO. Spro Rat and rock crawler Savage gear bottom hook 3D trout and a 6" 3D trout SK shallow running 1.5 and the 8.0 Storm Arashi wake bait several others I can't think of but those are the baits I'll most likely own as soon as they come out.

I use a telescoping lure retriever from Frabil, I rarely lose a bait I can reach with it and I get lots of other people's baits out of trees that didn't have a lure retriever

Rubber nets are easier on the fish and less likely to tangle, they're also much heavier and more difficult to move through the water. Never heard of that brand of nets though.

No current in a body of water that normally has current is a kiss of death. That current oxygenates the water and pushes the fish to current breaks and gets them active. Calm water allows the to roam around a lot more instead of being in the obvious areas.

He's actually the first person to send me pictures of fish he'd caught on my bladed jigs, almost a 30lb bag with 5 fish His biggest was a little over 8. Figured it was probably in good taste to go to a venue owned by a fisherman I wouldn't be at all surprised if he'd fish it with us either if he's there.