Bluebasser86

We need to get out and fish sometime man, been way too long!

Welcome!

Our Thursday night tournament was won with a Ned rig last night on a lake where power fishing usually dominates. Poke fun if you like, but they were the ones laughing when they walked away with everyones money.

Jon and his dad getting it done on La Cygne last night. Great job to both of them, they earned it I promise!

I've got a 7' XXH/MF custom flathead rod with a Penn 309 and 130lb Power Pro I could maybe troll it with? I can lob a pound of lead and a big sunfish with it pretty well but that's nowhere near that thing.

It's stiff, but you can pull the bottom of the lake up with it. I like the 12# for finesse jigs and T rigs, never used it for moving baits though. I guess I'm the oddball that likes the stuff.

Twice now the Ned has won the Thursday night tournaments at a well known power fishing lake in the area. Last night it was my buddy and his dad that won with it. I tried to force my usual power fishing baits on them and they weren't having it, 2 fish was it. Picked up a Ned and got another keeper and lost 2 more that would have put us right there with them. We pulled up to the are they were fishing with neither of us having any fish. I caught my first fish of the night on my first cast with a football jig before we crossed paths. Both of us were frustrated, I told him to try the Ned where he was heading. Caught another keeper on a squarebill before we turned to follow them down the bank. Watched him catch his first fish of the night, 4 pounds and the eventual big bass of the night. Followed that up quickly with another nearly 4 pound fish on the Ned while my partner lost a good fish, also on the Ned, and I caught another keeper on the Ned. We left to give my buddy the spot since he had 2 good ones and a good chance at winning. My partner lost another good fish on the Ned on our last spot before weigh in. It may not be an ideal tournament bait in lakes with lots of big fish, but man when the going gets tough I don't know if there's a better way to catch fish. In the MLF format it would almost be unfair if they were eating it like they usually do.

The struggle is real. Don't you hate it when you get talked to because you hurt a rapist/murder's feelings because you were mean to them? Anyone? Just me?

Welcome!

Pinch the barb down if you're concerned about it. Also learn how to unhook a deeply hooked bass properly and it should be very easy to remove that little hook from their gullet. I fish a Ned a lot and actually have very little problem with deeply hooking fish. http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12981-how-do-i-remove-a-hook-a-bass-has-swallowed/page-2

Looks like some nice camera work to me, maybe a touch of photoshop?

Xcaliber, especially the one knockers.

The 30 will be perfect. A 6' 6" or 7' M/F rod will work just fine. Something like a Berkley Lightning Rod Shock or Ethos from Academy would work perfect.

Welcome!

Yes

Well aware that they're a strong fish, one of the strongest in freshwater in the US pound for pound without a doubt. At some point though, a fish must get so fat that it becomes difficult for it to function properly. I've caught some grotesquely fat catfish that could do little more than roll and let me drag them in. That giant, distended stomach just seems like it would make it difficult for the fish to even swim very well. Shear size/weight is still going to allow for some pretty serious pulling power though obviously.

The 5" Bull Shad is a little bait. I've seen enough smallies attack much bigger baits to not be concerned. My last 5 pound smallie had a 8-10 inch crappie's tail sticking out of it's throat, they'll eat a much bigger bait than most think.

LMB, and no, it doesn't look malnourished, it's just small. Be careful clamping those pliers on his jaw though. Little guy like that, if you squeeze too hard you might break or crush his jawbone. Just grab him with your thumb, he won't hurt you

That's awesome! Mine is just getting to where he's slinging around his Dock Demon with the little toy I have on the end of it at our dog. Just turned 1.5, so there's no hooks going on there for awhile still, but the way he goes straight for that rod anytime he sees it gives me hope.

Channels, blues, and bullheads will put the clamps on you bad. My uncle got his hand and wrist broke by a 70lb blue when it clamped on his hand, shook and rolled. That's a respectable channel cat, looks like cutbait? I should be fishing for them more than I am with all the high water, but the bass are up in the flooded stuff and I love flipping!

Agreed. I fish mine on a 6' 6" MH/F/6:4.1 Speed Spool/15lb Big Game. Seems like most fish I catch have it choked, no reason for a delayed response when the bait looks like this anyways.

Academy has a flat house brand bait. The Bandit Flat Maxx comes in a shallow and deep version.

No Kansas lakes again, like there shouldn't be. I think it was the first year they had 3 on there, and none of them were our 2 best reservoirs, and I'm fine with that. BUT, no Table Rock??

Been working since I was 13, up to 3 jobs at a time, full time since I was a junior in highschool. I understand not wanting to let your parents down, but that's nothing like the feeling you get when you have a wife and kid depending on you at home and you're not sure how you're going to pay the bills. Have you considered the Military? They're always hiring.

Well that was entertaining, LOCKDOWN!!