Lightninrod

Good catchin'! Dan

I am awe-struck!!! I've never seen pics of smallies anywhere near the greatness of those Chris. Just dumb-founded too . Never fished where there were smallies either. Must have been mind-blowing for you. . Btw, I have some of the pre-rigged Huddlebugs(L/M's eat 'dads too ) but havn't figured how to throw one on a baitcaster or how to fish them. Dan

Went to my former boss's pond and walked the bank from 12PM to 2:45PM today. Caught several 1-2 lbers on a spinnerbait, Swimming Senko, and a GY lizard. Had a big(?) one on for a couple of seconds when she grabbed a drop-shotted Javallon bait off of the dam. At the upper, shallow end, a 4-6(?) lber snatched the 1/2 oz chartruese/white spinnerbait(KVD Tournament Series by Strike King) right at the bank. When I went to weigh her, I discovered my 9v scale battery must have been dead as the scale wouldn't turn on. I measured her at 23" but did not tape her girth. Now I'm back at the dam with no bites from the little dock that is there(where I'd gotten the Javallon bite earlier) so I walked down to the western corner and threw the spinnerbait again. She sucked it in and I got her to the bank and she was a biggun; 23" long by 17"(maybe 16" as I may not have pulled the tape tight enough?) in girth. The fish-weight calculator I used showed 9.6 lbs at 17" and 9.03 lbs at 16". Look at the pics and tell me what y'all think the second, heavier one weighed. And, FWIW, I've never given much credit to red hooks but that KVD bait comes with them so maybe I need to change my thinking. And, both Bass were hooked by the included trailer hook. Smaller Bass: Heavier Bass: IF the calculator is correct, that's a new PB for me but I'm willing to agree that it may be 'off'. Dan

An easy and accurate way to check any fish scale is to put a(or two) full bag of sugar or flour in a plastic grocery sack and hang it from the scale. Commodities have to weigh what the bag says it weighs(plus a fraction of an ounce or so?). Dan

WTG Matt! Y'all had "an excellent adventure"! Dan

Lawdhavemercy!!! What a DAY! Chris, you da Man 8-) Dan

Another 3 lber from today, same place but on a T-rigged GY lizard. Another one broke my line ???

Yep, they work mighty-fine 8-). Dan

What a great story! You have a way with words.........Bass, and your Dad. Y'all did good 8-)! Dan

Nice Bass and pics. Dan

Awesome teaching and catching Dad and Son! 8-) Dan

Those kind of memories are priceless! Good for y'all . Dan

WTG Al!!! Glad for ya and may many more PBs come your way! 8-) Dan

Some F1 info: About that PFA specifically:

More info on the stocking of that PFA: And thanks for the comments on my Lee Engineer's cap. My maternal granddaddy was a railroad man all of his adult life. Dan

Congrats Chris on your new PB and she was a beauty!!! Dan

They can't reproduce because there are no male Bass there to provide the fertilization. The State built it and manages it for Trophy-size Bass. Someone came up with that idea and so far, it works. It's only been stocked for about 2 years and yet, look at the size of the Bass being caught there. The females only have to eat and lay eggs, getting fatter and fatter. They are growing at an amazing rate. Here's another 6 lber I caught back in July of 2006: Dan

After I'd been there about an hour, I watched a young guy catch an 8 lber. He told me he was using a weightless Trick Worm and fishing it up against the northern bank. A few minutes later, he catches a 3 lber. I rigged up a Swimming Senko on a 3/0 Gamakatsu weedless hook wacky style and hauled water for about an hour. Then at about 12 PM, I felt something(?) but no 'tick' or 'thump' so I did a mild hookset and the fight was on. Brought a 6lb, 3 ouncer to the boat. The same guy and I were fishing the north bank so he saw the 6 lber. He then catches a 2.5 lber and I hooked a 3 lb, 4 ouncer, all on the same baits. If you look closely, you can see how these F1 females(that's the only Bass in this lake--no males) have a smaller mouth then the 'normal', Florida strain L/M Bass. They fight a little harder too. Though they can't produce any offspring, they must still think it's getting time to spawn. Water temps ran from 59 to 65 degrees F. 6 lber: 3 lber: Dan

The MB Elseil is a rod to be proud of GO! 8-) Dan

Great catchin' y'all!!! It's funny how the 'novices' can humble us sometimes . Dan

8-) gill!

:-?

Great news Russ! So glad for ya 8-). Dan

And they cost $80 plus shipping from Japan!

I've caught a few tagged Bass out of a State managed lake here in Middle GA but I do so *** you being in South Florida near to where I grew up. Great pics too! Dan