Bankbeater

After I got out of college I was working 2 jobs and I had a fiancé. My fishing went from 1 or 2 times a week to 1 or 2 times a year. Then kids and a new job. 15 years later I finally got to a point where I could start fishing again not only for fun, but for relaxation.

A black Spro bronzeye frog is a bullfrog magnet around here.

The bass are doing the same thing around here. I've been casting out past them and trying to bring my bait right alongside them. That will usually trigger a strike. I think they are focused on the bluegill beds.

I've got two old wide brim straw hats that I wear when the sun starts getting hot. They really let the air through and keep my head cool. My kids say they look terrible, but I don't think the fish mind.

Way to go! You can have a blast when the panfish are tearing things up.

A quick trip to the ER and a couple of cuts with a scalpel, and I'm good as new.

Wow. Hope your wife is feeling better and has a fast recovery.

I managed to get three bass before this happened. They were sitting just outside of the submerged vegetation, probably watching the bluegill beds. Ended up going to the E.R. Funny thing is this is the same lake I was on when my back seized up three weeks ago.

He’s one of the greats.

Senkos, flukes, tubes basically any bottom contact bait. I try them all.

All of my baitcasters are in the 6x range except one. I use them for everything from moving baits to bottom contact soft plastics. The baitcaster I use for jigs is in the 7x range.

Must be because of all the high water. This guy hit a 1/2 oz chatterbait.

To me, it's all about your attitude toward fishing and not the equipment you use.

Welcome to the forums!

The last two nights the sirens have gone off. I hope it’s quiet tonight. I got to get some sleep.

I’ve never seen this before. Our tv stations are carrying video of what is going on down around Oklahoma City. That storm is suppose to be here about 4 AM. We’re going to get hit again tomorrow night.

No matter what size rod I use fishing from the bank, I still end up hitting that bush that I didn’t know was behind me.

I fish a super fluke with a 3/0 EWG hook texposed. As the fluke gets more torn up I will turn the fluke on an angle. Maybe 30 degrees off center and texpose the hook that way. It gives the fluke a different action than running the hook straight.

I prefer to catch bass that are 3 lbs and up, but I’m not going to go home if I’m catching 12 inchers.

I lose a lot of jigs to rip rap. Other than that I tend to lose more baits fishing from the bank than fishing from a boat. On the flip side of that I find a lot of baits with rusted off hooks while walking the bank so I guess it works out in the end.

Congratulations young man!

The only time I stand away from the water is when I have to climb down rip-rap or an embankment I can’t take tumbles the way I use to.

The physical therapist said it was probably the small muscles, tendons, and ligaments along my spine. I’m taking it easy until I heal back up.

I’m in a jonboat fishing the other day when the wind picked up. I’m standing up casting, riding the waves in the flats. I started feeling my lower back tightening up so I sit down on the seat and start stretching the way I learned in PT. Real quick I realized this one is bad and I need to get to the ramp. I had to take it easy getting back to the ramp because of that flat bottom boat bouncing on those waves really made my back hurt. I get to the ramp and I’m thinking that I will put the seat down in the car and after a little bit I would be alright. Wrong. I sat there for almost 20 minutes and I’m not getting any better. I figure I better call it a day and go home while I can. I was fishing at a conservation site so I only had a couple of rods, a small tackle bag, electric motor, and battery to load up. So I started to drive off and my back started feeling better. I’m thinking that maybe I loaded up too soon, and then I thought no I better get home while I can drive. After about an hours drive without any problems my lower back seized up and I had to pull over. I almost called my wife, but after about 10 minutes I decided I could drive the 20 minutes and make it home. By the time I got home I couldn’t hardly move and the pain was shooting down into my thighs. I get into the house and my wife takes me down to the ER. Four hours, two shots of muscle relaxers, and three shots of pain killers later I am back home laying on the floor resting. My back is slowly getting stronger, but I’m going to hold off fishing out of a boat and stick to the bank until I’m all the way healed up.

Crankbaits Paddle tail swimbaits Bladed jigs Flukes Jigs / Lipless crankbaits in this order.