Bankbeater

Good job on the new PB, and way to go with the Kayak!

Quality time right there, WTG!

Good Job, Congrats!

Does the mat cover the entire lake, or are there small mats that are spread out all across the surface? My lake has a lot of small mats. I like to work a jig on the outside of the mat right next to the weeds. I go all the way around, and if I don't get a hit I try another mat.

In Mo. I think they need to be stocked. If I remember what I read it went something like this, panfish to eat the small stuff, bass to control the sunfish, and catfish and carp to do the clean up.

My 12 yo daughter has been fishing with a kiddie rig for two years now. Whenever I would bring up the idea of getting a new spinning rod and reel, she fought it tooth and nail. My Dad (her Grandpa) told her that he was going to buy her a new rig. Saturday he went out and got her an Abu spinning reel on a Berkley rod. She loves it. We are heading out tomorrow to try it out.

Nope. I have been practicing my pitching and flipping.

Sounds like you're doing the same thing that I did when I started fishing frogs. When I would get a hit I would set the hook to fast and pull the bait away from the bass. Try fishing the bait more. I started catching more bass after I got use to seeing them hit the bait, and learned to hold off on the hook set.

I have gone 30 years without forgetting my wife's birthday. Mine is on the same day. However I do have to write down our anniversary.

That's pretty good!

Wow, Congrats!

I keep them in their packages, but I roll them up and keep them in a 3700 box.

It always amazes me how a kid's face lights up when they catch a fish.

Congrats!

Put some cheap mono on the reel and practice, practice, practice.

My standard rule of weather is that when I hear thunder I get off of the water.

I have had it happen with small catfish, and sunfish, but never with a larger bass.

I fish from the bank probably 85% of the time. Many times, especially if the water is low, a person fishing from the bank can get to a place that a boat can't. I have seen a lot of bass boats that will not fish certain areas because of the shallow cover and the threat of getting stuck or hitting something just under the surface.

I treat frogs like a crankbait. I work the bait until I find out what the bass want. Sometimes they hit the bait after it has been sitting still for a few seconds and I twitch it, and sometimes they hit the bait while it is moving.

I like a 1/16 white rooster tail on a ML rod. That little bait drives the bluegill and sunfish nuts.

Try stopping the retreive and giving the crank a quick jerk, and then starting the retreive again. Try doing this a couple of times each cast.

I trim the guard back just enough so that it clears the hook. Then I spread out the weed guard. The only time I thin it out is when some of the pieces get damaged or bent funny. I like to even up the skirt, but I usually don't shorten it unless it is very long.

Usually when I need something, or when I have a gift card.

T-rigs and jigs. Around here the smaller ones tend to try and kill it when they hit the bait. The big ones are more easy going.

Slug-o