Swamp Girl

You've been exploring all year. That's cool!

I've invited some of the BR guys to Maine to fish, but since I live halfway to the North Pole, no one has come yet. I've received a few invitations too, but since I live halfway to the North Pole, I haven't gone yet. I would like to fish @Bluebasser86's power plant lake to catch one of those bass shaped like Hulk bluegills, but he's about a bluhgillion miles away.

I feel like I'm calling a football game here: @T.J. went wide and @Pat Brown went long and both scored!

@GreenPig: Such healthy bass!

Me too. I'll The dozen I planted are far, FAR more than I can ever eat.

I use an underspin, which is similar. Yeah, I land some too. Miss a few, catch a few!

Again, I often lose half the fish that I hook. They'll only be hooked for two or three seconds and bust free.

@Blue Raider Bob: Three gallons is a LOT of blueberries. I planted nine high bush blueberries and three low bush blueberries this year.

I know, huh?! There are sessions where I only land 50% of the bass that hit.

I wear a glove on my left hand so that I can grip bass for photos. I don't wear a glove on my right hand because it's easier to tie knots and do other fine motor tasks without one.

Whoa, that's a terrific landing percentage. I can lose three in a row. Seriously, three in a row isn't uncommon for me. When bass have slack, they can toss a hook, plus Dwight is right about bass rubbing free on weeds and wood.

Bass are very good at throwing hooks.

Tom thinks he had the world record hooked. His partner didn't have his six. There's no one bass that has me wondering. I've lost many big bass in bogs and a few in open water. I've also landed many big bass in bogs and a few in open water. If any haunt me, it's the ones that strip drag and suddenly unbutton. There are a few.

If you could hit the slots, you'd have a chance. The bass bushwhack from the slots:

Ha! I'll make sure you outfish me. I'll put you in the bow and put you on fish. I'll position you to cast at all the sweet spots. I'll even net your bass. I'm a first class guide who makes sure the angler in the bow outfishes me. If I were to outfish you, I would have failed you. Here's one of my satisfied clients: I took a pal fishing a couple weeks ago and I didn't even pick up a rod until he'd caught nine bass.

Great tip. Thanks, Al! Hey, you fish like me!

The Devil made inner tubes, but God made hatpins.

I do both: cast the same lure until it's ragged as a scarecrow's shirt and switch lures every time I catch a bass, much like some days I'm happy with a busy boat and other times, I'm hunting big bass like I'm A-Jay Hottle. I have more gears than a Peterbilt 389.

Yum! If you hear something sniffing outside your kitchen window, that'll just be me.

Big ones, Al! You too, @chubaka, @N Florida Mike, @Pat Brown, and others. Thanks for all the encouraging words!

I don't understand your position, Rockhopper. Are you saying that one can't use a canoe paddle with one hand? If so, I do. I'll be fighting a fish with one hand and moving my canoe with the other.

I'm on sabbatical from fishing due to tendonitis in my right arm, which has weakened my thumb and fingertips to the point where I can't do many daily tasks. I wanted to push through it like I do so many things, but that was only making it worse, so I'm resting and will likely rest for several weeks. I also won't fish in August because of two cataract surgeries, so this summer's fishing has fizzled. On the plus side, I have caught 636 bass in 2025 and 15 that were four pounds or bigger, so fingers crossed I can heal and catch some more big northern bass come the fall. Meanwhile, I'll cheer for you guys and remember the bass I did catch this year:

What is the love and respect for ^THIS^? These are lake smallie numbers, but caught in a river where bass are lean and wicked strong. Anyway, I'm weighing in again on a 16 pound 9 ounce bag. What a feat.