everythingthatswims

This photo bears striking resemblance to your profile pic. Nice fish!

I had one day that made me decide to always use leader with braid. I was fishing a pond while on vacation in SC, and the fish were mainly pre spawn feeding pretty heavy. I was throwing a senko on a spinning rod, 10lb braid to 10lb fluoro. Almost every cast was producing a fish, so when I broke off my leader I said heck with it I will go with straight braid, the bite is hot enough that it won't change anything. Went 20 mins without a bite, put a leader back on and continued catching. Never moved my feet. Just recently in a tournament on Anna, my partner and I were on a solid drop shot bite. I was fishing braid with 8lb *clear* mono as a leader, and he had 8lb "clear/blue" mono with no leader. I was getting tons of bites and he wasn't doing much, as soon as I put a leader on for him he started catching. Leaders definitely make a difference. Even if 9 out of 10 bass will eat a bait without a leader on it, I don't want the braid to be a barrier between me and a bite I could be getting.

Part of fishing

Somewhat recent and fishing related.....Fishing in Oregon Inlet NC last October during a bluefish blitz, the fish were pretty small, 12-15" range so we were just having fun with them. Started getting creative while boat-flipping the fish, and as I was reeling one in, I told my friend (who was standing 10' away from me by the cabin of the boat) to watch my boat flip. The fish came off in the air and flew straight into the side of his face . I couldn't even stand up I was laughing so hard! Good thing they were small blues and he didn't get the business end of that fish.

Little X Rap

Could you imagine a frenzy of muskies when the trout get dumped in?

Regularly risking the tip of a $100 rod to have a chance at getting a bait that is worth at most $10 out of a tree/stump/rock

Those are studs! I love fishing small water for smallies but only one out of every 50 or so will break 3lbs where I fish

Drop Shot Drop Shot Drop Shot

Texas rig with a 5/0 EWG Gamakatsu. Weight varies, but something in the 1/4-3/8oz range is usually what I do.

The big girls know when you forget your scale. You sure to catch some pretty bass, very filled out and healthy! Nice Job!

Papa pit boss will definitely produce big bites

Who else is finding them this spring? My brothers and I are closing in on the 2000 mark...Dehydrating most of them to sell.

When the reels change multiple times during the fight, it's hard for me to appreciate it

You can also bring an old cooler in case you get 5 big ones and need to move a couple so they aren't too crowded.

this^

I caught a green sunfish on a wacky senko this weekend. Probably the most annoying fish in existence when you're trying to finesse fish.....TAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAP!

My only guess is that a tadpole is similar to a newt and newts are poisonous. But who knows

I think you should be in good shape if it's been that way for a few days

Drop shot would be my bait of choice. Year-round bait that will produce in just about any conditions if you fish it correctly

He may have gotten into a school of catfish or bullhead fry. Bass love those things. I don't think they are big fans of tadpoles though from my experience. Tadpole under a float never worked for me back when I fished that way.

Pin bones will dissolve in small filets if you fry them in oil, but the ribs definitely do not

My brother and I caught a pair of 15"ers there last fall on x-raps but that thing is a tank! State citation is 16" so you pretty much blew that out of the water.

Fishing too close to the bass, or the cover you are targeting. Sure you may still get some bites, but from a further distance you decrease your chances of spooking them, particularly old and wise bass (which are the ones we want to catch!)

Go small and light. Weightless zoom finesse worms with a 2/0 EWG hook, they are heavy enough to make the bait have a senko-like wobble. Wacky rig trick worms, drop shot with a z-drop