Jar11591

We put on the scale 3 times, and I told my buddy to jump up and down to rock the boat to see if that would make it flash 10-0, but it never moved from 9-13 ?

My number one goal is to catch a new domestic PB, specifically a NY bass in the 7lb class. My last PB came from 2017, when I got my current 6-3 NY PB. A 7lb fish in NY is no small task, but I know at least a couple lakes I fish hold bass that large. I say domestic PB because I don’t plan on breaking my all time PB of 9-13 from Mexico.

Even if the weeds are thick, don’t be afraid to cast a heavy spinnerbait, let it sink a bit and then rip it through the weeds. I fish my spinnerbaits in heavier weeds than I think most guys do, and it’s really successful for me. Especially on an expansive flat.

Ah I heard them mention it briefly on BTL but I couldn’t find anything more on it. Thanks for the link!

You reminded me of a couple more. That classic red and white Dardevl. One of the couple lures that my dad would have tied on no matter where we were fishing. He took me fishing to catch my first northern pike with that spoon, and now any time I see one it immediately takes me back to that moment. A Red Shad colored Culprit ribbon tail. This is the lure my dad taught me to bass fish with. Most of my earliest fishing memories are fishing with my dad, both of us throwing a Red Shad Culprit ribbon tail. Probably my number one fishing memory; I was maybe 4, bank fishing with my dad, throwing the trusty culprit. I hooked a decent bass and dragged it up the bank and I was beyond excited. As my dad is helping me unhook it, I ecstatically ask him “how much does it weigh, like 80 pounds?!?”. My dad completely nonchalantly responds “nah, about 2”. Totally deflated me ? We still laugh at this story all the time.

Beautiful but chilly sunrise at the ramp this morning

Ive watched that video several times as well. It’s great. You can easily go down a rabbit hole with his videos. I’ve spent hours watching them. Learned so much from his observations and underwater footage and how he interprets it. I think it’s one of the more educational sources on bass available, especially for free. @Paul Roberts hope all is well!

You should definitely check out the YouTube channel “The Nature Of Fishing”. It’s @Paul Roberts channel. He doesn’t post much here or on YT anymore, but his videos are great. They’re really educational and get into a lot of biology and behavior of bass. You can learn a ton from his videos. I highly recommend checking it out.

Lews Speed Spool LFS

GYCB was sold to another company and this is the new packaging. Still same product I believe.

What he said. I fish a spinnerbait throughout the whole water column, but most often it’s mid depth to bottom of water column. As the blades spin, it’s going to want to rise. Counter it by slowing your retrieve until it’s running at the depth you want. A slower gear ratio reel will help even more. I use no faster than 5.x:1. 75% of the time I’m throwing a 3/4oz spinnerbait because it’s more efficient. It allows me to fish deeper and stay deeper without as much effort, but it’s also easy to fish high in the water column by changing the position of your rod tip and retrieval speed. Like LrgmouthShad said, casting into the shallows and following the contour down can be money. And also casting deep and dragging it up the slope can be great as well. As far as when the right time to run it mid depth is, that’s all up to the fish. I always start with a slooooow roll on the bottom. As slow as I can run it while still keeping the blades thumping. If nothin doin, I adjust up the water column from there. And also, random pumps of the rod always work well with spinnerbaits at any depth. I fish my in fairly heavy weeds, and I wait until the spinnerbait gets buried, the rod loaded up, then I SNAP it out of the grass fast. It breaks free of the weeds, and also very frequently this is when a strike will come. Don’t be afraid to throw it mid depth it fairly dense cover. Sorry for the long winded response, but spinnerbaits are my bread and butter and I could go on and on about em.

For jigs 3/8-3/4oz, I like a 7’-7’3” medium heavy, fast action.

Yeah I was following and hoping he’d at least get the no no. But he’s definitely progressing as a pitcher, more than just a “thrower”. And it was great to see the offense come alive. This Murphy guy is really trying to steal that starting C spot from Darnaud. I’m guessing when he’s back they’ll do catcher by committee, cuz Murphy’s bat is too good to bench right now. Just realized that Strider hasn’t allowed more than 4 hits in a start this year. That’s insane. WHIP of 0.83. 49 Ks in 30 IP. Guy is dominating.

Rebel Pop-R immediately brings me back to when I was 12 fishing at the lock, when I had a huge smallmouth almost to the shore until my line broke. One of the large fish that still haunt me. Remember it like yesterday. I’ll never be able to look at a Pop-R without thinking of that fish. Chug Bugs also cause some nostalgia, that’s the bait I learned to topwater fish on, fishing for smallies up in the Adirondacks.

Warms my heart to see the cheatin Asstros not in first place. Spencer Strider's final line vs Miami: 8 IP |2H| 0BB | O R/ER| 13 SO This guy continues to impress.

I don’t know what some of y’all are doing to your Presidents, but I’ve had 3 of them going on 10 years, have done minimal servicing aside from basic cleaning and lubing and fished them A LOT in that time and they’ve never faltered even a little bit. I’ve never used Daiwa spinning reels, but my Pfleugers are head and shoulders above my Shimano spinning reels…which I gave away and replaced with Pfluegers.

I use this one . It’s small, fits right in my tackle bag, easily adjustable and not expensive. These pictures were all taken with my iPhone on that same tripod.

Can’t go wrong with the Vision 110s. For a cheaper option I also love the Rapala X-Raps.

Stout smallie, and good on you for performing the life-saving surgery!

I haven’t used the SLX but I can definitely recommend the Lew’s Mach Crush. I have a Gen 1 that I absolutely love. Powerful workhorse of a reel.

My prespawn hot streak continued in Warren County today. All they wanted was the jig. This one went 5-2:

Thank you! It certainly has been a great start. This winter was long and torturous, as mild as it was, so I hit the water with a chip on my shoulder as soon as it ended. Hard to believe it’s still April. May all us northerners have a extended pre spawn! Hope you get back on em in the snow tomorrow. Thank you! The topwater bite turned out to be a dud but I have no qualms with feeding them the jig when they want it! I knew it was coming soon!

Haha I was throwing it all over my deep structure spots and weed beds but other than a little guy they had no interest. All they wanted was the jig! Complete opposite of the other day.

Had a few hour window before chores and errands today so I drove 45 minutes into the mountains to hit my favorite lake at sunrise. I was hopeful for the first topwater action of the year, but instead I found that the shallow timber jig bite is ON! My morning was anchored by this 5lb 2oz north country TOAD: I was pitching a 3/8oz Siebert brush jig in “Bama Craw”, with a Netbait Paca chunk trailer into super shallow wood and they were loving it. Every spring like clock work the the jig bite in shallow timber gets red hot. Got a short fish on a spinnerbait, otherwise it was all about the jig. Great morning on the water. Rainbow trout were rising to insects EVERYWHERE around me which was really cool. I wish I had my fly rod because it probably would have been great practice throwing to these stupid stockers. My 2023 bass season is off to excellent start, and way ahead of schedule compared to most years as far as water temps, pre spawn patterns and whatnot. My thumbs are already shredded ?

All us northerners stormed this thread with a vengeance once the water opened up ?