Violinguy

Couldn't agree more. I have been known to take a couple of preemptive Immodium for just such a problem. My tummy is fragile anyways and I don't want to be caught in a boat with intestinal distress. Of course a close second would be that feeling you get when DNR is idling up to you and you realize your license is in the car. It might even cause problem #1...

OK, so back in college when my roommates and I would pile into a souped up XR4TI and head out at 4am for NW Connecticut we had a routine that we followed to a "T," including where to stop for gas, what donuts to buy at Dunkin', and exactly what music (and in what order) to play on the way up there. I recently burned a CD with that exact music for my modern trips. Wish I could say it worked better than it has. I guess it needs to be 1991 for it to work again.

I thought I read a few years back that the survival rate for released bass was about 50% on average. Professionals and tourneys have better equipment and means to be better at catch and release so I'm sure it's higher in a tournament or professional setting. Personally, I think the survival rate is more like 80% or else we would be seeing dead bass all over the place. If handled properly and released quickly, I would think most fish would survive without issue. Of course, just because one thinks the survival rate is high, one should not be lazy when releasing or handling fish. It's up to each angler to help keep the bass population healthy.

"This is THE lure. It's the only one that I catch fish with at this lake, and the stores don't carry it anymore." SNAG

I once caught an alligator gar on a hula popper. It took 30 minutes and the eventual killing of the fish to get the hooks out. Crazy.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Senkos.

I think with today's technology, internet, Google maps, etc., there just aren't lakes that are publicly accessible that aren't fished to death.

Yeah, I'm a firm believer that any idea I come up with has already been thought of 100 times. I will say that back in college, there was (I guess there still is lol) a small pond in a park with soccer fields that me and my roommates fished at. We never once in three years saw anyone there except for bucket heads. Do I think we were the only people in all of CT that seriously fished that lake? No, but I never saw anyone either. We all caught bass over 6 pounds from shore there and I believe that there are state record-ish fish in there to be had by boat. It's also been 25 years so I would be curious to go back there and see what it's like.

I do not offer unsolicited advice to anyone. I don't want it either. Now if someone asks, I'll mention what I've caught fish with at that particular lake, but I make it a point not to just walk up to a guy I don't know and tell him how to fish, even if it looks like he has no idea what he's doing.

Recent thread Best to just go fishing.

Agreed. The only fish I've caught in the last week here in Douglas County have been on Senkos and a few on other plastics fished slowly. I'm thinking about having another go at it today. The weather has stabilized a bit after the cold and rain of last week.

LOL that's what I bought on Sunday. They're only 8-packs so a good deal, not a steal though.

Haven't been to Varner yet, but I'll tell ya, the weather has been unkind when it comes to fishing lately. Had the a/c on 10 days ago then almost had to turn on the heat last week. Several nights in the 40s in mid-May. Nuts. I was going to go to a local pond this morning but called it off after the storms we had the last couple of days and cold weather. Will be going tomorrow though... I'm going to be fishing almost exclusively plastics this week, with a few cranks mixed in. If I get there early enough I'll try some topwater, but I'm guessing the weather has moved the bass deeper.

A lot of times spawning bass will not bite. They are too busy doing their thing I guess. True the males will try to protect the beds but sometimes the fish simply don't bite during spawn.

I dont know, but I'm pretty sure he let em off the hook! Outstanding!

A new Academy opened about 10 minutes up the road from me. Can't wait to check it out. Been doing my retail bait shopping at Wally and getting some pretty good deals.

Geez, when I caught my first bass over 6 pounds I almost wet myself.

So where the fish he caught who he thought they were?

Yep. This is what I go by. I know what it feels like to pull on the rod and feel the regular resistance of the lure, so anything that doesn't feel like that, I give it a hook set. As I've gotten more experienced, I can rule out weeds and other resistance as well, so I definitely know what's a fish and what's a rock, log, or weeds. With the newer salty/scented plastics, fish hold on to the bait for a long time so when you reel in a little slack to move your bait, you will feel that "tap tap" that lets you know you got some action.

Off the top of my head, I would try and buy a cheap-ish point and shoot camera like a Nikon coolpix or Cannon cyber-shot, or whatever you can get for $89 at Best Buy or Wally-World. There are some great deals to be had at 8mp or better. I've seen some 16+mp cameras for well under $100. Most of them take 1080p video. Personally I have a DSLR (I know, aren't I something? ) but I would not try it with one of those, unless you could rig something with a chest strap - maybe rig it using a backpack's chest strap. DSLRs are tough to carry around and really expensive to replace when they fall in a lake or are crushed under a person. Cell phones are another choice, but again, expensive to replace because it's also your phone. So then, I would try and rig the small camera like a head lamp. Not sure how since I've never tried, but that's just my 2% of a dollar. I have a Petzl head lamp, and might give it a try just for fun...

Yeah, I'm gong to continue to fish when I feel like it. Obviously, as the temperature continues to rise here in GA, the fish are tougher to get to, so first thing in the AM is going to work best. I was just wondering how much stock to put in some of the different apps and tables you see here and there. Maybe a little, but as you all pretty much said, actually fishing is the most important part.

My PB was with live bait and was just under 8 pounds. PB with artificials was 6.5 pounds with a pumpkin seed tube bait fished with an ultra light rig and 4lb test line. Needless to say I was both surprised and careful. Small bait and large fish. Love it.

Well, today was supposed to be most active first thing in the AM, 3-4PM and then just after dark. I got to the lake at 230 and caught one decent fish and lost a couple also. Then from 3-4 caught nothing. Hmmmm

I'm just curious. We have all read an article here and there on weather and fishing, and I'm not asking about weather conditions vs. good bite. I'm just wondering if those silly graphs on weather.com that show active fishing periods throughout the day are at all accurate. Or any other of those websites or apps that predict active fish vs. inactive.

A lot of PGA tour pros are avid fishermen. Fuzzy Zoeller has been on Bill Dance a few times.