atcoha

Been thinking about hitting up my favorite little private lake for the past 2 weeks. Saturday could not get here fast enough. Been in the garage everyday, doodling around with my fishing gear, charging my batteries... Watching the weather all week, forecast looked good. Can't wait, so I call the lake owner when I got off work today to make my reservation(he usually does not like to make them a week in advance) he said he was full for saturday...broke my heart. That is ALL I have been thinking about for 2 solid weeks. I should have called earlier this week, but I got busy, and life and all that. My backup plan is a state lake about 2 hours away, but most of the time, it's not worth the trip, a dink or two, the bed raiders have been in carpet bomb mode for the last 2 months. So, I don't know what I am going to do, guess I will do yard work.

Hit up the creek after work. Bubblegum trick worm was not working. Went to junebug rage lizard. After a missed bite, landed a 4lb bowfin. A little warm after work, hitting 85, headed home to do some pressure washing. Caught more fish on these rage lizards than the zoom lizards...zooms last longer, and you get more bait for your buck, but the rage are fish catchers!

I bought some mccoys 12lb and loaded it up on my spinnerbait rig. I like that too!

After many many breakoffs at the local creek, my 8lb trilene was getting low on my reel. I only fish worms and craws t-rigged here because of all the limbs and fallen trees in the creek...I first went with some fluoro line....this is on my med-light spinning gear...I hated it. Tried a couple different line weights...still hated it. I had some braid laying around, and not the best in a shallow creek. I decided to go with 8lb pline copolymer. Glad I did. Casts great, very low memory, if any, and strong. Literally straightened out a couple hooks on branches, and got them out...even the 10lb braid I am sure would have snapped. Anyway, very good sensitivity, and the price is right. 300yds for like 8 or 9 bucks. No more mono on this creek rod and reel. If you have not tried it, I would recommend giving copolymer a shot. What's the worst that can happen? EDIT!!! spooled up with 8lb NOT 10lb...forgive me, I am old, and can't remember much past yesterday.

nice lunker!

Decided to NOT make the 2 hour drive to mississippi, weather forecast said 10mph winds...did not feel like leaving @ 4am to deal with the wind today, although, he was wrong, and I should have gone...hit up the creek up the street and caught this porky little spot on a dbomb. After several break offs, I headed home.

Went today after work, one dink and a 2lb spot. Rage lizard and rodent.

jig trailer, chatterbait trailer....great little baits. They are really soft, not as durable as others, but who cares? They work, buy more!

tough one. I have many knives. Mostly folders/flippers/autos, always keep one one me, and in my truck.... I prefer a folder myself. Couple years ago, I got a spyderco "salt". It is rustproof, flick open one handed, nice textured composite handle, and a pocket clip. Under $30. Small enough to clip in your pocket, and not bulky, hardly know it's there. A great knife to take to the lake or the ocean.

I have 2 Jackson cruise 12 kayaks Both set up the same, almost. Anchor trolleys, anchor, park-n-pole, 2 different rod holders, fish grip, net, paddle, black pack, several plano boxes with assorted stuff, how many depends on fresh or saltwater, PFD is a must! I keep stuff in there too. Always have a knife on me, everywhere. I usually take 2 rods when inshore, sometimes 3 if I am trolling. My phone in one of those waterproof pouch thingies. 2 pairs of pliers, long and short, and kickin bass, megastrike, or procure scents.

I will try mine next time I got up to mississippi and have the time.

2 quick creek trips this week. The high water has fallen to normal, went Tuesday and today after work. Nothing, not even a bite.

cutr just plain work!

Politics aside... The man is an inspiration. Has a great life story that MANY can look up/aspire to.

good advice. I slowed my spinnerbaits way down today, and it was on!

Try white-white/chartreuse spinnerbait or chatterbait. I have had many of those days. Keep an open mind, and be patient. I know it can be tough!

Has been raining here in NW FL for what seems like 2 weeks off and on daily. The rivers are overflowing, and has just plain been a pain in the rear. Weather looked like it might hold out for most of the day today, me and my boy headed up to Mississippi early this morning. Not a drop of rain until about 30 minutes from our destination. So we pulled in a gas station to see what would happen. I snoozed for about a half hour. It slowed to a drizzle. So off we went to the lake. Caught 4 today. One right off the bat with a brown and gold bladed chatterbait. We ended up switching to white and chartreuse spinnerbaits, caught 3 more decent one. Water was murky and high, about 72 degrees. Bass were scattered around. We saw one boil not far from the boat. We trolled around a little more, watching eagles fly, and goats chase baby pigs... Threw on a blue and white swimjig, BOOM, I thought I was hung up on a tree, fishing in an area with a lot of timber below in about 20'. I was sure I was hung up, I was positioning myself to get unsnagged and that bass took off, all I remember was saying, "buddy, it's a bigun, get the net". Reeled some line in, she started coming up and jumped, thrashed for what seemed like forever in the air, and threw my hook. I can't speculate the weight, but she was fat. The rain moved in, and the wind started blowing, we decided to head home after only 1.5 hours. I brought my rain gear, but my boy did not. Not a bad day, had a great time, and my boy got his first spinnerbait bass, and to see the eagles flying around the lake, I know it's something my boy will always remember, me too.

I use both, both are great. I think I have some davis swimbait hooks also. Would have stuck with a single brand, but tw did not have same brand w/ different weights in stock when I bought them. quality vs. $??? On the 3 brands mentioned, I will go for whatever is cheaper, they are all quality.

I get the ziplock snack bags, throw several different colors of craws and worms. One hard box with terminal tackle. I use that for bank fishing, has worked out pretty good, refill with plastics that worked...put back the ones that did not. Helps with carrying too much stuff I won't use. And makes it easy to put stuff back into my big tackle bag.

lol. Glad I waited...I think. Save %10 or just not spend it?

a lot of the spots I catch in the creek have red eyes.

Went dock fishing in Perdido bay after work. Speck bite was pretty good.

kikstand, the spanish were in st. joe bay last week when I was there. black and silver mirrolures mr17 Could not get a bite on jigs/plastics. Would love to hit the bay this weekend, stymied by another baseball tourney...

The slot/rat reds are showing up in the bays near Pensacola, my buddy from work caught 3 specks on 3 casts this morning before work from the dock in his backyard, closer to perdido. That's a good sign, specks have not been in numbers,yet.

x2...one more thing, in the fall, they absolutely love white trout.