Fish Chris

Well, about the side cutters.... I have this special mod I do to 2/0 treble hooks for live bait Striper fishing, that requires 2 of the 3 hooks to be cut off in the curve. I tried using a big, heavy duty pair of sidecutters for those Owner 2/0's, and yes, I made it happen, but it took both hands, and 98% of all my strength ! While these cam-lever action, mini-bolt cutters take one hand, and about 1/4 the force. WAY better if you are using 1 hand already, to hold a fish.... Or worse yet, have a hook ripped into 1 hand. And honestly, like I said, mine only cost $14.99 at Home Depo. But I dunno'.... those $40+ ones I posted the link to, might be better yet. Peace, Fish

I was just talking with a buddy who says it was reported to weigh 18.1 Still an absolute monster for a Nor Cal bass, but if this is true, it would drop it from the #1 position, to about #97 or something. Hmmmm, Fish

Wow ! Can't wait to see pictures. 18.71 would also make it a tie, (or maybe a record, by 1/100th) for the biggest bass ever in Nor Cal ! It would also bump my PB down a notch... to about #6 I believe. But anway, that's awesome ! Hat's off to the guy Wouldn't that be bad if some of the other guys "only caught" 5 good ones.... but with a higher total weight, so that this guy got like 8th place, or something lame ? I hope he still won. That's another problem with tourney's. A fish like this should get about 40 "bonus pounds" LOL Peace, Fish

Thanks again for all the replies And hey Branuss, that is an absolutely beautiful scene you posted ! But you have to admit, our trophy Smallie lake is about as beautiful as a trophy bass lake can be, also Darn, today is going to be the longest day of work, in history ! .....but less than 24 hours from now.... whooo hooo ! Peace, Fish

......not necessarily this brand. I just did a quick search, to find some similar to mine. http://www.amazon.com/Knipex-7102200-8-Inch-Action-Mini-Bolt/dp/B000X4KOKE/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top/175-7898463-3801425 I got mine at the local Home Depo (HK Porter brand) for like $14.99 But anyway, here's why YOU HAVE TO HAVE a set of these.... 1) Sometimes, you will have a fish inhale a lure, and get hooked way back, next to that throat tissue (this happened to the 8.5 lb'er I got last Tuesday... with 2 of the 3 hooks, on an Owner 2/0 treble ! Ouch !) Well, with a pair of these, you can easily clip off any hook you need to, so you can easily pull the point end all the way through, and out, with minimal damage to the fish. No if's and's or but's about it... This tool has saved the lives of several big fish for me ! 2) Should you ever get a hook, especially a large one, buried in you, you will sure be glad that you were able to easily cut it off, and back it out of your hand, arm, head, or wherever ! In fact, it was a good fishing buddy of mine, who turned me onto these things after he buried a large treble hook into his hand, and had to twist the lure out of the split ring, with that giant treble still buried in his hand, then go to the hospital to have it removed. Owwww ! With one of these tools in your tackle bag, you probably won't have to go to the hospital, and if your tough enough, it might not even cost you the rest of your trip If you think that old, cheapie pair of dikes are okay, think again ! Try cutting through a larger, tempered steel hook with those.... ahead of time... then imagine that hook buried in you, while your doing it ! Again, these are just a MUST HAVE for every serious angler ! Don't put it off until after you really needed them ! As with so many other aspects of fishing, always be prepared ! Peace, Fish

Glad I'm not the only one Also, I have to say this about you younger guys who love being out there, aside from just catching fish; You guys will likely be fishing all of your lives On occasion, I meet younger people who are caught up in the "trophy bass" thing..... but I suspect they are not so much into the other aspects (nature). In other words, they are not really having fun "unless, they are catching fish"... And honestly, I think those are the guys who will eventually get tired of it, and fall out of fishing. But anyway, yea', about myself.... Sure, I've always loved being outdoors. Heck, as a kid, the only reason I was "indoors" was to sleep, or if I was on restriction {indoors was punishment LOL} The thing is though, for a lot of years, especially from say 97' to 07', I was so caught up in the trophy bass thing, and was often so wound up, that I probably forgot to relax, and just enjoy myself. It was always like go, go, go, push, push, and finally Bam ! I'd catch a giant, and it would be like 5 days of joy, all crammed into a 5 minute period Then, an hour later, I'd be right back to, go, go, go, push, push, push.... Anyway, I just can't wait to be on the water tomorrow And I guarantee you one thing; Fish, or no fish, it's going to beat the heck out of working today ! I'll remember my tripod tomorrow, and will try to bring back some photos for you guys. Peace, Fish

I find myself thinking about this, and repeating it more and more..... But it just seems like, as each year goes by, I am caring less and less about whether I catch anything, and more and more about just being out there, floating on beautiful clear lake, under a blue sky, surrounded by nature. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy catching a fish.... esapecially a BIG fish But let me put it this way; I went out last Tuesday, for my first Bass fishing trip of the year, and I had such a great time ! The lake was just as beautiful as ever. The weather was awesome ! The birds, and other wildlife were active ! It all just made me feel so good (and blessed) to be alive. Oh, so I did end up catching 1 fish. It was a beautiful, pre-spawn, 8.5 lb Northern strain football, of a bass. Nice fish, right ? But honestly, given the choice of fishing for the 1 minute it took to catch that fish, OR the same exact full day I had, without the 8 1/2 lb'er, I'd take the latter. I'm 45 years old, and in a lot of ways, I'm still just a big kid But I'm thinking that some of you that are my age, or older, might be able to relate to what I'm talking about here..... Anybody ? Peace, Fish

Hmmmm.... I'd really like to get a 9 lb Smallie, but I'm concerned that my window for that (the peak on my trophy Smallie lake) might have already come and gone. I need to catch 12 more double digit Largemouth's to make 100.... But I don't expect to do that in 1 year.... especially if I can't get myself back to fishing the Florida Bass lakes more often. To catch 12 more Northern strainers would be a tall task ! I'd be pretty happy with 2 or 3. I guess my biggest goal is just to enjoy every minute I'm out there, and to never take my time on the water for granted. I'm just totally blessed to spend as much time out there as I do. Peace, Fish

I'd have to say 10 to 11..... But I'll tell you one thing, "If I ever caught a fish like that, and didn't have a scale with me, I'd be kicking myself in the arse, for as long as I lived" ! I mean heck, it could look 15 lbs ! But if you don't have a scale to weigh it on, it just doesn't count..... and catching a fish like that, and not being able to count it, seems tragic to me. Especially when having a scale around, is such an easy thing to do. Just MPO, Peace, Fish

for what it's worth, if anything..... I always say, big fish (and all fish that you intend to release, alive and healthy) should be handled >WITH COMMON SENSE< !!! Don't torque the fish into an unnatural position by the jaw.... But also: Don't keep the fish out of water for any longer than you absolutely have to ! Have your live well ready, or put the fish back into a large landing net, or whatever you have to do, to keep it submerged, while you get your camera and scale ready. Also, be careful not to drop, slam, or bang the fish. While handling it, try to anticipate any "freak out" of the fish, holding it as low as possible to the deck, in case it should get loose from you. When I hear people wondering if they might have broke the fishes jaw, by holding it vertically, I'm always thinking, huh ? I promise you that if you break a fishes jaw, you are going to know it ! You would feel it snap, and it would immediately distort, and not close properly. This is not something you will ever have to wonder about later. It's kind of funny when somebody will see one of my horizontal big fish shots, and give me comps about how I was holding it, because even that fish was almost certainly pulled from the water, or net, by the jaw with one hand, vertically. It's very hard to do otherwise, when you fish by yourself. Of course I've re-caught several of my big bass, that were previously handled this way, but even way more frequently, I've been back to those same areas, and sighted many big fish that I have previously C/R'd.... doing totally fine I should add. Anyway, I totally believe that far more bass are killed by guys not being prepared, for what to do with a {big} Bass when they do finally catch it (mostly, by keeping it out of the water for too long) than by guys that carefully, gently held the fish by the lower jaw, with one had, for a short time. Not to sound like a smart arse, but the fact is, the best way to prevent any possible injury to a fish, is to not stick a hook in it..... And I don't think any of us would be willing to go that far Peace, Fish PS, I was just flashing back to that 8.5 lb Smallie in my avatar, and remembering how much of a maniac it was ! After that shot, I was trying to get ahold of it in my live well, and it bit the heck out of my thumb ! Maybe the hardest bite (to myself) from any bass, ever ! I think it's jaws were fine ! Nothing like that channel cat did to my thumb, as a kid.... but that's a whole other story

Well the OP said "Huge" is a very relative term. I see Bill Dance catch a bunch of "nice" fish..... about like what one could expect on a good day to Clear Lk. CA, or the CA Delta. But rarely does he catch any legit DD bass, let alone 13's and 15's. Bill seems like a good ol' boy though. I turn on the show for background noise sometimes while I'm on the PC, and if I hear him really flip out about it being a giant, I might glance over my shoulder at it. But anyway, the funny thing about those stock ponds, is that they often produce good numbers, of nice sized fish, but rarely do they produce the monster, top end sizes that public places do. Of course they are harder to catch, and their are way fewer of them. But that is exactly why the biggest ones, get bigger yet. I used to really be drawn to those private places as a kid (like sneaking on at night and never caught a bass over 8 lbs. But since then, I have caught so many giants (well, all of them) fishing on public waters that get hammered on constantly. I think the best reason to watch Bill Dance, is just for entertainment. As was said by somebody earlier, it beats the heck out of those lame "TV reality shows" Peace, Fish

Hey Fever, but I think you might agree, that if everybody else fished at the same hours we do, then these hours would not treat us as well as they do. It's only because we are doing something different than the crowds (in this case, fishing different hours) that we gain the benefit. If EVERYBODY else starts fishing during these hours, I'll consider getting on the water at sun up .....and if EVERYBODY would stop throwing Senko's, I'd give it a couple years, then maybe try them myself Peace, Fish

All you "early guys" are cracking me up Might I ask.... "Why" ? It is a straight up fact of the matter, that more big bass are caught between 10 am and 2 pm than any other time of the day (or night). Doug Hannon will tell you that about FLB from Florida, and I will tell you the same thing about FLB from Cali. Not to mention, why do you want to be on the water when the most "other guys" are also on the water ??? What I've found, is that I can sleep a little more. Get to the lake around 9 or 10am, and be there "just before" primetime. Then, what's even better, is that the vast majority of guys that get on the water early, are wimps, who leave after only 6 hours of fishing.... which if they started at 6 am, is only noon ! So 2 hours after I get their, the lake is emptying out of "annoying wakemakers and fishspookers" So, I go on and fish my normal 10 hour day, which in the Summer is often close to 8pm. The thing is, I know myself..... and even if I started at 5 am, I'd have a hard time getting off the water before 8pm anyway. Remember, if you fish like everybody else, you'll catch what everybody else catches. The whole "have to be there early" thing is like a mass brainwashing. Forget about everybody else. Reevaluate your timing. See if you don't do "at least as well" if not better, by shifting to later hours. Peace, Fish PS, Rolo, I'm proud of you

Ya' know, its a weird thing for me. I have a lot of close friends, many of them "fishing friends". However, I fish by myself litterally 99+ % of the time. I honestly don't remember the last time I fished with anyone. Couple years ago maybe ? My excuse is AADD. If I have a friend with me, I might as well just leave the poles at home, as I can't fish, and socialize at the same time. Any distractions just completely kill my game. Peace, Fish

I have a lot of buddies who play golf and fish. But personally speaking, ANY sport which involves any ball, of any size, or shape, and hitting, kicking, or batting it around, is absolutely meaningless to me. If I live to be 100, ball sports will never make any sense to me. Not only playing these sports, but even worse, watching somebody else play them ! It would be just as exciting for me to sit and watch paint dry. To each their own though. The more guys on the golf course, the fewer guys in my way on the water Peace, Fish PS, But the thing that would REALLY kill me if I did golf, would be; Here I am hitting this stupid little ball around, and their is probably fish in that pond right there ! What the heck am I doing ?!?! To heck with this club... where's my pole ?

Hey Speedbead, their are a lot of theories, but one likely one, is that after feeding in the mud for a while, they run up, make a jump, and crash back into the water, to knock the slime off of themselves, and out of their gills. I think it could almost be like a flexing and stretching thing too. But now, here's an interesting thought {I'm sure a lot of people would think I was crazy for even considering this.... but then a lot of people probably think I'm crazy regardless ;-)} Yesterday, I pull up on this spot... trying to be as quiet as possible, letting the current push me into position.... Quietly as possible I lower the anchor, and right before I make the first cast, this 125+ lb'er comes up right behind the boat, and does this gentle roll over, and as it rolls, I am able to look right into its eye...... Hmmmmm :-? Now, they say Sturgeon have very poor eye sight. But are you going to tell me that fish was not able to see my 14ft boat, from 25 feet away ? .....or, that it was not aware of my presence ? Kind of makes you wonder why I didn't get a touch, huh ? I'm telling you, those big "old" dudes are SLICK ! Peace, Fish

Thanks again guys... KingKoopa, 3 per year, 46" to 66".... but if you want to keep fishing for them (Catch and Release) only 2 per year. Hey CharlieBrown, I got home from fishing today, and my Landlord was cooking up a bunch (about 1/4) of that one, and I can't tell you how awesome it was ! I'm really picky about the fish I eat, and usually, my favorite is Halibut, or Salmon..... But this was right there, next to the best fish I've ever had ! Very firm. Kind of like a tender, boneless Pork Chop. And come to think about, similar flavor to a boneless pork chop too. Oh..... nothing today, although I saw a few more jumpers which had to go 125 lbs ! Peace, Fish

First off, great catch ! Big congrats to you But here's a whole new slant on it; I once caught a bass.... I believe it went 8.6 lbs, but it was shaped very similar to that one. I mean, it probably had the frame of a 6 lb'er.... or heck... maybe even a high 5'er.... but that same bloated belly ! > And here's the kicker.... I caught it in July, when basically all the other bass in that lake had finished spawning. After that, I talked a to a few biologists who explained that sometimes fish (not only Largemouth's) become eggbound, which is to say, some kind of blockage takes place that does not allow them to lay their eggs. This can have varying effects. Sometimes, the fish will eventually die. Sometimes, the fish will reabsorb the eggs (partially, or completely). And yet other times, the eggs will just become hard, as the fishes body basically surrounds the eggs with a barrier, as if the eggs were a foreign body {the way your body would, if you got something stuck in you.... or had a bullet left in you} A big bass pro once told me about a big, old bass that died on them after the catch. Upon opening the fish up for examination, they found a big, hard "block" of material, where you might have expected eggs to be. Hmmmm, Lots of posibilities, But again, a very nice catch Peace, Fish

Doh ! Sorry Infidel, I hadn't even seen that myself..... That is my 50 lb braided leader. I just tie about 8 to 10 feet of 50 lb, to my 2/10 main line, with a blood knot, then a barrel swivel, then about 24" more, of 50 lb after the barrel swivel, attached to my hook, with a 1/2 to 1oz sliding sinker above the barrel swivel. The reason for the 50 lb leader is not so much "pull strength" (I mean heck, if my main line is only 10 lb anyway) but rather, abrasion resistence ! Those diamonds down the side of a Sturgy are brutal sharp ! Got some cuts on me right now, from that one yesterday..... Peace, Fish

After watching about 200 of these dino-fish jump all around me in the last 3 trips, I stuck a nice little keeper.... and yea', I actually kept it. Hope it tastes good. Funny thing is, I had fished for about 5 hours, and kept having a bunch of sharp little whacks, from tiny Stripers. But if you set the hook on every one of those, 1) you would go through all of your bait in no time, and 2) would spend most of the time with your line out of the water re-baiting and casting. So, I kept ignoring it. Every now and then I'd get a softer, kind of pumping bite... like a Sturgy, but those would last about 1 second, then drop it. So, finally, after not even seeing a bite for quite some time, I decide to reel in a relocate the boat a little bit. I pick up the micro-light, start to reel, and the rod just loads up, so I swing.... Fish on ! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ > with no signs of letting up So, I just flip the anchor rope out of the boat, with buoy attached and start drifting after the fish (with help of the tide). Took about 300 yards, and 25 minutes, but I finally landed it One thing I'd like to pat myself on the back with; The first time I got it to the boat, I leaned down and I was thinking, "I better keep the line all straight... no loose line around the tip, or guides, and be ready to pick it up and fight it some more......" So, I get ahold of the fishes gill plate, go to pull it in, it twists out of my hand, splash, ZZZZZZZZZZZ ! But like I say, I saw that coming before hand ! Grabbed the pole and after a few more minutes, had it back to the boat Ended up being a nice little slot limit fish of 53", and I dunno... 28 or 30 lbs ? Anyway, I'm getting ready to go again, and hopefully I'll stick one of those 100+ lb monsters that I've been seeing jump on every trip ! I swear, yesterday, I saw one... probably 125 lbs, 6 1/2ft, come out of the water fast, and high, do this crazy "S" twist, and explode the water going back in (I mean, with great violoence ) about 30 feet from the boat ! Makes you feel kind of weird, sitting there with a couple of Bluegill poles ! But > Fear No Fish < right ? Please wish me luck today, Peace, Fish

I got checked the last time I was out. Around here (especially on the Ca Delta) it's more common to get checked by Sherriff's (like I was) than by Wardens, because their are a lot more of them. I know a guy that got caught without a license, and it cost him $400...... but here's the really funny / stupid part > About 2 weeks later, he got caught again, by the same warden, still without a license ! Bam ! $600 ! I think on the second one, the judge should have called it, "Criminal Stupidity" ! Fish

Hey Speedbead, good eye That was a fishing aquaintence, who was in another boat (within hollering distance) while we were fishing, but they pulled anchor and followed me while I fought it. After close to 2 hours (when I felt I was close to beating it) he actually hopped into my boat, and after about 4 tries, we managed to get the fish over the rail. Glad it was that particular guy (Sturgeon Dan) there to help. He's never used gear that light.... but he has caught a whole bunch of Sturgeon over 100 lbs. So he's not afraid to grab ahold of one Peace, Fish

Nice fish ! Geeez, how I'd love to stick one like that about right now ! Hey, about holding them out towards the camera; I always say, "I'm not holding them out to try to make them look 'bigger' than they really did in real life"...... "I'm holding them out, to try and make them look "as big" as they did in real life.... which is never easy with a little online, or paper photo". I bet that one "still looked bigger" in real life, huh ? Then throw in the adrenalin factor, and I'm sure it looked.... uh... about 15 lbs ? Stay on em', Fish

Come on Big Mike, just tell the truth..... Those fish are really only 2 lbs, but with you being the little bitty guy you are, it just makes these fish "appear" to be 4 lb'ers See, I'm onto your game now ! ;D Seriously though, nice fish Stay on em', Fish

Now that is one fine catch ! And a nice bass too : Take good care of that one Peace, Fish