Fish Chris

An 8" Hud, #12 ROF, in holdover trout color. A 9" MSslammer (looking like a chunk of broomstick with hooks on it) actually produces big fish as well. Great topwater bait. Just something about that loud, obnoxious action. I will use other stuff for Spring sightfishing.... like a Basstrix Bluegill, or a Huddlebug, rigged on a custom 3/0 1/4 oz jig. Peace, Fish

I agree with what's been said and, I have one more thing you should consider, if you haven't already.... Do "you like to fish" ? I can't tell you how many guides (well just about all of them in these parts) that have told me, "Geeez Fish, I sure wish I could focus a little more on trophy sized fish like you do..... But I have clients I have to please.... You sure have it made"..... Uhhh.... well yes. I planned it this way. And I wouldn't change a thing. I used to consider guiding, but then I decided I love to fish too much. Peace, Fish

I was going to check 'swimbait', but Huds are $35...... Fish

As most of you know, I've fished hard-core for big Florida bass here in Cali, for about 10 years now. But I've also been fishing for big Northern strainers for the last few years as well. They do seem somewhat easier to catch, although it's still easier to catch a double digit Florida bass, as they are so much more common that double digit Northerns. Anyway, Floridas seem to slow down and (if such a thing is even slightly possible) think more about what they are about to eat, rather than just firing now, and asking questions later {a reaction bite} like Northerns tend to do. To stick a big Florida bass, you really have to do everything right, and still have enough luck on your side, to catch a big one slipping. To catch a big Northern, you just have to find a few big, hungry Northerns, put your bait in front of them, and one or the other will probably bite it. Speaking of Northern strain bass, what do you think about this one I caught yesterday ? She went 10.4 lbs, and is my new Northern PB :-) Is she purty, or what ? She hammered a Hud, on a slow steady retrieve in about 12 feet of water. Peace, Fish

I felt like I was watching The Discovery Channel :-) ....one of my favorite channels BTW. Yea' in the right situations, a bass will eat almost anything that fits in its mouth..... But that doesn't mean that "almost anything" is the best possible choice.... Peace, Fish

My stupid Internet has been down for a few days :-( Anyway, I had fished from the time I was 3, until I was 33 > without catching 1 single double digit bass.... even though I live right here where 10 lb'ers are seemingly just jumping into peoples boats. Then, 10 years ago, I "got lucky" and stuck my first DD, an 11-11 from my home Lk. Berryessa, on a nightcrawler. After that, I got all stoked on catching more, and maybe even bigger :-) I started studying whatever guys I could find, who were consistently catching bass. And the key was, I simply started fishing "specifically for BIG bass"... Small ones just didn't count anymore. I had caught enough of the those in my first 30 years, to last a lifetime. Anyway, here we are 10 years later, and after starting my own website geared specifically towards big DD Largemouths, and meeting LOTS of great big bass sticks because of it, I've learned volumes. Oh, so anyway, after never having caught a bass over 10 lbs, in my first 30 years, I just caught my 84th over 10 lbs yesterday :-) Whoooo Hoooo....... All of which goes to show, what you have done up until now (if your not yet completely satified) means absolutely nothing ! YOU CAN open up a whole new book, and surprise everybody, not the least of whom, yourself !!! I'm living proof :-) Peace, Fish

You totally had it coming :-) And now that you have broken the ice, I bet you get a bunch more of them, in less time than you ever imagined :-) Big congrats and continued success to you, Peace, Fish

your on the right track. I've been using nothing but braid for 14 years, and yes, I do use a slightly softer rod..... and when given the choice, a little slower also (more bend over the whole rod, instead of just right at the tip). But as Garnet said, you might be best off just getting used to using braid, first. Then you can adjust things like your rod actions later, judging by your own personal experiences. Peace, Fish PS, Going to braid was the best fishing decision I have ever made, in 40 years.

Hey BassinAssasin, I didn't mean to turn your thread into a Senkos vs. swimbaits thread. They both obviously have their place. I have to admit, the first time I saw the action of a Senko in a tank at a sportsmans show, I was really impressed. Whatever works for you. As long as your catching fish, and having fun :-) Carry on.... Peace, Fish

I guess I was just kind of hoping that whoever my room mates were, that we could kind of be "somewhat" on the same page. To be quite honest, while I know tons of people who are not as fish crazy as I am, I really don't know too many who have a problem with what I'm into. They just aren't into it themselves..... and I'm totally cool with that. But whatever a guy does, he better not start trying to tell me I shouldn't do what I love / live to do ! I mean, I'm a really nice guy, until somebody starts acting like that ! Anyway, I agree with you guys that trying to change the mind of somebody like my room mate is a futile waste of time. But I probably won't be seeing him very much for the next several months anyway. It's time to start fishing hard-core ! :-) Peace, Fish

Up until 2 months ago, I had DSL, and the pages on this site "sometimes" took forever for me to open also. Then I made a move, and ended up with Comcast high speed cable (for free) as part of the rent. Now the pages on this site all open up very quickly. Turns out, the problem was apparently on my end. Peace, Fish

As some of you might have heard me mention, I moved to a new place about 6 weeks ago. The new place is cool. Lots more space. Landlord is really friendly and laid back. The guy in the other room is cool too...... However, he just can't even start to understand the whole concept of C/R. The way he puts it, if your going to stick a hook in the thing, and drag it to your boat, you might as well just kill it immediatly, and take it home and eat it. If not, he doesn't think you should mess with "the poor thing". He even went on to say, that if he was really hungry, and had to fish, that catching the fish would just be the "negative thing he had to do" to get to the positive thing, of having something to eat. I tried to tell him why I believe I love it so much > That humans beings evolved as hunter / gatherers, and that 100,000 years ago, catching a fish, or killing an animal was a "very good thing" which meant that we and our family were not going to go hungry that day. I believe fishing and hunting is just part of our human ancestrial nature. I KNOW why I love fishing. People who don't agree with it, don't really know why they don't...... For them it's not about logic, but rather, how it "feels" or how it "seems"...... Come to think about it, I had an ex that thought that way ;-) {oh, but at least she liked to fish :-) Your thoughts ? Peace, Fish

That is SOOOO COOOL ! :-) I always wanted to catch 1 of those ! They look like giant Florida Bonefish..... except Gold instead of Silver :-) The body shape looks so much sleeker, and stronger than European Carp (another great sportfish) too. I'm really envious, Great catch ! Congrats, Fish

Hey guys, yea' my 8.5 lb PB Smallie was caught 1 year ago today :-) ....on a warm stable day though, and right now we are having a little front pass through, so its not as bad, that I have to work today. Just 3 more work day, and then vacation ! (and it's 19 days, not 16 like I had said earlier :-) I am just SOOOO ready to stick some good ones ! :-) Peace, Fish

Hey Key chain, for that matter, a taxidermist (not really an accurate name anymore, as most don't use real fish anymore) or should I say, a "fish artist" can make a replica with "no photo" and "inaccurate measurements". It all depends on how closely you want your replica to match your actual catch. And even with the best photos and measurments, a lot of it still has to do with the skills of your fish art guy. I love replicas. Wish I could afford more of them, but a great photo is certainly the second best thing. Peace, Fish

Yea' okay :-) Hey, their is no doubt that a lot of bass get caught on a Senkos, and a decent number of big fish too. I know I have at least 20 DD bass posted on my website, to over 16 lbs, which were caught on Senkos..... But on the other hand, I have "hundreds" of bass to over 20 lbs, posted on my site that were caught on swimbaits. So to me, the choice is obvious. I know their are times when a big bass won't eat a big "trout-looking" meal, but will eat something small and goofy {like when we just pigged out on Thanksgiving dinner, but will still eat a Hershy's kiss} but in those situations, I'd rather reach into my lunch box and grab a box of crawlers. You just gotta' love a fat, lively, tail-hooked, live-lined crawler ;-) When the whole rest of the world forgets about Senkos, and quits using them, I'll start to consider throwing one :-) Peace, Fish

What's a Senko ? :-) Fish

Why is it that 10 hours of fishing passes by in 2 hours, while 8 hours of work takes a freaking week !?!? Anyway, sitting here thinking about the 1 hit I got on my Hud Tuesday. That thing freight trained me too ! But didn't hook up :-( So, on the very next cast, I throw out to the same spot, and start an erratic > burn it, stop, burn it, stop, type of retrieve {hoping that the fish might think, theirs that jacked up trout I just blasted} and as it came into view, it was closely followed by an 11 to 13 lb, spastic, bass, that was cutting back and forth, jumping at, then back away from my Hud. Its like, should I, or shouldn't I.... I mean, geez that thing looks so good, but I just bit it, and something wasn't right ! Amazing that that little pea sized brain is often enough to keep that fish out of our boat, huh ? Anyway.... Then yesterday, I went to another place and got slammed twice on the Hud, but no hook ups. I saw several 5 to 10 lb'ers cruising in that area too. On the second slam, the teeth marks were plainly visable around the head, and just in front of the hook on my Hud too :-( I'm tempted to use a Hud with the hook rigged closer to the head, but my luck, the very next fish will inhale it, and hook itself deeper in the thoat..... So, what do ya' do ??? Unfortunately, what I gotta' do, is get ready for.... (I'm sorry to use such bad language on the forum) "work" :-( ..... ah geez.... how foul is that ? Oh well. My 16 day vacation starts in 5 more days :-) Whooo Hooo ! Enough rambling, Good fishing to you guys, Fish

I use spinning reels with my braided line.... So I never have to pick out backlashes ;-) Then, with a slightly softer rod, and a properly set drag system, you shouldn't ever snap anything off.... most importantly, fish. BTW, you have made a GREAT decision about going to braid. This was "the biggest improvement in my fishing" in my entire 40 years. Peace, Fish

Hey Sooner Fan, you said > I know I need to put a mono backing on the spool. < Uhhh.... not really. That's up to you. About the only advantage of doing this, is that you will be able to cut down on the cost somewhat.... sometimes. However, if you fill your spool all the way with braid, you can fish it for however long you feel it is still good {then top it off with just a few more feet, as you always end up losing some line from retying lures, etc} and then spool it onto a coffee can, then onto one more, then back onto your spool..... And POW ! Not only is it full right to the edge of your spool, but its like brand new, because you have reversed the unused line on your spool to the outside ! And braid won't get all crinkly and messed up like mono when you do this either. Only one thing; If you decide to do it this way, tie your braid to the spool first, and make just about 8 wraps. Then take a piece of tape like duct tape (I use the same batters tape I use on all of my rod handles) and wrap it around the spool. Now crank your line on tightly. This will prevent the line on your spool from slipping, and spinning as a complete mass. Oh, but yea'.... I still always tie my braid to fluorocarbon or regular mono.... Just on the other end as a leader :-) I use a blood knot. Some people call it a double clinch. After you have tied about a million of these, they become pretty easy ;-) Hope this helps. Peace, Fish

Killing a big bass in December, means that fish won't be making babies the following March, nor any Spring thereafter, and even more importantly, that fish won't ever be "somebody elses new PB". And one more thing....... in places where over-recruitment is the bigger problem (very common), what do non-bed-fishermen have to say, to support their stance ??? Of course, I'm guilty from the standpoint that I release all of my bass, when at most places, I should keep a limit of small fish every time. My excuse is, I don't fish for, or therefor catch many small fish, nor do I prefer the taste of bass. Hmmmm, Fish

I love this statement made by old school trophy bass angler {and one of my big bass idols growing up} Dan Kadota; "If it's only like a 10 to 13 lb'er, then it's not really important either way..... but if it's a BIG fish, use a net" :-) Different perspectives are funny, huh ? Peace, Fish

That's a great looking fish ! Congrats on the new PB ! :-) BTW, what is the primary forage in that pond ? That fish looks like it has had plenty to eat.... Their has got to be a DD in that pond, somewhere, huh ? Go get her ! :-) Peace, Fish

I don't care how you slice it.... That is a great looking bass you caught there !!! Congrats :-) BTW, you could have called that fish 12 lbs, in that second shot, and I doubt that anyone would have argued you.... But that fact that you called it 9-11, gives you the highest degree of credability for any bass you ever catch from here on out ! You da' man ! :-) Oh.... and I can tell by the tulies between your head and the fish, the "exact spot" you were fishing ! Good thing I know how to keep a secret, huh ? ;-) LOL Keep on em' buddy, Your DD is coming soon, Peace, Fish

Netting can reduce the odds of losing the fish.... But I'd only worry about this if I thought I had a really big fish on {new PB, lake record, state record, etc}. Otherwise, lipping them is so much quicker and easier. Peace, Fish