68camaro

Last Monday I went out to my two neighborhood ponds. 58* with 58* water temp, prespawn condition but raining lighly, gloomy, dreary - had best two hours ever in these ponds, caught two 2 lb'ers in 20 minutes, then three over next hour, smallest 1.55 lb. May not seem great to a lot of you but for these small over pressured, grass carp infested, lack of hydrilla, muddy flat bottomed neighborhood ponds it is really good.

today's winds will be high teens but yesterday was my window to get out for next week or so.

Wow very nice, how do decide what to tak?

High 20's to Low 30's was easy decision to bail, couldn't imagine 40+.

Agreed, came home and went to neighborhood pond for 45 minutes, first time I saw white caps on it..LOL. Last time I too yak out in strong winds I lost a ton of lures in snags because I couldn't control position and I couldn't keep in position to use lure retriever. Water was also 6 degrees colder than a few days ago so I assume that would not have helped.

Spent couple hours last night getting ready for big day on lake. Post frontal conditions, partly cloudy in mid 40's. However when woke up wind gusts were forecasted to be high 20's with gusts up to 33mph. In driveway it didn't feel too bad so I figured I'd give it a shot. Once at landing area, without trees and houses breaking the wind you could feel the full force along with gusts and the reservoir was very choppy and gusts added to it. I know I could have found quieter areas but with fish facing upwind I think I would have been more frustrated trying to fish with yak. I wonder what other peoples cutoff in wind mph is before they call it quits?

I do recommend mono during learning curve, backlashes easier to fx.

Last night I got a nice blowup on top water by bank, I swept rod to right and rear to drag fish closer but as I was reeling I noticed line not coming in, I haven't used topwater rod in a while and never checked drag before going out to pond. While keeping fish pinned he pulled under water, big fish, as I was just going to adjust drag...and you guessed it, he popped off. My mistake for not checking drag but it does happen......

I did a very quick search and for what looks like better shops, price range from $18 - $25 per inch - to start! If I ever catch that trophy I doubt I would ever spring at these prices.....

That's why for me it is so hard to decide when to stick with something or change up......

What is typical cost for high quality job? Does it go by pounds or inches?

12lb 100% flouro. and 20lb.

Yes and from kayak, in my local ponds i like to parallel skip as close to shore and under the bushes as I can get and short rod helps alot, I also get a lot of hang-ups but worth it. I do have one area a couple hundred feet long but narrow that I can skip across the pond and under bushes on opposite side. It's sometimes a trick not getting backcast to hit anything but I found muck boots that get me of a foot or two off shore really helps. I end up skipping or casting into bushes quite a bit also but again, this is where big ones are so really worth it.

I just bought a finesse spinning rod for 4lb line and went with 6'8", I would have gone 6"6" if I found one that size that met my other needs. Ultralight I don't cast real far so lenth not a big concern, but I do skip 'em like crazy and smaller size helps alot with accuracy.

I usually have 6-8 rods, sometimes less. I don't like to keep switching lures/bait when I think I see specific opportunity so I just grab rod I need with bait pre-rigged for that rod/technique. Its probably unnecessary but it keeps things interesting. I have a HobiePA12 and it has horizontal rod storage for 8 rods (2 per internal tube), plus 4 for my Hobie crate, plus 3 rod holders so I can easily carry 15, so at 6-8 I think am showing good restraint...LOL

Dang...beautiful fish.

For muddy water I like the Z-Man Jack Hammer Green Pumpkin 1/2oz. It gives off loud thump, hence name Jack Hammer"...you don't need to match trailer to color. Zmans are my favorite, I also like their Freedom for real shallow water and their Project Z's. Look at their selection and find whats suits your conditions best.

Loud thumping chatterbait or big colorado blades on spinner, I also like scent but no idea if really works. I like short quicks hops then let sit. Fish close to structure cover, punch matts on edges good in hot weather.

Sweet congrats, I think my PB is 5.45 also.

Thanks for reply.....my bottle was new as I had to peel of foil under cap. I just tested a piece on a hook and it was very difficult to get off but I was able to slide off, unless I ripped piece placing on hook yesterday I don't see how it could have flown off, but never-the-less I'll use plastic bait keepers in future.

Went out yesterday, water temps 54/55*, very gloomy windy, overcast sprinkly day. I thought fish would be at moderate depths waiting to move shallow once water warmed up a little, plus it was very windy and cool. To my surprise only caught one in over 15' water on lipless shad rap but did see some suspending and I didn't bring jerkbaits with me. however, most productive areas were shallow, like 2.5 - 5' shallow. I didn't think they would pull so shallow this early, there weren't on beds but in areas just outside. I tallked to other guy would had same experience.

So I used my first Uncle Josh's #11 yesterday, somehow it came up missing on second cast, I don't think it was eaten but may have feel off on cast. Since I only have two bottles I decided not to use anymore until I have my plactic bait keepers to prevent it from falling off. My question is do you think it is too old and pork too soft now? Pork is soft to touch and squishy, not leathery and tough?

On Meetups.com there is a kayak club called Central Virginia Kayak Bass Anglers, last week we had 6 folks on Sandy River Reservoir. I don't see why a jon boat couldn't join us.

Have you thought about a canoe or kayak? I know its not a jonboat but you can get one inexpensively and don't need trailer or motor. Just a thought.......I started fishing out of one last summer and love it.

When I bank fish I usually do it because my time is limited to 1-2 hours, 3 tops. I have an old backpack for bank fishing. In it I have a: scale and cheap small tape measure, long nose plyers, bulldog cutter, scent cheap sunglasses, a small bag of several soft plastics a 3600 plano box with assortment of top water lures to bottom draggers, plus some terminal tackle, everything from finesse setups to power fishing, really not a whole lot though, just couple of each. plus if cold - a second smaller plano specifically set up with cold water baits/lures. I used to bring several rods now just use one a M, fast action 7'3" with 8.1:1 reel or a finesse 6'10 spinning rod setup, sometimes both depending on how much time I have.