huck

just got back from sports chalet...you've actually got this wrong. the deal is: buy a citica for $120 and you get a shimano rod up to $70 for free. i can see how you thought that though because the ad only shows a big "$70" so it is confusing. still, a good deal. I believe the deal is correct. I've heard from friends that they walked out of SC with 2 citicas and 2 clarus rods for about $150. However, they had to have the ad in their hand because the sales reps told them there was "no deal" like that... basically, you have to have proof or they wont admit the deal.

I hit up my regular lake today, which is a private lake that I have access too via some new friends. The bite has been really slow there, and only recently started to pick up. Today was unusually good though, and I came home landing 16 fish. Most of the fish I caught were dinks in the 8-12" range, but I had about 4-5 in the 1+ range, one 2+ and one that might have gone 3. Here's pics of the bigger two. Most fish caught on a zoom 5" purple worm with silver/green flake. I'm really bummed I didn't have my scale for this guy.... I would have liked to have known the weight.

A discovery like that is golden! I never would have though it either, but one of the lakes I fish has waterfalls and they guy that lives there likes to fish it... one of the best spots on the lake.

That's a beaut! I've tried those swimbaits, but didn't think much of them. I might have to revisit them again.

I'd say the biggest difference for me between a cheap and more expensive baitcaster was the ability to throw light baits without backlashing. I can throw small swimbaits weighless and no backlashing. The cheaper reel I had couldn't do that. Plus I get more distance. Also, I'm a righty for everything except fishing. I throw right handed and reel lefty... just nicer not to have to switch the rod from hand to hand IMO.

These are poor quality pictures, but they're my favorites: My sons first fish: My daughters first fish: This was my cousins shark, I got skunked this day, but I still jumped in the water and tailed this one for him. His picture didn't turn out, so I'm the only one with a pic of HIS shark!! :

This might be obvious... but I lay everything out in a line as I take it apart, this way I know which order to put it all back. I took apart 4 Abu's and a Cabelas a few month ago... if I hadn't done that I would have been hosed!

Went out today to my regular spot. It's been a while for me since I've been able to get out, so it was good to be on the water for a bit. I fished from around 2:30 to 5:30 and got 3 fish, 2lmb and a cat. Started off pretty fun, then it just died and I threw my lures fruitlessly for 1.5 hours until I decided to go home. I kept feeling taps in this one spot, at one point I tried to set the hook and brought my swimbait back tail-less. Re-rigged and got this guy... hooked in the eye with 2 hooks from the stinger. Ouch! I felt bad for him, but what can you do? All caught on my new favorite plastic: Skinny Dippers in "white trash" with 5/0 hook and #4 treble stinger.

Congrats on your PB!!! That's a nice looking fish.

Very nice!

Nice fish!! Hmm... splitshot... I might have to try that ;D ;D

Sounds like a great day on the water... I need a 40 fish day!!!

Here's a couple reports from me. One from Lake Pleasant and the other from a Private Lake... Lake Pleasant: Went to Lake Pleasant yesterday morning with my friend Ron. Got there around 5:45 while it was still dark, got on the water and motored over to Castle Creek since I'd heard might have a topwater bite. We took a look around, there were tons of campers, lots of smoke from fire rings, and just didn't look inviting or relaxing so we went to the other side of the lake to the Agua Fria river. (here's a map if you're interested). We drove up the river and hit a spot by some cliffs and started throwing, then we see some fish busting on minnows, out comes the spook and I got blown up on about 4 times, but none got the hook. Ron got one striper out of that and the bite died. Sunrise was gorgeous though. We worked the river for a couple hours then moved to another spot in Humbug bay. After working a wall for a while I ended up getting a fish, a small LMB that came up 12 7/8th inches. We measured him just to see how he would fare in a tourney since they have to be 13" + at Pleasant. We worked all over Humbug for about 3 hours for nothing else. After that we hit the main lake and fished some submerged islands, Ron watched a bass eyeball his dropshot and thought it took a nibble and set the hook... he pulled the fish up but it was foul hooked... "doesn't count!" I told him! After about 2 hours there we called it a day. Lots of wildlife was out today. We saw cows, wild ***, and about 4 deer hanging out on the banks all morning. It was too dark to get pics of the deer and ***, but here's some cows if you can see them. Private Lake Report: I hit up the private lake for about 4 hours and did pretty well. I've been getting skunked there all summer, so it's nice that the bite has turned back on again. I'm working on sticking with baits longer, than throwing 5 casts then trying something else. Threw the lizard for a while and got this guy: Then switched out to a Skinny Dipper in "white trash" color for a bit and got the following: And this guy hit the skinny dipper too... dude put up a really good fight and I was sure it was my new personal best LMB until I got him to color... then I was bummed. Switched out to a Storm swimbait for a bit and got this guy before calling it a night: Moon was coming up between the mountains, weather was perfect... great night on the water... I needed it.

Definitely a lucky man. My wife wants nothing to do with fishing, I guess that's a good thing though, if she caught fish like your girls' fish... I'd have to find a different hobby.

Wow! I dont know what else to say....