WDE

Wound up getting a Lew’s Custom Speed Spool LH 7:1. Took it for a spin today and I’m pleased. I think I’ll still get my Tatula repaired.

First time I’ve been out in a long while. First fish(es) of 2020. Big bass went for 3.5, and I caught a gar on a crankbait again.

2 years old.

I’m just assuming it’s a bearing, I guess. It happened on a cast, and hasn’t been banged around or mistreated otherwise. Seemed like the most likely scenario.

I’m unsure which exact bearing blew, but it’s in the body of the reel. I can shake the reel and hear it rattling around inside. It’s difficult to crank, if that clears anything up. I’ve never had a bearing blow before. Frankly, I was a little apprehensive about doing it myself in fear of doing more harm than good. But if it’s as easy as it’s being alluded to, I might give it a shot.

It’s fixable—blown bearing; but the local guy wants $60 to fix and with Christmas right around the corner I might as well try to find a reasonable upgrade. I’ll get it fixed one of these days.

My Daiwa Tatula Type R is busted and I’m looking for suggestions in the $100-200 range. Magnetic brakes preferred. Should I just go with another Tatula, or do you guys have an opinion on something better/equally as good? I’m strictly bank fishing. Primarily pulling cranks.

I have now caught the same fish 3 times in a year. Turns out she’s pregnant. I’m astonished by her resilience. She hits like a 3lb every time.

I was out there yesterday and had the same results. Talked to another gentleman and he was striking out as well. The Wolf River runs right behind that area and has a tendency to run high enough to flood out those ponds during periods of heavy rains.

Anyone been out recently? This weather killed my drive, plus it’s busy season at work. Looking at past memories on Facebook, I was wading in Johnson Brush Pond this time last year. Completely missed the Fall bite this year.

Just a heads up, they’ll be stocking the front pond at Johnson Park in Collierville and Cameron Brown in Germantown with trout soon, if they haven’t already.

Finally had weather and work schedule cooperating together for me this morning. Caught 3 in about 90 minutes on two different bodies of water. I finally dropped in on a place I’ve driven by a million times off Poplar headed toward Piperton. I’ve always noticed a spillway/channel behind some office buildings, but never stopped by. Fished it a bit and came up on the pond that sources the spillover. I caught a dink in the channel and a healthy 2 pounder off the rocks by the drainage off the pond. No idea if this pond is named or what. Red: main pond Yellow: channel Blue: office parking(didn’t see any signs saying no parking) Footnote: Snakes are still hanging around despite this current weather. Saw about a 3-4 foot moccasin or brown water snake go up under the rocks when I created the hill to the main pond.

Where on Wolf River Blvd is that?

One on the bottom looks like it could’ve come from a bird, hard to tell without a closeup.

GoPro had just enough juice to turn on and get a pic...hence the lighting and awkward angle. Also standing in an ant hill. 3.5lb, t rigged junebug Dinger.

I’ve been whacking them at the neighborhood pond I was cleared to use. Couple hours in the morning a few days a week. Haven’t gotten anything of size lately though. Waiting for the Fall weather to roll in so I can spend a little more time out bouncing around ponds.

Numbers were good this morning. 7 in about 90 minutes on T rigged black/blue and junebug Dingers. I also managed to catch the same intriguing fish I caught 2.5 months ago! He appears to have grown a bit. Caught in the same general area. Left side: July, right side present day.

My Tatula blew a bearing earlier this year, just haven’t repaired it. My Pfluger President broke when someone piled their luggage on it?. However, I inherited an Okuma spinner that I’ve fallen in love with, so my heart is not completely broken. My $60 Abu Garcia Black Max with a busted thumb switch that I got 2 years ago is still doing work. I “need” 2 combos when I get out. But I prefer 3. Regardless, I’m sure it’s been said...this game is only expensive or inexpensive as you make it.

I think the general rules apply in that if it’s morning or evening...topwater should work. If you’re seeing them bust on shad midday, they will probably take just about anything. A school of shad lights my life. You can absolutely bet there’s a bass hanging around nearby.

Are they actually jumping out of the water? Or just busting on a school of shad or whatever baitfish? I’m more interested when they crash the bank. A well placed worm or crank will work more often than not(in my experience).

Black/blue Dinger wasn’t doing anything for me after about an hour. Threw on a green pumpkin Senko and caught 4 in about 15 minutes. Big one went 4.3, and was a lot of fun to bring in. As soon as I set the hook, he took off like a dart and started peeling off a little drag. Sidenote: my H20 Xpress 4/0 woes seem to be fixed. I don’t know if it was that particular hook, or I just have been setting the hook harder. (Knock on wood)

Medium, 12lb mono. I had at least 3 take the bait, set the hook(or so I thought), and they spit after a few seconds of running with it. One thing I did overlook is that perhaps my hook had dulled, even though it still looked and felt sharp. They weren’t small fish, so I don’t think they were just taking the worm. Just bizarre that I had no problems with the 4/0 Mustad and minimal with the 5/0 H20 previously(until I started hitting this particular pond frequently).

I recently swapped 5/0 H20 for Mustad 4/0(LTB freebie) due to missed hookups. Had success on the 4/0, so I decided to go with the H20 version...and today was just madness with losing fish.

Bit of a frustrating day. Hooked up on a few, but my hookset game was not strong or my luck was incredibly bad. Time to trade out the value H2O Xpress hooks and go with a new brand. Anyhow, I pulled in this 4lb. He seemed a bit oddly shaped...big shoulders(?).

I haven’t spent much time there to be honest; but Beaver Lake looks promising. I’m going to wait until the snake threat dies off to go stomping around the back side with the woods. It’s pretty big. There was a lot of moss/algae along the bottom, but it may have died off or calmed down by now. Patriot Lake is also pretty huge, without a kayak or some other boat, I’ll probably never try bank fishing there.