Troy85

Bummer. It happens though, even sometimes when you do everything right, they still manage to flail themselves loose. At your you got to describe your day with "went fishing in the river today", my day was "sat at my desk at work today". So I'm not the only one who wakes up a little early to read BR forums before heading out to go fishing.

If you talking about BASS Opens then yes. James River starts tomorrow outta Richmond.

1. Catch a double digit bass 2. Catch a smallmouth. Planning a trip next year to hopefully accomplish this one.

I used to have the same exact problem, it had got to the point where I wouldn't even fish with a frog. Then I read an article a few years back that said when you reel down to set the hook on the frog, don't allow any slack in your line. Next time I went out I tried a frog again. I noticed that when I would drop the rod tip to set the hook, I would allow some slack. I corrected that problem and my hookup ratio is much much better now. Now I see the fish take it, I drop the rod tip, at the same time I'm keeping tension by reeling down, I try to time to it so the process takes about 2 seconds. That gives the fish time to get a good hold of the frog before setting the hook. As stated above, when you go to set the hook, let it rip. I tell people when fishing with a frog, to set the hook like you are trying to break the rod.

I almost never feel the traditional tap. Usually either you will notice you line moving sideways or feel pressure when you make your drag.

I'd say BASS, just for the chance the fish in the classic. I've never gotten into the FLW so I can't really say much about it.

I can definitely see that happening with lower end spinning reels. I wouldn't think it would be an issue with the higher end gear that pros are using.

Pulling line off the reel by hand while fighting a fish, instead of letting the built in drag system do its job. I mostly see the pros do this, I just don't get it. Maybe I'm missing something I dunno.

I have an 18' Xpress with the hyperlift hull, 115hp. I think its a great boat for the marsh, I fish everything from the Pearl River system down to Venice. Handles most marsh ponds and bays without an issue. Also, has pretty good hole shot for getting out of those shallower places.

My question is. When you have your weight pegged, how does the bobber stopper move 2-3' up the line when you set the hook?

I agree 100%. He seems very down to earth, one of my favorites to watch as well. I used to watch Flukemaster more, but lately he's gotten more into Kayak fishing so I've kinda lost interest. Nothing wrong with Kayak fishing, its just not my preference. As far as the googan squad, I never watched them. I tried to watch a couple videos, but it just wasn't my style.

Or they beat what little grass is left. Last time I was there they had a good bit of grass in the coves off Six Mile, but it was also loaded with boats. I think I counted something like 14 boats fishing that first cove on the right as you pull into six mile.

I used to have tons of different colors, but I found that I never used most of them. Now I carry 3 colors of soft plastics, watermelon with red flake, junebug and white.

I see you have made at least 4 purchases from tacklewarehouse that exeeded $50. ?

Yeah, I think they go by average tourney weights. Its similar fishing the tidal marshes of SE Louisiana as well . You can go out and catch 50+ bass on good days, but the weight just isn't there. You come back with anything over 4lb and chances are you will win big fish(I think the biggest I've ever seen weighed in at a tourney I fished was 5lb). If MLF does a top 100 lakes, the marsh I fish might make the cut.

I met a guide who sold brushpile waypoints for $500 a pop, mostly to guys who fish the bass opens.

https://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en#boating@11&key=u{xhE~sofO Check that out. It will Give you a better idea of whats going on under the water.

Its pretty hot down here, but I'll take it over the cold any day.

I was visiting family in South Carolina. My cousin took me to a pond, I wasn't really into bass fishing at this time, just inshore saltwater. I remember we had to carry his 12' Jon boat across a two lane highway, over the guard rail and down an embankment to get to the water. We had been catching a few fish, mostly on TX rigged worms. I was throwing a 7" blue Culprit worm. We came up on this small grassy point. As we got within casting distance, there was a spot on this grassy point that just spoke to me. My first throw to the spot I wanted was off target, so I reeled in quickly and threw back, 2nd cast was off again. So I threw back a third time, and it was spot on. I let the worm sink and I felt the slightest bump. It was so subtle, that I remember thinking to myself "was that a fish or bottom? I'll set the hook just to be safe". When I set it, it didn't move much, like the all the smaller ones we had caught. It took off to the left towards deeper water. I told my cousin it was a big one, I don't think he really believed me at first. I still remember when it first broke the surface, big ole black eyes and mouth wide open. We had forgot the net so my cousin told me he was going to "lip it". I remember telling him "IF YOU MISS THIS FISH I'M GOING TO THROW YOU OUTTA THIS BOAT!" He didn't miss, we got it in the boat. It weighed in at just over 9lbs. I've been hooked on bass fishing ever since. We hit that same spot on the way back and I hooked up with another nice fish. It jumped completely out of the water and threw the hook. We estimate that one was about 6-7lbs.

You weren't fishing from a bridge were you??!?!? When I was 3 or so, fishing from a bridge. My uncle snuck down under the bridge and very carefully hooked a dead speckled trout on my line that he had caught an hour or so earlier. I found out years later when I was looking at some photos and my dad said "hey, theres that dead fish that your uncle hooked on your line". ?

How much you looking to spend on the trolling motor? You can get a MinnKota 30lb thrust transom mount for about 100 bucks. https://www.cabelas.com/product/Minn-Kota-Endura-C-Transom-Mount-Trolling-Motor/1089570.uts?productVariantId=2803274&WT.tsrc=PPC&WT.mc_id=GoogleProductAds&WT.z_mc_id1=03109997&rid=20&ds_rl=1252079&ds_rl=1252079&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl_fDxpfz4gIVE73sCh2mpQ5kEAQYBSABEgIi1PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds The 30lb will work fine if its a calm day, but personally, I'd spend extra money and get something with more thrust, I saw a 55lb thrust transom mount at walmart for $220. Deep Cycle battery, I always use Interstate group 31. You could probably go with group 27 if you wanted to save a little money and weight(about 10lbs). For the livewell, they sell a kit for aerating a cooler. https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Metal-Super-12-volt-Aeration/dp/B0014454J8 Look under the reviews, some users posted pictures of how it looks in use.

These are some great stories. Nothing to crazy but I got a few. 1. Trolling down a grassy flat pitching a worm into holes in the grass. Come up to a small isolated tree stump, I look back to my brother and called the shot. I tell him, there has to be a fish next to this stump. I pitch my worm next to the log, and sure enough. There was a bass there, but instead of eating the worm like he should, the fish spooks and jumps about 3' out of the water. We both got a good laugh. Came back about an hour later, 2nd time he acted right and took the bait. 2. I was cat fishing a few years back. Only caught 1 that day but I didn't actually hook the fish. I hooked the eye of a hook that was already in the fishes mouth. 3. Fishing around a bunch of lay downs. I see this log, that just looks like it has to have a bass. It just looks perfect, how could a fish not be sitting there. On the log is a baby turtle out catching some sun. I make my pitch, as my lizard is in the air it spooks the turtle into the water. As soon as the the turtle makes contact with the surface, the largest topwater explosion I have ever seen, turtle just vanishes. My lizard lands in that same spot about a half second later...if only I had beat the turtle to that spot.

I tried going straight FC a couple years back, but I didn't like the line memory. I used a couple different brands, I think the Seaguar I used was the best, but it still had more memory than I liked. I ended up going back to braid, and using a FC leader when the water is clear. I only have 1 rod that still has Seaguar FC on it at the moment, and when its time to change that line out, I'll probably swap it back to braid as well.

Oh yeah. Just like you have those trips where it seems like you snag every piece of cover you throw near, regardless of how weedless your hook is.

I've never used 8lb, but I have used 832 in 15lb up to 50lb and I don't have any complaints.