Junger

No, he took it home and was filet'ing it tonight. I've had it before, and it's a super dense fish. If I made nuggets out of them and fed it to my kids, I bet they would think it was chicken.

My buddy was visiting us from out of town for the weekend. Weather reports varied as Accuweather had rain/showers starting at 6AM throughout the whole morning, and WeatherUnderground had light rain starting at 9AM. Well, we took the risk and got to the ramp at 5:30AM and were fishing by sunrise. Cloudy, about 4mph winds, with a couple gusts here and there. It was picture perfect with lowtide at 7:45AM. But suprisingly, the fish weren't cooperating much. I was throwing a chatterbait and my friend was throwing the pompadour. We started along the left grass edge before the bike trail wall, and we had one hit on topwater. Two weeks ago I had 8 LMB under similar conditions along that wall...difference was about 6 degree water temp drop down to 72. Then we motored past the wall to the timber side. Past the first beaver hut, I threw the chatterbait and immediately felt resistance and saw the gold flash, snakehead on. My friend wanted to cook up snakehead bites so we harvested it. I let my friend throw the chatterbait, figuring that they weren't that interested in topwater, so I put on the Spro Rat to get my topwater fix. I threw it over a sunken log and paused it and it got smashed. This was probably a 2+lb'er, but it had a treble hooked into the gill, not a lot of blood but I wanted to get her back into the water ASAP. I switched up to a paddletail underspin as the wind picked up, and in a narrower stretch of the creek, I felt a bump, then a tug...thought I had another snakehead but it was this little guy.... The rain started to pick up at 10AM, so we decided to head back in. It was a fun, trip and I'm glad we took the chance and went out because it was a nice window before 10AM.

If you like palming a Shimano, isn’t the alderberan the best option?

You're right, I checked my order history from last year and it was 15% off!

Next sale should be July 4th, and a good one with 20% off. Load up that wishlist!

Which one do you enjoy and fish the most? That's where I'd spend my money.

Alphas CT 70 would go perfectly with it! I have an Alphas SV105 on it, and I can cast a 3/8oz and paddletail a mile with it, or senko, and then throw on a 1/8 trout spinner and throw it a decent distance. That rod (rated 1/8oz-1oz) and an SV reel is so versatile.

How was the water? I went to Widewater and the water level was actually down about 2 feet from the already low level. Those wood pallets that are usually fishy spots were totally exposed. I got there around 6:30PM and the skies really opened up at 6:45PM. So I sat on one of the benches under some trees, lit a cigar and waited it out. My wife called and asked if I was OK...apparently, we had baseball size hail in our neighborhood, which was about 2 miles away. Rain stopped and it was a picture perfect evening by 7:15PM. I tied on the Pompadour Jr and proceeded to walk the towpath. The first one really smashed the lure as it walked over a laydown. First LMB I got to hit the Pompadour while moving, good to know that the noise and action doesn't put them off. Caught 1 more, but lost 2 trying to flip them up the embankment as they shook off. It was a picturesque evening, and I pretty much had the whole trail to myself because of the rain showers.

Tatula Elite M/MH AGS imo, it's my favorite rod that does 90% of everything I throw.

Pre-spawn: war eagle finesse spinner bait - chartreuse/white Post-spawn: Pompadour Jr - Gill Bone

The canal sections closer to DC? My dad wanted to fish for snakehead, so we went out Memorial Day morning. The plan was to get there early and leave before the holiday boaters arrived, so we got to the dock at 6AM, just past sunrise and were off. Lowtide was at 8:30AM, so my plan was to fish topwaters and the first stop was along the grass line before the bike wall. This was the section my dad got his snakehead last year. I was throwing my new favorite lure, the Pompadour Jr. It was cloudy with just a hair of wind, so it seemed perfect for me...and indeed it was. I caught 8 LMB, which all seemed like carbon copies of each other at just around 2lbs, and a nice 4.8lb snakehead. I kept this one for the grill for our afternoon festivities. The clouds went away and it was full sun at 8AM and then the wind picked up a little too, and the bite really died. I got one more small LMB on the Pompadour Jr, and then we tried bladed jigs, and spinnerbaits along the section with timber where we had success the last couple times. No bites and around 10AM, more boats and yakers started showing up so we headed back in.

My wife and I had our anniversary trip in Hilton Head and Savannah for a few days. My wife's gift to me this year was a fishing trip on the SC/GA intercoastal waterway. My hope was to get a bull red and some specs to take to a local restaurant to clean and cook for lunch. I booked the trip with Jack McGowan (Coastal River Charters). Jack was a great guide, when we first chatted, I told him my goals and also wanted to try some topwater lures for trout. We got out at 6AM, just at sunrise a couple hours before a tide change, and before the Memorial Day boaters would arrive. It was a great plan, 15 minutes into our first spot, I hooked into a red on a 1/8oz bass assassin jig. She pulled hard on a light action spinning outfit, I liked using Jack's lighter setups to feel more in contact with the lure. Got her up and she was 25", not the bull red on my bucket list....yet. We saw more baitfish being pushed along the bank, and toss my jig a few times but nothing. Then I tossed it toward a small rock outcrop and fish on. Another 25" fish, my fore-arm was getting tight from fighting two good ones in about 15 minutes! As the sun came up, the wind picked up a little the jig bite died and we decided to change tactics. We moved toward a stretch that had some pilings and laydowns. We baitfish moving on the bank, and a lot of wakes, so I tried a topwater spook...it looked so perfect, but all the spook did was well....spook the fish. Jack then hands me a rod with a 1/8oz jig tipped with a large mud minnow. I throw it off the timber so I wouldn't get snagged, and a couple hops later I was on. I was worried she would she would run into the timber and would get stuck but she ran toward the boat, I didn't think she was big until she saw us and started to dive. Got her in the boat and she measured 28.5", got the bull red off my bucket list! Picked up another one, but she inhaled the minnow so we cut the jig and got her back into the water. After getting my fill of reds (and a tight fore-arm), we switched up to targetting specs. We went toward a sunken rock wall and started pitching some Vudu shrimp. Well that didn't work out and I got another red... We got a couple small flounder, and croaker, and decided to make one last move. We headed toward a small inlet protected by sand bar with a drop off. The tide was coming in, and was starting to wash over the sand bar, it was a great looking spot for some specs. This time we put the mud minnows on some popping corks and let them drift down the sand bar drop off. It was so fun to watch the bobber drift slowly down then suddenly go under. I got on and I see the bobber go for the sand bar...and then I got broke off. It must have hit some oyster shells because the line was a clean cut and not at the knot. Then we watched the bobber float away into the inlet. Capt. Jack puts on another on the rig and a few minutes later...same deal, except this time I'm hauling it in away from the sand bar. A smaller one at 23", and the last of the day, as it was getting hot (high of 97!) and the boaters were now starting to get on the water. We saw zero boats from 6AM-8AM, then it seemed like they all got on the water at 10AM after their breakfast. On the way back in, I lighted the stogie and enjoyed the scenery. I saw some smarty pants dolphins corralling fish into a small nook off the river, and a shrimp boat doing it's thing in the middle of the channel. This will be a trip I don't forget, and I can't wait to get back down there to fish it again.

I just visited Savannah this weekend and did a trip on the ICW...oh man, what a great fishery, those reds fight like mack trucks...my arm is still sore. LMB are fun, but with that kind of access to the ICW I'd be fishing it all the time too.

I have an AGS elite, and it’s my favorite rod.

Yeah, bobber stop -> 10mm round bead -> 10mm tri-bead -> hook. The big round bead helps deflect stems of spatterdock/grass. Point your rod tip at the lure, and reel in straight.

I have 2 Curado DC's, and I have thrown them a lot. Fortunately, I haven't had this issue. I'm using 50lb Power Pro on them.

When bank fishing, sometimes a tree branch comes out of nowhere and whacks your rod as you cast! Out of nowhere I tell you!

I carry a spare reel in a neoprene cover when I bank fish.

Time is a valuable commodity for me, so if it's a big body of water, and I want a reasonable shot to get on fish, I'll hire a guide rather than try my own luck and potentially waste lots of time at low chance spots/wrong lures.

The caveat to using that code is that, AND use the CLUB Card. Just to recap: * @Fishingchucknj says there's 10% off today at BPS using a code. * I go looking for this code on BPS' website, however the website says it's 10% off using a code and Club Card. * I posted in this thread that there's a caveat (based on the website flyer) that says that the code AND CLUB Card must be used. * @dgkasper58 replies and states that BPS sent a mailer with a different code from their website that does not have the same requirement to use the CLUB Card, and he will post it later when he gets home * Trick Question? 19CLUB514 code clearly states that a CLUB Card (BPS branded Mastercard) must be used to get the 10% off.

What's the code? I'm just going based on their website:

Just FYI - You have to use your BPS/Cabela's Club Card (Mastercard).

Very good rod, but I like the Daiwa Tatula 7' M/MH AGS a little better. It can throw a 1/8oz + TRD with a SV spool fairly easily and also handle the heavier range lures.

Unfortunately I'm out of town that weekend for my anniversary. Weekends in the summer get tough because of swim meets for my boys, the beach and vacations, and other stuff that most of my free time is last minute. If people decide to get together though, I'll do my best to make it, but I can't 100% commit to anything. Also @microotter and I got out today at Widewater. It was a really nice morning with cool air in the low 60's with cloud and some wind. I had got there at 6AM to try some topwater, and threw a buzzbait from the towpath road at the overflow structure to the bridge with no success. I saw a good size fish meander away from a spot I had thrown the buzzbait too, so it's not quite right for topwater there yet. Backtracked to the overflow structure to meet up with microoter at 7AM and we beat the banks with a variety of lures. He had one small one come off past the first bridge on a jig and craw. We kept going and there were lots of fishy spots, but I had to get to my sons soccer game at 11:30A so kind of rushed past a few spots and hit ones that I thought had produced better. Eventually we made it across to Berma road, and hit the wood laydowns. One spot, microoter had thrown a jig with no luck and I followed up with an underspin and got a bite, but it jumped in the air and spit the hook, good size fish. I inspected my lure and the hook never popped...bummer. The next laydown microoter put on a spinnerbait and immediately threw to the next laydown and hooked up with a nice 2+lber. A few casts later and I had to go, but I think the bite woulda gotten better with the wind and clouds coming. Fun day with great conditions, but not the best results, but I think it'll get better as more fish go post spawn and start into their summer pattern.

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