AggieBassin10

Hey anyone have any somewhat current reports on Gibbons Creek Reservoir (just outside of college station)? I'm looking to make a trip up there in the next week or so and any tips would be helpful. I've got most of the basics down for the lake: it's a power plant cooling lake, it has lots of vegetation and a good bit of flooded timber, and it has big bass potential. However, we all know each lake has its quirks and current trends so hopefully you guys can give me some tips. Thanks!

Thanks!

Ok so no one has really answered my question. I put $25,000 just to aim a little high because if I put my real value (under $20,000) I was worried I'd get the age old "if you spend a little more..." ? I'd rather not debate used v. new and honestly I don't care if I buy new or used as long as it's reasonably priced. So any suggestions on ALL bassboats under $25,00. Thanks guys ?

Anyone know any good places (websites or physical vendors) to buy a used bass boat for a reasonable price (preferably less than $25,000 can be aluminum or fiberglass)? I'm on the Southwest side of Houston (Richmond/Rosenberg area) if you have a request for physical vender. Thanks guys

I agree ☝? About a 3 pounder

Good ol' gators ? We had about a 4 footer swimming towards us the other day. In order to "distract him" my brother threw his brand spankin new spinnerbait in his direction. It distracted him alright. He rolled on it and CHOMP! Suddenly my brother was hooked up with a beast. The gator jumped clean out of the water when he realized he was hooked. We just cut the line. Hopefully he doesn't hold a grudge cause that was a good fishing spot ??

There's a park in Texas (Brazos Bend State Park if your familiar with the area) that is famous for its gators. They have signs posted everywhere to stay a safe distance and not feed etc. But every year someone's dog always gets chomped cause someone's let it run free or walked it too close to the water's edge. Those guys don't be give one darn about humans. If they want it, they'll get it.

I'm on the trailer hook train. Not for chatterbaits or frogs just for spinnerbaits and buzzbaits. That being said I fished a buzzbait this morning (with a trailer hook) and all three fish I caught had the main hook in 'em. I missed three more on the buzzbait... A little food for thought ?

Carp can be annoying but gators are a little on the freaky side ?

Speak of the devil guys. I hit up a pond early in the morning today and when I reached the waters edge there was one of those swamp dinos (about 6' long). He checked me and my brother out and then swam out to the middle of the pond. Didn't ruin the bite though. Caught 4 on buzzbaits right where he had been sitting ? We never saw him for the rest of the day

Agreed. Still makes me nervous though. Haven't had them ruin the fishing for me yet but I imagine it's only a matter of time

I can't stand it when people do that

I caught my new PB on a frog yesterday! No better way to catch a fish of any size much less your PB. She's no where near the biggest this forum has seen at only 5 lbs 3 oz (some of you guys catch these on the daily ?) but it's still exciting to break your PB. Casted my frog behind a little stick up in a grass pocket and she exploded on it!

I don't unless the pond or lake is in need of it. Sometimes you have too many smaller bass that the "let'em go, let'em grow" motto can't work. The fish simply can't expand their size or numbers cause there are too many small fish. In that case it's helpful to harvest fish in the 14"-16" range (if fishing public water with state wide limits) and 12"-14" range (if fishing privately waters with permission) this allows for the size and health of the bass population to increase. I only do this though if the body of water I am fishing is in bad shape

I love Costas with green mirror lense but those will break the bank...

First of all, fishing in a Jon boat is wayyyyyy different than a kayak. You can stand and fish pretty handily and that's 100% am andvatage. However (unless you want to spend close to 4 figures) most of your kayak fishing will be from a sitting position and that takes a lot of getting used to. Hook sets, casting, identifying cover become a little more tricky, but it can be REALLY rewarding. Secondly, unless you have the arms of a body builder, you're gonna struggle to paddle a 14 foot Jon boat with a long kayak paddle. Paddling a 12 foot kayak becomes a chore after a long day on the water. I would suggest getting oars or investing in a small outboard (around 4-10 hp depending on where you are fishing) or even a nice trolling motor. All three are solid options for small lakes and rivers. Hope this helps!

Don't focus so much on imitating bluegill. Other baits will work so feel free to experiment. I would also make sure that you are keying in on cover and structure

I fourth it ? I love fishing windblown banks when fishing, as I like to call them, "bland lakes" and while they have features that take time to learn, for the most part nothing sticks out. My go to from the start is to fish the windblown bank @scaleface said it best. The little fish get pushed up there and the bigger fish come to the buffet. I fish a lot of neighborhood ponds and they are the definition of bland lakes. But if you can figure out how to play them, they can produce great fish. Most, at least in the spring and summer, have a weed/grass line that extends about a foot or two off the bank. Bass love this. Nuff said. I'm a Texas angler and it can be 102 degrees outside with water temps in the 80s and there will still be fish sitting in less than 2 feet of water on this weedline. Look for gaps in the weeds or areas were they grow farther out because these are prime spots for bass to stage. Try and cast parallel to these (I love to use a small 3-5" swimbait when doing this) weeds and work it accepts the line. Usually the bass will shoot right out and smoke. If you can pair the windblown bank with a weedline (or other structure) your in hawg heaven! I used this combination I help me link up with a solid 4 pounder last weekend. Don't be discouraged by an inability to cast or muddy water. The fish are usually holding tight to the bank anyway and casting distance doesn't matter that much. Your pond will have features specific to it that can also help you locate and catch fish. You just have to find them. It may be a slightly steeper bank, a random gravel bed, a change from soft to hard bottom, or a sunken log you haven't found yet. Be very conscientious when you fish bodies of water like this. They can be some of the most difficult to figure out but they will make you a much more detail oriented and overall better fisherman

That will defintley work but don't worry too too much about going smaller on size. Even small bass will whack your normal (or at least my normal ?) 1/2-3/4 oz spinnerbait. But lighter spinnerbaits would be better for your kiddos set up.

Got to love me a weedless rigged 5" swimbait. Seems to get great production down here in Texas

I choose between the two based on the one I grab first ? Both seem to work well for me under the same conditions

Great job!

Agreed!

I'm not gonna say you have to use a leader. You can get the job done without one, but I usually use a 20 lb fluoro leader. Saves me some braid money when tying knots, and if you get REALLY hung up, you can break it off without wasting a lot of braid (tough to lose a bait but I hate spending 20 minutes trying to get unsnagged). I wouldn't do it if fishing heavy/thick grass though. You're just asking for a heartbreak with a big fish if you do that

I'm a saltwater convert too ? but I fished saltwater with baitcasters so l wasn't new to that game. I do a lot of 1 rod pond hoping and kayak fishing and I keep my setup spooled with 30 pound braid with about a 3 foot leader of 20 lb fluoro. It's very similar to the setup I used (and still use) for wading and kayaking for redfish and speckled trout. I'm still in the realm of newbie to bass fishing but I've had a lot of success with that setup and it's caught me a lot of fish with minimal breakups. The only time I would not recommend it is if fishing very heavy/thick grass, but that's topic that needs its own thread