bighed

Some of y'all met my son Chad at the Bassmaster Classic dinners or at the road trip this year. Anyway, just got the news that he's been appointed to be the Texas BASS Nation youth director! I'm a proud dad!

Yup, quoting Top Gun, a "target rich environment" makes a big difference!

From my experience there are a couple "times" during the day when the bit seems to turn on. Not that you can't catch fish all day but a morning and mid day bite that noticably increases. I think they would follow the Prime times lunar info. Also night fishing on a new moon is much better than a full moon although that has to do with the ability of the fish to hunt it's pray rather than gravitational influences. That said, I get out every chance I get regardless of lunar influences. Just my humble two cents worth.

I've fished the vanish too and didn't care for it but never had line snapping problems. Is it possible that since you are new to the baitcaster, that you are getting "loops" in the line like minor backlashes? Places where the line is not tight to the spool? That loop will be rubbed at high speed and can melt and break your line as you are casting. It happens to me when I'm in too much of a hurry to stop and fully pick out the backlash and only takes a couple casts before it will break.

Good times!!!

Caught a bass on the road trip from Pickwick with one on it and many fish that had the marks from them.

Welcome to the area. You'll find that there are some really good lakes in every direction from here. Ray Roberts, Fork, Texoma, etc. The down side is that there is very little public land in TX so shore fishing can be a challenge. There are however, plenty of small ponds that are also very good in the area. Once you land at your new home, take a look at goggle earth and hunt for those ponds close to home. Drive by them and see if they are public and if they are, make some casts. Welcome and good luck!

I guess you are saying that the birds are taking a toll on your lakes. In my area we catch many fish with the tell tale V marks on each side of them that escaped being eaten. I see flocks of water turkeys (cormorants) that number in the hundreds at times. We still catch plenty shallow or deep but I often wonder just how much of an impact the birds are. I understand they are protected but don't know why???

I'm a junker. My panic baits are on the rods and strapped to the deck all day

Tomorrow I will fish as a non boater in a club draw tourney after fishing from the front deck of my own boat for the last 25 years. I'm doing this because I see my skills have become stagnant and I want to keep growing as an angler. Anybody else ever try something like this?

Toads!!!

Yep, the lake is hard on boats!

You are missing the big Legend tourney this weekend! Let me know if I can be of any assistance with your trip!

Here's a pop r fish Chad caught. I was looking right at the bait when she smoked it! Note the red clay banks in both the pictures. It seems the shad like to spawn on these.

No, that was a shakey head fish. 3/16 oz spot remover with a 7" Aaron's magic roboworm. The fish are up on these clay banks waiting for schools of spawning shad to come by.

Like Alpster, I don't want a roadtrip to my backyard. Not much to learn that way. Despite gas prices, I'd drive anywhere I can get in a days time, maybe a little farther. Stick Marsh and Erie are on my short list but too far as is Smith Mountain. I think the Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennesse lakes are about right in that they have the warm weather and are central to most members. Perhaps Arkansas or Missouri would work as well. I have to say, the accomodations at pickwick were better than anything I have experienced in my own state. We found the place to be beautiful, friendly, and inexpensive.

No, didn't take the time. It was a typical fork slot fish. Short, fat, and bad attitude. A fair guess would be about 5 pounds.

Had a nice little bite this morning. Overcast and windy, water temps in upper 60's. caught them shallow off clay banks using pop-r's, swimbaits, and shakey heads.

Sorry, warm water does not kill the fishing. I've had many 100 plus fish days on Falcon during the summer where surface temps are mid 90's and air temps are over 100 by 9 AM

Wow! Crazy! What was the location of that weather? We left Saturday afternoon and about 4:00 crossed the Mississippi. We were on an elevated portion of I-55 just west of the river and passed under a funnel cloud. I really had doubts we were going to make it but there was no place to take cover. The wind was intense, my ears were popping like crazy and the boat and truck were blowing all over the place. Just passed the funnel hail hit us for a mile or so then heavy rain. Hope y'all didn't get much damage!

Interesting comment from Gene there. When the wind layed Saturday we had just a few hours to fish. Ran hump to hump down by the dam and saw on the HDS that there were fish right on the bottom. Not having any experience at fishing in a current and not seeing the balls of bait I associate with offshore fish, we passed them by. Now I wish i had stopped and drug a C rig thru them to see what would have happen. Best part of the roadtrip for me was learning something new!!

Bucket list fishery for sure! Congrats on the BEAST smallies!!

Chad and I are headed back to Dallas and I wanted to thank Glenn, Kerri, Long Mike, Alpster, and RW for all the effort they put in for us! Big O, thanks for the presentation on a cold rainy night and all the Rage products you shared with us! I also wanted to thank the whole BR road trip crew for an awesome good time and memories!! To those that couldn't make it, the catching was non stop and the camaraderie was excellent!

East bound and down....sing it Jerry!!

Muddy, have not thought of him in a while! Remember the mooks?