DitchPanda

Congrats man sounds like you needed some stress relief...working 100+ hours a week? No thanks dude...that's gross

Yep I hear ya bud...it sucks...but what can ya do. Its part of it.

That's never a good feeling man and we do what we can to try and turn them back with minimal damage...but unfortunately sometimes we kill em. Don't be to hard on yourself because it happens

Awful man...so sad. Very sorry you lost your buddy.

I'm gonna change my own tune now and take a different tact...maybe next time you see him say hey bud we got off on the wrong foot..I'm sorry if I came across like a di#$. May make a fishing friend out of the deal...May help him catch a few. Its more rewarding than you think.

So I hate to be this guy but let me see if I got this right...your fishing a spot successfully..guy rolls acrossed it in a yak...you say hey dude what are you doing? And he accuses you of being rude? Yeah screw that guy

I feel your pain bud..a few years back when covid first started raging I had a guy and his girlfriend stand literally back to back with me...I didn't handle it the best to say the least. But I was proud I didn't hurt anybody. 15 years ago the guy would have been sleeping face down in the gravel...not proud just facts. While I agree with the above mentioned 2 wrongs don't make a right I feel like sometimes people need some forced accountability for actions...just because the other guy shouldn't stoop to your level doesn't give you the right to ignore fishing ethics and be a dumb jackass. Lets me say also that you will probably get a broad range of answers o this quandary and nobody is wrong...unless they say shoot the guy. That's wrong.

Any suggestions? Looking to fill a niche

How is that bourbon cream?

Absolutely... If you don't analyze where you can improve how will you become more well rounded?

Siebert sniper BOSS finesse flip and mini ball

Around here nobody throws poppers anymore..well nobody besides me and my buddy Brian. Saw a guy throwing a plopper last summer to no avail...I told him in my local pond I have much better luck on a buzz bait or a 1\4oz Popper..he said he didn't own either. I agree with rapala floating minnows as well...I've got a couple for this spring...never seen anybody throw one. Another forgotten bait I throw? Mr twister phenom worms. Ive never seen one here in 20+ years bass fishing the same ponds...besides mine of course.

Oh wow..that's a giant around here. In 20+ years I've only caught 4 bass in the size range...of course our state record here is only 10lbs 12oz. Good luck man..ill be following your posts!

Small yum craw papi on small jigs...zoom ultra vibe speed craw on medium to regular size jigs...rage menace on swim jigs.

Can I ask what your bench mark is before your calling them big? Just curious...this year has been better so far for me or nice fish. I've only caught 6 bass since ice out but I've caught a 4.26 and a 5.43...a huge improvement over last year. Not really doing anything different.

Old forester 100 tonight to celebrate my first 5+ lb largemouth of the year. Hope to be doing this celebration often this year.

Well it got interesting later in the day. I ran back up to the small pond I caught a good one out of last weekend. I started by throwing a white double Colorado spinner bait and I got a 1.5lber on the first cast fishing the wind blown shore. About 10 minutes later I got a 1.25lber on the spinner bait about 20 yards down the bank from the 1st one. Then I went well over an hour throwing the spinner, a Texas rigged trick worm and a fire craw bladed jig with only one bite swing and miss to show for it. I was just about to pack it in when I noticed it was nice and calm in my favorite corner of the pond and I could see minnows and small pan fish swirling around on the surface. I went over there, took my weight of my T rig and started slowly fishing the unweighted trick worm. A cast or two in I had a fish bite, swim about a foot then spit the worm. At least I knew they would hit it so I kept slinging it. About ten casts later I felt a tick...this fish swam a few feet and I gave her the berries. See even came up and gave me a nice jump which is surprising in the cold water. I knew she was good size but like an idiot I swung her in to get her over the cat tails not realizing just how big. Threw her on the old scale and she was 5.43lbs...put a big smile on my face. Last year I only got 1 bass over 5 and that took until November so it feels really good to get one this early. Makes me hopeful for what's to come! Anyway I got her released quickly and in great shape. Turned out to be a good day after all.

No dice...fished about 2.5 hrs with a buddy ...no bites.

So we have had 4 warm days in a row finally...low to high 50s and the nighttime lows haven't been to bad. I tried my local lake twice with no luck but in hoping today is the day. Overcast With a high of 61 and a strong south wind should warm the north shore up pretty quick. Because of the wind I'm gonna throw straight power fishing stuff.... Spinnerbait, chatterbait and flipping tube. Will report back later today.

That's pretty cool...thanks for the link

I've ordered from them well over a dozen times as far back 5 or 6 years and I've never had a single issue.

Oh yeah...I've lived in Iowa for over 20 years so I've had my share of tick run ins. I usually find them before they latch on but on those rare occasions I use the match trick @Mobasser was talking about. Its my understanding that the little tiny deer ticks carry Lyme disease and they are the ones to really watch out for.

Nope...I think you should be fine.

Not in my experience.. Out of curiosity what rod are you planning to use?

Depending on rod manufacturers you'll get alot of different iterations of what medium power is supposed to feel like. For instance Abu Garcia rods tend to run heavy in most peoples minds...dobyns tend to run light...so an Abu medium feels maybe like a medium+ or a light medium heavy and a dobyns medhvy feels like and Abu medium. I throw swim jigs on an Abu veritas medium and have no issue driving the hook. If you want a little extra oomph use braid.