BrianMDTX

Never heard of Suwannee bass before. Yeah, per IGFA the WR is 3 lb 14 oz, so not big. They sound like scrappers though!

Wacky style is so different. Reel in the slack and they hook themselves. That’s probably 70% of my bass fishing right there. I really need to focus on really driving the hook home on TR set-ups. Probably setting it too early as well. Maybe I need to put a label on my rod “Set The Hook!” lol. I know bowhunters that put “Aim Low” on their sights to remind them.

Wow. You don’t hear much about those reels any more lol. I have one. To the best of my recollection, as I bought this as a teenager in the 70’s, I believe it is strictly a freshwater reel. Use it in saltwater at your own peril. You got it from your grandpa. I bought it NIB in maybe 1975. Nothing like a thread like this the day after Father’s Day to make one feel older than dirt lol.

I’ll give credit for sticking it out. Many would have called it a day. Punching is a foreign technique to me as well. I would have been stumped.

Garden fishing!

Not quite. See A Jay’s last post on that subject lol.

Yeah. I think that’s all on me. I really need to start driving those hooks home. At least the day wasn’t wasted. Went out after this afternoon’s thundershower and at least reeled in this guy.

Darn. I had my chance. I was catching dinks on Senko wackys and switched to a weightless TR Zoom trick worm. Line started peeling after it started sinking. I set the hook (more on that in a sec) and the rod bent. Started reeling it in, it jumped and there went the hook. It was about 20’ from shore and its mouth was huge. I’m sure it was 5 lbs or more. I have to start really setting Texas rigs hard. I think I’ve been finessing so much I’m not really driving the hook home. Shame. That was a nice bass.

I’m no expert, but except for one miss that was all on me (setting the hook), every catch has been when a bass takes the bait and runs off with it, while the other “misses” are small fish like bluegills that are likely hitting the worm but not running off with it. Are you missing fish fish when your slack line starts running out, or just when you feel small strikes but the line basically stays put?

Agreed. Over 4 lbs is a nice bass!

I was just at WM. I didn’t see no stinkin’ yellow stickers! But I wasn’t looking at rods lol. Sounds like a steal!

I have seen zero difference in hookups between O ring and non- O ring rigs. Major difference in longevity of the bait-especially with Senkos. I use Gamakatsu 1/0 octopus hooks. I do not set the hook at all. When my line starts running out after a bass picks it up, I simply raise the rod and reel in the slack until the line is tight and the rod bends and the hook is set. I missed a few trying to set the hook, but that’s on me, not the hook. Ive had some bluegills hit the bait after I start working it back, but it’s way more of a “tap-tap” than sucking it in and swimming off with it and stripping line. I get a lot of weeds and algae. If I do, I pull it off. I think weedless hooks on soft pick-ups cost fish. And if you are setting the hook like on a TR, stop. That will cost you fish for sure. Just reel in until tight and that hook will drive home.

I tried looking on their website but keep getting a msg that it may be a site impersonating Megabass. Anyone else get that?

You’re right! Just picked up a 3/16 oz Strike King KVD Lil Mr. Money spinnerbait in firetiger and a Strike King KVD sexy frog in leopard perch lol.

It’s like residential bowhunting. I love hunting in the mountains. Beautiful scenery, fresh air, the solitude. But hunting 2-4 acres parcels in the ‘burbs can produce some real hammer bucks. You have to deal with lawnmowers, kids on bikes, neighbors playing music, etc. Not great as far as the “visual hunting experience” is concerned. But you have a great chance at a real monster buck.

I’ll always take a 3 on an outing. It’s just not that long ago, a 3 would have had me thinking taxidermist lol. I have no clue what the biggest bass is in this pond. My PB came from here. I had no scale but it was 22”, so should be between 6-7 lbs. I’m thinking that’s probably the upper limit, but maybe not. I hope to find out!

I wouldn’t quite say it’s “boring”, but normally it seems like I’m good for one or two that size in a morning or evening of fishing. So in the not-so-distant past catching one that size may have been a goal, the bar has been raised. A great thing in my opinion!

That bass looks healthy. Nice coloring!

Good question, as I’d likely pick up a 1/2 lb of algae with the swivel lol. It looks good, though!

Ok, that seemed to make sense. Never used one before yesterday. Had one weightless with a Gamma 3/0 EWG. Tossed it out and it got slurped down a second after it hit the water. That’s a good sign!

I’m sure I’m right, but I’ll ask. When rigging, should the barb end be on the flat side of the worm?

St. Croix was an island. Loomis was in Halloween with Michael Myers. Dobyns. Wasn’t that the elf in Harry Potter? Almost everything is a new idea lol.

Nah. That’d be work!

THAT is one area where this site has helped a lot. I’ve learned so much in a short time. When I basically left fishing behind in the early-mid 80s, no one I knew spooled braid (unless it was a kid or a geezer handlining carp with Dacron lol), and FC? Wha-a-a? Wacky style, drop shot, Ned rigs...never heard of them until recently. A lot has changed. Punching? Flipping? Madness! I’m hopeful my “new” gear is up to the task. For now it’s basically fishing in ponds. No heavy weeds (just muck on the bottom), so my baitcaster currently is spooled with 12 lb. YZH on a Fenwick HMX 70M-FC rod. It’s a Garcia Black Max, which I know is entry grade, but as my other baitcaster is a Daiwa Millionaire 3H from the mid-70s, I figured I’d start back slow. The finesse rig is a Daiwa Revros LT2500 with 20# Sufix 832 and a 8# YZH leader on a Fenwick HMX 66M-FS rod. Nothing top of the line, but hopefully serviceable for now.

See? Two months ago you and I would have been two peas in a pod. I’d have killed for a 3 lb’er. But lately I guess I’ve been on a roll fishing waters where a 2-3 lb. bass is like the norm. I’m breathing rarefied air!