BrianMDTX

They can’t be. I haven’t caught a bass on a chatterbait yet. Including Jackhammers!

For me, it’s not risking them gaining control of my handgun. It’s more that I know your life will change once you pull your weapon out and fire it at someone. So if I feel a situation may escalate to where deadly force may be required, the intelligent course of action is to remove myself from those situations before they escalate to that stage. Having said that, carrying a handgun does give one the option to use deadly force if a situation escalates beyond one’s ability to either defuse it or retreat from it. I’m also too old and too slow!

A heater!

If anything, it makes me double down on ending confrontations politely or simply walking away.

I don’t think it’s a Palomine. All the pics I’ve seen seem to show a V-shaped metal lip, whereas this lure looks like it’s simply a gaping mouth carved into the body of the lure.

The only thing I’ve seen even close to that is a Nils Master Big Mouth. But I don’t think that one.

All I can think is that if the drag is set at maximum, maybe the handle enables more torque that could affect the line’s break strength, and a lower max drag compensates for that. But…I’m no Isaac Newton.

My confidence jerkbait is a Googan Squad Scout. It’s outfished every other jerkbait I’ve used.

Congrats. You have nowhere to go but up! Good thing you had your scale!

Congrats. Whatta day! That’s MAJOR stress relief right there!

Yesterday I was paddling my inflatable boat back to my recovery point. Just as I got there, a bank angler casted a spinnerbait about 98% across the pond. I halted and waited until he was about finished his retrieve, then asked him if could cross in front of him to get my boat out. He said “sure”. I guess it would have been interesting if he said “no”. But politeness and courtesy ruled the day. That day. These days, you’ll never know what goober you might cross paths with.

Yeah, I know. But I haven’t caught many 2+ lb. bass from this pond lately, so knowing I likely killed one really stinks.

That means it lost 0.04 lbs during the fight!

Tragic. Sorry for the loss of your friend.

I’m kinda upset. I have not killed a bass in a while but think I may have this morning. It started out crisp and cool with no breeze. I started with a Whopper Plopper (no bites) followed by a Megabass Vision jerkbait (no bites). Tried a Lucky Craft squarebill (no bites) and decided to try something different. Tied on a Jackhammer chatterbait (no bites). I wasn’t frustrated, just disappointed. I’m trying to avoid falling back on soft plastics, but with limited time, I tried a #196 Pumpkin /Black Green flake Senko wacky rig. Caught two dinks. Tried a #956 Senko Texas rig, as well as a Z-Craw worm in California 420 and a Fat IKA in Watermelon/Black and Gold flake (no bites). All these were rigged on a Gamakutsu 3/0 EWG. I tied on a Gamakutsu 3/0 round bend offset hook (which I rarely use) on my St. Croix Bass-X MLXF and a Daiwa Revros LT2000 with a Zoom Trick in Watermelon Seed. After two casts, I caught a dink. Tossed it a few more times and I thought I had a strike but wasn’t sure, so I reeled it in slowly. The line went tight then the bass ran with it. I set the hook and the fight was on. It jumped twice and I figured it was close to 2 lbs. (it was). When I boated it, I could see it was gut hooked. No biggie. I normally have no problems getting the hook out with no damage to the fish. But just as I got the hook free, it shook hard and the hook snagged a gill. It started bleeding pretty good. I got it back in the water as quickly as I could, and it swam off, but it swam on the surface about 25’-30’ before it submerged. I don’t think that’s a good sign. I hope it survives.

Welcome to BR. Is the bass fishing in the Potomac still good?

I just wish I had a ShamWow for my boat!

Wow. You just triggered a memory. When I was a lad in the 70s, I really wanted a Daiwa Minispin combo. Something about that tiny spinning reel on a UL rod with a pistol grip just shouted “cool”. Never got one and forgot all about them until I read this.

OMG, I never had one, but I was just thinking about that yesterday! My guess is that, yes, they caught fish. If it will cast a bait, it’ll catch fish. But how it would hold up against a 4-5 lb. bass is something to ponder. Great post! And for $3.00, what the heck! Give it a go! And clean your catch with a Ginsu!

Sorry you missed those big ‘uns, but it did sound like a fun trip!

I agree with this 100%. It’s way easier to slow down the retrieve on a spinning reel than to speed up.

Oh, you poor soul. You’re doomed. That’s how he gets his hooks in you. “I’m only buying baits for one rod”. Then soon it will be “Darn. I really like those baits but my rig isn’t…ok, one more rod and reel and that’s it!” Next thing you know…?

Try weightless TR’s. Zoom tricks, Senkos, Neko Machos, Fat IKA’s. Texpose them. They glide above the muck for the most part.

I had no idea the BM was so artistic! He gets his &@$# hands in everything! ?

The Bait Monkey approves of this behavior!