Darth-Baiter

One of the best things about BResources is that I get to take a peek at all the wonderful fisheries we have in this country. One of the worst things about this forum is that I get to take a peek at all the wonderful fisheries we have in this country. I have spoken with my wife about the topic. I want to load up a vehicle with my gear and kayak and just head east. I can stare at the Pacific Ocean from some of my job sites, so I am about as far west as I can be in the Continental USA. Honestly, I think it is the U-turn in Florida that will break my heart. I will be a long way from home. I think my 2006 Toyota Tacoma can make the journey. A brand new Mercedes Sprinter van might be better, but no. Wife quits listening at that point. I should have done this before the gas price spike and while my truck was newer and had fewer miles. it would be so fun and exciting to plan a trip like that. Buying 3-5 day non-resident fishing tags along the way. I could dip a toe into an endless number of lakes, rivers, swamps(?). My wife said she would fly out to meet me a couple of times to hang eat dinner and to talk stories. I suppose she would target the funner cities for her. We drive about some, and I get her to the next airport down the road. Retirement is too far away in my timeline to do it then. I have plenty of vacation balance. I imagine 6-7 weeks could get me onto 10 great bodies of water. Sucks my interest lies east of Texas, or I would break the trip in half. Hit Caddo lake and motor east. dreaming here, I suppose. my truck is the wild card. it gets sucky MPG. sorry for my rambling. day dream over. Maybe if I do a youtube Vlog the entire time, the cost would be tax deductible?

I'm gonna need one of you to help me get on one of your local giant smallies one day. those things look fantastic.

I think its 80% diet, 20% exercise. trust me I have experimented enough to do the math. I am not that out of shape, but I am getting older and I'm just trying to slow the march of time. my last kayak outing was killer exercise. I did like 1000 deep knee squats. I was getting up and down from a very very low Hobie kayak seat position looking for fish in clear shallow water. my legs were gassed. just scooched forward, shifted my weight and stood up. repeatedly. a few of my younger fishing friends can't stand up from that position. loss of flexibility or something. they can't even poop from a squat. hehe.

Greg Blanchard just dropped a pretty funny quote about the topic. he just said, "there is no greater magnetic force that what's between my net and a treble hook" something like that. I did laugh out loud. I use a rubberized net and it does get caught up sometimes. for the most part I do what @Splurgh said above and really try to control the fish with the fishing line. it's like half net job, half controlled boat flip. game over if the fish thrashes. I am not above cutting a strand of net if need be. hurts less than having a 3 treble lure buried in my hand or body. I'm okay with slowing working the hook. after all, I need time to bask in the glory of catching a net worthy fish!!

I joke that I am built like a chicken. skinny legs, big body....

That shad looks badass behind a skirtless chatter bait. I can’t seem to find a bass that feels the same way.

those bass are flat out JUGS!! wow. they fight like a banshee at that size?

Hobie Tesla Crypto *

I live so close to TW. Terminal tackle comes at me in one day. It’s ridiculous. I assume rods are drop shipped and take just a bit more time.

Thanks. All of you!

I’ll spare you the gory details. But it involved wind gusts, an elevated boat dock, and me almost flipping in my kayak. I got out of the hairy situation but my Dobyns Sierra suffered a few bent rod-guides. I just bent them back out and literally caught a bass on the next cast. Are my guides doomed? I imagine another bend and they will pop off (work hardened). Just worry about it later? I’ll inspect closer later to make sure none of the inner surfaces got chipped. thoughts?

Ahhh. I should fire up the Google.

My doc said the same thing as WRB. Have water before coffee. I drink 32 oz on the drive to fishing. I’ll sip coffee on the kayak. I also bring an insulated water bladder. It’s easy to drink from the hose while kicking the pedals. At the end of day I have a thermos holding 48 oz of ice water for drive home.

I dont think I've seen smaller than a 10 foot fishing kayak.

I am not whining about rain..just it being on the weekend I took an extra day off. I wish it the skies dump..just on a Wednesday. and not everyone is praying for rain. this rain just shut down my huge construction job. this weather isn't typical for my area. my Contractor is bummed.

I love that Ross guy. I have yet to see him out on the water. I do wish he would START with the fishing report and then talk about all the other stuff. he used to give better intel. how deep the fish are, what bait..he just kinda gives a fish count the last few vids. I would see what he has about fishing and then quit the video. I dont need the stuff about tournaments, water levels, which ramps are closed, etc. I see a new kayak launch on Google Earth. not sure if it is a private ramp or not. I have seen it from the water. I might try it.. heck I am going tomorrow. took a sick day. a Monday sick day.

I went and retied all my leaders yesterday. I got my new snips. I took the recommendations above about the Cudas. They worked great. I’m going to buy another pair for my garage. Thanks. cliche alert! “ like butter”

I had to order up some basic stuff. opened the box and I thought it wasn't my box. there was a giant crank bait in there. looked at the invoice and everything else was what I ordered. this has never happened before. too bad it wasn't a Shimano MGL 150. hahah. I'll probably send it back after reaching out to them.. I am not a crank bait person for the most part, and I dont need the fishing karma. you?

welcome!! you all kept that bass? the bass that I witnessed getting caught was in Pena Blanca Lake. I was a young teen and I immediately thought, "oh, need to do that!"

all work-week long we had clear skies and hot weather. I think it was mid 90's all week. come weekend? cold, threatening rain. and WINDS. as a kayaker, wind really tempers my mood to fish. I'll get out this weekend for sure, but dang it if I won't need my rain jacket. I needed it last weekend as well! CLEARLAKE has 90% chance of rain. Great since they need it badly for that lake, but come on! what is wrong with a Wednesday rain storm when I am deeply buried in a WebEX meeting? I woke up this morning with a scratchy throat. I elected to stay home just in case I have something nefarious going on with respect to a virus. I did take Monday off. Windy Monday. I'll fish Monday.

No doubt. Some topwater bait

cool. I was thinking of another bait. this one has the bubble in the tail?

wait. did you just call me fat?

my fiskers like the ones shown above didn't get it done. it would fold the braid and then fray it to heck. granted mine are older and maybe dull. these are the clippers favored by trimmers. I had to do a TW order, so I added a pair of the Cuda 5". looking forward to it.

I bet weighted. that is a floating bait if I remember right.