IcatchDinks

Thanks! I definitely will give it a shot.

@MIbassyaker, thanks! I counted the dorsal spines but wasn't sure I was doing it right.

Thanks! I think the 2" is a little lighter than I would like. It's hard to get it to any sort of depth, but I think if I put larger hooks on it, it will give it just enough weight to give it the action I want, and help remedy the hook-up issues I mentioned. I was actually quite surprised at how effective it's been at getting strikes. I almost never use it.

I'm calling myself a 2. I carry two poles, but rather than a couple lures in my pocket, I have a backpack full of as much gear/tackle/bait/etc as I can stuff into it.

Went fishing before church this morning at the pond I've been frequenting the past couple days and finally hit paydirt. I knew this pond held some decent fish, and I think I finally got to them while they were active. A 2" Rapala floating minnow worked as a jerk bait did the trick. I landed four bass, losing two right at the bank. (I think the hooks on the little bait are a bit too small.) I also caught a little crappie, a nice surprise since I didn't know they were in that pond. The largest bass was 17" long, had another at 16". I didn't measure the other two.

Caught my first ever crappie. I think this is black crappie? I did not know this pond held crappie, so even though it's little, it was a fun surprise. I'm coming for your crown, @Team9nine

@ol'crickety I had to clip that single hook off the treble and force the sharp point all the way through my hand and pull it out that way. Got to avoid ripping out a chunk of myself on the barb that way. Definitely considering going all barbless after that experience. Not so fun. First time I've ever been hooked past the barb. I've been stabbed by hooks several times, but never that deep before.

Half way through my fishing trip. Heading to another spot. I went back to the spot where I lost a big one yesterday and caught a very mediocre fish. He also caught me... Gonna try one more pond for another hour or so and then head home. The picture of the bass is subpar because I had a treble hook in my hand. I snapped the photo and then flipped him into the water. I had more important things to deal with.

Caught a couple rock bass the other day while picnicing alongside the river with the wife and kid. Putting them here because @gimruis thinks they aren't worthy of the regular latest catch pics thread. (I guess I kinda agree.) Also caught a bluegill today.

Today was tough. Lost a very good fish three feet from shore on a jump. And spent two hours trying to entice two very nice bass to bite. One of them might have been a new PB, but I will never know. The two bass were busy hunting bluegill, chasing them into shallow water and then heading back to deeper water just beyond sight to wait for another opportunity. Regardless of what I threw at them (and I threw everything) they wouldn't bite. Had one of them following my bait, but as I pulled the bait past a bluegill, the bass hammered the real fish instead. I did manage to nab two little bass, and one bluegill. But other than the year's first substantial sunburn and some mild dehydration that's all I managed to catch.

This is what my wife says, and I don't like salt water fish. I've fed her pike, bluegill, and bass. And while she doesn't hate them, she's not a fan. That's ok cuz I hate cleaning fish.

Love your fishing reports! Looks like a lotta fun.

Came here to say this, but I'm glad you did, cuz I didn't have a cool video to share.

Do you actually own the pond? I don't recall if you said you own it, or if you own property on it. Even if you can't catch anything bigger than 18, that seems like an awesome fishery.

@gimruis I always thought that were kinda cute. They also change colors depending on what color their environment is, so that's cool. If I don't want to catch rock bass, I just size my baits up so that can't eat them.

That's some insane fishing! Absolutely wild.

That's what we always call em too. (I'm a couple hours north of @Jmurphy87) Pike will really eat anything, won't they?

Got up at six and was out wading the Chippewa by 6:45 this morning. Only managed two hookups in two hours. I was fishing a new stretch of the river this morning and was hoping for some better results. It looks like a place fish would like and it's very fishable. But what do I know: I'm not a fish. Lost my loon colored whopper plopper by accidentally casting over a branch I didn't realize was there and then getting it snagged trying to get it off. Saw lots of wildlife: birds, chipmunks, squirrels, turtles, and many many deer. Got to watch a mother doe and her fawn walk past me, not 20 feet from my location. But they moved on before I could get a good picture. The first fish was tiny, but at least he was a pretty color as an apology for his dink status: The second one came from the same spot and hit my Mepps #3 as I retrieved it past a partly submerged branch. The current just past that branch was quite strong, and once he got out into the current, I thought I had a monster. He fought hard for a long time and I was happy to play him for a bit. Maybe 14 or 15 inches long. I didn't measure him, but it's my largest smallie of the year so far. A better picture displaying his prettiness: Slow fishing, but a pleasant morning none the less.

Nope. Not clicking that link.

@Texas Flood I definitely agree with you about the pontooners. (No offense intended to anyone here who uses a pontoon. I don't want to fight. 😆)

This is so wonderful, @A-Jay! I'm so so happy for both of you. Thanks for sharing. Outstanding!

Spent an hour at the pond this morning from 6:45-7:45. Caught one little guy my third or fourth cast and zero action for the rest of that time. The good news is these bass seem to be healthier than they were last year, although we'll see how that goes as the year progresses. As I've mentioned before, this pond sees a ton of pressure.

Thanks, Mods! Y'all currate an incredible place for us all to bond over this super cool sport. BR is the best Internet forum thanks to you guys.

Me, reading this convo about weightless worms and how to fish them:

If those two tricks keep working, I say keep using them. That bass is stupid fat! What a chunk! And I feel the same nervousness about the big ones. I only got one pic of that nice pike I caught the other day because I wanted to make sure I got him back in the water ASAP. I didn't realize I'd only snapped one photo until I was going through photos of the trip later that day.