IcatchDinks

That sucks, bro. I'm sorry. I had a day like that last year. I'm sure my fish weren't near as big as yours were, but they all skunked me in a similar way, including one that at the time would have been a PB. I feel your pain. You'll get em next time. @ol'crickety, you definitely loose more fish, but you also land more fish. And you do it in very difficult waters to fish. My hook-up to landing ratio is so good because I don't fish major obstructions and difficult cover like you do. I remember not that long ago you mentioned you had an "average" day, and boated 40 fish. For most of us, that's a day we can only dream about.

Usually I go to the pond in the early morning before work, but decided to try my luck on the river today instead. Made it to the spot about 6 AM, and right away caught a fish. I didn't know I had a fish until I got my lure back in because he was so small. I thought I had just wrapped my line around one of the trebles or something. I then absolutely set the crap out of that lure on a submerged log and had to break off. 😭 So I switched to top water. Lost one right away, but then hooked another at the very end of about 100 yards of line downstream. I doubt it was actually that far down, but it was a long way off. Not a monster, but what with the fish using a pretty strong current to fight me, and having that much line out, it was the longest fight of my life. Poor fella was worn the heck out, but he seemed to revive pretty quick and splashed me as he swam off. After about 30 minutes of fruitless casting, I switched to a #5 Mepps Black Fury. Another absolutely tiny dink bit. I finished the morning with the Crush City Mayor on Owner's underspin hook. Missed two fish who seemed to have lazily swiped at it. Then I finally hooked into a really good one. A nice 16" smallmouth that leap as high as I've ever seen a fish jump. Twice. But EWGs hold really good, and I landed him with no problems.

While I completely agree with @MN Fisher, I'm also of the attitude that you make do with what you've got. I've definitely thrown super heavy baits on ultralight gear. And caught fish with it. It won't work quite as well, and will be harder to handle the fish and fish the bait, but it can be done. A 60 size WP on that tiny ultralight is definitely pushing the limits, though. 😅

Alas, I don't speak turtle. But I'm sure his wisdom was far beyond my feeble comprehension anyway. 😄 The final smallie from Sunday was big enough for me to consider it "not-a-dink." 14 or 15 inches. I didn't measure because I was trying to hurry my line back into the water to catch the bigger bass I saw with it.

A little snot rocket. He covered me in mud and bit my finger.

A little early morning fishing: I got to the pond at 5:30, but the fish have consistently waited until 6 to bite. And right on cue, I got my first bite at 6:05 and the second two casts later. Threw in the towel early an hour later. It was a chilly morning today, dipping into the high 50's. But still beautiful. Later this evening, from 7 to 8, I fished a little honey hole on the Chippewa River and caught two little smallies, and a pike who decided getting hooked once wasn't good enough, and came back to rehit the same lure he'd escaped from earlier. Pike photo in the Other Species thread. Also had an aged turtle impart his secret turtle wisdom to me. It's still a secret from me, otherwise I'd share it. He was probably telling me the secrets to world peace or something.

Caught a bunch of bycatch this past weekend, including my first ever walleye. ^^^There were about ten more of these things. I couldn't avoid them. I'll spare y'all pictures of the rest.

A few bass from this weekend: That last one was a real nice size, and I watched a massive smallie at least twice his size chase him in. Didn't manage to catch the monster, but I'll be back.

I've tried the bluegill thing and I fail everytime. I throw lures BECAUSE they're easy, and if I find a better, faster, more surefire way of catching bass, I'm switching to that method. Keep at em and when you're confronted by haters, just show em all the good bass you catch. Sounds like a sour grapes situation to me. Keep doing your thing, and enjoy it.

Share some pics in the bait making forums when your done? I'd love to see em.

Tried these out on the river this morning. They get bites, but every fish I hooked came off. I'm guessing this was due to the barbless hooks. Had five hits within an hour or so, hooked into three very nice fish (including what was either a solid pike or a legendary river smallie) and lost all of them on leaps or headshakes. Gonna replace all the trebles and try them again. It was either the hooks, or I just had a trash luck this morning.

Agreed. Including logs, submerged cover, grass, weeds, the river bottom, and rocks. 😆 I've never minded bye-catch, though. I'll be thrilled if a pike or some other fish wants to hammer my bait.

I've always been a fan of rebel lures, especially for their versatility in small creeks and rivers. I saw these at my local Meijer (large grocery store similar to Walmart, for those not familiar the Midwest). Can't wait to try these out. (I already know the Wee-Craw works wonders.)

too bad. I'm already taken. 😄

@ol'crickety it's the only bait that's getting consistent bites. Not even The Mayor is getting the job done consistently. My favorite soft plastic, a Texas-rigged stick bait, has been less than useless, and I can't even get bit on my go to hard bait: the Rebel Wee Craw. But that old number five just doesn't quit. 😎 An oldie, but a goodie.

Nabbed a couple more today. The Mepps #5 Black Fury is the most productive bait this week. Also, something ripped the tail off my Mepps. Felt a big thump, then nothing, and when I got my bait back, the tail was gone. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Happy birthday! Here's to many more!

What do ya think inspired me to buy them? 😄

Caught a couple bass this morning: I started out with the Mepps #5 and hooked into a good one, but lost it right at the bank. Two casts later, I hooked into an even larger bass @17" long. Ole boy put up a heckuva fight, but I managed to keep this one on. Caught one more before I had to go to work. This one came on the Crush City Mayor.

For 90 bucks, I should hope so! 😳

So glad you're feeling better, @ol'crickety! Beautiful fish! @bp_fowler, congrats on the new PB! So cool! 😎

Holy smokes, I totally missed that in that pdf the DNR gives you with your license. Super thanks for pointing that out.

Bouncing a dropshot rig through the current is my favorite way to fish it. My first fish of the year came on a river dropshot. It could be that secret sauce when the bite is tough.