Bazoo

I was technically fishing for bass, but I didn't get anything but brim. Bluegill with a side of garbage. Pulled this fat guy off a stump.

Went to the river with the boy about noon today. Got a couple nice fighers. I was so tired after dealing with this monster I didn't do much more fishing. Foul hooked him, and was able to land him on 10 pound line in a strong current. Proud of that, but wish it was an 8lb bass instead.

Thanks everyone for the advice. Here is the video I mentioned where Tyler fishes KVD's pond. This really made me think that a jig might be effective - ----------------- Thank you!

Yesterday I went fishing with a buddy that I haven't been fishing with in 15 years. We hit several spots, first was a local small reservoir. Fluke. Then my buddy took me to a local Wildlife Management Area that has a pond. I'd heard about it, but not been there. The pond is not very inviting, so that means a lot of anglers turn their noses up at it. I got a nice bass right off the bat on a fluke. I had to drag him across 10 feet of vegatation though. It's a long pond, and fed by a creek. I saw very little sign others fish it; 1 old bobber, and 1 empty chicken liver tub. Didn't get any more bass. Then he wanted to check out my river spot, so we headed down there. There was a walleye that I didn't get a picture of. Roostertail for this gar. ---------------- Today, I ran down to a private pond I have permission to fish. I caught it, but he netted it and unhooked it. My first jig fish, 4lb7oz. The same fish. Got dark on us. Bream are energetic.

I've fished jigs off and on for a few years, and never had so much as a nibble. Well, I watched a TylersReelFishing video where he fished KVD's pond and even though KVD said it was heavily fished, Tyler did well with a jig. Today, I fished Freeman Lake, partly with a jig. I didn't catch anything, but I had a bass come up and swipe at my jig as I was fixing to take it out of the water. Then I decided to go to the private pond I fish, which has very little pressure. I fished a bit with other things getting some smaller ones. Then I decided to try the jig which was still tied on. I made a few casts and moved down the bank. Then, in a spot I know holds fish, I cast the jig out, and I was hopping it off the bottom back to shore, when, about 8 feet from shore, thump! A strike unlike other lures, it was harder than other strikes. I set the hook with a right sweep, and I had a fish on. Almost immediately the fish started peeling drag. My 10 pound Trilene Big Game started coming off in a hurry. I played the fish briefly as it made a run for some cattails. Then I pulled it towards shore and slid it up on the bank. As soon as it got on the bank my line broke just above my knot. I grabbed the fish by the lip before he had a chance to backtrack. Not quite a tie with my PB (which is 4-11 currently) but a very solid 4lb7oz. Without further ado: I've been studying on jigs for a while, and have fished them a fair amount with no success. I did have one fish last year on a swim jig, but that's really a spinnerbait without the arm than the way I think of a jig. I had heard someone say that a jig is a big fish lure, and my first fish on a jig certainly attests to that. I have always wanted to learn, and master, jigs. I see so many people talk about how great they are, but having not had success with them up until now, I've just took it with a grain so salt. This fish cemented the desire to master the jig.

I want to find an app that will help me keep track of things. But I also do not want that app to share my information with others. I want to be able to have a map, either in the app or uploadable to the app so I can mark spots. I want to keep my notes. I want to be able to enter lures that work. I don't want/need: lure suggestions weather barometric pressure moon phases Whats everyone suggestions?

Went with a friend to a couple of spots today. The reservoir. Then we went to a WMA my buddy knew about. It has a very overgrown pond with very little evidence others fish it. Right off the bat I caught a decent bass. Then there was a good while with nothing; finished with a few crappie though. Then we decided to run down to the river spot I frequent so he could check it out. I love this Rapala Shad Rap! Caught a walleye but didn't get a picture. Got the gar on a roostertail.

I just checked out BassSniper (eng), that is some great content.

I used to drool over that catalog when I was a kid. The catalog now isn't nearly as complete, at least in the lure section.

I went back to the river this afternoon and got skunked. Funny how that works.

I didn't used to like it, but now I do. Rinsing your hands in the lake after each catch helps a lot. I just use dawn when I get home. Well, not real dawn since they turned traitor to their roots and changed their scent. I don't want to smell like flowers or hawaii or whatever for the rest of the day... so I switched to walmart brand and I'm happy enough.

I'm checking out all of the suggestions a little at a time. Checking out TylersReelFishing today. First impression is... not for me.

It's just starting to get ripe.

The nicest spinning reel I've owned, or used, is a Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier 2. I like it better than all my buddies reels including a Pfluger President. I've not messed with really high end stuff, but I am completely satisfied with the PQ2.

About the only time I backlash like that is when I catch something on my backcast. I will do a mild backlash when casting into the wind, but it's easily cleared. And of course, I occasionally get a couple of extra loops when casting, but normally I just raise my rod tip and they spool right off. I've noticed that if I align the winding guide with the line on the spool when casting, it helps to not have backlashes and just to cast smoother in general. In other words, if the guide is on the right side, and the line is coming off the spool on the left, I pull a bit of line off so that the guide and line are aligned.

Thanks everyone for sharing. It looks like a good knot to try with cold hands. I'll have to learn it.

Went down to the river this morning. I was targeting bass, and had a few bonus fish. Carp thrashed while I was trying to unhook him and he got my knuckle a bit. Also broke off one of the hooks prongs in his mouth. Not the best hooks maybe on the flicker shad. I was able to remove the piece. He weighed 6 pounds and some change. This is as far away from my target species that I normally like to get. This was a first for me. Got him in the white water on a fluke with with 1/8 weight. I also caught another gar that was hooked by the tail, which didn't get a picture. And I caught a walleye that come unbuttoned on a shallow rock right at shore. I could have dove on him and got him, but decided to let him have his dignity. I stopped by the shallow church pond on the way home and got a few, all on flukes. Nice and fat. Many people overlook this. Can anyone identify this? It has a very slight red tip on the ear. Body was more like a warmouth. I know there is a bunch of hybrids, and I expect this is one of them. --------------------- I had not thought of it like that, thank you for sharing. I have one crankbait that I always wonder about the previous owner. It's an old Rapala 6 Shad Rap. I found it hanging in a branch over the water, just out of reach from shore. I was able to snag it with my rod tip. It's a good one and I caught my PB on it. I always think of the previous owner was an old man that was sad when he lost his trusty Rapala. Here's a picture of the lure (I tied the hooks). Unfortunately, I didn't have the phone with me to get a picture of the PB it caught.

I think this is a uni knot, just tied in a different manner. If it's not a uni knot what is it? My apologies that it's a facebook video. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1616426465641896

I snagged a tree behind me earlier today. The Case XX made short work of it.

Last years best was 4lb7oz and was caught on an H20X Squarebill with the hooks tied. I lost the lure unfortunately. This year's best, and my current PB was a 4lb11oz on an old size 6 Shad Rap that I found hanging in a tree. I didn't get a picture of it as I didn't have the phone with me, but this picture shows the lure, which I still have.

I appreciate everyones insight. I actually had a slight dunk just a couple days ago. About half of my reel was in a puddle as I dealt with a fish. I took the side plate off and the spool out to check out how much water was in there. Not much, but a bit, and I blew it out and dried it with a hanky and got back to fishing.

Last night when we were at the river, the boy left his rod. We didn't notice until we were in town today and I was getting my rods rigged up to fish. When he said he'd left it at the river, I decided to run down there, even though it was almost 4:00 when we made it there. We had a prayer on the way that we'd find his rod. God blessed us that indeed his rod was still there. Someone else found it and gave it back to us, and I made a new friend. A guy that loves the river and the sport. We fished together a couple hours, then exchanged numbers. I got these while I was down there. This bass came out of the white water (the others came out of an eddy). I was reluctant to throw this shad rap in there, so I was being very careful with it. Snagged it up 2 times and had to go through some effort to recover. My new friends shoes was already wet, so he waded out for it once for me. I snagged a limb on my back cast. I had to employ the Case XX to get back into action. Thankfully I didn't lose too much line. I had just respooled a couple days prior too. I think this was the second trip for this combo/line. This was as awkward for him as it was for me.

Interesting discussion. I just got a pack at Walmart to try. My application will be the river. So we’ll see how they do.

I run my backer a little lower so I have enough mainline to deal with a couple of break offs. I use the uni to uni knot which is rather large, but I hear there are others that are smaller.

I caught this down to the river and I think it's a longear (L. megalotis). Very pretty, and put up a decent fight for such a little guy.