Bob

If 6 lbs is it.... I JUST CAUGHT ONE!!!1!!! My first big freshwater fish! I had been fishing for about an hour, and some other guys came up about 75 yards away. From the bank, I noticed a concrete slab underwater, near some weeds, so I cast out just outside the weeds and started jigging... I felt something hit , so I set the hook and.... "THERE HE IS!!!" The fight was on! Bent the rod in half! Took about a minute to reel him in. I held the fish up to show the other guys that were fishing, released it, and walked over to them. When I told the guy that it had to be about 5 lbs, he said "that had to be at least 6 lbs from the looks of it..." YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!! ;D I caught a big fish (for me, anyway). Can you tell I'm happy? 8-)

Thanks.... I caught two more small ones today at the big lake, lip-hooked--so they were easy to release. I saw another guy fishing, and he told me that he saw someone catch a 10lb fish last week at that same lake--"Biggest freshwater fish I ever saw..." He said it was on a plastic worm, and the fish hit it almost as soon as it hit the water. I'm going back later...mwahahahahahahaha!!!!

I caught 2 baby largemouths today, using a Texas rigged Senko on a barb-less#4 hook (listen to me! That almost sounds like I know what the hell I'm talking about! I don't!) The first one swallowed the hook pretty good, and I didn't have any pliers with me (live and learn--I won't be without them again). I put the still-hooked fish back in the water, ran to my house and got some pliers, ran back, and unhooked the fish as carefully as I possibly could. It was so small, less than 1 lb. I guess, that it was hard to get the pliers in it's mouth, and the hook was also in some soft tissue, but I managed. I got the hook out, there didn't seem to be any bleeding, and I released the fish. About 5 minutes later I saw the fish, floating belly up. Dang. :-[ It was close enough to shore that I could reach it with my pole, so I poked it over, and it swam away. I didn't see it again, so I'm hoping that it revived. What's the chances of that? A few minutes later I caught another one about the same size (same one, maybe?), only this was hooked through the lip. Easy catch and release. So now I can tie a Palomar knot (thanks!) I know what a Texas rig is (thanks again!) and I sorta learned how not to release a fish. I'm still learning...I have a lot to learn (before I turn Pro, of course) Incidentally, how long will they live out of water, and what's the best way to release them? Are those spiny fins dangerous? Should I wear them down before I land them, or try to land them as quickly as possible, and then have to deal with unhooking a very lively fish? I guess it's good that I can practice on these little ones...for now.

After reading http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/bass_spawn.html , I switched over to a plastic bait and voila! I hooked a small fish, which promptly threw the hook. I walked around the lake to where I saw the spawning fish around it's nest(?), but it wouldn't take the bait. I went back to the first spot, dragged the plastic along the bottom, and hooked another small fish, which promptly swam away with my lure--the knot came out. (Note to self--learn how to tie a good knot). I hope it was able to spit the hook... :-[ After that, nothin'.... I'll be Bach!

I'm fishing in sandy bottom, man-made lakes in my development. The water is clear near the surface, but seems a little murky a few feet from shore. They're pretty small lakes, maybe about 3-10 acres. They're down pretty far now because of the drought (I'm in Florida)--I'm taking notes as to where all the drop-offs are and where it looks like there may be weed beds and such, so I'll know where they are when the water rises again. One of my neighbors saw me fishing last night, and started talking about the fish that the lakes are stocked with--bluegills, crappie, bass, tilapia, and catfish. He told me to go to the "big" 10-acre lake--he said there's a ton of bass in it, and it's an older lake, so they're probably bigger than any that might be in the smaller lake behind our homes. I was pretty stoked about that, so I went to the big lake and fished from about 7-9PM--it was dark when I stopped. No fish! I remain undaunted! The Rapalas are: Original Floating ( F05 G 'gold'), Husky Jerk (HJ08 BB no color, it just says "Baby Bass"), and an X-Rap XR08 G, which obviously is also gold. They're tied directly to the fishing line--no leader, sinker, or swivel. I removed the the tiny "key ring" they came with. I think the "nests" are being patrolled by smallmouth bass, judging from some of the pictures I've seen online. I'm pretty sure that's what I caught, too. Do spawning bass tend to eat less, or at a particular time of day? Would those be males or females that I'm seeing around the nests? Does it make a difference?

Not after dark, or before sun-up, but I'm going now! (6:46 PM dusk--later than when I caught the first couple of fish last week). Can anyone clue me in as to what kind of fish those are that are swimming near the shore? They almost look like they're swimming near underwater nests of some sort. I guess about 12-14" long, maybe a couple of pounds.... Thanks for the replies!

My brother in law gave me a fishing pole and a Pfluger reel (he knows someone). I asked my Mrs. to get me some line and some cheapo lures when she went to the flea market, and she did just that. I spooled the line as best I knew how, and I walked to the small lake out back behind my house.... I caught a fish! Then I caught another! I guess they were about a 1-1.5 lbs each. Yay for me!! 8-) I used a rubber lure that sorta looked like a frog when it spun through the water, 25 lb. test, and a 6'6" Ugly Stick. When the fish hit, I thought I had snagged something the bottom, until I saw the flash in the water and the I heard the drag engage. I just had to laugh...I couldn't believe I actually caught a fish! I don't know what kind of fish it was, but I think it was a bass! It's a good thing I'd seen some fishing shows on TV, otherwise I would have had a pretty hard time getting the hook out. Lucky for the fish, too-it went back into the lake alive, and it swam away. (I was only kiddin' about turning pro... ) The fact of the matter is, I'm basically clueless when it comes to catching freshwater fish. The last time I caught a freshwater fish was probably about 35 years ago--probably the last time I went freshwater fishing. (not like I do a lot of saltwater fishing, either) So anyway, I went out the next day. Couple bites, but I didn't catch anything. Long story short, I've been back at the lake almost every day, several hours each day, and I haven't caught any fish. Sometimes not even a bite. So I bought a new pole and some Rapala lures (Original Foating, X-rap, and a Husky Jerk--I've even learned how to tie a Rapala knot!), some Stren 10 lb. test line...back at it.... No fish... I've gone in the morning, mid afternoon, early evening... No fish... I went to the library and took about a book on freshwater fishing. I've even read some if it! : No fish! I switched baits, I tried all 3 Rapalas, the first rubber lure I caught the fish with.... No fish!! I can actually see fish...they're swimming near the shore. I don't think they're bass, though. They look like they have green-ish backs and there's some red in their tails...I've tried to get the lures as close to them as possible, but they're just not interested at all. I feel like the fish are laughing at me--"here comes that knucklehead trying to catch us again! HAHAHAHA!!!" I feel like my neighbors are laughing at me..."there goes that knucklehead trying to catch fish again...he's out there all the time, but he never catches any fish!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Well, not really, but you know what I mean...it's frustrating. I want to catch more fish! So, like, what am I doing wrong? Why is it that it so easy the first day, and now, it's like impossible to catch a fish? I don't know anyone nearby who can show me, and I need help, and I'm hoping that you people can help me. I'm looking at boats...I want to buy a house near a bigger lake so I can fish all day and night! I'm HOOKED!! So please, help me catch another fish! And another!! (Please tell me, what am I doing wrong? What am I doing right?) THEN maybe I can turn pro! ;D