A couple weeks ago, I finaly made it down to Texas to fish with Big O! After a year of planning, we made it happen. I got to spend a week with a great friend, and we caught a couple fish, too. As most of you can imagine, fishing with Big O, is a blast, but also filled with endless learning, and rib-crunching hook sets! I think every day I was down there, I caught at least one bass bigger than my 9lb New Hampshire PB. We mostly fished with Tx rigged Recon Worms, and 1oz jigs with Rage Lobsters. Hot colors were the new Green Pumpkin purple/gold, and Falcon Lake Craw in both the Recon and Lobster. It was an amazing time, and I am already planning a return trip.

Oh man! Congrats to you. Now how do I get that one off my bucket list?

Jeff

Start planning now, and he might be able to get you out there early in 2015!

Some great fish. thanks for sharing, good stuff

Nice fish!!!

OMG!

Dream trip.

:jaw-drop:

Big fish. I've fished with a couple folks I've met through the 'net and that's cool too.

Looks and sounds like one heck of a great trip for sure. Love the boat too!!!!

Congrats on a great trip and several Trophy Bass ~ !

TX bass'n must be a whole lot different than fishing in The Granite State.

Hope fishing with Big O didn't end up spoiling you for life -

You may have to move now . . . . .

A-Jay

You lucky dog! Great fish. That would be such a blast to learn from the Big O. Even without sticking a few nice ones, i'd just keep the camera rolling and record everything he says. Just awesome.

Wow terrific fish!

Some good looking fish there. Congrats!

Congrats on the great bass!

Haha, you're right, A-Jay! Suddenly, catching 5's, 6's, 7's, and the occational 8 doesn't seem that exciting, when we were hunting for fish in the teens. We were dink dropping 7's and 8's, and changing spots if that's all we were catching. We did face some tough conditions that week, however, and very low water levels, so no flipping bite, but to witness how Big O breaks down water, and figures out fish, was the real treat of the trip. The guy is a fishing machine, and I'll be forever better after fishing with him.

Ps- also impressed with your Granite State reference!

Haha, you're right, A-Jay! Suddenly, catching 5's, 6's, 7's, and the occational 8 doesn't seem that exciting, when we were hunting for fish in the teens. We were dink dropping 7's and 8's, and changing spots if that's all we were catching. We did face some tough conditions that week, however, and very low water levels, so no flipping bite, but to witness how Big O breaks down water, and figures out fish, was the real treat of the trip. The guy is a fishing machine, and I'll be forever better after fishing with him.

Ps- also impressed with your Granite State reference!

OK - I'll fess up - I grew up in Mass and fished all over the Lakes Region growing up.

"Dink Dropping 7's & 8's" - Oh Man ~ you are Really HOSED ! ! !

Clearly Mr Parks has mad skills and hopefully you'll be able to apply quite a bit of your new knowledge to some of your home waters.

A-Jay

I had the pleasure of fishing with Big O on the Roadtrip in 2011. Here are a few things I noticed right away:

1. Big O has plenty of rod & reel combinations, but they are all the same!

2. I don't believe he actually owns a hard bait.

3. Some people think "color" is not very important, but Big O thinks it is and carries all Rage Tail

offers plus some experimental tones.

4. And speaking of "experimental", we got to fish a few prototypes, too. One was the Menance.

Well, Kent, you'll have that pleasure again at the upcoming roadtrip, because he told me he was planning on being there. And no, he doesn't have a single hard bait in the boat. Not like there would be room, because there is not less than 1000 packs worth (some are in bulk bags) of soft plastics in his boat. And yes, all his combos are the same (all 30 of em'), and I had no problem with his rods, but brought my own reels. If he reeled the same as me, I would have just used his reels, also. He is extremely forthcoming with his knowledge of the sport (which is unsurpassed), but he is also a very generous host, and a heck of a fun guy to hang out and fish with.

Kudos to both you & Steve. That is what it's all about.

That would be a dream trip! Congratulations on all the big uns.

It WAS a dream trip, and thanks!

Man... That trip looked and sounded AWESOME!!!! Bucket list scratcher for sure. Count your blessings my friend.

Shane, I think you've been spoiled. Gonna be pretty tough keeping satisfied fishing for LM in NH from now on, although I've seen you post some pretty impressive photos in the past, so I'm sure you'll deal with it. But fishing the Merrimack or wherever you go up there won't seem quite the same, huh?

Sounds like a great trip, thanks for sharing the photos.