Woke up at 4:45 this morning, and headed out to Lake Bowen Dam, up the road from my house in Spartanburg, SC. Been netting Blueback Herring and putting them under floats the past couple of weeks, and have been very successful. I'm only bragging today because I happened to get some pictures of my bigger fish this time, which will be added to the thread as soon as the pic taker gets off of work.  

 

Anyways, I walk down to the bottom of the dam, very rocky area with some deep pools here and there, and net about 4 herring throwing blind.  Catch 2 bass with those, averaging 2,2.5 lbs.  Short, but very fat fish.  By now the sun is about to start rising, making everything kinda blue, not yet seeing rays of shine.  So with some visibility I see a little flash right where the water starts pooling up coming off the dam, and make a throw.  Feels rather heavy, and I pull up about 20 herring and a pound size bass.  I suspect he was chasing the ball of herring up and down the length of the dam, and I just happened to be there when they were passing.  I throw him back and fish until 8 without needing anymore bait. 

 

In this area, from 5 until 8 is when the bite is strong, usually getting a strike within 2 minutes of casting.  They get aggressive and blow up the herring topwater bite style, and hold the bait for a while so you don't miss many hooksets.  I catch about 8 bass, none under 2 lbs.  After those I long cast towards the other side of the dam, and let the little jokers make the swim to the deep side, where I know bass stage up by a ledge for ambushes.  Soon as they get in the strike zone I see my herring darting fast, making leaps out of the water.  Expecting a big blow up, I start taking in slack line, and to my surprise it doesn't happen, and my shad dives down.  Almost as soon as he quit skirting the top, the float disappears, and I let the fish run for 2 seconds before I drive it home.  All said and done, I take the big bass to my friend Eric's bait shop across the street and have it weighed and picture taken before release.  A fat, deep bodied female scaling at 7lbs 13 oz.

 

My second cast after releasing the biggun wielded me another monster, weighing almost a full pound heavier at 8, 10.

 

Pics to be posted around 6pm today.

 

 

As promised, the two biggest...

 

 

That second fish is rediculous. Awesome!

Nice bass!!!!!

Nice fish! Did they whisper anything about catch and release?

They were released....

 

 

 

Woke up at 4:45 this morning, and headed out to Lake Bowen Dam, up the road from my house in Spartanburg, SC. Been netting Blueback Herring and putting them under floats the past couple of weeks, and have been very successful. I'm only bragging today because I happened to get some pictures of my bigger fish this time, which will be added to the thread as soon as the pic taker gets off of work.  

 

Anyways, I walk down to the bottom of the dam, very rocky area with some deep pools here and there, and net about 4 herring throwing blind.  Catch 2 bass with those, averaging 2,2.5 lbs.  Short, but very fat fish.  By now the sun is about to start rising, making everything kinda blue, not yet seeing rays of shine.  So with some visibility I see a little flash right where the water starts pooling up coming off the dam, and make a throw.  Feels rather heavy, and I pull up about 20 herring and a pound size bass.  I suspect he was chasing the ball of herring up and down the length of the dam, and I just happened to be there when they were passing.  I throw him back and fish until 8 without needing anymore bait. 

 

In this area, from 5 until 8 is when the bite is strong, usually getting a strike within 2 minutes of casting.  They get aggressive and blow up the herring topwater bite style, and hold the bait for a while so you don't miss many hooksets.  I catch about 8 bass, none under 2 lbs.  After those I long cast towards the other side of the dam, and let the little jokers make the swim to the deep side, where I know bass stage up by a ledge for ambushes.  Soon as they get in the strike zone I see my herring darting fast, making leaps out of the water.  Expecting a big blow up, I start taking in slack line, and to my surprise it doesn't happen, and my shad dives down.  Almost as soon as he quit skirting the top, the float disappears, and I let the fish run for 2 seconds before I drive it home.  All said and done, I take the big bass to my friend Eric's bait shop across the street and have it weighed and picture taken before release.  A fat, deep bodied female scaling at 7lbs 13 oz.

 

My second cast after releasing the biggun wielded me another monster, weighing almost a full pound heavier at 8, 10.

 

Pics to be posted around 6pm today.

 

I never keep bass, may keep a stringer of crappie if someone requests them.

Nice, I think I just heard them say thank you.

It's cool, I catch flak because of my pics at Eric's shack, but every fish in front of his shop were caught perhaps 50 yards away, he has riverfront property and across the street is parking for about 15 cars. When I catch a larger bass I like to give him a plug and take pics in front of his signs. He does good business selling snacks and drinks, worms, and minnows.

It's cool, I catch flak because of my pics at Eric's shack, but every fish in front of his shop were caught perhaps 50 yards away, he has riverfront property and across the street is parking for about 15 cars. When I catch a larger bass I like to give him a plug and take pics in front of his signs. He does good business selling snacks and drinks, worms, and minnows.

It's always a good practice to support the small business guy.  Good Job!