Today I had the experience of catching my first bass bank fishing at Walnut Creek Park near Charlottesville, VA. I have been fishing for a lot of my life, but mostly at the NJ shore for flounder. This week was spring break so I headed out to some of the local lakes to work on some techniques and hopefully catch some fish, but each trip yielded nothing.

My buddy drug me out to the lake today and we were fishing for about an hour. I kept snagging the bottom, which was a little frustrating, but kept at it. As I cranked in my next cast I felt a little something on the line and thought it might be the bottom again. I cranked some more, paying more attention to the line, and there it was again. Convinced it was a fish, I set the hook and reeled it in. Turned out to be a small, ~12 inch bass, but exciting none the less! Caught it on a Bomber chartreuse crankbait and old old rod of my grandfather's (you should see the mechanism of this thing). Unfortunately I didn't have a camera, but needless to say I will be headed back out again tomorrow.

Congratulations! There is nothing like the feel of that strike from a bass! It will defiently get you "hooked". Goodluck and good hooking!

Congrats, I am glad to hear you had a good time out on the water and that you caught your first cast. Watch out, bass fishing is highly addictive but it is also exremely rewarding as you realized today. Have fun out there on your future trips..

You still have not experienced what will hook you for life and turn you into a crazy addict....you first topwater bass - just wait - you will  be ruined!!  I know I was!

Since you mentioned stags and bank fishing - I will say this.  When I first started bass fishing 2 years ago - I started on fishing a small river in my area (the cahaba) and its snag city - that can really discourage you starting out.  My first two lures I learned to use and gained confidence in were a pop-r and a texas rigged worm - the worm is nice cause it is very difficult to snag mostly - if you fish it in heavy stuff peg the sinker....have fun