Everytime i go out, they get bigger. I am enjoying this trend. The raft strikes again. Well, decided to hit a new public lake this morning up in northern VA. As always, the learning process took a while as always. The water was 47 degrees which was a huge surprise. It got up to 51 this afternoon but dropped to 47 where i caught this gal. I almost didn't hit this cove since i was gonna be the tenth boat (raft) in it. However, this gal new who her daddy was! She knew that she must wait for my arrival. At first i thought it was a big catfish until she jumped and went nuts. Since it was a slow day, i had a horrible hook set, so i gave the second hook set a few seconds later which luckily held strong. Everyone else i talked to got skunked given the temperature.

My rubber raft setup is pretty red neck. I miss fishin out of a bass boat. This gal was 23.25 inches. Long girl and pretty full

How can you miss fishing out of any boat when you land a fish like that from your inflatable?

After all, that's the name of the game.

My opinion is that fishing from your "raft" will make you a better fisherman, if for no other reason than you are forced to work an area more thoroughly, and to really focus on smaller patches of cover and structure, or as I refer to either, "transition bottom".

A boat is nothing more than a platform to get you to the fish.  Looks like your raft did its job.

But, you still had to put it in position to catch that fish.

way to go dude! I can't for the life of me figure out where you have been fishing!

Make sure to check in on the Southeast Section, we are trying to set up a trip for smallmouth in the next couple months.

way to go dude! I can't for the life of me figure out where you have been fishing!

Make sure to check in on the Southeast Section, we are trying to set up a trip for smallmouth in the next couple months.

Hah! I try to give hints here and there. Everyone has fished these lakes. I even provide a picture of each lake that i am gettin these gals at! So, it's a rubber raft, hand trolling motor (so can't handle too much wind or i will be thrown 100 feet in 3 seconds-which makes it a nightmare to cast while stearing-I cast 1/4th of the amount that i do from a normal boat), there not too big of lakes, and it's in northern VA and nowhere near as south as Lake Anna. So, you should be able to narrow some of the lakes that i am hittin. I don't have the leisure of fishing a private pond yet. I guess i haven't made those types of friends yet...

I'll keep trying to throw you hints. I hope your gettin into some bigguns yourself Dan

Oh, and to see just how ghetto my set up is, if you look at the raft, there is a hammer to the left of it holding the boat ashore. Yes, that is my anchor.

lol, a hammer is nice. I used to use an old piece of iron for my jon boat.

Haven't had any big ones yet this year. I think near 4 is the biggest so far.

As far as "making those types of friends"...coming out to fish with other members is definitely the best way to learn all the spots in the area...although you seem to be doing pretty well!

Great fish man. You are still catching them. That separates you from me right from the get go. And I have a boat. Looks like you are really gettin it dialed in. Congrats and keep it going.

Rand

Nice looking healthy hawg.

Thats a deff hogg man what lake was this fatty caught on?

Everytime i go out, they get bigger. I am enjoying this trend. The raft strikes again. Well, decided to hit a new public lake this morning up in northern VA. As always, the learning process took a while as always. The water was 47 degrees which was a huge surprise. It got up to 51 this afternoon but dropped to 47 where i caught this gal. I almost didn't hit this cove since i was gonna be the tenth boat (raft) in it. However, this gal new who her daddy was! She knew that she must wait for my arrival. At first i thought it was a big catfish until she jumped and went nuts. Since it was a slow day, i had a horrible hook set, so i gave the second hook set a few seconds later which luckily held strong. Everyone else i talked to got skunked given the temperature.

My rubber raft setup is pretty red neck. I miss fishin out of a bass boat. This gal was 23.25 inches. Long girl and pretty full

Nice looking fish!  What did you catch her on?

well done bro!!! that is a great looking chunk. I have no idea where that is...I'll show you the Potomac and you show me these lakes!

Wow that's a nice bass there.  Good job.

That's amazing! Nice fish!

Shimmy, SWEEEEET, nice work man.  I know exactly where that is............. you can see the ramp very close to that spot!!!  PM me if you would like.

Jon

Nice chunky bass

You're really hiding out what lakes you are fishing on simply because you caught a big fish there? Seriously?

You're really hiding out what lakes you are fishing on simply because you caught a big fish there? Seriously?

yeah, so? There aren't too many spots around here that don't get hammered with pressure. Lots of us keep specifics to ourselves and people we trust. Posting it on this forum makes it open to anyone with Google and the internet...people who aren't even members.

You're really hiding out what lakes you are fishing on simply because you caught a big fish there? Seriously?

yeah, so? There aren't too many spots around here that don't get hammered with pressure. Lots of us keep specifics to ourselves and people we trust. Posting it on this forum makes it open to anyone with Google and the internet...people who aren't even members.

Well said Dan, Dubb, i would share where i am catchin them, however, my problem is that unlike most with a boat, i can only hit less than a handful of lakes. Like Dan said, i just can't afford to have these crowded lakes any more crowded than they are cause i then have no other options fishing from this raft. However, just so you know, they are very public, and pressured, so just do things a little different than what your competition is doing on the lakes/ponds/private ponds you fish. This was caught in northern VA.

Ripnlips

Wicked man just wicked! She must have pulled that raft around, nice natural trolling motor! ;D

You're really hiding out what lakes you are fishing on simply because you caught a big fish there? Seriously?

yeah, so? There aren't too many spots around here that don't get hammered with pressure. Lots of us keep specifics to ourselves and people we trust. Posting it on this forum makes it open to anyone with Google and the internet...people who aren't even members.

Spring fest this weekend?

Very Nice.... Nothin' like "Tubin' a Biggun"

Big O

www.ragetail.com

You're really hiding out what lakes you are fishing on simply because you caught a big fish there? Seriously?

yeah, so? There aren't too many spots around here that don't get hammered with pressure. Lots of us keep specifics to ourselves and people we trust. Posting it on this forum makes it open to anyone with Google and the internet...people who aren't even members.

Spring fest this weekend?

you know it. 8,000 people rsvp'd to the facebook event. I'm going down on Friday.