My son, Big Al, and I worked as part of the ground crew at the NY BASS Chapter Federation's "Take a Soldier Fishing" day on Oneida Lake. Some may know, bass are off limits until mid May, when the walleye are done spawning, but you are allowed to target freshwater drum, panfish, and pickerel with soft plastics.

Al and I got to get out for a couple hours, and here's our big catch of the day, finally caught on a tube. We spotted this fish in some flooded timber - the lake is up about three feet from heavy rains, and much of the shoreline is flooded. Al thought it was a shopping bag floating in the shallows, but I saw that was a live. It was tailing in the shallows, stirring up worms and bugs, pigging out without a care in the world.

Al hooked for a few seconds, using a wacky jigged finesse worm, but lost it. I hooked four more times, on a 3" tube and the hook kept pulling free. Once I had him hooked really good, and the line broke, almost knocking me in the head, LOL. After about an hour of chasing him in Big Bay, we finally landed him.

13 lb. 12 oz. Freshwater Drum, by far my largest. Al was right there with the net. Without him, no way I boat this thing on 6# fluoro.

OMG, what a pig! 6 lb test would certainly crank the ticker up a few notches.

WTG JF! That must have been a real thrill to have your son there as well to see that.