Awful night, lackluster morning.

No pics to share on this one. I have hit a big time slump. The fish just are not biting. I guess it's time to change up tactics for the fall fish.

Last night was horrible. My legs would not stop moving, and I couldn't get comfortable. I didn't sleep at all. Pretty soon I'll hit the 24 hour mark, and at my age, that just isn't as fun as it used to be.

Around 6a.m. I gave up and decided to go fishing. I tried two different lakes, both with zero strikes. I did however manage to get a few brim with berkley gulp worms, but they were tiny, and hardly a challenge to catch.

The Gators play Bama tonight. It will be a tough one, but I think we can pull it out. We have upset plenty of favorites before. I hope I will be able to stay awake for some of it.

Another first.

I took my first fish on a roostertail last night. It was just a baby brim, but it was still pretty cool.

New rig and more...

3.3Lbs

Down the hatch!

15oz

Just 1oz short!

He swallowed the jig!!!

First bass on a shakyhead fluke!

I've been looking for a worming/ soft plastics rig for over a month, and now, thanks to Carla I have one. I was my B-Day present from her, but she let me pick it out. I got a Pflueger Criterion baitcaster, and a medium heavy 6' Berkley Cherrywood rod. I really like this combo. It's very sensitive, and very accurate.

I actually got a different rod yesterday, and tried it out, but I didn't care for it, so I returned it and picked out the Cherrywood today. It was a Tournament Pro rod. The house band at Academt Sports. On that one I pulled in a 3.3Lb bass on a shakyhead worm. Not bad, and it handled it very well. I just didn't like the length of the handle, and one of the eyes was slightly off center, though this did not seem to effect my casting. Also, it was a 6'6" rod, and that was just a bit long for my taste. The Cherrywood is a 6' rod, and I like that better. It's only four inches longer than my ugly stik. It also seems to be stiffer and more sensitive than the Tourney Pro.

Today I bought in three bass with the Cherrywood, though I tossed the first one back before snapping a picture. I regret that. You can see the bass above.

An interesting session.

Buzzers rule!

Hooked in the head :(

First fish on the shakyhead!

Bad nest.

Jay met me on the lake today to do some fishin'. It was pretty slow going, and despite several good strikes and hooking up with a fish on a shakyhead worm, he didn't manage to land anything. He did get one out of the water, but it came unbuttoned.

I, on the other hand, landed two bass. I hooked into and landed a third, but the darn thing got off the hook and flopped his way back into the water before I could get a hand on him. It was a pretty big fish; maybe two pounds. Yeah, not huge, but when you consider that eight of my last nine fish were under a pound, two pounds would be a big upgrade.

The first fish came the Wal-Mart special buzzer with swimbait attached. I actually hooked him once and he got off. I threw the lure back over the same spot and reeled a bit slower and bam, he hit it again! this time I hooked him good. Too good. Other than gut hooking this was the most gruesome snag I have ever personally done myself. It may have been the worst I have ever seen. Somehow I gaffed him right through the bone on top of his head, and out through the eye. Unfortunately the eye came out. I have caught enough one eyed fish to know they can survive it, but with the trauma to his face I am worried he may not have made it, though he swam away very fast and strong, leaping from the water when he first hit it. I wish him the best. I feel terrible.

The second fish came from a technique that Jay turned me on to the other day. It was a shakyhead worm. I have considered this lure before, but never tried it. I actually have mixed feelings about it. It seems to me that the strike/hookup ratio is quite low. I have lost every fish except one that I have hooked with this method. Including the big one tonight. I don't plan to give up though. It is a fun way to fish, if not a little slow.

Not too shabby.

3oz

13oz

4oz

I took my second and third bass on buzzbaits today. The first one came on a Strike King buzzer with a tri-blade, and white skirt. It's the very same lure that jay let me use to catch my first buzzbait bass. The second fish was caught on a $1.00 "Wal-Mart Special", that I modified and added a Redfish Magic swimbait to. I got that fish on the first cast.

I got the last fish on a Blaze crankbait in chartreuse and blue.

All three were dinks, but seeing as how I have struck out recently, I'll take what I can get. I am still surprised how violently they hit those buzzbaits. The 13 ounce fish had me convinced it was better than two pounds before I got a good look at it. All in all it was a pretty good day on the lake.

Jay scored a nice one.

Jay's 3.11 pounder!

And I scored a bunch of roots and some old fishing line. Jay brought his in on a spinnerbait in crawfish colors. His buddy Pickel brought an 11oz bass in on a black spinner with red highlights in the skirt.

I actually hooked up with a nice one on a shakyhead, but it threw the hook.

Two days with Jay.

Day one, Jay.

Day one, me.

Day two, Jay.

Day two, me.

Day two, Jay again.

Well, for all his talk about not catching anything in months, this guy handed me a beat down. I had a ton of fun with him and his Navy buddy, who caught a bass this morning, on bread no less, and some carp, and cat fish.

I landed my first bass on a buzzbait, a 1.11 pounder that nailed the lure as soon as it hit the water. It was awesome! Jay took a 4.10 pounder at Ronnie Van Zant park this morning on a buzzer, and a few small ones later in the day.

First bass on new rod and digital scale!

A whole nine ounces!

Last week I purchased a new 6'6" MH Rhino Rod for heavy worming and some cranking. Well I finally took a bass on it tonight. He was no trophy, but in the current conditions i'll take just about anything.

It was also the first fish for my new digital scale. So I no longer have to guess at weights. However, I was a little let down, I wanted him to be closer to a pound. He weighed in at a whopping 9 OZ. Just over half a pound, but still less than a can of coke... I have tested my scale out on several items of known weight, and it is very accurate. I love it!

Berkley Gulp Maggots.

I have been, in the past few weeks, trying out alternative baits for panfishing. I have always used worms, but I want something that I can keep in my bag, and not have a big disgusting mess every time I go fishing. I have tried corn, bread, grubs/jigs, and a number of berkley power baits.

Today I tried Berkley Gulp Maggots. I like these because they stand up to more than one fish, and are not messy, and oh yeah, they catch fish! The Crappie Nibbles I used before these are very delicate, and often fall off the hook before a fish even bites. The fish seemed to like them a lot, but the maggots seem to be even better.

I just got home from about 20 minutes of fishing. It was too hot to stay out any longer, but I caught a whole mess of B-gills and only had to reload a few times. I will surely keep a jar of these in my bag at all times.

Misadventures in bassing.

Eagle Landing Golf Course

Not my picture.

So, I was fishing a golf course lake with decorative rock work and a bridge over it. In other trips I have caught some nice bass there, however this time a caught a wasp in the face. Yeah that's right, I got stung in the face.

I was standing on the other side of the bridge and cast a T-rigged worm to the rocks on the other side and got hung up. So, I set the rod up against the bridge and climbed up through the palms on the side and I guess I walked into a nest and WHAM, I got nailed!

Of course it stung like fire for about 30 minutes, and my cheek swelled up a bit, but I didn't let it stop me from my mission. The gator, however, had different plans. he was about 4-5', and I hooked into him twice. The first time I was using a holographic bluegill swimbait from Tsunami. I had passed it close to him a few times but he didn't pay it any notice, so I thought I was ok to keep fishing it near him. Wrong! After about the 4th cast he lunged at it and I hooked him in the mouth. I fought him for a bit, but he threw the hook and i went back to fishing for bass.

After a while of nothing I switched up to a 3 1/2" Lit'l Fishie and on the first cast I hooked the same gator in the tail. This time he was submerged, so I didn't even know he was there. This time I battled him all the way to shore, where he performed a beautiful death roll and tossed the hook.

Unfortunately I was not able to get any pictures. Some one was standing by with my camera, but didn't realize I wanted them to start shooting pics right away, and was waiting for me to land the thing.

Oh well. The fight was awesome, so I guess I have something to be thankful for!

2 in the bag.

I got two small ones today. I tried some new lures, but the fish came on two older ones. I got a new UL rod, but I am going to take it back. I feel it is too short. Gonna get a longer one.

The fish came on a a lipless crank, and a bandit crank.

Non-target species II

Normally I would not think of a crappie as a non-target species, however it was the last thing on my mind at the place I was fishing. The Rodman dam & reservoir is known for monster catfish. A guy pulled in a 20 pounder while we were there. While I don't think my reel could handle one that big I was hoping for a cat in the 10-15 pound range. I didn't even get a nibble.

The shiner came tonight at my main lake. I have never caught one before. I actually got two, but I let the first one go with out a pic. I was using corn nibs, a small hook, and a bobber.

I saved a spincast rod & reel with a broken tip from the trash and put a new tip on it, and was really just playing with the bluegills, but I got a neat surprise with the shiners!

Biggest of the year!

Biggest of the year!

I thought I was going to get skunked big time. I tried everything from lipless cranks, and swimbaits, to spinners. I didn't even get a tap. Then my GF said, use a worm. I have been avoiding worms for weeks now. My preference has been for swimbaits mostly, jerks, and lipless cranks. Bit I did't what she said and within two or three casts I got the biggest bass of the year, and on the very next cast I hooked up on another very nice one.

Carla got her first one since June 4th. She has hooked up on a few, but this is the first one she managed to land.

We went to the Jacksonville beach pier, but the only one who caught anything was Kevin. He got two Yellow Fin Jacks. Note the sea louse on the bottom fork of the Jack's tail fin. I removed it for him :)

One in the bag.

Bigger Lit'l Fishie!

One from a few days ago.

I got my new bigger Lit'l Fishies in the mail today. They messed up the order and sent me the wrong size/quantity, but I am not upset, I planed to get these larger ones anyway, if the 2 1/2" ones worked out good. The ones I got are 3 1/2", but they are the right color and the got mt the bass up there!

I also caught a bunch of little bream on a grub. None were pic worthy though.

Finally some decent bass!

Kevin got a cat on a Creme worm!

Man it was a great night! We went to a new spot that I already knew of, but always believed to be off limits. However, the other night a guy I talked to while fishing told me that he fished there quite often. I hooked up about seven times, but only landed three. But seeing as how I have had a run of one fish outings, and a case of the dinks, I'll take these three and be happy!

Now here comes the "fish story"... I hooked up with what I believe was the biggest bass I have ever caught. It was simply huge. If it wasn't 10 pounds I'll eat my hat. I hooked into it, and had a heck of a fight. My drag is not super tight, but it's not way loose either. He took it and ran out my line like a sailfish! I finally got him in, and up on deck and he started flopping wildly, before I could reach him the line snapped. I made a mad scramble to catch him but he flopped right over the side, and I saw him swim away with my worm fluttering at the side of his mouth. I have, on the advice of some people, been trying a mono leader with my braid. That is what snapped. I am done with it. I had 14# mono on it and lost the biggest bass of my life.

I have not noticed any benefit from using it, so I am just going to stop. I'll let ya'll know how that goes.

Just one bream.

Which one is the lure!?

He is all that bit today. I think it was just too hot. The fish put off feeding right now. It won't stop me though. I'll tough it out 'til they start biting again.

I love the Lit'l Fishie!

I hardly want to use any other lure lately. It is just so much fun to fish with. Sure, with this tiny lure the fish are pretty small, but on UL gear that hardly matters. I have ordered some 2 1/2" Lit'l Fishies in chartreuse, and might go for the even bigger 3 1/2" ones. I am hoping to attract some larger bass with them.

Today I got two tiny bass and a nice bluegill. It is very tough to catch anything right now. I would much prefer to be pulling in ten fish a trip, but I am just happy to be catching anything right now. After getting skunked for a month I can truly say it is better than nothing!

The Lit'l Fishie strikes again!

This time it was the 2 1/2" silver/w black back. I almost didn't even know I had a fish. Just felt the slightest pull on my line, but when I set the hook he pulled pretty hard. I was using my ultra light rod with 4# line, so even a little guy like this can feel pretty big. Makes the little ones a lot more fun. When you use a heavy stiff rod like my ugly stick these guys feel like minnows, but on the UL they feel like 3 pounders!

Big'r Fishie! / Lit'l Fishie II

Bigger Bass are more fun!


The original Knight package.


The 1 inch Vs. the 2 1/2 inch.


The Creme pack.


I tried the Lit'l Fishies out at my Grandma's lake, but only the bluegills were hitting it at first so I changed up to worms, spinners, cranks, sticks, and even a grub, nothing. So I switched to some Gulp crawlers, and played with the bluegills awhile.

Once the sun sank a bit lower I threw out a husky jerk in firetiger and on the first cast I got slammed hard by the bass above. After that I had to leave for dinner, I had to abandon the lake right when they started biting, but I'll be going back!

As you can see I picked up some more Lit'l Fishes. I got some silver ones in 1" and 2 1/2". They were only .75 a pack at Wal-mart, so That rocked. I also picked up some more in chart from the tackle shop.

Lit'l Fishie!

Yeah, I know the bass is little, but it's the lure i'm talkin' about. It's called the "Lit'l Fishie" Swimbait from Creme. Yeah that's right, another Creme lure. They have quickly become my favorite soft plastic company. Rapala being my favorite hard plastic maker.

I first came across this little bait at Wal-mart about a month ago and actually picked a three pack up. They were on clearance for .75, so I thought, What the heck, but after thinking about the limited space I had at the time in my SP box I put them back. Then a few days back I saw them again at a local tackle shop for .35 a piece with a small leadhead jig hook. This time I took one, in chartreuse, and the fish absolutely love it! It is kinda small so I am having some trouble setting the hook on larger fish, so I am going to get some larger ones that will hopefully solve that issue.

The Lit'l Fishie was first put out by the Knight lure company. In 1989 Knight and Creme merged and Creme took over the production of the Lit'l Fishie line. The one I have is actually an older Knight product. The guy that owns the tackle shop has quite a few older lures and such. I think he must have a back stock from 20 years ago!

Anyway, if you get a chance to try the Lit'l Fishie don't pass it up! They are a very fun lure, especially in the smaller size, because so many species will hit it. It's a great lure when you want to put down the worms, or cranks and just have a little fun!

The weather is ticking me off!

Got chased off the lake by heavy rain about twenty minutes ago. I only got maybe ten minutes of casting in. Had one hit but didn't hook up. I got good and soaked and almost knocked two of my rods in the water. My bag is all wet, as are the reels. Obviously I am all bummed out.

Playing with the dinks!

Small bass can be fun too. Especially when you catch them on someone else's pole. Carla didn't get any, but I made sure her fishing rod did... lol

Sorry Carla :p

Carla's bro Kevin landed a nice one himself!