Tuesday, August 31, 2010

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.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

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.



Wednesday, August 25, 2010

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.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

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!




Wednesday, August 18, 2010

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.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

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!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

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 :)