Is There Anything More Exciting ???

[rayjay]

In the latest GON the article on Lanier fishing with the suspending lures sounded good so I bought a few and got to try them out today at the dock where I keep my boat. I made a couple of casts and then beside the dock I started trying out the 'walking the dog' retrieve that was discussed in the article.

BAM !!! Big bass goes after the lure but missed ! " Whoooooo !!!!!" said the fisherman. I said what the heck and flipped the lure back up toward the shallow end and started it back.

BAM !!!! Big bass on the line ! The fish went back under the dock really bending my rod. I got to wrestle with it for about 10 secs when my lure came shooting up out of the water. Man my heart was thumping. Looked to be a 4 to 6 lb fish.

I fished the whole marina the rest of the day with no hits. As we were leaving I could see a bunch of bass moving up in the cove but they were not feeding.

I'm ready for some more action. I've got to get my bass boat project finished.

 

[Handgunner]

Nothing like top water action!

 

[The farmpondfanatic]

Ain't it good!

The biggun that got away from me yesterday made my guts tingle with fish fever! I could hardly turn that monster. I will get another chance, especially when they start hitting top water more agressively. I'll throw on a frog with a razor sharp stinger hook. The amazing part is when one of those hawgs hardly makes a ripple on the water when he strikes. Sometimes its a blow up, but often those big ones just make a little sucking sound under the lure. It is awesome! I have been under their spell since I was 12 years old.

 

[rayjay]

This wasn't top water. The lure was about 12" underwater and the fish came up from the bottom under the dock, nailed the lure and u-turned back down. I was standing on the dock looking down at the lure when the fish struck. Whoom !!! out of nowhere, totally unexpected on the first hit.

I think I had on a suspending Rat-L-Trap and I don't know how the fish managed to spit it out.

I hope the weather is good this week. I've got to: mount the gas tank; mount the trolling motor and wire it up; install new batt trays; and check the plug bung for water tight integrity and then I will no longer be dock bound. Hopefully the hull will be water tight and I can leave the bass boat in the slip with my Myacht.

 

[The farmpondfanatic]

That's what I was using,too. I was using a sinker and changed to a floater because of the grass about 2.5' down. That kept the lure running just above the grass. Spit it right out when she turned over.

 

[Lightninrod]

RJ: Traps are noted for having poor hooks which allow's a Bass to too easily throw that bait. I change many of my hard bait's hooks to these hooks and find them so much better at both sticking and holding Bass. Some guys upgrade to the next larger size hook too.

Btw, Zara Spooks are notorious for this too, especially the older ones. Their hook attachment hardware doesn't use a split ring and Bass are very likely to throw one of them. Some of those Triple Grips and a quality split ring could make the difference between a lost "Bass of a life time" and some 'purty' pics of one .

Dan

 

[GADAWGS]

I hope the weather is good this week. I've got to: mount the gas tank; mount the trolling motor and wire it up; install new batt trays; and check the plug bung for water tight integrity and then I will no longer be dock bound. Hopefully the hull will be water tight and I can leave the bass boat in the slip with my Myacht.

Sorry bud, but from what I have read just a few minutes ago, the weather is gonna be miserable for the next 4 days. Highs in the upper 40s with wind and rain. I was gonna try to slip away from the grindstone this week after the weather the past two days. But now I have rethunk that and have decided not to waste a holiday just yet

 

[Handgunner]

Ok, my bad. I've always considered "walking the dog" to mean a tiny torpedo being tugged on to make it dance back and forth across the top of the water.

Maybe I read the post wrong...

 

[rayjay]

It's the same technique but with a suspending lure for fish in 15 to 25 feet of water. Worked great for 2 tries on that one fish .

 

[Handgunner]

I learned something. Thanks!

 

[bradpatt03]

Sorry bud, but from what I have read just a few minutes ago, the weather is gonna be miserable for the next 4 days. Highs in the upper 40s with wind and rain. I was gonna try to slip away from the grindstone this week after the weather the past two days. But now I have rethunk that and have decided not to waste a holiday just yet

weather man ain't changin my mind!! headin out tomorrow night....dad always said "a bad day's fishin is always better than a good day at work" and i couldn't agree more.

 

[Poo Bear]

About this time of year 25 years ago in Athens

I was fishing in a farm pond using a big Rebel rattling crank bait. I threw to the bank around some brush and thought I got hung up on the retrieve. Then I thought I felt some movement. Next thing I know the snag took off on a dive to rival Moby Dick. Yes, it was Big Sam, monster of the deep. I did not have control of the fish and I was using 6 lbs test on a Mitchell spinning reel. I was hollering for my roommate to pull up the anchor so we could at least follow him. Finally, I felt him coming up and sure as heck, he jumped, shook his head and threw the lure that came flying back and hit me in the chest. (We were sitting in a little john-boat so I couldn't jump out of the way.)

We were both stunned. I looked at him and said, "was that fish as big as I think it was?" Uh huh...that's all he said. It was a fish of a lifetime. Ten pound class at least. I was bummed to beat the band. I knew good and well I may never have that opportunity again.

I now pay a lot more attention to hook sharpness, hook setting, drag setting, line strength etc.

 

[rayjay]

I went back up this afternoon and got hit once and looked at by one little one and one big one but no other bites. I put some bigger hooks on one of my lures but I think the extra weight is hurting the action so I will swap back to the original hooks next trip.

I might buy me some minners for the next trip and check the compost bins for worms. I've got some rotten boards on the ground beside my shed and spring lizards live under them

 

[GADAWGS]

weather man ain't changin my mind!! headin out tomorrow night....dad always said "a bad day's fishin is always better than a good day at work" and i couldn't agree more.

How right you are and I wish I could go with you. But I am having to remove all my old carpet to get ready for the new install on Friday. Good luck, atleast it seems the wind will not be as strong as it has been