I hooked another 20lb Asian Carp on my ultra lite a few days ago. Good fun fight. Took me a while to get it in with the 8lb line.

No pics this time, it was right before work so I didn't even pull his smelly ass out of the water.

You're in Pensacola, no shit?

That's the EXACT town I've chose to move to long ago based on size (50k or so, right?) and other factors... down on the panhandle where the oceans just as beautiful, the beach culture just as prevalent... and the prices much cheaper.

I am still high from the thrill of that fish. Been permasmiling since the hook set.

No I'm in Ft. Lauderdale, but I remember you saying that is where you were headed, and I lived there for 8 years so I know the area.
The Beach there is my favorite of any I've seen.....and I have see A LOT.
Pulverized white quartz. As beautiful as they get.

What did ya get him with, some typical carp bait like a doughball or corn?

Some kids a way down from me a while ago were hitting them with bow fishing rigs from a bridge a while back, it was really impressive... those shit fish are HUGE, its a real shame they aren't worth eating.

Lotta meat on a fish that size.

I have wanted to fish off the coast for years. I would love to live in Florida.

Not sure why I haven't done it yet.

I snagged him in the fin with a crappie tube. They are fitler feeders so they are extremely hard to hook in the mouth.

I think I might head out in the am and hit the Kansas river to see if I can get one last big one.

Finalizing an ice fishing trip with the fella's for early Feb up in the Kawarthas (2 hours North/East of Toronto). Haven't fished the ice since I was quite young. Any advice out there? I was at Bass Pro today but didn't have time to pick the brains of the staff so I just grabbed a couple lures - vertical jig and a sinker.
Cheers.

So I've started working with a fluke, and we just hit prime for Bass in SoFlo.
Wore them them F out this morning.
Feels like I caught one every 2nd cast with a couple of 3 lbers.

I'm using a lighter set up than usual so the fights are intense. My retrieval skill with a fish on the line is night and day form last year, when i would still get excited and just drag the fish in. I think i could get a larger bass in on 6lb test.

The lunker Bass is the last fresh water fish this guy has left to tackle, and I will tell you as a man with shit load of experience, he is one hell of a hunt.
Hard, hard fish to catch.

Very smart to be a stupid ass fish. I have a good feeling he's coming in soon. I'll of course post pics.

Going on a winter Texoma striper trip next week. Chance of rain last I looked but low wind and decent temperatures. We're going for two days with a mix of striper and blue cats.

Shit, when i'm going fishing chance of rain is what I want to see.

I've caught more fish 10 min into a light rain than at any other time.
Not bad right after either.

20% chance for the Friday and a 60% chance for the Saturday. I don't mind a light rain. I'm more concerned with the 10-20mph projected winds.

Yeah, I've read all kinds of shit saying that wind doesn't affect fish behavior much, and to for those people I have just one question:

What did the five fingers say to the face?

They say: "from east bite least, from west bite best"

I saw high wind, pack it in.

maybe the winds will only kick when the rain is falling hard. good luck, bro.

I mostly fly fish for trout in very clear water. Yeah, rainy days are usually the best. A slight wind doesn't hurt either, although it makes casting very difficult. The wind/rain surface disturbance does a good job of making the fisherman less visible.

Hides the flaws in your lures as well.

Not today. Just came in. been out all day. Caught a bunch, but catching a bunch doesn't interest me unless I'm tryin' to feed mouths.

Did you know that only .001% of Bass that survive make it to 7lbs?

Studies say that they don't think anything like the general population of bass.

My dad, step mom, and I took a two day guided trip at Texoma yesterday and today. We pulled in a few decent stripers yesterday. I pulled in an 8 lb striper. Biggest I've ever caught. We also jug fished for blue cats. We pulled in a 12 lb and 8 lb blue.

I was hoping for a 20+ lb blue but maybe next time. We have several pounds of fish to eat and some of it tasted good tonight.

The fluke is absolutely deadly out here. Walked out the door yesterday morning and caught 4 in about 15 min. including my first cast, and a 4lber, give or take, with a belly full of eggs.

The spawn is upon us in South FL.

Maybe this will be the year I get my lunker bass.

Very nice.

So, I'm getting a baitcaster for Christmas.

I feel like I'm not the fisherman I claim to be without knowing how to use one.

Attempts in the past have been........frustrating.


Any advice??

ALWAYS keep at least slight pressure with your thumb. Never let it free spool during a cast. Also, use your thumb to stop the line BEFORE the lure hits the water. Furthermore, don't try to cast too hard. Just give it a swift, steady swing.

Will do.

Thanks.

New Personal best! 5lb 7oz.
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...psfpohhn8t.jpg
http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/h...psitud3csm.jpg

I am averaging no less than 5 bass a day while spending no more than a cpl hrs out there.
It's the spawn, so I go out every day, and will continue to do so, until I have an, at least, 7 lber.
You guys will be the first to see the pics.

Baitcasters are my favorite reel. I'll never forget the first time casting one without listening to my dad. I spent the next 30 minutes fixing my line.

My dad bought his dream boat recently. A new 2015 Nitro V7. I think it's worth more than his house.

How's the baitcaster working out? Did you get the hang of it yet?

I can cast without backlash, but I'm still working on my distance.

I can tell that it's going to be my favorite, though.

Awesomeness !!


I'm ready to go fishing.

This year I'm wanting to plan a trip a kick ass fishing trip but I just don't know where to go. Great Lakes? Gulf of Mexico? Anywhere I can catch something awesome help me out anyone?

Amazon. Catch some big ass peacock bass.

FYP

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...e90f69b038.jpg

Go to Rainy Lake or Lake of the Woods. Either are 50 fish/day type of lakes. Pike, walleye, perch, smallmouth, crappie. If you don't want to be there 5-7 days, shoot to Tennessee for some world class crappie fishing and huge catfish fishing on some of the reservoirs there (get a guide).

Tennessee is a state I was thinking about.


Hey has anyone fished the mighty Mississippi River?

I'll be at Lake of the Woods in late June for some of that 50 catch per day fishing. Hoping for mostly Walleye/Sauger though

This mixture of high rivers and cold weather is making me depressed. I haven't been out since the last weekend of October. I'm dying to go fishing. Hopefully the high waters will stay/return in April and May, because last years fishing was amazing.

I was on a photo shoot near the 'Glades last week. I wanted so badly to get out there and wet a line.

I though I would be slaying them right now. It's been the coldest that it will get here the last week or so.
Haven't see the beds or gotten the preparation feeding action that I was expecting.
Hell, I've gotten no action.

I'm pretty sure this is the calm before the storm..

How do you plan to catch them? I'd say drag some lizards or jigs over the beds.

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Best fishing video I've ever seen. :clap:

Hit Bennett Springs up this weekend. Fished exclusively in the river outside of the park and I caught over 70 trout. Best I've ever done there. Didn't hurt that the weather was awesome as well.

70 in one weekend, by yourself?

Mother of Earth thats absolutely incredible, Dartgod... wish I could experience that kind of nonstop action, sounds like a video game

Tat, love that vid, still not sure how that even happened on cheap 8 pound line... I've always felt cheated by not living next to the ocean

Anybody been to Cuba to go fly fishing? Several of my friends and I are putting togeth a trip for 2017 and I'd like to talk to someone who has been there.

Apparently there are tournaments with Barbie doll fishing poles lol I'm going set me up a rig.

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He worked the pockets and edges of that bed textbook style

Just shows you can catch fish with any gear if you have half a clue, thanks for that post bref

I snuck out to the pond for 20 minutes tonight....first time this year. Caught 2 fish in first three casts. One 15" and one about 3lbs. Not a bad start for a 2 1/2 year old pond.

It was so nice out Wednesday when I had to work so I was all ready to go Thursday but then it got cold and windy out and I went outside and said ****.

I've fished in 50mph winds before and actually caught a couple bass doing it but I'm not in season form so I didn't go but damn I'm itching to get out there.


One of these days it turns nice I'm going call into work saying my arm is in a cast.

Yeah, by myself.

22 on Friday, 42 on Saturday and only 9 in two hours this morning. I've never seen it that active. There were a lot of smalls in there though. Of the 22 I caught on Friday, only 3 or 4 of them were worth keeping. Saturday was a better day for size.

Bennett Springs was flooded in December and most of the fish in their hatchery flowed out into the Niangua River. So that explains somewhat why it is so active now.

Didnt mean to sound doubtful, DG... not one reason to doubt you

And when they're hitting at that rate, even smalls are thrilling when they come in bunches like that

Glad to hear things are cooking down there, kinda maybe looks like spring is starting to set in here as well

Yeah, I need to go through the tackle box and start getting things in gear...

I have been out a few times in the past month. Once in my kayak, once in the uncles boat, and once from shore. Three different locations, three different methods, and not a single fish.

You're gonna have those, know I do

But its always time well spent

Yeah it is. The drives out suck though. What's really frustrating is when you know they are down there, crappie, but they just won't bite. Have to be there on the right days and time of day though.

How long does it take you to get out there, are you deep in a busy metro area?

ed* Only ask that because having recently taken another big tour of Chicago, and being in St Louis all the time, it further impressed me that I cant live anywhere that takes a 1-2 hours to find a small piece of silence to myself

I am pretty set into Overland Park but all the main highways are close. I get to pretty much any of the main Kansas reservoirs near KC in 45 minutes to an hour depending on where I am headed. Hillsdale is an easier drive though. There are other areas closer like the smaller city lakes but I don't go to those much since I tend to like getting out of the city. Spawning season coming up should certainly help the bite. I especially like that since it's much easier to get out there quickly without needing to load a kayak.

Anyone ever repaint old spoons before? Any tips on paint selection and process?

Got some pond fishing in today. I took my three year old daughter with me. She loves to fish. She didn't catch anything on her "frozen" rod and reel using worms. A little disappointed in the fish for that. I caught a handful of largemouth on my new Johnny Morris carbonlite spinner rod&reel. It's an ultralight with six lb Cajun line. Ultralight fishing is awesome.

It is isn't it. I love wade fishing Flat Creek or floating James River with my ultra lights. It doesn't get any better than a 3 to 5 lb. smallmouth out of a creek or river on ultra light tackle. Damnit ..........now I HAVE to go fishing this week.

I fish my families ponds a handful of times a year and always catch a lot of 1-2lb largemouth. I figured I might as well make them feel like five pounders.

I use to be able to out muscle those with my baitcast with 10lb line.

Anybody in this thread fly fish? All I see is bait and spin casting posts and was just wondering.

Wish I knew how, but around here it just isnt needed... if I lived out west where its a crucial skill in so many areas, it would get figured out

Bwana is a good one to hit up for advice, sure I'm forgetting other western style fishing pro's around here as well

Pretty sure NewChief and Loochie have great posts in this thread on fly fishing

That's funny you guys were just talking about ultra light fishing. I have started doing that much more lately for fun rather than necessity. In my kayak it is much easier to use small equipment so I have a couple of 4' 6" rods and small spinner reels with 4 lb test.

I have not been using them in all varieties of circumstances. I am not fishing for catfish so I am not likely to catch some monster that will just break the line right away.

The past few weekends I have been doing some shore fishing and found that the white bass are hitting very hard right now. I don't keep them but on an ultra light outfit like I am using they are a heck of a battle. I have even gotten into a few large mouths as well.

These fish made for great fights.

Nicely done mr.tegu :thumb:

I'm ready get out there. Tried four hours last week at Cedar Bluff and nothing nadda zilch think the water temps just need get some warmth before anything starts to happen.

It's cooled off again this week :# I really need get some fishing in this week is my sons spring break so we will be going sometime probably this weekend at my spots on Lake Wilson.

I was wanting go out of state fishing like lake of the Ozarks but that's not happening going wait to save money for later this summer for a big trip.

I feel ya, I'm ready for some action as well

Actually busted out my pole and went to the lake today for the first time since last fall (temporarily laid off, grain prices are in the crapper)... no luck, wind was blowing like hell and it was quite a bit cooler than yesterday

Very noice, thats a fat ol' striper

They are definitely feeding agressively. They were all fat like that. Catching them once every 3-4 casts. I just hope they don't eat themselves full before I get back on Friday. I'm a bit concerned that Friday will be a cooler day though.

About two years ago in March I was so damned determined to fish but it was 50mph winds. I got out there with waves and waded out there about waist deep but I was a man on a mission. I caught two large mouth bass that day and good size each. OMG that was crazy shit I could have easily drowned by myself. I couldn't believe my luck catching them beautiful fish. That was also one of the most fun fishing days I've ever had but with my COPD this year I don't think I should press my luck.

Every 3-4 casts, man thats a field day

LOL, bah... Danger is your middle name, nothing risked nothing gained

Now get out there and risk your life again!

:hmmm: KC Danger Tattoo that's kinda got a ring to it.

:D

I just bought my fishing license today.

$36 for it and a 3 pole permit.

Wtf Kansas?

I first read COPD as PTSD. I was thinking that must have really been some intense fishing.

Wow, shiver me timbers... Illinois is actually decent about something, only $15 here

Yeah no shit it went up 10 bucks from last year :cuss:

The trout stamp was another $14.50 on top of that!

This pisses me off even more wtf do we have to have a trout stamp?

Altho if I want to go trout fishing I'd like do that in Colorado but I don't want to spend $14.50 for a trout stamp here in Kansas that's just dumb.

I think it's just because they spend so much time and money on that species. I know walleye and a few others get extra treatment but just from my observations I think the trout take much more energy. It's probably only viable if they get enough people legally targeting them.

I don't buy the stamp, because I'd have to go out of my way to catch them. I only know of two spots (lake Henry, and lake Shawnee) that stock them. If it was like $5, sure, why not? But I'm not wasting $15 on one.

I'm dying to get more fishing in. My dad and I are hitting a couple nearby lakes April 9-10th. He bought a 2015 Nitro Z7 and I have yet to see it.

Oklahoma yearly license is $25, $88 for five years, or $225 lifetime.

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So much for going fishing today :(

What rod/reel set up is everybody using? I'm still looking for a good baitcaster. Almost pulled the trigger on a Abu Garcia SX $180 with can't remember the rod, $240 total. I'm okay with dropping $150-200 on one that's going to last. The Abu Garcia has a lifetime warranty. They'll replace it with no questions.

Limited out this morning in about 40 minutes.

Crappie

Nice. Winds have been gusting up to 40mph here for several days. Ruining any chance of fishing.