First Bass Of The Year

[GopherDaGold]

June 12-13 is free fishing days here in the Show-Me so I went to my favorite lake for some bass fishing. It rained some while I was there but the fish started biting after the weather had passed. These two largies are around 2lbs (12-14") but must be at least 15" to possess. I always release them after snapping a pic. I used my new Pinnacle Inertia baitcaster on a 7' Abu Ambassaduer Tournament rod with 7" red shad Berkley Powerbait. I use a faceted glass bead between my Gamakatsu offset shank hook and the cone weight for added noise.

 

[warsawdaddy]

I miss fishing!

 

[BlueDuck]

Nice pic. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Nice Largemouth Bass~

I like to fish these at night with surface plugs.
When I lived in Florida for 13 years I would trek into the glades and use 5inch gold shiners for bait! If I didn't get a bass I would surely hook an alligator.
Needless to say, I cut the line when that happened!

Great pic

 

[rginn]

Nice ones and thanks for releasing them. I ain't as technical of a fisherman, but when it's raining really hard we had good luck tossin out floating Rapala's, those largemouth would tear em up. Somethin havin to do with the rain stirring up the surface oxygen level, I heard.

 

[GopherDaGold]

I go with my trusty Pop-R's in the evening if the plastics stop working. You just can't beat that top water explosion when that lunker hits it like 'Jaws'!
This is Lake 10 at August A Busch Wildlife Conservation Area. Caught my biggest bass there a few years ago and she weighed just over 7lbs.

 

[Mighty AP]

Damn you guys........I WANNA GO FISHIN!!! I havent fished since I moved to Idaho 5 years ago. I used to be hardcore saltwater (yellowfin, bluefin, yellowtail, halibut) but I was really into fishin for saltwater bass with plastics. Had a 12 foot alluminum with a small outboard & I'd fish the Long Beach breakwall at night for big sandbass & the occasional shark or ray. My biggest bass was a calico that bottomed my 10lb scale, estimated over 11lbs, he was a fighter. I fished all around the Queen Mary & dome of the Spruce Goose, I jumped on the wall & fished the inside water around the Queen one night, got a few bites before someone hit me with a spotlight from shore & I jumped back in my boat. I have thousands of dollars in rods & reels, custom tied rods, Penn & Shimano conventionals, not one of them are suitable to use here. Fishin for trout just doesnt seem worthwhile but reading all this is getting me going..........time to go to Wallyworld & buy a light setup perhaps.

Nice fish Gopher!

 

[Gunny71]

Nice!
I have been cleaning up on them, lost count. Best for me lately has been a Heddon tiny torpedo fished along the bank at dawn and dusk, and black/red tail power worms any other time.
Best of luck!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Damn you guys........I WANNA GO FISHIN!!! I havent fished since I moved to Idaho 5 years ago. I used to be hardcore saltwater (yellowfin, bluefin, yellowtail, halibut) but I was really into fishin for saltwater bass with plastics. Had a 12 foot alluminum with a small outboard & I'd fish the Long Beach breakwall at night for big sandbass & the occasional shark or ray. My biggest bass was a calico that bottomed my 10lb scale, estimated over 11lbs, he was a fighter. I fished all around the Queen Mary & dome of the Spruce Goose, I jumped on the wall & fished the inside water around the Queen one night, got a few bites before someone hit me with a spotlight from shore & I jumped back in my boat. I have thousands of dollars in rods & reels, custom tied rods, Penn & Shimano conventionals, not one of them are suitable to use here. Fishin for trout just doesnt seem worthwhile but reading all this is getting me going..........time to go to Wallyworld & buy a light setup perhaps.

Nice fish Gopher!

"I havent fished since I moved to Idaho 5 years ago."


WHAT!!!!!!! You've got the best trout fishing in the world as far as I am concerned. I lived right near you friend and just loved the Fly fishing!
I would go out Bull trout fishing with the Grizwolds! (Grizzly Bears)

The bull trout is a beautiful trout which looks a lot like a MONSTER brook trout. And they are on the endangered list. Catch and release only!

If one is to hook one fishing, after the fight, you are NOT permitted to even touch the fish.......

 

[GopherDaGold]

Mike how would you remove the hook if you cannot touch the fish?
And I saw your post about the 'gators. That would ruin my day to hook one of those!