Puttin' In The Time

 We all have baits and techniques that we don't like, haven't tried  or have tried with no success and have no confidence in and I'm no different. Each year I'll pick a technique or bait and work on it to see if I like it and if I do I'll continue to use it if not, I scrap it. This year has been a little different; I'm working three different baits, one of the three I've never fished and the other two I never gave much of a chance but the time spent is starting to pay off.  I don't want this to be some sort of tutorial, really  it's just a report with a little background. The baits I'm practicing with are the swim jig, bladed jig and big stick baits.
 Thinking of big baits I hit the water Friday afternoon and fished until few hrs. after dark chunking and winding swimbaits. I landed a couple but nothing to write home about.

That's a 6" Little Creeper Trash Fish she tried to choke down.

 I know my writing is like the ramblings of a madman or an ADHD sufferer but stick with me and I'll try to pull it all together for you in the next couple paragraphs. I'll even toss in a bit of fish porn...

 Friday was a lot of work for not a lot of gain so Saturday I decided I just wanted to put fish in the boat. I prepped for another evening of fishing this time loading the stuff I know I can catch fish with and some of the stuff I've been practicing. 

 Once on the water I started out doing some searching with a Strike King Rage Toad; throwing it around heavy grass and some areas that were covered in scum. After about an hour of that with no takers I switched up to a BooYah Bladed jig and made my way into a narrow creek where on the third cast I landed one about 2-2.5#s.

The BooYah jigs have a really nice thump as they move through the water.

 After awhile of not getting any more bites on the bladed jig I switched over to a swim jig but got no love there either so I broke down and started throwing the big stack bait. This year is the first year I've thrown these things and I'm doing it just to follow someone's advice. As much as I hate to admit it they work and work well. I've thrown Senkos as follow up lures to topwater lures and I've used them in pure desperation but I've never gone out and said "Hey I think I'm gonna throw Senkos today!" Just as soon take a beating. BUT these are bigger than the little Senkos so it makes it all better. With all that being said I stuck the best fish of the night on the stupid stick bait.

A solid fish at a hair under 5 pounds.

  Before the lights went out I tossed a big swimbait around for a while and had one follower that I watched take a couple swipes at my bait but I got tired of that and switched back to the toad and made my way to a large flat that holds a ton of submerged weeds. I ended up picking up four or five in that area before leaving there and fishing the main channel of the lake.

Love fishin toads.

  After that it was pretty much over with I picked up three more including this giant that was all attitude. He made me laugh. The bait was about as big as he was.

Who says big baits don't work?

 OK boys and girls that's it for this session, now go get you some.

 Tight Lines!

H