Pain Like No Other

Today was probably the most incredible worst day ever. I lost not one but two of the biggest fish i have ever  had on my line...

First Fish...Today was incredible windy and i wasn't sure i was going to even venture out but i though i could find a sheltered part of the lake. I texted Nole, who is a missionary kid who loves to fish, to see if he wanted to go out with me. We fished a few brush piles and stumps and landed about 6 that were about a pond...we started to make our way up the bank and i put the boat about 30 feet out while i casted to the edge of the weed bed. I through a miss cast and as i slowly brought it in out of no where a giant engulfed it. I was stunned for a split second and i ended up putting a half hook set. The fish was so big its movements we slow.  As i applied pressure to the fish it slipped out of its mouth. On my line for 10 seconds i watched as it disappeared back to the bed from once it came. I was almost in tears as Nole probably thought i was crazy for my reaction towards losing the biggest fish on my life.

Second Fish.... as we moved up the bank we reached two more downed trees where i have landed monsters before. I was using a chatter bait but i noticed that fish were hitting the surface. I put my KVD frog on my spare pole and on the third case i put the frog on the bank. I hopped it on to the moss pad in the water and slowly worked it to the boat. Passing a branch of the tree exposed out of the water i managed to somehow work it perfect as it bounced of the tree. I rested it 6 inches passed the branch and clear out of the water this 5+ pounder engulf the frog as it flew through the air. I wasn't going to be a chump this time. I laid one of the best hook sets i have ever made. It was solid. I repeated, "please stay one" for the next minutes as i tried to guide the fish to the boat. 1,2,3 jumps as i tried to keep the fish down. On the third jump i saw that the fish totally engulf the frog and the hook set was deep in its mouth. It slowed the fight after the last jump and swam to the left and then all of a sudden the lure came out. The pain shot into my head as i sat there shaking for the next 5 minutes trying to understand how i could lose two monsters in the span of 30 minutes.

Day ended with about 15 fish in the boat and total excitement and exhilaration with the amazing fish that God has created.

Testing Rattle Trap

This is probably one of the top versatile rattle traps I have used before. Its work-ability is high end. I was able to bounce off rocks easily with little to no hangup. I loved how fast I got to the bottom as well. I was able to cast closer to target.

Change your trebles!!

So I just came across an article that says KVD changes his lures trebles multiple times a day when he is tournament fishing to ensure that he catches as many fish as possible. When I read this I thought he must be lying to get me to buy and use more of his KVD line of hooks but then I watched this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFz_Yc8wICE

He points out the importance of changing out the hooks to ensure a higher success rate of initial hooksets and  demonstrates a far easier and less frustrating method of changing out the trebles. Spoiler alert... he can change out both trebles in less than 20 seconds... Now if only I could get him to start recycling his used trebles to me!!!

Getting Back On My Horse

Well for the first month that the ice was off the lakes I somehow managed to lose more lures than fish landed. Probably one of the most difficult and frustrating beginnings to the season that I have ever had. I finally got my boat out in the water and that's when I regained my touch for catching this amazing game fish. As of now i think I am pretty close to breaking even with lost lures and landed fish. After this cold front passes through I will be able to launch the boat again and continue to land monsters. Even though I have only caught about 15 fish, I have landed a few monsters. This picture being of the most recent weighing in at 4 pounds 1 ounce and 20 inches long.

The story of this fish:
I recently raffled of a full day fishing trip that went for 60 dollars to a family of missionaries from New Zealand. The are trout fishing people and want to get into catching monster bass. The dad is pretty experience. The oldest boy is skilled but still needs a ton of practice and learning of new techniques. I took them to my secret spot where two years ago I caught my 6 pound 2 ouncer. We fish a few minutes and as i gave him my spots I fished around him to figure out what they were hitting. I through a black and blue chatter bait on the edge of a brush pile and as the bait hit the water a 19 incher smashed it. I had the kid come and fish the brush pile and the ones near it. Nothing was doing. We then move around the cove and i gave him the tree that i have caught many on before. Nothing doing again. to this point he has lost one of my spinner baits. I throw on another brush pile and land this biggie. I then take the lure of my pole and put it on his. 4 casts later he loses it, haha. we stayed another hour and he lost 2 more spinner baits. I realized that fishing that lake from the shore i need to bring crap lure and understand that to catch big ones i will lose at least two.

I bought 3 flies last night for bass. On the next calm day i will be trying to bring in a few bass on my fly reel. I hope to have a good story for you all.