Quillback

I'm pretty confident the Ned would have worked, and probably a lot of other stuff also, the fish were biting. I just like throwing stuff around with the bait caster and feeling that thunk.

After reading this statement: "Of about 60 potential jurors asked by Bert, almost all of them said they’d be willing to use a firearm to defend themselves." Defence is going to argue it was self-defence, all they have to do is place doubt in the juries mind, I can see Crocker walking.

Only one Ned fish, just did not throw it much.

The largemouth were really biting today, caught a bunch of bass, close to 50 and I think probably 35 or so were largemouth. Cool, cloudy, breezy day had them up on the banks and biting. No big ones, but caught several spawned out females that were in the 2.5 - 3 lb. range and quite a few in the 13 -16" size. Started out with a Carolina-rigged Zoom UV Speed Craw in GP/Purple flake, caught a half dozen on it, broke off the set up on a snag, picked up a rod rigged with a 3/8 oz wobble head tipped with the same type of craw and fished that the rest of the day, except at the end I did fish a Megastrike Megabug and picked up a few on it. Most fish were on the bank in 3-5 FOW in coves and on a couple of main channel banks. Buck brush, rocks and timber was what they liked. I bet I hooked another 20-30 that got off before getting in the boat, and probably that many swings and misses to boot. Just a lot of bites today, wonderful day to be fishing. This little guy hit it like he wanted to be a bass - I wish they got up to 2 - 3 lbs. they'd be one heck of a sports fish. First bass of the day, keeper on a C-rigged UV craw Another on the wobble head with craw. And last bass of the day, a keeper spot caught on the Wobble/Megabug

You know what they say - "There's no such thing as bad publicity". Sam is getting just as much pub as Manziel, if his football career doesn't work out, he may find work as a "celebrity". It would not surprise me to start seeing him pop up on the talk show circuit.

Never owned a Lew's but the guys who do swear by them. A good reel at that price point. Another reel to check out in your price range is the Daiwa Tatula, supposedly you can find them online for $109. Again, I don't own one, but people who do say they're a great reel for the money.

Welcome!

No kidding, those are some big 'eyes!

Did you catch those bass fishing, or did you target them?

Wow, nice toads!

Excellent, thanks for the report!

That is surprising. And A&M had at least 3 players taken in the 1st round I believe.

I guess I need to work on my hook setting technique on the Ned. Seems if I set to hard, I miss them.

Sounds like a wonderful neighbor. Did he offer to pay your vet bill? I think I know the answer to that.

Yep, I've been ruined. I'm looking forward to next winter using the Ned as a follow-up to the tube.

What happens most of the time is your rod tip will get heavy, similar to a snag, fish will eat it like it's bait, they swim off with it at a slow pace and they hold onto it. Another nice feature with the small hooks, is if the fish is deeply hooked, you can get the hook out without causing damage. I've also learned not to use an eye-crossing hook set, that will usually pull it out of their mouth - just need to lift the rod tip.

Good deal, that looks like it was a lot of fun!

Great fishing, thanks for sharing!

Of course they could be wrong, just sayin'. FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF ARKANSAS AND OKLAHOMA... INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS... IN ARKANSAS... BENTON... CARROLL... CRAWFORD... FRANKLIN... MADISON... SEBASTIAN AND WASHINGTON. IN OKLAHOMA... ADAIR... CHOCTAW... HASKELL... LATIMER... LE FLORE... PITTSBURG... PUSHMATAHA AND SEQUOYAH. * FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON * RAINFALL WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE WATCH AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY MORNING AS A SLOW MOVING UPPER SYSTEM LIFTS OUT OF THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES. 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHWEST ARKANSAS... WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS OVER 4 INCHES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS RAPIDLY RISING WATER OR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA... KEEP INFORMED... AND BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

You don't have to be skilled at bite detection with the Ned, fish just load up on it. Not as snaggy as bottom stuff like c-rigs and t-rigs. If you're fishing with less skilled folks like kids you can go crazy trying to keep them unsnagged if they're fishing that bottom stuff. And it just flat catches fish. As far as walleye, they'll eat that Ned. After you're done catching them with the spoons and jigs, throw it as a follow up bait.

I haven't tried the Kong, but sounds like it wants to dive. Not trying to talk you into another bait, but I picked up a Jackall Mikey this year, it's similar to the Kong, but it does wake. I plan to fish it this spring. I threw it for a bit a couple of weeks ago and did get a hook-up on it. I did notice that at the start of the retrieve after a long cast, the Mikey is a little tricky to get waking, you have to start slow and get as much line off the water as you can (high rod tip). That was on mono, braid probably works better.

It's been a windy spring this year. Forecasters are saying Monday afternoon we could get some heavy rain.

Good deal.

Mitch, I see that you live in O'Fallon. There's a leash law and ordinances concerning vicious animals. http://www.ofallon.mo.us/PD/animal-control-park-patrol

Did you report this to LEO or the animal control folks? I'd do it just to get it on record. I'd also find out what the law says about the legal implications of someone protecting their property, children etc., from vicious dogs entering their property. If you've got kids, this dog is a real threat.