4/18/18 - 4/21/18 R11-R73

[ajrod88]

Went to the lake for a Spring get-a-way with my wife. (Big thanks to her for putting up with my addiction) 

Weather was Great! Windy at times. 
Water visibility was anywhere from really good(R11) to really poor(R73). 

Jigged a little on Wed. with no luck.

Casted F18 Rapalas at night. Caught at least one fish every night.

Pulled boards in the daytime with medium-jumbo ales, and mostly dollar bill and a few moneymaker shad.

The best fishing of the trip was 6pm. Wed. - 2am. Thur. when we boated 9 fish and had 2 doubles pulling shad and casted after dark.

Did not fish in the daytime on Thur. due to sleeping in and HIGH winds. 

Fished 10:30am to 4pm on Fri. got skunked.

Got a BIG skunk on Sat. as well. 



I started live bait fishing about a year ago and thanks to you all on this forum I have learned A LOT in the past year! THANK YOU! I feel like my skills are slowly improving since that first shad I caught in a half open almost tangled net...... to now! 

I did not get pics of all the fish but here are a few. (my wife got the biggest one of the trip!) 

[drag4striper]

Thanks for the great report. Congrats to the wife on the biggest fish.
Your net throw looks good too.

Now I wish I coulda stayed for the evening.

[Yam]

Dude... That's a great looking throw! Keep up the great work!

[hotdog]

I'd say! There is nothing wrong with that kind of net throw! It looks to me like you've got it. Keep up the good work.

[mwardncsu]

Great week - hate the bite was as tough as it was on Saturday - keep at it!

[ajrod88]

Apr 22, 2018 20:51:51 GMT -5 hotdog said:

I'd say! There is nothing wrong with that kind of net throw! It looks to me like you've got it. Keep up the good work.

Yeh but......... just when I get the 8fter figured out the real pros tell me its time to learn how to throw a 12fter.      

[mwardncsu]

The right net is one you can throw well. No point in throwing a 12 if it won’t open, or only opens as big as an 8.

I like a 10. I feel it gives more coverage but is a good balance of energy as well. The bigger you go the heavier too. There are times a 12’ can be helpful when bait is scattered - it also means that much more area you are likely to catch a stump on

[johnr]

Personally I feel it is easier to throw a 10’ than an 8’. I’d need to be taller to throw a 12’ to full effectiveness.

[mwardncsu]

Apr 23, 2018 6:17:01 GMT -5 johnr said:

Personally I feel it is easier to throw a 10’ than an 8’. I’d need to be taller to throw a 12’ to full effectiveness.

I'm with you on this John - I overthrow an 8 when I try - perhaps because I've been throwing only a 10 for so long. The taller you are the easier it seems to throw a bigger net - at least with the method I use... I found I was not getting a 12 open any bigger than my 10, so why bother with the extra fatigue...

[ajrod88]

Thanks guys! That all makes sense. I'm not that tall so i'll probably try a ten for my next net.

[Yam]

You could always try throwing one of my 10 foot nets if you wish to determine whether or not you would like to upgrade. The net I am thinking about is named InsaniTee. Interested??

[mwardncsu]

Apr 23, 2018 10:05:05 GMT -5 Yam said:

You could always try throwing one of my 10 foot nets if you wish to determine whether or not you would like to upgrade. The net I am thinking about is named InsaniTee. Interested??

[johnr]

Apr 23, 2018 8:15:29 GMT -5 mwardncsu said:

Apr 23, 2018 6:17:01 GMT -5 johnr said:

Personally I feel it is easier to throw a 10’ than an 8’. I’d need to be taller to throw a 12’ to full effectiveness.

I'm with you on this John - I overthrow an 8 when I try - perhaps because I've been throwing only a 10 for so long. The taller you are the easier it seems to throw a bigger net - at least with the method I use... I found I was not getting a 12 open any bigger than my 10, so why bother with the extra fatigue...

That’s my problem with 8’ers too. I throw them too hard and end up with tacos, stars, snagged docks, etc. Then I adjust my throw speed and end up with snagged trolling motor heads, props, weights banged on the gunnel, etc.

I’ve gotta heave a 10’ to open it and I’m not capable of much more. So I throw it hard every time, and it works out just right.

[ajrod88]

Apr 23, 2018 10:05:05 GMT -5 Yam said:

You could always try throwing one of my 10 foot nets if you wish to determine whether or not you would like to upgrade. The net I am thinking about is named InsaniTee. Interested??

Yam, Hunting bait continues to be a HUGE battle for me. I threw my net for hundreds of throws and hours every day and night on this trip. Excluding peanuts.....I would only catch what I consider decent bait every 10-20 throws and I think one throw produce two dollar bills and another throw I got three. I think I remember pulling up 3 or 4 big ales on one throw as well. Other than that it was ONE bait per every 10-20 throws. This is quite embarrassing to admit, but it is a fact. Whenever I would see flips it ended up being peanuts. When I say decent baits I am talking about dollar bill and moneymakers. I had a bait cage at the lake this weekend that saved my hide for having any thing decent to fish with on Sat. I put a few baits in it midday Fri. and tried to get fresh bait that night and really struggled. I got a few but not enough. So I was glad for the backup.  I hear there are mongos in the lake?? I have to take their word for it for now!!!!!!!!!!!!    I'm thinking a bigger net may help. I can be pretty blonde/gullible at times so i'm not sure if i'm missing a joke on your net offer but if you are serious....I would love to hook up sometime! It was great seeing you again this weekend and chatting. BIG thanks for the use of your water hose as well. That saved me a TON of hastle! -Adam

[mwardncsu]

What is the mesh size of your net?