8 pound bass

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karstopo
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8 pound bass

Post by karstopo »

I’ve always wanted to catch an 8 pound Largemouth bass. Today was the day. Fished hard yesterday with divers and barely cracked 2 pounds. Today, I walk out on the dock after a thunderstorm and make a cast and bring this beauty to hand. Size 2 Olive deer hair diver tied Saturday. Kinda on a high right now. ImageImage


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Re: 8 pound bass

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Nice!

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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Cuervo Jones »

No sparkly bass boat?! No fancy shirt with patches and sponsors?! No 52” full color, 3-d sonar unit?!!?
Feh.
Nice fish though.


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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Your daughter gave you some lessons huh? Lol. Really nice fish for any method but on a fly is really special indeed. I wish I could even fish a fly. Some day I'll make it a priority to learn and your making it more inticing with pics like that. Great job Karst! I'm envious.

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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Bayoutalker »

That's a life achievement there!

Cliff
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Re: 8 pound bass

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imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:Your daughter gave you some lessons huh? Lol. Really nice fish for any method but on a fly is really special indeed. I wish I could even fish a fly. Some day I'll make it a priority to learn and your making it more inticing with pics like that. Great job Karst! I'm envious.

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My daughter netted my fish. She walked out of the house just as I got the fish on. How’s that for symmetry? Hook wasn’t even in past the barb. Had the fish jumped, I would have had a different story to tell.

Honestly, some folks make fly fishing out to be crazy hard and expensive. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m no casting champ. I can’t double haul. This fish was 20 feet away. It’s just fishing. It’s fun for sure, but any old rod can work. I used a $60 7/8 CGR on this fish. My best redfish at 10 pounds came on the same rod. It’s like any other fishing in that it’s figuring out the fish patterns, not that I can or do as a rule with any gear, but sometimes it works out. Give it a shot. It’s a fun way to fish.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by karstopo »

Bayoutalker wrote:That's a life achievement there!

Cliff
My wife asked if an 8 pound bass is a big deal. I said it depends whom you ask. Ask me and I’d say yes. I’m happy about the fish and that’s an understatement. Anyway, if I never catch another this size I’d be way cool about it.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Drifting Yak »

Congrats karst! She's a beauty!
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Re: RE: Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Bayoutalker »

karstopo wrote:
Bayoutalker wrote:That's a life achievement there!

Cliff
My wife asked if an 8 pound bass is a big deal. I said it depends whom you ask. Ask me and I’d say yes. I’m happy about the fish and that’s an understatement. Anyway, if I never catch another this size I’d be way cool about it.
An 8lb bass is an achievement in itself but doing it on a flyrod adds another level. Getting one to hit at all is rare. Of course catching it on a fly you tied yourself is a real plus.

Congratulations!

Cliff
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

your dues are paid up - we know why this man is smiling

what you need now are a few shots at sight-fishing fish that size in clear hill country creeks
seeing it coming is a whole different rush
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Cigarsnjeeps »

Very nice. Congrats!

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Re: RE: Re: 8 pound bass

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

karstopo wrote:
imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:Your daughter gave you some lessons huh? Lol. Really nice fish for any method but on a fly is really special indeed. I wish I could even fish a fly. Some day I'll make it a priority to learn and your making it more inticing with pics like that. Great job Karst! I'm envious.

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My daughter netted my fish. She walked out of the house just as I got the fish on. How’s that for symmetry? Hook wasn’t even in past the barb. Had the fish jumped, I would have had a different story to tell.

Honestly, some folks make fly fishing out to be crazy hard and expensive. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m no casting champ. I can’t double haul. This fish was 20 feet away. It’s just fishing. It’s fun for sure, but any old rod can work. I used a $60 7/8 CGR on this fish. My best redfish at 10 pounds came on the same rod. It’s like any other fishing in that it’s figuring out the fish patterns, not that I can or do as a rule with any gear, but sometimes it works out. Give it a shot. It’s a fun way to fish.
Well you talked me into it then. I'm going to Cabelas today to look at setups. There's a small, maybe 5 or 6 acre lake, about 3/4 mile from my house thats fly fishing only and I've always wanted to fish it. It's usually not very clear water and has bass, crappie, and sunfish. Any recommendations on what to get? I'll need everything from rod/reel to lines/ tippets and flies but dont want to break the bank. I'll start out fishing from the bank. There's plenty of open space along and around the dam area to learn to cast without interference but the better fishing areas have a lot of trees and brush lining the shore so will eventually want to fish it from the yak.

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Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: 8 pound bass

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imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:
karstopo wrote:
imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:Your daughter gave you some lessons huh? Lol. Really nice fish for any method but on a fly is really special indeed. I wish I could even fish a fly. Some day I'll make it a priority to learn and your making it more inticing with pics like that. Great job Karst! I'm envious.

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My daughter netted my fish. She walked out of the house just as I got the fish on. How’s that for symmetry? Hook wasn’t even in past the barb. Had the fish jumped, I would have had a different story to tell.

Honestly, some folks make fly fishing out to be crazy hard and expensive. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m no casting champ. I can’t double haul. This fish was 20 feet away. It’s just fishing. It’s fun for sure, but any old rod can work. I used a $60 7/8 CGR on this fish. My best redfish at 10 pounds came on the same rod. It’s like any other fishing in that it’s figuring out the fish patterns, not that I can or do as a rule with any gear, but sometimes it works out. Give it a shot. It’s a fun way to fish.
Well you talked me into it then. I'm going to Cabelas today to look at setups. There's a small, maybe 5 or 6 acre lake, about 3/4 mile from my house thats fly fishing only and I've always wanted to fish it. It's usually not very clear water and has bass, crappie, and sunfish. Any recommendations on what to get? I'll need everything from rod/reel to lines/ tippets and flies but dont want to break the bank. I'll start out fishing from the bank. There's plenty of open space along and around the dam area to learn to cast without interference but the better fishing areas have a lot of trees and brush lining the shore so will eventually want to fish it from the yak.

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I think the 7'6" 5/6 CGR might be the most versatile if you go the one set up for the pond route. The cheapest reel you can find should work for the pond. I don't know what Cabelas offers in reels, but under $50 on the reel ought to do it. Redington zero, MaxCatch, Piscifun, all low priced. MaxCatch Avid line is good. I got some for $21 Off Amazon. I like the 6 weight floating for the 5/6 CGR.

What are the CGRs now in price? They have gone on sale for $40 a few times. $ 40 for a reel, $20 on the line. Ordinary mono for leader.

Big Y sells decent flies for cheap. 60, 70 cents per copy on some panfish types. Woolly buggers, leeches, poppers, foam spiders, they have them all.

Should be able to get up and running for under $150.

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Re: 8 pound bass

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I see Cabelas has the eagle claw fly rod for $35. Heard good things, but no experience with it.

The wind river reel is $25. No experience with it, but it's likely a line storage device on a freshwater pond.

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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

not a fan of the Eagle Claw rod here, but the CGR is probably a good choice.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Kayak Kid »

Unlike you Ron, I am very proficient with a fly rod. I have little trouble casting with accuracy to a bone fish that is over 90 feet away.

Over the many years I've been learning about the sport, I have accumulated some the best equipment available. I not only use double hauling extensively, but I've taught it to a number of people.

But, I've never caught an eight pound bass, or any bass close to that size. :(
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

probably another example of why sarcasm doesn't work on the internet. 8)
Actually, we all use haul every time we cast, simply because we're holding the line in our line hand.
If you want to get really good at it, work on casting backwards across your chest, then haul becomes simply pulling your line hand downward on every power stroke to help build line speed, and up again as you're letting line out.
Image
It's the very best way to build line speed into the wind - looking upwind and addressing the wind with that backwards cast across your chest - even if your're going to turn your head and shoot downwind. The shorter your arm movements and the more haul you pull into the line, the more control you will have, and the sooner you will be able to deliver a powerful, accurate cast.
From this position, you should be able to present a cast to either side, and even change direction mid-cast to present 90-degrees away if needed.

Best clear water to get a fish this size is the Sabinal, Frio and Nueces.
Not really showing off here, just trying to get back my cat's whisker.
Image
Though you won't find these clear water fish quite as stocky for their size, because they don't have the ambush advantages of pond or reservoir bass. But when that mouth opens to eat your fly, it's a sight you'll never forget.

In the upper photo, I'm fishing the Pedernales headwaters, and there are monsters there, also (Seco Creek, Hondo Creek), but tougher access for the most part. The Nueces is a great river for a kayak.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Fri Mar 23, 2018 6:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 8 pound bass

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I think kayak kid was referring to me when he mentioned Ron in his post. I made a post about my lack of the ability to double haul. I’ve tried to master it, the double haul, but just can’t seem to get it. I’ve looked at various videos. Getting the rod and off rod hand to work in unison like that...not working for me.

Interestingly, I cast left handed as well as I do right, my dominant side. That either side casting skill comes in handy taming adverse winds and helps to prevent close encounters with fly hooks. I caught the 8 pound fish casting from the left side. I fish about as much left handed as I do right. I’m normally as accurate with a fly rod as I am a baitcasting set up to about 65 or 70 feet, with my 7/8 CGR and far more accurate than I am with spinning gear. Why the double haul eludes me I know not. I do haul a bit on the last forward cast to add a bit of extra uumph when needed. Good news is I haven’t run into anything here that requires me to make a 90’ cast. I did cast 90’ once at a redfish and got a hook up, but I decided it’s easier just to move closer in the kayak and up the percentages.

Hill country river with a fly rod looks fun. I’ve paddled portions of the Frio, Colorado, Medina, Upper Guadalupe, South and north Llano, and San Saba river but that was prior to fly fishing. I’m generally adverse to a lot of windshield time these days so I tend to hang out close to home.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

he's a great tease, and his spirit is always appreciated.

If you've ever met Lefty Ray Chapa, he Always casts the backwards way I'm using in my photo above on the Pedernales (it's just down from White Oak Xing for those interested in finding big fish). Maybe it just comes natural to us southpaws. The reason I'm doing it there is to keep my cast completely out of the timber.
So many people face their adversary and cast front to back with a fly rod. The proper way is to stand sideways and cast across yourself. This this gives you complete view of both your forward and back cast.
As I mentioned above, you're always using haul just because you're holding your line in your line hand. If you add the downard and upward motion in your line hand, you're double hauling. It also eliminates virtually all casting mistakes and makes it more natural to limit your casting arm motions to where they belong. When you arrive at the whole process being fully natural, the rod and the mass of the fly line are an extension of your senses.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

karstopo wrote:I see Cabelas has the eagle claw fly rod for $35. Heard good things, but no experience with it.

The wind river reel is $25. No experience with it, but it's likely a line storage device on a freshwater pond.

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I'm picking this up tomorrow at Cabelas.
https://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product ... 8ac8e4d7fc
Going with the 9ft 6 wt comes with line and backing. I figure for $60 it should be good enuf to find if I like fly fishing or not and not a huge $ loss if the latter turns out to be the case.
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Re: 8 pound bass

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All in for $60, that’s a great deal!
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

that's also enough rod to take to the coast.
Of course I like fishing in tight spaces where shorter glass rods shine, and I think there are also some learning advantages to mid-length glass rods, but that's certainly a good buy for $60.

The simplest beginning casting tips I can give are don't be in a hurry - remember to hold the line in your line hand until you're feeding out line - feel the rod load, letting the line straighten out before you change your cast direction, keep your loops tight and parallel to the horizontal, and don't break your wrist in your cast - if you slightly turn your wrist so you can't see your thumbnail, you can't break your wrist.

Aside from breaking their wrist in their cast, and trying to load the rod before the line gets there, the biggest mistake beginning casters make is trying to handle too much line in the air, past the forward belly on their fly line. Then the skinny running line can't turn over the belly, and the whole cast collapses. When you feel the line rear taper in your line-hand fingers, it's time to shoot the line - this part of the cast is the weight of the belly pulling out the running line, at that point very similar to casting a spinning rod.
here they call it the Body instead of the belly
Image

When you get to the water, work on roll-cast, which you can only do on the water. It should become so natural that you will begin everything you do on the water with a roll-cast. It will become your most useful tool for presenting in tight spaces, and it's how you lift sunken hardware to the surface before you make a back-cast.
Image
Lift the rod to 1 o'clock, and just before the line stops, begin your forward cast. That 4th drawing should be showing a back-cast instead of a forward cast, but it's the best series I could find online.
Roll cast is really useful for exploring in close, fishing in close around boat docks, etc.

One October fall bite, all the river bass were out of the holes and up on the riffles.
I caught 70 bass, slowing wading downstream and making down-and across roll casts, let the line swing in the current, and do it over and over -
- never making a back-cast - nothing but roll-cast, swing, roll-cast, swing...
Image
Last edited by Ron Mc on Sat Mar 24, 2018 7:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Which do you guys think would be best for a beginner? They have these in stock and they have the 8' 6" in a 5 wt or the 9' in a 6 wt. - Will be mostly pond fishing I think but would also like the option for the coast as Ron suggested.
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Re: 8 pound bass

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imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:Which do you guys think would be best for a beginner? They have these in stock and they have the 8' 6" in a 5 wt or the 9' in a 6 wt. - Will be mostly pond fishing I think but would also like the option for the coast as Ron suggested.
The 6-wt for sure, if you want to take it to the coast.
Shorter rods fit better in tighter spaces, but glass fly rods work better than graphite in shorter rods.
6-wt in general is a one good all-around rod. It works for trout, bass, and redfish.
There is enough mass in the fly line you can feel it, which helps with timing on your cast.

The main thing the line decides is what size hooks you can throw ("turn over"). A 5-wt would limit you to about size 8 hooks, useful for freshwater, but too small for salt water. The 6-wt would let you fish up to size 4 long or size 2-1x salty fly hooks, and up to size 2 poppers or hair bugs on your pond.

Maybe if you decide later you really like this, you can add a shorter 5-wt glass rod for fishing from your kayak and getting into tight spaces.
Or the 7/8 CGR for a dedicated bass/coast-kayak rod.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: 8 pound bass

Post by Ron Mc »

oops...
Last edited by Ron Mc on Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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