Here's a story to help you get to know me. First Post.

[childressjoseph]

So, last Sunday I left the house at 0430 to make it to my buddy's house and head down to Eufaula for a line in the water at dawn and some crappie. I know this is a Bass fishing forum, let me finish the story. We make good time getting down there. We were there by 0630, well before sunrise. The water temp. was 62 degrees, air temp. was 66 degrees and partly cloudy. There was a strong South wind blowing into the cove we were going to fish, to give you an idea what I consider strong the rates were (20-25) m.p.h. steady with up too (30) m.p.h. gusts. Okay here we go. Each of us go to our perspective slips on the baited dock and start jigging. The bite was slow but by 8 a.m. I had 10 "slabs" with the biggest being 14 3/8" and none under 11". Now, a bit about about me... I just got off a year of trying to catch crappie consistently in 2016. Every season and keeping everything logged in a journal, it paid off. Come late February I was dragging home crappie limits every time I went out, had been until I felt I had enough crappie in my freezer. So this day 10 was all I wanted to clean when it was all said and done. I wanted to try for some bass. I tied on a 1/4 oz. Original Chatterbait with a white skirt and a 2.5" Bobby Garland Mo-Glo stinger tail plastic jig. I shoved a glass jig rattle in the jig  then threaded the hook into it. Waked off the dock and headed North down the rocky bank. The water had about  12" - 18" of visibility. I started dissecting the water in front of me. There were a few large rocks submerged, mostly gravel with silt spots and some algae. There were three small lay downs, two top ends at the bank and one stump end, and one out of place twig that shot up about a foot out of the water not around anything. I stood right to the North side of this twig because it had my attention. Started slicing up the angles working the Chatterbait at different areas in the water column at various speeds and techniques. The bank was generally flat in the water. Gradually dropped a foot for every two out initially. About 8' out was a ledge that was a more drastic slope and went from 8' to 25' further out. I found a retrieve at right at 8", give or take, still visible anyway, and a retrieve as slow as I could with still activating the blade and maintaining depth thrown at like "2:45", on the clock face, would bring several bait fish and small bass in behind my lure. I kept this strategy going and felt a nudge about three and a half foot from the shore, again and again. I then realized I was dragging the lure over a large flat boulder. It never hanged up but it felt just like something picking it up. So I started looking around for my next angle. I was casting with little concern preparing to move when, KABOOM! Less than a foot out this sneaky "hawg" blasted up like an pissed off alligator! Honestly it scared me out of my skin! I was so shook I didn't even set the hook. I just wasn't expecting that, there or then. I tried to coax the ol'bucketmouth back up but to no avail. So, I moved around trying different areas. Caught a couple sandbass off the South end off the dock. Nothing else was doing and I still didn't want to go back to jigging. I got out another pole and tied on a 3/8 oz. Rage Blade straight up black and blue. I moved further out, North, towards the mouth of the cove. This area was a large shallow flat with, about a consistent 2.5' deep 15'-20' out, full of flat boulders, looked like a jigsaw puzzle. Switched between poles every 5 casts hitting the same lines with each. Nothing going on out there. I started thinking that maybe that bass was bedding in that area where I missed it? I headed back to the lonely twig rising out of the wind rippled lake surface. Threw the Chatterbait at the same angle as before and same height in the water column. KABOOM! There it was! Same damn line but about 8' out! It was strong as all get out! Got that son of a bitch out of the water then I went to grab it and thee hook came out. It fell on the bank around the rocks at my feet. It was at least 26" long and thick. I went to pick it up off the ground and it flopped to the left once. I was between this fish and the water so I stepped to the left into the water to cut it off. It flipped again landing right at the point were land and lake meet. My hand was less than an inch from it as I watched it swim away. This all happened in an instant. If it was bedding it wouldn't bite again that day. So, now you know I catch fish, loose fish and thoroughly record my fishing adventures be they successes or failures, though I did take home those slabs.

[Lipripper]

and to Ultimate bass and glad to have you here with us so make yourself right at  and love your fishing story  I love Crappie fishing as a mater of fact I'm getting ready to go catch some myself in a couple of weeks. Hope to see you around and maybe you can tell us some more stories 

[Polaris425]

Now that's a fishing story!!

Welcome to UB!

[Princeton_Man]

Welcome aboard!

[LgMouthGambler]

Welcome! Great story!

[analfisherman]

Thanks for a great story.

Welcome to the site!

[FISH520]

Welcome bud

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[Smallie_Stalker]

Hey Joseph Welcome to the Ultimate Bass family! Pleasure to have you with us. Pull up a chair, make yourself right at home and jump in wherever you feel comfortable. 

We love a good story around here. Please share anytime you want. And yes, we are primarily a bass forum but we love discussion on all species of fish. In fact we have a board called The Other Fish In Our Lives that might interest you. Check it out when you get a chance. We also have a Saltwater Fishing board if that is of any interest to you. So you see, we are not just about bass around here. 

Now for some good stuff. If you would like to win some free gear from some of the great companies that sponsor our site be sure and put your name in for the New Member's Contest and the Weekly Contests .

Looking forward to seeing you around the boards and to learning from what you share with us.

In the meantime, if you need any help with anything at all please don't hesitate to contact me or any other staff member.

Once again, Welcome!

><> Smallie_Stalker  <><

[Donald Garner]

childressjoseph

Welcome to the UltimateBass Family we're glad you're here