Doteki1

Thanks for the warm welcome. I guess I'll switch up the wish list a little. I'm stoked to hit Toledo bend this spring with my new arsenal. I should have a good selection by then and I will deff have some 8" in there. My brother ordered me a TT the other day so I've crossed that off the wish list.

Just ordered my 1st 68 Special and got my 1st Lunker Punker in the other day. Anybody trying to get rid of a 6 " Huddleston Night Stalker? I got plans for that thing lol

To me it's any bait that when you have one tied on and someone sees you, they look at you like you're crazy. There are small swimbaits, the sassy shad has been around forever. One of my biggest bass was caught on a Creme lure's lit'l fishy almost 15 years ago. They both mimic the swimming action of a fish but I don't consider them swimbaits just because I'm not targeting big fish with them. When I say I am chunking "swimbaits". I'm fishing for the biggest bass in the lake.

Wanted to say hello from Louisiana and share a little bit. Ive been fishing tournaments the last few years and started to realize that fishing has lost that passion to me. That it had almost become a job. The prefishing, the competition, the industry, the stress, and money it was costing was crazy. I realized that something was missing. I sold my boat almost 2 years ago and have been fishing off the bank and with friends out of their boats for the most part. I was actually enjoying just going out fishing without any pressure to win. Hanging out with friends and trying to catch the biggest fish in the lake. When I was about 8 years old my dad introduced me to bass fishing. All I wanted to do was fish. I would go to the bayou before school and back after school. I was always fishing. We didn't have a boat. We would rent a canoe sometimes and get in the swampiest places we could and throw buzzbaits. My favorite times were the night fishing trips in the canoe in a flooded cypress swamp. That buzzbait coming across the water and the huge splash when it was hit. We caught so many fish doing that and it was always exciting. No stress, no winner, just me and my dad fishing. Ive been fishing some local gof course ponds and subdivision ponds at night and doing pretty good with a buzzbait. Long story short, i was broke off by a big fish a few weeks ago and it got me thinking. I decided to start targeting big fish with big baits. I bought my first swimbait almost 2 weeks ago. A Jerry Rago Genericrat. The first night out with the rat, my friend is going on, asking me if Im fishing for sharks and crap. It was a nasty night, mid 40's, slight mist, and a little wind. About 30 minutes into the trip I make a long cast. I let the ripples fade away and start a slow steady crank, I can feel the rat moving side to side and swimming, All of the sudden BAM, like a frieght train hit my bait it almost jerks it out of my cold hands. I get goose bumps when I set the hook and feel that head shake when you know you've got a good fish. I tell my friend I've got a good one. He runs over about the same time I pull a solid 7 pounder out of the water. He can't believe something ate that rat. I was giddy as a senior on prom night. I was shaking. This is what was missing in my fishing. I know as time goes on I will catch bigger fish but to go out on the first night with my first swimbait with somebody who thinks you are crazy and the be able to catch a solid fish is an awesome feeling. Im in love with fishing again.

Currently using Shimano Curado CU200 spooled with 30# PowerPro matched to a 6'10 St Croix old school East Texas Grass Rake. Just ordered the Phenix M1 Swimbait Rod from Tacklewarehouse last week, 20%off and free shipping. New to Swimbaits and mainly chunking a Rago GenericRat at night. Addicted.

Any way to still get in on this. Im in Alexandria, La. Still night fishing and the bite is still decent. Let me know what to do next. Thanks in advance.