Reputation from Nateraz - Swimbait Underground

Nateraz reacted to 253caster in Finally… (Long write up) April 2

March 27 at 11:26am the stars aligned and I got her… Wasn’t planning on fishing that morning, but the day prior my boss wanted to trade me vacation weeks so I asked for the rest of the week off as part of the deal and he agreed to it.

So I hurry to the lake the next morning, anxious as the conditions are about as ripe as they get this time of year.
I arrive at an empty parking/launch facility and rush to get my boat in the water and head over towards my first spot. Three casts in I am running a soft bait parallel to the bank and watch an easy 4-5 pounce on it and pin it to the bank. I set the hook and broke it off. Tie up another soft bait and throw out downhill. I get thumped again only to have that fish run me in to grass and come off and it blew the nose out of the bait so it was virtually destroyed. Rather than spend the time to retie another, I grabbed my glide bait set up and fire it out there. Somewhere near the edge of the same grass bed I got thumped again and lean into it. BIG one. Got her in the net and decided to well her up and run her to the other side of the lake in hopes a bigger fish would move up in her place later in the morning. Heading in to the area I wanted to release the fish at, I started fishing my way in and the glide bait gets thumped again… I see a pale beast of a fish trying to turn and dig but I kept her coming toward me and bounce her off the net as I try and get it under her. She turned and made a strong run, but I got her turned back around and scooped her up. I screamed and shouted a few times in celebration as I knew what I was looking at. It was obvious she had several inches on the fish I had in the livewell. I rush to the shoreline to try and take shelter from the wind and waves and weigh the fish. I let the smaller one go after a few quick pics and a weight so I could focus on giving the bigger one lots of time to rest between photos and measurements.
She went 24.2” x 18.7” weighed 10lbs 12oz and shatters my old PB by over a pound. Public waters predator. A true unicorn of a Northern Strain bass. She bit right as the baro bottomed out and after taking my time with her the bite window closed up and I didn’t get bit again the rest of the day. Before releasing her I called my friend Brandon and he just happened to be leaving work early so he shot to the lake to see her and be there for the release. We had always talked about him being there for this fish, and they way it worked out he basically was.
On the way home it all hit me. All of the hours dedicated to grind. All of the money spent in the pursuit. All of the failures and mistakes made along the way. All of the time with friends and my family that I selfishly sacrificed for this fish... It all came together and my quest to hit double digits is over.
Of course I gotta shout out Brock from Hiroshima Customs for producing the tools that made it all possible and for the customer service over the years keeping baits in rotation that were critical to my success. The bait I caught her on(8.5 hiro) has earned retirement for the years of abuse I’ve put it through. It’s bounced off more hard surfaces than a resin bait should withstand. It hung my wife’s PB as well so it’ll go on the wall, possibly with a replica mount of the fish.
A cast to catch, weighing and release video will go up on YT after the spring bite is over. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Nateraz reacted to KeepinItReelFishing in 5x2 (5lb smallie and 5lb largie) on Real Prey gill + Suddartg gill wake in NJ June 22, 2022

That smallie had to give her all to get the Real Prey swallowed. Its a pretty tall profile lure as it relates to a smallmouth's mouth. She matches my PB smallie to the oune at 5lbs 3oz. Previous PB was on a craw/jig lure, so I'm pretty stoked that the bigger swimbait did its thing and brought about the big bite this time around. As an aside...just look at that Real Prey gill. Its a creation of BEAUTY both in form and in function (swim). A real gem from the Joe Rainville shop.
The largemouth was a crushing strike! Super shallow, and in a field of flooded standing timber. I love to pitch small-ish bluegill lures into these areas. Employing that technique this time of year (pre spawn/early spawn) with these size lures is an easy recipe for the big females. I find upsizing the lure hasn't brought about bigger bites as the big girls are right there...your not drawing them from a distance where the bigger bait might be beneficial. Also, part of this big bass Russian roulette of fishing dense standing timber with wakes is trying to midigate the risk of them wrapping around trees and breaking free, which is admittedly high. As such, I find the lighter lures like the Suddartg gill, (2oz resin) or staples like the BDB Shellcracker G2 (1.5oz injection molded) stay pinned much better than the larger, heavier options when those fish do wrap and you have to get the boat over to them. Less mass = less tearing force applied during head shakes.
Anytime you catch two 5lb fish in NJ, especially with one being a smallmouth, your having a hell of a day! Super. Duper. STOKED!
A day like this necessitates a video! Editing to commence.........now.