The Baron

I never knew bowfin would hit a swimbait. We’ve had a couple crazy blowups on a frog, including my 13yo son hooking one last year and thinking he had his PB bass - it was quite a fight!

Yeah, for sure she’s a solid frame for that length! I love bass, but the big spring gators are a whole lotta fun too.

You stuck at it and cracked the nut - that’s awesome! Congratulations.

That’s awesome. An 8.6# would be the catch of a lifetime up here!

Good Lord, you weren’t kidding when you said she inhaled it!

Update. I ended up going with a Curado DC 201HG and Berkley Fluoroshield 20# for my heavier setup. I’ll be checking local stores for a bit heavier rod, something 7’9”-8’ -ish range with a moderate/parabolic action rated for 1-4oz. or thereabouts. I’ve done a lot of online research and unfortunately can’t source a lot of the rods that come recommended. I’ll just have to keep my eyes open in my travels. I did find that my St. Croix 7’11” felt a bit overloaded casting at 2.5oz bait (rod is rated 1/2-2oz).

Man, she’s THICK!

I caught my first ever glidebait fish yesterday. Fishing a 13 Fishing Glidesdale 185 in perch colour in about 7ft. of water. The big girls are just starting to move shallow here, and fishing them in open water before our Lake Ontario season closes March 31 is a rare opportunity. The water is still cold (40-43F) so a glide is a good presentation, but there was no doubt about it when she freight trained me on a pause. Setup is a St. Croix 7’11” heavy/moderate, Curado DC 201HG and 20# Berkley Fluroshiked to an 80# fluro leader. Lake Ontario is very clear water, but the back bay was stained from spring runoff with visibility maybe 3-4ft. It was very satisfying to take this totally new to me bait out of the package, figure out the retrieve as have success on day 1.

I’ve decided to stick my toe in the swimbait pond this season and am looking for rod/reel advice. I’m in SE Ontario, starting soon on early season pike then showing our bass something different this summer/fall. So far I’ve picked up an S-Waver 168, 13 Fishing Glidesdale 185, Savage Gear 6 3/4” 4D Perch, a 6” Cullshad and an 8” Rapala Peto. I’ll be grabbing a Spro Rat 40 and/or 50 as soon as I can find one. So, I’m looking to throw baits in the 1 1/4 - 3oz -ish range. I already had a St. Croix Bass X 7’11” Heavy/Moderate-Fast rod that’s rated 1/2-2oz., paired with Chronarch 201E 6.5:1. This isn’t labelled as a swimbait rod, but I’m thinking it will work fine for the lighter baits I’ve listed? I also want to add a bit heavier rod. Brands I have best access to are Diawa, Shimano, St. Croix and Halo. I can get others, but they’re less common. A local shop has a Diawa Tatula 7’3” Swimbait rod, rated for 1-4oz. Would that be a good choice for throwing 1.5-2.5oz. hard baits around docks and other cover? Thought I might pair it with a Tatula 300 reel and 20# Berkley Fluoroshield copoly. I fish small-medium size lakes from a 16ft. aluminum bass boat. Pike up to 10-12# are pretty common, and I could certainly catch bigger. But up here a really big bass is 5-6#, and I’m just as likely to catch smallmouth that size, as I am a largemouth. Thanks in advance for any input.