You win some, you lose some.

And some that you lose sting a little more than others.

Gotta admit that this one stung for a while.

Makes it even worse that it was caught on video so I can relive it over and over again if I so choose.

I have so chosen and you know, it’s really kind of a cool strike, especially in slow motion. It gives me some extra time to analyze the incident and assess what I could have done differently to land this boatside blast from a bass in the 4 to 5 pound range. I actually got a great split second view of the fish in the last couple feet of the retrieve as it chased down and struck the bait. Kind of weird there too as that brief instant also seemed to have a slow motion feel to it. However, it did not last long before reality shifted back to full speed and the fish and my buzzbait were gone.

Slow motion version of the clip

In regards to what I could have done to land the fish, I guess one potential item would involve having my drag set a little looser thus potentially allowing the fish to run. Tough call on this one as my drag was pretty well dialed in for a typical strike whereas a strike with only a couple feet of line out is a whole different ballgame.

A second possibility would have been to disengage my reel and thumb it in free spool as the fish charged off with the bait. I’ve actually done this with success on a couple boatside muskie strikes but must admit that those were nowhere near as vicious and sudden as this bass strike thus providing an extra fraction of a second for those motor skills to instinctively kick in.

A final possible route to success would be to switch my allegiance from monofilament line to some sort of braid or super line. Not gonna happen in the near future, if ever, as I’ve been there and they just didn’t suit me. Besides, my good, old Trilene 12-pound test has come out on top versus muskies pushing 20-pounds, walleye over 10 pounds and just a few big bass. Plain and simple, I’ll put my money on my experience and low budget gear over pricey superlines any day of the week.

In the end, this one just wasn’t meant to be and while I was disappointed at the time, I eventually got over it. I can watch this video and simply appreciate the power of the freight train like strike of this fish and admit that it got the best of me on this day. My main concern in looking back on the bad break is that the bass was able to dislodge the lure, go about its business and live to make another mistake. Hopefully, just a little farther away from the boat.

One last time in super slow motion and yes, it still gets away

This concludes my 2017 Top 10 Video countdown, appreciate anyone who has taken the time to tune in. However, I do have one more video compilation up tomorrow in light of the holiday. April Fools’ Day, that is. Talk to you later. Troy

To coincide with today being Opening Day for the 2018 Major League Baseball season I’m going with a “called shot.” Not quite as epic as the legendary Babe Ruth prediction from the 1932 World Series but a called shot nonetheless.

And with one big difference.

There’s no dispute on my called shot as it’s all right here on video and audio. Of course, you can do some pretty creative stuff with software these days but those techniques are still above my editing level. Maybe someday, though.

In contrast, there remains some debate on The Babe’s feat. While video of the at bat indeed shows some sort of gesture it just depends on whose version of the story you buy as to whether it was truly Ruth pointing to where he would then hit a mammoth home run. Makes for one heck of a story and I’m all about those so I’ll buy it hook, line and sinker.

My called shot took place on a remote Knox County, IL strip mine with the bass falling to a Strike King KVD 2.5 Rattling Squarebill crankbait. I wound up with four bass on this lure and it was fun to have this one on video as it decided to strike right as I was describing where the bite should occur.

If you’ve fished long enough it is likely that you can relate to such predictions coming through in a fishy looking spot. You know, one of those can’t miss spots that experience and instinct prompt you to say, “There should be one here.” A well placed cast, a couple turns of the reel and bang, right on cue, you’ve got your bite. Happens plenty of times and those seem to be the ones that you remember. But, of course, whether human nature or just the nature of those who fish, we lose count of all of these sorts of called shots that just don’t materialize.

There’s no story on those failed predictions that are simply cast, reel in and cast again so not surprisingly they all fall by the wayside. Kind of edited out of the memory just as I edit out all of the uneventful footage from the GoPro sessions. For instance, a few of the clips in this Top 10 project are a part of six or eight minutes worth of footage that get whittled down to the 30 seconds or so where something actually happens.

But every once in a while you get some feedback right of the bat which I guess could also qualify as a sort of called shot. After all, why bother turning on the camera if you aren’t expecting to catch something. Below is a bonus “called shot” clip from earlier the same day that features a changeup in presentation from a Senko wacky rig to a crankbait that was met with some immediate results.

Always fun on the water and cool to have some video these days as a reminder that every once in a while you get it dialed in and make it work just like it does on television. Talk to you later. Troy

“He was caught on a summer day, 2017…Oh, what a lonely bass, oh, what a lonely bass, oh, what a lonely bass.” – Andrew Gold (sort of), Lonely Boy (1977), click here for YouTube video of this 70’s classic after you read this blog entry.

Hey, every once in a while inspiration hits me prompting the inclusion of some of my good, old song lyrics. Hadn’t went there for a while and woke up the other day with this song and Video #4 on a loop in my head. Guess this blogging thing gets a little obsessive at times but sure beats waking up thinking about how to resolve some sort of technology issue. Get to do that all week so nice to find that the imagination can still intervene on the weekend.

Anyhow, today’s video features what is certainly a less than impressive bass but boy did it save the day. (Note: my tentative title for this piece was “Mighty Bass” as a play on the old Mighty Mouse cartoon. “Here I come to save the day”, right? Tough to say what was the better direction but I elected to go with the guy who penned The Golden Girls theme song. How’s that for some useless trivia?)

This catch came on 7/25/17 at 8:31pm from Iowa’s Lost Grove Lake and was the only fish I caught the entire evening in just over two hours of fishing. A 10” trophy for me in avoiding an embarrassing summertime shutout. I was so pleased to get on the board that I shot a picture, rowed to the ramp and called it a night. I figured that there was no better way to end a tough day than with being able to claim a last cast bass.

And I should probably end this post right now as well.

Instead, I’ll push my luck and wrap it up with an assist from some classic “lonely lyrics.” (Answers on the lyrics below my sign off and feel free to add any comments on a lyric that would also fit the bill.)

On the water you will inevitably have some “lonely days” (1) or a “lonely night” (2). But even if “it’s a lonely ol’ night” (3) “don’t you ever be ashamed” (4) if you can’t get the fish to cooperate. Instead, “if you just ask the lonely” (5) bass perhaps he can point you towards a few of his friends.

Ok, maybe too much. Talk to you later. Troy

1. Lonely Days – Bee Gees, 1970
2. Lonely Night (Angel Face) – Captain & Tennille, 1976
3. Lonely Ol’ Night – John Cougar Mellencamp, 1985
4. J.D. Souther – You’re Only Lonely, 1977
5. Ask the Lonely – Journey, 1983

Kids are cool.

Bass are cool.

Kids and bass are…well, check out the video.

I’ll admit it can be a challenge teaching kids to fish but memories like this serve to reinforce that it’s well worth it. All of the pulling lures out of trees, “stand back so you don’t get hooked”, “really, it’s okay to pee over there, nobody will see you”, “you don’t need hand sanitizer…” and so on fade away when that bobber goes under.

And it’s fun as a grownup to realize that sometimes you aren’t so far removed from being a kid yourself. Listening to Jayce holler, “Bass, bass, bass” got me to thinking about that little voice in my head that involuntarily starts in with the same mantra once I’ve set the hook.

Never really thought about that before and that’s another aspect of this whole video thing that has been fun while also providing an opportunity for more than a few laughs with the advent of more user friendly recording.

We’re not the big boys, we don’t have a script and any catchphrases that may be spouted out on a regular basis are just the natural reaction to the simple joy of fooling a fish. As a grown up it’s kind of weird sitting all alone in a boat or balancing on a spoilbank while trying to provide the “viewers” with a feel for what you’ve got going on. But throw in a hookset met with some scaly resistance from the other end and a sort of verbal auto pilot feature kicks in. A reaction that goes back as long as I’ve fished, another thing that I never really consciously thought about. I’ve been talking to the fish for years, seems a natural part of the pursuit. Just takes a bit of getting used to when you see it on video.

Which brings me back to the joy of observing kids fishing or hanging with kids in general. Imagination and silliness typically run high even for a fellow like Jayce who is more than a bit reserved in most situations. Thus, it’s a treat to see the goofiness and excitement come pouring out while he’s sharing a common interest with a guy who just so happens to resemble a bigger version of that kid.

Before I sign off, here’s a bonus video from the same day on the water.  It serves to show that kids also learn other valuable fishing skills from their mentors beyond casting and reeling.  And yes, not surprisingly, I learned this one from Jayce’s Papa.

Here’s to more “bass, bass, bass”, “bluegill, bluegill, bluegill” and hopefully one of his 2018 goals of “catfish, catfish, catfish.” Talk to you later. Troy