(condensed version, believe it or not.... I wrote a novel for my site :-))

Well, after falling into a 6 week slump for double digit bass, and after sticking a 14 lb Channel cat at San Pablo Weds. evening, I decided to make Thursday a trophy catfish trip.

I had baited both of my micro-light setups with several night crawlers each. After the lively crawlers tangled my line around my hook a few times (while leaving them sitting still on a light Carolina rig) I brought them in the boat and gave them the old stomp :-) figuring it wouldn't make any difference whether they were alive or not, for catfish anyway.

A little bit of time goes by and on the rod I am holding.... Tick. I was like, hey, that was a bite ! ..... Tick, tick, and my line slowly starts to move to the right. I set the hook and the micro-light rod rod doubles back, but the tip doesn't budge !
Alright, this feels like a pretty good kitty. I work it towards the surface and it runs back down, then again, and again...... But it's starting to not feel like a Catfish...... So it must be a good size Carp, right ?
Suddenly the fish makes a screaming run for the surface and goes airborn ! OH my God ! It's a BASS ! And it's a HOG !!! She makes a couple more short runs past the boat, but on one of them she passes within reach of the net..... Scoop !

Yea' buddies ! I knew I had finally gotten my double digit bass on the micro-light (one of my more recent goals) but I was amazed when I hung her on the scale (with a witness)..... 13.0 lbs !

Ya' know guys, my last trophy catch was a 21.1 lb Channel catfish caught on the Castaic trout lure that I was throwing for trophy bass, then I turn around and fish specifically for Cats, and catch a trophy bass ! How ironic is that ? :-)

As long as you have a line in the water, anything is possible right ? :-)

Great fishing to all of you guys,
Fish Chris

Great catch Chris!!!When i first read the subject and the bait you were using I thought you would say it was a sturgeon.But even better!

Well your out of your little slump and on your to 30,good luck!

P.S....if you can catch a 10+ on a Helicopter lure,then I will really be impressed! :)

I told Chris on the phone last night that if he really wants the record at Pablo, he needs to put a marshmallow on there with the worms. This caught the 18-11 bass which is also the biggest bass every caught in Northern California. A 28lb cat was caught at Pablo on this same combo I believe. No matter how you cut it, it's a great fish ... and I just gotta say, "you know the bite is tough when you gotta drag 4 dead smashed worms on the bottom!!!"
-Rob

As I was reading through this I ran into one of your tips you were giving and my question is.

Is there a certain type of marshallow and worm you use for bait. I am asking this because I have been fishing for about 2 years now and I really don't know much about some types of baits and techinques. If you don't mind can you let me know. I'm still learning as the days go by and I'm quite interested in learning about this techinque.

Thank I appreciate.

The marshmallow is merely a way to float the bait up off the bottom. Trout fishermen do this because after finding food in a swimming pool all of there life, hatchery trout need a little help (OK, they need a lot of help :-) finding there meals.
The worms we are talking about here are just the standard dozen to the little styrofoam box, night crawlers.
Personally, if I thought floating my worm off of the bottom would help, I would simply inject some air into the worm with a hypodermic.

Peace,
Fish

PS, Hey Jay, since your still learning about this stuff, you should probably understand a few things about live bait. Here are a few of links for you to check out:

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id103.htm

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id132.htm

http://www.trophybassonly.com/id138.htm

Hope this helps,
Great fishing to you,
Fish Chris

Took me ol trusty 38oz brack and blue jig to da honey hole with a pocket full of marshmellows. I got them all out and started putting em on me line to get the ol jig ta float. At first i thought i was onto something here but then relized maybe I need to bring more marshmellows next time cause dat damn jig wouldnt come off the ground, so i thought maybe it will only come off da ground if its in the water so i put my rig in the water but the marshmellow just made a mess.I had these frigen marshmellows stuck all over me my hands legs rods. I gave up and thought maybe its best for live bait. I have this mouse critter in me trailor that has been scratching da hell out of me when i sleep. I think I will sleep with a mouse trap tonight and get out wit him tomarrow and see if we can get em to float. Tanks for da info fishy I will let you hear how it bites.

:) :) :):) :) :) :)

having a lil fun wish'n i was fish'n

Absolutely Hilarious John!!!!!!!

I did manage to stick this nice 9.0 lb'er yesterday on my micro-light rod and a tail hooked crawler. I describe this technique in detail in my article on fishing crawlers, which I included the link to above.

Crawlers are the most overlooked trophy bass bait on the planet..... and I believe that not having an open mind to "all" trophy bass techniques (live bait included) is the biggest downfall among most trophy hunters.

Just my .02 cents,
Fish

Dang it John, I told ya before, da GARLIC marshmellows only work on Carolina rigged buzzbaits!
LOL! :D