Hot--mid 90's, sunny, almost no clouds, no wind, and high, murky, khaki-colored water at the swamp pond today. When I saw the water, I had little hopes of getting a bite but was I wrong.

I started out in the shallow with a soft-plastic jerkbait, two different spinnerbaits, and pitched a Paca Craw but no bites.

In 9-10' of water, I started throwing Matt's Baby Bass swimbait. For the first time, I left off the weedless treble hook I had been adding to the belly of the bait. After a long cast, reeling it back at a slow-to-moderate pace, I felt a light thump and set the hook.

My 7', 6" Kistler Heavy Casting Helium rod helped me play and land the first Bass of the day, a 6 lb, 6 ouncer. She had inhaled the entire bait and was stuck in the roof of her mouth with the stock, sharp dorsal hook. Had to run my long-nose pliers inbetween her gills to yank it out--no blood, no harm.

A little while later in 7-8' of water, a 5lb, 8oz Bass grabbed the BB as it hit the water. She too had inhaled the whole bait but was unharmed and set free after the pics.

Missed two other bites that I think were small Bass but I was happy with those two. Matt's BB can be reeled in from slow to fast, pitched around the outside of cover, and jiiged off of the bottom in open water. I just ordered five more when they are finally released.


Finally got some decent swimbait Bass......more to come.

EDIT: See links in post below.

Dan