[goodfishin]

Thanks, Fasteddie.

Since picking up a freshwater rod a few years ago, it's been one long, fun set of learning experiences. My only freshwater fishing growing up was fishing for brook trout with a Zebco rod and reel in a tiny stream in New Hampshire. So, everything about fishing in NJ has been new. Fishing for bass, fishing in lakes and ponds, fishing with lures and plastics, etc.. Everything. It's been a blast.

Fishing bigger water from shore has been this year's challenge. I have to say, this might be just my imagination but it seems like the big-water bass just have much more fight in 'em. I caught a miracle 24" 7+ pound LMB in a tiny town lake last year (complete with fountains) but I sincerely think some of the far smaller SMBs and LMBs I've caught out at the reservoirs have put up at least as much of a fight.

Part of that might just be situational. There's so little depth in the usual shore-fishing spots, fish have fewer escape routes. When I hook a bass in a reservoir with a straight drop-off from shore though, man, those boys just DIVE! They riiiiiip line.

The picture I posted was actually the first decent-sized guy I managed to actually land after getting broken off FIVE times over a couple trips. On the one hand, the water was so crystal clear, it begged for light line. On the other hand, anything other than a dink bass bent my ultra-light over in a straight dive under, around and through sharp rocks that 4-lb test was just no match for.

Again, it's all just learnin'... and fun learnin' at that.