S-B / DJ Muller: Bass Class Contest - Win Free Ticket: Big Bass & Release, Why or How

[ecduzitgood]

Now that's a great post from a true Fishoholic
And DJ perhaps you'll remember meeting me at the MSBA show at Stonehill 2 years ago. I'm the guy who fishes 80# Hollow core Jerry Brown and splice my flourocarbon 10 feet into the braid (not many guys use that combination). I remember because you thought that was over kill, I think it's underkill (kills less). It allows me a better chance of landing a cow that heads for the rocks due to it's ability to tolerate/withstand more abrasion while also giving me the strength to land a large fish in atimely manner. The lower stress level because of a shorter fight along with the increased chances of landing the fish allowing for removal of the hook or plug far outweigh the sacrifice of distance and sink rate from my perspective. Just something to consider. I enjoy listening to you and reading your works even though we didn't see eye to eye. I'll check to see if I can attend the class and if so I"ll gladly pay the $125 to listen/learn from you.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[DJ Muller]

Fish and ec- Good stuff, esp. Fish, nice expo, very comprehensive, ever consider writing?

Just for the sake of clarity...I want to say that the emphasis is on large bass, mid-20's lbs and up. I believe that these are the big breeders, see the stats again.
I have the same problems at home, "bring a fish home." "Yes dear" but I don't, don't want the hassel of the whack. But when I do bring fish, it is usually one that was badly hooked (a bleeder) or something else, and I prefer teenagers hands down, as I like that meat better. The bigger ones gets blubbery for the lack of a better term.

Ed-I may have poo-poo'ed your leader set up because I believe in simplicity and yours is a little complicated. I fish nights in sometimes windy conditions, sometimes in deep water with nothing dry within 70 yards. If I do end up having to re-tie, I put another 30" of 80 (sometimes 100) pound test mono onto a barrel and away we go with one or two simple knots.

While the leader will save you fish from rub-offs and breaks, like Fish implied, it is the rod and its power and how you handle it, is what will help you control, and eventually win/beat, a fish. The "End Game" is the most important and probably least emphasized part of our fishing. We cover this in Class (had to get a little plug in) because of its extreme importance. From the hook-up, the phases of the battle, to the landing and maybe releasing. Again we are emphasizing big bass. Few fish for, or like small bass exclusively, it is large bass that drive our sleepless nights.

[Fishoholic]

Thanks guys!

-DJ, I did a little writing for a blog at my previous job. I enjoy it and would definitely do it more, given the chance. You are right, I neglected to mention using the rod to play the fish.

[Driftwood1]

The Bass I released but never caught.

It was the first year they put the weigh station back in Oaks Bluff. Hit the Island late rushed to sign up at Oaks Bluff. Someone came in with a bass he just caught at south beach. Weigh master( Cassidy I think) said this fish has some life left in her you might want to let her go on the docks behind the station. The fellow took the fish to the dock and tried but soon gave up. Told him to let me try. I worked that fish back and forth for many minutes and finally got her gills to start opening. Held her there watched her gills open and close gentle moving her back and forth and then big tail gave a kick and she swam off as I watch her in the dim light of the dock. Dam did that feel good.
That one was for Doc Muller and all his preaching about catch and release at the shows. You see we do we do listen and hear you guys. ( Oh by the way the guy who caught the fish was long gone never waited around to see it, his loss my gain memories are all you need...

[toaster816]

Watching a fish regain its colors an strength is pretty special. Two memorable releases come to mind for me.

The first came when my buddy hauled in a beast of a 30#er at the canal. I can still remember how alarmed I was when his drag got my attention and I turned to find him holding on for dear life with his 11' lami looking like a horse shoe. He is a solid dude and I knew he was into a good fish by the way he was leaning back to keep her from going down current or burying into the bottom. After landing this impressive fish and taking some quick measurement and a picture he waded into the water to start bringing her back to life. After a few moments of working her back and forth he saw she was ready to rejoin her sisters. As he let her go she swiped her enormous tail one last time and showered him with a huge spray of water, he stood up and had the biggest grin on his face, something he rarely does after landing a good fish.



The other memorable release came on a fish I caught in the surf with my two buddies. We got into a great bite at one of our favorite fall spots, a reef that always had big surf on the left side and calm waters on the right where boulders and bubble weed always collected.

The surf was ripping and the fish were holding right in front of us, blues and bass together. They were teen sized fish each of us were picking them up on various plugs. The smaller fish were holding tight to the reef so I decided to hurl a redfin out behind the waves to search for something bigger. After a good cast on the back of the last wave of the set the redfin got smashed and I was concentrating to keep her from running left towards one of my buddies who had just casted. She wasn't a cow, but larger than the previous fish I had hooked up with. She took one solid run then I worked hard to keep the waves from pushing her to my left into the rocks. I got her close and found a nice high teen fish at the end of my leader. I failed to weigh her as I do for most of my fish. I am always paranoid about losing a fish from taking too long to get them back in the drink.

Typically releasing the smaller bass right at our feet back into the surf was fine because you would get a few moments in between sets to revive a fish. Since I got this girl at the end of a long cast and the fight was more straining I decided to take her on the back side of the reef where it was calm and I could work her without getting smashed by rushing water. I found a safe spot for my rod and went waist deep between some rocks and started the process. Her tail was twitching but her dorsal and pectoral fins would not stand up. As I was pushing and pulling her I could hear my buddy behind me landing fish but I kept telling myself not to rush it.

Finally her fins began to flex and her tail twitches became more powerful. Soon I was struggling to hold on and I knew she was ready. She thrashed one last time but I held tight so she wouldn't head in the wrong direction. When she relaxed I let go and she slowly pushed her tail back and forth leaving a nice wake in the flat water and disappeared. Her colors looked incredible sub surface and swimming slowly.

[DJ Muller]

And the weeeeeiinner is... Fishaholic.
PM sent.
Runner up? Everyone else.

Good stories thanks, I may use them in my next book.
Keep them coming!

Thanks John for running a great site and for the contest.
Now back to work!

[JohnR]

DJ - Thanks for doing this.

TJ - - Nice