New Angler in town! (Newb story inside) :)

[giantsunfish]

Grew up in Colorado crick (not creek!) fishing and some lakes. Rainbow trout and pink salmon is about all that I knew. Joined the military in 1995 and hopped around abit to a few places and hadn't had a chance to fish since.....until moving to Louisianna this past year. Friend of mine talked me into goin fishin with him a couple weeks ago, wow what an adventure lolz.

I get to his house about 5 am. We get the ole aluminum boat out and throw it in the back of the truck, drive a ways and put it down into the bayou canal near his house.

He helped me rig up a couple of his extra rods, one with a spinner the other with a buzzbait. Until 2 weeks ago I didn't know what either was hehe. Showed me some knot called a paloram or something was quite interesting from the ole square knots I was used to using. Since I have never thrown an open face I chose the good ole zebco. (would soon learn of my mistake)

Anyway we get in the boat and push off. Ok I have never been in a small boat and I was almost sure we were gonna tip over, he assured me as long as I kept somewhat in the center and no sudden movements too drastically in one way or the other that we would be ok. Took a lil gettin used to but I got comfortable fast.

I ask Rob "so what are we gonna be catching in here?" He says, "bra, (he is deep south cajun boy) we don't fish for nothing but bass round here, but you may catch some junk fish along the way."

Daylight starts coming through and we troll up to spot that he says never hits. He tells me "early in the morn, use that buzzbait, them bass love the topwaters." So we work it for abit and as usual for him nothing hit. Bout an hour and a half into it I am gettin used to keeping the buzzbait on top, and omg with that old 1.1 ratio reel it wasn't easy and he was throwing a 6.1 reel I saw how easy of a time he was having but it was quite funny anyhow.

Things are about to seem really really slow for me when Rob says "Incoming." He is fighting a fish so I pull mine in incase he needs a hand. He pulls it in and is a beautiful 12" smallmouth bass. (I understand this is small to most vets, but it dwarved the trout i used to catch lol.) So that got my blood going abit. Best part about this was the hook did very lil damage to his mouth so was about as clean as catch and release as would be possible I think.

A lil further up he says "bra, hit that grass right there." So i throw my lure out and no BS as soon as it hit it was gone. As if I was fly fishing. So now my heart is racing and I am pulling this hog in. Well when i got it in the boat, it measured a whopping 8" and we laughed abit and talked bout how it hit so fast etc... I promptly got him off the hook and set him back free.


So 5 hours later, bout 6 catches to my belt, 8 to Rob's and a few misses by each, we called it a day. I had such a great time, I am officially "hooked " and we have been out a couple times since.

I have been reading websites, books, everything and now lookin to buy my own setup. Not sure where to start, but would really like an easy reel lol. Birthday (29th) coming up and my wife already knows I want "fishing crap." lol

I am tryin to understand all the lingo, and dif lures, rigs, etc... so that reading these forums isn't so greek to me. Reading stories on these forums is alot of fun too!

But anyway, that is my newb story, and hope I didn't bore yall. I am Dan, and I will be around here asking stupid questions once in awhile, and lurking to read every post here.