San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

Woke up this morning and there was a light rain. I wanted to go fishing, but just sat there drinking coffee. But even though it was a late morning start, I grabbed some rain gear and headed down to the SD River. I figured I could rough it for a few hours as it was not pouring or anything.
The water was still very stained and basically no visibility except for a foot or so. I threw lots of reaction baits and finally picked up a tiny bass on a rattletrap. It took a while after what seemed like a million casts on an underspin,I picked up 2 more small bass. Both were pretty close to the shore line tulles. I started to flip the stick-ups and then something tapped my Tokyo rig with a large JuneBug Brush-hog trailer. Thanks @Gotfish? for the "June bug" reminder on my last post. The line moved slowly away from the tulles and I set the hook and after a fun fight landed a nice bass which was right a 6lbs. Pretty jazzed and pretty lucky lately as I have caught a bass 4lbs and up on 3 straight fishing trips. Better take a month off..as a skunk surely must be next....ha ha

Beast!

Nice one!

Wow what a hog Vinny!

You might have to get that junebug tattoo after all.

So what is your favorite junebug lure? Worm, craw, Brush Hog, Senko....?

Mostly Tokyo rig or others too?

Spill the secrets.

I haven’t been throwing the Tokyo rig too much at Lake Murray, but I have used it at the river off and on and that is what I used today with the brush hog.
I usually rig the Junebug colored brush hog Texas style with a little sinker stop not far from the weight. I think most of my bigger fish last year was on the brush hog, but I have caught bass on the Junebug colored craw bait also.
I haven’t thrown any Junebug colored plastic worms. Anyway, thanks again for reminding me about that color. I never used that color for decades and suddenly last year, I started using it.

Admittedly, it is more fun to catch fish with jarring strikes on crankbaits, spinner baits or top waters than crawling and shaking soft plastics on the bottom trying to entice inactive fish. For the way I fish (float tube), I don't cover enough area to only target active fish and do well so it is mostly soft plastics for me. Fishing from a boat with trolling motor, GPS maps, high power engine and forward facing sonar, one can move along the the water constantly casting hard baits searching for active fish ("run and gun" method) and often do better (that is how many tournaments are won).

That's a Beauty...a biggy piggy! The curse of the 6lbers is gone! Bet that was more fun than sitting on your couch!

Gotfish? wrote: Wed Mar 26, 2025 7:26 pm Admittedly, it is more fun to catch fish with jarring strikes on crankbaits, spinner baits or top waters than crawling and shaking soft plastics on the bottom trying to entice inactive fish. For the way I fish (float tube), I don't cover enough area to only target active fish and do well so it is mostly soft plastics for me. Fishing from a boat with trolling motor, GPS maps, high power engine and forward facing sonar, one can move along the the water constantly casting hard baits searching for active fish ("run and gun" method) and often do better (that is how many tournaments are won).

I fish a float tube exclusively, and fish a lot of hard plastic baits. While I definitely can't run and gun like you said, I do believe there is something to be said for covering an area more thoroughly when zipping around isn't an option. Still I avoided them for years too, but mostly because a bunch of treble hooks+flailing fish=danger to tubes. But I have become increasingly more comfortable handling hard bait hooked fish.

I use a net and fish gripper pliers to handle the fish and then remove the hooks with long needle nose pliers. I usually use 6 lb line so the larger fish are tired by the time I get them to the net so they don't flop around in my lap like a fresh fish. I have yet to hook myself past the barb and have yet to puncture the float tube with a hook. Important to use a net with rubber or plastic mesh rather than string mesh as the hooks will really bury themselves in string.

https://www.cabelas.com/p/bass-pro-shop ... lsrc=aw.ds

I’ve said it before, you’re the man.
Do you buy lottery tickets, if not you should I’ll give you the money for the tickets, we can split the winnings.
Just kidding you’re not lucky, you’ve got skill.

vito1023 wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 7:12 am I’ve said it before, you’re the man.
Do you buy lottery tickets, if not you should I’ll give you the money for the tickets, we can split the winnings.
Just kidding you’re not lucky, you’ve got skill.

Sometimes a little luck happens and other times you are just able to entice a bass to bite just based on years of bass fishing and trying so many different techniques that you feel may work in certain situations. You have to be flexible when bass fishing as each day on the water can be different.
The lottery is something that you have no control over, but I still play it just in case one day after spending probably lots of money over the years, still hope there is still a chance
for my lucky day...ha ha.

You’ve got something luck, skill, magic whatever you’re constantly catching fish so good on you.

Vinny is very skilled....as for me? Well I just fish a lot.

Dannicus wrote: Thu Mar 27, 2025 5:02 pm Vinny is very skilled....as for me? Well I just fish a lot.

You are very skilled and definitely fish a lot more than me.
Tight lines buddy