# A Free Lunch – Freshwater 11/11/10



## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

After two months of unemployment, I figured I could really use a good meal on someone else’s dime, so I called my friend Bob to see if he wanted to do a little bass fishing. ;D Knowing he always wants to wager something on the outcome of our trips, I wasn’t surprised when he suggested that whoever catches the least buys lunch. Since he has yet to beat me, I figured it was a safe bet and agreed whole-heartedly. 

We met up at 7:30am the next morning and quickly had the boat in the water. However, it didn’t take long for us to realize that the bite was most definitely NOT “on”, as the first hour produced nothing but a fleeting nibble or two. :-? When Bob finally landed the first fish of the day, it was only an oxymoronic “large”-mouth. :









The second fish of the day also went to my friend a short time later and I began to get concerned that I might lose our little wager. :-/ As such, I felt drastic measures were called for, and so I turned to my tackle box and withdrew an unmarked Ziploc bag containing the last two of my “secret” baits, which date back to my youth. Let me just explain that only a few years ago, I accidentally came across my childhood tackle box in my parent’s attic, and within it I found a number of nostalgic items, most of which were stuck together by melted rubber worms. [smiley=doh1.gif] But, within that mess existed a brittle plastic pouch of soft baits, still sealed and quite useable after thirty-some years! [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Suffice it to say that I’ve been using those ancient relics sparingly but successfully ever since, whenever I’d come across finicky bass that just wouldn’t eat anything else.

I mentioned to Bob that I was going to have to resort to my secret weapon, given that he was leading and the bite was so slow. He just scoffed, thinking nothing would appease those lock-jawed fish. However, not more than a half-dozen casts later, I was rewarded with the “biggest” fish thus far. 









My very next cast then produced another even bigger specimen and suddenly it was tied up, with me winning by size. [smiley=tongueout.gif]









Bob put up a valiant fight, bringing in two more bass during the next hour and a half, but there was just no competing with my secret weapons and the eleven bass they brought to the boat. [smiley=thumbsupsmileyanim.gif] Sadly however, the victory came at the expense of my last two baits, which I will likely never find a modern replacement for. Still, a free lunch tastes pretty sweet and it’s good to be the champ! [smiley=woot.gif]


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## phishphood (Dec 15, 2006)

Way to come back swinging Jeff. Got any magic redfish baits in that old tackle box of yours?


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## redgheenoe (Apr 28, 2007)

Why so secret if you can't get any more and you only tournament fish with Bob? Give it up......what were they!


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

> Why so secret if you can't get any more  and you only tournament fish with Bob?  Give it up......what were they!


I agree! At least we can turn this into a google quest to find something similar. But nothing will be as good as the stuff they made 30 years ago... they probably scented it with stuff that they call "toxic" now.


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## jeross (Jun 6, 2009)

Way to dig deep for the win! Things have been slow lately for me. Where were you fishing?


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> Way to come back swinging Jeff. Got any magic redfish baits in that old tackle box of yours?


Heck Jason, I didn't even know what a redfish was 30 years ago. When I moved here from Michigan as a kid, my dad and I were solely freshwater anglers, so that's what we targeted down here at first. After a couple years, we started saltwater pier fishing and going offshore with charters or party boats, but we kinda missed the whole inshore saltwater piece until I was in my twenties. :



> Why so secret if you can't get any more and you only tournament fish with Bob? Give it up......what were they!





> [I agree! At least we can turn this into a google quest to find something similar. But nothing will be as good as the stuff they made 30 years ago... they probably scented it with stuff that they call "toxic" now.


It's not that simple guys. Like I mentioned, when I found the old tackle box the bag that contained these was brittle and pretty much disintegrated when I opened it up. I repackaged them in a ziplock bag and tossed them in my "extra" tackle bin up on a shelf in my garage for a couple more years. Then, later on when I really started getting back into bass fishing, I came across them and thought they'd be great to try, but by then I had no idea what they were. I do know it was originally a yellow bag with black writing.

I will say this though, I'd previously tried to match them up with a current lure, and there is something available that's pretty close. So far though, they haven't worked as well as the old stuff. 



> Way to dig deep for the win! Things have been slow lately for me. Where were you fishing?


I honestly have no idea what the body of water is officially called. It might not even have a name, but Bob and I dubbed it Lake Armondo. It's just one of those spots that I felt like trying one day, and it turned out to be great.


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

I honestly have no idea what the body of water is officially called. It might not even have a name, but Bob and I dubbed it Lake Armondo. It's just one of those spots that I felt like trying one day, and it turned out to be great. 

Is it called Lake Armondo cause it's not legal for you to be there? :-? ;D


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

great job getting back out there and showing bob who's boss


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