# Hello Again, Tinboaters!



## SMDave (Apr 8, 2015)

Hey everyone, I'm not sure if anyone remembers who I am, but I used to be a really active contributing member, and had actually been a part of this great community since its inception when Jim approached me -- I believe from the Bass Pro Shops forums -- to join as it was just taking off (side note -- I see my 'How to post pictures' tutorial is still stickied :wink: )

Anyways, it's been probably around 7/8 years since my last time time going for bass as well as having something substantial to contribute to this forum (I'm now 22 fwiw), as my interest for fishing really started dwindling as I started high school (I've never had to buy a license before, with 16 being the age in New Jersey). To make a long story short, I've been diagnosed with & battling depression recently, which has led me to taking up fishing again, as it was always a huge source of comfort and relaxation for me as a teenager. Went out last week and purchased my license as well as a new setup (I have enough lures to last me three lifetimes :LOL2: ). Hit the water a few times last week with the weather starting to warm up, and my goodness, even though I got skunked each time, there's nothing like being on the water!

To the actual report -- last night, probably my 3rd or 4th outing this season, I fished a small lake adjacent to a local college in the area (TCNJ in Ewing, NJ). Fished it at night after meeting a couple of friends, casting a black buzzbait and fishing it with a slow, steady retrieve -- just enough to keep the blades on the surface on chopping water. Not even five feet from shore and on my second cast, this fish exploded on it and I landed it after a short fight. I ended up leaving after about 20-30 mins., as the rain was starting to come down. My first bass for the year -- not to mention the monkey's now off my back after 7/8 years! 

There truly is nothing in the world that compares to fighting and landing a fish, and I'm sad to say that I had all but forgotten the feeling of accomplishment and the thrill and rush that comes with hooking & holding up a nice bass. Especially on a topwater at night! Suffice to say, I'm back in the bass fishing world for the long haul!

*Time:* 9:00 PM EST
*Conditions:* Drizzling on and off all day, but relatively clear skies by the time I hit the water 
*Air Temp:* ~58°F
*Water Temp:* Unknown. FWIW -- I'm pretty sure the fish haven't started spawning yet -- the weather has only recently started to turn, water still seems pretty cool
*Lure:* 3/8 oz. Booyah buzzbait (w/ the clacker) with a red 4/0 Gamakatsu trailer hook. Fished with a slow, steady retrieve
*Rod//Reel:* Field & Stream (Dick's house brand) Tec-Spec Black Casting Rod (6'10" MH-XF) // Daiwa Procaster 100H 
*Line:* 30 lb. Power Pro with ~2 ft. Seaguar InvizX 100% Fluorocarbon leader
*# of Fish/Weight:* 1 x Largemouth bass, probably weighing in the '3lb. and change' range (I've always been bad at guesstimating the weight of fish, but that thing was FAT!). Length unknown.

Boy, it is good to be back  

-- SMDave


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## EZ707 (Apr 8, 2015)

Keep at it man. Fishing is great therapy and a hell of a fun time


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## Jim (Apr 9, 2015)

Shame on you for disappearing like that! :LOL2: 

J/K Glad your back man, sometimes this thing called life gets in the way. 


Jim


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## JL8Jeff (Apr 9, 2015)

Nice! I assume you're talking about the little lake/pond over towards Ewingville Road. I'm still working on moving my center console forward in my boat but hope to be getting out on the river soon in Titusville. I'm in Ewing as well but I keep my boat at a dock in Titusville. Last year in late Aug through Sep the smallmouth were going after topwater lures like crazy. Most of them were 14-18" smallies so they were a lot of fun. Right now, the river is up about 5' from rain up in NY so it will take a little time for it to come back down. If all my parts are in, I hope to get out over the weekend to at least run the boat for the first time this year. We'll have to hook up at some point but I know I need some new fishing gear.


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## Johnny (Apr 9, 2015)

Hi Dave,
You are so correct about that big bass busting a topwater at night !!!
My first time was about 40 years ago, I bought a bag of baits at a yard sale
and there was this new *Jitterbug* in it. It laid in my tackle box for a long time
then I was fishing on a lake near the cat tails and it was just getting dark.
Put away the plastic worm and put on the Jitterbug - - - - 
*BAM *!!! scared the heck of me !! LOL Big ole 7 pounder fat boy !!!
Ever since then, I was hooked on top waters !!!

good to see you back !!


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## huntinfool (Apr 9, 2015)

Glad your back and catching fish.


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## SMDave (Apr 9, 2015)

JL8Jeff said:


> Nice! I assume you're talking about the little lake/pond over towards Ewingville Road.



Yeah, closer to 31 though -- directly off of it pretty much. Checked it out on Google Maps, and it looks like it's called Ceva Lake. The pond/lake next to it (closer to Green Ave/Ewingville Rd) is called Sylvia Lake. The only access to Ceva (aside from on campus, where you'd need a parking permit) is off of Lake Blvd. 

But yeah, I'm totally down to meet up this year! I'm about 5-10 min north up 206 from Princeton downtown, but I'm down in the area all the time to fish (Mercer Lake, Lake Carnegie, Grovers Mill Pond, the Delaware @ Washington's Crossing). I don't have a boat so save me a spot on yours [-o<


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## JL8Jeff (Apr 9, 2015)

I didn't realize there were 2 lakes back there. Ceva is the one I was thinking of. I keep my boat about a mile up from the bridge at Washington's Crossing.


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