I've recently gotten into the big swimbait thing and been fortunate enough to catch enough fish to make learning how to use these baits as interesting as could possibly be. Until yesterday the biggest fish I'd caught on any of my new big baits was around 5 lbs., but I was fortunate enough to catch the biggest of each trip on a swimbait. I've got Tom ( Gutcheck) to thank for all my fishing this last month since my kayak got stolen. He's made sure I had a good comfortable fishing platform to fish from, and has allowed me to tag along to his honey holes and practice my newest obsession.... So far the 8" Lunker Punker has stole the show. My wife told me I've lost my mind if I thought a bass would be tempted by something so obscenely large. I heard Tom chuckling at 6 am when I showed it to him, and I laughed out loud when I took it out of the box. The thing is huge and shaped like nothing else in my tackle box. It could also be named the elbow punker because throwing and working the bait to the boat is tricky and a lot of work. I've read about guys going months throwing this before getting a fish to commit, but I got lucky. It took about 15 casts or so on an unseasonably cool Summer morning in East Texas and I was witness to the most impressive top water blow up from a largemouth bass that I've ever seen. It was violent. It compares to how a big snook or redfish would destroy a spook or she dog back when I fished for them. Or how a big striper would try to break my pencil popper in half below the Texoma dam. Absolutely heart stopping on a calm, foggy morning. Needless to say, I'm now hooked. Big thanks to Tom for allowing me to fish with him and from his boat. I think he was as awed as I was when he saw me paddle up holding this fish with a big chunk of painted wood hanging from her mouth..


24.5 inches and an ounce shy of 8lbs. ( yes, I shook the scale but no dice)
Later, I got lucky with another one that went 7-12 on a big worm

Neither is absolutely huge but those that fish with me know that I've been on a big fish drought since October so I'm proud to post em. I'm gonna stick with this swimbait thing and see if I'll be lucky enough to break my 12 yr old PB. It's a little tough sometimes when you think you may be able to catch some on a more conventional bait but I'm on a mission....

Uh oh pics didn't work. I'll get em up in a few

Man talk about a good day! Keep it up. I'd be willing to bet you throw those baits enough the giants will keep coming.

Send me a PM at some point whenever you want me to fix up that rod of yours. Shouldn't take too long.

Saw the pics last night, even better today! Just amazing Michael! That's karma right there. Keep up the good work bud

great fish. Glad your back on the water!

Yesterday was an eye opener... I was across the cove when he caught that punker fish. I had started with a frog, threw a 2.5 squarebil then a smaller chatterbaitl, a big t rig worm, then a smaller creature t rig, then gone to the finesse go to of the senko, and I was not getting any bites whatsoever. Sun was barely up and I couldn't buy a tap at what is usually the best time of day... I then tied on the big bass fishing equivalent of raising the white flag: a split shot rig with a 4 inch curly tailed worm in the hopes that I could maybe feel a bite, even if it was just a perch bite, just to keep my confidence up... Nothing.. This particular spot is definitely one of those places that is often hot or cold, rarely lukewarm, and I was sighing that it was probably gonna be a long unproductive "cold" day when I saw Michael paddling up over my shoulder. I immediately assumed we were about to have the obligatory "wow these fish have lockjaw" conversation when he lifts that fish he's been holding in the water with that freaking nunchuck of a lure dangling from its mouth. I had seen it in his crate just before we launched and took a practice cast with it. I was polite to him about it, but inside I was smirking and thinking "good luck with that man, it'll look nice in a collectibles case somewhere down the line, but you'll be very lucky to catch even one fish with it before it becomes a man-cave decoration"... Boy was I wrong. I think that situation might actually be the perfect conditions for it. Those fish were not biting, but that giant plug was just so 'out of the ordinary' I think it made that big fish commit. If there are big fish in an area, they definitely take notice. I know I have. I was looking at punkers on TW this morning LOL!!

Congrats Mike... You've had a dry spell for big fish and some bad luck with those theiving bastages... You were due...

Hugh bait! Wow what a catch. Congrats Michael!

Nice! That bait is HUGE! Can't seem to buy a bite on Lake Arlington, maybe this is what I need to throw!

Absolutely great fish and congratz on getting them to commit to a swimbait no less. Have fun with the punker and shoot me a pm if you want to for a another great low cost bait for the fall.

Nothing like getting instant results with a new bait, especially a big new bait.

LOL, Wow that is simply awesome!!!! Making room under my seat for a 8" Lunker Punker as we speak! LOL!!!

I have a wood Punker. It's like a Cadillac of walking baits. I love it. Would like to see the pics as well. Edit: pics loaded second time I loaded page.

Nice

Great story, thanks for sharing.
WTG Tom for helping keep Michael on the water.