Dick Tabbert's creation.

[Tony Livingston]

I finished up my nightly wood-splitting chores a little early this evening, so iI thought I would hit the ponds and see if anyone was home. Trouble is, I didn't bring any gear. So, I hunted up my trusty 4.5' ultralight from a storage shed there by the pond. It had no terminal tackle...none.

My son's small tackle box was in the bed of the mule, and I found a float in it.....kind of. It was one of those orange and yellow, round ball things. Huge by my standards, it looked like it was surplus from a marine salvage operation. I have nice floats, and I give him nice floats....where does he come up with these things??

Now I needed a hook, or some bait. I actually had that covered, as the glove box on the mule contained an assortment of Dick Tabbert's jigs, that he graciously sent me last year. I tied on this one:

Since I believe the true measure of a jig's effectiveness is to fish it naked, with no tipping, that's what I did. I couldn't bring myself to use that hideous float, so I went with cast and retrieve. This big native girl slammed it on the first cast:

 

I caught a couple more in the same fashion, then moved over to the hybrid bluegill pond. I also attached that beach ball sized float. Same drill, it was game on:

 

 

 

I ended up with 7 or 8, all taken on the same, untipped jig. I am curious to try again with better gear, and see what the results are.  Can't argue with this success though....looking great Dick! Thanks!

I would also like to add that many fine folks here at BBG have sent me their creations to try. I haven't forgotten you, it's simply a case of not fishing as much as I used too.....Too many chores. I promise that I will do my best to try everyone's jigs/bugs, and I am very anxious to see how they perform.  Thank you all for your generosity.

[Walt Foreman]

Great story and fish, Tony!  Glad to see your northern-strains doing well also - I'm very interested to see how big you can get them.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Nice detailed report in which most anglers can relate.......good looking fish Tony and Dick is a talented but humble man.......

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

Yup Tony I agree 100% Dick is a talented tier to be sure. Yup I fish my stuff  naked too , but am not saying folks shouldn't use stuff they like. Be it live shrimp , worms, waxies , or what ever. I guess in the final analysis it's all what makes ya happy and after all it's not so much about a bait , tipped or other wise, it's about the fish and the experience of the day . I've been making bugs a long time and it used to bother me when folks said they tipped em with what ever. Now it's all fair game so to speak .

  Which in a round about way brings to Sir Jeffrey !!!!!! He tips my stuff and most other folks stuff also. It doesn't make him bad , just someone who likes tipping with an attractant .  He is one of the most prolific fisherman on here and actually I"m looking forward to meeting him in May and see what he does and how he does it . It will be interesting cause we will be using the same baits basically and I get to see how the stuff produces along side the master angler with shrimp. Personally I'd like to try some scents added to my baits and may work on that this year .

   When member Mike Kepple was here today , and I really enjoyed his company, he mentioned if I tip the bugs or not . I said no cause I've never needed to . Now maybe I don't catch as many fish as who ever I"m fishing with if they are using live bait of some kind. If I can stay with in the range of 2 to 1 I"m happy as all get out . Yup I think there is an advantage to live bait . When I fished with my brother in Kentucky last year he fished minnows and I fished my bugs . Stayed up with him pretty good and he said at the end of the day, hey kid ya did ok for not using minnows . Oh well so it goes and this spring is gonna be great cause I have so many new baits to try myself from other makers it's astounding to be sure....

[carl hendrix]

great story tony!!!  love the way you described all of it!!  yes sir-- dick tabbert is a heck of a fly tyer -- and as humble a guy as you will ever meet!!