Thought I'd try my luck at Panther after work on Monday as the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Clear and warm with just a light breeze over the water, and only a couple recreational boaters out, so it wasn't too rough. Worked down the western shore as it was mostly in the shade at 4pm. Started with a Rapala DT4 crankbait in Bluegill and did well picking up several non-keepers in the first half hour or so. Then I ran my bait down a long submerged log and felt my rod bow under something heavy. Fought her for awhile and finally boated a nice 2lb 12oz largemouth. Released her and continued down the bank. A few casts later, thought I'd hung my lure in a sunken tree, but then it started to swim away. Fought this one for several minutes. She put my shallow cranking rod (Loomis CBR781) through the paces, almost doubling it over. Finally boated her, and she ate it...had the bait all the way back in her throat. Took a little time to get it out and she bled a little, but I quickly revived and released her after a quick weigh. A nice, fat 3lb 6oz largie. Worked my way down the rest of the bank and had a few more dinks on the crankbait and a green pumpkin Swimming Senko. Then i Cruised back the way I came to fish the western bank again. Only a couple more dinks and a 1+ pounder, until I managed to hang up and lose my trusty Rapala. Next, I moved over to the island and worked around it with a Bandit 100 crankbait in Chrome/Black and the Swim Senko with only a couple more non-keepers to show for it. Now the sun was sinking behind the trees, so I headed back along the south shore toward the ramp, switching between the crankbait, a 4" green pumpkin worm on a drop shot, and a white Zara Spook. Picked up another 2+ pounder, as well as several more dinks, on the on the dropshot off the end of docks and in between the laydowns along the bank. All in all, a great afternoon and evening on the water.

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