Crewsk, I think your daughter caught herself what we here in OK call a "rock bass". In some areas they may be called a "warmouth". They are scrappers, that's for sure. I caught two decent ones last year, and a few small ones.
Now, I've already made a few posts that detailed my fishing exploits so far this year. Let me bring you all up to speed:
In Feb and early March, I was actively chasing crappie at the small lake that I live near. I had taken my kids out fishing a couple of times. I was in the process of gearing up for Catfish.
Then, two weeks ago, we had a blizzard come through. It really messed up the fishing. Weather patterns have been hot/cold/hot/cold, bouncing around all over the place, unlike the steady warming trend in Feb and March. I haven't caught a fish since the blizzard.
Here's where I stand now. (Glancing over to see if PeppA is watching....) She don't know it, but I bought another surf rod a few weeks ago. I caught a 12' Ugly Stick casting rod at BPS. I've been putting my Penn 209 on that thing. Hopefully, in a month or so of constant practice, I'll start finally getting some good distance with it. I've got an Eagle Claw "CatClaw" 8' rod that I put a BPS CatMaxx baitcaster on. Both baitcasters are rigged with 20 lb test Cajun Red Line backing, then about 100 - 125 yds of 65 lb test PowerPro braid in red. I want to use 40 - 50 lb test Cajun for leader material, but am having a hard time finding any locally.
I have a 12' spinning surf rod (pictured in The Man Thread) that I might still use this year. Not sure, as I'm slowly switching over to baitcasters. I also have an 8' spinning rod/reel outfit that I used for catfish last year.
I still plan on using my 7' graphite UL spinning rig for amusement with bluegill while fishing at my local lake.
I've been using PeppA's hot pink 5' UL spinning outfit for crappie inside the crappie dock. It's a small enclosed thing, and a 7' pole, while usable, is a little big, especially when other folks are there.
I've got an older Shimano Citica that a friend gave me. I've got it on an Ugly Stick pole, and am hoping to use it for some bass fishing this summer. I also have a different brand baitcaster in the garage that doesn't have a pole, nor is it strung up.
I want to buy a boat. PeppA has shot down one that I looked at, on the grounds that it wasn't safe. Since I have to use her truck to pull a boat, she told me to find my own way to tow it home, and drove off. One of my co-workers suggested telling PeppA where she could stuff her truck, buy myself a canoe, and put it on top of my car. I've been toying with that idea for a week now. I've also started thinking about possibly getting one of those fishing kayaks. Either one of those two options would open up a whole lot more of the lake I live near to me for fishing (it's a small lake), as well as three, maybe four, areas that are not accessible to motor boats, as well as the stream that the lake is one, both above and below the lake. There's another small lake about 12 miles from here with good areas for a canoe or kayak. I have experience with a canoe, but a fishing kayak would be completely new to me.