A-Jay

This might help ~ A-Jay

Seems there are some seasonal challenges for all basshead regardless of ones location. Here in northern Michigan, (the entire state is C&R open all season) where my local angling exploits routinely focus around Big Brown Bass, presents similar challenges plus of course a fairly prolonged hard water season; at least 4 months but often 5. Typically, early season can be very productive for trophy fish. For safety reasons, I need to pick my spots, I'll be fishing in cold wind & some very sporty waves and I may only get two or three bites a day. But odd are good, they will be the right ones. These trips are physically demanding, unlike picking fish off beds in May (which I do not participate in), so there's rarely another basshead on the water; which always sort of surprises me considering the class of Smallmouth that lives in these places. Despite the 'hardships endured' I'll be out there every chance I get. As summer comes on, the biggest brown bass become very scares. Figures Right ? Weather is super nice - big brown bass are gone. Super early and late in the day & night trips often are the best producers for plus size brown bass but the real giants are very good at staying mostly unavailable; at least to this guy. Late summer and into fall is often Banner for me. Topwater & horizontal moving baits get crushed, often offering some of the best size & numbers trips of the whole season. With the shorter days of later in the fall season, comes many of the same challenges that the super early season presents plus the brown bass can be very tricky to locate. Usually deeper is more reliable as fish set up on their open water wintering holes. Safe access becomes an issue again. So then we come to the matter at hand - hard water. IMO, it's both a blessing and a curse. The curse aspect in easy to understand, can't cast to fish; and I don't do the ice fishing thing. The flip side of it is that an entire smallmouth bass population on every lake goes virtually unmolested for almost half the year. Add in that the Bass fishing pressure up this way is not exactly high, and there's 'several' super fertile, deep clear and only lightly built on lakes to choose from. So I plan on being the first one on the very best lakes, the very minute there's open water, giving me the first shot at whatever early season hungry mutant might wander by. Keeps me up a few nights especially as the spring time ice begins to turn black. In the mean time, I work at keeping myself lean, mean, strong & balanced so I can be as ready as I can be. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. A-Jay

Yes - as long as it doesn't bounce on the cast. Skirt bulk, weight size and trailer type all usually become 'less' in the cooler deals. A-Jay

Interesting A-Jay

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

Wind-less sunny mornings in May are pretty high on my list ~ A-Jay

It's almost always the WIND Speed - I've learned to add at least 15 knots to any forecast. Just to keep it real. A-Jay

I'm an expert at always believing the prevailing weather forecast and then being totally disgruntled when it's wicked wrong. Every time. A-Jay

How about just sliding it into a local commercial storage. If you have one that is en route to the waters you fish that could be pretty convenient, especially if you are able to leave it intact. A-Jay

I wear one now for the same reasons you've sighted. Cost was a little cheaper. Works well. #iamspiderman A-Jay

Impressive @WRB and Immediately makes me wish there was video of some these catches. Both those Green Bass in particular A-Jay

I like mine ~ 17 Scorpion DC 100 HG A-Jay

Both of these fatties ate the Vision 110+1 in GP Pro Perch. Fish were in 15 ft but came up to about 8 ft to choke it. 10lb FC and a long pauses. A-Jay

I show my support for the companies gear I like & use in a different way ~ A-Jay

Maybe but that's not what I'd call it ~ Either way, I'm fixin' to get a Rage Bug tattooed on my forehead ! A-Jay

Nice SACK of Bass ! A-Jay

I have responded here but for whatever reason my reply needs to be approved by a moderator. Guess that's what happens when I add GPS coordinates So we wait A-Jay

I have caught a Green bass close to that size in northern MI. It was 10 years ago and is still my MI PB Green Bass. The pic didn't make it through the many BR server up grades, the thread remains intact. That catch was in May not December/January/February. We are well into hard water up here by then. So sorry, but no first hand experience to share here from this guy. A couple of other deals though. First, I'll be very interested in the results of your expectation that you've already eliminated 98% of the water. And second, while fishing from a kayak, please consider wearing gear designed to safely swim in near freezing water temps. If you go into it-- you'll be glad you did. Stay Safe A-Jay

Following A-Jay

Hello and welcome to Bass Resource ~ A-Jay

My wife is ALL About the Lucky Hat thing ! A-Jay

No actual lucky item for me however it does seem that the harder I work, the luckier I get. Which means 2021 should be a BANNER season for me ! ? A-Jay

Congrats and it just might not get any better than that. My wife & I fish a few times a year. Always a highlight A-Jay

Definitely cleans up the front deck. I turned my inside out. A-Jay

Nicely Done @James Niggemeyer When it comes to walking baits for me, once the castability and walking action boxes are checked, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SOUND. Baits that can and do successfully Call the big brown bass I'm routinely searching for to them, get fished the most. The size, profile, pattern and even on the surface action all seem to come into play well after the sound does. The SK Sexy Dawg looks, cast and walks great. I am a fan big of the Hard Knock as well. A-Jay