Swamp Girl

@The Baron: I remember when you were struggling. Happy days are here again!

Brian scores! @Rocky998: Your bass has the build and color of a much bigger bass. @The Baron: Your last bass is beautiful. Love the coloration. @Pat Brown: Jake is on a roll.

I basically agree too, but I also think that intuition comes from having put in the work.

Good fishing, guys!

I had it happen my last fishing trip. I was scanning for where to cast next, I looked at an unlikely open water spot, and thought, "Oh, there's a bass there." An 18-incher hit as soon as the lure landed.

Wait. What? Alex, I tie a lure called Lady Luck to the end of my line every time I go fishing and I cast with fingers crossed and a lucky horseshoe hanging from my neck!

For a few weeks this fall, I was thundering, catching between 35 and 70 bass per session and landing one to three four-to-five-pounders per trip, but then I caught 25 the last time I fished and 20 this morning with no four-pounders. I started hot, landing 12 bass in the first hour, but only eight in the next three hours. Their size was so consistent, nearly all footbally 16.5 inchers, which weigh about 2.5 pounds. I caught a couple longer, but not as footbally: So, I caught 16 lmb and four smb. No pattern beyond the first hour, where I went old school and steered a Whopper Plopper through weed fields. After that, just a bass here and there, some shallow and some deep. My camera died for good, so once again, I had to use my cell phone, which takes great pics. See: I'm thinking I forgot how to catch bass. I should start all over again. I hope I can buy a Snoopy rod on Amazon.

I'll just be that much happier for you the next time you score...and you will, of course.

PB!

I learned so much asking the BR crew question after question. Sometimes it's confusing when they suggest ten different things. @bp_fowler: Fishin' smishin'. What's important is that you're rockin' that 'stache and soul patch!

@Rockhopper: I am so impressed by your knowledge of the lake, your ability to explain it so clearly, and all the ways you tried to catch bass. I'd learn a lot fishing alongside you.

@killobet: Lots of muscle in that beauty's tail.

I laughed at imagining the moment a five-pound smallie hit. I'd be going downstream at 6 mph and it would be going upstream at 6 mph and I'd be hanging onto the rod with all my might.

Well, be proud of yourself for fishing hard and fishing new water. All the intel in the world doesn't equal time on water and especially water as fast and clear as the St. Lawrence. I've imagined fishing it in my canoe, but I'm thinking now that it's a no-can-do.

Well done, @gimruis. I laughed when you stated that you were channeling @Bluebasser86's excellent storytelling style!

Thanks for the report, Bucks. There is a range of reporting styles at Bass Resource. There are those anglers who only share their successes. Then there are anglers like you who tell the whole story. I prefer your style. We all struggle at times. Reading accounts of others struggling make us feel less alone. Some days the bass are just too tricksy for us.

Fine angling, @gimruis!

This is a great thread. So much bass-catching information in it. I've complimented Pat's teaching in the past, so this time, I compliment girmuis's, casts_by_fly's, and Tom's. I especially liked gimruis's observation that bluegills pecking at your lure can mark the presence of bass. A few days ago, I hooked four bass in four casts adjacent to feeding loons. Note I didn't write "floating loons," but "feeding loons." They were diving and diving, marking baitfish for me. They were my FFS.

None of your reports read like they're long, Clayton. They're exciting!

Thanks for posting, @thediscochef. I love surface fishing too. I actually love it too much, as I'll stay on the surface when I know better. Why is this thread seeing fewer postings? I love looking at other anglers' fish, large and small, and hearing their tales of glory and woe.

Another way I differ is I don't use little lures, other than some smallish poppers, a little pink, wacky worm, and Mepps spinners. I tried a Ned bait once and caught about a dozen bass, but I didn't enjoy it. I'm chucking big lures long distances. I'm looking for the most active, reactive bass. No 20 casts at a lay down. Maybe four casts and I'm gone. Plus, I'm constantly fishing. Because I'm paddling, when I'm moving from one spot to another, I'm trolling. I always have a lure in the water.

@The Baron: It wasn't that long ago that you were wondering where the big ones were. Well, you found them! I'm glad you guys enjoy the pretty pics. I figure I post enough fish pics to get away with posting a few not-fish pics.

Cool that @A-Jay helped put you on bass, Brian. Here's my suggestion: Rise horribly early and be sneaky as a snake.

A strolling bait?