Swamp Girl

Beautiful markings on your chunky ski, Tim.

I think the solution is to simply keep fishing fast. Warmer water means higher metabolism means more bass willing to chase down your fast-moving baits.

I own it, Mickey, but I haven't read it...yet. I'm assuming I should, right?

There are hundreds of YouTube videos where realtors and others are warning that Florida will become increasingly problematic for homeowners and that South Carolina is the better play.

Phish, those are nice ones! Well done, my friend!

That's a good article. I like the links.

JAKE!!! Here's the Jake Big Bass Dance:

Wow. My kind of adventure. I'm too old for such a feat now, but five years ago, you could have counted me in. I'm not surprised. Your childhood was perfect. Mine was less than perfect, as I was raised in a suburb, but I babysat to buy a bike and I used that bike to pedal to Canada twice. I remember looking at the family calendar once and seeing that I'd marked, "On my bike," nearly every day. I skipped my high school graduation to hike the Appalachian Trail. Some kids aren't made to be raised on streets with sidewalks.

I've tried tossing a fluke into the frenzy. Again, I failed as always.

Well played, you bank anglers!

You're right, Tim. I have always thought of laydowns as the only wood, but those woody shrubs are wood too. I caught one bass when my Keitech got hung up on a branch; I jiggled it free and it fell into the mouth of a bass.

Perhaps surprisingly, most Mainers choose to fish other less secluded, more populated places. I think it's more than the ease of parking lots and cement ramps. I think some people would be uncomfortable being alone on a lonely lake or working their way up a little, winding river. Not you. You are clearly drawn to such places, as I am too, but when I tell people that my father left me alone on a wilderness island when I was 15, they're aghast. They don't understand what a gift he gave me. That lake was true wilderness. If I'd had to return to people, I would have had to walk 30 miles of logging roads. FWIW, you're 14 hours and 40 minutes away...by car. Anyway, I'll keep posting some pond, bog, and shoreline shots with the bass pics. Others have shared that they enjoy them too.

I caught them in woody bushes off shore yesterday. I saw a bass pluck a bug off the surface under one of those bushes and so I started chucking into them. Sure enough, that's where they were, but given how much they've been moving in Maine, if I were to fish those same bushes today, I expect they wouldn't be there.

I wouldn't pass on that day. The lighter air can rouse them. Even if it doesn't, you'll sure enjoy the hot day. I'm just amazed at 85 in May. Wow! We might see 85 degrees one day come July, but likely only for a day or two.

I too have struggled to catch bass gorging on prey. No, I haven't struggled. I've utterly failed. So, I have no advice for you other than enjoy the show.

This isn't a kayaker, but rather a couple cops and their friend. Terrifying. They were so smart to jump: Then there's this one, the point being is that you can take every precaution and still have idiocy rule the day:

If you tip, orange is the best color as you're more likely to be seen.

Not unreasonable, but impressive. I couldn't do it. It takes stamina that's long left me. I'm glad you've worked out a solution and look forward to your update.

I love those 19-inchers.

Mike, that looks like a looooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggg fish. Did you get any numbers on her, weight or length?

To be clear, I did all I described over three fishing trips, so I'm tough/3.

@Huckfinn38: Huck, your lure rotation is impressive. @MIbassyaker: You remind me to use flukes again. I haven't yet this year. @bp_fowler: Way to go, buddy!

75 and still fishing makes you one, tough hombre.

Alex, I'm soooo happy for you. Big head on that bass!

I fished for the third day in a row and feel pretty good, considering I paddled many miles, lugged the canoe across a field and through the woods, launched at a boot-sucking swamp, explored two rivers, and so on. My pants tell the tale of how hard I worked to catch bass. I caught 23 fish and my daily catch total keeps steadily rising as the water slowly warms. Photo-wise, I start below with a river fish and once I reached the bog, the bass grew pleasingly plump. I include a smaller bog bass at the end so that you can see the bog behind it. You see that woody bush that rises out of the water? That's where they were! Yet another new place to catch bass in 2024. My catch was pretty much split between my Keitech and a Whopper Plopper.