Swamp Girl

This is so true. In the second half of 2023, I started changing my treble hooks every week or so and my catching percentage improved. I've really stocked up on treble hooks this winter, preparing for 2024.

Amen, brother.

I keep trying to take the temp of the water in Maine, but I can't insert the thermometer. What am I doing wrong?

You know how people write LOL and really weren't laughing out loud. Well, LOL, and I was!

I can't wait to fish mine! I can't speak for all of us, but I'm awestruck, Alex. As I've told you many times, I can see the shorelines. You're fishing a developed lake. There have to be times when a guy looks out his mansion's picture window and sees you boating six and seven-pounders. So, it's no secret that your lake holds Nadines, but if everyone could catch them, everyone would. They can't. It's you, Alex, which is why I'm awestruck. Beauties, @Creek Pirate! Just my guess: @TnRiver46 is the happiest guy in the world. No wonder so many fish with him and all his buddies are happy too.

Find a thread that's ten or so years old and read the names. Nearly all gone. The writing is on the wall for us here now. And when we disappear, one by one, there will be precious few explanations.

I'm guessing you're right because the shoreline is so developed. However, I think few bassheads could go out and average 35 fish and 23-pound bags at his honey hole. Alex is a bass whisperer.

I'm prewriting Alex's fishing report for today: Pretty good day. Best bass was 7.1 Also caught a 5.7 and three four-pounders. 26.1-pound bag. For some weird reason, all the top pros are following my boat and watching me with binoculars. Don't know why. Anyway, this a short report because I'm posting from my cell phone. I'm afraid to land because what appears to be big name tackle makers, like Shimano and Daiwa, are waiting at the boat ramp and waving what appear to be checks. Buncha weirdos. Strange day.

@JBM Bassin: You fish close to me. @dovii: I have good luck with smaller bodies of water. For example, China Lake is close to me, but I'll never fish it. Too big. I'm a hog, which means I don't like to share and on a lake like China, there will be other boats. I want quiet as much as bass.

WOW! I'm an old paddler too.

I experienced this last summer too and couldn't crack the code. For three consecutive trips, I saw bass chasing shad on the surface, but couldn't catch a single one. I caught other bass on those trips, but none of those bass that had that rutting buck focus. I'm glad. We'll all be pushing daisies in a few years or decades. It's wise to celebrate the fish that we do catch and not pine for those we don't.

Another great day on the water, Alex. And I think you've strung enough great days for this to count as your second streak. If the last one was Joe DiMaggio's streak, this one is at least Pete's streak, Rose's 44-game hitting streak. I know you're pining for another DD, but beyond that goal, have you ever had a season of bassing like this one? I never have and I'm guessing that 99% of the Bass Resource anglers haven't. That screenshot is cool. Thanks for sharing it. And thanks for the video too. Lawdy,, those big girls don't quit, do they?

@A-Jay: Rather than accuse each other of heresy, let's unite against those whose trees are about to blossom. How can trees blossom when the world is still rightly snowy and icy? Surely that's witchcraft.

You taunt me, man. Note to self: Keep your cool, Ol' Crick, keep your cool. When I wrote the line above, I imagined @A-Jay reading it and shouting, "Heretic!"

@Pat Brown, it's getting to the point where I look at your fish photos and sigh with envy, not because you're catching bass, for that makes me happy, but because there's NO SNOW behind you. I do enjoy the fight of those medium-sized bass I catch. Last year, I shifted to all MH rods. In 2024, I'm going to use one or two M rods when fishing for quantity instead of quality. Of course, I also bought a H rod when I start Tim's vertical fishing.

"Four over four" is sweet music. As I've shared, Alex, I watch a lot of fishing videos and I RARELY see an angler catch four over four. Those four-pounders are so much fun. What a winter you've had.

@WaskaCrank12: Kittery? You must vacation in Maine. I've been there and bought there and I've bought many things from L.L. Bean too, but most of my fishing gear comes through the Internet.

@gimruis: Cool! Say, what does your screenname mean? Mine is pure foolishness.

You Minnesota boys are like Maine girls, with nothing to do all winter but be abused by the Bait Monkey.

Great reminder, Bob, to fish the points.

All the more reasons to applaud your big ones, Pat. I love how you use the word, Nadine. Makes me smile!

If you were to ever bottom out for five straight days, Pat, the only explanation is that it's the jealous gods of Olympus at work.

Whoa! I don't have 25' of water in any of the lakes/bogs I fish. Most reach 10' at their deepest, but one plunges to 17'. I was so glad that she stayed deep. With her power, if she'd gone shallow, she might have broken your heart.

She took line and took line and took line and all through it, you did a great job of coaching yourself and even sweet-talking her. Gosh, you're a fine angler, Alex. I watch a LOT of YouTube videos and you catch so. many. fat. bass. compared to other anglers and even professional anglers. You remind me of Kristine Fischer in your love and appreciation of these powerhouses. I agree that she looked heavier than 7-4. I watch so many fishing videos that I'm getting really good at guessing weight. Check your scale at home, okay? I'm getting more and more excited to cast my Jackall Drift Fries!