MTBassin

We are still iced in in NW Montana. Flathead lake is still froze over where the bass are at. Flathead river is open but it never freezes. The main lakes I always fish were completely open this time last year and I caught my PB largemouth March 18th of last year. I'm so ready for open water!

My local walmart had gamakatsu and mustad KVD terminal on clearance. Bought $80 worth with most packs $1.50-$2.00. Should be set for a while. Bought a bunch of finesse wide gaps, kvd zero twist dropshots, barrel swivels, and various sizes of round bend worm hooks. Also bought a some 20lb and 10lb seagar red label at $5.00 a piece. Really made me mad because I had just bought a spool of 20lb red label at cabelas a couple days before for $14.99 that I was going to use on a steelhead trip.

I've also seen some old guys at Ninepipes haul 3 or 4 full stringers up to their vehicles full of all different sizes. Probably double the limit for both of them. I think everything between 12-15" is supposed to be released. Most they had were that size. Also, I've been known to put down my casting rods and target big pumpkinseeds protecting their nest with tiny hooks and small pieces of bright colored soft plastics. They sit just a few feet off the bank on top of the big rocks and can be sight fished quite easily. I have caught some pretty dang big ones that way. They fight hard when they get big!

Awesome fish and congrats on the new PB! Even cooler that you caught it on drop shot!

I'm a music person and always have music playing for the most part throughout my day. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy all the sounds of nature but I listen to music occasionally while fishing. I don't blare music but usually just turn on some on my phone and put it in my pocket. I don't have a radio in my boat so we don't listen to music unless we bring a little bluetooth speaker. Nothing in particular either. No hardcore rap though.

It's all pumpkinseed around here that I know of. Of course there are also crawfish and yellow perch all over here too that bass feed on heavily.

I hate GY senkos. I only used 2 out of a pack before switching. Too expensive and too fragile for my liking. I use Yum Dingers. Also never caught a bass on a spinner bait. For the trifecta, I caught most of my frog fish in the middle of the day on a spinning rod set up with braid.

Good to see at least one other guy! I've fished Ninepipes mainly and had some pretty good luck. Caught a 6lb'er last March and a 5+ the year before that. I've been here 3 years and still haven't fished Pablo because I always forget its there. Haven't had much luck at Kickinghorse ever. I've fished the Flathead/Clarkfork a little and had decent results but only from my buddy's jetboat. My wife and I are planning to make a trip up to Noxon to check it out this summer. I just started looking into joining a club but don't really know how to go about it. That sure is a nice smallie in your avatar!

If I'm not at work, I've got one on me. When I bank or creek fish, I carry my G20 10mm in a shoulder holster due to the extreme possibility of running into a grizzly or other big 4 legged beast.

I've never used fluoro for trout but have always had good luck with plain old 4-6lb trilene mono. Especially if the trout are only up to 2lbs, I don't think you need anything special. I've never had one break off with light mono and I fish spinners, spoons, and small crankbaits mainly.

Where are all my fellow Montanans? I'm in between Missoula and Kalispell and have some pretty good bass fishing around. Got back into bass fishing the last couple years after living on the east side of the mountains where there are no bass. Was raised in Louisiana until I was 6, so I cut my teeth on bass. Feels good to get back into it. If you get up this way, hit me up and we can catch a few!

I set a few goals for myself this year. (might be tough being a new dad, work full time, and school full time) 1. Catch 100+ bass. 2. Get better with dropshot and crankbait. 3. Get my wife on some bass. 4. Catch some fish from my kayak I bought last summer.

It's not much but it floats and gets me around.

That's so awesome!!! I'd love to catch some peas! What swim bait was that?

Those look sweet! I might have to pick some up. Did you order them straight through MegaFrox USA?

Thanks everyone! I appreciate it!

Hello everyone! I'm an obsessive bass fisherman from Western Montana and happy to be here! Right now all my local lakes are still covered with a couple feet of snow and ice so I am going crazy! Absolutely cannot wait until everything thaws out and the big girls are ready to play! Last year I caught a 5-15 largemouth March 18th. Doesn't look like the lake will be thawed in the next couple weeks. I hope to learn a bunch from all of you as well as thrown in my 2 cents here and there!