Mr. Aquarium

Sad report from my first steelie trip. I go every year in the fall to the same spots. Fishing was tough. Bad conditions, high muddy water. Fish were there, some guys were lucky to get a few fish. Unfortunately I wasn't one of them, I GOT THE SKUNKED =(. I saw a dead skunk on the side of the road driving to the spot, I think it was an omen. 7.5 hour drive for no fish. We had lots of laughs tho. Really happy my buddy got his first steelie on his first ever trip to NY. Hes addicted now. My buddies caught 1 fish each 1.5 days of fishing. I had a few hits. One good run of a nice fish but spit the hook. I wish it wasn't so far away so I could go back this weekend for revenge. That's the problem with these trip. We plan a trip weeks in advance and hope the weather cooperates. If it was 2-4 hours away even 5. We could plan our trips around the weather. but with such a long drive, we have to check work schedules, pay days all that stuff. So we have to hope for the best. Going back in April. My buddy told me the run is better then. In the winter the fishing is a little slower cuz of cold water. Hes fished up here before in April, done very well. Hes never been there this early. Hopefully conditions are better. NOW ITS TIME TO GRIND FOR BASS!!!! WOOOO, MISSION 8 POUNDER STARTS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've caught 1 and 2lbs bass on 9 and 10 inch swimbaits. I've had a few hits on my 15 inch bait. Your numbers may go down but the quality will go up. I LLLLLOOOOVVEVVEEEEE the 9 inch slammer. I catch a lot of bass on it. from 1lbs fish to my PB of 7.8.

In shallow ponds the bass will be concerted on the northern end of the pond. I caught a 3lbs fish in mid February in 3 feet of water. It was on the northern side. That side is protected by the north winds and gets the most sunlight. If there is deeper water, I do think the largemouth will go deep. But not as deep as smallies. Fishing with Dogbone in December, new pond, I got a 2.5-3lb largemouth on a steep drop off from shore, that drops to 30 feet. The same day early morning 1st 15-20 min, fishing a shallow hump, went from 15-7 feet of water. I had a big whack on a jig in 15 feet deep in the bowl near the hump. Last year March 9th, day before a snow storm, I got a 5.9 on a swimbait working a steep drop off. Smallmouths. GOOOOO DEEP!!!!! Find deep offshore structure, Humps, holes, rocks, ETC, bottom composition changes mussel beds. Last year Late February I was fishin a pond, 40 feet deep max. I found the smallies pilled up in 20-22 feet of water. If I wasn't on the exact spot I wouldn't get fish. When the wind blew me to 18-19 feet no fish. I also didnt mark any fish, I saw something weird on bottom on my fish finder. Tossed down my blade. Immediately hooked up. Caught a handful of 2-3lbs smallies in short time in this one spot. Then the bite died. They were feeding in the mornings last year. This year I'm trying to figure out the coldwater largmouth game. Another pond of mine has more largemouth then smallies. 20-30 feet. They hangout in the northern half of the pond. Out on the deep flat, with live weeds. The pond has steep drop offs along shore, then flattens out. I fish the drop offs to the flat, I wont go past a certain point in the pond cuz I know the fish are here. But have caught smallies else where in the pond. But largemouth are in that one area. I always fish bottom, jigs, blades, small swimbaits, shakey heads, hair jigs. Some people do very very well with jerkbaits in the winter. I SUCKKKK at jerkbait fishing, I either get skunked or pickerel

I fish a lot wake baits, I do believe that the higher end baits have better action. The spro rat is a great bait, but I would rather fish an MS slammer. Some of these high end have super realistic patterns and actions. Matts lures are INCREDIBLE. The realism and action on these baits are shocking. I dont even think about spending 70-100 bucks on his baits. I also like the craftsmanship of these baits. These baits are handmade. But a savage gear or spro mass produced. I love savage gear. Awesome baits. and cheap to. Also with the handmade baits, no 2 baits are the same. Each one is different. Especially with the MS slammer. One may have a wider body then the other. One may dive deeper. One maybe louder. One may throw more water when twitched. I love that.

I use BiCO jigs. That style of jig has a different head. AWESOME JIG. I break it down to what I think will work on a bodies of water I fish. One spot I fish, THEY LOOOOVVVEEEEE CRAWS. So I bought a bunch of stand up jig heads, football heads, Swing heads from Lead free bass jigs, because I can rig craws on them and fish it they way bass like them. If you have a heavy pelagic bait fish population, (Pelagic- offshore fish) then an underspin, swim jig will be usefull. Scroungers, never used one, and chatterbaits can be fished around pelagic bait schools. But the chatterbait can be fished like a jig. I LOVE fishing the chatter like a jig. Slow on bottom with slow lifts up to make it vibrate. Do some research on the jigs you have, I've found articles about different jig styles, also videos explaining how each of them works. I used that info to figure out what to buy and what I think would be good for me to use.

no work friday for me. Definitely going to get out Friday morning before my trip. Wouldn't mind kicking off my trips with a nice bass! Shallow water for largemouth? or deep water for smallies?

Im going to try and make it out on Friday before I head west.

NY

I'm just worried it will dirty the water

Thanks bud. I CANT WAIT!!!

thanks bud.

STEELHEAD FISHINNG NEXT WEEKEND!!!!!! Wooooooo!!!! Really hoping to break 10lbs can not wait! Hopefully some nice walleye to! I can’t even focus on bass fishing now!

Saw open water and guys ice fishing today down in Plymouth area

wow!!! Glad I dont have them up here!

wow thats crazy!! I never seen a sinkhole. They toss old fridges in the sink holes? Thats crazy!

Wow thats insane! Thats not a pot thats a new pond hahaha. We don't see sinkholes up here. Just pot holes and lots of them

massive potholes. Thats cute. I live in MA, potholes are the normal. Its like an obstacle course out there. Police officer: " have you been drinking sir?" Me: " No, I was just avoiding the pot holes.

This is going back 10-15 years ago when we were kids. The fishing was bad, either no bass or only a few small bass, shore fishing. Hot sunny summer day. I decide to jump on this big dead tree over the water, it was a few feet in the air over the water. I had a little popping bug for blue gills, also looking for bass. After a few minutes my buddy jumps on the tree. He starts jumping up and down. I panic and grab a big dead branch, It didnt hold up my body weight. So I fall in with my fishing rod, my buddy is pissin himself laughing. I try to the throw the tree branch away and get myself untangled. Well my line was rapped around it. The little panfish fly went into the elbow. The part where there is no nerves. It was deep haha, sat there for a bit to get it out.

Ill PM you

I'm going to steelhead country in 1.5 weeks, cant focus on anything else right now. Great way to start the season. A 10lb rainbow trout aka steelhead will surely do the trick.

Shallow ponds are more effected by weather but they also warm up faster. The bigger deeper kettle ponds are less effected by weather but take longer to warm up, and cool down.

Fished Friday. Had fun with some big pickerel. They were hitting good, Only day I was able to get out this weekend. Went to bass pro saturday after work, Stocking up for my steelhead trip in a few weeks, as well as a few other trips I have planned this year. CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Im so excited to fish the spring run. Never done it before, hoping my usual fall tactics work

I fish beads and jigs. Float beads or bottom bounce beads with just a split shot. I float jig or fish them by its self. I've seen my buddy get them on smaller spoons. I fish the fall run during the salmon spawn, so I fish natural bead colors in 8 and 10mm. I will also fish brighter beads. Jigs, 1/16-1/8 is what i use. But it depends on the water depth and flow. In low smaller streams a 1/32 will be the way to go. I fish brighter color jigs. Mixed and matched, but have been fishing next to people getting fish on blacks and purples. Heading up next month for my first time spring steelie fishing. CANT WAIT!!!

Lets get out this weekend, I never fished bloody in the cold.