Bass-Addict

I like when they dig for the bottom. That hole I found by the old mill, my personal best gave me the fight of a lifetime.

I have to imagine they would, spending their entire lives swimming in current. Lake smallmouth get quite a bit larger of course, but do they fight the same way as their athletic cousins, breaching like dolphins?

I’ve set traps everywhere, creeks rivers ponds, nothing. Raw bacon, tuna, etc. I am still able to get one or two by hand flipping rocks but nothing worth my time. Just a few weeks ago they were everywhere. Have they all burrowed underground?

Had a decent day fishing from the bank w my dad, caught 8 smallies between both of us and 1 sucker unfortunately. Gonna hit up his friends pond tomorrow, gonna try some top water action, see if I can get anything to hit this whopper plopper. Got a bunch of leftover chubs and shiners too, any idea how to fish those for largemouth in a pond? Apparently along w bluegill shiners are the top live bait for LMB.

Yeah I’d even say with or without teeth if they were the size of sharks I wouldn’t get in the water! Those thin teeth they have already feel pretty sharp. But yeah they are swimming garabage disposals, esp largemouths.

Nice! Yeah, you think that’s proof that live works better if your boy caught one on a crawler when you couldn’t even get a nibble?

What state are you in? I’m guessing either down south or out west. Why not try some live bait?

Yeah it’s super nice, perfect size too I can take on my kayak no prob

Just picked one of these up from Cabelas - https://www.amazon.com/ENGEL-Live-Cooler-speed-Aerator/dp/B07YYY2KCG Also ordered this aerator off of Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/KEDSUM-Aquarium-Rechargeable-Portable-Transportation/dp/B07SB4MLJ6 Any experience w or knowledge of that brand cooler? I tried using a regular cheap soft sided zipper cooler with a hard inside but water was sloshing around everywhere, I was soaked by the time I got to the spot. This has a seal, locks and is insulated plus has bubbler hook up and insert on top. Just a little pricy, I paid $60 for the cooler.

Ok, I tried the split shot, jigging off bottom every few seconds after current w little success. Think drop shot would be different?

Yeah looks like the science mostly involves saltwater and tidal changes, however there are quite a few reasons to believe it impacts inland freshwater fish feeding as well.

So bass are more likely to hit a minnow close to the bottom than near the surface or middle of the water column? Does the minnow being stuck in one place diminish natural presentation?

Will it be better the day after as well?

Does the drop shot rig or any sort of split shot rig keeping it one place reduce natural presentation any, since the fish can’t freely swim?

I did gut hook one or two yesterday, so that would be of interest to me. I’m not sure “gut hooked” but it was down in there to where I had to use a hemostat pliers to get them out. Not a whole lot of bleeding, you think they survived?

Yeah I was jerking them every few seconds on a slow retrieve, that seemed to be effective. Caught about 10 in 4 hours so not a terrible day just not as good as I would’ve liked. If I’m fishing in the slower moving water just after the current do I need a split shot? I’ve been told being close to the bottom is best for nightcrawlers and crawdads but wasn’t sure if this applied to minnows.

I did the live line thing today, only on a size 6 baitholder. Is this not as effective, and what makes a circle hook better? So to just free rig them and toss them out there and let them swim you think it is less effective than other methods unless the minnow is lively? Why exactly is this?

How exactly do you guys fish live minnows?

That’s brilliant

How many can I put in a 12 x 7.5 x 10 cooler w bubbler? Gonna go give these fatheads/chubs a try but bringing shiners just in case.

Can I mix fatheads and shiners in the same coooer?

Ah yeah makes sense.

You don’t think this river that’s only 10 miles away has creek chubs?

Please translate that for me haha, whats a slipfloat?? Ditto on all of the other stuff. Do I definitely want them on a bobber? I’ve read a lot of people saying you free rig them, just a hook and this presents them most naturally. What size hook would you use, and split shot or no? Some of these things are small. Yes I’ve noticed they are extremely hearty, barely had to touch them.

That’s a fat boy! You ever heard of Crow Rock Lodge near Kenora?