AJ Hauser

Good call - I'm probably upper-mid (about an hour outside Chicago) but these lakes are small and not very deep, so I think the cold weather is really having a fast impact on them. Maybe not - maybe it's just these ones? Both have a surface temp of just under 50 degrees now. Thank you for the temperature info too - this is the first year I have ever actually kept track of that. Very helpful! I was thinking that I needed to be launching a BIGGER bait out deep and working it super slow... might have to try down-sizing a bit more and twitching a Ned along a bit. Clinton Lake is about 2.25 hours from where I fish usually. I'd like to get over to Shabbona this coming spring. Good Lord I'm already talking about Spring... Nah man, don't short-change yourself! This makes sense, thank you. Regarding vegetation... that's an odd thing, because the only thing green in these lakes and some mucky algae and the leaves that fall in off the overhanging trees. They're mostly soft bottom (soft bottom girls you make the rockin' world go round! Oh excuse me) with rocks that extend out a bit from the banks that are rip rap as well. There are some sticks and things but I need to search more for underwater stumps and things like that. All in all, I better slow down and I think I'll look in areas that are not as far away as I thought. Thanks!

Hey guys, So this year was the first time I was able to get the water temps using the new side imaging unit installed on my jon boat (special thank you to everyone here that helped me with that project!). In the last 3 weeks, I have watched the surface temp drop from 68 to under 50 degrees. Yesterday I fished for 3 hours in the afternoon because it was our first warm day in a week (75 degrees afer no more than 50 degree air temps, down in the 30's at night here in Illinois) without a bite using what had been working: 1. Shallow Crankbait across rip rap 2. Spinnerbait out a bit deeper from the bank 3. Jig worm I hit two small lakes that were close to one another (50 acres and 25 acres respectively) and fished from shore without getting a single tap. This has not happened since April of this year when it was similarly cold. So I wanted to ask all of you smart handsome people if you thought the bass were simply inactive or moved out deeper based on the water temps? Do smaller lakes experience turnover? Where do bass go in smaller lakes when it's cold? Do they sit on top of one another in mid-lake deep holes? The max depth in each is only about 8 feet. Very confused - but hoping to learn a thing or two. Thanks!

Hey @MN Fisher - I just wanted to come back and thank you again - I was able to get the unit installed and take it out to test this last weekend. Worked like a charm - thank you again for all the help and feedback!!

MUCH APPRECIATED @MN Fisher!! I believe I can get all of my components at my local Farm & Fleet... I was checking this out the other day. Hopefully we're off to the races but I'll be sure to let you know if I get stuck - thank you again, really really appreciate the help.

Nice - thank you @MN Fisher!!! Oh shoot - do I need to buy fuses separate from that "fuse holder? And do I need to get something to "splice" it into the cord(s)? See I said I was a noob... sorry... :/

Thank you! Would you recommend a slightly larger battery? I don't see myself needing more than 16 hours of run time between when I am able to charge, but I would like to leave myself a little headroom.

Hey fellas, time to pick a few things up and get this going now that it's cooling off! @MN Fisher how do these items look? Inline Fuse: https://www.amazon.com/5-Amp-Inline-Holder-5x20mm-Fuses/dp/B007Z7WG58/ref=sr_1_6 Battery: https://www.amazon.com/Weize-Sealed-Cycle-Rechargeable-Battery/dp/B07QPYFBW6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa Charger: I own a 12 Volt 10 Amp Minn Kota charger I use for trolling motor batteries - will that work? Finally, do I need to run power to the transducer too, or is that run "off" the main unit? Thank you so much guys - first install, really need and appreciate the direction!

Thank you guys so much. I think this is looking really, really good compared to the areas that I was looking at previously - I'm getting all excited as I type this. Also that second fish was well under 9.5 pounds. There. I said it. Still... great work kid, bigger than anything I've ever caught... but... your granddaddy is a liar! Thanks again guys!!!

@rangerjockey they good? They all look like nice large bodies of water - clean water typically or dirty? I'll try to limit my questions now...

Thank you so much @rangerjockey - looks like we got some homework to do. I saw Norfolk on the map, have you fished that as well by chance? Dang it would be nice to live between two quality bodies of water... *stares up in the sky dreamily*

Thank you - we don't have an area picked out yet - just looking at properties further south now. Actually we're planning to come down in a few weeks so if you guys have any areas that you suggest we visit to check out - I'm all ears! Thank you for the feedback as well @scaleface - it really sounds like this is more productive water (I'm speaking in vast generalities of course) than what I would find further north, especially if we moved by Mark Twain reservoir, etc.

Ha! Good shore fishing options as well as boat? I assume yes but I'm just guessing - it looks like a huge body of water like we could never fish all of it...

@Bluebasser86 and @Jig Man and @plawren53202 and @scaleface and @rangerjockey thank you guys again for all of the feedback! This has been really helpful as we've looked at different areas to relocate to. I have another question for you... we were seriously looking at some property about 20 minutes from Bull Shoals in Arkansas. Do any of you guys have any experience fishing that body of water, and how would you rate that for bass fishing compared to different locations in Missouri? (Ranger I know you mentioned this body of water.) Thanks very much for any insight!

Hey guys - this is a great starting point - thank you! So @Reel i think I will go ahead and pick up a smaller battery - do you have one that you'd recommend? To answer your question @WRB I was going to place the transducer on the back (stern) after looking up some mounting tips. (Better be careful how I Google image search that phrase...) @MN Fisher I do not have a fuse so it sounds like that would be a good investment as well as that smaller battery mentioned above - do you have any in mind? Sorry for the dumb questions but I am completely new to installing electronics of any sort Thanks!

Hey fellas, I have a side imaging unit that I'd really like to get installed on my jon boat. Currently I hook a small trolling motor straight to the battery terminals when I go out, and I'm wondering if I can hook in a side imaging unit in the same way (I already have the unit, it's a Humminbird 899 from a few years back I believe, discontinued). I don't know a darn thing about setting one of these up, so I'm wondering if y'all could give me a few tips or starting point(s)? I'm looking for the most basic setup humanly possible. Thanks so much - as a complete noob I appreciate you even reading this

Perfect - thank you @scaleface this gives me more to review and look at - much appreciated!!

Well believe me @rangerjockey we get a fair amount of snow in 'ol Illinois here so we're used to that! HA! I've had my fill though so thank you for the additional tip...

Hey thanks @rangerjockey !! Much appreciated. This is good info. We haven't decided if we're going to go North or South in the state, but I guess if I had to summarize I'd say I'm looking for a place that has decent water nearby easy morning fishing (even if it's just from shore) without a 45+ minute drive. I'm all for driving a few hours on the weekends to check out bigger lakes though... I guess I'm just trying to not shoot myself in the foot and make it harder to fish than it is now. So input like yours is very helpful - thank you guys again. If anyone else has any ideas I'm all ears!

Thanks @Dirtyeggroll - I really appreciate the input - it sounds like Northwest MO is the honey hole and I need to be within driving distance of there... this is great it helps narrow my search a bit. Thanks again guys, really really appreciate the help!! Have a great week!

Dang @scaleface what is that handy dandy little tool! Thanks! @Bluebasser86 and @Jig Man and @plawren53202 thank you guys for the feedback as well! I shared the info with my dad and he has been looking at lakes and properties. We were talking about getting some acreage and sub-dividing to build. We were also looking at St. James this morning - any of you guys fish around there or have any thoughts on the area? Thanks again, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the help as we try to get a feel for the state!

@Bluebasser86 and @Jig Man thank you guys for chiming in! What are a few bodies of water or towns in those Southwest and Northwest regions that I should start searching around? Sorry to ask - I'm using Google Maps which shows some things, but I'm flying blind and I can't tell you how much I appreciate even just a bit of direction! @scaleface I marked a lot of the conservation "access areas" but they all look to be on a smaller river or large creek, which could be cool and a nice change of pace once in a while, but what are some of the lakes within that radius from Hannibal that you would hit for bass? This is up in the Northeastern region, yes? This will really help me "persuade" (aka bribe) my wife to look into the right hospitals to try to get a job with... so I'm not regretting the move!

Hey fellas! We're thinking about heading south with my folks, and we're currently looking at Missouri. Specifically, the areas surrounding Washington, Warrenton and Troy. Before we go, I have to make sure I'm not making a huge mistake and moving away from good bass fishing. How are the waters in MO? Any of you live around these areas and know of some good smaller lakes and ponds that are not on the map? I've come across larger bodies of water like Mark Twain, but I've only seen a lot of muddy water crappie and catfishing videos and that's fun too... but... man I'd love to get into some good bass. Any insight - especially local - would be really appreciated. For reference, I'm in Northern Illinois currently. Largest bass this year was 4 pounds. Thanks!

Hey thanks for the insight @CrankFate, I appreciate it. I've bumped 'em with my line and baits and they are not having it haha. @RoLo that makes sense, I've had some success in previous weeks but now everything has slowed to a crawl in terms of strikes - which again, could be my fault (and probably is) but things are definitely changing. I've never been out this early or even paid this any attention in the past... so it's really neat to kinda start to get an understanding of some seasonal movements. And finally, thank you @Catt for that info - that seems about right and again, I really appreciate all of you guys helping me make some sense of all this! I'll go back out this week and we if they're still there or what they're up to

Heh, thanks @TcRoc I appreciate the feedback - and believe me, I'm not looking for an excuse... well maybe kinda... just wondering if seasonally guys fish hard during the pre-spawn and then back off a bit as the bite slows? I know there is no hard & fast rule but this is the earliest I have ever been able to get out so I've go no idea what those little buggers are doing below the surface... thanks!

Hey guys! So I've been fishing a local lake and I've started to see some bass set up on what look like beds or areas that they have cleared all of the muck off of. They are only about 5 feet offshore and they are very visible. A few fish have been hanging out right by these same areas for days. Now, truth be told I'm not going to spend a TON of time trying to catch these fish... I'm having a bit of a dilemma internally on that one... but, I've casually thrown several presentations their way and they are not interested. At all. I've spent most of my time (90%) fishing around the rest of the lake without any bites the last 3 days. Up until this week I've had decent luck here on faster moving presentations and wacky rigs. Now everything seems to be shut down. Traditionally, do bass clam up as they start to get ready to spawn? I don't believe they have spawned yet... but there are a ton of little baitfish in the shallows around the perimeter of the lake finally. What have you all experienced? Thanks for helping me make a bit more sense of this!