StephenM

I’m not bank fishing, I’m in my boat.

Literally never use jigs but I have been wanting to use them. Fishing the bottom of the grass with a jig? what weight jig we talking about? I assumed that grass was too thick for fish but the fish we caught last weekend were really dark like almost black on top so I guess they are in it. I have a swim jig I can run over the grass or right in the tops of it. Just reel it in or pop it or anything special presentation wise?

Punching sounds fun, something new to try, so probably a 3/4oz or 1oz weight with a big creature bait? I guess I would try certain depths first to try and figure out here they holding either closer to weed edge or shallower?

I have tried a texas rig and it just gets clumped up with grass since it’s so thick.

Looking for technique suggestions based on the following. Lot of lakes I just fish the bank and I’m fine with that but the closest lake to me is very clear right now, typically the waters around me (in West Tennessee) are so dirty you can’t see your bait more than a foot. We fished it Sunday afternoon in 15-20mph winds and heavy cloud cover, ended up catching 7-10 small bass on a swimbait with an under spin, nothing over 12” long, all less than 8-10 ft of water. My question is the grass in this lake, ITS SO THICK. Like the entire bank line all the way around has this thick coontail looking grass. Right now the grass extends to the 8ft mark typically. So worm fishing the bank is out of question. What else can I do with the grass? I know I can swim a spinner bait, bladed jig, or a swim bait over it but if they won’t chase baits what are my options? I tried to fish the grass line a little Sunday but I struggled staying on it in the wind (no spot lock or talons). Other information on the lake is it has a lot of standing timber, so much a no wake rule is in place. Lots and lots of cut off stumps shallow. Lot of deep water also I the 20-30ft range. Not sure what do there either lol.

There is definitely a healthy alligator gar population, I hooked on a 3ft one in a crankbait that had some nasty teeth. Wondering if there is bigger ones sniping at bass. I caught a little 12” bass that had definitely been in the mouth of a gar

Went back Tuesday night and caught a 2lb bass with just the top part of his tail messed up. Kinda think something might have bit the fish. It was a fresh wound. This place definitely picks up after 7:00 on the evenings. Been enjoying it.

Lol that meme, he thought he smelled shad in the bass’ mouth/throat. Some people can smell like crawfish or shad and tell what they are eating.

This particular ox bow has some deep parts up to 22ft or so, lots of areas around 10ft also. But that is a good idea. There also is a lot of Asian carp, drum, and alligator gar in this lake. Maybe they are hogging all the good deeper places.

At this ox bow near my house last night I pulled in a 2-11 off a fallen tree and it’s tail was still bloody. Two weeks ago me and the father n law pulled in several bass there with bloody tails. Really stumped us both finding late July fish in the southeast with bloody tails. The lake is fed from the Mississippi River. Any thoughts on why they might have made beds so late? If it flooded really bad during the normal spawn would they have tried again?

First year I have been serious in bass fishing, always just dabbled in it. Purchased a 94' Nitro 170 TF and have been loving almost every minute of it, unless I get skunked. But summer has been interesting. Few weeks ago me and my father n law (FNL) went to a new ox bow lake I found near my house fed from the mighty Mississippi. Water temp was 85-87ish. Went down to a nice shady bank with some lay down and brush for cover. Thew t-rigged plastics at least for an hour or so and nothing, they have been my go to all spring and early summer. Came across a part of the bank with literally no cover, just wide open nothing-ness in about 2 foot of water. FNL throws a lizard way up shallow and reals in a 4lb fish. I couldn't believe that fish was up there, had a slightly bloody tail that was healing. We keep going and he catches another bass. Bloody tail again, smelled the mouth and said they were probably chasing shad up shallow. So I tie on a electric shad color ketiech and int he first few casts I catch a 1-2 pounder. End up catching several more all with bloody tails. Went back the next morning and ran the same pattern and NOTHING. Was so surprised, only fish I could find was little dinks tucked up on timber lay downs. But I did catch several drums which put up a good fight. Now this past weekend took the family camping, I pulled the camper and the wife pulled the boat. There are two lakes at the campground with the smaller one known for having large Floridia strain bass in it. Lot of local tournaments run here. So I get up early Saturday go out by myself and start fishing shallow and about 50 yards down from me there is a large splash. Thought that was interesting, work my way down there and its another shallow bank with nothing in it, no cover no nothing. I run a square bill across the bottom and about the 5th cast I get a bite, get the fish to the boat and it looks to be a 5lb bass or so, definitely would have been a new PB for me. Wont stop heading shaking, jumps out of the water at the boat and head shakes and throws my crank bait out. I was speechless lol, unfortunately I couldn't hardly put the crankbait down after that. Didn't get another bite but I left early due to rain. Went back the next morning and had several more boats there. Not a single bite, didn't see anyone else catching anything either so I didn't feel too bad. I did idle around deeper water and play with the sonar, trying to learn about offshore fishing. Took the kids bluegill fishing later and they had a great time. RIP crickets. Summer may be tough but it certainly is interesting! Great learning trips for sure.

Can anyone speak for a recessed foot pedal? Amazon sells an insert: https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Troll-Fishing-Motor-Tray-Black/dp/B009EPOB98/ref=asc_df_B009EPOB98/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312111788523&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18057371796780389077&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013500&hvtargid=pla-449787195269&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62425943912&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312111788523&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18057371796780389077&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013500&hvtargid=pla-449787195269

We fished Casper Lake in Millington at Orgill Golf Course yesterday and had a 4-5lb bass.

Forgot to follow up with this. Was a fun trip but me and the father n law flipped flipped our kayaks about 15 minutes in, I lost a cheap spinning reel and about $80 worth of tackle inside a small plano box that sunk. He lost this big bag of all kinds of stuff plus an expensive bait caster combo sunk. But we kept on and ended up finding some bass in the calm pools off the river in tall grass, all my bites were on a craw bait, the other guy was getting them wacky rigged. Did have like a 16" grinnel just make my buzz bait disappear too, no blow up, sucked it right under calmly. That dinosaur fish put up a good fight. Saw lots of copper heads too.