T-Billy

Yeah, I've pretty much reached critical mass with bass stuff, and I'm getting close to it with muskie tackle.

Happens in the lakes too. I've caught a bunch of bass, especially smallmouth casting a ned or small tube into the silt clouds created by rooting carp. Occasionally the carp will eat the bait and I'll get taken for a ride.

The big oak was a bust this morning. I had one smoke a crappie ten minutes in, but it dropped it before I could get to the rod. That was it. I only had one other looker, and I only saw one other cruise past on side scan in a couple hours time. I figured if the fish aren't moving, I should be, so I pulled up stakes and went drifting. I hit several spots and ended up catching a 34" and a 38" about five minutes apart in one of my favorite bays. I also raised a 40-42 shortly after but couldn't get it to commit. I got those burning a 22 Short over grass in 12'. No pics. I'm not gonna bother with pics for fish under 40" anymore. I bought a 40" adhesive backed tape for my gunnel so I don't have to bump 'em to get a length. Just out of the net, quick rough measure at the gunnel and back in the water. About 3:30 just as I was bout to call it quits, I picked up this nice thick 40" on a crappie rig to finish out the day. I worked hard for 'em today, and I'm happy to have ended up with three, and it felt good to get a couple crankin. Hopefully I can get back on some big girls tomorrow. 🤞

It's the second time. Last November I doubled up with one on the A-rig and one on a crappie.

Flippin rig in the nastiest cover I can find during daylight hours. Bladed jig along weed edges or on rock at night.

I'm really getting to like this "soaking" crappie deal. 😉 The water's getting close to 70 and the slimers are starting to chase blades, but we ain't quite there yet. I moved three this afternoon on a single #6 but couldn't get 'em to commit. They went once around the 8 and bailed. The crappie bite this morning on the other hand....... I tied off to a big oak on the tip of a channel swing point at about 7 and put a couple crappie down. At about 8 one of them got blasted and I put this nice 40" in the net. While I'm unhooking it the other rod went off but just for a second, the fish quickly dropped the crappie. I finish unhooking the 40 and get a quick measurement and pic. As I'm rigging up another crappie, rod #2 goes off again, and this 44" goes into the net. Sweet, two nice fish just a couple minutes apart. Dang near doubled up. I get re-rigged and spend an hour staying entertained with catching dink crappie. Right about 9 a bait clicker starts singing that sweet tune, and in short order another 44" is in the net. Just as I get her unhooked, rod two goes off. Rut roe Raggy... 44 in the net and another fish swimming off with my other crappie. Here we go... I Jacked her, wrestled her around the transom to the side the net was on, and was able to slide her into the net without losing the 44. I doubled up with what nearly turned out to be a pair of twins. The second fish was 43" and the same color and pattern as the 44" SWEET!!! That ended up being my last bite of the day, but who cares. Twas an awesome morning, and I'm off for seven more days. I'll be tied to that big oak again tomorrow at first light. 😁

You're a natural born muskie fisherman my friend. 😉

I recommend retying every couple of hours even when using the braid when casting those swim baits. I've broke off a couple A-rigs when casting them on 65# 832, after several hours without retying.

Not in OH. Contrary to popular opinion, they don't live this far north.

Sound advice. ☝️ I'm off for ten days starting tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have plenty of big muskie pics for ya this coming week. My guide buddy and his clients boated several upper 40's this week.

Posting pics of 'em just isn't as fun if they don't ruffle @roadwarrior's feathers is it? 😂

Just marching to the beat of our own drums. 😉

Ark. Best bang for the buck I've found. Invoker and Tharp series specifically.

Terrible hook/land percentage today. I caught this 43, lost another about the same size, and wiffed on two that had the crappie, and were swimming away, but didn't get hooks for some reason. Some days you're the windshield, some days... Edit to add: Wiffing with that crappie rig is a shady deal. Two 4X strong VMC trebles and a 3oz egg sinker coming in at mach 3. 😲🦆

I started work at 02:00 for a year. Got up at 00:30. Never did get used to it. I was OK getting up at that hour, but from sunrise until 09:00 or so I struggled to stay awake. Not good for a haz-mat tanker driver. I was a happy camper when that year was over. I do fine with my current schedule though. I enjoy the quiet of early morning.

38" male, and a heavy (for this time of year) 44" female today.

I get up at 02:00 for work. Usually do the same on off days. Sometimes earlier if there's a good night bite happening.

Good luck today A-Jay.

Nuther 45" today at T-Billy's all you can eat crappie buffet!!! Twin sister to yesterday's fish. Actually this one was only 44 7/8", but I'm rounding up. Everybody else does. Heck I know a couple guys who would round it up to 47-48!!! 😂 Needed a chin strap for my hat today. It blew in the lake three times. Caught this girl on the lee side of a point where I could hide from the whitecaps.

@AlabamaSpothunter, it's a seasonal deal. The muskie are done spawning, and the crappie are getting ready to spawn. The trees are loaded with both right now. The muskie will be hot on the crappie until they spawn and move deep for the summer. In the fall when the water gets back down around 60, the crappie will load up in the trees again, and the muskie will feast on them again until the water gets high/mid 40's and the shad form those huge schools in the main lake basins. The muskie will then transition to shad and completely ignore the crappie. It's also lake specific. ODNR says we can use any fish without a size or creel limit for bait. Most lakes have limits on crappie. The lake nearest me that has muskie, has no size or creel limit on crappie.

I'm back in the saddle again!!! April has been rough, but The Lord blessed me with a couple today. First up was this 36" male, all scarred up from the spawn. He came out of a deep treetop for a free crappie dinner at T-Billy's floating buffet. Followed a couple hours later by this 45". She was just hell bent on getting caught. She followed a crank in, came up late and took a swing as I was lifting the bait out of the water. I stuck it back in and started making 8's, after 4-5 times around she was back on it. She made several laps around then slowly swam off. I made a short cast in the direction she went and BURNED that crank back in. She was hot on it and bit in the first turn of the 8, but didn't get hooks. Grrr... I spent a few more minutes casting around but couldn't get her to chase again. Several minutes later... the lovely sound of a bait clicker buzzing away. She smoked that crappie and was headed for mid lake full steam ahead. I got a perfect hookup in the corner of her mouth, just like a quick strike oughta, and a few minutes later we were posing for a pic. Gotta love those big dumb ones!!! I had a few other lazy follows on the crank, and missed another on the crappie rig. This crappie bite is just warning up. I'm looking forward to a fun May!!!

Praying for Noah. Please keep us posted on his recovery.

Two pallets from behind Walmart, a couple cushions from a couch found along the road, and a little hillbilly engineering and you'll be all set!!! 😂

If you're on a warming trend, shallow wood with deeper water nearby is your friend, especially if it's sunny.

Hang in there buddy, and whatever you do... DON"T EVER THINK... IT CAN"T GET ANY WORSE!!! IME, The Lord looks upon that thought as a challenge. 😉 Dandy white bass btw, and that 20# drum had to be a heck of a fight.