thediscochef

So I was out bank fishing in similar conditions two days ago - I checked the times I caught my fishes and the nearest NWS station. Sustained 20-29, with gusts to 40 as a strong front rolled in. Casting into the wind required mag brake adjustment. I was up in the cove behind the rocks I normally fish on that face open lake. The wind was blowing up into the cove, but the water was much calmer vs the capping on the ramp. What wound up being important for me was watching topwater - I would see 8-10 shads jumping away from a point in the water, basically any time the rain would start up for a second, the topwater would start. I also managed to hook a shad on my jerkbait in a retrieve. So I knew there were active fish and bait there despite the cold water temps. From there, I just tried to emulate baitfish in a few ways and look for the spots where the fish were hunting - not so much to cast on top of them, but to see how far off the shore and over what areas of depth. This area has a creek bed down to about 10 feet in the north half, with gravel and rock flats on the south end. I would then cast into similar areas to where I saw bass hunting, just not on top of them. Both a lipless crank (yo-yo retrieve) and a slow rising jerkbait (twitch twitch pause) did the trick, in various white colors. I pulled out one good size spottie and a decent male LMB. Chatterbaits and C-rigs were thrown but not bit.

If there's fish in the pond and you know it, I'd still try it. But if you've never caught there...?‍♂️ I don't know what to tell ya

? you know what, I think I'm doing just fine without fishing near gators. I'll settle for the snakes and smaller fish. Snakes are a thing but I can handle that; I'm rarely ever far enough from medical attention that they could really put me in danger. They also make solid cut bait and can be filled with shads that make good cut bait. A gator could pull a man underwater and keep him there. May also make solid cut bait, but I don't know that I want to find out about that.

You can have our sleet, but fair warning - it contains lightning this time. If Zeus wasn't up there being drunk I'd probably have a line in the water, but I'm not trying to end up on the wrong side of a fish fry ? I'd like to see you post a record. Get em! I wonder how Bass like the taste of Chili...with beans

You better GET EM! it just started sleeting here so I think I'm going to eat some soup and reorganize my plastics. I wonder if plastics will be more effective if they sit in some soup for a day...

That was a sight to see for sure. Happened about 30 minutes after I hooked that shad on my jerkbait. Sunday was a weird, weird day. I got a melanosis fish on a lipless crank that day, first fish on that bait.

The local newspapers advised back in February getting to OH Ivie as early as possible, as the entire parking lot is full at all the ramps by sunrise. I have to wonder how long this lake will continue to support fish of this size.

It would appear that lake record smallmouth have been caught there in the last couple of years as well

3/8/22 SLOW Nature loves to make a fool of me. Just when I think we're about to warm up for good, we will have some freezing rain today with a high of 47. Wednesday and Thursday will be better days, warming to the 60s. Thursday night into Friday we will have yet ANOTHER ice storm with a high of 39. Friday night we will dip into the low 20s with winds 15-25. I wish this crap would stop already, this is one of the later ice events I can remember in recent years and I'm not happy about it.

OC and its inspiration

It can be controlled somewhat I think, but I don't really know much about pond management or ecosystems overall. I'd think the key concern would be when/if the foliage dies off and consumes oxygen content from the water as it decays, especially if this floating stuff is a new introduction to the pond. If it's normally like this, I'm not sure it's an issue. Have you caught/seen any fishes in the pond before? I know some of my local city ponds here have issues with lilypads covering a ton of the area, but that's just a good place to drop in a T-rig

I totally agree, I would absolutely get enough for a replica to be made but for me the fish must live on. Spread them jeans or whatever.

I have a little plastic jon boat, it's adequate on a calm day near the bank ?

You know I will - that's an offer I can't refuse! Likewise if you ever make your way to DFW give me a shout, I don't have a boat but I do know a little about my home lake, there's a good brush pile map out there. Edit; a Real Boat™ lol

I believe you ? my baitcaster is ready

I consider that an honor, thank you ? you know I'd be on that!

GET EM!

tiny foliage like that is always tricky but that looks like some form of duckweed, Fairy Moss seems most likely to my eye. It is technically a fern, not an algae or moss as I understand it. By some accounts it helps to control harmful/toxic algae blooms in some ponds but can quickly take over an entire surface in full sun. I'd probably be texas rigging a 3/8oz to 5/8oz weight with a mag ribbontail, a 5" or 6" Senko, or a 5"+ trick worm - something like that - if I was trying to work through the weeds coming off the bottom. Otherwise if there's an edge where the ferns stop, I'd work a lighter bait parallel to that edge, which is generally my first instinct with grass edges like that As a side note, that stuff is super invasive and can grow unchecked very quickly in full sun. Be cautious about spreading it to other waters.

??? I wouldn't be able to use that combo without singing the song Congrats @CrashVector on the light weight setup, though! Always exciting to get new gear that you really like. Makes you wanna hit the water, huh? my new Tatula CT 8.1:1 + H2OXpress Tac40 V (7'5") weighs in at 12.56oz, including a full spool of 20lb braid and a 4" jerkbait that's 1/2oz. Whole combo ran me shy of $225 after tax. I feel good about it; the thing is a joy to fish, kind of feels like an extension of my arm now.

It'll always be the Fanta Sister to me

I would be very thankful for some 60 degree water right now, we've been stuck in the upper 40s for a solid month or so. Naturally DFW is poised for another ice event Friday, which will likely push things back even later.

I consider tubes to be a finesse bait, the retrieve I use for them that worked was a ned finesse retrieve. I think a lot of the definition of finesse depends on who you talk to. For me it's more about how I'm moving the lure than the size, but size plays a factor in how I retrieve. For instance, when we start hitting 90 degree days, I will start using my little chatterbaits again. I'll fish them and rig them like a ned - a small 2/0 hook with a 2.6-3" plastic, no skirt. Retrieved slowly slowly over rocks, river flats, and dam riprap. Every 40% of distance or so with a pause to let the bait sink. I did probably 90%+ of my catching on that setup last year until our lake temps got below 49.

Hey Spotted Bass like em ?? I picked up some new hardbaits at academy after the cold front came through yesterday. I caught my first ever lipless crankbait fish during the cold front, so I picked up a couple more of those. The red-eye sexy shad I caught the fish on has a shattered eye from hitting rocks on the opposite banks and may not be long for this world, so I got a backup cause it's now a confidence bait. Also picked up a googan squad, a yozuri 3DB 110 jerkbait, and an H20Xpress diving suspending jerkbait. I guess I throw hard baits now. Gonna go to BPS and watch their bass tank, let the weather warm up a touch, and then head to the lake for some target practice ?

? that sounds like more than my tackle could handle...

I've only seen videos of this effect, but just based on those videos I wouldnt want to be in a yak sharing a waterway with a big ship. That displacement doesn't mess around. Also, if the wake is crashing over a break wall there's a greater than zero chance those boats are going overspeed. If you can document it consistently, the coast guard takes that pretty seriously. Read the description of the video above for an example