59 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

Bad form.

Might need a mulligan right there.

A-Jay

Well I finally got my first of the year, technically. 14 of 17 days spent fishing this year, this is what I've caught. Four hours skunk today and snapped off a megabass ito shiner. Feeling pretty ridiculous carrying around a curado dc for what amounts to casting practice. My buddy caught a 3.5 at my usual spot yesterday, using the same stuff I do. I just don't get it. I can't figure it out. I've tried everything I own. Other spots, other lures, stuff I don't normally use. I haven't had this much trouble catching since I started fishing two years ago and it's pretty dumb. 2023 better pick up the pace, this is unacceptable 

49 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Well I finally got my first of the year, technically. 14 of 17 days spent fishing this year, this is what I've caught. Four hours skunk today and snapped off a megabass ito shiner. Feeling pretty ridiculous carrying around a curado dc for what amounts to casting practice. My buddy caught a 3.5 at my usual spot yesterday, using the same stuff I do. I just don't get it. I can't figure it out. I've tried everything I own. Other spots, other lures, stuff I don't normally use. I haven't had this much trouble catching since I started fishing two years ago and it's pretty dumb. 2023 better pick up the pace, this is unacceptable 

Bout time for some spinning gear! 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Bad form.

Might need a mulligan right there.

A-Jay

 

Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

2 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

 

Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

 

Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

I read it I laughed my butt off and d**n girl you remind me of my maternal grandmother who I absolutely adored and it was her husband my maternal grandfather who was the avid fisherman who’s genes were passed on so I say write what you think ?

2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

 

Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

How on earth did you quote something you said under my name? That’s freaking me out. I hope no one screenshots that ?

 

@ol'crickety if you did not understand how that could have been taken, you might be Jesus. If you are Jesus, just in a female form, please let us know immediately. I’ve got some things to repent for, and also, I’m a big fan of your Dad

On 1/16/2023 at 5:40 PM, Woody B said:

I saw a goose fight yesterday

I see that quite a bit in the spring time when a pair of Canada geese has claimed an area for their nest, and other geese show up. Those things can get nasty. They are mean sons of *******. They will not back down when they are protecting a territory, nest, or goslings.

 

Years ago, when I used to hunt them, if we had a wounded one, even a full grown male lab had trouble retrieving it. We would often just have to dispatch it with another load of BB.

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

 

Fished in schizo weather, misting rain, sunshine at times, cloudy, weird conditions.   Once that sun started peaking I out though, and after being skunked for about 1.5hrs, I headed to the north end of the lake where it's much more shallow, and an untold amount of more recently spawned Shads get herded against structure where wolf packs of Bass turn the water into a volcano.    

This happens quite often, and usually ends it terrific amounts of frustration.  You could net the fish going crazy easier than getting them to bite a bait 90% of them time.    I threw 6-7 baits at them, and then started to throw the A-Rig, and it was producing quite well.   Caught 5-6 fish in about an hour, but eventually I realized the size class fish that were there weren't worth risking maiming by this very harmful A-Rig.    First time I can remember driving away from dozens of fish blowing up in the background.    I made the right call I think, these fish were getting SO FAT and I want big fish agressive fish next year, and the year after so it's not completely altruistic.   I love the A-Rig for big fish, but these smaller fish can hook themselves with the other free hooks in some bad ways.   Just didn't feel ethical to me.    

 

Caught a tank of a Spot, and these were the 1-2lb uber belly LGMs.

 

 

Went out for awhile Sunday until the wind got too strong for us to deal with in the kayaks. It was tough for me, couldn't get them to eat anything but a Ned really. Stony was getting them on a Frittside 5 and 7 and did pretty well including the big one of the day.

All mine were babies.

Water temps were 39-42*

@AlabamaSpothunter those largemouth looked like they’ve eaten a softball 

On 1/16/2023 at 5:40 PM, Woody B said:

Speaking of birds.  I saw a goose fight yesterday.  I didn't get pictures.  It was still in the 20's.  My phone was buried under a bunch of layers of clothes.  There was a group of Geese, 10 or so on the bank.  Another group about the same size landing in the lake, near the bank.  The Geese on the bank started spreading their wings and squawking.   One of them went out into the water, it was flapping it's wings, squawking, and had it's neck/head stuck out almost horizontal.  One from the other group was doing the same thing.  They were swimming toward each other.  When they got pretty close the entire group that had just landed flew off.   The one from that group that was "flexing" flew off too.  I guess the ones on the bank won.   

They travel in family groups and as you have seen, are very territorial. I have had a family group claim my pond in the past and any intruder was not welcome. Don't know how they ever group into the larger size flocks that we see travelling since they can be so touchy.

12 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

 

Fished in schizo weather, misting rain, sunshine at times, cloudy, weird conditions.   Once that sun started peaking I out though, and after being skunked for about 1.5hrs, I headed to the north end of the lake where it's much more shallow, and an untold amount of more recently spawned Shads get herded against structure where wolf packs of Bass turn the water into a volcano.    

This happens quite often, and usually ends it terrific amounts of frustration.  You could net the fish going crazy easier than getting them to bite a bait 90% of them time.    I threw 6-7 baits at them, and then started to throw the A-Rig, and it was producing quite well.   Caught 5-6 fish in about an hour, but eventually I realized the size class fish that were there weren't worth risking maiming by this very harmful A-Rig.    First time I can remember driving away from dozens of fish blowing up in the background.    I made the right call I think, these fish were getting SO FAT and I want big fish agressive fish next year, and the year after so it's not completely altruistic.   I love the A-Rig for big fish, but these smaller fish can hook themselves with the other free hooks in some bad ways.   Just didn't feel ethical to me.    

 

Caught a tank of a Spot, and these were the 1-2lb uber belly LGMs.

 

 

Alex this touches right on my point about fishing the northernmost areas in a lake. In my pond the southern areas are fishless this time of year but the northern coves have them stacked up. Epic Spot with a very full belly!

8 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

@AlabamaSpothunter those largemouth looked like they’ve eaten a softball 

 

Heck, yeah, they do! I love fat bass. It tells me the lake and fish are healthy. Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare. You could catch Alex's bass above ten times in a row and they'd still be plump.

 

@Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

 

12 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

 

I don't know if many of you are nerds (I know Bob is, thank goodness. Nerds are my people!), but in "a few short months," all your bases will belong to me!

 

6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Heck, yeah, they do! I love fat bass. It tells me the lake and fish are healthy. Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare. You could catch Alex's bass above ten times in a row and they'd still be plump.

 

@Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

 

 

I don't know if many of you are nerds (I know Bob is, thank goodness. Nerds are my people!), but in "a few short months," all your bases will belong to me!

 

Katie I'm the same way on skinny fish for the same reason.   I also hate when a fish I catch spits up a shad.    Great part about this place is that I know the membership by in large cares more about the fish's health than catching the fish.   

 

Use the trash talk as fuel, let the hate run through your fishing pole ?

12 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare.

I feel the same when I catch a skinny fish. I would rather a skinny bass ignore my lure and eat a real meal.

59 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

I feel the same when I catch a skinny fish. I would rather a skinny bass ignore my lure and eat a real meal.

 

I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

On the other hand, nothing makes me happier than when a bass regurgitates a plastic lure. This has happened to me twice now. Get the bass in the boat and see something in its throat. Pulled two long creature baits from bass including one that must have been eight inches long. Only an inch or so was visible but I kept pulling until it was out. Very satisfying. The other was a Zoom speed craw that I still use!

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

What you are describing is a bolus gun. It is nothing more that a plastic plunger to force unwilling livestock to take their medicine. I only know this because I live on a farm. Some livestock will knock you down trying to get their medication, while others will run from you for days. They are all different. Sounds like something I need in my boat, although the bass that Alex catches don't have enough room for another crammed shad. That last picture he showed looks like that bass ate a dock bumper! 

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

 @Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

 

I always try to. I took a bad picture, one time, but it was of my good friends first ever brown trout. It was the only picture he had of it, and the only one he caught the whole trip that we took specifically to try to catch brown trout. I still feel bad about it. 

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

 

I always try to. I took a bad picture, one time, but it was of my good friends first ever brown trout. It was the only picture he had of it, and the only one he caught the whole trip that we took specifically to try to catch brown trout. I still feel bad about it. 

 

Well, you're a good fishing pal and a good man, for your mistake changed you forever, upgrading your fish photography.

 

The one photo I regret was taken by my brother, who's a great photographer, but he took it in near darkness, with no flash. He was in one canoe and I was in another, so we were both moving. He had to leave the shutter open longer than any hand can be still, but he still captured my bass...a bit. My beast is nearly shrouded by night in the photo, but you can make out its outline and it looks every bit as big as when I first saw it beside my canoe and swore at its size. 

40 was the number today, except for my fish count - lol. We briefly hit 40 degrees for our high, and I was able to squeeze in 40 minutes of fishing before the rain moved in. Catch count was only 5 though. Several bass really washed out in color, but several displaying bright red lips. Ned did all the work today.

 

 

Five bass in 40 minutes at 40 degrees is HOT fishing!

Some might remember my first double up on an A Rig where the big 5lb class fish came off at the very end a week or two ago......today the universe rewarded me with an even better opportunity, and I can now officially say I've joined the double up A Rig club.    

 

This bait is one of the most exciting baits I've ever thrown, once you get a bit of confidence with it, you feel magic is going to strike every cast.

 

Caught around 20 I'd say, and the double up was a 5.6 and 2.7 fish.      Caught another 2lb Crappie.....2lbs on the dot.   Caught a 3.5-4lb class LGM, and then tons of 1-2.5lb football LGMs, and Spots.      

 

1 fish came off a 110jr +1, close to 10 came off the A Rig, and then close to 10 came off the Flashback mini including the Slab.   

 

With Winter pool I went to the furthest most north end of the lake at times in 1ft of water, I was rewarded with dynamite Spotted Bass fishing.     65 degree rainy weather.    Main lake bodies were at 54, but where I was chasing Shad up in creeks it was 56.5.      

 

Winter might be my new favorite time to fish.   The girth on these fish makes you want to keep fishing harder, FOMO is real when you realize the white whales have 2-3lbs extra on them from eggs and fatting up for the spawn.    

 

 

These fat little Bass make me smile so much 

 

Alex, you da fisher-MAN! Another great day. I'm so proud of you. Happy for you too. I LOVE your double. What a feat! Makes my feet happy!

 

 

Now I get to watch the video. Better than tv!

 

#alexisq+q

17 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Alex, you da fisher-MAN! Another great day. I'm so proud of you. Happy for you too. I LOVE your double. What a feat! Makes my feet happy!

 

 

Now I get to watch the video. Better than tv!

 

#alexisq+q

I'm blushing Katie, you are always so full of kindness and humor!  

 

I'm the living embodiment of a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then, but that's what makes it so exciting I guess.    2 Hours of rolled footage gets turned into 14mins, you can bet I look like a donkey on that other 1hr45mins ?

That was awesome!!!