19 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Trolling DT14 at 2.2 mph in 77 degree water - caught a couple 5 lb largemouth, 13.75 inch crappie and a Peacock bass to boot! 

Nice ones, trolling for Bass is a lost art, a misunderstood skill I've found.   

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Nice ones, trolling for Bass is a lost art, a misunderstood skill I've found.   

I agree, when everyone beats the bank over and over on the same lake with poor results, time to try something different. I usually find with speed trolling out a little deeper that I catch less fish but the ones that hit are a bit bigger and more aggressive.  Fun to break it up once in a while…

18 hours ago, The Bassman said:

Got my biggest one in almost two years this afternoon, 6.82#. Caught her in front of a submerged drain on a Z-Man TicklerZ that's been catching fish since last fall. Can't wear it out. Also caught several others on it and lipless crankbait.

What color TicklerZ? That is my go-to! I use The Deal or Smelt most of the time but the Laguna Shrimp works as well, especially in stained water.

Thought I send these in as they’re pretty cool pics in my opinion. First BFL of the year on Dale Hollow a week ago! Tough day but managed 2 decent ones for 31st out of 170ish.

Also won the first Club derb of the year with 14lbs on a clear water lake in northern Indiana. Partner caught the 5.3lb kicker and got my new favorite fishing pic! Great last two weeks all around! I’ll try to keep active but between school and running two tournament trails haven’t had a lot of time

7 minutes ago, JWall14 said:

Thought I send these in as they’re pretty cool pics in my opinion. First BFL of the year on Dale Hollow a week ago! Tough day but managed 2 decent ones for 31st out of 170ish.

Also won the first Club derb of the year with 14lbs on a clear water lake in northern Indiana. Partner caught the 5.3lb kicker and got my new favorite fishing pic! Great last two weeks all around! I’ll try to keep active but between school and running two tournament trails haven’t had a lot of time

Awesome, keep chasing those dreams!   

1 hour ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

What color TicklerZ? That is my go-to! I use The Deal or Smelt most of the time but the Laguna Shrimp works as well, especially in stained water.

Coppertreuse. The one I've been using is mottled with very little chartreuse. Color doesn't seem to make much difference to me. Just can't get this one to wear out and move on to a different one. It's caught dozens over the winter and now spring.

3 hours ago, The Bassman said:

Coppertreuse. The one I've been using is mottled with very little chartreuse. Color doesn't seem to make much difference to me. Just can't get this one to wear out and move on to a different one. It's caught dozens over the winter and now spring.

Coppertreuse works for me too! The only way I switch colors usually is to hang up and break off, which is frequent in the currents of the big rivers. Otherwise I would use the same TicklerZ all year. They are indestructible. They way outlast the point of the jig.

3 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Coppertreuse works for me too! The only way I switch colors usually is to hang up and break off, which is frequent in the currents of the big rivers. Otherwise I would use the same TicklerZ all year. They are indestructible. They way outlast the point of the jig.

I read somewhere that Ned's favorite color is coppertreuse, I tend to agree. it just works

Curse you, BassMan and Bob, who serve the bait monkey! Now I just placed an order for TicklerZ's in coppertreuse. 

 

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Curse you, BassMan and Bob, who serve the bait monkey! Now I just placed an order for TicklerZ's in coppertreuse. 

 

 

 

 

Katie while coopertreuse certainly has worked for me, my favorite is Smelt. It looks like a stupid little minnow that is begging to be crushed. Like I stated in a earlier post, this is what works best for me.

Clear and good visibility, Smelt and the Deal.

Slight stain or just a little muddy with some visibility, Laguna Shrimp. Although I have caught them with the Coppertreues in both water conditions. On thing about the Zman is the baits do not wear out. Your thumb skin will wear out before a TicklerZ. I like them better than the TRD because they are a little longer, and they have little squid tails. I do use a larger TRD sometimes and Bass crash them as well. However, if I had one to choose from and ONLY one...it would be the TicklerZ in Smelt.

6 hours ago, The Bassman said:

Coppertreuse. The one I've been using is mottled with very little chartreuse. Color doesn't seem to make much difference to me. Just can't get this one to wear out and move on to a different one. It's caught dozens over the winter and now spring.

I've gone to the Hot Snakes color. I really like Coppertreuse but it seemed I was getting some that were almost half chartreuse and just more gaudy than I wanted. The Hot Snakes is a more natural green color with green pumpkin. It's been my #1 color for close to a year now I'd guess. 

Caught 9 Spots today. The biggest a 3.30 hit a 12" Ol Mag Monster and the others bit the TRD on the Flatlands Wobblehead. Water temp is 63.5 and climbing but the lake's colored up from the recent storms

Got the clouds and the wind I thought I wanted, but the bass weren’t overly excited for some reason with the conditions - maybe too much wind (30-40 mph gusts). Still managed 15 with a little work, and the thumb officially needs a Band-aid before the next trip, so I can’t complain ?

 

Not much to write home about today but a nice few fish in some different spots. Tough wind conditions from the bank spots I could get to, would probably make some different location choices. Still, catching never gets old.

Things are starting to get warmer here in Northern Illinois! Water temps got up to the mid 40's at a little lake by the house today and I was able to snag a couple of solid ones, this one being the big bigger one at around ~21".

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

Caught 9 Spots today. The biggest a 3.30 hit a 12" Ol Mag Monster and the others bit the TRD on the Flatlands Wobblehead. Water temp is 63.5 and climbing but the lake's colored up from the recent storms

Couple of studs for sure, awesome job!  

3 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Curse you, BassMan and Bob, who serve the bait monkey! Now I just placed an order for TicklerZ's in coppertreuse. 

 

 

 

 

Katie is going to be living in a cardboard shack with a dirty monkey, and a yard slap full of tackle if she doesn't get open water soon ?

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

Thanks, Alex, you made me laugh. I checked the two closest ponds two days ago and they were still all ice, but I'm thinking I might see soft water within a week or so. When I go out, I'll be wearing my wetsuit and will stay so close to the shore, but it would be great to finally catch a bass or two. They'll be shivering if I do!

 

@The BaitMonkey, I love your fish! Also, you have impoverished me. I'm living in a cardboard box because of you.

At this point I'm just fishing pretty lures, until hot summer nights.    That's okay, I can't really stop until the white whale hits the net anyways, many days over the last month I've said that's it only to be there the next day ?

 

Tomorrow I'm going to clean a portion of the lake of trash, need a big numbers day ?

 

Decided to goof off a little this afternoon at the pond from prepping for our month long trip around Florida with our travel trailer. Got the fishing gear all ready as well so figured I may as well ‘test’ things out, right? ? Snagged this healthy looking fella on a 5” Yum Dinger in blue flake/black on a ned. He’ll do until I can ply the Florida waters. ? 
 

 

 

6 hours ago, TheBaitMonkey said:

Things are starting to get warmer here in Northern Illinois! Water temps got up to the mid 40's at a little lake by the house today and I was able to snag a couple of solid ones, this one being the big bigger one at around ~21".

 

 

Northwest Illinois here and yes the water temps SLOWLY getting to low/mid 40s.  The March snow needs to stop!  Catching some nice ones on small hair jigs. Many crappie mixed in.  This one about 19 inches. 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

At this point I'm just fishing pretty lures, until hot summer nights.

The night bite gets hot for me when the water hits right about 70. That's late May/early June here. Lots of post spawners feeding up on the shallow flats at that point. Chatterbait over the still submerged grass is a killer. If they're short striking it, I'll switch to a paddletail swimmer. 

4 hours ago, T-Billy said:

The night bite gets hot for me when the water hits right about 70. That's late May/early June here. Lots of post spawners feeding up on the shallow flats at that point. Chatterbait over the still submerged grass is a killer. If they're short striking it, I'll switch to a paddletail swimmer. 

I’m gonna try some night fishing one of these days dad gummit. I just about fall asleep with the sun still shining this time of year, maybe I’ll hit it pre dawn 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’m gonna try some night fishing one of these days dad gummit. I just about fall asleep with the sun still shining this time of year, maybe I’ll hit it pre dawn 

I love pre dawn.  Cooler and get to watch that sunrise.  Makes me feel better while I'm not catching anything lol

9 hours ago, ScottW said:

Decided to goof off a little this afternoon at the pond from prepping for our month long trip around Florida with our travel trailer. Got the fishing gear all ready as well so figured I may as well ‘test’ things out, right? ? Snagged this healthy looking fella on a 5” Yum Dinger in blue flake/black on a ned. He’ll do until I can ply the Florida waters. ? 

 

Nice, you taking a pole or two on your trip?   Have a blast and be safe!