3 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Fair warning: Fish can also avoid striking a whopper plopper for years at a time 

 

This winter, I loaded up with surface lures other than the Whopper Plopper in case this is true. I'm excited to try a Rapala wakebait. I think they'll love that.

5 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

This winter, I loaded up with surface lures other than the Whopper Plopper in case this is true. I'm excited to try a Rapala wakebait. I think they'll love that.

I don’t think it’s true where you’re fishing but I’ve had 2 bites in 4 years of using one . They didn’t stop hitting it, they never started 

11 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I don’t think it’s true where you’re fishing but I’ve had 2 bites in 4 years of using one . They didn’t stop hitting it, they never started 

 

Yeah, I fish for grade school dropout bass. 

Two whole fish from yesterdays trip. Water temp had dropped four degrees and my girls were not in a good mood. Even with the sustained 18 mph winds and occasional 40 mph gust it was a fine day.

Just now, ol'crickety said:

 

Yeah, I fish for grade school dropout bass. 

I've never caught a smart Bass, but I've hammered some really stupid ones ?

3 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Yeah, I fish for grade school dropout bass. 

I doubt that, they just like what they like. People have caught fish on spinnerbaits in my area since they were invented and I can’t do it to save my life 

6 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've never caught a smart Bass, but I've hammered some really stupid ones ?

 

I suspect that we've all dragged lures past genius, BIG bass and here was their response:

 

 

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I doubt that, they just like what they like. People have caught fish on spinnerbaits in my area since they were invented and I can’t do it to save my life 

 

You are being kind and I thank you for that. 

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I doubt that, they just like what they like. People have caught fish on spinnerbaits in my area since they were invented and I can’t do it to save my life 

@TnRiver46 If I can catch bass on my $1.00 Wal Mart spinnerbaits you can too? #dont stop believing ?

4 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

@TnRiver46 If I can catch bass on my $1.00 Wal Mart spinnerbaits you can too? #dont stop believing ?

You’d think! 

Good old Rage bug

Smallies love em too

Two weeks of cold, wind, and rain have 'em all messed up.  Two weeks ago there were tons of fish shallow. Not so much now, but better weather is on the way. It was a grind this morning, with just two bites between 6:30 and 10:30. They got a little more cooperative as the day went on. Ended up with about a dozen. Couple two pounders and this 3.48 chunk. The rest were dinks.

 

No pics, as the three dinks I boated weren’t worth the pixels. Very slow morning. One on a jerkbait and two on a Zoom Mag 2. Lost another on the jerkbait and another on a tube. Which was happy/sad, as that was the first bass I’ve had had bite on a tube. 

Nothing special size wise for sure, it was a grind with not much happening really. I got to break the new combo in with a fish at least lol. The bait used was a 3/8 thunder cricket gold series with a swapped skirt to a beast coast tackle natural gill with a mini zako trailer in 956. I made a decent cast,  give or take 35-40 yards it touched down and I was like something doesn’t feel right, when in doubt set the hook. I saw my line moving oddly after I swung and figured that I caught something. I didn’t have my drag all the way tight on my tatula 80 and it played around with me a little and jumped out of the water a couple times. Then it tried to run into a brush pile but I kept it out and got it to the bank and grabbed it. I was surprised that it stayed on, hook was through the soft tissue on the side of the mouth. The mbr 844c did a good job of keeping it pinned and the braid probably helped me get the hook set at that distance. Like I said when it touched down I felt the bite. Either way I am happy that I caught something at least.

 

the pond I fished is shallow so they start bedding earlier. Probably landed close to a bed and just got a reaction strike out of this little whipper snapper lol. I really like the 30lb sunline plasma braid though, I always liked it though.

Had my boss and his son over today . Primary goal was bream. The 2nd bream Alex hooked , as he had it almost to the dock , a bass clobbered the bream and he hooked the bass right in the corner of the mouth!!

First bass !

4.06 pounds…

Tried out a new pond today, got a recommendation from someone who has caught a handful of plus sized bass out of it. Did okay numbers, but no size. Main producers were spinnerbait, jerkbait, lipless, and some senko fish.

 

I made a promise to throw the spinnerbait more often this year and try to get some nice fish on it. Did decent numbers on it today but nothing sizeable.

 

I did get some excitement when a hefty fish slammed my jerkbait and had the rod doubled up ripping some drag, but turned out to be......

 

A 4lb tilapia. Still a good fight but very disappointing to see when I thought I had a quality bass on at first.

 

My biggest bass of the night was right before dark, 2lb 10oz smoked the chatterbait right up against the bank. Had a bigger fish follow me in not long after but spooked off when she saw me.

 

Just nice to get out there, between work and weather the fishing trips have been a little less numerous lately.

Fantastic @Aaron_H!

 

@Cbump I’m liking the forecast for this weekend, my guy

 

 

You know it’s a bad day when the fish either totally ignore a wacky rig or run from it.  Fished a new lake to day called derby lake.  It’s a small deep lake in central Michigan.  I saw a lot of nice large and small mouth bass along with a ton of crappie and a big pike.

 

I threw everything at them cranks , deep cranks,  Carolina, free rig, mojo rig, wacky rig, lipless, swim baits and jerk bait. I’m sure I’m forgetting what else.
 

managed one 14 inch bass on a mega bass jerk bait.  With weather in the 70’s next week the spawn should be on in central Michigan 

Managed to get out for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Caught a few solid but not spectacular bass. Most were caught on a Jackhammer with a Pro Point Lure Machete Minnow trailer (really liking these). And then this huge carp took me for a 20 minute ride. There's some big muskie in this lake so  that was my initial thought. It didn't take long to realize it was likely a carp the way it was fighting.

 

Needless to say the Bill Lewis ATV 1.5 comes with some solid hardware! Snagged him in the back with my squarebill setup. My arms were tired after that fight! ? And my hands still stunk later that night after washing them I don't know how many times. 

 

 

 

 

 

9 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Managed to get out for a few hours yesterday afternoon. Caught a few solid but not spectacular bass. Most were caught on a Jackhammer with a Pro Point Lure Machete Minnow trailer (really liking these). And then this huge carp took me for a 20 minute ride. There's some big muskie in this lake so  that was my initial thought. It didn't take long to realize it was likely a carp the way it was fighting.

 

Needless to say the Bill Lewis ATV 1.5 comes with some solid hardware! Snagged him in the back with my squarebill setup. My arms were tired after that fight! ? And my hands still stunk later that night after washing them I don't know how many times. 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of emotions, but that smells like pre spawn to me, a smell that is most certainly the sweetest perfume known to man.....why must I wait 8 more months.....can I reverse snow bird? ?

The smell came from handling that carp. Wooo weee it S T U N K! 

Just now, NorthernBasser said:

The smell came from handling that carp. Wooo weee it S T U N K! 

Haha, Matt Allen ain't got nothing on that ATV torture test ?

 

Been since I was a kid since I caught em, but I always love to go Carp fishing.  Even as a young boy I put way too much pressure on myself Bass fishing.   I need to make myself fish for other stuff, as that's when my love of fishing isn't tethered by my obsession over catching a single huge Bass.  

24 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Snagged him in the back with my squarebill setup

That’s funny. That is one ugly looking fish.

 

19 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Haha, Matt Allen ain't got nothing on that ATV torture test ?

 

Been since I was a kid since I caught em, but I always love to go Carp fishing.  Even as a young boy I put way too much pressure on myself Bass fishing.   I need to make myself fish for other stuff, as that's when my love of fishing isn't tethered by my obsession over catching a single huge Bass.  

It was definitely a fun fight. That thing was peeeeling drag. I had 3 other boats stop and watch to see what I had going. After about 10 minutes they were like "ok that's enough, we're out of here". Haha.

Caught a nice one yesterday evening…

11 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Had my boss and his son over today . Primary goal was bream. The 2nd bream Alex hooked , as he had it almost to the dock , a bass clobbered the bream and he hooked the bass right in the corner of the mouth!!

First bass !

4.06 pounds…

Talk about a way to be hooked for life! That smile on his face says it all.