19 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I hate flukes. Hate em. Can’t catch crap on them or jerkbaits, but I stink with both. Lol

Oh no but you must………

 

I was fishing fontana once, it’s by far the clearest water around here. We were camping where a creek ran into the lake, steep mountains. There were big white bass and spotted bass back in the creek, spring time. I couldn’t make them bite anything, then I found a fluke in my boat. That side to side slow dart and suspension turned the fish from running away from lures to attacking and inhaling them. There is a magical power inside of a fluke that can make an inactive bass trigger into a reaction striking bass 

24 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Oh no but you must………

 

I was fishing fontana once, it’s by far the clearest water around here. We were camping where a creek ran into the lake, steep mountains. There were big white bass and spotted bass back in the creek, spring time. I couldn’t make them bite anything, then I found a fluke in my boat. That side to side slow dart and suspension turned the fish from running away from lures to attacking and inhaling them. There is a magical power inside of a fluke that can make an inactive bass trigger into a reaction striking bass 

A fluke may have been a good option when I was out, for sure

 

Y’all, IT RAINED LIKE CRAZY LAST NIGHT. I am very excited to see what happens to the lake. A cold front finally broke the heat dome we’ve been experiencing for like 2 months. We’re experiencing lower temperatures this week

New PB (6 lb) yesterday on a Teckel Sprinkler Frog

11 minutes ago, Turtle Angler said:

New PB (6 lb) yesterday on a Teckel Sprinkler Frog

Nice fish! Congrats on the new PB

1 hour ago, LrgmouthShad said:

A fluke may have been a good option when I was out, for sure

 

Y’all, IT RAINED LIKE CRAZY LAST NIGHT. I am very excited to see what happens to the lake. A cold front finally broke the heat dome we’ve been experiencing for like 2 months. We’re experiencing lower temperatures this week

It wasn't even 80 when I left the lake this morning. It was absolutely heaven. Made for a decent numbers morning. 2 on a dawn topwater bite, 4 landed 2 lost on a red eye, and the bigger fish on a black grape ol monster from deep. That is without a doubt the fattest 5lb I have ever caught. Length of a 3 but thick as heck. Scale froze on 5lb 8oz. Pulled harder than any of the 7s I've caught this year. I believe I felt the barb pull out about midway through fight. I did not feel the strike, I picked the lure up and felt it start running. Beautiful fish, great numbers morning - first bite 6:25 last bite 8:05. 

Beautiful bass, @Pat Brown, @Turtle Angler, and @thediscochef!

 

I launched in the dark as I typically do. It was foggy too (First pic). I tried two Ploppers, one Popper, and a buzzbait, but couldn't get a single bite. I did catch some bitsy bass (Second pic) with a paddletail and spinnerbait. Then, when the Sun rose and the surface fishing should have been at its worst, I tried a white 130 Whopper Plopper and caught two 18.5-inchers (Third and fourth pics). I ended the morning with 11 bass and the last one was the best at 19.5 inches (Last pic). I turned 67 today and am launching again tomorrow morning in the dark, thus my hashtag:

 

#IwillnotgogentleintothatgoodnightIragerageagainstthedyingofthelight.

 

Happy birthday! @ol'crickety

 

17 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Beautiful bass, @Pat Brown, @Turtle Angler, and @thediscochef!

 

I launched in the dark as I typically do. It was foggy too (First pic). I tried two Ploppers, one Popper, and a buzzbait, but couldn't get a single bite. I did catch some bitsy bass (Second pic) with a paddletail and spinnerbait. Then, when the Sun rose and the surface fishing should have been at its worst, I tried a white 130 Whopper Plopper and caught two 18.5-inchers (Third and fourth pics). I ended the morning with 11 bass and the last one was the best at 19.5 inches (Last pic). I turned 67 today and am launching again tomorrow morning in the dark, thus my hashtag:

 

#IwillnotgogentleintothatgoodnightIragerageagainstthedyingofthelight.

 

 

Those are some pretty bass, in some pretty grass ?
Happy Birthday!! ??

Thanks, guys!

 

My birthday gifts arrive today too: a Shimano 2500 Vanford and a Diawa 2500 Ballistic

2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Thanks, guys!

 

My birthday gifts arrive today too: a Shimano 2500 Vanford and a Diawa 2500 Ballistic

that's super exciting! those are two very nice reels 

Happy birthday @ol'crickety !

 

I have been noticing the 'bite in the dark before sunrise' is steadily shifting more to 'bite as the sun is rising'. This past couple weeks.  Seems I always catch the bass at the pond right as the daylight breaks.

4 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Thanks, guys!

 

My birthday gifts arrive today too: a Shimano 2500 Vanford and a Diawa 2500 Ballistic

Somebody robbed a bank! Either that or you are seriously much loved!!!!!

Happy Birthday!

3 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

that's super exciting! those are two very nice reels 

 

I have been tracking them all the way from Minnesota, which tells you how exciting they are for me.

 

@Pat Brown, I'm thinking of NOT rising at 3:30 a.m. tomorrow morning. No earlier than 4:00 and maybe even 4:15. The water is noticeably cooler. Our highs are low to mid seventies and our lows are low to high fifties. I think the bass are too chill to bite in the early mornings. 

 

2 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

10 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Somebody robbed a bank! Either that or you are seriously much loved!!!!!

 

Ha! Bob, it might seem hard to believe, but the reels I use are 30 to 40 years old and have caught thousands of fish. That snapping I heard that I first thought was a rod and then thought was the stem of the reel was actually the teeth of one of my Stradic's gears snapping off. That reel actually caught my three biggest bass this morning with more teeth snapping off as I applied too much pressure. Crazy, huh?

32 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Beautiful bass, @Pat Brown, @Turtle Angler, and @thediscochef!

 

I launched in the dark as I typically do. It was foggy too (First pic). I tried two Ploppers, one Popper, and a buzzbait, but couldn't get a single bite. I did catch some bitsy bass (Second pic) with a paddletail and spinnerbait. Then, when the Sun rose and the surface fishing should have been at its worst, I tried a white 130 Whopper Plopper and caught two 18.5-inchers (Third and fourth pics). I ended the morning with 11 bass and the last one was the best at 19.5 inches (Last pic). I turned 67 today and am launching again tomorrow morning in the dark, thus my hashtag:

 

#IwillnotgogentleintothatgoodnightIragerageagainstthedyingofthelight.

 

 

     Katie, that beast could eat all 58 bass I caught yesterday....actually it may have. She is huge!

It looks so peaceful in that grass. When you laid her back in the water, did you take a moment to absorb and enjoy your blessings? What a paradise on earth!

 

12 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Happy birthday @ol'crickety !

 

I have been noticing the 'bite in the dark before sunrise' is steadily shifting more to 'bite as the sun is rising'. This past couple weeks.  Seems I always catch the bass at the pond right as the daylight breaks.

Pat that is interesting and let me share a pond observation from yesterday. I am usually in the house before dark, but I went fishing yesterday, got home late for supper, did some farm work, then went to the pond as it was getting dark. One thing I noticed was the bass became MUCH more active after the sun set. I could see several blow-ups in the algae after the dock lights came on, where as while it was still daylight, the LM were quite. Wanted to stay longer but the skeeters became active as well!

@Blue Raider Bob it sounds like your bass are still very much still in their summer feeding patterns.

 

Our peak water temps (89°) have come down a whopping 10° in the past two weeks and I think that coupled with the darker moodier days and longer nights has them feeling fally ??? here!

 

22 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

When you laid her back in the water, did you take a moment to absorb and enjoy your blessings? What a paradise on earth!

 

I actually do wait a sec and just watch the bass when I release them. Many of them are content to suspend as I hold them gently, but some, mostly the smallmouth, are quick to flee.

 

Yeah, I love where I live. I'm nearly always the only one on the water, which I treasure. If I arrive at a launch and there's another car, I go to the next pond or bog.

 

Of course, having water to myself wouldn't be the case on weekends during the day, which is why I don't fish weekends during the day. 

 

58 bass is a busy day! I haven't had one of those in a couple months. 

Happy birthday @ol'crickety!!!

 

 

                                                               

Does this fish make me look fat?  They say that the camera adds ten pounds.  That would make this little girl 14.5 lbs ?

 

It's been tough fishing in south MS for the last 2-3 week.  None of my go to's have been working and I've been relegated to 2-3 fish per day.  Saturday was no different, until I switch to a translucent spook.  Next thing you you I stuck 6 in a row.  This was the best of the bunch.  Lost 3 that may have been as good or better.

 

Cheers on your 67th @ol'crickety!

4 hours ago, gunsinger said:

Does this fish make me look fat?

No, but bare feet is strictly against the fashion policy here. Appropriate footwear is required.

 

-Fashion Police

 

Nice fish BTW

My long time fishing partner joined me this morning for the first time since early may after having open heart surgery.

We caught all fish on Wacky rigged Senkos and Dingers.

This is his 1st fish in a long while.

10 hours ago, Bird said:

My long time fishing partner joined me this morning for the first time since early may after having open heart surgery.

We caught all fish on Wacky rigged Senkos and Dingers.

This is his 1st fish in a long while.

 

Atta, Pard'!

 

10 hours ago, gimruis said:

No, but bare feet is strictly against the fashion policy here. Appropriate footwear is required.

 

-Fashion Police

 

Nice fish BTW

 

I see so many young YouTubers fishing barefoot and I shake my head. So many hooks on a boat. 

18 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Atta, Pard'!

 

 

I see so many young YouTubers fishing barefoot and I shake my head. So many hooks on a boat. 

I figured you’d be numb to it after hooking yourself 3-4 times this summer! ? 

 

that’s another one I always found funny about the dock owners not wanting people fishing around their dock. “Kids walk on the dock and swim here, what if they step on a hook??” 
 

kids fish in my boat and it’s got about 2,000-3,000 hooks on it 

44 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I see so many young YouTubers fishing barefoot and I shake my head. So many hooks on a boat. 

I don't leave hooks laying around in my boat, ever.  But bare feet is still a no no.  Plus the dog is sometimes with, I don't need her stepping on a hook either.

 

When I worked as a DNR intern on walleye launches years ago, they always had a strict policy about footwear too.  No bare feet, ever.  I'm sure at some point, someone stepped on a hook.