21 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I missed a really big fish on the jig inside of a tree that got me wrapped up and came off.  Felt the head shakes.  Not small. 

 

Dang it! 

 

Love the photo: blue on blue on blue.

Changed lakes today because I needed to see if the next reservoir over reacted in the same manner as the one I usually fish. Got my answer pretty quick after pulling up - water was in great shape. Clear and about 49 degrees. Had only been here once, so had a few spots found and marked. Someone was on what I thought might be the best spot, but fortunately a similar area just uplake was open, and a school of bass was using it. They weren’t big, but picked up 7 or 8 fish in about 60-75 minutes on a combination of jerkbaits and jigs. Need to spend more time looking around and fishing this body of water this winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bite was on this morning here in NJ with water temp around 47f. Got a few on a glide with this 5lb10oz being the biggest, and possibly the last good one I'll get for 2023.

That's a really nice fish NJBasstard, congrats!  

Launched at 2:30 after work and caught some fish (caught a flying squirrel at work……)

 

highlight was a 19.5” SMB, also got 2 drum, 2 yellow bass, and a white bass 

 

 

Just a single one today on a tough day but it was the right size! Caught right off the main fork of a laydown with a DBomb Texas Rigged. Last one of the year for me. 

Bundled up and worked 1.5 hrs. for five bites on a cold late Dec. afternoon. Loved every minute of it. Something about the off season that appeals to me. I truly enjoy the solitude of these raw, gray days. 

Why didn't anyone tell me that following sage advice was a smart idea? I would have failed if it weren't for the fact that I succeeded 

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

I truly enjoy the solitude of these raw, gray days. 

 

Then you would love fishing the wilderness of northwestern Ontario. So many of the days up there are raw and gray and everyday delivers solitude.

I know what I said in my post yesterday, but that was before knowing I didn't have a full day's worth of work today 😅  Got out for what is officially my last day of fishing for 23'. Decided on a body of water I haven't been on since 2014/2015 and managed to put a pattern together. Vision 110 and S Waver doing all the work again..

 

@NJBasstard Nicely done & nice fish.

Got that tank I was after on the ol' Red Eye Shad this morning right when a cold front hit and dropped the temp 9 degrees and brought a bunch of clouds and a North wind in.  She crushed it on a slower pumping retrieve.

 

I decluttered my arsenal and wanted to simplify over Christmas, so I sent my unwanted rods and reels to ALF to buy some nicer gear. Been eyeing the G Loomis IMX-PRO 843C for a while. I wanted a good do everything moving bait rod. I paired it with a Zillion SV TW G 7:1. The idea was to see how it felt with several moving baits. Well within a few casts, I got my answer, it does perfect with a chatterbait. The rod has a soft tip and strong backbone. I was able to keep the fish pinned. I recommend this rod to anyone. 

Well, I was able to get out today now that the Christmas time running around is done.  Saw this unlucky fella as son as I started working my way down the bank.

Now I’m not the kinda guy that believes in signs or superstitions but given the day I had afterwards this may have been an omen.

 

I started off working a soft jerkbait around the lone stump protruding from the water. After a few casts in I felt a heaviness so I reeled down and set the hook BAM!  It felt like I had broken off but when I reeled in my line I saw this 

I’ve bent hooks before but never snapped one…and the hits kept coming after that.  Move down to where a creek fed into the pond and tried a Ned.  Few cast in…hung up and had to break it off.  Tied on another one…4 casts later same thing.  
Decided to switch to a paddle tail…and over the next 45 minutes broke off all three heads I had on me.  So I called it a day after that.  
 

Skunk won this round 🦨

Probably the last bass of 2023 here for me. Little fatty. Jig fell on a dock staircase. Been tough sledding for me but here’s to a great year and upcoming 2024! 🍻

 

 

Well....that lipless bite made jr a little bit jealous and we went out for more after lunch on account of the conditions getting worse 😎😎😎😎😎 aka better for a lipless

 

We were not disappointed.

 

Closed out '23 with eight counters. Tomorrow's gonna be too much for my liking, low 30's, wind, and precip. Should have a decent shot at starting my Jan. tally next week before a taste of real Indiana winter (depending on which forecast one believes). Wished I had kept track of #'s on that beat up TRD. Might've given the record holder a run for his money lol.

Only had 2.5 hrs, so back to the mudhole to look around. Water looks like it has stabilized at between 4”-8” of clarity. Decided to just fish shallow with a jig the whole time. Was able to catch one decent bass which made the trip worthwhile. Jig got trashed 2 hours in by a pickerel, so spent the last 30 scoping open water to see how the crappie are recovering - still too muddy for them to reschool out in open water, but seeing more out there than I did a few days back…caught 1 and it had no color at all. 
 

4 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Only had 2.5 hrs, so back to the mudhole to look around.

 

Looks like Santa dropped a new pair of jeans too huh

My emergency backup pair I finally had to switch to this summer. I bought them in 2022 for the day when my original pair got so holey I wouldn’t be able to post pics on forums due to the backlash and harassment I’d receive 😉

Not to mention your wife refused to wash them anymore too.

Well yeah, there's that, too 

You’re supposed to wash jeans???

That's kind of a scary question given your occupation.

Last bass of 2023 tonight on the red eye shad.

 

What an amazing year of bass fishing it was for me.  And what a great bass to end the year on!!!!  Beyond grateful.