Got a solid one to come out from under the dock, working a glide in and out. The ensuing fight was chaotic-the extra rod was getting in the way and being on a paddle board I couldn't just power the fish in like I would from shore. Luckily she was hooked so well even after the 4th jump she couldn’t throw the bait. Definitely need to start packing a net. Fish was 21” and didn’t quite make 5. Post spawn blues.

 

14 hours ago, Bazoo said:

Am I the only one that stares at this thread for hours?

No your not! My job productivity has been in freefall since I joined up! That's OK because my BR friends are worth it!

Murph!!!

 

 

Ha, @PhishLI!

 

Nice one, @Fried Lemons!

New lake today, water temp 69".

Murky water,  caught 9 on spinnerbaits and chatterbaits in sparse grass.

    This weekend I fished at a lake where last year on the same weekend  I caught a 42 pound bag of 5.  This trip  I didn't catch a bass over 3 pounds.  Last year by this time I had 3 DD.  This year I haven't landed a bass over 5 pounds.

 

The lake was the same water level as last year (down 20 feet from when I was last there in March), and the weather was the same, the big difference was the water clarity was 12-15 feet where as last year it was 6-8 feet.  Not only didn't I have any tackle I would call finesse, I wouldn't know how to use it if I had any.

 

I was able to catch many small bass on 5 inch senkos, and trick worms T rigged along with an assortment of crankbaits, but I didn't drive 5 hours to catch one pound bass.

 

I could see bigger bass cruising the shoreline sometimes as shallow as 2 feet.  Bait size Tilapia were in 6 inches of water everywhere along the shore, large schools of 6 -10 inch bass were in two feet of water, just outside the Tilapia and 2 - 3 inch bass fry were everywhere.  Around every tree there were thousands of small bait a mix of bass bluegill, and tilapia.

 

Last year the top water bite was on fire, but not one strike on top this year.  I tried finding bass in deeper water offshore but had zero luck.  The bigger bass seem to cruise the color line along shore popping up into shallow water when they want to grab something to eat then slowly going back down into the darker depths.  I did see  a 7 pound or better bass cruise along the shore in 2 feet of water for many yards, not even noticing that I was following along with my Kayak.  

 

I thought the bite would turn on when the afternoon winds picked up, but even with a strong wind the bigger bass wouldn't bite anything I had.  I wanted to fish a floating Rapala and twitch it on the surface, my only idea of a quite approach.  The problem was I couldn't make long casts with the light lure, and I assumed the fish were too spooky in the windless mornings for short casts, and I couldn't' throw the light lure on my tackle at all in the windy afternoons.  I did make a drop shot rig with 15 pound floro, and a medium bait casting rod, but still only caught small bass.

 

Then I thought about how many people fish jerk baits in clear water.  I did have an old Rogue and a H20 jerkbait that I keep in my box for some unknown reason.  The jerkbaits worked even though I have never fished them.  I just fished them the way I see people on U Tube do it, but faster with short pauses. The size of the bass went up from 1 pound to 2-3 pounds, and I did hook a 8 pound plus bass that jumped once and got away.  I guess that is why most people change out the hooks on their jerkbaits.

 

After 2.5 days of hard fishing, I had to go home.  I didn't land any big bass, but I did learn a new technique, and had a fun weekend fishing.  The slow fishing this year has made me realize just how lucky I have been in the past few years.  Even though I fish where the big ones live, if I count on luck to catch them, I will have some days when the luck is on the side of the bass.

 

Of course the Monkey has been looking at new spinning gear along with all sorts of finesse tackle.  I tried to tell him the rainy season is only a few weeks away, and the water visibility will be under a foot before I get a chance to go bass fishing again.  He wants to buy the light tackle for next year, so I hope I can put him off at least until Christmas.  Besides I really need to improve my bass fishing skills, not simply do what I always do and buy more tackle, when I have slow days.  I'm sure a pro fisherman could have caught many big bass with the gear I had.   

 

 It is very frustrating to actually see trophy bass that wont bite.  I would appreciate any advice on fishing clear water.  The lake is a highland reservoir with steep banks, lots of trees, and water temps, from 74-79 degrees.  

 

Hi, King (@king fisher).

 

That was a good trip report.  Sometimes even anglers who catch 42-pound bags are stumped and reading about your struggle makes me think, "Hey, he puts his pants on one leg at a time too!" 

 

Now, I do feel a little uncomfy giving Mr. 42 advice as I'm Ms. 22.5 on a great day, but I've bass fished a lot of gin clear water and all I've learned boils down to this: "If you can see them, they can see you."

 

So, you need the lighted possible line (six-pound mono or fluoro at the heaviest), the most lifelike lure since they'll see and note every element of your lure that isn't lifelike, and cast as far as you possibly can; Cast beyond your sight, i.e. cast blindly to the zone where you can't see if there's a bass there or nor. Six-pound test will let you do this.

 

Consider live bait too, hooked with a small hook and no weight. They become much less wary with live bait. You won't be able to cast nearly as far, but you won't have to.

 

Again, thanks for the good story. Not every good story ends with the hero triumphing. Sharing your struggle sets up your eventual triumph. It gives your coming victory greater meaning, like Michael Jordan being pummeled by the Pistons for years before winning. 

 

Your fan,

 

Ol' Crick

 

P. S. - Please tell @Bird that he caught some nice ones!

 

P. P. S. - The very best of luck on landing a DD on 6-lb. test. I've landed plenty of five-pound smallies on 6-lb. test, but a DD lmb is going to take you for a ride. Fingers crossed you hook that gal in open water. 

@king fisher I think you found your answer with the jerk bait. You need a deep diver plus a normal suspender. Smithwick makes both in the rogue series. You can try spinning tackle with light braid & mono leader to get more distance or try strooling to get more line out. 

Needed to get the ole shallow river boat out , been a while. She ran like a dream right thru the shoals, 8-12 inches of water no problemo, hammer down 

@TnRiver46: What kind of motor is that?

@ol'crickety, it’s called a longtail , they predominantly use them in Thailand. I got a kit online from Thailand and the engine itself I got from harbor freight . Duck hunters run them thru wet mud to access backwaters. I use mine to drive thru rapids and shoals so we don’t have to take two vehicles and float from point A to B which usually takes all day. It allows me to fish waters I normally couldn’t. And I put it on my papaw’s 1957 boat 

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Duck hunters run them thru wet mud to access backwaters.

 

Very popular up here in the fall during waterfowl season.  Almost like a glorified weed wacker mounted on a jon boat.  I've seen them in use and they can get into marshes and shallow waters where ducks like to live.  New ones are cheap though.  The most common brand here are Beaver Tail mud motors.

Post frontal morning, foggy and calm.

 

Launched at 5:45am, 30 min before sunrise. Stayed 4 hours.  Three small buzzbait bass pretty quickly.  Then things were pretty slow; just two more 12"-13"guys, a spinnerbait fish and a senko fish:

 

 

Big fish was not a bass, but a channel cat. I caught one here last year too on the same bait, a Siebert Fogy,  Today's was a bit bigger:

 

39 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I got a kit online from Thailand and the engine itself I got from harbor freight .

 

Wicked cool.

 

@MIbassyaker: Fat cat!

 

 

 

Was bass fishing again this morning when this snakehead crashed a white Chatterbait.

Waiting for the wife to get home and clean it for dinner 😁 

Quick morning trip on the Passaic river.  Caught this two and a half pound smallie on an audacious chartreuse/white chatterbait with a white craw trailer.

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

Just now, thediscochef said:

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

Not even a nibble? I cant believe that. 

Just now, ATA said:

Not even a nibble? I cant believe that. 

Believe it. Slump continues. 

1 minute ago, thediscochef said:

Believe it. Slump continues. 

Well we all had days like that, Wish you best luck next time.

My buddy caught a four early and that was a wrap on the day

Just now, ATA said:

Well we all had days like that, Wish you best luck next time.

I appreciate it. It happens to everyone at some point I guess 

25 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

 

Hard not to laugh at this.  Even if it does suck.

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

 

Hard not to laugh at this.  Even if it does suck.

Hope you enjoy the laugh 🥱 glad you enjoy my bad luck

2 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Hope you enjoy the laugh 🥱 glad you enjoy my bad luck

 

I just want to clarify, its not the failure I find amusing.  Its your post.  "The end."

 

Sometimes its best to just laugh at it and move on.

Just now, gimruis said:

 

I just want to clarify, its not the failure I find amusing.  Its your post.  "The end."

 

Sometimes its best to just laugh at it and move on.

Thank you for clarifying, it was pretty not clear lol

4 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Thank you for clarifying, it was pretty not clear lol

 

FWIW, as a great enjoyer of gallows humor, I also laughed.