Sorry to hear about your dads loss. Glad you got to take him out and distract him from this deal for a while. Also I'm sure he out fished you...he looks just like Tom Monsoor.

Got out for a few hours today, boating four bass and a few perch.

Water temp at 41* with all fish caught on hair jig and blade bait. Here’s a few of them.

 

 

20 hours ago, bassh8er said:

Are those hush puppies?  Care to share the recipe?

They were frozen and we baked them. Surprisingly tasty 

Fishing is still pretty tough but any time on the water in December beats sitting inside at home. Water temp is down to 55* and we finally have water running into the creeks again after some recent rain and snowmelt from the mountains. Every time we go we think it's going to be the day the hot winter bite develops... definitely hasn't happened yet.

 

Started the day on quite a wonderful note throwing a swimbait around the ramp area while waiting for my dad to arrive. After a couple casts I went to secure the bait and switch rods, and Sneaky Pete snuck his 1/0 right into my hand. Good times getting the split ring off with one hand and then doing the good ol' jerk technique when my dad arrived so we could get back to fishing.

 

First fish was a surprise- trout on a tube dragging bottom in 35-40 FOW

 

No action or followers with swimbaits or reaction baits, but Ned saved the day like it oftentimes does this time of year.

 

No fish to get too excited about but we mixed in a few of the 2# variety.

This is my first winter I’ve fished and after doing well June-Sept I’ve been on the struggle bus. I’ve been skunked past few outings at my go to place, and tried the river instead. Only fish of the day, but got the skunk smell out of my boat. 
 

Still have a lot to learn to adjust seasonal from the warmer months. 
 

 

57 minutes ago, NoShoes said:

Only fish of the day, but got the skunk smell out of my boat. 

How did you catch it and what part of the country ?

12 minutes ago, scaleface said:

How did you catch it and what part of the country ?

Texas rigged trick worm, literally was in a hollowed out cypress stump. 
 

Southeast GA. Water temp around 50. 

Nice fish!

 

38 minutes ago, NoShoes said:

Texas rigged trick worm, literally was in a hollowed out cypress stump. 
 

Southeast GA. Water temp around 50. 

Trick worm is always good in a swamp! 

Went out Friday looking for some upgrades in the month long kayak tournament I'm in. Wind forecast were way higher than I'd hoped for, too strong to do much and I was going to have to pedal the long route if I wanted to fish at all. So I launched in the river and pedaled all the way out of the river to the bluff walls so I could hide out of the wind and fish them until it really started howling (forecast 30-40 mph gust and 20-25 straight winds after noon).

 

Right at the mouth of the river there was a big tree that has washed out and is set right on the edge of the creek channel, couldn't pass it up. My second flip into I got a bump and put my first fish on the board, a 17" fish, a 2.25" upgrade.

Got to the bluff and got to work. A jerkbait did most all the work, either a 6th Sense Provoke or Strike King 300. I got another 16.5", 18", and 19.5", with the biggest one weighing in at 5.40lbs, my new PB from the new kayak. My upgrades bumped me up into 6th place overall out of over 100 anglers. Don't think I'll get out again before the end of the year and the tournament, so hopefully I can hold onto the top 10.

 

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Went out Friday looking for some upgrades in the month long kayak tournament I'm in. Wind forecast were way higher than I'd hoped for, too strong to do much and I was going to have to pedal the long route if I wanted to fish at all. So I launched in the river and pedaled all the way out of the river to the bluff walls so I could hide out of the wind and fish them until it really started howling (forecast 30-40 mph gust and 20-25 straight winds after noon).

 

Right at the mouth of the river there was a big tree that has washed out and is set right on the edge of the creek channel, couldn't pass it up. My second flip into I got a bump and put my first fish on the board, a 17" fish, a 2.25" upgrade.

Got to the bluff and got to work. A jerkbait did most all the work, either a 6th Sense Provoke or Strike King 300. I got another 16.5", 18", and 19.5", with the biggest one weighing in at 5.40lbs, my new PB from the new kayak. My upgrades bumped me up into 6th place overall out of over 100 anglers. Don't think I'll get out again before the end of the year and the tournament, so hopefully I can hold onto the top 10.

 

dude you stay on them!

Ponds have been skim icing, but decided to take a break from the crappie and go chase bass one more time since we got a slight weather break. We briefly touched 42 degrees today, but took the boat out anyway. Water temps 39.5 everywhere I checked. Wasted the first couple hours doing the wrong thing on the wrong end of the lake. Figured it out somewhat the second half of the afternoon and ended up boating 28 fish. Might be able to squeeze in one more trip yet before the polar blast hits us Thursday. Only question is, bass or crappie if I go?  Blade bait for everything today.

 

Depending on how long you have you should do both! That way if its a while before you get back out you scratched both itches.

@Team9nine @Bluebasser86 are yall vertically fishing those blade baits? 

 

Never fished them, genuinely curious.

I'm just learning the bait. Making short to medium cast and then just lifting it fast enough to make the bait vibrate a few times and letting it hit bottom again. I've been letting it sit for a half second to a couple seconds and a lot of fish are just there when I lift it again, so I assume they're pinning it against the bottom and eating it off the bottom. I've caught some vertical when I mark them though. I usually give it a lift or three directly under the boat in case a fish is having indecision on eating the bait.

Very similar to Bluebasser above, but I keep a couple rigged up with different hole positions. I frequently drop on them vertically if I go over a group that looks like bass. Otherwise, pitches or casts, often bomb casts to cover water. Just depends on location. Play with lifts - aggressive or less so; same with pauses between lifts. On flats and near shore, you can cast and retrieve just like a Trap.

Tried a new place today and they were on the jig. Nice 5 lb chunk bringing my best 5 for the year right under 30 lb. 

 

Only had one other bass and a couple of big pickerel, but a big one makes it worth it. 

I've been able to fish on Christmas day the past two years. This is as close as I'll get this go around. Cold front's gonna bring temps in the teens after tomorrow. Today was 50ish and windy with rain moving in. Seemed perfect for a jerkbait.  #8 Husky Jerk got me on a good bite with several 2-3 pounders, one 4 and this big one. Really a memorable afternoon.

                                                              

Great job @The Bassman. Husky jerk is a great lure 

Nothing says you're going to freeze your tail off and wish you had more layers than thick fog, 34 degrees, and a steady breeze...

 

No interest in big swimbaits but 2.8 keitechs, Neds, and tubes all delivered.

 

Pop's best of the day

 

 

  Congrats to you and your dad!

Fished hard for much of the day on Christmas eve. Didnt have much to show for it. I caught 4 on a green pumpkin big bite craw , and 1 on a fluke. Tried a ned rig for the first time , fished it hard without so much as a sniff. It was very windy and cloudy so I also slow rolled a spinnerbait with no result. Nothing on a trick worm either.
There was a big front coming in that got here after dark. The later in the afternoon, they began to get more active . The windblown east shoreline had fish holding right against the bank. I missed a fish twice- he picked it up and dropped it right as I set the hook. 

A bit further down the lake I cast a foot or so from the bank and a big fish picked it up and went in closer to the bank, which they rarely do. He felt the pressure of the tight line and dropped it. When I began reeled he blew up on it and missed twice as I was reeling in. 

Not my best day on the water by far, but I wasnt skunked. This cold water has really slowed down the bite in general.

On 12/23/2020 at 3:58 PM, The Bassman said:

I've been able to fish on Christmas day the past two years. This is as close as I'll get this go around. Cold front's gonna bring temps in the teens after tomorrow. Today was 50ish and windy with rain moving in. Seemed perfect for a jerkbait.  #8 Husky Jerk got me on a good bite with several 2-3 pounders, one 4 and this big one. Really a memorable afternoon.

This is my kind of guy, love the rig too bad I don’t have Zodias in spinning (2 baitcaster) and that husky might be the same as my favorite color.