A few fish today ... Real windy and cooler. All kinda chunky. All on Diamond Dust Ratl-Trap.

12 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I wasn't planning on fishing today, probably shouldn't have. I have a ton of bait orders I need to get to but it wasn't as cold and was way less windy when I got off work than I expected, and it was the last day for my kayak tournament with me sitting 1 spot out of the prizes, soooo. Unfortunately in my hurry I forgot to put my memory card back in my GoPro. As sure as forgetting the net, caught the biggest fish of the whole tournament. Slacklined a 1/2oz War Eagle white/gold Colorado/Indiana bladed spinnerbait. Moved me into a tie for 3rd (last prize spot), but tiebreaker goes to biggest fish ?‍♂️. Also my new kayak PB and lake PB.

Nice fish! I bet that one pulled a kayak around a little.

The last 10 days on two different small lakes have been pretty productive. 
22”, 23.5”, 22.25”and a 19.75”.  Several more in the 15-18” range. 
 

1 hour ago, AmmoGuy said:

The last 10 days on two different small lakes have been pretty productive. 
22”, 23.5”, 22.25”and a 19.75”.  Several more in the 15-18” range. 
 

Couple of fatties. Nice fish.

My brother just broke his 2021 curse with a 7" Toxic WnC eater.

 

 

I was happy with this 3.5lber that ate a t-rigged creature bait flipping tules. It had a thick, stubby tail that’ll be doin’ work shortly given today’s 88° weather helping to push water temps up. 

Couple of fish today. It was 36 degrees this am with a stiff wind. This was the biggest of the bunch. Diamond Dust Ratl-Trap again.

So this morning I was going back down a bank I’d already worked and picked up a couple of 1-2lb fish. So I said to myself, “self, one more cast and we’re outta here” and pitched my worm on the deep edge of the next tule clump. I felt that familiar “tick” and figured it was another small male fish as I set the hook. After a couple of drag pulling runs I brought this healthy 4.5lber in the boat. After the photo op she was returned to water to do her thing.

So after release of the 4.5lber, I notice a similar clump of tules about 25ft away and pitch my worm up next to it. I watched as my line started to move and as I reeled up the slack my rod continued to load as this larger fish began to “dig” for deeper water. I was pretty stoked to welcome this 7.1lber onboard a short time later.

 

 

Finally got a chance to sneak out this spring and put myself on the board with the first bass of 2021:

 

Walking the riverbank for an hour and a half produced 5 smallies all about like this one (12-13"), switching back and forth between a stupid-rigged pumpkinseed tube and a Keitech swing impact.

 

First trip in the books.  A balmy 45 degrees water temp did get  up to 50. Saw a lot of fish busting by the shore line.  Though that was odd.  Caught 3 large mouth 2 on a silver #5 Shad rap and 1 on a divine swim bait.  Lost the Shad rap in the old pads.  Need to buy 2 now. Not big all all three I think would have been legal .  Anybody know the name of that Shad rap? I bought it at a grocery store in Frankfort 

1 hour ago, Mbirdsley said:

First trip in the books.  A balmy 45 degrees water temp did get  up to 50. Saw a lot of fish busting by the shore line.  Though that was odd.  Caught 3 large mouth 2 on a silver #5 Shad rap and 1 on a divine swim bait.  Lost the Shad rap in the old pads.  Need to buy 2 now. Not big all all three I think would have been legal .  Anybody know the name of that Shad rap? I bought it at a grocery store in Frankfort 

That’s why I love Frankfort!!!! Diving plugs available in the grocery store, can’t beat that. Also good to see a couple  Michigan boys getting on the board

42 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s why I love Frankfort!!!! Diving plugs available in the grocery store, can’t beat that. Also good to see a couple  Michigan boys getting on the board

It was actually shop n save in benzonia.  They have a pretty nice sporting goods department for hunting and fishing 

28 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

It was actually shop n save in benzonia.  They have a pretty nice sporting goods department for hunting and fishing 

Benzonia is where I stayed in 2015, will be in Frankfort in sept 

27 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Benzonia is where I stayed in 2015, will be in Frankfort in sept 

Kings will be in the Betsie river around that time 

6 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

Kings will be in the Betsie river around that time 

Interesting!

I am officially on the board ! 

and it feels pretty good 

A-Jay

14 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I am officially on the board ! 

and it feels pretty good 

A-Jay

Nice bass and nice work! 

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

I am officially on the board ! 

and it feels pretty good 

A-Jay

 

Now we're talkin'!

Took the fam out for some Easter weekend boating. Water is finally starting to stabilize a tad, still in the mid to upper 50s. My niece wouldn’t slow down her retrieve enough to get any lure under the surface, but she thoroughly enjoyed releasing all the fish we caught 

10 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I am officially on the board ! 

and it feels pretty good 

A-Jay

You sure know where the hogs are! Nice fish!

Crazy how big of a difference a week of warm weather makes. Water temps now in the low 60's, a few bucks were busy prepping beds, and the afternoon bite was nothing short of amazing.

 

A-rig was the ticket around daybreak.

 

The fish moved up shallow with the warmer water and wind in the afternoon, and the LM and spots were eating Keitechs like they were candy. 

 

 

 

15 hours ago, A-Jay said:

I am officially on the board ! 

and it feels pretty good 

A-Jay

Congrats! She’s a beauty 

Took the family out on Easter, couldn’t catch anything for about an hour or two in 49 degree water (different lake than yesterday). My brother says “maybe it’s this bad luck banana I brought” and eats it and chucks the peel overboard. Not 5 minutes later I got the only bite of the day 

SW Florida Black and blue jig with a green pumpkin/chartreuse tube trailer  I added the chartreuse color with a scented color dip  that garlic smell is wicked but it was the only bait that would work   Caught