11 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I've just never seen one with such a scattered lateral line

Either way that was cool.

I think your confusing the lateral line...

20 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I've just never seen one with such a scattered lateral line

Either way that was cool.

Stripers are fun, none of mine are big like that, my best was like 7.5lbs and that was years ago. The striper fisheries where I'm at just don't support as many of the bigger fish. But the ones I've been catching are just tons of fun. Hence why we're making a day of it tomorrow 

Heck yeah ! If we had some medium sized ones, maybe I could actually catch one every now and then haha

So I decided to fish this evening a little more late than usual. Landed a nice number this time. I was landing crappie like crazy! I rarely catch them in this pond (is it the season for them in FL or something?). Caught a decent bass and Mayan cichlid(sorry no pic, I use hooks with the barbs crimped, got off the hook and flopped back in the water). I was not harassed by any snakeheads this time fortunately. Oh, and I think the gator enjoyed my being there, it likes to watch lol ? happy fishing ?

3 hours ago, thediscochef said:

I have been sitting out for a bit with some back trouble. Finally got it worked out, finally back to catching black bass at my normal water. Nothing big today but a couple of nice 1ish lbs spotties, a wiper, and an interesting little guy with some cool markings. I catch fish that size out there all the time but that's the first one with those marks I've seen. Maybe a lmb/spot hybrid? Or maybe just lmb. Idk. You decide. 

Back to Lake Whitney tomorrow with a buddy for dam fishing. Probably gonna catch a bunch of little stripers like I have been. That said, even little 3-4lb stripers and wipers are tons of fun on lighter gear. We'll keep throwing until they stop biting or until we have to leave. 

Careful with that back, it's got to last your whole life. 

1 hour ago, Chris Catignani said:

I think your confusing the lateral line...

Most of the fish that size that I catch have a much darker and continuous set of spots below the lateral line that usually make up a dark stripe. This fish has a bunch of little spots rather than the robust blotches I'm used to seeing

The past few weeks have been miserable. I've mentioned that I lost a couple of big fish, Saturday was no different. Threw the lipless on the second jump, easy 6-7lber. I ended up cutting the day short because I was so frustrated and didn't want to force it if I wasn't having fun. It was the first day I ever felt genuinely mad while fishing, which to me was a sign to cut my losses and clear my head.

 

Then today was a day of ups and downs. Lines in at 3:15, started off breaking off a brand new lipless crankbait 30 minutes in after catching 0 bass on it (but did get two tilapia). My 5th or 6th lipless into the drink for 2022 so far, more than I typically lose in a couple of years. Then had a break, finally landed one of the bigger bites. Just before 4:30 had a nice one smash the whopper plopper 110 while working it through some flowing water. Came in right at 6lb even.

 

Got a few more on topwater, and some on the lipless. Then got to the same pond that I caught my two DDs out of this year, working my way around and....hooked into an enormous bass on the lipless. She ate it on the fall while yo-yoing it, came up and jumped and she was just humongous. She did that big lazy backflip the giants do, could see the lipless in the inside corner of her mouth. Everything looked good, both trebles down her mouth, rod loaded, she went back under and started peeling line. Then she came up again for backflip #2 and *poof*, threw the lipless. I know everyone who loses a big fish is always like "it was a frickin ten pounder bro!!!" but I'd like to think I have enough credibility when I say this fish was for sure a DD.

 

I don't get it. I feel like I've got the yips lately with losing these big fish. I'm not doing anything different and it's typically very uncommon for me to lose fish on a lipless, let alone big ones that can really load that rod deep. The lipless is my all-time confidence bait and I have spent a lot of time getting my setup dialed in for how I like to fish them, now I feel like I'm losing d**n near half the fish I hook into.

 

It might just be a bad luck streak, it happens. 2022 has already been a very fortunate year for me bass fishing, and I know I'm doing something right to be finding and triggering big fish like this so consistently this year. I'm trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but losing these big ones lately has got me feeling like Charles Barkley's golf swing.

 

I did end up getting another decent fish on topwater to close out the evening, 3lb 8oz, but it was a poor consolation for the one I lost.

3 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

The past few weeks have been miserable. I've mentioned that I lost a couple of big fish, Saturday was no different. Threw the lipless on the second jump, easy 6-7lber. I ended up cutting the day short because I was so frustrated and didn't want to force it if I wasn't having fun. It was the first day I ever felt genuinely mad while fishing, which to me was a sign to cut my losses and clear my head.

 

Then today was a day of ups and downs. Lines in at 3:15, started off breaking off a brand new lipless crankbait 30 minutes in after catching 0 bass on it (but did get two tilapia). My 5th or 6th lipless into the drink for 2022 so far, more than I typically lose in a couple of years. Then had a break, finally landed one of the bigger bites. Just before 4:30 had a nice one smash the whopper plopper 110 while working it through some flowing water. Came in right at 6lb even.

 

Got a few more on topwater, and some on the lipless. Then got to the same pond that I caught my two DDs out of this year, working my way around and....hooked into an enormous bass on the lipless. She ate it on the fall while yo-yoing it, came up and jumped and she was just humongous. She did that big lazy backflip the giants do, could see the lipless in the inside corner of her mouth. Everything looked good, both trebles down her mouth, rod loaded, she went back under and started peeling line. Then she came up again for backflip #2 and *poof*, threw the lipless. I know everyone who loses a big fish is always like "it was a frickin ten pounder bro!!!" but I'd like to think I have enough credibility when I say this fish was for sure a DD.

 

I don't get it. I feel like I've got the yips lately with losing these big fish. I'm not doing anything different and it's typically very uncommon for me to lose fish on a lipless, let alone big ones that can really load that rod deep. The lipless is my all-time confidence bait and I have spent a lot of time getting my setup dialed in for how I like to fish them, now I feel like I'm losing d**n near half the fish I hook into.

 

It might just be a bad luck streak, it happens. 2022 has already been a very fortunate year for me bass fishing, and I know I'm doing something right to be finding and triggering big fish like this so consistently this year. I'm trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but losing these big ones lately has got me feeling like Charles Barkley's golf swing.

 

I did end up getting another decent fish on topwater to close out the evening, 3lb 8oz, but it was a poor consolation for the one I lost.

Nice bass! That swing tho….. hahah gets me every time. I get a 6 lb bass about once a decade so don’t feel bad 

6 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Nice bass! That swing tho….. hahah gets me every time. I get a 6 lb bass about once a decade so don’t feel bad 

 

Trying not to feel too bad about it, I know a lot of guys would kill just for a shot to see a bass like that so I know how blessed I am to be getting consistent big bites. But man, it's got me second guessing myself something fierce. Drag too tight? Too loose? Rod suddenly not loading as deep as it should? Are they mysteriously getting slack line?

 

It's gotta just be a bad luck streak, but I feel like to be losing this many fish the past month there has to be something that changed that I'm not picking up on.

1 minute ago, Aaron_H said:

 

Trying not to feel too bad about it, I know a lot of guys would kill just for a shot to see a bass like that so I know how blessed I am to be getting consistent big bites. But man, it's got me second guessing myself something fierce. Drag too tight? Too loose? Rod suddenly not loading as deep as it should? Are they mysteriously getting slack line?

 

It's gotta just be a bad luck streak, but I feel like to be losing this many fish the past month there has to be something that changed that I'm not picking up on.

I’ve thrown traps my whole life and always lose a good many fish on them 

35 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve thrown traps my whole life and always lose a good many fish on them 

2 springs I ago I started my open water season off right by catching a 7lb fatty the first week of April on a Cordell super spot. I was glad the water was so cold cuz she didn't jump...I considered it a small miracle to land her.

43 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

 

Trying not to feel too bad about it, I know a lot of guys would kill just for a shot to see a bass like that so I know how blessed I am to be getting consistent big bites. But man, it's got me second guessing myself something fierce. Drag too tight? Too loose? Rod suddenly not loading as deep as it should? Are they mysteriously getting slack line?

 

It's gotta just be a bad luck streak, but I feel like to be losing this many fish the past month there has to be something that changed that I'm not picking up on.

Hang in there, man. I lost three big ones on a lipless in the same day recently. If they’re biting them we just have to keep throwing them. You’ll be landing them again soon.

11 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

The past few weeks have been miserable. I've mentioned that I lost a couple of big fish, Saturday was no different. Threw the lipless on the second jump, easy 6-7lber. I ended up cutting the day short because I was so frustrated and didn't want to force it if I wasn't having fun. It was the first day I ever felt genuinely mad while fishing, which to me was a sign to cut my losses and clear my head.

 

Then today was a day of ups and downs. Lines in at 3:15, started off breaking off a brand new lipless crankbait 30 minutes in after catching 0 bass on it (but did get two tilapia). My 5th or 6th lipless into the drink for 2022 so far, more than I typically lose in a couple of years. Then had a break, finally landed one of the bigger bites. Just before 4:30 had a nice one smash the whopper plopper 110 while working it through some flowing water. Came in right at 6lb even.

 

Got a few more on topwater, and some on the lipless. Then got to the same pond that I caught my two DDs out of this year, working my way around and....hooked into an enormous bass on the lipless. She ate it on the fall while yo-yoing it, came up and jumped and she was just humongous. She did that big lazy backflip the giants do, could see the lipless in the inside corner of her mouth. Everything looked good, both trebles down her mouth, rod loaded, she went back under and started peeling line. Then she came up again for backflip #2 and *poof*, threw the lipless. I know everyone who loses a big fish is always like "it was a frickin ten pounder bro!!!" but I'd like to think I have enough credibility when I say this fish was for sure a DD.

 

I don't get it. I feel like I've got the yips lately with losing these big fish. I'm not doing anything different and it's typically very uncommon for me to lose fish on a lipless, let alone big ones that can really load that rod deep. The lipless is my all-time confidence bait and I have spent a lot of time getting my setup dialed in for how I like to fish them, now I feel like I'm losing d**n near half the fish I hook into.

 

It might just be a bad luck streak, it happens. 2022 has already been a very fortunate year for me bass fishing, and I know I'm doing something right to be finding and triggering big fish like this so consistently this year. I'm trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but losing these big ones lately has got me feeling like Charles Barkley's golf swing.

 

I did end up getting another decent fish on topwater to close out the evening, 3lb 8oz, but it was a poor consolation for the one I lost.

It's only a matter of time until you stick another one of those giants, man. ?. Keep it nice and easy in your head. Easy for me to say, I didn't have a DD jump off on me. But it'll be just fine, they just wanted to let you know they're hungry.

Tough finding bites last night, but I managed to get one squirt on a Diesel Minnow and my buddy nabbed a solid chunk on a 7" wacky senko.

 

2 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

It's only a matter of time until you stick another one of those giants, man. ?. Keep it nice and easy in your head. Easy for me to say, I didn't have a DD jump off on me. But it'll be just fine, they just wanted to let you know they're hungry.

Don't hook into DDs and you can't lose DDs.. I'm ahead of the game here

 

17 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

Don't hook into DDs and you can't lose DDs.. I'm ahead of the game here

 

Heck if you throw a giant swimbait, you can even see one without having to actually risk hooking it! If one bites it, just snip your line. Fish is happy, you didn't lose because you never actually tried to catch it, and bait monkey is dancing all around you.

Epic bite this afternoon. Fished an inflow that was bringing muddy water in and setting up a color break. Wind was blowing hard and the fish were obliging. Had pretty much non stop action for about 45 min. with a 1/4 oz Johnson Thinfisher blade bait (like ones I use during cold water but one size larger). Biggest was 5.80 with a 4.97 second. Lots of 2-3 lbrs. Actually got past the 4 lb. barrier the other day but messed up the pic. My wife says I keep using the same fish pics over and over as they pretty much look the same. I'm a better painter than I am a photog. These times make good memories.

The spring bite is on. Got a nice cloudy evening to fish finally. Light breeze giving way to calm. Low 70s.

At first, they were all about the super flukes. When that slowed, I switched to yum dingers.. this is often the way the bite goes here…  Got 4 between 17-19 inch. Ended up with 11. I got the last fish when it was nearly dark sitting 3 feet from the bank. Saw what looked like a bed in the faint light right by the boat , and I dropped the dinger in and got bit. It was the buck, but was still fun to get bit so close.

The only disappointment  was losing the biggest fish that bit. 

Fished today from 7am - 6pm and boated 39 fish. A mixture of LM, Spots, Stripers, and Hybrids. 

7 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Fished today from 7am - 6pm and boated 39 fish. A mixture of LM, Spots, Stripers, and Hybrids. 

Nice! Do you always use the keel weight hook on fluke? 

On 4/13/2022 at 9:10 PM, Aaron_H said:

The past few weeks have been miserable. I've mentioned that I lost a couple of big fish, Saturday was no different. Threw the lipless on the second jump, easy 6-7lber. I ended up cutting the day short because I was so frustrated and didn't want to force it if I wasn't having fun. It was the first day I ever felt genuinely mad while fishing, which to me was a sign to cut my losses and clear my head.

 

Then today was a day of ups and downs. Lines in at 3:15, started off breaking off a brand new lipless crankbait 30 minutes in after catching 0 bass on it (but did get two tilapia). My 5th or 6th lipless into the drink for 2022 so far, more than I typically lose in a couple of years. Then had a break, finally landed one of the bigger bites. Just before 4:30 had a nice one smash the whopper plopper 110 while working it through some flowing water. Came in right at 6lb even.

 

Got a few more on topwater, and some on the lipless. Then got to the same pond that I caught my two DDs out of this year, working my way around and....hooked into an enormous bass on the lipless. She ate it on the fall while yo-yoing it, came up and jumped and she was just humongous. She did that big lazy backflip the giants do, could see the lipless in the inside corner of her mouth. Everything looked good, both trebles down her mouth, rod loaded, she went back under and started peeling line. Then she came up again for backflip #2 and *poof*, threw the lipless. I know everyone who loses a big fish is always like "it was a frickin ten pounder bro!!!" but I'd like to think I have enough credibility when I say this fish was for sure a DD.

 

I don't get it. I feel like I've got the yips lately with losing these big fish. I'm not doing anything different and it's typically very uncommon for me to lose fish on a lipless, let alone big ones that can really load that rod deep. The lipless is my all-time confidence bait and I have spent a lot of time getting my setup dialed in for how I like to fish them, now I feel like I'm losing d**n near half the fish I hook into.

 

It might just be a bad luck streak, it happens. 2022 has already been a very fortunate year for me bass fishing, and I know I'm doing something right to be finding and triggering big fish like this so consistently this year. I'm trying not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but losing these big ones lately has got me feeling like Charles Barkley's golf swing.

 

I did end up getting another decent fish on topwater to close out the evening, 3lb 8oz, but it was a poor consolation for the one I lost.

I’m on a big fish slump too. Something always happens every time I hook a big fish lately. 

15 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

I’m on a big fish slump too. Something always happens every time I hook a big fish lately. 

 

Fingers crossed it ends soon for both of us. I always lose a few really good ones a year and I try not to let it get to me too much, but losing them this close together is what's getting me frustrated I think. That 6-0 I got yesterday was a beautiful fish and it was nice to win one, trying not to let the sour memory of losing that giant overshadow it.

The one I lost today was 4-5 , so I didn’t have too much of a meltdown over it …

Well my humble catch this evening, nice couple of peacock bass on inline spinners? I think one with the bump is male and the other is female..? will do better next time 

Well, we went back to Lake Whitney. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating with us, it was a pretty day but we had a cold front buzz through about noon which changed up the bite patterns. I still managed 3 wipers and these two stripers, but it was disappointing considering the prior successes in that spot. I continue to blame weather. I lost two baits, both on casts. One was a weakened leader, the other was a point in the braid giving way. First time I've snapped braid in a while, sufix too. I caught just enough fish to not be upset about it.

 

I also saw a dead gizzard shad on the shore that was easily bigger than either of the three wipers I pulled in. So that lake has monster gizzard in it I guess.

 

Off to Ray Roberts this morning in hopes of catching a big stinky black bass.

16 hours ago, BassSteve said:

Well my humble catch this evening, nice couple of peacock bass on inline spinners? I think one with the bump is male and the other is female..? will do better next time 

 

I know there are Peacock Bass in the pond I fish but I seldom catch one. Would you mind telling me more about the brand and size of those inline spinners you used so successfully?