1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

Whoa, Alex! And, WOW!

 

Alex, I love how you get sooooo excited. The fish deserve our joy. 

Thanks Katie!    The bolded part is why we'd make perfect fishing partners.    I love your philosophy on fishing, and one that I strive for each time out on the water.    Stay positive, don't be afraid to work hard at fishing, and most importantly take joy in all the things you're blessed with while fishing.   

1 hour ago, sdw215 said:

Sounds like a plan. ? Let me know when. Cats are a whole new ballgame. They fight differently and hard. We’ve still got some in the pond here that surprise me when bass fishing. I’ve almost got to the point where I can tell if it’s a bass or cat now. I plan on targeting the carp with corn and/or bread. I hear they put up a heck of a fight.

You got it brother, and I'd love to have a fishing buddy.   The only thing that is limiting it right now is the boat.    I mean it's spartan as it gets lol.    I'm hoping to get a better dedicated boat by Xmas, but if you can deal with this jon boat, we'll have to get something in the works soon.    Catfishing from it is significantly easier I'd imagine. 

28 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Well I went muskie fishing for one last outing of the season this morning and accidentally caught a sizable largie on a giant suick. The water temp dropped from 51 a week ago to 48 and I’m sure that gave em lock jaw. I saw 5 boats out there sitting there with big bobbers and suckers waiting for bigfoot. They’re gonna run out of beer before they catch anything.

Who was right........this guy was hahaha.     I told you the real fisherman are never done even when they say they are.    You and Katie are great examples.    Both produced exceptional days and fish even when you said it was over for the season.        Bass heads can't help themselves, it's a compulsion I truly believe.    I get when it ices over, but I'm always thinking about the fish I'm not gonna catch because I was lazy, didn't want to be cold, etc.   

 

Beautiful chunky fish too! 

22 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I told you the real fisherman are never done even when they say they are.    You and Katie are great examples.    Both produced exceptional days and fish even when you said it was over for the season. 

Well, to be technical I did state I might muskie fish once more and I was specifically done bass fishing.

 

And now I am officially hanging up for the season. My boat is getting winterized on Tuesday. I’ve got some hunting to do. The past month of fishing was unreal though. Since about mid September they were eating big time.

Quote

 I mean it's spartan as it gets lol.

Coincidentally, I just wrote a fishing article for bassresource.com called, "This is Spartan." There was a boat show down on our town's harborwalk and there was a nifty, red Alumacraft with a 30 horse Honda four-stroke engine. So pretty. I ran my hand along its gunnel. A salesman approached me and I got the price ($16,500) and I considered it for about six seconds, but what decided it was this: I won't catch more fish with it. I'll likely catch fewer fish. I won't be able to fish some great ponds with it. Sure, it would be more comfortable and I wouldn't have to work as hard. I might be Ol' Crickety, but I'm not so ol' that I can't work hard. A wise man once wrote: 

 

Quote

...don't be afraid to work hard at fishing....

 

And I like the whole of this so much that I copied it and now I'm pasting it:

 

Quote

Stay positive, don't be afraid to work hard at fishing, and most importantly take joy in all the things you're blessed with while fishing.  

 

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

Coincidentally, I just wrote a fishing article for bassresource.com called, "This is Spartan." There was a boat show down on our town's harborwalk and there was a nifty, red Alumacraft with a 30 horse Honda four-stroke engine. So pretty. I ran my hand along its gunnel. A salesman approached me and I got the price ($16,500) and I considered it for about six seconds, but what decided it was this: I won't catch more fish with it. I'll likely catch fewer fish. I won't be able to fish some great ponds with it. Sure, it would be more comfortable and I wouldn't have to work as hard. I might be Ol' Crickety, but I'm not so ol' that I can't work hard. A wise man once wrote: 

 

 

And I like the whole of this so much that I copied it and now I'm pasting it:

 

 

Wow that's very cool you are writing an article for Bassresource......as I've said before your passion translates so well because of the incredible amount of hard work you put in to fish the way you do.   The energy of a "possessed teenager" is what always jumps to mind.  You really have to love catching Bass to put in that level of effort.   

 

Your fishing style is the embodiment of spartan fishing......a term I've used mainly to describe saltwater fishing boats.     What an appropriate article for you to be writing!   Please post a link when it's done, your fan club here will be waiting ?

I will post a link! Speaking of fishing, I'm going tomorrow morning. As always, so excited! I'm going to start with a jerkbait. I've been watching the videos and I think I'm good to go. I'm also going to put a trailer on a spinbait and use that. I'm returning to the pond where they loved my wakebait last time, so I'll try that too. 

 

As far as the energy I put into fishing, when I lived in Boston, I walked to work. It was four miles each way, summer and winter, dawn and dark. If I was walking at rush hour, I'd walk as fast as the cars. I'd see the same drivers, again and again, at the intersections. They looked stressed. They were stressed. After all, at the end of the day, they had to reach the health club to stay fit. I needed no health club because I was a walking health club. It's the same with carrying and paddling a canoe. It's a full upper body workout:

 

Quote

Canoeing relies heavily on the muscles around the shoulder joint as well as the core muscles and the forearms

 

And it burns 300 to 500 calories per hour.

 

For my lower body, there's the portaging. And like walking, it makes me happy. A well-executed paddle stroke is as beautiful as a well-placed Rapala. I take a lot of pride in tracking my canoe as straight as an arrow in flight and zig-zagging it through the reeds. 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You got it brother, and I'd love to have a fishing buddy.   The only thing that is limiting it right now is the boat.    I mean it's spartan as it gets lol.    I'm hoping to get a better dedicated boat by Xmas, but if you can deal with this jon boat, we'll have to get something in the works soon.    Catfishing from it is significantly easier I'd imagine. 

I’m good as long as it’s watertight ?. Been (trying) to use this inflatable pontoon I got and it’s been an act of congress to navigate around the pond with the kayak paddle I got for it. Other than that it does pretty good. I’ll post a couple of updated photos.

 

 

But yeah, don’t worry about the Jon boat. It floats so that’s all that counts. ?

Edited October 22, 20223 yr by sdw215
Added photos

8 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I will post a link! Speaking of fishing, I'm going tomorrow morning. As always, so excited! I'm going to start with a jerkbait. I've been watching the videos and I think I'm good to go. I'm also going to put a trailer on a spinbait and use that. I'm returning to the pond where they loved my wakebait last time, so I'll try that too. 

 

As far as the energy I put into fishing, when I lived in Boston, I walked to work. It was four miles each way, summer and winter, dawn and dark. If I was walking at rush hour, I'd walk as fast as the cars. I'd see the same drivers, again and again, at the intersections. They looked stressed. They were stressed. After all, at the end of the day, they had to reach the health club to stay fit. I needed no health club because I was a walking health club. It's the same with carrying and paddling a canoe. It's a full upper body workout:

 

 

And it burns 300 to 500 calories per hour.

 

For my lower body, there's the portaging. And like walking, it makes me happy. A well-executed paddle stroke is as beautiful as a well-placed Rapala. I take a lot of pride in tracking my canoe as straight as an arrow in flight and zig-zagging it through the reeds. 

This reminds me of when I would take the Metra train from Joliet Il to the LaSalle Street station in downtown Chicago for work and walk to the lake front for work. I was 30 lbs lighter and fit as a fiddle.

Twas an absolutely gorgeous day at the lake. Bit of a chilly start at 43 degrees but it warmed up nicely as the day progressed. Second day behind a front that pretty well cleaned off all the fiery colored maples, but the oak and hickory trees will hold on to their beautiful pastel colors for awhile.

The post front bite was tough. I only managed four bass and three dink saugeye in 8hrs, but the smallest bass was about 2# and the largest was 5 pounder #3 for the year. Like the last, this one just squeaked in at 5.03. 

Unfortunately my wife only managed to get one bite all day. Fortunately, this was the bite!!!

Her new PB at 44". Her previous PB was 38". Nice upgrade!!! It was the highlight of both of our 22 season. It smoked her chatterbait, and tail walked a couple times for us. She handled it like a champ, and brought it to the net in just a couple minutes. She was good to go until it was in the net. Then came that awesome adrenaline dump. She was shaking like a leaf and fighting back tears of happiness. What a great moment. I'm so happy for her. Only eight bites for us in eight hours, but it was an awesome day of fishing. Thank you Lord. Neither of us will forget this day anytime soon.

 

 

Tim! Tim, Tim, TIM! What a day! What a bass! What a musky! What a wife! I love the head on that fish. 

 

And this is the gratitude that Alex and were discussing:

 

Quote

Thank you Lord. Neither of us will forget this day anytime soon.

 

I caught 10 today including an 18 inch largemouth and the FAT 16 inch spot in the picture.  I ventured down the bladed jig/chatterbait  rabbit hole with no bites.  I tried 3 weights, along with various colors and trailers.  I'd estimate 1/2 of my casts were chatterbaits.   Bass simply wouldn't respond to them.   I ran one right in front of the spot pictured 3 times.  It didn't follow, run away or anything.  It just sit there.  (active target)  It went after a Bandit 200 before it even got to it.    The water was fairly murky.  The bass were holding very close to cover.  I would think a chatterbait would be ideal from what I've read here and elsewhere.   I caught bass today on a Bandit 200, a Red Eyed Shad, and a soft plastic swim bait but nothing on a chatterbait.   I don't think I'm missing strike detection.  I can feel the vibration of the blade.  It never stopped, and I never felt any kind of pull all day long.   

 

Popped the boat in my backyard lake this morning, and spent the first 20 min replacing the bunks on my trailer at the ramp. Once that was done, I got on about 25 or so fat smallmouth that were smashing a deep diving jerkbait. Caught a few on a swimbait and a few on a tube as well, and one chunky little pike around 34” long or so. Was a beautiful, warm, calm day on the lake with my boat the only one out there. 

This guy was only about 3-1/2lbs, but you can tell by the belly that they’re feeding well right now. Smallest bass I got all day was 2-1/2lbs. 

I wish I'd been in the boat with you, North Bass Guy. Your day had everything: fat fish, lots of the fish, and no other boats on the lake!

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Tim! Tim, Tim, TIM! What a day! What a bass! What a musky! What a wife! I love the head on that fish. 

 

And this is the gratitude that Alex and were discussing:

 

 

Thanks Katie!!! I am indeed a blessed man. Awesome wife, awesome life. I've been blessed far beyond anything I deserve, that's for sure. 

I got only dinks today but I lost something huge. Not sure what. Lovely day anyhow 

6 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I got only dinks today but I lost something huge. Not sure what. Lovely day anyhow 

That bottom pic is sweet. Makes me wish I was there.

I'M OVERDOSING ON AWESOME REPORTS ?

 

Katie, you're bad donkey if you know what I mean ?

 

Scott, we'll set something up soon, dedicated Cat fishing until I can get a new boat.    Finally broke a rod today in part due to hard it to fish from......underhand casting a CB, and it caught a clearance SLX spinning rod, took 4-5" tip off.   Loved the rod, but at least it was cheapest at $50.    I talked with the fish biologist on the lake today, ask him what's the biggest he's seen in the lake.   Said last shock study got one that close to 40lbs.    Dude isn't a BSer at all, but I'm struggling to believe that.   He said he's seen 20lb fish caught....that I have no doubt about.   

 

Tim, what can I say besides absolutely EPIC, and you are winning at life having a wife unit who loves to share such priceless memories.    Congrats on the 5lb fish too......that's the giddy like a kitty size.

 

Woody B, love how you are giving some feedback on the FFS, and awesome Spot as usual.   You and Greenpig are Spot hunters for sure.     Stay with that Chatterbait, hated reading that part, but it's only a matter of time until you love it.    

 

Way North Bass Guy, what an incredibly honey hole you have in your backyard....large private lakes are the stuff that fuels my fishing dreams.     Beautiful fish and awesome day.   I'd be over the moon if I caught 25 smallies in a day.     Love me some fat fish too, what a beautiful belly.   Post a pic of your backyard lake if you can.  

12 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I got only dinks today but I lost something huge. Not sure what. Lovely day anyhow 

Beautiful last pic especially, love that.... could be a motivational poster or something.    I always enjoy seeing the fish you post because it's fun guessing the genetics.   You have some really neat Bass.    Second Bass is a great example.....to a lesser degree so is the third one.   As for the fourth, he's just so cute, but I'm sure you ate him on the spot like an Anchovy ?

4 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'M OVERDOSING ON AWESOME REPORTS ?

 

Katie, you're bad donkey if you know what I mean ?

 

Scott, we'll set something up soon, dedicated Cat fishing until I can get a new boat.    Finally broke a rod today in part due to hard it to fish from......underhand casting a CB, and it caught a clearance SLX spinning rod, took 4-5" tip off.   Loved the rod, but at least it was cheapest at $50.    I talked with the fish biologist on the lake today, ask him what's the biggest he's seen in the lake.   Said last shock study got one that close to 40lbs.    Dude isn't a BSer at all, but I'm struggling to believe that.   He said he's seen 20lb fish caught....that I have no doubt about.   

 

Tim, what can I say besides absolutely EPIC, and you are winning at life having a wife unit who loves to share such priceless memories.    Congrats on the 5lb fish too......that's the giddy like a kitty size.

 

Woody B, love how you are giving some feedback on the FFS, and awesome Spot as usual.   You and Greenpig are Spot hunters for sure.     Stay with that Chatterbait, hated reading that part, but it's only a matter of time until you love it.    

 

Way North Bass Guy, what an incredibly honey hole you have in your backyard....large private lakes are the stuff that fuels my fishing dreams.     Beautiful fish and awesome day.   I'd be over the moon if I caught 25 smallies in a day.     Love me some fat fish too, what a beautiful belly.   Post a pic of your backyard lake if you can.  

Beautiful last pic especially, love that.... could be a motivational poster or something.    I always enjoy seeing the fish you post because it's fun guessing the genetics.   You have some really neat Bass.    Second Bass is a great example.....to a lesser degree so is the third one.   As for the fourth, he's just so cute, but I'm sure you ate him on the spot like an Anchovy ?

Down the hatch, destroy the evidence

Fished my close to home lake(rare) yesterday from 630 am - 430 pm and coerced 11 to hit a Flatlands swing head/TRD. A cold front had dropped the heavy stained water 5 degrees and the fish were upset. Air temp 33. Water temp 67.

10 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'M OVERDOSING ON AWESOME REPORTS ?

 

Katie, you're bad donkey if you know what I mean ?

 

Scott, we'll set something up soon, dedicated Cat fishing until I can get a new boat.    Finally broke a rod today in part due to hard it to fish from......underhand casting a CB, and it caught a clearance SLX spinning rod, took 4-5" tip off.   Loved the rod, but at least it was cheapest at $50.    I talked with the fish biologist on the lake today, ask him what's the biggest he's seen in the lake.   Said last shock study got one that close to 40lbs.    Dude isn't a BSer at all, but I'm struggling to believe that.   He said he's seen 20lb fish caught....that I have no doubt about.   

 

Tim, what can I say besides absolutely EPIC, and you are winning at life having a wife unit who loves to share such priceless memories.    Congrats on the 5lb fish too......that's the giddy like a kitty size.

 

Woody B, love how you are giving some feedback on the FFS, and awesome Spot as usual.   You and Greenpig are Spot hunters for sure.     Stay with that Chatterbait, hated reading that part, but it's only a matter of time until you love it.    

 

Way North Bass Guy, what an incredibly honey hole you have in your backyard....large private lakes are the stuff that fuels my fishing dreams.     Beautiful fish and awesome day.   I'd be over the moon if I caught 25 smallies in a day.     Love me some fat fish too, what a beautiful belly.   Post a pic of your backyard lake if you can.  

Beautiful last pic especially, love that.... could be a motivational poster or something.    I always enjoy seeing the fish you post because it's fun guessing the genetics.   You have some really neat Bass.    Second Bass is a great example.....to a lesser degree so is the third one.   As for the fourth, he's just so cute, but I'm sure you ate him on the spot like an Anchovy ?

When I said backyard lake, I meant it’s the lake right behind my house, but certainly not private. It’s a public lake, that’s about 2000 acres and has probably 50 cottages on it. Most lakes around here are public, and have lots of places on them, but almost no fishing pressure, especially this time of year. 

2 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

When I said backyard lake, I meant it’s the lake right behind my house, but certainly not private. It’s a public lake, that’s about 2000 acres and has probably 50 cottages on it. Most lakes around here are public, and have lots of places on them, but almost no fishing pressure, especially this time of year. 

Interesting, that same lake would most likely be private in Alabama.   Lots of private neighborhood lakes down south.    

 

2000 acres would be a really big neighborhood lake though.

5 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Fished my close to home lake(rare) yesterday from 630 am - 430 pm and coerced 11 to hit a Flatlands swing head/TRD. A cold front had dropped the heavy stained water 5 degrees and the fish were upset. Air temp 33. Water temp 67.

Beautiful fish, but you're making me a liar, I just called you a Spot hunter ?

Little skinny feller 

Hey

 

Went out back this morning to cast out after some coffee and landed this healthy example. Happy fishing 

Even topwater dinks bring a smile in the fall.

 

A little better one on a popper.

 

One of my better ones of the day.

 

Another solid one to finish up the morning.

Air temperature was between 31-32 on my way to the lake this morning, and was up to 33 by the time I launched. A couple slightly warmer days in a row has the water temperature still at 53. 
 

Water was lower than I have ever seen it at this lake, and rendered most of my favorite laydowns unfishable. Fishing was tough. Had 2 bites, but they were good ones. Converted them both. 1 big bass  and a near-three-foot esox, one of only a few pike catches this year which is very surprising. 
 

This fish has just munched on a good size meal, I could feel the fish in its belly. Then she decided to eat my spinnerbait.
5lb 1oz and 20.75”: 

The fun bycatch, also on the 3/4oz Strike King Tour Grade spinnerbait: 

 

Lake was calm as glass, and not a single other boat was out there. This is the time of the diehards. Only sound was the occasional gunshot from a distant hunter, and my lure hitting the water. 

First time trying a walking bait today. I swung too soon when this 14.5" blew it up but I got him a couple of pops later.

 

Florida bass Heddon Super Spook Jr.