I was so excited to fish this morning that I didn't fall asleep until 2:00 a.m. I had the alarm clock set for 5:15 a.m., which was stupid because I haven't adjusted to the perpetually later sunrises. So, I arrived at the lake in the dark. It was Stephen King foggy too. I actually waited a few minutes in the car for the merest light. My flashlight was useless because its light bounced off the fog. Speaking of Stephen King, I had one of his creepy moments. I thought I saw something advancing on me. There was a beaver tail slapping, but this was too wide and high for a beaver. 

 

"It's your imagination," I chided myself.

 

But it kept coming closer and closer.

 

"The fog is tricking your eyes," I told myself.

 

And it kept coming and coming.

 

Again, my flashlight was worthless.

 

"Are those birds?" I wondered.

 

And they were. Three waterfowl in a tight formation. They were curious about me, I think. And fearless. I've never had that happen before this morning. I don't think they read me as human in the dark and fog. 

 

I used three stand-bys: A Whopper Plopper, a brass-bladed Mepps #3, and a pumpkin-colored wacky worm with a yellow tip.

 

I also used three lures I haven't used much: a jerkbait, a swimbait, and lipless crankbait.

 

Everything caught fish. For the first three hours, I averaged about 13 bass an hour. For the last two, I caught three bass an hour. The early bird really does get the bass!

 

The smallmouth were aerobatic. Not long, but thick. This morning's pond is a numbers pond, but I still managed to catch a 17.75-incher. Most were in the 15-16.5-inch range. Fun, strong fish.

 

I didn't catch a single pickerel and hooray for that!

 

I know I said I was done fishing two or three weeks back, not because the fish had stopped feeding, but because I was afraid of the chilling water. I still am. Fear is good. It keeps me low and careful in the canoe.

 

I caught 45 bass in total, which makes me Kate 45. You've heard of the Colt 45, an American classic. Well, Kate 45 is a Maine classic fisher in a canoe with no electronics. 

 

I can see that some of you are catching BIG fish. Sadly, I'm not. However, if I were to duct tape my fish together, tail to head to tail to..., I would have caught a HUGE fish this morning.

 

I sometimes look at the shore and wonder, "If I were to tip right now, could I reach the shore? And then could I reach warmth?"

 

I often don't know. 

 

Lastly, bassresource.com wouldn't let me upload a lot of the photos, but here are the ones it did permit.

Katie I don’t know what I look forward to more, reading your posts or seeing the photos of the fish you catch?. Both are absolutely stunning to say the least. You and many others on here including but not limited to Alex @AlabamaSpothunter & @bulldog1935 make me green with envy at the amount and size of the fish you all catch. Again your way of painting a picture with your words is a gift upon itself that I look forward to every time I log in. I couldn’t help but notice you referencing Stephen King quite a bit lately and although I don’t get much of an opportunity to read these days he was one of my father and brother’s favorite authors that they then passed on to me. Seriously looking forward to your next post.?

Got this one a little while ago. I didn’t weigh it , but it was 21 inch…caught it on a watermelon red yum 5 inch dinger

Evening, 

I went out back after dinner for a little bit and caught a nice bass and pretty nice peacock, easily 2 pounds ?? have a great night 

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I was so excited to fish this morning that I didn't fall asleep until 2:00 a.m. I had the alarm clock set for 5:15 a.m., which was stupid because I haven't adjusted to the perpetually later sunrises. So, I arrived at the lake in the dark. It was Stephen King foggy too. I actually waited a few minutes in the car for the merest light. My flashlight was useless because its light bounced off the fog. Speaking of Stephen King, I had one of his creepy moments. I thought I saw something advancing on me. There was a beaver tail slapping, but this was too wide and high for a beaver. 

 

"It's your imagination," I chided myself.

 

But it kept coming closer and closer.

 

"The fog is tricking your eyes," I told myself.

 

And it kept coming and coming.

 

Again, my flashlight was worthless.

 

"Are those birds?" I wondered.

 

And they were. Three waterfowl in a tight formation. They were curious about me, I think. And fearless. I've never had that happen before this morning. I don't think they read me as human in the dark and fog. 

 

I used three stand-bys: A Whopper Plopper, a brass-bladed Mepps #3, and a pumpkin-colored wacky worm with a yellow tip.

 

I also used three lures I haven't used much: a jerkbait, a swimbait, and lipless crankbait.

 

Everything caught fish. For the first three hours, I averaged about 13 bass an hour. For the last two, I caught three bass an hour. The early bird really does get the bass!

 

The smallmouth were aerobatic. Not long, but thick. This morning's pond is a numbers pond, but I still managed to catch a 17.75-incher. Most were in the 15-16.5-inch range. Fun, strong fish.

 

I didn't catch a single pickerel and hooray for that!

 

I know I said I was done fishing two or three weeks back, not because the fish had stopped feeding, but because I was afraid of the chilling water. I still am. Fear is good. It keeps me low and careful in the canoe.

 

I caught 45 bass in total, which makes me Kate 45. You've heard of the Colt 45, an American classic. Well, Kate 45 is a Maine classic fisher in a canoe with no electronics. 

 

I can see that some of you are catching BIG fish. Sadly, I'm not. However, if I were to duct tape my fish together, tail to head to tail to..., I would have caught a HUGE fish this morning.

 

I sometimes look at the shore and wonder, "If I were to tip right now, could I reach the shore? And then could I reach warmth?"

 

I often don't know. 

 

Lastly, bassresource.com wouldn't let me upload a lot of the photos, but here are the ones it did permit.

45 fish!? That's excessive and excellent. 

Eric, you are so kind. I'm a professional writer, which means I've written millions of words. It's like fishing: Do it a lot and you learn some tricks.

 

Glenn has my first article for bassresource.com. It's about fishing northwestern Ontario for smallmouth out of a canoe. That trip would be within your reach. The fishing is even better than Maine's fishing. I had a couple two-hundred-plus smallmouth days up there. I fished from can until can't because the bass were bonkers. I once caught seven fish in seven casts and had many two, three, four, and five-fish in a row. On the third day, I rested. My hands looked like they'd been hammered with a meat tenderizer. I've had many 100-fish days up there too.

 

This morning, I also had a Bald Eagle do a low flyover...twice. I wouldn't have been more thrilled it had been its titanium cousin, an F-22 Raptor. And I saw a couple Great Blue Herons, who are simultaneously ungainly and glorious. Fishing rewards paying attention, so when we're on the water, I think we see the critters and the shoreline as vividly as we watch the water. 

 

That's a long fish, Mike! What did she hit? How did she fight?

 

Steve, I hope to catch a peacock bass before I die. Do they outfight our native bass?

 

GreenPig, I'm a little piggy when it comes to bass!

 

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I was so excited to fish this morning that I didn't fall asleep until 2:00 a.m. I had the alarm clock set for 5:15 a.m., which was stupid because I haven't adjusted to the perpetually later sunrises. So, I arrived at the lake in the dark. It was Stephen King foggy too. I actually waited a few minutes in the car for the merest light. My flashlight was useless because its light bounced off the fog. Speaking of Stephen King, I had one of his creepy moments. I thought I saw something advancing on me. There was a beaver tail slapping, but this was too wide and high for a beaver. 

 

"It's your imagination," I chided myself.

 

But it kept coming closer and closer.

 

"The fog is tricking your eyes," I told myself.

 

And it kept coming and coming.

 

Again, my flashlight was worthless.

 

"Are those birds?" I wondered.

 

And they were. Three waterfowl in a tight formation. They were curious about me, I think. And fearless. I've never had that happen before this morning. I don't think they read me as human in the dark and fog. 

 

I used three stand-bys: A Whopper Plopper, a brass-bladed Mepps #3, and a pumpkin-colored wacky worm with a yellow tip.

 

I also used three lures I haven't used much: a jerkbait, a swimbait, and lipless crankbait.

 

Everything caught fish. For the first three hours, I averaged about 13 bass an hour. For the last two, I caught three bass an hour. The early bird really does get the bass!

 

The smallmouth were aerobatic. Not long, but thick. This morning's pond is a numbers pond, but I still managed to catch a 17.75-incher. Most were in the 15-16.5-inch range. Fun, strong fish.

 

I didn't catch a single pickerel and hooray for that!

 

I know I said I was done fishing two or three weeks back, not because the fish had stopped feeding, but because I was afraid of the chilling water. I still am. Fear is good. It keeps me low and careful in the canoe.

 

I caught 45 bass in total, which makes me Kate 45. You've heard of the Colt 45, an American classic. Well, Kate 45 is a Maine classic fisher in a canoe with no electronics. 

 

I can see that some of you are catching BIG fish. Sadly, I'm not. However, if I were to duct tape my fish together, tail to head to tail to..., I would have caught a HUGE fish this morning.

 

I sometimes look at the shore and wonder, "If I were to tip right now, could I reach the shore? And then could I reach warmth?"

 

I often don't know. 

 

Lastly, bassresource.com wouldn't let me upload a lot of the photos, but here are the ones it did permit.

I mean if anything your fishing is getting hotter Katie, so many chunky fat beautiful fish!   I'll say it again, people would pay money to have mornings like yours.     

 

Great report as always as well, you have a wonderful writing style.   

 

You face a level of danger I don't so it's easy for me to say DON'T STOP CATCHING 45 BASS A DAY ?

6 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

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. 

Congrats on the piggy!   I always underestimate a big Bass's ability to eat a big meal.

 

Tactical Bassin talks about occasionally seeing a floating or dead big LGM with a Bream stuck in it's throat.    I guess they don't have the problem with slimmer big Shad meals, but the fat Breams can choke em.   I can't say I've ever felt a fish in their belly, that's pretty cool.   I have them spit Shad up on me all the time though lol.   

6 hours ago, NorcalBassin said:

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.

Couple of nice piggies to be sure, very nice!

Teensy little birthday dink.

 

The average size was good this morning, Alex. I don't remember a single dink. I've been grinning ever since.

 

Fishing in the dark fog was also cool. Literally cool, as it was 41 degrees and I was wearing shorts, but also figuratively cool and thrilling. I'd put barbless hooks on two of my lures and that helped a lot in the dark.

 

I hope to fish two more times this week. Ironically, what makes my fishing possible, given my age, is also what makes my fishing dangerous. I paddle a light (32 pound), swift canoe. Because it's light and speedy, it's tippy. 

 

As far as paying for mornings like mine today, there are plenty of places where you can catch plenty of bass. I used to fish Lake Michigan's north shore and tributaries like the Whitefish River. They're LOADED with bass. 

Just now, ol'crickety said:

The average size was good this morning, Alex. I don't remember a single dink. I've been grinning ever since.

 

Fishing in the dark fog was also cool. Literally cool, as it was 41 degrees and I was wearing shorts, but also figuratively cool and thrilling. I'd put barbless hooks on two of my lures and that helped a lot in the dark.

 

I hope to fish two more times this week. Ironically, what makes my fishing possible, given my age, is also what makes my fishing dangerous. I paddle a light (32 pound), swift canoe. Because it's light and speedy, it's tippy. 

 

As far as paying for mornings like mine today, there are plenty of places where you can catch plenty of bass. I used to fish Lake Michigan's north shore and tributaries like the Whitefish River. They're LOADED with bass. 

Most places you can catch 45 quality Bass in a morning cost money around here.   Golf courses and little ponds have lots and lots of dinks and few nice fish, but your fish look absolutely unmolested.  I bet you are the first and last human most of them see.       

 

You're discounting all the hardwork you put in to find fish that haven't been pressured.   Maybe others can, but I ain't catching no 45 nice Bass in a day let alone a morning ?

5 minutes ago, galyonj said:

Teensy little birthday dink.

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY friend!!!!!!!

 

Birthday Dink is best Dink ?

 

Listened to that track and it was solid, sent it to a bigger metal guy and he really enjoyed it.   

43 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Got this one a little while ago. I didn’t weigh it , but it was 21 inch…caught it on a watermelon red yum 5 inch dinger

Nice one, when that one fattens up I bet it goes 5-6lbs.    Big frame on that girl, she needs some Whoppers and McNuggets ?

I only caught 7 today but one was a 4 pound 5 ounce 19 inch long Large mouth.   I'm still figuring out this video camera stuff.  I didn't even think to turn the scale toward the camera when I weighed it.   I also caught a super fat 17 inch spot.  I bet it was over 3, but I didn't weight it.   I've also included a morning boat pic.   

 

1 minute ago, Woody B said:

I only caught 7 today but one was a 4 pound 5 ounce 19 inch long Large mouth.   I'm still figuring out this video camera stuff.  I didn't even think to turn the scale toward the camera when I weighed it.   I also caught a super fat 17 inch spot.  I bet it was over 3, but I didn't weight it.   I've also included a morning boat pic.   

 

Yeah that's a piggy Spot, love it.    Beautiful LGM as well.   Two high quality fish.   Great looking boat as well, once you figure out the FFS stuff you should post some video.   

14 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Tactical Bassin talks about occasionally seeing a floating or dead big LGM with a Bream stuck in it's throat.    I guess they don't have the problem with slimmer big Shad meals, but the fat Breams can choke em. 

I’ve actually seen this twice. One was a big dead smallmouth with a pumpkinseed jammed in its throat, and the other time was in Mexico, where a 7 or so pounder was floating dead with a big tilapia stuck in its mouth. That’s why I believe bass up here prefer yellow perch over sunfish. They’re slim bodied and easier to swallow. Yellow perch and golden shiners are the primary baitfish in my opinion, even though our lakes are loaded with all kinds of sunfish.  

6 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

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. 

A true NY Giant right there, grats! It took me more years than I care to admit to get one over 5 pounds out of my native waters.

1 minute ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

once you figure out the FFS stuff you should post some video.

 

I'm getting to where I can (sometimes) tell bass from other fish.  I never could do that with "regular" sonar.   I should capture some of the sonar.  (I think I can record it with the unit)  A turtle swam by near the transducer yesterday.  The turtle image was small but there was a HUGE turtle shadow moving on the bottom.   A short playback of the shadow with Jaws music would be cool.  I took this picture a couple weeks ago.  I caught 4 spots out of that tree top.   

A few tiny fish out of me, a 1/16 oz jig head with a zoom fat Albert in lavender shad. Definitely better than a skunk.

Well, today turned out awesome. For those that don’t want to read all the details, I almost broke the ole “ PB” as the kids say with this fish, it was just over 5 lbs 

 

“ and now the rest of the story“ 

I fished this morning a while, maybe 8:30-11:30 and only caught one largemouth before breakfast, I posted him above somewhere. Then after breakfast my wife says let’s go for a drive. We took off into NC on the cherohala skyway and it was quite lovely.
  

 

on the way back we checked out Indian boundary lake, also lovely. I had actually never seen it in person, the only other time I tried a tree was across the road

 

well we get back home and it’s about 4:45 pm and I’ve got a couple hours to fish . Fishing has been pretty tough near the house, but I’ve gotta try it . My wife said she didn’t want to sit in the boat if nothing was biting. I said “well you have to be there in case they start to biting”

 

as I’m pulling away from the dock I see something blasting shad on the surface. I go try a few casts, nothing but there’s still bait balls. I remember I have a cast net in the livewell………. Got some shad and head out to the main channel. Not long into fishing with the threadfin on a 1/16 oz jig head with #4 hook, I get a 17”er as a pontoon goes by cheering me on. Then about 45 minutes later another 17” amongst a bunch of double decker yachts. 


 

Then, just as I’m thinking i better get back and eat dinner with the wife at sunset, I get a bite. When I set into the fish, it took off like a striper. I had already clicked to backreel thank goodness, it was off like a rocket. I figured it probably was a striper then it jumped straight up. Like way up. Time stopped…………. It was airborne for what seemed like forever. When it splashed down it took off again and here comes several yachts. The fish is dragging me all over, my trolling motor doesn’t even work so I’m just skiing behind a smallmouth toward dry land in massive waves. It jumped and dove over and over but I finally got it! The tiny hook held. I just knew it was my biggest ever when it launched the first time but I don’t think it was . Somewhere around 22” and just over 5 lbs. What a day. 

 

Thanks for the play-by-play, TriRiver. It was thrilling! I especially liked the moment when you were skiing in the pontoon chop. Great pics too! I also like how the bass got to bite you. They deserve to bite us from time to time. 

 

6 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Well, today turned out awesome. For those that don’t want to read all the details, I almost broke the ole “ PB” as the kids say with this fish, it was just over 5 lbs 

 

“ and now the rest of the story“ 

I fished this morning a while, maybe 8:30-11:30 and only caught one largemouth before breakfast, I posted him above somewhere. Then after breakfast my wife says let’s go for a drive. We took off into NC on the cherohala skyway and it was quite lovely.
  

 

on the way back we checked out Indian boundary lake, also lovely. I had actually never seen it in person, only time I tired a tree was across the road

 

well we get back home and it’s about 4:45 pm and I’ve got a couple hours to fish . Fishing has been pretty tough near the house, but I’ve gotta try it . My wife said she didn’t want to sit in the boat if nothing was biting. I said “well you have to be there in case they start to biting”

 

as I’m pulling away from the dock I see something blasting shad on the surface. I go try a few casts, nothing but there’s still bait balls. I remember I have a cast net in the livewell………. Got some shad and head out to the main channel. Not long into fishing with the threadfin on a 1/16 oz jig head with #4 hook, I get a 17”er as a pontoon goes by cheering me on. Then about 45 minutes later another 17” amongst a bunch of double decker yachts. 


 

Then, just as I’m thinking i better get back and eat dinner with the wife at sunset, I get a bite. When I set into the fish, it took off like a striper. I had already clicked to backreel thank goodness, it was off like a rocket. I figured it probably was a striper then it jumped straight up. Like way up. Time stopped…………. It was airborne for what seemed like forever. When it splashed down it took off again and here comes several yachts. The fish is dragging me all over, my trolling motor doesn’t even work so I’m just skiing behind a smallmouth toward dry land in massive waves. It jumped and dove over and over but I finally got it! The tiny hook held. I just knew it was my biggest ever when it launched the first time but I don’t think it was . Somewhere around 22” and just over 5 lbs. What a day. 

 

You guys caught so many fish today I'm out of reactions but let me say how much I enjoyed reading ALL of this post, and seeing you create a lifelong memory.   What a fish dude, congrats!!!! 

 

My PB Smallie below Wheeler was on a threadfin.    I'm not sure I'd want to fish for big smallies below those dams any other way.      Only thing I hate about livebaiting is the potential to gut hook them, and I'm sure if I did it enough I'd figure out away to mitigate that.   Maybe with circle hooks or something.    I know I got my PB pretty good, we got the hook out, but it was bleeding when I released her.   

 

You said something I tell me myself every morning, "you never know when they are gonna be biting", I say that or....."right now somebody else is catching your lifelong dream fish".   

 

TIME ON WATER, best lure ever!

5 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

There was a beaver tail slapping, but this was too wide and high for a beaver

Those onry critters keep their distance during the day, but they'll come right beside you, within a couple feet of the boat and slap their tails in the dark. They haven't made me pee myself yet, but there's been a couple close calls!!! LOL. Other critters will walk right up on you in the dark too if they can't smell ya. I've had deer come within 15'. 

5 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I sometimes look at the shore and wonder, "If I were to tip right now, could I reach the shore? And then could I reach warmth?

Don't wander too far from shore. Take a change of warm clothes in a bag that will keep them dry, and stay out there and enjoy the fall. Maybe spend some time on those more populated waters where help is easier to find? You'll have a lot less company there this time of year.

Congrats on an AWESOME morning of fishing!!! Those are some fat, healthy looking, absolutely beautiful bass you're catching.

In a pinch, we could replace the fishing articles and fishing shows and YouTube videos with this gem:

 

Quote

TIME ON WATER, best lure ever!

 

You are right about the quality of the fishing today, Alex.

 

You know how guys say, "You should have been here yesterday?"

 

"Yesterday" was today!

 

Tim, I'm thinking about buying a dry suit.*

 

*Correction: Make that a wetsuit. I just shopped dry suits and they are above my pay grade. 

38 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

A true NY Giant right there, grats! It took me more years than I care to admit to get one over 5 pounds out of my native waters.

Thanks! They don’t come often around here that’s for sure. 

Not huge, but a good fighter. He jumped on me. 

20 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Tim, I'm thinking about buying a dry suit.*

 

*Correction: Make that a wetsuit. I just shopped dry suits and they are above my pay grade. 

Getting out of the water and dry QUICKLY is the essential part. However you want to go about it, the ability to do so is critical. I've been in low 40's water and it'll cramp you up in a hurry. I carry a pair of insulated coveralls in a taped shut hefty sack when fishing spring and fall. My boat also has a low transom and I have a hydrofoil on my outboard so getting back in is pretty easy. 

You don't need to spend a bunch of money, just make sure you can get out of the water and into some warm dry clothes within a few minutes. Good idea to keep your phone in a ziplock while on the water this time of year too.