17 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

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. 

The problem, Tim, is getting back into a tipped canoe. It's possible, but difficult. 

4 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

The problem, Tim, is getting back into a tipped canoe. It's possible, but difficult. 

I swim it to the bank and empty it, we flip a lot whitewater canoeing. 
 

my buddies still make fun of me for a time when I hollered “we’re swamped head to shore!” 

Mr. 46, I'm thinking about buying a wetsuit long-sleeved shirt, wetsuit booties, and wetsuit shorts. I don't think I'd try to pull my canoe to shore. I'd swim to shore and hopefully survive with the wet suit.

 

It's cool that you whitewater canoe. I did that in my youth. It's as exciting as bass fishing. 

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

Mr. 46, I'm thinking about buying a wetsuit long-sleeved shirt, wetsuit booties, and wetsuit shorts. I don't think I'd try to pull my canoe to shore. I'd swim to shore and hopefully survive with the wet suit.

 

It's cool that you whitewater canoe. I did that in my youth. It's as exciting as bass fishing. 

Even better, our whitewater has bass in it! I have lost some rods though……..

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Even better, our whitewater has bass in it! I have lost some rods though……..

Whitewater + Bass = Heaven on Earth

 

I know the Yough has both. So does the Potomac. What's your river?

35 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Mr. 46, I'm thinking about buying a wetsuit long-sleeved shirt, wetsuit booties, and wetsuit shorts. I don't think I'd try to pull my canoe to shore. I'd swim to shore and hopefully survive with the wet suit.

Look into making a set of DIY outriggers. Slim chance of dumping.

35 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Whitewater + Bass = Heaven on Earth

 

I know the Yough has both. So does the Potomac. What's your river?

Big south fork of the Cumberland, French broad, pigeon, or the hiwasse is about as white of water as I like. All great bass fishing. There are bigger rapids on the ocoee and nantahala but I’m a little chicken on the class 4 and 5 stuff. The ocoee, where they had the kayaking for the 96 Olympics, is loaded with spotted bass nowadays 

3 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

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.   

Totally agree ??

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I'd swim to shore and hopefully survive with the wet suit.

That's what I had in mind when I suggested the dry change of clothing. It would be easier to swim to shore in a wetsuit than in wet clothing towing a dry bag though for sure.

 

6 hours ago, T-Billy said:

That's what I had in mind when I suggested the dry change of clothing. It would be easier to swim to shore in a wetsuit than in wet clothing towing a dry bag though for sure.

 

I'm ordering a wetsuit top, bottom, and boots, Tim. In the meantime, I'm going to limit my fishing to two ponds with solid shorelines, as the swamps would mean misery atop misery if I tipped, as there are reeds on the shorelines and mud beyond that. Both of the ponds I'll be fishing have a few houses too. Thanks for encouraging safety, Tim. 

Not the biggest fish ever but just look at that belly! She is not having a bit of trouble finding supper!

Got out for a short 1.5 hour trip Saturday morning before my youngest son's soccer game. Started slow, missing the first 5 or 6 bites before I caught a fat 3 pounder on a 6th Sense lipless that had a big shad in it's throat.

Once I saw that, I put the lipless down and started throwing a Clutch Glide. Had a 5ish pound fish eat it at the boat first cast and pull off. A short time later, I stuck one a little over 4lbs, it was so windy I didn't look if my pictures were good, sorry about the poor quality.

100 yards down the bank, I had another fish eat it and pull so hard I thought it was going to be a wiper. Turned out to be another fat 4.30lb fish.

Of course they were eating good on the morning I didn't bring my GoPro because I wasn't going to be out very long ?‍♂️

 

Sunday was super windy, 20-30mph sustained winds with gusts to 50-60 mph from the south. Most of our lakes face north/south with little wind break, so it's brutal. Tried to go to one lake that actually has a few coves, it was closed for the week because they just stocked trout... Went to another lake and fought the wind and a few dinks for 4 hours. Finally caught 1 decent fish on a 6th Sense trap.

Decided to cut my losses and head to the lake I'd fished the day before again, should have just gone there in the first place.

My dogs went with me and really enjoyed themselves.

The lure trees are starting to bloom with the leaves falling and all the wind too.

12 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Look into making a set of DIY outriggers. Slim chance of dumping.

@MN Fisher did this with his previous canoe.  Maybe he still has photos.

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

@MN Fisher did this with his previous canoe.  Maybe he still has photos.

Ya - I can toss some pics via DM if @PhishLI would like.

 

I've archived the canoe pics, but I still have them all.

Bob, your bass made me laugh. What a belly! She looks like she's got biscuits in the oven way too early.

 

That's great fishing, Mr. 86. I'm going to buy a Clutch Glide. I've never fished a lure like that. The fish sure love it, huh?

 

I'm going fishing again tomorrow morning. Conditions will be perfect. It's raining all day today and tonight. It'll stop early tomorrow morning, be foggy, and warm (56 degrees) at 6:00 a.m. I'm going to hug the shoreline to stay safe.. 

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

@MN Fisher did this with his previous canoe.  Maybe he still has photos.

I appreciate the suggestion, but I can't imagine carrying a canoe with outriggers through the woods. The canoe is hard enough. Still, I'd like to see the photos. I was a writer for Canoe & Kayak magazine, so everything about canoes turns my head.

Went down to the pond this afternoon after looking at a camper we’re interested in getting. Figured we could camp at different lakes and make a long weekend of it. Anywho, dragged the fishing cart down to the pond and tossed a 3/16 EWG Ned with a green craw around. Lots of leaves floating everywhere due to the wind blowing them off the trees. 3rd cast and I was surprised by a nice little bass around a pound or two in the shallows. He fought pretty well and kept trying to throw the hook, swam to me then back out. Think he was trying to find something to break me off with but I managed to bring him to the bank.

 

^Gorgeous photo!^

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Got out for a short 1.5 hour trip Saturday morning before my youngest son's soccer game. Started slow, missing the first 5 or 6 bites before I caught a fat 3 pounder on a 6th Sense lipless that had a big shad in it's throat.

Once I saw that, I put the lipless down and started throwing a Clutch Glide. Had a 5ish pound fish eat it at the boat first cast and pull off. A short time later, I stuck one a little over 4lbs, it was so windy I didn't look if my pictures were good, sorry about the poor quality.

100 yards down the bank, I had another fish eat it and pull so hard I thought it was going to be a wiper. Turned out to be another fat 4.30lb fish.

Of course they were eating good on the morning I didn't bring my GoPro because I wasn't going to be out very long ?‍♂️

 

Sunday was super windy, 20-30mph sustained winds with gusts to 50-60 mph from the south. Most of our lakes face north/south with little wind break, so it's brutal. Tried to go to one lake that actually has a few coves, it was closed for the week because they just stocked trout... Went to another lake and fought the wind and a few dinks for 4 hours. Finally caught 1 decent fish on a 6th Sense trap.

Decided to cut my losses and head to the lake I'd fished the day before again, should have just gone there in the first place.

My dogs went with me and really enjoyed themselves.

The lure trees are starting to bloom with the leaves falling and all the wind too.

Heck yeah dude, big swimbait produces big time for you.    I'd say that bait paid for itself easy by now.   Guess I need to get that one, love the look of it.  50-60mph winds is bordering a Tornado in Alabama LOL.

 

I had a big Spot hammer an Alabama Rig a foot from the boat today that scared the little girl out of me.    Fishing these big baits is far more like saltwater fishing than Bass fishing to me thus far.  

1 hour ago, sdw215 said:

Went down to the pond this afternoon after looking at a camper we’re interested in getting. Figured we could camp at different lakes and make a long weekend of it. Anywho, dragged the fishing cart down to the pond and tossed a 3/16 EWG Ned with a green craw around. Lots of leaves floating everywhere due to the wind blowing them off the trees. 3rd cast and I was surprised by a nice little bass around a pound or two in the shallows. He fought pretty well and kept trying to throw the hook, swam to me then back out. Think he was trying to find something to break me off with but I managed to bring him to the bank.

 

Agree with Katie, beautiful fish, and beautiful scenery! 

10 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Not the biggest fish ever but just look at that belly! She is not having a bit of trouble finding supper!

Little fattie eating those Little Debbies down there ?

Short lunchtime sesh. I called my shot with this fish. First time that's ever happened.

 

 

Then later I caught a ride with this guy.

 

 

One last fish to wrap up the night.

 

 

Now I'm sitting here writing a little code and watching the X-Files.

It's been raining for the past two days, but there was a lull tonight, so I scooted up to take my chances. Walking up to the lake I was struck by the smell of sulfur, and when I shone my flashlight into the water it was a cloudy thick green where it was clear just this past Thursday. Turnover happened quickly, and that means it's going to be tough for a spell, and it was.

 

For 45 minutes I couldn't find anything but a pickerel that hit a swimbait-hook rigged bandito bug on the fall. It shook off quickly, shredded my Tatsu, but I got my bait back. Rain blew in again out of nowhere, so I tied on a G2 Shellcracker for a Hail Mary pass, dialed down my brakes, and bombed that sucker way out over a weedline near a drop off. Cranked it down, crashed it into the weedline, and it got smashed. The fish dove down into the weeds and it felt like I was cranking in a wet, swimming, beach towel. With adrenaline pumping my heart with new PB fantasies I was also resigned to the idea that my rod would snap from the weight at some point, but she held up.

 

Got her in, and the fish was completely engulfed in a huge mop of weeds and going nuts. With no way to lip it with my grippers, I had no choice but to lay the mop with a tail on the ground for an assist. I was not interested in getting impaled by a swim bait treble with an angry bass connected to it. Swirling wind driven rain made the whole process interesting, and I had to laugh at the absurdity of what drives me to do this in the dark. Absurd, but totally awesome. Everything was soaked by that point, so I split. Good times.

 

13 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

It's been raining for the past two days, but there was a lull tonight, so I scooted up to take my chances. Walking up to the lake I was struck by the smell of sulfur, and when I shone my flashlight into the water it was a cloudy thick green where it was clear just this past Thursday. Turnover happened quickly, and that means it's going to be tough for a spell, and it was.

 

For 45 minutes I couldn't find anything but a pickerel that hit a swimbait-hook rigged bandito bug on the fall. It shook off quickly, shredded my Tatsu, but I got my bait back. Rain blew in again out of nowhere, so I tied on a G2 Shellcracker for a Hail Mary pass, dialed down my brakes, and bombed that sucker way out over a weedline near a drop off. Cranked it down, crashed it into the weedline, and it got smashed. The fish dove down into the weeds and it felt like I was cranking in a wet, swimming, beach towel. With adrenaline pumping my heart with new PB fantasies I was also resigned to the idea that my rod would snap from the weight at some point, but she held up.

 

Got her in, and the fish was completely engulfed in a huge mop of weeds and going nuts. With no way to lip it with my grippers, I had no choice but to lay the mop with a tail on the ground for an assist. I was not interested in getting impaled by a swim bait treble with an angry bass connected to it. Swirling wind driven rain made the whole process interesting, and I had to laugh at the absurdity of what drives me to do this in the dark. Absurd, but totally awesome. Everything was soaked by that point, so I split. Good times.

 

Nice. The content in the 2nd picture is what drives me.

On 10/23/2022 at 7:54 PM, ol'crickety said:

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

41 in Maine and Katie is fishing in shorts and sandals. Meanwhile, it's 43 in OH and I'm bundled up looking like Hugh from Ice Hole Truckers!!! ?

I'm such a Wuss!!! ?

You're sensible, Tim. In my way, I am too. I often get wet launching my canoe with no docks or ramps. Sandals and bare legs dry quickly and my wool socks are still warm when wet. Plus, my canoe is Kevlar,, which means it's delicate. I need enough water to float it or I'll shred the hull.

 

Anyway, any man who wears that hat need never apologize for his clothing choices. You are stylin'! 

 

That is a gorgeous fish, Phish!

10 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

You're sensible, Tim. In my way, I am too. I often get wet launching my canoe with no docks or ramps. Sandals and bare legs dry quickly and my wool socks are still warm when wet. Plus, my canoe is Kevlar,, which means it's delicate. I need enough water to float it or I'll shred the hull.

 

Anyway, any man who wears that hat need never apologize for his clothing choices. You are stylin'! 

 

That is a gorgeous fish, Phish!

I was dressed for the run down the lake, rather than what I actually needed to be comfortable fishing. The clothing contrast in our posts just struck me as funny. Good luck today. I'm gonna get out for a few hours this morning too, but I gotta cut it short for a dental appt.

2 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

I was dressed for the run down the lake, rather than what I actually needed to be comfortable fishing. The clothing contrast in our posts just struck me as funny. Good luck today. I'm gonna get out for a few hours this morning too, but I gotta cut it short for a dental appt.

Go get 'em, Tim!