3 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

We're supposed to be calm today. Do you find that it affects the jerkbait bite? I ask because yesterday was pretty near calm where I was.

Most all my recent catches have been on downwind banks, whether strong or light winds. Seems like some wind is better than none, for sure, though I still catch a few on it in calm areas. I need a change in direction so I can test this theory out more.

42 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Most all my recent catches have been on downwind banks, whether strong or light winds. Seems like some wind is better than none, for sure, though I still catch a few on it in calm areas. I need a change in direction so I can test this theory out more.

Exactly my experience. Praying for a breeze today. We're actually getting handed a gift with the weather right now. Frustrating thing is some lingering weakness and lightheadedness when I'm walking that really short circuits my ability to focus. Makes for a valid alibi for lack of success, though. lol

20 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

@Woody B

 

Yikes, I'm like the Sports Illustrated cover curse!

 

FWIW I'm not superstitious.   It's bad luck to be superstitious.

4 hours ago, Woody B said:

 

FWIW I'm not superstitious.   It's bad luck to be superstitious.

If I would have had a drink in my mouth at the time I was reading this I would have spit it out lol

4 hours ago, Woody B said:

 

FWIW I'm not superstitious.   It's bad luck to be superstitious.

Finally got a big enough one to count for December. Past week's been tough with rehab challenges. Picture is slightly distorted because my left hand has a bit of a tremor since my surgery two weeks ago. It's slowly getting better. I think it might have had something to do with the nerve block they gave me. Was supposed to wear off in a few hours but took 26. Might have affected some things. We're lucking into some fairly accommodating weather over the next week so I'm really anxious to get the mojo back on.

32 minutes ago, The Bassman said:

Finally got a big enough one to count for December. Past week's been tough with rehab challenges. Picture is slightly distorted because my left hand has a bit of a tremor since my surgery two weeks ago. It's slowly getting better. I think it might have had something to do with the nerve block they gave me. Was supposed to wear off in a few hours but took 26. Might have affected some things. We're lucking into some fairly accommodating weather over the next week so I'm really anxious to get the mojo back on.

Talk about a mean hookset. Looks like you knocked half the scales off that fish!! ?

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

Finally got a big enough one to count for December. Past week's been tough with rehab challenges. Picture is slightly distorted because my left hand has a bit of a tremor since my surgery two weeks ago. It's slowly getting better. I think it might have had something to do with the nerve block they gave me. Was supposed to wear off in a few hours but took 26. Might have affected some things. We're lucking into some fairly accommodating weather over the next week so I'm really anxious to get the mojo back on.

 

Dead calm today at the two places I stopped at. Couldn't get bit on the jerkbait or a small jigging spoon. Might have the answer on the wind - lol. Squeezed out 3 little guys on Ned. Even saw two decent bass cruising the weedline slowly, but they weren't interested in anything.

 

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

 

Dead calm today at the two places I stopped at. Couldn't get bit on the jerkbait or a small jigging spoon. Might have the answer on the wind - lol. Squeezed out 3 little guys on Ned. Even saw two decent bass cruising the weedline slowly, but they weren't interested in anything.

 

We're going to have some good opportunities over the next week. Maybe that 8 lbr. is still alive and put on some more weight.

3 hours ago, The Bassman said:

We're going to have some good opportunities over the next week. Maybe that 8 lbr. is still alive and put on some more weight.

I’ve thought about her and if she’s still swimming several times this year - lol. Only been back there a few times all year. 

H2O Xpress jerkbait strikes again!

 

Buddy invited me to fish the pond behind his house for a bit today, we haven't fished it since late spring. Never caught anything big out of it but it's been there ~20 years and is (for most of the year) full of hydrilla with tons of forage. Kept telling him it was primo big bass habitat and I knew there were some big girls lurking in there.

 

Well we got ~1.5 hour window to fish it a bit and about a half hour in I finally hooked into a really nice one on the jerkbait. She stayed down the whole time, never jumped, I thought I might have foul hooked the giant grass carp I've seen cruising around in here but about filled my britches when I finally saw her. She took me a ways down the bank before she tired enough to get her in. A handful of very strong runs, it was an excellent fight despite the lack of jumps.

 

She came in at 8lb 10oz, had to weigh her a couple of times since the scale tipped just over 9lb when I first put her on there, but it settled at 8-10 both times.

 

This fish brings my 2022 best five up to 45lb 6oz. Doubt I'll catch another upgrade before the end of the year but I couldn't be happier with it.

 

@Aaron_H

 

26 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

H2O Xpress jerkbait strikes again!

 

Buddy invited me to fish the pond behind his house for a bit today, we haven't fished it since late spring. Never caught anything big out of it but it's been there ~20 years and is (for most of the year) full of hydrilla with tons of forage. Kept telling him it was primo big bass habitat and I knew there were some big girls lurking in there.

 

Well we got ~1.5 hour window to fish it a bit and about a half hour in I finally hooked into a really nice one on the jerkbait. She stayed down the whole time, never jumped, I thought I might have foul hooked the giant grass carp I've seen cruising around in here but about filled my britches when I finally saw her. She took me a ways down the bank before she tired enough to get her in. A handful of very strong runs, it was an excellent fight despite the lack of jumps.

 

She came in at 8lb 10oz, had to weigh her a couple of times since the scale tipped just over 9lb when I first put her on there, but it settled at 8-10 both times.

 

This fish brings my 2022 best five up to 45lb 6oz. Doubt I'll catch another upgrade before the end of the year but I couldn't be happier with it.

 

 

Well done!

 

 

 

                                        

Thank you! I wasn't too sure about the conditions, but I couldn't pass up the chance to fish with my buddy. Virtually bluebird skies, hot (low 80s) and not a lot of wind, but it was the right conditions for that big girl so I'm not complaining.

@Aaron_H Hawg!

1 hour ago, Aaron_H said:

H2O Xpress jerkbait strikes again!

 

Buddy invited me to fish the pond behind his house for a bit today, we haven't fished it since late spring. Never caught anything big out of it but it's been there ~20 years and is (for most of the year) full of hydrilla with tons of forage. Kept telling him it was primo big bass habitat and I knew there were some big girls lurking in there.

 

Well we got ~1.5 hour window to fish it a bit and about a half hour in I finally hooked into a really nice one on the jerkbait. She stayed down the whole time, never jumped, I thought I might have foul hooked the giant grass carp I've seen cruising around in here but about filled my britches when I finally saw her. She took me a ways down the bank before she tired enough to get her in. A handful of very strong runs, it was an excellent fight despite the lack of jumps.

 

She came in at 8lb 10oz, had to weigh her a couple of times since the scale tipped just over 9lb when I first put her on there, but it settled at 8-10 both times.

 

This fish brings my 2022 best five up to 45lb 6oz. Doubt I'll catch another upgrade before the end of the year but I couldn't be happier with it.

 

 

2 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

H2O Xpress jerkbait strikes again!

 

Buddy invited me to fish the pond behind his house for a bit today, we haven't fished it since late spring. Never caught anything big out of it but it's been there ~20 years and is (for most of the year) full of hydrilla with tons of forage. Kept telling him it was primo big bass habitat and I knew there were some big girls lurking in there.

 

Well we got ~1.5 hour window to fish it a bit and about a half hour in I finally hooked into a really nice one on the jerkbait. She stayed down the whole time, never jumped, I thought I might have foul hooked the giant grass carp I've seen cruising around in here but about filled my britches when I finally saw her. She took me a ways down the bank before she tired enough to get her in. A handful of very strong runs, it was an excellent fight despite the lack of jumps.

 

She came in at 8lb 10oz, had to weigh her a couple of times since the scale tipped just over 9lb when I first put her on there, but it settled at 8-10 both times.

 

This fish brings my 2022 best five up to 45lb 6oz. Doubt I'll catch another upgrade before the end of the year but I couldn't be happier with it.

 

Amazing job brother!   What an amazing fish, and trophy!   

 

I've been tracking the big fish in this thread since joining, and this is the new big fish.  I joined in August.     

Been slammed with work, but finally slowing down so I got out for the first time in over a week.....all I know is it was terrible lol.

 

Water temp was almost 61 degrees in some areas lol......such is life in central Alabama.

 

Bite was really slow oddly enough but I got lucky and found a nice little pattern that produced a number of really quality Spots.     Caught 5 Spots, 4 of them were well over 2lbs, and the biggest was in that 3-4lb class......second fish I've caught now with a tag.   First was a 5.8lb LGM at the end of summer.   

 

Fishing dropoffs with a 3/8 Finesse Jig a Strikeking 3x bitsy bug trailer.    Half of them picked it up on the fall.     

35 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Been slammed with work, but finally slowing down so I got out for the first time in over a week.....all I know is it was terrible lol.

 

Water temp was almost 61 degrees in some areas lol......such is life in central Alabama.

 

Bite was really slow oddly enough but I got lucky and found a nice little pattern that produced a number of really quality Spots.     Caught 5 Spots, 4 of them were well over 2lbs, and the biggest was in that 3-4lb class......second fish I've caught now with a tag.   First was a 5.8lb LGM at the end of summer.   

 

Fishing dropoffs with a 3/8 Finesse Jig a Strikeking 3x bitsy bug trailer.    Half of them picked it up on the fall.     

Nice job..?

44 minutes ago, GaryH said:

Nice job..?

Thanks Gary! 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Amazing job brother!   What an amazing fish, and trophy!   

 

I've been tracking the big fish in this thread since joining, and this is the new big fish.  I joined in August.     

 

Thank you! This is my 4th submission this year to FWC's TrophyCatch program.

 

I feel like I'm just a dingus chucking lures into the void, but sometimes the fish cooperate.

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

Alex is back on the water!

 

9 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

I feel like I'm just a dingus chucking lures into the void, but sometimes the fish cooperate.

Any "dingus" can luck into a biggin now and then, but not with the regularity that you catch 'em. You know what your doing, and you're only gonna get better. 

11 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

second fish I've caught now with a tag.

 

Do you know who does the tagging?   I haven't caught a tagged fish but there's signs at the landings on one lake I fish that ask you to photograph, weight and release the fish is possible and call a certain phone number to report it.