9 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Alex, I could tell you the details of every big bass I lost in 2022: the lake, the lure, and the other details of the lost battle. I remember the details of the big ones I landed too, but I think I remember the lost fish even more vividly. Sorry you lost two big ones, buddy! However, I have this to say about the nice ones you boated and your new technique:

 

Borat thanks you ?

 

I won't have a career in comedy like you if this fishing thing doesn't work out lol. 

It’s been way too long since I posted in this thread. Seems like it’s been almost two weeks since I held a smallmouth, completely unacceptable 

 

I was trying to use up the last of a batch of skipjack so I set out some cutbait and stood on the rocks. I always cast around with another rod while catfish/striper fishing with a set rod. I was fishing some swift water thats 20 feet deep. On one of my casts, I saw the line jump while it was sinking, swing and a miss. Maybe it just smacked a random boulder in the current. Cast again and got a bite, swing and a miss. I’ll be darned, there are hungry bass where I’m standing. I ended up landing 4 and losing at least as many. Love that worm bite!!!! It’s amazing what an “ol’ brown fish” can do for ya, even if it’s just a few little ones 

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s been way too long since I posted in this thread. Seems like it’s been almost two weeks since I held a smallmouth, completely unacceptable 

 

I was trying to use up the last of a batch of skipjack so I set out some cutbait and stood on the rocks. I always cast around with another rod while catfish/striper fishing with a set rod. I was fishing some swift water thats 20 feet deep. On one of my casts, I saw the line jump while it was sinking, swing and a miss. Maybe it just smacked a random boulder in the current. Cast again and got a bite, swing and a miss. I’ll be darned, there are hungry bass where I’m standing. I ended up landing 4 and losing at least as many. Love that worm bite!!!! It’s amazing what an “ol’ brown fish” can do for ya, even if it’s just a few little ones 

 

Your fishing spot is on fire!

 

Allen

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s been way too long since I posted in this thread. Seems like it’s been almost two weeks since I held a smallmouth, completely unacceptable 

 

I was trying to use up the last of a batch of skipjack so I set out some cutbait and stood on the rocks. I always cast around with another rod while catfish/striper fishing with a set rod. I was fishing some swift water thats 20 feet deep. On one of my casts, I saw the line jump while it was sinking, swing and a miss. Maybe it just smacked a random boulder in the current. Cast again and got a bite, swing and a miss. I’ll be darned, there are hungry bass where I’m standing. I ended up landing 4 and losing at least as many. Love that worm bite!!!! It’s amazing what an “ol’ brown fish” can do for ya, even if it’s just a few little ones 

Out of emotions, but heck ya buddy!    Last Bass is quite interesting.....as I always say you live in a very unique place for Bass.   It's just a soup of Black Bass DNA.

 

What is that "worm", looks like it would make a fantastic trailer on some things.

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Love that worm bite!!!! It’s amazing what an “ol’ brown fish” can do for ya, even if it’s just a few little ones 

????
 

Completely agree man. Glad it was a good time

10 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Out of emotions, but heck ya buddy!    Last Bass is quite interesting.....as I always say you live in a very unique place for Bass.   It's just a soup of Black Bass DNA.

 

What is that "worm", looks like it would make a fantastic trailer on some things.

BPS stick O, the smaller version 

18 minutes ago, Munkin said:

 

Your fishing spot is on fire!

 

Allen

Now that’s talent!!!

7 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

????
 

Completely agree man. Glad it was a good time

You need to swing by sometime , it’s between MO and NC haha

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

You need to swing by sometime , it’s between MO and NC haha

And I need to get you those spinnerbaits too. Yup. I’m behind on both counts.

 

I will think about what I can do to see ya. Another possibility is if I wind up visiting my buddy about to be stationed at Campbell sometime. I’ll let ya know! 

2 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

And I need to get you those spinnerbaits too. Yup. I’m behind on both counts.

 

I will think about what I can do to see ya. Another possibility is if I wind up visiting my buddy stationed at Campbell sometime. I’ll let ya know! 

Campbell…….. that’s big bass country. My brother in law lives in Clarksville 

 

I haven’t fished out there since I was little but they catch ‘em big. Especially catfish

14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Campbell…….. that’s big bass country. My brother in law lives in Clarksville 

 

I haven’t fished out there since I was little but they catch ‘em big. Especially catfish

I am going to even bigger bass country once done here ?

 

I actually wanted Campbell though

On 12/19/2022 at 10:10 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Caught 12-15 fish, most in the 1-2lb range.   All healthy fish, many with Shad still in their mouths.   Very hard fighting fish, noticeable so.....so much I was mistaking LGMs for Spots.   They both were pulling super hard.   I thought winter made fish fight sluggish.   Water temp is low 50s.

 

Caught half a dozen or so on the MegaBass 110Jr +1 and lost a really nice fish who straightened out the hook and got off....first time that's happened to me.    Also had what I suspect was a huge fish break the line almost instantly upon hookset, I felt the weight of it, and nano seconds later the dreaded "pop" sound.  That one was on 8lb spinning gear.   Upon inspection of the video, turns out the fish hit the bait very close to the boat, and there just wasn't enough line/stretch to account for either a bad knot which I'm normally OCD about, or it blew from shock being Flouro.   Both were big fish, but I never saw them.   I'm running a crank through there tom. with better hooks.....burn and stop might just be the ticket for the toads beneath these sized fish.  

 

The other half dozen + fish came off the Flashback Mini with 3" Armor Shad.    Accidentally discovered a new retrieve that killed it.     Literally fishing a mini Chatterbait like a jerkbait, and they

couldn't stand it.    Easily the greatest finesse Bass lure I've ever found, the retrieves are endless, and there is just something about the light wire hook and penny sized blade.   Thing darts so randomly and realistically I doubt they could have even designed it to do this.   It's caught me hundreds of Bass, and 50-75 big Crappie.  If you got small 2-4" threadfin/gizzards, try it!   They're like $3, and a pack of Armor Shad is $5....that combo will slay fish or your money back lol.  

 

Trying to make the videos a bit more informative rather than just a scrap book for me.   I find it ironic I didn't have it recording for an epic blowup of about a dozen Bass while I'm fighting one, but somehow it captured the two heartbreaks ?

 

 

Thanks for the video! Felt like I was in the boat fishing with you but you caught all the fish! That's OK though because I get just as much pleasure from watching others catch as I do catching my own!

Only had 15 minutes to make it happen today, but I got one. A little better size than yesterday too

 

 

 

 

@Blue Raider Bob

 

I'm with you, BRB. The next best thing to catching bass is seeing my Bass Resource cyber-pals catch bass.

10 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

@Blue Raider Bob

 

I'm with you, BRB. The next best thing to catching bass is seeing my Bass Resource cyber-pals catch bass.

 

My very best year ever was putting a dozen guys on their PB.

That included a 6 1/2 lb smallmouth by my brother!

 

 

 

                       

Thanks Bob, and Katie, makes my day knowing you guys enjoy the videos.    I get excited now knowing I get to share these times with friends who share my same passion for these fish.   I try to tell "normies" about catching a fish, or something that happen.....I see the life drain from their eyes in boredom ?

 

Fished from 12-4p today.    Water temps were 50.5-52.5, outside temp was 48.    Covered a ton of water looking for active fish, saw more bait today than I've seen in a couple of weeks.    Blankets on the sonar of Shad at 10-15ft.     This is where I was able to catch the active fish today. 

 

Caught 8....one of which would have been around the 4lb mark.    A couple Spots over 2lbs, and a couple beautiful 2lb Largies.   Not sure why they were so vivid and full of color today.   The LGMs also jumped like SM today......you couldn't keep them down, so fun to watch even a 2lb Bass make 5 or 6 jumps.    Lastly caught 2 nice Slab sized Crappie.       

 

6 Bass + 2 Crappie came on the magic Flashback Mini/Armor Shad.   1 came on Berkeley Frittside crank, and lastly the best Spot came on the MB 110 Jr +1.    No bueno on finesse jig, A-rig, and BD Shad.      

 

Got big hopes for tomorrow, as I had for today given what's going to happen tomorrow night.   It's gonna go from 58 tom. afternoon to 12 degrees by the next morning.     

Caught a few on a cold day for Florida… They bit Red shad culprits and pumpkin yum dingers .

3 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

Caught a few on a cold day for Florida… They bit Red shad culprits and pumpkin yum dingers .

Love me some dark rich colored Largies, great job Mike.     You and Katie produce some really dark colored ones.   Must be living in what I assume is Eel Grass in the second to last pic.  

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Love me some dark rich colored Largies, great job Mike.     You and Katie produce some really dark colored ones.   Must be living in what I assume is Eel Grass in the second to last pic.  

You guessed it, I believe mike is the master of the eel grass and watermelon super fluke. ( and apparently all manner of other soft plastics )

What a gift you gave and gave and gave, Roadwarrior.

 

Alex, more beautiful fish. You too, Mike!

 

TriRiver, I keep looking at the coloration of that bass you caught. I caught light-colored ones like that on the north shore of Lake Michigan. 

6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

What a gift you gave and gave and gave, Roadwarrior.

 

Alex, more beautiful fish. You too, Mike!

 

TriRiver, I keep looking at the coloration of that bass you caught. I caught light-colored ones like that on the north shore of Lake Michigan. 

That’s pretty cool! I’d like to fish Lake Michigan one day but I’ve always encountered it quite wavy. I tossed a couple casts here and there, caught a goby ……

 

4 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Love me some dark rich colored Largies, great job Mike.     You and Katie produce some really dark colored ones.   Must be living in what I assume is Eel Grass in the second to last pic.  

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

watermelon super fluke.

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

16 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

 Thanks, and you guessed it ! But no fish in this lake is  ever very far from eel grass…

If you think these are dark, you ought to see St Johns river bass. They are much darker than these !

That bite has really been off lately… Seems like they mostly just want culprit worms lately- it’s a throwback to the 80s !

Wait ~ Run that by me again . . . 

A-Jay

Well, that was a hot mess. It was acting like it wasn’t sending, but it was… nobody will forget me today anyway…?

Time for a “ Goodnite Irene “ again …

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

Well, that was a hot mess. It was acting like it wasn’t sending, but it was… nobody will forget me today anyway…?

Time for a “ Goodnite Irene “ again …

I fixed it for you ?

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

Alex, I can't help but notice the mega-mansions where you fish. We have some mansions like those on the coast of Maine. Here in Maine, people don't actually live-live in them. They vacay in them, a few weeks each year. I'm pretty certain that some of the mega-mansions owners in Alabama also own coastal mansions here.

 

And Alex, I also can't help but notice your simple boat. We have that in common. My boat is just a hull with a paddle.

 

I also come from simple roots, born in a trailer, three to a bed, and wearing hand-me-downs. For whatever reason, perhaps my ungilded childhood, I've always been tickled by the plainest pleasures. As a kid, it was poking around creeks. Walking through the woods. Building a tree house with wood pinched from a building site. Digging a tunnel. Riding my old, balloon-tired bike. I was moss that could grow merrily on rock.

 

And then I listen to your voice on your videos, Alex, and I hear your excitement and your gratitude. And I wonder if the folks in those mansions are equally thrilled by life. I hope they are. But since they're not on the water, not under evening's golden light, not feeling the breeze and smelling the winter air, and connecting with wild, beautiful bass, I just don't see how they could be. 

 

I don't understand them. They live on the water, but they don't LIVE ON THE WATER. They confuse me.

 

Noticed them too. Figured Alex was scoping out new places to fish the lake from. ?