16 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Wonder how much the heavy winds for 48hrs has to do with besides rain alone.   Seems to me that it might take longer for it to "settle" with such heavy surface commotion from the winds.  

I’m sure it has some impact on the sediment. We have several natural drainage paths from the top of the mountain behind the house that feeds the pond from different directions. I’ve seen fish hit the surface in front of most all of them eating baitfish that were there for insects, grubs, etc. Kind of a smorgasbord for the bass.

59 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

  I want FFS so badly lol

Me too. I was planning on picking up a Garmin soon, but the transmission started slipping in my old Tundra today so...... 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 I want to pull my hair out fishing in the wind, I hate it with every fiber in my body

 

I've paddled, backpacked, and cycled thousands of miles and I heartily agree. The wind has been my lifelong enemy. I've had it knock me down atop a mountain and rip my paddle out of my hand. However, I once had a tailwind while biking and it blew me about 20 mph without my pedaling. That was fun, but that night I paid for the pleasure when it flattened my tent. 

 

Anyway, nice, fat bass by Alex and Scott!

16 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Me too. I was planning on picking up a Garmin soon, but the transmission started slipping in my old Tundra today so...... 

I'm so sick and tired of life getting in the way of fishing ?

 

You'd kill it with FFS, but you likely wouldn't catch bigger Muskies ?

5 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I've paddled, backpacked, and cycled thousands of miles and I heartily agree. The wind has been my lifelong enemy. I've had it knock me down atop a mountain and rip my paddle out of my hand. However, I once had a tailwind while biking and it blew me about 20 mph without my pedaling. That was fun, but that night I paid for the pleasure when it flattened my tent. 

 

Anyway, nice, fat bass by Alex and Scott!

Thanks Katie!

 

I think about you when it blows like this and I'm crying out there with a TM ?

 

 

 

 

14 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'm so sick and tired of life getting in the way of fishing ?

 

Ain't that the truth.

14 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You'd kill it with FFS, but you likely wouldn't catch bigger Muskies ?

It would probably get me a few more, but I'm happy with my success last fall. My guide friend averaged four per day through that bonanza with FFS. I wasn't far behind with 24 in 7 trips without it. 

We took different aproaches and fished to our stengths. He and his clients mostly fished offshore, targeting fish feeding in the big shad schools, and caught a bunch that he located and targeted with FFS.

I mostly fished structure from the shoreline out to the first break in main lake basins. 

 

8 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

...but I'm happy with my success last fall.\

Yeah, I think you have it going on!

                

 

                                              

well i finally got a fish over 10" 
you can't see it but I have two Vision 110 barbs in the hand + glove that is holding up the bass. best pic I could manage given the circumstances.
second fish of the year in only 22 outings ??☠️☠️
things can only improve

Sorry to read you got stuck, @thediscochef. That happened to me twice this year. The first time, I poked the hook all the way through to flatten the barb with pliers. The second time, I had hook cutters with me. 

 

Anyway, 2 fish in 22 outings tells me that if I ever go to war, I hope you have my six. You're a never-quit Honey Badger.

 

50 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Sorry to read you got stuck, @thediscochef. That happened to me twice this year. The first time, I poked the hook all the way through to flatten the barb with pliers. The second time, I had hook cutters with me. 

 

Anyway, 2 fish in 22 outings tells me that if I ever go to war, I hope you have my six. You're a never-quit Honey Badger.

 

That honey badger video on youtube is so funny, can't post here but if you want a laugh it's there.

 

I'd agree wholeheartedly, I'm equally impressed by the angler who gets up and keeps going after 2 fish in 22 outings, as I am the person who's catching 200 fish in 22 outings.

 

You can't control the fish, but you can control your attitude and motivation which is incredibly hard when the bite it tough.  

On 1/25/2023 at 7:36 PM, Eric 26 said:

@AlabamaSpothunter I’m with @ol'crickety & @Blue Raider Bob on this one, seeing all the dang fish you’re catching on the mini chatter bait has me setting my sites on getting ahold of quite a few of those along with several bags of trailers for my favorite retention pond come this spring. All I can say is thank goodness I’m smart enough to know I can’t afford a Daiwa Zillion as there are enough of you guys talking those up as well. 

My friend just found a basically new zillion on eBay listed for $16”. Offered $120 and the seller took it!

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That honey badger video on youtube is so funny, can't post here but if you want a laugh it's there.

 

I'd agree wholeheartedly, I'm equally impressed by the angler who gets up and keeps going after 2 fish in 22 outings, as I am the person who's catching 200 fish in 22 outings.

 

You can't control the fish, but you can control your attitude and motivation which is incredibly hard when the bite it tough.  

I honestly had to step away for a week and get my head together. I've fished probably 5 different water bodies in those 22 trips. Things are just extra slow unless you can get off the bank and into a boat, which just hasn't been in the cards. Usually I do better (as yall have seen) but with bass being mainly in 20-30+ft of water and moving SLOW, it's hard to work a lure from shore in a way that makes sense to those fish. I have exactly one local spot where I can do that in those depths, and that's where the two have been caught this year. 

Lunch break 

3: another little dude

15 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

3: another little dude

That’s bigger than little. Smedium

27 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

3: another little dude

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother!

 

Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr.      

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Lunch break 

Literally lunch................break, I bet you ate them like sushi ?

2 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother!

 

Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr.      

Literally lunch................break, I bet you ate them like sushi ?

I even tried to give the crappie to the guy fishing next to me , he declined 

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother!

 

Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr.      

ha that's been the mantra "it's not me, it's the weather" and it's true. can't control the water. that one at least looks like it's been eating, which is nice. Had some skinny fish up in that spot for a bit. 

Your arrogant narrator 4-5 days ago: 

 

"I'm finally tapping into the secret truth of the Bass fishing universe"

 

"She's coming any cast, what are you going to do when you catch her"

 

Two days of brutal wind and deep fish, your now humbled narrator:

 

"what the heck am I'm wasting so much time and effort for, you suck"

 

"Just don't lose a bait at this point and go home"

 

"my hands are freezing, what am I doing out here"

 

There will never be anything as rewarding and as equally frustrating as Bass fishing.   It's an exercise in sheer madness, it's a disease, it's a drug, it's a complete journey through one own's ego.  

 

5 hours being blown around like a top for 4 fish in the 40s.    Back to back days where the fish beat me down.  Thankfully the Flashback Mini fooled three, and a runt hit the A-rig.    They might just win for a third day in a row, I'll have to find out though lol ?

 

I'm blessed to have caught 4 or 1 fish in all reality, I'm blessed to be fishing, that's all that matter.  We're all so blessed to catch these amazing creatures that have colors Crayola couldn't dream of.

 

Got out for a couple hours yesterday morning and a couple more hours this afternoon. Caught 4 each session. Nothing huge just  some nice chunks.  1st 2 pics from yest.  2nd 2 pics from today 

Good day there

Couple Spots from yesterday 

22 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Couple Spots from yesterday 

Purple worm sighting…….

 

nice ones! 

I called my "guru" last night.  (A kid I taught to fish 40 years ago,  and put on a 8 pound smallie)   He's a heckuva bass fisherman.   I told him I was struggling in cold, muddy water.  He asked "where are the bass in the Summer when it's muddy?"   I said, "shallow, very close to cover"   He asked "how do you catch them".  I said "put something flashy right in front of their nose, for a reaction strike".   He said "Bass don't have a thermometer."  

 

It rained buckets Thursday.  The lake is really muddy again, with lots of stuff floating.   I caught 7 today in 4 hours.  Water temp was 49 to 51.   Some were right up on rocky banks, the others were at shallow stumps.   The same places I catch summer time muddy water bass.  I caught 3 on a Red Eyed Shad (lipless) and 4 on a black and red spinner bait.  Biggest (pictured) was a 3.21 pound 18 1/2 inch Largemouth.  4 spots and 3 largemouth.   

 

I'm pleased with my last 2 outings, but I'm still ready for warmer, clearer water.   I'm going tomorrow but not sure where yet.  

 

Nice fish and great story, Woody. Your pupil has become your teacher.

 

19 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'm blessed to be fishing, that's all that matter.  We're all so blessed to catch these amazing creatures that have colors Crayola couldn't dream of.

 

Good writin', Pard!

6 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Couple Spots from yesterday 

Beautiful, those are some high quality Spots.  

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

I called my "guru" last night.  (A kid I taught to fish 40 years ago,  and put on a 8 pound smallie)   He's a heckuva bass fisherman.   I told him I was struggling in cold, muddy water.  He asked "where are the bass in the Summer when it's muddy?"   I said, "shallow, very close to cover"   He asked "how do you catch them".  I said "put something flashy right in front of their nose, for a reaction strike".   He said "Bass don't have a thermometer."  

 

It rained buckets Thursday.  The lake is really muddy again, with lots of stuff floating.   I caught 7 today in 4 hours.  Water temp was 49 to 51.   Some were right up on rocky banks, the others were at shallow stumps.   The same places I catch summer time muddy water bass.  I caught 3 on a Red Eyed Shad (lipless) and 4 on a black and red spinner bait.  Biggest (pictured) was a 3.21 pound 18 1/2 inch Largemouth.  4 spots and 3 largemouth.   

 

I'm pleased with my last 2 outings, but I'm still ready for warmer, clearer water.   I'm going tomorrow but not sure where yet.  

 

Your sig line is quite appropriate, great story and great day!   

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Nice fish and great story, Woody. Your pupil has become your teacher.

 

 

Good writin', Pard!

Now my head is HUGE......getting a writing compliment from a savant writer ☺️