2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

NEW PB!  Happy Pre Spawn from muddy, rainy NC!

 

9.1 lber on the 1/4 oz Siebert Outdoors Bluegill Flash swim jig with a 4.5" Yum Scottsboro swimbait trailer.  7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas/daiwa Fuego /20 lb seagaur red label/san Diego Jam knot.

 

She was taken out of 1 FOW in the NW corner of my local pond when drizzle turned to rain.  Released shortly after a little DIY photo shoot and she swam away happy as a clam.

 

The most incredible fight of my life and the peak of my bass fishing adventure so far!

 

 

 

Congrats on an awesome new PB!

4 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

NEW PB!  Happy Pre Spawn from muddy, rainy NC!

 

9.1 lber on the 1/4 oz Siebert Outdoors Bluegill Flash swim jig with a 4.5" Yum Scottsboro swimbait trailer.  7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas/daiwa Fuego /20 lb seagaur red label/san Diego Jam knot.

 

She was taken out of 1 FOW in the NW corner of my local pond when drizzle turned to rain.  Released shortly after a little DIY photo shoot and she swam away happy as a clam.

 

The most incredible fight of my life and the peak of my bass fishing adventure so far!

 

 

Congratulations @Pat Brown on your new PB! Great picture of that big ole girl sporting her early spring muffin top! Continued good fishing 

1 hour ago, J._Bricker said:

early spring muffin top

 

9 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

NEW PB!  Happy Pre Spawn from muddy, rainy NC!

 

9.1 lber on the 1/4 oz Siebert Outdoors Bluegill Flash swim jig with a 4.5" Yum Scottsboro swimbait trailer.  7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas/daiwa Fuego /20 lb seagaur red label/san Diego Jam knot.

 

She was taken out of 1 FOW in the NW corner of my local pond when drizzle turned to rain.  Released shortly after a little DIY photo shoot and she swam away happy as a clam.

 

The most incredible fight of my life and the peak of my bass fishing adventure so far!

 

 

Congrats on the new PB! 9+ pounds! That’s awesome!

@Pat Brown Pat, I'm slowly withering from not fishing. Can you breathe a little life into me by sharing the details of your big bass's fight? How did it hit? Did it jump? A fish that big in a foot of water must have meant a lot thrashin' and flashin'! 

@Pat Brown Hawg! 

Hey

 

Decided to cast out after work and landed my first Mayan cichlid of 2023 lol. Was a decent sized one too. The Mayan cichlids seem pretty scarce right now, but I'm sure by March they will be back in my area 

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

@Pat Brown Pat, I'm slowly withering from not fishing. Can you breathe a little life into me by sharing the details of your big bass's fight? How did it hit? Did it jump? A fish that big in a foot of water must have meant a lot thrashin' and flashin'! 

 

 

*Cracks knuckles*

 

Well, talking about big bass I've caught is practically a professional sport for me (just ask my wife ?) so OF COURSE!!!!

 

Today was fixin to be a day like any other.  I work from home and own a small business and I like to wake up at 5 and hit it before the sun comes up so I can get to work at a reasonable time and still get some fishing in.

 

I've been doing this consistently since the weather got to be about 50° daily around here (maybe 3 weeks?).  For the most part the mornings have been mild and the bites infrequent.

 

This morning, I awoke and made my pot of coffee and sat watching Bill Dance on YouTube or something ritualistic of that sort.  I saw on Facebook a post where Josh Jones was lauding the swim jig as his magical bait this year.

 

I almost chuckled to myself as I super glued my 4.5" Scottsboro minnow to my 1/4 oz Siebert Bluegill Flash swim jig...perhaps this bait was the illusive trick to provoking violent reactions from the giant bass I knew had been carefully evading my crawdad/vertical presentations (black and blue/PB&J brush jigs pitched into cover and around high percentage spots) and my noisier horizontal presentations (chatterbait and cranks).

 

I figured these fish are probably mostly pelagic like tuna or salmon and probably roam the amorphous flat, fairly shallow, cover devoid pond, perpetually corralling mindless schools of shad/crappie all year long and what happens right now!?!?  They gotta take a break from that grind and move up to do there thing....any day now right???

 

Maybe that innocuous/stealthy but BIG presentation that resembles their preferred forage WAS gonna do it?

 

I could feel my confidence building before I even turned my car ignition on the way to the pond.

 

This pond is small and located 7 minutes from my house.  It's public access and has very little for fish to relate to, but a few small fish and bites have told me that they are moving into the NW corner pocket adjacent to the dam in preparation for this seasons coming spawn.

 

My instinct and limited time coupled with knowing I will be attempting fairly slow presentations has me making a bee line for this area today.

 

When I arrive, it's balmy.  The wind is whipping.  Visible chop all over the pond.  The sky is that almost maroon color it gets on nights where it perpetually drizzles and light pollution reflects off the low clouds.

 

I'm tempted to pack it up and head home.  It's noticably getting colder.  Those 50-70 degree temps are obviously giving way to a cold front that seems to be just starting to hit as I arrive.

 

I tell myself those fronts can be big feed windows, especially right before the spawn in the spring and I force myself to walk in the cold drizzle down to the dam.

 

I make my first cast across the dam.  The same place I pulled a 6 lber out 2 weeks ago on a bulky flipping jig and chunk.  Nothing.  I move my cast 3-4 feet out from shore and make another parallel toss and slowly Retrieve my swim jig.  Trying to get the wedge tail on the Scottsboro minnow to undulate seductively.  Again nothing.  

 

This time, I place my cast maybe 20 ft out from the dam and let the jig sink the 4-5 feet to the bottom and slowly begin to retrieve it across a deeper expanse.  I feel my jig get thumped hard about half way back to the shore.  This bite tells me a lot.

 

I'm confident now that they're feeding.  I'm confident now that I have selected the right bait.  I'm confident that my presentation is working. 

 

Armed with this confidence I fire a few more casts across the channel in front of the dam and get not a nibble or a whif of a fish.

 

At this point.  The drizzle turns into rain.

 

I haven't been there but 30 minutes...

 

I consider heading to the boathouse and seeing if there is a bite over there but I tell myself that they are IN this NW corner.  I KNOW it from bites and smaller fish caught the past couple days leading up to this front.

 

I traverse the outflow creek and make my way into the shady dark NW pocket just beyond where I was casting previously.  Just out of the current and tucked away where I know soon they should be spawning.

 

I think to myself that rain means they will move up shallow to avoid the muddy blow out, especially relatively warm rain (50 something degree light rain).  

 

With that in mind I decide to line my first cast up with a large oak tree dead center at the back of the pocket and then bring my jig back slow parallel to the 5 ft of horizontal dead vegetation stems along the right side of the dam/outflow.

 

I make my first cast and the rain is really picking up.  I can't see my bait go in which gives me a confidence boost.  

 

Means the bass can't either right?

 

I slowly begin a steady retrieve with my reel hand only imparting subtle changes in speed and mostly trying to just barely get the swim jig kicking.

 

Almost immidiately, in a foot of water, no more than 2 feet from the bank where I cast I feel her hit.

 

The bite is far from subtle and I know it's a bite immidiately.

 

I drop my rod tip (it's pitch black so this is all done by feel at this point).

 

I reel the slack up, careful to pay close attention to the exact moment I feel her begin to load up.

 

At precisely that moment, I lift my rod and reel vigorously and feel as though I have set the hook on a log.....or perhaps a bag full of wet towels glued to the bottom.

 

My rod tip all but doubled over while I kept my pole as close to vertical as I could.

 

I felt her pulling and it was like fighting a bull red.  Pandemonium and splashing this way and that and my 20 lb fluorocarbon groaning as my drag gave up little bits of line as she surged.

 

I was careful to keep even pressure on her at all times and NOT STOP REELING.

 

I finally see her breech just on the edge of the vegetation line 6 ft from me.  I can't believe my eyes.

 

She's thrashing.  My heart is pounding.

 

I know under that vegetation it's nearly 4 ft deep so there's no walking in at this point.

 

I decide at this exact moment I have to trust my equipment and get her out or she's coming off.  I've lost my fair share of big fish.  I know the drill.  It's go time.

 

I lift and reel and walk backwards and see her lurch forward on top of the slop to about 2 feet from the bank and I reach out and grab her giant lower lip.

 

I immidiately see her distended belly and feel her mass and then the fact that I couldn't get her airborn all dawn on me at once in an adrenaline soaked moment of relief and victory.

 

This is a VERY BIG fish I hold in my hands at the end of my line.

 

I stumble over to a bench in the now pouring rain absolutely shaking with adrenaline and excitement.  She's being very patient and cooperative.  Almost like she's done it before and knows I have her best interests in mind.

 

I quickly snap a couple pictures.  Say a few words to the creator of the universe and the bass I'm holding in my hands and walk her down to the water. 

 

I feel her bite down on my hand as I revive her in that cold muddy February pond water...as if to assure me that she's ready and that she's going to be okay and then with grace and power I've never seen before she lunges away.  I can see the power of her tail in the wake she leaves behind and she swims back down.

 

To say it was a profound experience doesn't really do it justice!

 

 

Your story did her justice. 

 

Feels like it’s been a while since we got a report from @AlabamaSpothunter. I wonder if he finally got his DD and needs some time process haha

2 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

Feels like it’s been a while since we got a report from @AlabamaSpothunter. I wonder if he finally got his DD and needs some time process haha

 

I miss Alex's posts.

 

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I miss Alex's posts.

 

That guy was on fire here for a while. Maybe he finally had to go to work, seemed like all he did was fish ( not that I don’t want to do the same).

2 hours ago, Way north bass guy said:

That guy was on fire here for a while. Maybe he finally had to go to work, seemed like all he did was fish ( not that I don’t want to do the same).

 

He's a heckuva fisherman and a heckuva nice guy. 

 

 

^Sorry 'bout the cussin'.^

40 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

He's a heckuva fisherman and a heckuva nice guy. 

 

 

^Sorry 'bout the cussin'.^

I got the impression he fished the after work til dark shift, love that time of day 

 

he also goes well after dark in summer 

First fish of the year for me, hybrid hunter jr shallow, color is bully. Tried my normal pond still a little ice on the bank that I wanted to target. No takers there on a 110 jr or the hunter, figured that I might as well fish the deep bank of the river on the way back to the car, successful caught a fish. Although it was a pike and not a bass, I will take it to keep the skunk away. It’s been cold here the past few days, I saw that it was going to be 40 degrees and had to go.

My first largemouth of the year.  I caught her fishing a Texas rig in some dead lily pads.  I never felt a bite, the rod just loaded up with weight.  I pulled back on the rod thinking I was pulling the bait free and that's when I knew it was a fish. 

@Bankbeater What a first fish!

 

 

Super nice Hawg @Pat Brown  Nice first bass too @Bankbeater

 

I went today after yesterdays rain.  I managed to get 7 in the boat.  No big ones.  6 spots between 14 and 17 inches and a 12 inch LM.   It was windy and mostly muddy.  People were fishing up creeks and secondary points, but the ones I talked to didn't catch any.  I caught all 7 on or near primary points.  I think it's still too early for the secondary points, and up the creeks.  I should be able to make it out tomorrow too.  In that past I've normally caught more on Saturdays than Sundays.  I've also fished "up the river" on Saturdays, and down on Sundays.  I fished the lower 1/3 of the lake today.  I'll try the upper part tomorrow.  

 

 

Added: I've notices @AlabamaSpothunter's absence.  I hope everything is OK with him.   

 

 

Caught a beautiful snag yesterday at the pond. No pics as I left my phone in the cart while I paddled out to ‘collect’ my bigun. I dropped a hook retriever down the line and hauled my catch to the surface with sheer glee in my eyes. ? Beautiful specimen of a lipless crank bait! I was so proud that I immediately casted the little devil out to see what other snags awaited me. ?

 

Instead I caught a LM about 15 inches long. I glanced at my phone over in yon fishing cart and sighed. No pixel-proof and more snags awaited me so I returned my unexpected gift to the watery depths and began my snag hunt anew. ?

@Scott W Ha! This morning, I considered adding a pond called Snag Pond to my list of ponds to fish this summer. Snag Pond's other name is Stump Pond. No lie. 

On 2/17/2023 at 8:01 AM, Pat Brown said:

NEW PB!  Happy Pre Spawn from muddy, rainy NC!

 

9.1 lber on the 1/4 oz Siebert Outdoors Bluegill Flash swim jig with a 4.5" Yum Scottsboro swimbait trailer.  7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas/daiwa Fuego /20 lb seagaur red label/san Diego Jam knot.

 

She was taken out of 1 FOW in the NW corner of my local pond when drizzle turned to rain.  Released shortly after a little DIY photo shoot and she swam away happy as a clam.

 

The most incredible fight of my life and the peak of my bass fishing adventure so far!

 

 

nice fish !

Winds 16-24 out of the SW gusting 33-37 mph, so you take whatever the lake will give you on these kind of days. That’s the price we pay for highs in the upper 50s in Feb. - not complaining. Took 14 bass, all on jerkbaits. Supposed to be a little lighter winds tomorrow. We’ll see.

 

 

 

 

On 2/17/2023 at 7:01 AM, Pat Brown said:

NEW PB!  Happy Pre Spawn from muddy, rainy NC!

 

9.1 lber on the 1/4 oz Siebert Outdoors Bluegill Flash swim jig with a 4.5" Yum Scottsboro swimbait trailer.  7'6 medium heavy moderate veritas/daiwa Fuego /20 lb seagaur red label/san Diego Jam knot.

 

She was taken out of 1 FOW in the NW corner of my local pond when drizzle turned to rain.  Released shortly after a little DIY photo shoot and she swam away happy as a clam.

 

The most incredible fight of my life and the peak of my bass fishing adventure so far!

 

 

Wow Pat, that's a fish of a lifetime, but what makes that fish so special in my book is that it came from your pond!    

 

Huge congratulations! 

 

I've got some catching up to do, but this was the first thread I clicked after taking a break, and then I see this monster ?

7 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Wow Pat, that's a fish of a lifetime, but what makes that fish so special in my book is that it came from your pond!    

 

Huge congratulations! 

 

I've got some catching up to do, but this was the first thread I clicked after taking a break, and then I see this monster ?

 

 

If someone told me I'd be catching a 9 lb bass at 6:30 am in the rain in February on a jig from the bank in a foot of water from the local pressured public pond where experienced people struggle to catch any fish at all even with live bait and senkos, I'd say 'you just get right on out of town!!!'. ?

 

I'm BESIDE myself!  Grateful beyond words for that beautiful bass.  Thanks for the kind words and can't wait to see what we all catch this year. ?

Much like Pat I caught the definition of a big pre spawn female earlier.   One of those fish you know is at the height of her power, a pinnacle of health, and a true apex predating Largemouth.   Clearly full of eggs and heft for the soon to be Spawn.

 

Mine was bouncing around from 8.15-9.5 and locked twice briefly on 9.1, so that's what I'm calling her.  I was shaking like a leaf at that point as usual lol.   There was brief moment that I thought I accomplished a lifelong dream.    At the end of the brief video, I'm glad I forgot to end it as it captured perfectly the indescribable flood of emotions and adrenaline that overtake you and make you clutch for your knees once you see her swim away.   Most here I'm sure will know this feeling, Pat felt it for sure.  

 

Terrible day with chocolate milk colored water, caught 6 small fish from about 10-1pm........drove back to the dock, pondered quitting, took a 30min break and then went back out.    30mins from coming back out, I caught her.    

 

She moved up shallow from nearby deep water into about 8-10fow on a pinch point, and was holding on a fantastic piece of cover.    I ran a naked Chatterbait with a 3.5" Live Magic Shad right into the cover, it deflected, and wham she smoked it.      

 

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

If someone told me I'd be catching a 9 lb bass at 6:30 am in the rain in February on a jig from the bank in a foot of water from the local pressured public pond where experienced people struggle to catch any fish at all even with live bait and senkos, I'd say 'you just get right on out of town!!!'. ?

 

I'm BESIDE myself!  Grateful beyond words for that beautiful bass.  Thanks for the kind words and can't wait to see what we all catch this year. ?

You deserve it friend, love to see somebody catch such a magnificent fish that truly appreciates her.