Had to hunt them today. 

 

3 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Had to hunt them today. 

Last one is super cool!  Has a whole patch that isn't spotted up.  

 

The headwear in this thread continues to impress the Paris runways ?

First few hours I caught 8 + 2 Crappie, then a really nice gentlemen who has my dream small lake boat but hasn't had time to fish the lake extensively asked me if I wanted to front seat his rig and bring him up to speed on the lake.   

 

I'm jumped at the chance to get a fishing buddy, and parked my boat and only took two rods no tackle.......A Jackhammer, and a big swimbait as I only wanted to make limited cast, mainly focusing on just fishing together for the first time, laying out what I'd figured out these last 6months, and running a true Bass type boat from the front with a foot control in a long time. 

 

After switching boats and running my mouth for about 3hrs I managed to catch 2 more fish, however one was a fantastic 5.3 fully spawned out so she had that 6-7lb look to her.    Obviously, I was thrilled, but my new fishing buddy got to net it/weigh it, and he was thrilled after not fishing since early in the Fall.  He managed to get on the scoreboard as well with a fish on a shakeyhead.    

 

*** In Alabama we don't have prescription sunglasses ?

 

 

So on yesterday's report I mentioned I graphed more than usual, and it paid off by finding loads of fish on the sonar for the first time since the fish scattered and really started spawning.  

 

Took the night to ponder how I might get them to bite and decided instead of running a DD in the ground, I'd find a bait to run right in that 3-3.5m range right above their heads.  

 

Decided to try a Frittside 9 in Kentucky Blue on these fish first, and as a backup a TN70 lipless in Threadfin Shad.   

 

Caught 5 quick fish on the Frittside 9, but they were all 1-2lb fish....and then my new fishing buddy got my attention.   Hopefully I can grow on this.   It's amazing how much you can learn on youtube.    I thought I was learning lots from Tactical Bassin, but Ben Milliken's stuff is really helping me out.     The way he breaks the lake down, then shows the fish on sonar, then scopes the fish while presenting baits.   

 

Here's the described fish at one of their spawn staging points on a channel ledge flat.    This is elementary stuff for most of you I'm sure, but putting together what you learn from somebody on youtube, and then apply it with your electronics and then confirm it with catches makes me feel like I'm a little less lost out there.  

Last note for the day, I fished the Berkeley Slobberknocker in 3/8 Green Pumpkin Shad with the Berkeley 4.5" Tenn Shad Power Stinger trailer for a week+, caught one fish, lost a toad on it.     

 

Within 20-30casts of breaking out a brand new Jackhammer in 3/8 Bhite Delite with a Missile Green Pumpkin Delite 5.5" Spunk Shad trailer, I had that 5.3 fish, and then went on to catch another fish on it.     I doubt I can fish the Berkeley bladed jig stuff when I know what every form of name brand Chatterbaits catch.    Beautiful stuff, but the thump, and start up just suck in comparison.  

 

 

 

LOL! I’d settle for fishing from the bank at your lake! ?

12 minutes ago, ScottW said:

LOL! I’d settle for fishing from the bank at your lake! ?

Man if I had the boat I was fishing out of today brother we'd already have gone.   It's a full sized Bass boat hull at 18' and 90" beam, but has been flat topped over with fiberglass and then has a cool non slip bed liner deal.   Couple of compartments and two seat posts.    My friend must have had a dozen+ combos, and I could have taken half that many easy.   

 

I couldn't dream a more perfect boat for this lake sans having two 12" screens up front, FFS, and maybe Spotlock lol ?

My accommodations for the next two nights. With any luck I’ll have some fish pics tomorrow and Sunday. 

9 minutes ago, Cbump said:

My accommodations for the next two nights. With any luck I’ll have some fish pics tomorrow and Sunday. 

That’s my style as well. It’s always good when the rain fly comes close to the ground. 
 

Bassmaster classic 2022 lake hartwell haha

Heck yeah. I wish we had done that for the classic here in Texas. 

1 minute ago, Cbump said:

Heck yeah. I wish we had done that for the classic here in Texas. 

This year I can stay at home, takeoff is about 2 miles from the front door 

30 minutes ago, Cbump said:

My accommodations for the next two nights. With any luck I’ll have some fish pics tomorrow and Sunday. 

 

That looks like home to me. I love sleeping in a tent. Are you shore fishing?

17 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

This year I can stay at home, takeoff is about 2 miles from the front door 

Luckeeeee ?

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

 

That looks like home to me. I love sleeping in a tent. Are you shore fishing?

No I’ve got the boat. Fishing a two day tournament. 

Fingers crossed for you, Cbump!

Nothing big (13” biggest fish) but three bass from a public pond in 40-something degree water in March isn’t the worst way to spend two hours. Especially since they were on a medium light powered bfs-like rig. On the board for 2023.

 

Just now, casts_by_fly said:

Nothing big but three bass from a public pond in 40-something degree water in March isn’t the worst way to spend two hours. Especially since they were on a medium light powered bfs-like rig. On the board for 2023.

 

Pretty little guy that's for sure!

2 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Pretty little guy that's for sure!

yep. Fin perfect and really dark. Absolutely smashed a black Ned. 

 

I thwarted a chunky bass with a shaky head and a Berkley Morning Dawn Bottom Hopper during a front yesterday and I was especially proud of myself for this achievement!

 

I cast at the copper drain thing at my local pond and she hit real hard on the fall and it was a nice fight.

 

Going out on the boat today for some post frontal pre-spawn bass fishing. Maybe get a good one?

20 degrees out today with 20 mph winds with gusts up to 35mph. Definitely colder than normal. Guys at the local store thought that I was crazy for going fishing in the snowy cold. Fished maybe 20 minutes and got this one coming across a shallow flat with some a lay down or 2.  I built my tackle for the day at the local tackle shop based off the conditions. 2 blade baits a flat side crank, spinner bait, res 2 tap 1/2 oz in gold black back. I only needed the lipless, gets really cold with no gloves. I am happy caught a spunky chunky little fish in not much time, I think I did okay for the conditions in Michigan this time of year.

54 minutes ago, Jmurphy87 said:

20 degrees out today with 20 mph winds with gusts up to 35mph.

Hardcore, man!

2 hours ago, Jmurphy87 said:

20 degrees out today with 20 mph winds with gusts up to 35mph. Definitely colder than normal. Guys at the local store thought that I was crazy for going fishing in the snowy cold. Fished maybe 20 minutes and got this one coming across a shallow flat with some a lay down or 2.  I built my tackle for the day at the local tackle shop based off the conditions. 2 blade baits a flat side crank, spinner bait, res 2 tap 1/2 oz in gold black back. I only needed the lipless, gets really cold with no gloves. I am happy caught a spunky chunky little fish in not much time, I think I did okay for the conditions in Michigan this time of year.

Awesome, and amazing we both live in the USA.....easy to forget how massive this country is.    The common denominator is that special green fish, its ability to survive and most times thrive throughout America is incredible.   

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

 

I thwarted a chunky bass with a shaky head and a Berkley Morning Dawn Bottom Hopper during a front yesterday and I was especially proud of myself for this achievement!

 

I cast at the copper drain thing at my local pond and she hit real hard on the fall and it was a nice fight.

 

Going out on the boat today for some post frontal pre-spawn bass fishing. Maybe get a good one?

Nice one Pat!   I like the weird filter thing your phone does on pics.  Blurs the borders, and focuses the center.  

@Jmurphy87, given the conditions, you could call that a 10-pounder and none of us would disagree. 

I didn't have a good day today but it's kinda comical though.   I'm on vacation next week.  I almost didn't go today.  There was a fairy big tournament today.   I considered going to another lake, but didn't.   So,  I get to the landing, get out of my truck, put my coat on and think "boy something smells bad".  I figured someone bank fishing had left a bucket of shrimp or something sitting around.   I'm all alone except for a guy launching a kayak.   When I won't be in anyones way I just tie my boat to the dock with a long rope, back the trailer in and "send it".  I did.........it ripped the cleat off the dock.  (dock is half rotten).   Luckily kayak guy saw it, grabbed the rope and pedaled it to me.  I offered to pay but he wouldn't accept anything.   I drive away from the landing, but he bad smell doesn't go away.  Last Sunday I was fishing in the rain.  I just threw my wet coat into the back of my truck.  The smell was my coat.  I had a lighter coat in my boat, but I was about to freeze with it on, so I put the smelly one back on.  I had bought a couple Berkley Frittside cranks.  Several people told me they were more durable than the DT6's I like.   On my THIRD CAST  the eyelet pulled out.  This caused a BIG backlash.   (I rarely backlash)   The line on that reel was due to be changed so I just put that reel away.  I tied a DT6 on a different reel and heaved it into the wind.   For some reason I had the brakes on zero.  I got a pretty bad backlash on that one but was able to pick it out.  (did I mention that I rarely backlash?  LOL)  A few cast with it, then I tried my new $42 swimbait.  No luck (or backlashes) with it.  It was pretty windy so a lure that runs close to the surface probably wasn't ideal today.   I pick up the combo with a T-rig.   Somehow during my cast I got the line wrapped around the end of the rod.  I spiked the t-rig and...........got a pretty bad backlash.  (did I mention that I rarely backlash?)   I hate getting skunked but figured someone was trying to tell me to go back home.  I decided that I was going to catch one bass, then go home.   An hour later (and no more backlashes) I finally caught one.  I came home, changed line on the reels that needed it and got our camper ready for Monday.  I'm going back tomorrow and expect to have a better day.   The camper is ready for Monday morning.  I'll leave the boat at the campground tomorrow so I won't have to make 2 trips Monday.  When we come home from camping I'll leave the boat again, the go fishing the next day, and bring it home.  The bass I caught was a nice fat 15 inch Largemouth.  I don't think I've ever worked so hard for a single bass.   

9 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I didn't have a good day today but it's kinda comical though.   I'm on vacation next week.  I almost didn't go today.  There was a fairy big tournament today.   I considered going to another lake, but didn't.   So,  I get to the landing, get out of my truck, put my coat on and think "boy something smells bad".  I figured someone bank fishing had left a bucket of shrimp or something sitting around.   I'm all alone except for a guy launching a kayak.   When I won't be in anyones way I just tie my boat to the dock with a long rope, back the trailer in and "send it".  I did.........it ripped the cleat off the dock.  (dock is half rotten).   Luckily kayak guy saw it, grabbed the rope and pedaled it to me.  I offered to pay but he wouldn't accept anything.   I drive away from the landing, but he bad smell doesn't go away.  Last Sunday I was fishing in the rain.  I just threw my wet coat into the back of my truck.  The smell was my coat.  I had a lighter coat in my boat, but I was about to freeze with it on, so I put the smelly one back on.  I had bought a couple Berkley Frittside cranks.  Several people told me they were more durable than the DT6's I like.   On my THIRD CAST  the eyelet pulled out.  This caused a BIG backlash.   (I rarely backlash)   The line on that reel was due to be changed so I just put that reel away.  I tied a DT6 on a different reel and heaved it into the wind.   For some reason I had the brakes on zero.  I got a pretty bad backlash on that one but was able to pick it out.  (did I mention that I rarely backlash?  LOL)  A few cast with it, then I tried my new $42 swimbait.  No luck (or backlashes) with it.  It was pretty windy so a lure that runs close to the surface probably wasn't ideal today.   I pick up the combo with a T-rig.   Somehow during my cast I got the line wrapped around the end of the rod.  I spiked the t-rig and...........got a pretty bad backlash.  (did I mention that I rarely backlash?)   I hate getting skunked but figured someone was trying to tell me to go back home.  I decided that I was going to catch one bass, then go home.   An hour later (and no more backlashes) I finally caught one.  I came home, changed line on the reels that needed it and got our camper ready for Monday.  I'm going back tomorrow and expect to have a better day.   The camper is ready for Monday morning.  I'll leave the boat at the campground tomorrow so I won't have to make 2 trips Monday.  When we come home from camping I'll leave the boat again, the go fishing the next day, and bring it home.  The bass I caught was a nice fat 15 inch Largemouth.  I don't think I've ever worked so hard for a single bass.   

Way to stick it out! I’ve worked harder for zero bass unfortunately haha. In fact I pretty much did today 

Tough day out there but I’m in the lead by 2oz. Supposed to be a little warmer tomorrow. Hope for a better bite. 
Hard to get good pictures as this is a catch weigh release tournament and I was by myself (just buddies from work so we trust each other). Here’s the two highlights. 
4lb 7oz big fish for the day and a smallmouth. 

 

 

Tourney started at 8am and I caught that big one at 807. Lol

Atta boy, Cbump!

 

Woody, you are funny! So funny (Did I already mention that you're funny?)!