21 minutes ago, Bankbeater said:

This morning I made the drive to the same lake I fished last week.  Bass are still going after spinnerbaits and they're still in the eel grass.

Nice fat toad, I'm finally starting to throw spinner widgets after my winter A-Rigging.  

I really wanted to play with a few of my new shallow cranks today, but the bass didn't. Spinner baits were kaput too. Lost a solid heartbreaker on the TRD BugZ, but got a small on it as a consolation prize before an insane thunderstorm chased me out. The good news is that pads have finally broken the surface in a few patches, so it's game on now!

51 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I really wanted to play with a few of my new shallow cranks today, but the bass didn't. Spinner baits were kaput too. Lost a solid heartbreaker on the TRD BugZ, but got a small on it as a consolation prize before an insane thunderstorm chased me out. The good news is that pads have finally broken the surface in a few patches, so it's game on now!

 

 

Nice healthy fish, sorry about the lost one.   

55 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I really wanted to play with a few of my new shallow cranks today, but the bass didn't. Spinner baits were kaput too. Lost a solid heartbreaker on the TRD BugZ, but got a small on it as a consolation prize before an insane thunderstorm chased me out. The good news is that pads have finally broken the surface in a few patches, so it's game on now!

 

 

what did you catch it on?

 

18 minutes ago, TN bassmaster said:

what did you catch it on?

TRD BugZ

 

P.S. It's Sprayed Grass, not Black/Blue

 

 

@PhishLI, how big was the one you lost? And I can't believe you have a few pads already. You are so far in front of us. 

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

@PhishLI, how big was the one you lost?

Not huge. Easy 5+ though, which would've made me happy enough right now in 44* water. Big head. Big body. Big shake. Oh well.

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

I can't believe you have a few pads already. You are so far in front of us. 

Woke up to 31* degrees and ripping winds all day on Thursday, which always drags the temps back down, but the pads, while a bit later than usual, don't care. There were none showing on Wednesday when I drove by, but just like that...

 

The spawning flats have pad sprouts on the bottom everywhere like little cabbages. Bumping squarebills off of them can be the ticket with a little ripple on the water. There was a troop of cormorants working the zone, and huge ospreys hunted overhead suspended by strong southern winds. All the tells that things are going to get hot any minute now.

6 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Easy 5+ though, which would've made me happy enough right now in 44* water. Big head. Big body. Big shake.

 

Dang it! I can tell you the circumstances of EVERY big fish I lost in 2022. I could also show you where I lost them.

 

6 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

The spawning flats have pad sprouts on the bottom everywhere like little cabbages.

 

Man, you're a good writer.

 

7 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

There was a troop or cormorants working the zone, and huge ospreys hunted overhead suspended by strong southern winds.

 

When I fished muskies, one of the things that I loved about it was the other musky fishers. It's hard to catch a musky unless your name is @T-Billy, so you have to be ultra-observant to increase the odds, which musky fishers are. Then, to be of service to your musky fishing buds, you have to convey what you saw, which they do and they do it with elan, like you do, PhishLI. 

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

It's hard to catch a musky unless your name is @T-Billy,

It's been tough for him lately too. Hoping to change that tomorrow.

40 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

It's been tough for him lately too. Hoping to change that tomorrow.

 

 

I'm thinking of going fishing. I know a few, small, shallow ponds that have thawed. I don't even know if they hold bass. The water is still in the thirties, if they do. Still, it would be good to simply cast from the shore. My fishing report might be about me smelling like this guy:

 

32 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

 

I'm thinking of going fishing. I know a few, small, shallow ponds that have thawed. I don't even know if they hold bass. The water is still in the thirties, if they do. Still, it would be good to simply cast from the shore. My fishing report might be about me smelling like this guy:

 

You’ll never know until you try? and no shame in getting skunked in my opinion. 

I caught more today that yesterday but I fished quite a bit longer.  I caught 12.  10 spots and 2 LM.  I also caught a white perch and a flathead cat.  The biggest bass was 4 poundish.  I didn't weigh, measure or picture it.  I got a treble in my hand lipping it.   I ended up holding it with one hand, while the treble was in the other.   I worked the hook loose from the bass quicker than I got it worked loose from me.  I just put in back in the water, then released myself.   It wasn't a big deal.  Hook was buried halfway over the barb.  I was working to keep it from getting all the way.   The other largemouth looked almost like a spot I caught yesterday.  It had a bigger mouth, not tooth patch on it's tongue and a LM dorsal, instead of a spot dorsal.   I didn't measure or weight the cat.  I'd guess 3 pounds or so.  I figure I don't need to weigh a fish I can boat flip.   The white perch was the biggest one I've ever caught.   It was 12 1/2 inches long.  I didn't weigh it.  State record is 2 lbs 5 oz.  It didn't feel that heavy.   Most of the bass, as well as the cat and perch came on a OG4.   A couple were on a shakey head.   I kept getting the tail yanked off the worm.   They were tearing up a bladed jig yesterday.  I couldn't get any interest in one today.  It's funny how things change.  

 

 

Edit:  Just to correct myself most of the bass, the cat and the perch came on a bandit 200.  One bass came on a OG4.  

New PB! Decided to try a lake I've only been to once today.  Got up early and was on the water by about 730. Mini chatterbait pulled in a 7lb 01oz and a swim jig (which I never fish)  pulled in a 4lb and 3lb 6oz and a cat fish. 7lb 1oz is my new PB and I can say I can see the addiction to hunting for big bass. Need a DD now. For about 3/4 of the fish she did nothing but strip drag that was set at 3lb like it was nothing. 

 

7lber

 

4lber

 

 

1 hour ago, Functional said:

New PB! Decided to try a lake I've only been to once today.  Got up early and was on the water by about 730. Mini chatterbait pulled in a 7lb 01oz and a swim jig (which I never fish)  pulled in a 4lb and 3lb 6oz and a cat fish. 7lb 1oz is my new PB and I can say I can see the addiction to hunting for big bass. Need a DD now. For about 3/4 of the fish she did nothing but strip drag that was set at 3lb like it was nothing. 

 

7lber

 

4lber

 

 

Congrats on your PB….?

1 hour ago, Functional said:

New PB! Decided to try a lake I've only been to once today.  Got up early and was on the water by about 730. Mini chatterbait pulled in a 7lb 01oz and a swim jig (which I never fish)  pulled in a 4lb and 3lb 6oz and a cat fish. 7lb 1oz is my new PB and I can say I can see the addiction to hunting for big bass. Need a DD now. For about 3/4 of the fish she did nothing but strip drag that was set at 3lb like it was nothing. 

 

7lber

 

4lber

 

 

Nice!!! Congratulations!!!

@GaryH @T-Billy thank you both!  

There was a thread months ago talking about future goals in fishing, and I said I'm going to really dedicate a huge portion of my summer to throwing buzzbaits at night.   It's hard for me not to throw those big baits, but over the last week + I've been throwing it more and more.    Today I threw it for 4hrs, 12 fish blew it up, 5 fish were hooked at least briefly, 2 fish were landed, and one fish was a real gem.  

 

I'm trying out various Buzzbaits, and today I tried a Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Pro Buzz Buzzbait Version 2 I just bought the other day.   First day throwing it.     It's naked out of the box, so I figured I'd just recycle a 5.5" HogFarmer Missile Baits Spunk Shad in the BHite Delite.   Same bait caught two 5lb class fish on the back of a Bhite delite Jackhammer.     

 

Turns out the Spunk Shad makes a fantastic Buzzbait naked trailer.   I'm going to try and add a trailer hook next time out which should solve the abysmal hookup percentages, I hook 80-90% of the fish on the other ones Ive got.    I just run a skirt and trailer hooks on my other models.  

 

She had a fresh beat up tail, still had plenty of girth, my guess is she was on bed.   Love those bug eyes as Jar said.    Super exciting strike almost right when it landed so it made for a really fun fight too.  

 

  

Rain storms coming in for the next 2-3 days. Had to get out today and glad I did!

 

First early spring ned rig catch on a TRD coppertreuse.  Healthy 3 pounds! Fighting the wind but he helped clear bait from the rocks  

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Functional said:

New PB! Decided to try a lake I've only been to once today.  Got up early and was on the water by about 730. Mini chatterbait pulled in a 7lb 01oz and a swim jig (which I never fish)  pulled in a 4lb and 3lb 6oz and a cat fish. 7lb 1oz is my new PB and I can say I can see the addiction to hunting for big bass. Need a DD now. For about 3/4 of the fish she did nothing but strip drag that was set at 3lb like it was nothing. 

 

7lber

 

4lber

 

 

Who's the man, you're the man!!!!   Congrats brother!   What a truly magnificent fish!

 

Bill Geissele is a friend of mine, incredibly generous and talented man.   I love those hats.    

3 hours ago, Woody B said:

I caught more today that yesterday but I fished quite a bit longer.  I caught 12.  10 spots and 2 LM.  I also caught a white perch and a flathead cat.  The biggest bass was 4 poundish.  I didn't weigh, measure or picture it.  I got a treble in my hand lipping it.   I ended up holding it with one hand, while the treble was in the other.   I worked the hook loose from the bass quicker than I got it worked loose from me.  I just put in back in the water, then released myself.   It wasn't a big deal.  Hook was buried halfway over the barb.  I was working to keep it from getting all the way.   The other largemouth looked almost like a spot I caught yesterday.  It had a bigger mouth, not tooth patch on it's tongue and a LM dorsal, instead of a spot dorsal.   I didn't measure or weight the cat.  I'd guess 3 pounds or so.  I figure I don't need to weigh a fish I can boat flip.   The white perch was the biggest one I've ever caught.   It was 12 1/2 inches long.  I didn't weigh it.  State record is 2 lbs 5 oz.  It didn't feel that heavy.   Most of the bass, as well as the cat and perch came on a OG4.   A couple were on a shakey head.   I kept getting the tail yanked off the worm.   They were tearing up a bladed jig yesterday.  I couldn't get any interest in one today.  It's funny how things change.  

Nice Woody, I'd like to catch one of those flatheads some time.    It's always a good day in my book when I catch by product fish.....odd, but it's thrilling every time.  Even big bream are so fun when you aren't fishing for them. 

Man I can’t wait to be able to contribute to this thread. Looks like the spring big girls are showing up. 

@AlabamaSpothunter thank you bud!  Well tell him I love his triggers lol. Have one in every AR I own and the stack of hats to prove it!

3 hours ago, Functional said:

New PB!

??

I’ll come out of hiding to say congratulations on the PB, @Functional! Really awesome fish. Seen a lot of really nice fish on here recently @Pat Brown, @BigAngus752, @PhishLI, @Team9nine

15 minutes ago, Functional said:

@AlabamaSpothunter thank you bud!  Well tell him I love his triggers lol. Have one in every AR I own and the stack of hats to prove it!

It's been a minute since we connected, he went big time which was incredible to witness.   I met him in 2008 when he was selling triggers out of his basement, became a lucky early product tester before folks really knew about his triggers, and really the first SMR rails.    I've been out of the 2A stuff to some degree once I got that big Bass fever again back in August.  I tend to obsess on one thing lol.   

 

Again congrats on that PB brother, the allure and feeling of accomplishment of catching a big Bass is just priceless.   You're 100% right about the addiction to them.   One can't deny their narcotic effect.  I start floating on air the minute I catch one, everything about the catch almost seems like a blur, colors are brighter, sounds crisper, if that's not a narcotic I don't know what is ?