8 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

@Jmurphy87, thanks! So, you feel the rod load up with the weight of a solid bass, as opposed to just weeds? I have felt that, for sure, and I'm glad I asked because I thought it meant something different. 

 

 

Me too! I'm going shore fishing on Tuesday at three small bodies of water that may or may not hold bass. They're all on Highway One, Maine's major highway, and I've driven over and past them for years. I've never seen anyone fish them, but they sure look bassy. Then I'm fishing Thursday afternoon at a quantity pond and Friday morning at a quality bog. Fingers crossed that my rod loads up! 

Yes correct, you feel the weight of the fish. Because with weeds there stationary so it’s more of a dead static drag, the weeds will move some of course but nothing like a fish. Like when you are coming through grass  with a lure you feel the resistance but then it pops free. The fish on the end is what makes all the difference, they pull back head shake or swim off a different direction. I am extremely ocd about how my lure feels coming through grass, so when I get bored I like taking cranks and working them through grass so I can feel the difference and I like to be patient and get them through cleanly. This is always fun.

 

 I am sure you will catch them, good luck and I am definitely looking forward to hearing about how your trips go ?

Beautiful Easter sunrise, got crappie and white bass with grubs in the kayak and some largemouth cranking off the dock after breakfast 

Wind from the East, fish still gonna’ feast ?

 

Finally stuck another quality fish after what has seemed like forever - lol. The best of 15 today. Probably about 5.5-ish or a bit over. Very nice pre-spawn belly on this one.

 

The lucky jeans strike again 

 

 

8 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Wind from the East, fish still gonna’ feast ?

 

Finally stuck another quality fish after what has seemed like forever - lol. The best of 15 today. Probably about 5.5-ish or a bit over. Very nice pre-spawn belly on this one.

 

The lucky jeans strike again 

 

 

That's a gorgeous fish. Very nice

Slow day again but got it done!

Caught 11 today in 6 hours.   7 spots, 4 LM.   None big.  Lake is 2 feet higher than yesterday with 2 mud lines.  The combination of ~15 mph wind and all the water they're pulling had the main lake white capping.   I got a couple on cranks, a couple on a bladed jig,  with the rest on a shakey head.  

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

Wind from the East, fish still gonna’ feast ?

 

Finally stuck another quality fish after what has seemed like forever - lol. The best of 15 today. Probably about 5.5-ish or a bit over. Very nice pre-spawn belly on this one.

 

The lucky jeans strike again 

 

 

Congrats on a truly beautiful fish!  

Finally tried out the 4" savage gear rtf bluegill. 

On 4/8/2023 at 7:10 PM, TnRiver46 said:

Thursday night me and my wife were sitting inside by the fire with the windows open and could hear them sloshing around like crazy in the water maybe 100 yards away. They were hitting tied up pontoon boats so hard they were moving back and forth. Up the river a ways they flood into a shallow creek and the local news does a story on them every year 

 

 

The Texas forums always have someone experiencing buffalo spawn for the first time and it's funny lol

Love those fish, one of the few native sucker-ish fish that reach size

 

 

First solid spotted bass of the year during about an hour 30 at the ole Ray Bob. probably 2ish lbs. In the usual spottie spot, with a spot remover minimax. Maybe I was trying lol

Your trip reports are so exciting, PhishLI. 

Had my first kayak tournament of the season Saturday on Big Hill Lake in Cherryvale, KS. It was a combination Kansas Kayak Anglers and Kansas Bass Nation tournament so it was quite a few fishermen on a not so big lake that was also 5' low, so even smaller than normal. Big Hill isn't a place I have fished much, and I haven't had much fun the times I've been there. 

I got the the lake Thursday evening an hour before dark and made a few cast before dark from the bank by the dam. Caught a couple largemouth, a smallmouth, and this thing.

 

That was a mistake because I ended up staying up past midnight chasing spawning walleye and catching nothing but spawning white bass. 

Friday I launched in the creek in the only small access point. I hurried dropping my stuff but there was still a kayak and a boat waiting for me even with me just throwing my stuff in a pile on the ground next to the kayak. Jumped back in my truck, dead battery ?. Thankfully I had cables and the other kayaker gave a quick jump. I helped him launch and let the boat launch before I finished putting my stuff together and started fishing. The bridge by the launch had spawning crappie on it, so it was crawling with bank fishermen, boats, even people hauling crappie 20' up to the bridge. I really wasn't sure what to start with, I thought it was going to be a prespawn bite but the low 60* water and full moon had me second guessing. I started with a spinnerbait and swimbait and quickly had a few short strikes but not hookups. It seemed way too early in the year still, but the little voice in my head was screaming at me that these fish are spawning. I cut off my jig and switched to a black and blue Zman Bang Stick with a very light 1/8oz tungsten weight and 4/0 Owner Cover Shot hook. The water was too dirty to sight fish, so I started super slowly dragging it around likely areas. I pulled it past 1 stump, them recast a foot to the right and caught a nice 16.5" fish when I was dragging it back, I knew then, they're spawning. I caught a couple more, it seemed every time I'd pick up that rod, I'd catch another. Not knowing how many there were to be caught, I went way up the creek and started catching spawning white bass and a few catfish.

Late in the afternoon, I pulled into a little pocket and caught a small one and a 19" fish real quick. There was big shad everywhere in there, I had my starting spot. I left the creek and caught a few small ones on the main lake and called it a day early.

Tournament morning, I wasn't surprised when a majority of the anglers were launching in the creek. I headed straight to my little pocket and 1 other angler joined me. It was a very small spot, but we talked, he was going to fish the south bank and I was going to fish the north. Lines in was 6:30, I sailed my cast into a tree on the shore, shook it loose, and there was a fish on it immediately. My first cast curse fish was 15.25" on the Bang Stick. 20 minutes later, I was dragging my bait back and it felt like it just hung in the trees, but it didn't feel quite right, so I swung on it. Turned out to be a 17.5" fish that looked like she was about to pop.

Maybe 5 minutes later, same bite, almost same results, but this fish looked like it had already spawned and it was 17.75"

I fished down my side and picked up my other rod that had a Strike King Rodent in Okeechobee Craw and a little 1/4oz weight and started dragging that. Right at the entrance to the pocket, I got a very light tap. It turned out to be a 19.50" fish and the hook fell out in the net.

My next cast, I caught a 14.5" (the male I assume), so I had a limit and it wasn't 8am. A few cast later, I caught a 15.50" to cull the 14.50". I fished that pocket for a long time, caught several more small fish, before I moved across the creek. I caught a small one immediately. 10 minutes later, I made a cast with the Bang Stick and got a small backlash. I cleared it and when I got my line tight, it was moving off the bank. That fish was 16.50 to cull the 15.25.

After that was a long dry spell. I caught a few dinks but nothing even close to helping. Around noon, I moved to a bank that leads up to the pocket I'd fished, between it and the bridge. I had missed a big one on a glide bait the day before on practice, so I knew they were there. I fished the Bang Stick super slow and I started getting bit way further off the bank, almost straight under the kayak, but they were still small. One cast I timed on the video at almost 50 seconds from splashdown to hookset, was finally the fish I was looking for. She streaked off and made it know she wasn't another dink like the rest. No this was a beautiful 18.25" fish that bumped me up to 89.50" on the day. 

I caught several more, but nothing that helped. I had terrible service, so I didn't have any idea how anyone had done except the guy fishing the pocket with me, he had around 75". Everyone at awards was grumbling about tough fishing, but there's always a couple that found them. Well it turned out, I was that guy this day.

I won both the tournaments, took home 2 cool plaques, enough money to cover my entry fees the rest of the year, and qualified for state the first tournament of the year!

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Had my first kayak tournament of the season Saturday on Big Hill Lake in Cherryvale, KS. It was a combination Kansas Kayak Anglers and Kansas Bass Nation tournament so it was quite a few fishermen on a not so big lake that was also 5' low, so even smaller than normal. Big Hill isn't a place I have fished much, and I haven't had much fun the times I've been there. 

I got the the lake Thursday evening an hour before dark and made a few cast before dark from the bank by the dam. Caught a couple largemouth, a smallmouth, and this thing.

 

That was a mistake because I ended up staying up past midnight chasing spawning walleye and catching nothing but spawning white bass. 

Friday I launched in the creek in the only small access point. I hurried dropping my stuff but there was still a kayak and a boat waiting for me even with me just throwing my stuff in a pile on the ground next to the kayak. Jumped back in my truck, dead battery ?. Thankfully I had cables and the other kayaker gave a quick jump. I helped him launch and let the boat launch before I finished putting my stuff together and started fishing. The bridge by the launch had spawning crappie on it, so it was crawling with bank fishermen, boats, even people hauling crappie 20' up to the bridge. I really wasn't sure what to start with, I thought it was going to be a prespawn bite but the low 60* water and full moon had me second guessing. I started with a spinnerbait and swimbait and quickly had a few short strikes but not hookups. It seemed way too early in the year still, but the little voice in my head was screaming at me that these fish are spawning. I cut off my jig and switched to a black and blue Zman Bang Stick with a very light 1/8oz tungsten weight and 4/0 Owner Cover Shot hook. The water was too dirty to sight fish, so I started super slowly dragging it around likely areas. I pulled it past 1 stump, them recast a foot to the right and caught a nice 16.5" fish when I was dragging it back, I knew then, they're spawning. I caught a couple more, it seemed every time I'd pick up that rod, I'd catch another. Not knowing how many there were to be caught, I went way up the creek and started catching spawning white bass and a few catfish.

Late in the afternoon, I pulled into a little pocket and caught a small one and a 19" fish real quick. There was big shad everywhere in there, I had my starting spot. I left the creek and caught a few small ones on the main lake and called it a day early.

Tournament morning, I wasn't surprised when a majority of the anglers were launching in the creek. I headed straight to my little pocket and 1 other angler joined me. It was a very small spot, but we talked, he was going to fish the south bank and I was going to fish the north. Lines in was 6:30, I sailed my cast into a tree on the shore, shook it loose, and there was a fish on it immediately. My first cast curse fish was 15.25" on the Bang Stick. 20 minutes later, I was dragging my bait back and it felt like it just hung in the trees, but it didn't feel quite right, so I swung on it. Turned out to be a 17.5" fish that looked like she was about to pop.

Maybe 5 minutes later, same bite, almost same results, but this fish looked like it had already spawned and it was 17.75"

I fished down my side and picked up my other rod that had a Strike King Rodent in Okeechobee Craw and a little 1/4oz weight and started dragging that. Right at the entrance to the pocket, I got a very light tap. It turned out to be a 19.50" fish and the hook fell out in the net.

My next cast, I caught a 14.5" (the male I assume), so I had a limit and it wasn't 8am. A few cast later, I caught a 15.50" to cull the 14.50". I fished that pocket for a long time, caught several more small fish, before I moved across the creek. I caught a small one immediately. 10 minutes later, I made a cast with the Bang Stick and got a small backlash. I cleared it and when I got my line tight, it was moving off the bank. That fish was 16.50 to cull the 15.25.

After that was a long dry spell. I caught a few dinks but nothing even close to helping. Around noon, I moved to a bank that leads up to the pocket I'd fished, between it and the bridge. I had missed a big one on a glide bait the day before on practice, so I knew they were there. I fished the Bang Stick super slow and I started getting bit way further off the bank, almost straight under the kayak, but they were still small. One cast I timed on the video at almost 50 seconds from splashdown to hookset, was finally the fish I was looking for. She streaked off and made it know she wasn't another dink like the rest. No this was a beautiful 18.25" fish that bumped me up to 89.50" on the day. 

I caught several more, but nothing that helped. I had terrible service, so I didn't have any idea how anyone had done except the guy fishing the pocket with me, he had around 75". Everyone at awards was grumbling about tough fishing, but there's always a couple that found them. Well it turned out, I was that guy this day.

I won both the tournaments, took home 2 cool plaques, enough money to cover my entry fees the rest of the year, and qualified for state the first tournament of the year!

 

 

 

Hey man big congrats, way to find them and bring home the hardware.

 

One thing I've learned this year that will stay with me forever, if you think they might be spawning, they have already been spawning.  

14 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

My next cast, I caught a 14.5" (the male I assume), so I had a limit and it wasn't 8am. A few cast later, I caught a 15.50" to cull the 14.50". I fished that pocket for a long time, caught several more small fish, before I moved across the creek. I caught a small one immediately. 10 minutes later, I made a cast with the Bang Stick and got a small backlash. I cleared it and when I got my line tight, it was moving off the bank. That fish was 16.50 to cull the 15.25.

What a rally! Congrats on the win!

You are a heckuva, fisherman, @Bluebasser86! Congrats on the wins and those beautiful fish! 

On 4/6/2023 at 11:42 AM, ol'crickety said:

@killobet, the bass you catch are perfect. Perfect color and size. Big too! 

Yep!! Thank you . Very nice healthy looking fish. Meanwhile heres one a little earlier today. A bit bigger than the last one? Water is getting warmer and lots of active fish chasing minnows? Anyway good luck out there. 

Poor Katie, we're always assuming she's a dude ?

 

 

Hey Clayton!

 

                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Poor Katie, we're always assuming she's a dude ?

 

 

dang!!!??

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Poor Katie, we're always assuming she's a dude ?

 

 

 

Well, the name "Ol' Crickety" doesn't help. It makes me sound like I'm 92, grizzled, and smoking a corn cob pipe. 

 

25 minutes ago, killobet said:

!!!??

 

Hey, what really matters is that you caught another gorgeous fish! Plus, what bass fisher hasn't called a boy bass a she and a girl bass a he? 

A small consolation prize for the two good ones I missed on either side of it. Went deep hiking into some public hunting lands around Ray roberts. Gonna go back again real soon ?

I took a day off work today and went to a new to me lake.  Monticello Reservoir near Jenkinsville SC.   It's a "different" lake.  It doesn't dam in major rivers or streams.  It's a "pumped storage facility" for nuke cooling and hydro.  The surface area is 6700 acres.   It's alongside the Broad river.   There's 1 thing that I really like about it.   No water skiiing, no Jet skis, no wake boarding ect.    I caught 7 Largemouth and 3 Smallmouth including an 18 inch smallie.  Smallest was 14 inches.  The lake "boats" like a much bigger lake.  It's only ~5 1/2 miles long, but it's almost 3 miles wide.  There's a few islands scattered in it, but the 15 mph winds (according the the NWS) were strong in the main lake.   All 3 smallies and 2 LM's came on a Siebert bladed jig with a manns spinnerbait trailer.  3 LM's came on a shakey head.  The other 2 on a DT6.   I was really pleased with 10 bass in a lake that doesn't have spots.   It's ~75 miles,  twice as far as the lake I normally go to.  I will be back, especially this Summer after the wake boats and jet skis take over Lake Wylie.   Most of the bass I've been catching at Wylie have been really shallow, right at the bank.  The internet says the level of Monticello fluctuates daily.  The shallowest bass were ~6 feet deep on stumpy flats.  A few were out points as deep as 20 feet.   I suppose they keep a depth "buffer" due to fluctuating levels.   I saw a depth of 103 feet on my sonar but it was a mile or more from shore.  

4 hours ago, killobet said:

dang!!!??

I did it several times so don't feel bad.   She's a unicorn around these parts ?

 

She's a true hammer, and her style is hardcore.   The only thing that can tame her is Maine's blustery winters.  

3 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I took a day off work today and went to a new to me lake.  Monticello Reservoir near Jenkinsville SC.   It's a "different" lake.  It doesn't dam in major rivers or streams.  It's a "pumped storage facility" for nuke cooling and hydro.  The surface area is 6700 acres.   It's alongside the Broad river.   There's 1 thing that I really like about it.   No water skiiing, no Jet skis, no wake boarding ect.    I caught 7 Largemouth and 3 Smallmouth including an 18 inch smallie.  Smallest was 14 inches.  The lake "boats" like a much bigger lake.  It's only ~5 1/2 miles long, but it's almost 3 miles wide.  There's a few islands scattered in it, but the 15 mph winds (according the the NWS) were strong in the main lake.   All 3 smallies and 2 LM's came on a Siebert bladed jig with a manns spinnerbait trailer.  3 LM's came on a shakey head.  The other 2 on a DT6.   I was really pleased with 10 bass in a lake that doesn't have spots.   It's ~75 miles,  twice as far as the lake I normally go to.  I will be back, especially this Summer after the wake boats and jet skis take over Lake Wylie.   Most of the bass I've been catching at Wylie have been really shallow, right at the bank.  The internet says the level of Monticello fluctuates daily.  The shallowest bass were ~6 feet deep on stumpy flats.  A few were out points as deep as 20 feet.   I suppose they keep a depth "buffer" due to fluctuating levels.   I saw a depth of 103 feet on my sonar but it was a mile or more from shore.  

Awesome, first Smallie I've seen you post.   Wish I had SMs closer.  

Only thing I caught today is feelings. For some more tackle. Dinner for two, me and bait monkey

Congrats @Bluebasser86!!! Heckuva Day!!!

On 3/28/2023 at 9:40 PM, PhishLI said:

I wasn't freeballin', bro. No women or children were horrified during the making of this...

That’s reassuring…

Got this one on a shiner.

No, the fish was not gut hooked.

Yes, it was released…