1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Thanks Mike!  It was gonna take an awesome soft plastic to pry the moving baits away from my hands, and this little magic bait was just what I needed. 

 

The colors are so cool, you'll find one that you can't live without.   

It's funny because I live beaver style baits, but the D Bomb did not get bit at all for me. I had 2 25 packs and I bet I didn't catch 10 bass in the season I fished them. Ended up selling both bags. Don't know what my problem was,  because they're obviously a good bait, but I couldn't make a fish eat them.

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Nice Bass ~ GREAT HOODIE ! 

A-Jay

1 down 15 to go

Just now, Bluebasser86 said:

It's funny because I live beaver style baits, but the D Bomb did not get bit at all for me. I had 2 25 packs and I bet I didn't catch 10 bass in the season I fished them. Ended up selling both bags. Don't know what my problem was,  because they're obviously a good bait, but I couldn't make a fish eat them.

Doubt it was anything wrong with you as you're a heck of a hammer, I just think that's the funny nature of Bass fishing.  

 

Perhaps people have been throwing brush hogs, and every other creature besides D Bomb in my home lake.   Having only started back in July of last year, I'm finding new to me baits that have been on the market for many years and likely already been used and put up for good by many anglers.   

 

Never had a bait flip a switch as quickly as this one though, wish it was on something sexy though lol.  

Checked the status of several ponds yesterday just a day after a big 2-day cold snap hit the area. One I never saw a single fish. Another had two bass that had started to stake out areas but were not locked and very skittish. The third had multiple bass hanging on beds, but still very skittish, and the biters were cautious, often grabbing the bait only by the tail to move it, and only after repeated attempts and much finessing on my part. Forecast for the end of the month (and end of this week) is for below normal temps, so things may not really heat up until next month. Managed just a handful under the given conditions. Not sure of the game-plan yet for today.

 

Got several more on Watermelon red super flukes , from another work route pond…

On 4/17/2023 at 8:41 PM, hokiehunter373 said:

45 mins to get er done tonight. Got a couple tugs on a brush hog but didn’t connect. Came up empty with a jerkbait. Got the buzzbait out for the first time this year and had the most vicious strike I’ve ever had in my life. The fight had me thinking she was 7-8 pounds. Jumped twice. Put on a show. Got her to dry ground and still thought she was gonna be 6. Too short. Just really filled out. 4.76 and if you can’t tell by the pic I’ll take that all day! 
 

Can't get much better than that!!!

2023 hasn't been a stellar year for fish up to this week due to time constraints with family, work, and general life things.  Boat has only been out once, yet to fish a tournament, but worst of all didn't catch a fish of any species until April which would probably be the latest in the year since I was 6(20+ years).

 

The past 3 breezy days have been outstanding for 45 minutes slip to the lake over lunch or after work trips.  A solid class of prespawn fish have been predictable on hold on shale ledges in 2-5 FOW.  Once I figured it out Monday I spent the last 2 lunches cruising down the bank and calling my shots with a squarebill.

 

Tomorrow the wind dies and temp rises 20 degrees so I'm guessing today will be the last of it.  However the shad spawn is right around the corner for some early morning fun in short windows.

 

A fourth different body of water today. Started looking for spawners on the calm banks, Found several bass shallow on the inside weedline, but I think they were just sunning. Crazy spooky and never saw one return to where it was resting. As such, made the final turn with just two fish landed. Ended the afternoon with eighteen, so they were stacked and aggressive on just one shoreline stretch. All appeared to be smaller males, so nothing much in the way of size. Another good stretch of cold weather hits us starting Thu. night. Curious to see how this will effect the bite and the spawning process.

 

 

Still a strugglebus for size this year, but finally (FINALLY) managed my first one over 3lb for 2023. Still no big bites as of yet. We've had some intense storms lately but not enough to get our water levels where they should be and it doesn't seem like the bass are pushed up shallow feeding like usual. Water temps low for the time of year, too, but not surprised with the rain/cold snap we got.

 

This one was the first of the day, went 3lb 2oz. Now to find her momma (or grandmama preferably...)

As far as being able to pattern, find, stay on and catching numbers of bass this year has been my best to date.  I’ve had better years as far as big fish but, I’d go trips between fish.  
 

The air temp dropped 30 degrees since last Friday.  Which, dropped the water temp back down to 49 degrees. Which, pushed fish out to 6-8 feet instead of 2-4 of last Friday.  I caught 12-15 bass ranging from 12-14 inches.  I also caught ten northern pike between 18-24 inches.  

 

jerk baits we’re hot again as the majority of the fish came on that same lucky craft blue gill pointer. I tried going out to deeper water on the drop offs for bigger fish but, basically caught a bunch of pike and 3-4 bass that came on a deep kvd 300 clear ayu jerk bait.  The biggest pike came on a lucky craft 3/4 oz 500 Lv lipless crank.
 

 Supposed to be 80 again tommrow    And then 50’s this weekend and consistent 60’s next week.  Who knows how the fish respond.  I’ve spent a lot of time studying bass patterns and behavior in the last couple months. 

below are the highlights 

 

3lb 10oz on a frog tonight. Blew up and missed it the first time so I casted back to the same spot. I had my drag cranked down and he was still pulling. Reeled him in with a big ball of grass. Heck of a fight!

 

 

I only got one bad picture then my phone died.

3 hours ago, Aaron_H said:

Still a strugglebus for size this year, but finally (FINALLY) managed my first one over 3lb for 2023. Still no big bites as of yet. We've had some intense storms lately but not enough to get our water levels where they should be and it doesn't seem like the bass are pushed up shallow feeding like usual. Water temps low for the time of year, too, but not surprised with the rain/cold snap we got.

 

This one was the first of the day, went 3lb 2oz. Now to find her momma (or grandmama preferably...)

Hang in there Aaron, you're a big fish hammer.....those big girls will return, it's simply a matter of time in a case like yours.

 

In the meantime that's an excellent fish, cheers to that one!

I stopped off at my favorite retention pond on the way home from work yesterday, winds were pretty stiff out of the south leaving me fishing the northeast corner where this guy finally committed after feeling him bump it on 3 prior casts.

The boss lady and I got to ride around on the river with @TnRiver46 yesterday evening for a while. Couldn't have asked for better weather, but the fishing wasn't really shaping up.

 

River fish, to me, are ninjas. Simultaneously everywhere and nowhere. Maybe I just don't know enough to make good decisions.

 

Finally, I tied on my problem solver and caught this little guy:

 

 

 

Then he bit me, which was rude.

 

A few casts later, I got bumped again. It was an easy fight until I got it close to the boat, then it turned on the jets. Finally it came alongside and we got a good look at it right before it shot toward the bow, giving Russ an opportunity to reach down and grab it for me.

 

 

Measured out 19.5". Didn't get a weight.

 

SWMBO caught two, which will be detailed here.

Last night I went back to the same pond I caught the big girl at.  Weather wasn't right and I figured it might be a struggle.  Threw around some different baits without any luck before I decided to pull this exact move with basically these exact results lol. 

 

4 minutes ago, galyonj said:

Finally, I tied on my problem solver and caught this little guy:

 

Caught a little 1 pounder and then one that had to be last years fry it was so small.  Got to show the pup 2 fish though and he was all excited about that but thought he could eat their tails haha.  Back at it tomorrow when the weather should have them fired up and eating.

12 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

I also caught ten northern pike between 18-24 inches.

Snot rockets!

3 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

Threw around some different baits without any luck before I decided to pull this exact move with basically these exact results lol.

 

It's ✨magical ✨ but it also frustrates me. I don't want to fish a ned rig, but I'd be foolish to let myself be above it. 

13 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

It's ✨magical ✨ but it also frustrates me. I don't want to fish a ned rig, but I'd be foolish to let myself be above it. 

Could I interest you in fishing with a large fish head? It catches a big catfish about once a week 

24 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Could I interest you in fishing with a large fish head? It catches a big catfish about once a week 

 

You are far more patient than I am, sir. 

 

But then you could use the catfish head to catch an even bigger catfish, and so on.

@galyonj I’m glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read your post and got to him biting you otherwise I’d be soaked. Thanks for the laugh ?

33 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

It's ✨magical ✨ but it also frustrates me. I don't want to fish a ned rig, but I'd be foolish to let myself be above it. 

I've never understood the prejudice surrounding the Ned Rig. Is it something to do with finesse vs. power fishing? Is it that it works so well it is unsportsmanlike? I am missing something here that I would really like clarified. Maybe my opinion may change but I love fishing the Ned. It can be fished as you would with a Texas rigged worm with slow movement, or it can be fished like a swim jig and sped up. Regardless it is my go to and I have never been skunked with this presentation. I understand everyone gets to choose their likes and dislikes and I'm not criticizing opinions. Just curious. 

3 hours ago, Eric 26 said:

I stopped off at my favorite retention pond on the way home from work yesterday, winds were pretty stiff out of the south leaving me fishing the northeast corner where this guy finally committed after feeling him bump it on 3 prior casts.

Great to see you getting the line wet and catching some fish Eric!

 

Pretty fish!  

@AlabamaSpothunter I’m definitely not on your level ? I appreciate the support and this is one of the many reasons I’m a member only on this forum. 

11 minutes ago, Eric 26 said:

@AlabamaSpothunter I’m definitely not on your level ? I appreciate the support and this is one of the many reasons I’m a member only on this forum. 

We're all on the same level friend except Katie, once she gets going she'll catch more fish than all of us combined ?

 

Thread is so much more fun when all you guys up north can finally post fish ?

39 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

We're all on the same level friend except Katie, once she gets going she'll catch more fish than all of us combined ?

 

Thread is so much more fun when all you guys up north can finally post fish ?

We all strive to attain Katie's level but some mountains are just to tall to climb!

My several thousand dollars worth of electronics can't compete with her stealth approach as she zones in on her unsuspecting quarry. Sniper quiet and just as deadly. Quite the opposite of how I approach the Chinese buffet!