Way to go, Murph!

 

I'm glad your Scumbag-O-Meter was working, Woody.

 

Beauty, Cbump.

 

@gimruis, you haven't yet achieved critical mas-s-s-s-s with Whopper Ploppers-s-s-s-s. You need to buy at leas-s-s-s-st ten before they work. Maybe twenty. Trus-s-s-s-s-t me!

 

S-s-s-s-s-sincerely,

 

44lbs caught in a tournament today on a lake 40 minutes away from me. I caught my pb 7.34 on this lake. 
 

 

So basically they averaged bigger than my pb. Lol. Wow

8 minutes ago, Cbump said:

44lbs caught in a tournament today on a lake 40 minutes away from me. I caught my pb 7.34 on this lake. 
 

 

So basically they averaged bigger than my pb. Lol. Wow

Holy moly that's awesome. One heck of a bag. Thanks for sharing!

 

I'm gonna try to put together a stringer of white bass on Somerville tomorrow for some food. I may mix in some largemouth fishing but won't bring a lot of gear. Sure hope the weather holds up

No good pics but I crushed it today on a Megabass Karashi. I caught 6 large mouth,  2 walleye in 3-4lb range, a 6lb carp, 3 crappie, and 1 bluegill just on this bait. I also caught 5 other large mouth on various other baits. The fun surprise was the carp. He hit that bait like a ton bricks and almost swallowed the Karashi whole. I have never had a carp hit a bait like that. If anything, I sometimes will snag one on accident. It was just a fun day on the water.

Gotta work at noon, fished 7:30 to 9 and got 7 LM and lost at least 4. All dinks , I think guarding fry but not sure. Could also see some swimming around 

17 hours ago, gimruis said:

I know that feeling when I got sucked into buying whopper ploppers. Instead of one useless lure, I now have 3 Christmas tree ornaments. It’s the bait monkey.

Same with me, had to have 3 ploppers. One for the wife and 2 for me. I did catch bass and pike with them and then after a dry spell i put them away and stole the hooks from 2 of them.

18 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

Same with me, had to have 3 ploppers

Dicks had one of those buy two get one free thing on them. That’s how they got me.

 

Whopper Plopper bass this year. There will be hundreds more in 2023. 

3 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Whopper Plopper bass this year. There will be hundreds more in 2023. 

 

It's not confusing. I'll explain:

 

Do cast a Whopper Plopper in Maine. So smart.

 

Don't cast a Whopper Plopper in Minnesota. So dumb.

 

 

I've been catching good number but not many quality fish lately.  I decided to change my strategy today.   I left the landing around 5:45 an went up the river.  (I've been fishing down the lake)  I caught 8.  My smallest of the day was a 16 inch Spot.  I caught it on my second cast.   It's the out of focus picture.  My phone camera uses a long exposure when it's dark.  I guess I was moving some.  I need to work on my photography skills.   I caught 3 Largemouth.   2 were 18 inches long.  The largest LM was 20 1/2 inches long and weighed 4.45 pounds.  The rest of the spots were between 16 and 18 inches.  They were feisty.   I also saw a HUGE Bowfin splashing on the surface.   

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

I've been catching good number but not many quality fish lately.  I decided to change my strategy today.   I left the landing around 5:45 an went up the river.  (I've been fishing down the lake)  I caught 8.  My smallest of the day was a 16 inch Spot.  I caught it on my second cast.   It's the out of focus picture.  My phone camera uses a long exposure when it's dark.  I guess I was moving some.  I need to work on my photography skills.   I caught 3 Largemouth.   2 were 18 inches long.  The largest LM was 20 1/2 inches long and weighed 4.45 pounds.  The rest of the spots were between 16 and 18 inches.  They were feisty.   I also saw a HUGE Bowfin splashing on the surface.   

Woody, you need to get yourself a cheap phone tripod. Your pics will be MUCH better. I got one and use the 10 second timer. Works great. Last year I also dicovered the selfie illumination feature on my cell cam. Works great for low light pics.

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Whopper Plopper bass this year. There will be hundreds more in 2023. 

In my best Milliken voice "Daygum Stud right there, OOOOOOOOOink OOOOOOOOink, just rooting around in that mud" ?

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

Woody, you need to get yourself a cheap phone tripod. Your pics will be MUCH better

I’m glad you said that, not me. He looks like he’s high in just about every selfie lol

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

in Minnesota

Or basically anywhere else that bass have seen pressure. Virgin Maine bass are the exception in this case.

33 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I’m glad you said that, not me. He looks like he’s high in just about every selfie lol

Or basically anywhere else that bass have seen pressure. Virgin Maine bass are the exception in this case.

 

Living in Minnesota, you sit right under tens of millions of acres of wilderness water brimming with virgin bass, both lmb and smb, and pike and musky. When I fished a couple dozen of those lakes (There are so many that hundreds or maybe thousands are unnamed.), the Whopper Plopper didn't exist. I'm sure you'd have peerless fishing up there with your loathed lure. 

10 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

you sit right under tens of millions of acres of wilderness water brimming with virgin bass, both lmb and smb, and pike

In northern MN that’s very possible, especially in areas of the boundary waters canoe area.  Around my house in the Twin Cities area, no way. The pressure is very high on the lakes here, especially the more sizable ones. There are tournaments, high school matches, and leagues almost every night from now until Labor Day.

 

@FryDog62, @Deephaven, and @MN Fisher will agree with me on the pressure here locally.

18 minutes ago, gimruis said:

There are tournaments, high school matches, and leagues almost every night from now until Labor Day.

Not to mention all the guides, the recreational boaters and the idiots on jet-skis. Tonka at times is busier than Grand Central in NY.

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

In northern MN that’s very possible, especially in areas of the boundary waters canoe area.  Around my house in the Twin Cities area, no way. The pressure is very high on the lakes here, especially the more sizable ones. There are tournaments, high school matches, and leagues almost every night from now until Labor Day.

 

@FryDog62, @Deephaven, and @MN Fisher will agree with me on the pressure here locally.

Very true Gim… I try to stay away from the crowds and crazies on opening weekend. I avoid the big name lakes this time of year or adjacent to any holiday week in the summer
 

So I went to a smaller, semi-rural lake off the grid on opening Saturday. The parking lot at the ramp on this usually quiet lake only holds 8 vehicles/trailers. I got there at 5:30 AM and all 8 spaces were already full and another 8 parked on the county road.  
 

Things will get better as the season goes along and fishing/weather will get better. But since Covid, even our lakes have gotten more crowded and tougher to fish. With our short season and the rise in licensed anglers it’s not what it was even a few years ago.

 

I do have 2 trips planned later this year for far/remote areas of northern Minnesota that can only be accessed if you stay at a resort on the lake (no public ramp).  
 

I like people, but I don’t like crowds… 

When I talked about incredible fishing north of MN, I was talking about Ontario. Here's an article explaining how to reach wilderness lakes teeming with bass, walleye, musky, and pike:

 

https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/pristine-paddling-between-the-parks-crown-land-offers-royal-adventure-via-logging-roads-by-katie-mcky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     I had the best bass fishing weekend of my life.  I didn't get to the lake until mid morning on Friday, but my first bass was a 7.5 pounder caught on a Pop R. starting the trip off with a bang.  I ended Friday with two 7.5 pound bass and a few in the 4 to 6 pound class.  The two big ones came on a Pop R, and the rest split between a Mag Trick worm, and a 6th Sense Magnum Square Bill.

      Saturday I got an early start, for the day with a 5.5 pound bass on a T rig mag trick worm.  I lost a giant on a Bacca Burrito, then had a dry stretch for an hour with no action.  I tried another spot, and had a good one miss a spook, but I caught it with a follow up T rig worm.  I guessed the bass to be around 5 pounds.  I have marks on the side of my Kayak, for a quick measure.  Most days I only weigh the bass that make the 24 inch mark. So anything less is just an estimate.

      I left that place but decided to go back there in the afternoon, when the wind picked up.  There was a shelf that I hoped the bass would move up on with the wind.  There was 6 to 8 feet of visibility and the bass were spooky, I marked some fish on the drop by the shelf in 22 feet, but couldn't get them to bite.

      I went to a bay close by after checking some points while catching a few smaller bass. I managed to catch my first bass of the day over 7 pounds pitching a worm in to a tree.  After spending an hour pitching to trees for no more bites I decided to give up on bays for the day.

      At 11:30 the wind started blowing so I peddled over to the spot I picked for fishing in the afternoon.  The day before I had tried to fish some offshore structure in the wind and was not able to stay on the spot.  I was happy to find a place I thought I could drift by and still be able to present a moving bait effectively.  I fished that shelf with a variety of baits with only one strike on a top water that I missed.  The wind kept picking up making it difficult to maintain position, but I wasn't going to give up on the spot.

      It was then I decided to tie on a 3/4 ounce spinnerbait.  I had never had any luck at this lake with spinnerbaits, and I usually like to fish crankbaits on rock, preferring to fish spinnerbaits in wood, and grass.  The crankbaits weren't working, and I just can't resist the urge to give a spinnerbait a try whenever the wind is strong.

      First cast I hooked a big bass.  while fighting the bass I looked down and saw 3 other bass attacking the blades on the spinnerbait hooked to my bass.  I maneuvered to the lee side of an island where I could drop my anchor, land, weigh, and take pictures of the bass.  It was well over 24 inches, and 7.9 pounds on the scale.

      The wind was getting stronger, and I noticed some current running through a slot on the shelf I was fishing.  I had hoped some bass would move up on to the shelf, but didn't notice there was a slot that concentrated the wind driven current, this was only getting better.  The first cast in the slot produced my next bass that was over 25 inches and weighed in at 10.1 pounds.  After getting back in position, my next cast landed another one over 25 inches at 8.9 pounds.  I lost the next bass when it jumped and it was in the same class as the previous fish.

      Then the bite stopped so I started drifting by wind blown points, and managed to land an 8.2 pound bass, as well as lost two more in the same size class all on the same worn out spinnerbait.  The wind died down some in the evening, but the spinnerbait still hooked one more monster bass, but as others had that day, the hook came out on the second jump.  The bass in this lake jump more than anywhere I have ever fished.

      Most days I would be devastated to loose a bass over 7 pound's but It didn't bother me in the least.  I also landed a few bass that didn't make the 24 inch cut, that I estimate were between 4 and 6 pounds.  I went back to camp with a big smile, and memories that will last forever.

 

Saturday's catch total.

7.9

8.2

8.9

10.1

7.6

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, king fisher said:

     I had the best bass fishing weekend of my life.  I didn't get to the lake until mid morning on Friday, but my first bass was a 7.5 pounder caught on a Pop R. starting the trip off with a bang.  I ended Friday with two 7.5 pound bass and a few in the 4 to 6 pound class.  The two big ones came on a Pop R, and the rest split between a Mag Trick worm, and a 6th Sense Magnum Square Bill.

      Saturday I got an early start, for the day with a 5.5 pound bass on a T rig mag trick worm.  I lost a giant on a Bacca Burrito, then had a dry stretch for an hour with no action.  I tried another spot, and had a good one miss a spook, but I caught it with a follow up T rig worm.  I guessed the bass to be around 5 pounds.  I have marks on the side of my Kayak, for a quick measure.  Most days I only weigh the bass that make the 24 inch mark. So anything less is just an estimate.

      I left that place but decided to go back there in the afternoon, when the wind picked up.  There was a shelf that I hoped the bass would move up on with the wind.  There was 6 to 8 feet of visibility and the bass were spooky, I marked some fish on the drop by the shelf in 22 feet, but couldn't get them to bite.

      I went to a bay close by after checking some points while catching a few smaller bass. I managed to catch my first bass of the day over 7 pounds pitching a worm in to a tree.  After spending an hour pitching to trees for no more bites I decided to give up on bays for the day.

      At 11:30 the wind started blowing so I peddled over to the spot I picked for fishing in the afternoon.  The day before I had tried to fish some offshore structure in the wind and was not able to stay on the spot.  I was happy to find a place I thought I could drift by and still be able to present a moving bait effectively.  I fished that shelf with a variety of baits with only one strike on a top water that I missed.  The wind kept picking up making it difficult to maintain position, but I wasn't going to give up on the spot.

      It was then I decided to tie on a 3/4 ounce spinnerbait.  I had never had any luck at this lake with spinnerbaits, and I usually like to fish crankbaits on rock, preferring to fish spinnerbaits in wood, and grass.  The crankbaits weren't working, and I just can't resist the urge to give a spinnerbait a try whenever the wind is strong.

      First cast I hooked a big bass.  while fighting the bass I looked down and saw 3 other bass attacking the blades on the spinnerbait hooked to my bass.  I maneuvered to the lee side of an island where I could drop my anchor, land, weigh, and take pictures of the bass.  It was well over 24 inches, and 7.9 pounds on the scale.

      The wind was getting stronger, and I noticed some current running through a slot on the shelf I was fishing.  I had hoped some bass would move up on to the shelf, but didn't notice there was a slot that concentrated the wind driven current, this was only getting better.  The first cast in the slot produced my next bass that was over 25 inches and weighed in at 10.1 pounds.  After getting back in position, my next cast landed another one over 25 inches at 8.9 pounds.  I lost the next bass when it jumped and it was in the same class as the previous fish.

      Then the bite stopped so I started drifting by wind blown points, and managed to land an 8.2 pound bass, as well as lost two more in the same size class all on the same worn out spinnerbait.  The wind died down some in the evening, but the spinnerbait still hooked one more monster bass, but as others had that day, the hook came out on the second jump.  The bass in this lake jump more than anywhere I have ever fished.

      Most days I would be devastated to loose a bass over 7 pound's but It didn't bother me in the least.  I also landed a few bass that didn't make the 24 inch cut, that I estimate were between 4 and 6 pounds.  I went back to camp with a big smile, and memories that will last forever.

 

Saturday's catch total.

7.9

8.2

8.9

10.1

7.6

 

 

 

I stopped reading after #7.5 on a Pop-R, okay I lied and the shade of green in my face makes those Bass look pale in comparison.

 

I'd like to ban this man until I post a fish over 10lbs......I simply can't take the jealously, when I grow up I better be just like this guy right here ?

12 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'd like to ban this man until I post a fish over 10lbs.

Here, here! This man has some nerve, I tell ya. My enthusiasm over posting a couple of spawned out 3 pounders just shriveled faster than an ice bath would shrivel my...

36 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Saturday's catch total.

7.9

8.2

8.9

10.1

7.6

Magnificent!

9 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Here, here! This man has some nerve, I tell ya. My enthusiasm over posting a couple of spawned out 3 pounders just shriveled faster than an ice bath would shrivel my...

Magnificent!

He's playing on some other level I haven't discovered; his day job is ridiculously cool as well, the guy is charmed, I hate him ?

Now that's a hammer of a trip ~ Nicely Done !

IMO you deserve & earned each and every one of those beautiful Bass. 

A 42 lb plus bag is a jaw dropper anywhere,

Especially when it's anchored by a Big Ol' DD bass.

Congrats.

A-Jay

 

 

 

@king fisher dude….you’re really living up to your username. Well done!