Latest Catch Pics Thread

[AlabamaSpothunter]

15 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Went fishing with @roadwarrior today, fishing was slow about like it was for the classic boys but no skunk. 
 

I learned all kind of tricks and tactics and heard lots of funny stories. Wind was rough and supposed to be worse tomorrow 

Same here with the wind, and fish for 5.5 hours for about 8 fish, lost a few fish.   I actually observed Bass spawning for the first time though, a buck and 4-5lb fish are doing the nasty right by where I dock the boat lol.   I watched them for about 30mins throughout the day.     The Spring and Spawn suck, it's a combo of the fish dropping huge cheatcode bellies, the scattering of them, and really I think the most important thing, the very unstable weather.   Water skyrocketed over the last few days and will continue for a several more days, I wouldn't doubt if I see close to 70 tom.   Today was the first day I've seen 62+ in a couple weeks.   That cold snap dropped it after I think the first big Spawn or two happened.   

 

It's so much work to catch fish in the Spring and early Fall.   It sucks too because you get the most beautiful days for fishing during those times.     

 

One quality today on the Jackhammer/5.5" Spunk Shad...3ish Spot.    Those big 5.5" Spunk Shads on a Jackhammer are really effective.    Dozen fish including a 5.3 over the last week since stopping the Berkeley Slobberknocker experiment.   Got it all on sale, but with two models, and then 4 packs of the Power Stingers, it's like $50 MSRP.   You lose some, you win some.    I think it's important for me to mention the baits I lose money on because of how much I boast about "magical" baits.   

 

For clearer water I still think they might be better than a Jackhammer, or other brandname Chatterbaits.    They are right between a beautiful Swimjig, and a Jackhammer if that makes sense.    

 

Finally, getting more and more action on the buzzbait, and the Shimano produced the first fish of the day.   

[PhishLI]

I really wanted to sneak in a good night session before the DEC dumps in a truckload of 8" rainbows any day now, plus rain was coming overnight. On one hand the stocking is great because it grows our bass bigger, but in the short term it wrecks the bite. It takes time for a bass to digest a trout or two in 41 degree water. Not that I needed any more inspiration, but my brother sent me a pic of a pretty dink he picked off right before he had to work a night shift.

 

Based on the past I wanted to hit one specific cove, then trek down the length of the lake to a channel that wraps around an island. The in-between is typically dead this time of year, so unless I spot-lit bait along the way I was sticking to the plan.

 

It looked like I had the place to myself when I pulled up, and my anticipation was ramping up as I made my way through the woods and down towards the cove. Too bad for me, but Danny the Carp guy was set up in my spot. Unlike the typical carp mooks who show up occasionally, Danny's cool, and he's hardcore. He takes carp fishing very seriously, and doesn't rudely drop poles on every cut down a shoreline. He only takes up one. Dude even has portable livewell on shore as he's C&R. He mentioned that he was doing an overnight, so I said my "hi and good luck" as I jetted my way past him and up towards the channel way up the lake.

 

Halfway to my spot a wave of Canadian geese honked thier way overhead then crashed down right outside the island near the channel of my salvattion. It took mere minutes before they went to war with what I assume were geese already occupying the zone, or maybe they just started fighting with eachother. It was very dark, so who knows? Wings beat the water from one shoreline to the other, and there I stood feeling like a schmuck with a stupid amount of slings and tacklebags weighing me down like an absurd pack animal.  Oh, and I had seven rods slung over my shoulder like a stack of 2 x 4s. Men make plans...

 

The in-between zone was dead as a doornail as predicted, so after 3 hours of trying and just 3 tiny nibbles I threw in the towel and made my way back to the cove. I'm not really in wading-shape yet anyway, so my azz was kicked from working my way down and up some of the steeper banks. Had I caught a fish or two, the rush would've anethestized my lower back for sure, but absent of that fantasy scenario I was done.

 

Just as I got to the cove, and just oppsosite of Danny, there was huge expolsion in the water right in front of me which sounded like a killshot from a big Pickeral or a big Bass. I asked him if he heard it, and he asked me if I snagged his line. I hadn't, so I told him it must be a carp. He reeled into it, then yelled out that it was huge. I got there as he netted this monster, then helped him get it out and up into the livewell. He drove a bolt into a tree with an impact driver, hung his scale on it, then I helped him load it into a weigh-bag. 3 feet long and 25.2lbs. I helped him release this thing, and I was surprised by its power during the process. It rocketed off like nothing had happened. Not my night at all, but pretty neat nonetheless. I'd never seen a carp this big in person. Knowing a bass this big has been caught is just crazy, especially with this experience fresh in my mind. Elsewhere my buddy went yakkin' and got 'em on a Bucca Bullwake 4X4.

 

 

 

[thediscochef]

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I really wanted to sneak in a good night session before the DEC dumps in a truckload of 8" rainbows any day now, plus rain was coming overnight. On one hand the stocking is great because it grows our bass bigger, but in the short term it wrecks the bite. It takes time for a bass to digest a trout or two in 41 degree water. Not that I needed any more inspiration, but my brother sent me a pic of a pretty dink he picked off right before he had to work a night shift.

 

Based on the past I wanted to hit one specific cove, then trek down the length of the lake to a channel that wraps around an island. The in-between is typically dead this time of year, so unless I spot-lit bait along the way I was sticking to the plan.

 

It looked like I had the place to myself when I pulled up, and my anticipation was ramping up as I made my way through the woods and down towards the cove. Too bad for me, but Danny the Carp guy was set up in my spot. Unlike the typical carp mooks who show up occasionally, Danny's cool, and he's hardcore. He takes carp fishing very seriously, and doesn't rudely drop poles on every cut down a shoreline. He only takes up one. Dude even has portable livewell on shore as he's C&R. He mentioned that he was doing an overnight, so I said my "hi and good luck" as I jetted my way past him and up towards the channel way up the lake.

 

Halfway to my spot a wave of Canadian geese honked thier way overhead then crashed down right outside the island near the channel of my salvattion. It took mere minutes before they went to war with what I assume were geese already occupying the zone, or maybe they just started fighting with eachother. It was very dark, so who knows? Wings beat the water from one shoreline to the other, and there I stood feeling like a schmuck with a stupid amount of slings and tacklebags weighing me down like an absurd pack animal.  Oh, and I had seven rods slung over my shoulder like a stack of 2 x 4s. Men make plans...

 

The in-between zone was dead as a doornail as predicted, so after 3 hours of trying and just 3 tiny nibbles I threw in the towel and made my way back to the cove. I'm not really in wading-shape yet anyway, so my azz was kicked from working my way down and up some of the steeper banks. Had I caught a fish or two, the rush would've anethestized my lower back for sure, but absent of that fantasy scenario I was done.

 

Just as I got to the cove, and just oppsosite of Danny, there was huge expolsion in the water right in front of me which sounded like a killshot from a big Pickeral or a big Bass. I asked him if he heard it, and he asked me if I snagged his line. I hadn't, so I told him it must be a carp. He reeled into it, then yelled out that it was huge. I got there as he netted this monster, then helped him get it out and up into the livewell. He drove a bolt into a tree with an impact driver, hung his scale on it, then I helped him load it into a weigh-bag. 3 feet long and 25.2lbs. I helped him release this thing, and I was surprised by its power during the process. It rocketed off like nothing had happened. Not my night at all, but pretty neat nonetheless. I'd never seen a carp this big in person. Knowing a bass this big has been caught is just crazy, especially with this experience fresh in my mind. Elsewhere my buddy went yakkin' and got 'em on a Bucca Bullwake 4X4.

 

 

 

don't you know you can't tell how ripe a bass is by squeezing it? or is that tomatoes...

[PhishLI]

12 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

don't you know you can't tell how ripe a bass is by squeezing it?

 

2 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Elsewhere my buddy went yakkin' and got 'em on a Bucca Bullwake 4X4.

It wasn't me, homie.

[Woody B]

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Danny the Carp guy was set up in my spot.

Carp, and Buffalo are a big deal around here.  There's a bunch of pay lakes.  I don't know how exactly it works but it's a contest.   "Danny the Carp guy" here fishes for Carp, and Buffalo in the big lakes and sells them to the pay lakes.  IIRC "Danny"  (actually Ronnie) said they'd pay as much as $20 per pound for living Carp.  I guess that's how the pay lake people stock their lakes.  Ronnie also wins money at the pay lakes all the time.  It would be pretty cool to get paid to catch fish you'd sold to a lake.  He's got well guarded special bait recipes.   

[ol'crickety]

@PhishLI, you are a good writer. Thanks for taking us along on your wading trip. I enjoyed meeting Danny. That carp is gorgeous. I caught one that big, while fishing for smallmouth, on the Whitefish River on Lake Michigan's north shore. I can see why Danny fishes for them. It's like hooking a train.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

8 hours ago, PhishLI said:

 

It wasn't me, homie.

At least he wasn't smacking it's fat belly while making rooting and hog noises like Ben Milliken 🤣

 

 

10 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I really wanted to sneak in a good night session before the DEC dumps in a truckload of 8" rainbows any day now, plus rain was coming overnight. On one hand the stocking is great because it grows our bass bigger, but in the short term it wrecks the bite. It takes time for a bass to digest a trout or two in 41 degree water. Not that I needed any more inspiration, but my brother sent me a pic of a pretty dink he picked off right before he had to work a night shift.

 

Based on the past I wanted to hit one specific cove, then trek down the length of the lake to a channel that wraps around an island. The in-between is typically dead this time of year, so unless I spot-lit bait along the way I was sticking to the plan.

 

It looked like I had the place to myself when I pulled up, and my anticipation was ramping up as I made my way through the woods and down towards the cove. Too bad for me, but Danny the Carp guy was set up in my spot. Unlike the typical carp mooks who show up occasionally, Danny's cool, and he's hardcore. He takes carp fishing very seriously, and doesn't rudely drop poles on every cut down a shoreline. He only takes up one. Dude even has portable livewell on shore as he's C&R. He mentioned that he was doing an overnight, so I said my "hi and good luck" as I jetted my way past him and up towards the channel way up the lake.

 

Halfway to my spot a wave of Canadian geese honked thier way overhead then crashed down right outside the island near the channel of my salvattion. It took mere minutes before they went to war with what I assume were geese already occupying the zone, or maybe they just started fighting with eachother. It was very dark, so who knows? Wings beat the water from one shoreline to the other, and there I stood feeling like a schmuck with a stupid amount of slings and tacklebags weighing me down like an absurd pack animal.  Oh, and I had seven rods slung over my shoulder like a stack of 2 x 4s. Men make plans...

 

The in-between zone was dead as a doornail as predicted, so after 3 hours of trying and just 3 tiny nibbles I threw in the towel and made my way back to the cove. I'm not really in wading-shape yet anyway, so my azz was kicked from working my way down and up some of the steeper banks. Had I caught a fish or two, the rush would've anethestized my lower back for sure, but absent of that fantasy scenario I was done.

 

Just as I got to the cove, and just oppsosite of Danny, there was huge expolsion in the water right in front of me which sounded like a killshot from a big Pickeral or a big Bass. I asked him if he heard it, and he asked me if I snagged his line. I hadn't, so I told him it must be a carp. He reeled into it, then yelled out that it was huge. I got there as he netted this monster, then helped him get it out and up into the livewell. He drove a bolt into a tree with an impact driver, hung his scale on it, then I helped him load it into a weigh-bag. 3 feet long and 25.2lbs. I helped him release this thing, and I was surprised by its power during the process. It rocketed off like nothing had happened. Not my night at all, but pretty neat nonetheless. I'd never seen a carp this big in person. Knowing a bass this big has been caught is just crazy, especially with this experience fresh in my mind. Elsewhere my buddy went yakkin' and got 'em on a Bucca Bullwake 4X4.

 

 

 

Great writeup, and awesome adventure.

 

That Carp dude is nutty, and cool 😆

[BrianMDTX]

Not a great day, but not bad. On the water at daybreak. Air temp was 59°. Not sure what the water temp was, but it was definitely warmer than that. Other than the first bass on a Fat IKA, the other three were all on a X-Zone Adrenaline Craw. Which I will add had only one claw lol. All about 2 lbs or so. The second one I thought was bigger. It was a real scrapper! 
 

IMHO, I think I would not have caught the first and last bass had I not been using my new Kistler Helium. They barely bit the bait but I felt it and set the hook. I’m really glad I bought it!

 

[GreenPig]

12 hours ago, PhishLI said:

I really wanted to sneak in a good night session before the DEC dumps in a truckload of 8" rainbows any day now, plus rain was coming overnight. On one hand the stocking is great because it grows our bass bigger, but in the short term it wrecks the bite. It takes time for a bass to digest a trout or two in 41 degree water. Not that I needed any more inspiration, but my brother sent me a pic of a pretty dink he picked off right before he had to work a night shift.

 

Based on the past I wanted to hit one specific cove, then trek down the length of the lake to a channel that wraps around an island. The in-between is typically dead this time of year, so unless I spot-lit bait along the way I was sticking to the plan.

 

It looked like I had the place to myself when I pulled up, and my anticipation was ramping up as I made my way through the woods and down towards the cove. Too bad for me, but Danny the Carp guy was set up in my spot. Unlike the typical carp mooks who show up occasionally, Danny's cool, and he's hardcore. He takes carp fishing very seriously, and doesn't rudely drop poles on every cut down a shoreline. He only takes up one. Dude even has portable livewell on shore as he's C&R. He mentioned that he was doing an overnight, so I said my "hi and good luck" as I jetted my way past him and up towards the channel way up the lake.

 

Halfway to my spot a wave of Canadian geese honked thier way overhead then crashed down right outside the island near the channel of my salvattion. It took mere minutes before they went to war with what I assume were geese already occupying the zone, or maybe they just started fighting with eachother. It was very dark, so who knows? Wings beat the water from one shoreline to the other, and there I stood feeling like a schmuck with a stupid amount of slings and tacklebags weighing me down like an absurd pack animal.  Oh, and I had seven rods slung over my shoulder like a stack of 2 x 4s. Men make plans...

 

The in-between zone was dead as a doornail as predicted, so after 3 hours of trying and just 3 tiny nibbles I threw in the towel and made my way back to the cove. I'm not really in wading-shape yet anyway, so my azz was kicked from working my way down and up some of the steeper banks. Had I caught a fish or two, the rush would've anethestized my lower back for sure, but absent of that fantasy scenario I was done.

 

Just as I got to the cove, and just oppsosite of Danny, there was huge expolsion in the water right in front of me which sounded like a killshot from a big Pickeral or a big Bass. I asked him if he heard it, and he asked me if I snagged his line. I hadn't, so I told him it must be a carp. He reeled into it, then yelled out that it was huge. I got there as he netted this monster, then helped him get it out and up into the livewell. He drove a bolt into a tree with an impact driver, hung his scale on it, then I helped him load it into a weigh-bag. 3 feet long and 25.2lbs. I helped him release this thing, and I was surprised by its power during the process. It rocketed off like nothing had happened. Not my night at all, but pretty neat nonetheless. I'd never seen a carp this big in person. Knowing a bass this big has been caught is just crazy, especially with this experience fresh in my mind. Elsewhere my buddy went yakkin' and got 'em on a Bucca Bullwake 4X4.

 

 

 

Nice. Here's a 40 lb 1 oz Common I arrowed.

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

Nice. Here's a 40 lb 1 oz Common I arrowed.

Right after the catch, I texted Danny's fish pic to my buddy who lives 3 blocks from this lake. He was supposed to meet me but got sidetracked. His only reply: Did you club it then chuck it into the woods?

[Team9nine]

The only thing that matches a good drain is a great wind - lol - and we had plenty of that today. Steady 25-35 mph sustained winds with peak gusts of 45-48 mph. Combine that with high, stained water (received another inch overnight), and that usually means a good bite, even if air temperatures were only in the low to mid 40s. Twenty bass later, I can confirm the pattern 😎

 

 

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

The only fish of the day was when this largemouth came up out of the eel grass and hit my white spinnerbait.   

[Cbump]

My son today. 

[thediscochef]

16 hours ago, PhishLI said:

 

It wasn't me, homie.

I was referencing an old tomato commercial, angry tomato says "don't you know you can't tell how ripe a tomato is by squeezing it?!" all in jest

[Jmurphy87]

Well it was still raining and windy today, but I was going fishing either way. I told myself this on Wednesday. No matter the weather we are fishing. It was mid thirties and raining when I started winds would get stronger and die off and then come back with a vengeance. Towards the end it switched to snow. The bass were not cooperating one bit today, as usual the pike were full of there normal high energy. I caught three small pike, 2 on a 1/2 oz thunder cricket that I changed the skirt out to match a idea of a sungill chaterbait, zoom super fluke in sungill. Tried a chick magnet but all I caught was grass lol, last bait to catch the last pike was a 4.3 keitech in morning dawn on a owner flashy swimmer underspin. I saw a wake in the middle of the pond and casted to it and came back towards me it hit. I didn’t get the best hook set on it fought it close to the bank and about 10-15 feet from the bank it came off. The one I lost felt like the best one of the day by far, oh well that’s the fun part of this you win some and you lose some. If it was easy what would be the point, we learn that sometimes it just doesn’t work out and there is always tomorrow. 
 

I like the chatter bait combo what’s your thoughts ?

[Eric 26]

5 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Right after the catch, I texted Danny's fish pic to my buddy who lives 3 blocks from this lake. He was supposed to meet me but got sidetracked. His only reply: Did you club it then chuck it into the woods?

Although I don’t have the heart to kill any fish that puts up such a fight to live I did laugh out loud when I read your buddies response.

[king fisher]

Friday was the first day I was able to bass fish this year.  Photo is of second bass I caught, first bass wasn't even a pound.  She was 24.5 inches long, 7.4 pounds caught on a Texas Rig Green Pumkin, Mag Trick Worm.  Very skinny, hope to catch her again later in the year.  Fishing for larger bass was slow.  Lots of small ones.  Most bass were caught in 15- 20 feet of water on T rigs.  A few spinnerbait fish, but couldn't buy a bite on most moving baits.  Very rare for me to fish soft plastics this much, but I have to let the fish dictate what I throw. 

    I sure hope next year I can start fishing before the spawn.  I don't know why I let a little thing like work get in the way of my bass fishing.

 

 

[PhishLI]

1 hour ago, Eric 26 said:

Although I don’t have the heart to kill any fish that puts up such a fight to live I did laugh out loud when I read your buddies response.

Trust me, even though he wishes they weren't in there, he wouldn't do it either. He likes a laugh.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

26 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Friday was the first day I was able to bass fish this year.  Photo is of second bass I caught, first bass wasn't even a pound.  She was 24.5 inches long, 7.4 pounds caught on a Texas Rig Green Pumkin, Mag Trick Worm.  Very skinny, hope to catch her again later in the year.  Fishing for larger bass was slow.  Lots of small ones.  Most bass were caught in 15- 20 feet of water on T rigs.  A few spinnerbait fish, but couldn't buy a bite on most moving baits.  Very rare for me to fish soft plastics this much, but I have to let the fish dictate what I throw. 

    I sure hope next year I can start fishing before the spawn.  I don't know why I let a little thing like work get in the way of my bass fishing.

 

 

That's a huge post spawn fish, congrats!    Mexico is just different it seems, you are a blessed man!

[GreenPig]

43 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Friday was the first day I was able to bass fish this year.  Photo is of second bass I caught, first bass wasn't even a pound.  She was 24.5 inches long, 7.4 pounds caught on a Texas Rig Green Pumkin, Mag Trick Worm.  Very skinny, hope to catch her again later in the year.  Fishing for larger bass was slow.  Lots of small ones.  Most bass were caught in 15- 20 feet of water on T rigs.  A few spinnerbait fish, but couldn't buy a bite on most moving baits.  Very rare for me to fish soft plastics this much, but I have to let the fish dictate what I throw. 

    I sure hope next year I can start fishing before the spawn.  I don't know why I let a little thing like work get in the way of my bass fishing.

 

 

Wean yourself off sleep. Nice fish.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Wean yourself off sleep. Nice fish.

Lol, his day job is catching Billfish in the Pacific in an epic battlewagon.  

 

Again, this man is blessed 🤣

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, PhishLI said:

Trust me, even though he wishes they weren't in there, he wouldn't do it either. He likes a laugh.

Lemme know if you need a guy 

[BassSteve]

Hey,

 

Just wanted to share some fish landed the last few days. Enjoy your weekend everyone 

[Pat Brown]

 

Jake got a nice one when his old man dragged him outta bed for the sunrise big girl fest happening just below the surface at our small public pond!

 

He got two smaller buck bass additionally.  Proud dad!

[king fisher]

14 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

That's a huge post spawn fish, congrats!    Mexico is just different it seems, you are a blessed man!

Mexico bass fishing is great, but there isn't a 10 pound bass waiting to bite any lure every cast, like some believe.  Like anywhere else it takes lots of work to get a decent bass, and sometimes I get skunked.

      I had to get up at 3:00 AM, drive my POS car 3.5 hours to get to the lake Thursday.  I would have gone to another lake, but my car has had some difficulties, and I didn't want to drive that far, and be 30 miles out of cell phone range for three days.  I started fishing at daylight, and didn't land a bass until 9:00 AM.  Landed the big one the next cast,  I fished hard all day for three days, didn't land another bass over 2.5 pounds and I lost so much tackle, the Bait Monkey is still doing his happy dance this morning.   The afternoon winds blew 20 -30 KTS. and started  early at 11:30 AM.  I had to set my tent up after dark, and take it down before daylight every night.  The last time I camped there, the police drove by, saw my tent,, and tried to shake me down for some money even though the place is public, and I have a perfect right to camp there.  I gave them some sodas, and once they found out I was just a crazy, gringo, with a big orange kayak they acted like my best friend.  

      The lake is a favorite place for the teenagers, in the local village to come and party, so I camp a ways away from the launch- picnic party site, but I still don't want to draw any attention, so I don't put up camp until the party is over, making it a short night sleep on the weekend nights.

      Long story short is I love bass fishing in the secluded unknown lakes of Mexico, but it isn't the same experience anglers read about at the first class lodges.  I did have a DD break me off on a barbed wire fence.  Because of that fish, I will be back soon, POS car, cheap tent, and my latest tackle order.