The good news,  I figured out how to set the timer on my phone/camera and take pictures the way @T-Billy told me to.   Someone (I don't remember who) said I looked stoned in my selfies.  I'm probably still look stoned but I'm not, and haven't been in over 4 decades.  LOL  The bad news,  dinks only.   I only fished a couple hours today.  I managed to get 8 in the boat but only one was 14 inches long.   I think the smallest one pictured is the smallest bass I've ever caught.  It looks really small, even long arming it.  (IMHO you're not a true fisherman if you don't long arm fish in photos)  I caught the little guy in 30 feet of water on a C-rigged 10 inch worm.  Most came on a bladed jig 10 to 30 feet deep.  The bass seem to be scattered.   The catfish spawn is going on right now.  I suspect the cats have ran off everything near their beds.   I didn't catch any cats today.  That's good though.  I'm not much for cleaning my boat, but I shampooed the catfish slime out of my carpet last week.   The only thing I caught shallow was a small white perch.   I'm no vacation next week.  Mrs B and myself are taking the camper to the lake.   The wifi at the campground is spotty.   I'll post pictures, (or skunk reports) when we get back.  

 

17 minutes ago, Woody B said:

The good news,  I figured out how to set the timer on my phone/camera and take pictures the way @T-Billy told me to.   Someone (I don't remember who) said I looked stoned in my selfies.  I'm probably still look stoned but I'm not, and haven't been in over 4 decades.  LOL  The bad news,  dinks only.   I only fished a couple hours today.  I managed to get 8 in the boat but only one was 14 inches long.   I think the smallest one pictured is the smallest bass I've ever caught.  It looks really small, even long arming it.  (IMHO you're not a true fisherman if you don't long arm fish in photos)  I caught the little guy in 30 feet of water on a C-rigged 10 inch worm.  Most came on a bladed jig 10 to 30 feet deep.  The bass seem to be scattered.   The catfish spawn is going on right now.  I suspect the cats have ran off everything near their beds.   I didn't catch any cats today.  That's good though.  I'm not much for cleaning my boat, but I shampooed the catfish slime out of my carpet last week.   The only thing I caught shallow was a small white perch.   I'm no vacation next week.  Mrs B and myself are taking the camper to the lake.   The wifi at the campground is spotty.   I'll post pictures, (or skunk reports) when we get back.  

 

Now ya just need to pick up a cheap tripod for your phone and you're in business.

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Now ya just need to pick up a cheap tripod for your phone and you're in business.

The problem with a tripod is the water I fish, and my boat.  I'm usually getting rocked by wake boat waves. The tripod, and my phone would probably end up in the lake.    I've got a phone holder on my console that my phones in.  I've got another holder, just need to decided where to mount it for good pictures.  

@Woody B, that first bass actually looks enormous because that camera angle makes you look like you're 500 feet tall. 

 

@Dominat0r, nobody played the Green Monster like Yaz. Plus, he hit for power and percentage. That's like quality plus quantity in our world. 

Busted a myth today. Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me. Make the first cast of my day to one of the piling sand set the hook on a 3lb LM.  Didn’t have a bump for the next hour and thought, “They say it’s bad ouch to catch one on the first cast!”

 

But, bad luck or not, I kept at it and boated over 15, including a 4.5 lb and a 6 lb. And the stranger I took along added 4 to the pot including his own 21.5”, 6 lb’er. 
 

So much for the myth.

1 hour ago, gunsinger said:

Busted a myth today. Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me. Make the first cast of my day to one of the piling sand set the hook on a 3lb LM.  Didn’t have a bump for the next hour and thought, “They say it’s bad ouch to catch one on the first cast!”

 

But, bad luck or not, I kept at it and boated over 15, including a 4.5 lb and a 6 lb. And the stranger I took along added 4 to the pot including his own 21.5”, 6 lb’er. 
 

So much for the myth.

What an awesome dude you must be!   Congrats on the awesome fish as well!   

 

Way to pay it forward, very impressive! 

 

eta:  Very much not a myth in my experience, one of these days I'll defy it like you though.  

20 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

What an awesome dude you must be!   Congrats on the awesome fish as well!   

 

Way to pay it forward, very impressive! 

 

eta:  Very much not a myth in my experience, one of these days I'll defy it like you though.  

No awesomeness here. 

1 hour ago, gunsinger said:

Busted a myth today. Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me. Make the first cast of my day to one of the piling sand set the hook on a 3lb LM.  Didn’t have a bump for the next hour and thought, “They say it’s bad ouch to catch one on the first cast!”

 

But, bad luck or not, I kept at it and boated over 15, including a 4.5 lb and a 6 lb. And the stranger I took along added 4 to the pot including his own 21.5”, 6 lb’er. 
 

So much for the myth.

 

2 hours ago, gunsinger said:

No awesomeness here. 

Yer way more awesome than me. I would've demanded inspection of his bagged lunch for fava beans and chianti first.

Couple more after dinner......off the new bluegill whopper plopper 75. Fishing with the new setup too, first fish caught. 

 

 Few dinks today. I didn’t photo one. Still trying to figure this lake out

6 hours ago, gunsinger said:

Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me.

You’re awesome. ????

Today was Bassmas for most of southern Ontario. With all the pent up fishing energy, I had high hopes of power fishing a boat load.  But with thunderstorms last night ahead of a cold front, the bass weren’t on board with that plan.  I ended up downsizing to a 2.8” Keitech on an 3/16oz. head and fishing it very slow with regular pauses.  That got me a few, including a 3.5# (ish) LM in the morning, with all inhaling it on the pause/fall.  

I then took my son out for the afternoon to a different lake (he’s not a morning person. lol) and found the same - they wanted slow baits. I started us off with a 3.6# smallie on a wacky senko.  We ended up with a mixed bag of about a dozen 1-2#.  This was the first day of bass fishing in our “new” boat, so we’re both  happy boys.?

 

6 minutes ago, The Baron said:

Today was Bassmas for most of southern Ontario. With all the pent up fishing energy, I had high hopes of power fishing a boat load.  But with thunderstorms last night ahead of a cold front, the bass weren’t on board with that plan.  I ended up downsizing to a 2.8” Keitech on an 3/16oz. head and fishing it very slow with regular pauses.  That got me a few, including a 3.5# (ish) LM in the morning, with all inhaling it on the pause/fall.  

I then took my son out for the afternoon to a different lake (he’s not a morning person. lol) and found the same - they wanted slow baits. I started us off with a 3.6# smallie on a wacky senko.  We ended up with a mixed bag of about a dozen 1-2#.  This was the first day of bass fishing in our “new” boat, so we’re both  happy boys.?

 

Awesome job dad!   Congrats on the great fish, and maiden voyage, here's to years and years of great memories between you and your son!  

7 hours ago, gunsinger said:

Busted a myth today. Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me. Make the first cast of my day to one of the piling sand set the hook on a 3lb LM.  Didn’t have a bump for the next hour and thought, “They say it’s bad ouch to catch one on the first cast!”

 

But, bad luck or not, I kept at it and boated over 15, including a 4.5 lb and a 6 lb. And the stranger I took along added 4 to the pot including his own 21.5”, 6 lb’er. 
 

So much for the myth.

You stay on them big uns 

Keeping the streak going (counts for Sunday's fish), got home late...so only a couple of casts. However, first time I fished a drop shot and on the first cast......a DINK. 

 

Going to have to play with the drop shot more. Caught on a zoom trick worm (Junebug color)

 

On 6/14/2023 at 11:54 PM, thediscochef said:

Been working a ton all over, in places I'm not licensed for fishing. Finally back at my home water tonight, with some finesse gear. Biggest bank bass I've ever caught and second biggest bass I've ever caught, 7lb 1oz. She ate a 2" Creme Maxi Tail on an eagle claw 1/16oz insider tube jig. I call it the Wally Special, costs all of $4 to get the plastic and jigs. I will say, landing a 7lb bass on 6lb mono is tons of fun. That little jig popped right out of her mouth and into my hand ?

 

Caught three more Littles and a few hand-sized bluegills. Love me some dead calm, new moon fishing

Settle an argument for me here y'all...I got some yay-hoo telling me the bottom fish is no more than 2lb and says that a $10 scale would have a greater than 100% deviation from accuracy. Any chance that looks like less than 7# to y'all? Calm me down because I'm seeeing the reeeed

this is why we can't have nice things

@thediscochef

Idk what that guy is on, but that bass looks to be approaching 2’ long. Your fish could eat a 2 pounder. I see a lot of people claim dubious weights of their fish. You’re not one of them lol 

@thediscochef If that’s a two lb. bass, I’ll eat my hat. Not with that belly!

 

Slow day yesterday. Very hot as far as temps and the bite was simply off. Started with a chatterbait and a PopMax and nothing doing. Switched to a TR with a Rage Tail Craw and caught two. Also caught two on a Rage Bug and one on a Yum Dinger WR. Also tried a spinnerbait and nada. The worst part of the day was I did hook one really nice bass on the craw that must have been barely hooked in the lip as it jumped and threw the hook. Looked about 3.5-4 lbs. Funniest catch was the tiny bluegill I caught on the craw. As well as one pic that looks like I caught a bass head ?

 

 

@ol'crickety I keep forgetting to take pics of the cover I’m fishing. I guess I get too wrapped up in getting the bait back in the water lol. Maybe one day I’ll remember! 

18 hours ago, gunsinger said:

Busted a myth today. Launched my boat and invited a complete stranger, who was fishin’ off the pier, to join me. Make the first cast of my day to one of the piling sand set the hook on a 3lb LM.  Didn’t have a bump for the next hour and thought, “They say it’s bad ouch to catch one on the first cast!”

 

But, bad luck or not, I kept at it and boated over 15, including a 4.5 lb and a 6 lb. And the stranger I took along added 4 to the pot including his own 21.5”, 6 lb’er. 
 

So much for the myth.

Bless you for bringing a random bank angler with you, the world could use more of that attitude. I've had a few of those experiences and I don't forget the people who let me on their boats. I'm glad the bass cooperated for you after that, awesome!!

Spent this past week hand carving and hand painting a crankbait. I've never tried making lures before, but after watching several YouTube videos, it looked like something I could do too. I finished it up last night and got up early before church this morning to give it a try. I caught decent largemouth on it.

 

I probably won't use the bait again because it's not the best crankbait I've ever used. It wants to pull to one side and I didn't space my hooks far enough apart, so they occasionally become tangled. I have cheap crank baits that work better and that I haven't spent hours hand carving. But it sure feels rewarding to catch something on a lure I made with my own hands. 

 

 

@BrianMDTX, that second bass photo gives me the willies. It looks like there are sharks where you fish.

46 minutes ago, IcatchDinks said:

Spent this past week hand carving and hand painting a crankbait. I've never tried making lures before, but after watching several YouTube videos, it looked like something I could do too. I finished it up last night and got up early before church this morning to give it a try. I caught decent largemouth on it.

 

I probably won't use the bait again because it's not the best crankbait I've ever used. It wants to pull to one side and I didn't space my hooks far enough apart, so they occasionally become tangled. I have cheap crank baits that work better and that I haven't spent hours hand carving. But it sure feels rewarding to catch something on a lure I made with my own hands. 

 

 

That's an experience most won't ever have, too cool! All the carvers start somewhere though...Marling Baits has a really good video about that. Great job!

1 hour ago, thediscochef said:

That's an experience most won't ever have, too cool! All the carvers start somewhere though...Marling Baits has a really good video about that. Great job!

Thanks! Marling is one of my favorite YouTubers to watch, and the one who inspired me to try my hand at it. The guy is an absolute artist. And super funny to boot. 

4 minutes ago, IcatchDinks said:

Thanks! Marling is one of my favorite YouTubers to watch, and the one who inspired me to try my hand at it. The guy is an absolute artist. And super funny to boot. 

 

I second what @thediscochef said. You have a talent for carving. I can't believe that your crawdad was your first effort. Plus, it caught a bass, so it's not just a pretty exoskeleton.