On 6/29/2023 at 11:32 PM, IcatchDinks said:

Hello from a fellow Michigander! Saw those pictures of the ship and immediately started humming The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald. Lol. 

 

Beautiful fish. 

mt pleasant is about 30-40 minutes north of me .  I live in chesaning 

I came so close to a skunk this morning that I think I felt Pepe Le Pew's hot and passionate breath on my cheek, but right before he planted a wet one on my lips, I caught a bass. Barely. I was about to quit and load my canoe when I thought I'd try the outlet culvert. The water was so high that the bog had flooded the woods, which meant the culvert was roaring. I chucked a paddletail near the opening and thought I detected a hit, but with the current and trees jammed against the opening, I wasn't sure. So, I followed with a wacky Senko and sure enough, there was a bass there, which immediately wrapped my line around wood. I'm surprised my line didn't break given it was just 10 lb. mon.

 

Between the current, the trees overhead, and the trees in the water, I'm amazed I landed it, giving me ONE bass for the day, but the excitement of FIVE bass.

 

However, I ended my streak of of at least one 19" or bigger bass per fishing trip, but I threw the dice by fishing a big bass, but few bass bog and lost.

 

However, for the year, I've caught two six-plus-pounders, four five-plus-pounders, and nearly thirty four-pounders. The trade-off is that I'm not having many 35-59 bass days.

 

@ol'crickety just like an ace pitcher who doesn’t have his best stuff still finds ways to get batters out, a good basser will find ways to grind out a bass even when they are tight-lipped. You’re an ace. 

3 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

I came so close to a skunk this morning that I think I felt Pepe Le Pew's hot and passionate breath on my cheek, but right before he planted a wet one on my lips, I caught a bass. Barely. I was about to quit and load my canoe when I thought I'd try the outlet culvert. The water was so high that the bog had flooded the woods, which meant the culvert was roaring. I chucked a paddletail near the opening and thought I detected a hit, but with the current and trees jammed against the opening, I wasn't sure. So, I followed with a wacky Senko and sure enough, there was a bass there, which immediately wrapped my line around wood. I'm surprised my line didn't break given it was just 10 lb. mon.

 

Between the current, the trees overhead, and the trees in the water, I'm amazed I landed it, giving me ONE bass for the day, but the excitement of FIVE bass.

 

However, I ended my streak of of at least one 19" or bigger bass per fishing trip, but I threw the dice by fishing a big bass, but few bass bog and lost.

 

However, for the year, I've caught two six-plus-pounders, four five-plus-pounders, and nearly thirty four-pounders. The trade-off is that I'm not having many 35-59 bass days.

 

Katie you are absolutely crushing it this year! So glad you didn't let Pepe plant a kiss! Thanks for the pond photos, you are indeed fishing in paradise. I imagine that's what Heaven looks like! Beautiful vistas and six pound bass!

Thanks, Bob! I do love bog fishing partly because of their beauty, but when you hook a bass, they have so many places to free themselves. 

 

Thanks, @Jar11591 too!

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

HEY!!! You got a new cutting board!!! The BR sheriff will be happy to see that. ?

 

4 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

However, for the year, I've caught two six-plus-pounders, four five-plus-pounders, and nearly thirty four-pounders.

That absolutely CRUSHES my best year, and you're just getting warmed up!!! You're not just a hammer, you're a jackhammer!!! 

 

I fished 10hrs for 7 dink LM and a brown bullhead. First bullhead I've ever caught on an artificial. The sweet craw gets 'em all. LOL. You know it's a rough day when a bullhead is the highlight of the trip.

 

Another successful day in Bass Trek - doubled my previous high-count to 6. While a couple were small there were three 'scoreables' including the last of the day, a 3# caught on a Mike Seibert 3/8 swim jig with a Rage Craw trailer...both in GP.

Rest of the day's catch was either on a 1/8oz Owner Block Head Ned with a GP Mr. Twister Ned Ringer in the weeds, or a 3/32 Gamakatsu Finesse Jig with a GP Zoom Speed Worm for Jig&Worm along the weed edges

 

Just made it inside the cut at 12" and 1.05#

 

Wife wanted to see one, so I texted her a pic of this little one.

 

Another little one

 

Just missed the cut with this one.

 

This one went 14" and 1.52#

 

Lunker of the day - 3.06#

 

So a very fun time...pulled the boat out from the ramp at 7:05am, grounded her back at the ramp at 3:56pm...ya...afternoon was a bust.

Full day on the lake @MN Fisher, that’s awesome. Nice catches 

Slow bite this morning.  Headed out to chase smallmouth before it got too hot.  Found this spot Monday, with bass chasing bait in 20-25ft. of water just off a shallow weedbed between two small islands.  Glassy calm with only a few fish surfacing today, my only popper bite came when two fish surfaced at the same time about 8ft. apart.  They were at the end of my casting distance and I swear the fish caught my popper because he was on as soon as the lure hit, which was within a foot of where he surfaced.  Felt good to net him solo - thought he was bigger, but the Rapala lie detector said 2.88lbs.  I worked the area for far too long, having one miss my spook then follow my follow up fluke to the boat (est. 2-3lb. smallie).  I idled around a bit, marking some big baitballs and fish.  Pretty sure these smallies are chasing herring.  Now I want (need?) to figure out how to catch more than one.

@T-Billy That photo of the bullhead reminded me of my youth when we spent time in Minnesota with family and neighbors. Our one neighbor in particular used to cut the line hook and all until my dad offered to unhook the bullhead’s as he said they’re “devil fish” because of the grunting they do when they’re pulled from the water ?

@ol'crickety that introduction about almost getting skunked made me actually laugh out loud! 

 

@T-Billy I caught a tiny bullhead catfish on a micro spinner while fishing for bluegill to use as bait for catfish a couple weeks ago. First time I've ever caught one on anything other than live/used-to-be-alive bait. 

 

Well, fell a sleep when I came home, but got 15mins to go out and try for today (Friday 7/7) fish. Got it on a carolina rig. STREAK CONTINUES!

Fish tonight from 1030p - 230a and caught one on a Shakey Head. Water temp 90.

Fished yesterday evening 6pm-9pm and caught 5, missed several again, and I think one or two were larger fish. It started out so windy that I actually dismounted from the kayak and went on shore throwing a spinnerbait. Those are the first two photos you see.

 

Third limit on the lake, by the way! SV-3 from bank and gambler burner worm from boat, same color and weight as this past weekend.

 

Couple thoughts/observations I had on this trip:

- I need to adjust what worm hook I'm using on the burner worm

- Most my bites came rapidly from one new area that I'd never fished, and I could detect a pretty hard bottom throughout a lot of the structure.... it's going to be a place for me to monitor for sure.

 

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

...Water temp 90.

 

 

Wow!  That's warm (?Canadian guy shocked look - lol)

New PB for the Mrs™

 

Meagan and I got home and unpacked and of course, we wanted to get back our beloved green grass donkey flock to see how they were fairing.

 

We were greeted by an empty marina, slick calm green water with less than a foot of visibility and 91° surface temps with bluebirdish skies.

 

We decided to fish out local grass lake for this occasion for some odd reason.  

 

I think Meagan just wanted to see how that lake was doing and suggested it.

 

She tied on a fluke and a red Z Man Chatterbait I bought her for Christmas and said with authority, 'these are the right baits for this lake today '

 

We leave the marina and she loses a 4-5 lber right at the boat on her 3rd cast with the fluke.

 

We work some drops and some grass edges and get nary even a whiff.

 

I decided we need to make a move for possibly some of the only 'current' on the lake: the dam.

 

We fish around the dam and don't see much and then we start to slowly work the adjacent bluff wall.  I can see the bottom here and surface temps are 89°, a bit cooler.  I start to see active bream beds all up and down the bluff bank and I know it's on.

 

Meagan switches to the Chatterbait and starts working the 15-9 ft zone.  Casting it out, letting it fall to the bottom,  hopping it up, letting it fall, reeling up slack, letting it fall again etc.

 

She felt a 'tap tap on the lift and stopped moving and then it went THUNK' and I tell you what her pole about got ripped out of her hand.

 

The fish was peeling drag and I could sense it was a giant bass.

 

The fish jumped twice and then went straight under the boat.  Jake was quick with the net and landed this gorgeous 7 lb summer stunner!

 

Got a great release on her and she swam back to the depths post haste and with gusto.

 

Go, Meagan! And hooray for Pat too, for being so happy for his wife!

 

Nice pics and bass, @LrgmouthShad!

Went with the family last night for a couple hours locally and did well.  A stunning 75 degree evening with a light breeze and minimal other watercraft made for an enjoyable outing.  I just happened to catch the biggest largemouth of the season too - a 20 1/4 incher (definitely post spawn).  Even my 4.5 year old boy got in on the action netting and catching fish.  Honestly I was satisfied just sitting there with a cold beer in my hand.  I could have not caught a single fish and still enjoyed it.

@gimruis: That is a beauty bass! Beautiful family too. 

23 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

That is a beauty bass

It was definitely on the skinny side though.  Musta been a post spawn.  I don't catch many 20 inch bass during a season.  This is number 3.  My average is about 2 per season (last year I only caught 1 that big).  As you know fish that size in the north are rare.

18 minutes ago, gimruis said:

It was definitely on the skinny side though.  Musta been a post spawn.  I don't catch many 20 inch bass during a season.  This is number 3.  My average is about 2 per season (last year I only caught 1 that big).  As you know fish that size in the north are rare.

 

Heck, yeah, those 20-inchers are rare at our latitude. Congrats on landing three already this season. I'm always thrilled when I catch one. I average about SEVEN 19-inch-+ class bass for every 20-incher-+.  

 

That bass in front of your son sure is a chunk! Here's a video in honor of that bass:

 

 

@gimruis yup, well done man. In NY, my benchmark for lunker status was >=4lbs

18 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

That bass in front of your son sure is a chunk

Ya the smaller ones were chubbier than the big one.  Caught about a dozen of those 14-16 inchers.  Presumably all males.

@gimruis awesome dude. Doesn’t get better than that.