On 9/9/2017 at 1:39 PM, Jar11591 said:

Home state PB - 6 pounds 3 ounces northern beast.

git r done

Well I bought some Berkley Havoc watermelon candy craw fatties to use for trailers on my chatter baits until I can get some more sprayed grass sweet beavers. Not impressed with them so far. Put one on my white chatter bait and went fishing this morning, no bites. So I put one of my new bait fish colored super flukes on it, still no bites. Now I'm not impressed with the new super flukes either. Came home to get a few things done around here that needed done. Afterwards I changed out my white chatter bait and tied on the black and blue one, put the craw fatty on for a trailer. Went fishing again this afternoon and still no bites. Now I'm frustrated with the craw fatties. Even though I wasn't impressed with the new super flukes either I said what the heck and put one on my black and blue chatter bait anyways. First cast about 40' out(I know that's not major distance but it is far for me at the moment as I'm still learning my new baitcaster). As soon as it hit the water this about 3lb big girl chomps it down. I'm really loving my new baitcaster because I was able to set that hook from that distance with no problem at all. She put up a little bit of a fight and kinda jumped too even though I had my rod tip down. Got her reeled in, took pics, unhooked her and set her free. She was the only thing I caught today but she was pic worthy. ?

The bite has been ON FIRE for me lately. Hit the lake after work today and I crushed them on a LiveTarget frog. I was skipping the frog as far back under the over-hanging trees as I could and they were clobbering it. Big fish was 3-11, but man the action was non stop. My thumbs are torn up!

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be focusing on jerkbaits this fall...just like I've been doing all summer...lol  Caught a number of healthy fish on the Shadow Rap and Shadow Rap Shad today, beautiful day to be out and about. Caught some bonus fish too, check out the other species thread.

 

I love it when things work out the way it should. Caught both of these fish on wacky rigged worms. Black/blue flake Senko, black/blue Yumdinger. Both fish were caught in a single cast after crashing the bank on shad just feet away from me. Pulled the first one in right as I arrived to the pond. I caught the second when I was walking out after I had "retired" for the day. 

 

They're not large by any sense of the word--1-2lbs(if I'm being generous)--but after a year straight of fishing 3-4 times a week, it's nice to see that I'm getting the hang of it(again). 

 

 

Got a solid topwater fish and found some fish staging ready for the fall bite. 

 

Ok I know I said I wouldn't post any more pics of dinks, but I have to make exceptions when it comes to firsts. Been having a bit of a harder time locating the bass in the ponds here by the house the last couple days. Still haven't really found them. I've been fishing the smaller pond because it has more accessible bank to fish from. I'd say I'm able to fish about 75-85% of that pond. I figure the bass have been in the 15-25% I can't really get to easily or without a boat/kayak. Anyways yesterday afternoon I was throwing an RT379 Rat-L-Trap covering as much of the pond as I could. Finally I was about to call it quits when I just bombed it out in the middle about 30 or 40 yards, I was using my spinning gear. I was burning it back and had just started reeling, about 3 or 4 turns of the handle, when this little guy hit it pretty hard. I thought it was gonna be bigger than it was because of how hard it was hit. I didn't give him any slack and just continuously reeled him in, didn't want to take a chance of losing him. Got him to the bank, took pics, unhooked him and let him go. The only thing to brag about is I finally caught a bass on a bait that is mass produced where I work and thought it was pretty awesome. My first Rat-L-Trap bass! Guess when it comes to firsts it doesn't matter if it's a dink or a hawg or anywhere in between. A first is a first and requires recognition, in my opinion anyways. ?

Another first and yes another dink. The big uns have been tough to find here lately, heck even the dinks have been too. Guess they are a little easier to find though. After trying the Rat-L-Trap again, an Echo 1.75, the chatter bait, spinnerbait, pitchin' and flippin' a craw fatty, and hopping a shaky head bait fish super fluke and getting skunked. I finally tried a wacky rig. Tied on a Gammy 2/O(I think that's the size maybe a #2) octopus hook and wacky rigging a cotton candy Zoom Centipede and threw it out a few times by the tree I always fish by at some point at the smaller pond, no luck. Was heading back around to get to the entrance/exit side of the pond and halfway there my girlfriend called. Talked to her for a sec and when we hung up I noticed the pump for the pond right in front of me. I've fished around it before and hadn't had any luck, but I've always felt like that would be a good spot for bass to hold to with all the pipes and stuff coming from it and running across the bottom or at least near the bottom of the pond. So I flipped the wacky rigged centipede right next to the pump and waited as it slowly fell towards the bottom. After a couple seconds or so the line went almost tight and this little fella hit it good. Heck I thought it was a pretty good sized one with the resistance it gave me. Not today, as I got him to the surface he was flipping and flopping around and I was like that little guy had some fight in him to be so small. Anyways it's a first and I'm happy I didn't get completely skunked. That was the only one I caught though. Gonna try it again tomorrow. Hoping to find the big uns again. ?

 

Got another 3 pounder from the same little pond I have been focusing on.  The current hot presentation is cranks/jerks ripped through submerged vegetation.  Got this on one a Pointer 75 and by the time I got her to the bank there was only a single treble point hanging on.  I really want to switch them out for single hooks but the prospect of endless fussing and testing to make sure it still suspends is not super appealing.  I really wish manufacturers would publish hook weights.  

Went fishing today and shattered my previous pb which was probably around 4 to 4.5 (never weighed). This girl struck my jig as I was bringing it back in after a cast to a dock. Saw a flash, line went slack and I set the hook. I started to freak out when I saw her come up. 

Wow! Now that's a big un! Congratulations on shattering your old PB with that monster!

congrats!  thats a huge bass anywhere!

Really love my new breaking bream 1/2oz Z-Man Project Z chatter bait and the watermelon red flake SK Rage Tail 4" Structure Bugs(didn't realize they had the exclusive coffee scent) I used for a trailer. These 2 keeper sized bass, not big uns and a little bigger than dinks in my opinion, engulfed them and put up a pretty good fight for their size. Those Structure Bugs are very durable. After catching those 2 bass it still looks like I just put it on. Very impressive considering the sweet beavers wouldn't stay on after only 1 bass caught with them. Never thought I'd pay $6.99 for a bag of 7 of any kind of plastic baits, but with all the good things I've heard about them I had to give em a shot. Glad I did and I will buy more as needed. Probably would have caught more today but a young man of 16 show up and we started talking bass fishing. We were just staying in one spot, talking and cover that area more thoroughly than necessary...lol. It didn't matter the conversation was good and kinda lost track of time. My girlfriend was fixing to get off work and I wanted to be home when she got there so I went ahead and headed to the house. Pretty good day in all. It's always great to catch some bass with baits/lures you just bought the first time you use them. Can't wait to throw em back out there tomorrow. Might just have to go to the bigger pond this time, haven't been there in a couple days or so. ?

Nice fish. I was thinking about picking up a chatterbait but what function so they fulfill that a spinnerbait or swim jig doesnt? 

to me they are a cross between a swim jig and a spinnerbait.

I use a chatterbait 10 times more than I use a spinnerbait.

Kind of a finesse spinnerbait I tend to catch larger fish on the chatterbait.

they are good around weeds. bad around wood. their design snags wood a lot.

9 hours ago, StrikePrince said:

Nice fish. I was thinking about picking up a chatterbait but what function so they fulfill that a spinnerbait or swim jig doesnt? 

Thanks. Like @Weedwhacker said they're like a cross between a spinnerbait and a swim jig. I have caught bass on spinners and swim jigs, but I've caught way more and bigger ones on the chatter bait. Guess there's just something about the chatter bait that the bass seem to like better than the spinners and swim jigs. I don't mind, I'm more than happy to throw em something they like. ?

Another 2 keeper sized bass on the new 1/2oz breaking bream Project Z chatter bait with the same Rage Tail Structure Bug trailer. Structure Bug finally got beat up a little but I was able the cut that part off and still use it some more. Got into a few little snags and it got tore up some more. 4 bass in all with that one trailer is pretty good in my opinion. Anyways we went to Buhlow Lake this morning around 10am. Soon as we parked got out grab my baitcaster walked up to the water and made a cast. Reeled it in and made a second cast. Turned the handle a few times and bam the first one hit hard, set the hook and reeled him on in with a little resistance. Girlfriend took the pic and it looks like I'm further away than I actually was. Not sure what's up with that...lol. Unhooked him and let him go. Made a few more casts and girlfriend had to go to the restroom. May have missed out on at least one more, but I understand she didn't want to go by herself. Restrooms are in the back of the lake in the recreation area a good distance from where we were. After she did her business we started heading back to where we were and stopped at a spot I've done decently before. Made a few casts and this other one hit it pretty hard. He was a little bigger than the first and gave more of a fight. Got him in and this time I took a selfie, side view, bait in mouth shot and my girlfriend took the other. Nothing else was doing so we came on to the house. About an hour later I went to the bigger pond and nothing was going on. Seems like every time I go to that one the accessible bank gets even smaller. It needs to be mowed and weedeated. Really hate that it's like that there. I know there's more bass in it than the smaller pond and probably some really big uns too. Oh well it was a good day anyways, other than the heat. 91* today! Soooooo looking forward to cooler fall weather. The pics below are 1 of the first catch and 4 of the second catch. ?

Rock Hopping 101 - One outfit, one bait, with a couple spares in my pocket...then cover some ground  Here's just a couple from the afternoon.

 

 

 

My biggest bass of the year (21", 5.25lb) and best of 19 this morning, not including 3 pike around 24"-28"

 

Most, including the big one, came on a gold/silver tandem Stanley spinnerbait, with a perchy-looking skirt color I had to look up when I got home: "Golden Bream".

 

It's Fall, all right.

Great Bass ! 

And on a spinnerbait - you know I'm a fan.

Congrats.

A-Jay

 

Yes, I do know you're a fan!

 

I have gotten away from spinnerbaits a bit the last couple of years in favor of chatterbaits/vibrating jigs, as I like having the extra vibration feedback in subsurface vegetation. But sometimes there's no substitute for a whirling, flashing blade, and that time was today. 

Yup - vibrating jigs early season - spinnerbaits late.

Works for me.

Congrats again.

A-Jay

Nice MI bass! Out of curiosity what's you MI PB? 

 

I've never been a spinner bait guy, but you and A-Jay are getting to me.

Largemouth 5 and a half, smallmouth 3lb even.

 

I'm not really a spinnerbait guy either, mostly because of a general problem I have sticking with non-topwater moving baits if I don't get bit quickly.  But right now is the time to get on the train and ride for awhile, until it gets too cold.

I was on fire today with my pink worm setup, I was catching them left and right.

Sadly no big bass but still had fun and even caught my now personal best rainbow trout at five pounds in a very small part of the the river, Talk about what a rush!

I couldn't even reel in my line because i was using my rod like a fly rod.

I set the hook by pulling the line with my other hand as hard as i could.