@Mbirdsley: I love Frankfort. Whadda town! I love that top bass too. Whadda brute!

 

10 hours ago, Dominat0r said:

You canoe and Kayak people are crazy, I am so worried Ill set the hook and flip out of it.

 

Actually, Dom, fishing kayaks are pretty stable. And Royalex canoes, like Old Town canoes, are pretty stable too. However, Kevlar canoes like my 15' 6" Bell Rockstar, are built for ease of carrying and speed and they do flip. My canoe is like a sports car, i.e. fun to drive, but it can take you down as it takes you down the road. 

 

10 hours ago, Dominat0r said:

My brownies were baking most of the time.

 

It's just the opposite here in Maine. We're suddenly cool. Heck, I only caught 11 and 16 fish the last two mornings and whereas that's a lot of bass in a lot of places, it's not many in my little-fished water. Something changed and suddenly. However, five of them were four pounds or more, so the big bass are still active and one of them was this girl (I don't know if I love her mouth or her belly more.):

 

 

10 hours ago, Dominat0r said:

I am looking now for a small skiff, something that needs a little work, gives me a project to do. 

 

Heck, yeah, get off the bank! @thediscochef and others catch BIG bass off the bank, but where I fish, you couldn't even bank fish. It would be impossible. You'd either have to cast over 30 yards of reeds or scramble on boulders. Imagine bank fishing this:

 

 

If I lived in Florida, I'd kayak fish the Everglades. I'd need a Garmin so I wouldn't be lost forever, but I'd plunge into the Everglades and fish the salad just like I fish here. I've seen other kayak fishers do this and I saw one, another paddling woman, land two DDs in a row there. Buy a kayak, Dom!

 

 

Had more fun with ned this morning, only two fish but my buddy kept the channel cat for lunch. A small spotted bass. To some degree I consider catching a 3-4lb channel cat in riprap on 8lb fluorocarbon a skilled move. Good for the ego, I needed that. Our other buddy caught a nice meanmouth out there too, they are limited in size in this lake since it's smallmouth × native spotted bass so a 12" one is impressive. Good times. 

I’m new to fishing. Only a few months under my belt. Nothing huge but still a start to the sport. 

Just got back yesterday from a very nice vacation with my wonderful wife visiting distilleries on the bourbon trail in Kentucky.  A nice, relaxing time.  Got up at 5am today and pulled the boat to my closest lake.  This was my first fish.  5lb 2oz.  That's a nice welcome home.

 

Tried to hit a lake nearby that I haven’t fished in probably 15 years or so. It’s fairly shallow and has some nice largemouth in it. Should’ve known in the middle of the largest cold front we’ve had so far this summer that they’d be shut right down. Got this one fat little guy off a laydown, and that was it. Still a nice day to be out though. 

I went a couple hours this morning.  I caught 8 bass, 3 were decent, 5 were micro bass.   The first one is pictured.   I also broke 2 rods.   One shouldn't have broke, the other one......I broke it.   The first one I broke was Mrs. B's rod.  (don't tell her)  I had a wacky on it.   It broke on the hookset.  It shouldn't have broke.  I tightened up the line before the hook set so it wasn't a slack line hookset break.  It broke right in the center of the rod.  I had, but lost a 3 to 4 pound bass.  (but they all look big in the water)  I had it on for a bit, but it jumped and threw the hook.  Probably didn't get a good hookset with the rod breaking.....and probably didn't keep it pegged with 1/2 a rod.   The other.....I flat broke it.  I had a crank get snagged but didn't want to go get it loose yet.  I put the rod in a rod holder and picked up another rod.   It was windy, boat drifted and I ended up high sticking the heck out of it while it was in the rod holder.   It was my favorite rod.  I've already replaced it.   

It was a Dobyns fury spinning rod that broke on the hookset.  I won't name the other one, since it wasn't a rod defect.  

 

1 more day to go.....its blazing hot again, 97F where I am right now. Sun is out in full effect. Fish are still on the shore line or just near it, nothing bit when I dropped down low. Got him off a zoom speed worm. It poured this morning, my shoes got soaked standing in 1.5" of water. Have to admit, did cool me off a bit. 

 

Forgot my scale, of course, buy a new scale (Rapala high contrast 50lb) and I forgot it....If I had to guess, would say about 1.5lbs.

 

I had probably my best outing in a month this morning.  I have been catching fish lately, just not in the quantity or quality that I was before the heatwave in late July showed up.  The water temps have dropped from 81 two weeks ago to 77 last week to 72 this morning, and the fishing greatly improved because of it.  I didn't catch anything really big, but a few were in the 16.5-17.5 inch range.  They are starting to pack on the weight again too.  Unfortunately, there are another few days of hot temps coming so the fishing is going to decline again.  I also had a blue heron keep me company for about 10 minutes early this morning.

Our last nice day before the heat hits us, too. Temp near 80 today, but heavy haze meant little sun. On the back side of a high pressure system, so just a light variable breeze; sometimes east, sometimes west, sometimes none - lol.
 

Had a goal of catching 5 bass today and exceeded it by catching 15. A surprising number were decent sized for this location, running 14”-15”. No big fish though. But that gives me 2,011 bass for the year on just over 135 trips (crappie trips not included). And while my consecutive days fishing isn’t quite on par with dominator ? I have fished 59 of the past 68 days, so not too shabby. Ned for everything today (TRD, Finesse WormZ).
 

Tomorrow starts our run of days in the 92-98 deg. range with expected heat indexes over 100 for many of those. Supposed to last at least through next Friday. Since I’m primarily an afternoon angler, I likely won’t be venturing out much unless I just hit it right before dark after the sun has dropped, 

 

Here’s a few from today. Also a shot of what Chara looks like, as that is about the only thing left in the pond that’s still green, and there isn’t much of it yet. Several threads on weed identities, so maybe this will help someone. No mistaking the smell when you crunch it up or rip it apart from off your bait. There’s a reason it has the nicknames of “skunk grass” or “muskgrass.” ? It has a very distinct garlic/pepper smell to it.

 

 

 

 

 

37 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Our last nice day before the heat hits us, too. Temp near 80 today, but heavy haze meant little sun. On the back side of a high pressure system, so just a light variable breeze; sometimes east, sometimes west, sometimes none - lol.
 

Had a goal of catching 5 bass today and exceeded it by catching 15. A surprising number were decent sized for this location, running 14”-15”. No big fish though. But that gives me 2,011 bass for the year on just over 135 trips (crappie trips not included). And while my consecutive days fishing isn’t quite on par with dominator ? I have fished 59 of the past 68 days, so not too shabby. Ned for everything today (TRD, Finesse WormZ).
 

Tomorrow starts our run of days in the 92-98 deg. range with expected heat indexes over 100 for many of those. Supposed to last at least through next Friday. Since I’m primarily an afternoon angler, I likely won’t be venturing out much unless I just hit it right before dark after the sun has dropped, 

 

Here’s a few from today. Also a shot of what Chara looks like, as that is about the only thing left in the pond that’s still green, and there isn’t much of it yet. Several threads on weed identities, so maybe this will help someone. No mistaking the smell when you crunch it up or rip it apart from off your bait. There’s a reason it has the nicknames of “skunk grass” or “muskgrass.” ? It has a very distinct garlic/pepper smell to it.

 

 

 

 

 

Been pulling up a bunch of chara here, I actually kind of like the smell but I don't know how good of cover it makes. We have a problem with invasive milfoil at Ray roberts right now, there's places that it's so thick you can't throw anything but a frog. I try to collect it and leave it to dry out on the bank 

Went to The Puddles this morning. A few days ago, I found somebody's snagged spinner bait and added it to my tackle bag. I've never caught a fish on a "safety-pin" type spinner, though not for lack of trying. I'd basically given up trying. But whenever I find a lost bait, I try to catch fish on it. I tied this one on and after several casts, I finally caught one. 14" largie, and my first ever fish off a spinnerbait:

 

After about fifty more casts I gave up on the spinner. I caught two more fish this morning, but they were both fairly small. One on a spoon, the other on a T-rig:

 

 

Might get out again later this evening, but the light doesn't last long in the evenings anymore, and it's 7:30 now. 

1 hour ago, IcatchDinks said:

 I've never caught a fish on a "safety-pin" type spinner, though not for lack of trying. I'd basically given up trying. But whenever I find a lost bait, I try to catch fish on it. I tied this one on and after several casts, I finally caught one. 14" largie, and my first ever fish off a spinnerbait:

[...]

After about fifty more casts I gave up on the spinner.

 

Keep trying it, especially as we start getting into fall. Pond bass love a spinnerbait. 

2 hours ago, thediscochef said:

Been pulling up a bunch of chara here, I actually kind of like the smell but I don't know how good of cover it makes.

It’s especially good late fall into winter because it’s one of the last weeds to die back; usually around long after everything else has croaked…it and coontail.

3 hours ago, Team9nine said:

2,011 bass for the year

 

2 hours ago, Team9nine said:

It’s especially good late fall into winter because it’s one of the last weeds to die back; usually around long after everything else has croaked…it and coontail.

I wasn't sure if maybe the smell was off-putting to the aquatic life but that makes sense, it's for sure the last green thing I pull out of the water before it gets cold for realsies 

3 hours ago, thediscochef said:

I wasn't sure if maybe the smell was off-putting to the aquatic life but that makes sense, it's for sure the last green thing I pull out of the water before it gets cold for realsies 

I've never caught much out of it. Broadleaf pondweed stays green late into the fall around here, and isolated patches of it can be lights out after everything else has died off. 

11 hours ago, Team9nine said:

 ? It has a very distinct garlic/pepper smell to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll stick with real garlic and pepper lol. To me it definitely smells about the same as when I know a skunk was nearby when I walk out my front door in the morning. Never really have mastered keeping it off my hook. 1/16 oz. is probably too heavy but helps with casting. At least it's easy to pick off. When the weed guys zap the stuff it definitely puts the bass out of sight. Makes one think that something's gone wrong in the pond.

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

I'll stick with real garlic and pepper lol. To me it definitely smells about the same as when I know a skunk was nearby when I walk out my front door in the morning. Never really have mastered keeping it off my hook. 1/16 oz. is probably too heavy but helps with casting. At least it's easy to pick off. When the weed guys zap the stuff it definitely puts the bass out of sight. Makes one think that something's gone wrong in the pond.

It's easier to fish through than the invasive milfoil, that's for sure. That milfoil will kill anything under 8lb line 

6 hours ago, T-Billy said:

I've never caught much out of it. Broadleaf pondweed stays green late into the fall around here, and isolated patches of it can be lights out after everything else has died off. 

Yep, same here. Any green weeds that are there into October are often holding a variety of fish here too.

In these micro-lakes, it’s pretty rare to find some of those pondweed species; they just don’t seem to establish well outside of a single plant here and there. Fun to fish when you can find it, though. I see it a bit more in some reservoirs around here, though still not in crazy amounts.

 

Chara is a favorite of crawfish, so not unusual to find good Chara ponds hosting large crawfish populations. It stays green into Nov/Dec here, even January during mild winters, so it attracts a lot of bass. In those ponds that just contact spray, it’s often ‘out of sight, out if mind,’ and so often escapes some treatment efforts out in deeper water. When that happens, you get a great post-spawn/early summer bite in the stuff…and it simply gets overlooked by a lot of anglers, so those fish that use it regularly see less pressure in my mind.

I struggled today.  In reality is was a skunk but I did snag a tiny Shad.  This is a latest catch picture thread, so I posted the shad.  I couldn't find active bass today.   All of the shad schools I saw on sonar were in loose schools instead of balled up.   I've had success before following shad until the school balls up, then casting.   I followed a school for an hour today.  The school stayed loose, and nothing attacked them.  I saw plenty of fish on sonar, they just weren't active.  Some would follow my lure (my entire tackle box) for a few feet.  Most showed no interest at all.   I didn't break any rods today, so that's good news.   

Figure the last fish would be a peacock....but streak is done....Goal reached!!!!! I am sooooo ready to give my back a break, but glad I made it through this long. Got this guy off a Ned rig, actually, this is the first fish I got on a Ned rig ever. I am going to go back out after the sun goes down, now I am hoping it rains to block out the flaming ball in the sky. 

 

On 8/19/2023 at 7:22 AM, ol'crickety said:

@Mbirdsley: I love Frankfort. Whadda town! I love that top bass too. Whadda brute!

 

 

Actually, Dom, fishing kayaks are pretty stable. And Royalex canoes, like Old Town canoes, are pretty stable too. However, Kevlar canoes like my 15' 6" Bell Rockstar, are built for ease of carrying and speed and they do flip. My canoe is like a sports car, i.e. fun to drive, but it can take you down as it takes you down the road. 

 

 

It's just the opposite here in Maine. We're suddenly cool. Heck, I only caught 11 and 16 fish the last two mornings and whereas that's a lot of bass in a lot of places, it's not many in my little-fished water. Something changed and suddenly. However, five of them were four pounds or more, so the big bass are still active and one of them was this girl (I don't know if I love her mouth or her belly more.):

 

 

 

Heck, yeah, get off the bank! @thediscochef and others catch BIG bass off the bank, but where I fish, you couldn't even bank fish. It would be impossible. You'd either have to cast over 30 yards of reeds or scramble on boulders. Imagine bank fishing this:

 

 

If I lived in Florida, I'd kayak fish the Everglades. I'd need a Garmin so I wouldn't be lost forever, but I'd plunge into the Everglades and fish the salad just like I fish here. I've seen other kayak fishers do this and I saw one, another paddling woman, land two DDs in a row there. Buy a kayak, Dom!

 

 

You getting all these nice fish is really making me think. I know I could tow a kayak with my car , I just have the need for speed. Haha. Loxahachee is a a good place too. Just a lot of gators. Last headwaters trip, there was a gator that followed us the entire way through our trolling session. Like 45 mins of trolling the weeds edge.  He was a waiting for an easy meal. There are some really big gators down here too. The biggest we saw out in headwaters, judging from the head and back out of the water. Was about 13-14ft. I do see kayaks out there. Not too far from the ramps, just never thought about getting one. I would for sure need a motor on that haha. 

8 hours ago, Team9nine said:

In these micro-lakes, it’s pretty rare to find some of those pondweed species; they just don’t seem to establish well outside of a single plant here and there. Fun to fish when you can find it, though. I see it a bit more in some reservoirs around here, though still not in crazy amounts.

 

Chara is a favorite of crawfish, so not unusual to find good Chara ponds hosting large crawfish populations. It stays green into Nov/Dec here, even January during mild winters, so it attracts a lot of bass. In those ponds that just contact spray, it’s often ‘out of sight, out if mind,’ and so often escapes some treatment efforts out in deeper water. When that happens, you get a great post-spawn/early summer bite in the stuff…and it simply gets overlooked by a lot of anglers, so those fish that use it regularly see less pressure in my mind.

This will change where I throw craws...I know where the chara starts on my rip rap spots and that could be really valuable insight. It's interesting how the depth and light conditions seem to dictate where each the milfoil, chara, and long leaf pondweed grow in the same few acres 

Been a strange summer for me with a lot less fishing and a lot less catching. Might have to make up for lost time in the fall!