So my theory of being stuck on shore seemed to be the "root cause of the problem," at least this time of year @thediscochef.

46 minutes ago, gimruis said:

So my theory of being stuck on shore seemed to be the "root cause of the problem," at least this time of year @thediscochef.

I mean, to a degree. I've caught one 3lber in like 8 hours 

18 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I mean, to a degree. I've caught one 3lber in like 8 hours 

Better than none in 8 trips from shore? 

47 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I mean, to a degree. I've caught one 3lber in like 8 hours 

 

Again, I've caught zero this month, but I keep trying and I swear I hear little thuds as I drag my Whopper Plopper across the ice, which I think is the bass trying to reach it.

 

Nice chunky fish in the cold muddy water today at the pond on the Jimmy Houston single Colorado blade spinnerbait!  I'm beginning to really like throwing this bait.  It's almost a stealth buzzbait when you work it on the surface!

Atta, Pat! Pat, you know I love looking at bass, in all their shapes, sizes, and colors, but I also like your photos for your clear, abundant joy. Those fish aren't wasted on you, pal.

Lake kicked my butt today. Didn’t blank though - haha. The largest of two…and a PB pickerel, so there’s that 😆

 

 

"Someone that I know" used a personal day today and went fishing instead of going to work.   I don't know what I......... I mean "they" were thinking.   They used a ramp near the dam.  The water was terrible with all kinds of stuff floating.   "They" decided to go up the lake and try to find some cleaner water.  It took forever to get above the debris and chocolate milk water.   I still managed to hit a submerged log in the middle of a "mine field" but I was only going 10 mph.   It pretty much stopped the boat.   Everything looked OK so I continued up river.   I finally found cleaner, clearer water, a few miles up stream of the landing I normally use.   The current was strong, as they're moving a bunch of water.   I caught 4 small Spots on channel swings, the finally a 17 1/2 inch long Largemouth in a current break off to the side of the main channel.  It, or something rolled on a buzz bait. I followed with a wacky and caught it.   I decided to stop then, and make my long slow trip back to the landing.   My lower, and transom are OK.  It amazed me how hard the hit was only going 10 mph.   I was paying attention but the log must have been barely submerged.   Water was 30 feet deep there.  It wasn't something on the bottom.   Just a reminder to everyone (including myself) to be careful.   

 

Winter time Largemouth around here are usually pale.  This one had red lips though.  Spot want be as pale, but some don't have their full Summertime colors this time of year.   

 

Able to sneak in one more trip just before what looks like a 2 week stretch of storms. Still not much action on reaction baits, but they were happy to hit Neds out deep and wacky senkos in about 10'.

 

 

 

 

Best fish of the day was this 16-17" rainbow that hit my Ned in about 30" and shot straight up like a torpedo. Jumped out of the water 3x and with two of them he almost landed himself in the boat. Must've thought we were going to eat him. 😆

 

Almost 10 days after a monster rain the lake still hasn't returned to normal viz.   Between this and the absolute threadfin buffet during the hard freeze right before that event, it's been brutal fishing.  

 

Close to 5lb guy on the Drift Fry from earlier, and junk fished my way to another 7 over 6hrs fished.....best 5 maybe went 10.  Fished the same amount yesterday and only caught 2 and a Crappie so today I basically won the Classic 🤣

 

2nd Eagle I've now captured over the lake, both around this time of year.  Wish they'd make a nest.  Lastly the start of hopefully a cool project.....the first piece of cover sunk in the start of turning the cove I launch out of into 10yr Alex's dream lol.  I grew up fishing this lake in another cove and my mentor created "lil Nam" underwater and fed the fish religiously....it was everything I could of ask for as a kid. I'd like to pay it forward as I see some young boys come down with bobbers and grandpa's Hula Popper and know they're not getting the experience I got as a kid.     

 

I would love to drop brush at the pond I fish but it would stick up out of the water!   😃

 

I see the Christmas trees on my down imaging on the bigger lakes.  Amazing how they retain their shape underwater!

 

Glad to see you're back on em.  It's cool to do a nice thing for the future generations and help those young anglers.  😎😎😎

 Just a typical farm pond bass. This one was caught on a red 7 inch lizard and split shot rig. Caught two more on a weightless senko. My tiny finesse baits didn't get a bite but the water was terribly cloudy and it is still cold and windy. Called it after 2 hours. 

Water temp was 45 on the Holston River but they were finally scheduled to slow it down some. Fishing was better than expected with those temps, most fish were caught reeling paddle tail baits in fast shallow water. The air felt hot in the 50s with the sun shining 

 

Great day, @TnRiver46!

Thanks it was fun, I can feel a vitamin D boost 😂 

Love how you got so many fishing buddies @TnRiver46, one could make the argument that having great fishing friends is the real prize catch. 

 

Beautiful fish as always, and I'd love to fish that 3rd pic.   

 

@Pat Brown  Thanks buddy, and I agree the novelty of seeing a perfect tree/xmas tree on 2D never gets old.    

3rd day in a row where I'm freezing at 530am, and then in the afternoon it's high 60s.

 

With the lake's clarity finally returned to normal viz, I had a modest improvement only for it to be 50/50 blown out again tomorrow.   Fished about 6.5hrs, caught 8.....certainly no "pre spawn" bite lol.   Threw a dozen baits which for me is very rare, desperation always leads me to junk fishing.   By the afternoon I figured out the crank deal, but still couldn't totally figure it out.  

 

Big fish was a 6.4, other weighed fish was a 4.5, and a nice 3lb class Spot were the highlights.  Best 5 went for about 16.   

 

The SS Junket lol

 

 

 

I'm hoping this is Day One of Streak Two, Alex. Even if it isn't, a six-plus-pounder would send me to bed with a big, goofy grin.

Nice fish @AlabamaSpothunter! I see what your early problem with the crank was, the hooks were stuck together 😂 

Thanks Katie!   Part of my problem this year is that I assumed it would fish like it did last winter, and that's just not been the case in the slightest.    Totally different weather, and the last day I felt like it was going according to the plan was 1/8.  Now here I am on the precipice of the biggest girls moving up to spawn for the first time. 

 

Nothing has ever puzzled me as badly as big Bass, dang things are gorillas in the mist.     

 

@TnRiver46  Thanks buddy!   Those Little Jon 50s have become my confidence crank, the Type R is great in the summer, and these silent ones are great in the winter.     Circuit board lips, awesome gama hooks and hardware.     

If only bass did exactly what humans think they should do all the time……..

 

would it be more fun? Nah 

They are majestic when flying, but absolute pigs when eating on a giant ice table...

 

scott

Buzzing the baits in February to bass success

 

 

He ain't much but he's a dat gum topwater bass in winter 😎😂

Ott Defoe also had some recent footage of a bass eating a buzzbait, I guess it was from Toledo bend 

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dang things are gorillas in the mist

 

Great line. I wish I'd thought of it.