Daygum freak @deep Congrats!  

Heck, yeah, @deep, that's a Megaultrasaurus! 

@deep is back!!!

Had a few minutes after dinner last night to go down to the dock and prep some tackle in the boat for this weekend.  I'm thinking the white Rage Bug will be the ticket....at least it was for 20 minutes here in my cove....these were just from the dock

@Choporoz: How big are those bass? The second and third ones look exceptional. 

Didn't get the scale out....so, I'd guess more than 3, less than 7? 

32 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Didn't get the scale out....so, I'd guess more than 3, less than 7? 

 

They look big, but it's hard (for me) to guess their weights with those perspectives, I.e. not much more than a head. I also get muddled when bass are thrust at the camera so that they're as big or bigger than the angler's torso. Whatever their weights, they're impressive and even more so caught from a dock in 20 minutes. 

11 hours ago, deep said:

I haven't fished/ caught/ posted much in a long time, but good to see lots of nice fish being caught! Here's a 7.5# NLMB I caught today on a swimbait (WCZ citizen) though.

 

 

 

Return of the @deep!! 

On 10/18/2023 at 4:58 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

Okay guys, you heard @ol'crickety. Southern kinsfolk in this here God's Country, this is our moment. You all remember those Northern guys and gals catching fish after fish all summer while we sit scratching our heads right? It's time for us to flip the script! We must start landing bucketmouth after bucketmouth while those yankees accumulate bucket after bucket of snow. 

 

^Posted^ last October and so true. You southern anglers have sure delivered and we Mainers are still buried in snow. 

5 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

^Posted^ last October and so true. You southern anglers have sure delivered and we Mainers are still buried in snow. 

@LrgmouthShad, a wise one indeed. Looking forward to his return

I caught 15 this morning.   14 Largemouth and one Spot.  I was going to stop all my sonar if I was seeing fish, but not catching any but I had no problem catching them.   Most were 14" to 16".   Biggest was 5.12 lbs. (12/100ths, not 12 ounces).   Pictured are the first, then the biggest.   The first 2 were on a Texas rigged lizard.  After that I started getting short strikes.  I switched to a Texas rigged craw for most of the rest.  All of them were caught after running a buzz bait over them a few times.  The big one hit the buzz bait.   

 

Toooooads @deep  @Woody B, and @Choporoz !!!! 

 

Love to see everyone getting big beautiful bass in the spring time!

Caught a handful of these 2-3 pounders off my kayak today.

 

Late this afternoon I fished off my backyard and lost a BIG one. Man I hate when that happens.

 

UPDATED: I lost that big one swimming a jig head minnow on a Dobyns Fury 703C. I rarely use that rod, but I picked it up the other day and it felt great so I thought, what the heck.

 

I fished off my back yard again tonight with that same setup and I lost FIVE fish. Yes, five. Granted, these were little bass a pound and under, but it became comical. Maybe it's because I was sweeping my hooksets, but I don't think that's it.

 

I fish braid with a flouro leader on most of my setups and I fish the same jig combo on an Expride and have no problems with hookups.

 

It's probably me, but I'm going to blame the rod 😀 Tonight I banished it to my shed.

Hey,

 

Caught some largemouth today, not the biggest but I'm still happy about it. One destroyed the body of my swimbait and left the hook and weight still hanging on 😆

On 4/5/2024 at 7:06 AM, ol'crickety said:

 

They look big, but it's hard (for me) to guess their weights with those perspectives, I.e. not much more than a head. I also get muddled when bass are thrust at the camera so that they're as big or bigger than the angler's torso. Whatever their weights, they're impressive and even more so caught from a dock in 20 minutes. 

Was not trying to be a smart donkey.  I just know how it is when people claim scale-less weights on the interwebs. It has been years since my estimate was off by more than a half pound, so I am confident saying those second two pics were 6+.  I caught a 6.4 yesterday that was comparable.  (My friend was struggling in the back, so I tried to tamper my excitement a bit and didn't have him take a pic 🙃. )

@Choporoz: You rack up those six-pounders like Pat and Alex!

Best day of fishing in my short fishing life. This is only my third season being dedicated. Only caught 1 bass so far this year. Until today. Also made a commitment to get better at jig fishing. Bought a dedicated jig rod and its had a jig tied on at all times. Also got a new old town pdl 106. Well, this was the first fish in that kayak. 

 

Weather's been in the 40s, but windy. Went out this morning. With the wind chill out was low 30s out. I had a wacky worm, a jerkbait, and a bitsy bug jig tied on. Wasn't having any luck. I'd hit the north bank, targeting bushes and lay downs. Then as the wind blew me away I'd start with the jerkbait. Just trying to figure out the pattern. 

 

After being blown far enough i started the pedal back to the north bank. As i approached i saw a gnarly looking laydown. Came in slow and stealth. Didn't like my angle. Adjusted. Was about to just make a few pitches to the outside of the laydown, fearing getting hung up. Then remembered all of learned here. Pitched the bitsy bug right in the thick of it. Immediately felt the weight and set the hook. As i did i see the branch i pitched next to move. Dang, I'm hung up. Then i saw the fish, still submerged. She had me wrapped around this branch of the laydown. Long story short, i had to keep the fish pinned while moving the kayak in a better position to get unstuck. Finally did. Kayak got pulled into the laydown. Reeling the fish in when i saw its size. Just started yelling. I couldn't belive it. Got the fish into the net, ny the way i need a bigger net, this thing barley fit. 5LB even. Jig right in the upper lip. Beautiful fish. I know 5 isn't a big deal for some guys. But iv never seen a fish this size in my area. My old PB was on the upper 3s. 

 

I was shaking with excitement. It's just awesome. Yes the fish is great. But everything together. The things i learned. First fish in the new kayak, on a bait i wanted to get better at, in a location i normally would of passed on (or at least not got as deep into), in a time of year i struggled in the past, the fight and dealing with getting wrapped up.... all of it. Stoked. And just want to thank this forum. Learned a ton here and multiple things iv picked up on here came into play on this fish. So thank you everyone. 

Congrats @JayMac89!!! Nice fish, and a good learning experience.

1 hour ago, JayMac89 said:

Beautiful fish. I know 5 isn't a big deal for some guys.

 

5 is a big deal for me and you're right, it is a beautiful fish, made even more so by your being new to angling, the wind, the cold, the lay down, and your first time in your kayak. It was T-Billy who taught me to toss my lures into the nastiest thickets. Getting them out of those thickets is such a challenge, but it's soooo exciting too. 

@JayMac89  Congrats brother on such an awesome day, and fish......that's truly what's it's all about for me, the full Jimmy V experience. 

 

“To me there are three things everyone should do every day. Number one is laugh. Number two is think -- spend some time time in thought. Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears. If you laugh, think and cry, that's a heck of a day.” ― Jim Valvano

 

A 5lb fish is a fantastic fish for everyone, whether you live in Mexico or in Canada....a 5lber is a 5lber.    It's the universal measuring stick for a big "Bass".    

2 hours ago, JayMac89 said:

Reeling the fish in when i saw its size. Just started yelling. I couldn't believe it. Got the fish into the net, ny the way i need a bigger net, this thing barley fit. 5LB even.

Nice!👊

That girl will be a 6+ in a month.

 

P.S. I know that laydown😉

18 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

Nice!👊

That girl will be a 6+ in a month.

 

P.S. I know that laydown😉

 

With that head, for sure. As Alex(ander the Great) once semi-said, the fish with the biggest mouth rules the tank and wins the day. 

3 hours ago, JayMac89 said:

As i approached i saw a gnarly looking laydown. Came in slow and stealth. Didn't like my angle. Adjusted.

 

You are wise beyond your fishing years. Boat control's a big deal. 

 

One of my satisfying moments in fishing is when I paddling crooked open water through weeds. I've paddled so many thousands of miles that I don't have to think, "I have to execute a 30-degree turn to the right in ten feet." My canoe just makes that exact adjustment, as I shift my weight and paddle without thinking. Now, that's just navigating a swamp, but boat positioning is key at many moments in a fishing trip. You need to be in THE best spot to reach the opening in a lay down to then wrangle a big bass from it. 

The wind's been cranking lately, and it was cold this morning, but a man's gotta do...

 

Got in about an hour before my waders sprung a leak. Big fun walking about a mile with 45 degree lake water sloshing around in my boot and soaking up my pant leg. A few pads are up, finally, and that's where I got my bites. Lost a solid one banging it back through the stalks but got a few afterward which made up for the pain. For once I wasn't tortured by Pickeral, so that's a win in itself.

 

Hardest working man in all of fishing......Mr @PhishLI 😎