The weather finally took a turn for the better (75° and sunny right now at 2:15 pm). Little chilly in the early morning so I waited until after 9:00 am to hit the water. Nothing on nothing, and I mean nothing…except for a weightless green pumpkin Rage Menace on a 3/0 EWG. Only caught three, but the first was 3 lbs, the 2nd almost 2.5 and the 3rd was 1.5 lbs. Lotta fun with a Daiwa Revros LT2000 on a St. Croix Bass-X MLF rod (20 lb. braid to 8 lb. mono leader). Four hours-three bass. Which was exactly three more than anyone else caught lol. 
 

The last one was gut-hooked. Got the hook out successfully through the gills but I wanted it back in the water ASAP. All good!
 

Thank you, Brian, for going fishing, catching some bass, and posting some pics. I feel so far from fishing, as it was six below this morning, plus it snowed yesterday and is snowing again tonight and is supposed to snow some more tomorrow night. It helps to know that someone somewhere is still catching bass and I'm glad it's you.

 

I did order some lures from Mike Siebert (siebertoutdoors.com) and I'm excited to try those when the ice does melt, both spinnerbaits and blade baits. When I do catch bass with Mike's lures, I'll let you guys know!

I was looking at my pics and the last time I went fishing before yesterday was New Year’s Eve. January (for here) was cold.  Nothing like you have to deal with though! 
 

Siebert makes some nice baits. Can’t wait to hear your report. You are a bass fishing machine! 

1 hour ago, BrianMDTX said:

I was looking at my pics and the last time I went fishing before yesterday was New Year’s Eve. January (for here) was cold.  Nothing like you have to deal with though! 
 

Siebert makes some nice baits. Can’t wait to hear your report. You are a bass fishing machine! 

 

I am a broken bass fishing machine! I just took this pic outside my front door and I know if I went fishing today, I'd be skunked:

 

 

 

Do they sell ice breaker canoes? 🤣

 

 

     First Fat Bass of February! Well, not actually. I caught three before this one and one after, but she was the fattest! Water temp started at 42 deg. but rose to 48 deg. by late afternoon. Unfortunately, so did the wind. By very early afternoon it was whitecapping and my day was done. Managed four fat ones at Nickajack and really pumped about what the future holds! Wanted to bring her back to my pond for some new genetics but she went belly up in the livewell, and with a couple hours to fish, and over an hour drive home, I reluctantly let her go. I'm not risking killing one just for my hobby. She didn't belly up when I put her back. She found a new gear and was GONE!

Beauty, Bob! I love when their bellies bulge.

 

@BrianMDTX: There is no such thing as an ice breaker canoe, however Bob could build one. Bob can build anything and everything. That's why they call @Blue Raider Bob...

 

54 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

     First Fat Bass of February! Well, not actually. I caught three before this one and one after, but she was the fattest! Water temp started at 42 deg. but rose to 48 deg. by late afternoon. Unfortunately, so did the wind. By very early afternoon it was whitecapping and my day was done. Managed four fat ones at Nickajack and really pumped about what the future holds! Wanted to bring her back to my pond for some new genetics but she went belly up in the livewell, and with a couple hours to fish, and over an hour drive home, I reluctantly let her go. I'm not risking killing one just for my hobby. She didn't belly up when I put her back. She found a new gear and was GONE!

There was something peculiar about this bass. The coloration was different than the others. The clear water usually causes the LM to have well defined dark green areas on their sides, but this one did not. I thought maybe spot, but there were no tongue patches. Definitely was not a smallie, but the mouth was not as large as a largie this size would usually have. Perplexed about this one.

@Blue Raider Bob, not all individuals have the same size mouth, just take a look at Reba McIntyre for example…..

Got out extra early yesterday to beat the crowd on what was supposed to be a super nice day. Parked my kayak on the bank in the dark and put some cat rods out and wasn't there 5 minutes when one took off and I had a nice blue on the bank.

Nothing else after that so I started chasing bass. Same spot as last week, about a 100 yard wide point that I just worked back and forth across. They must not be generating much because the water temps had dropped from 53 last weekend to 47 this weekend, not good for power plant fish. I was still picking one off every now and then and avoiding the circus of boats I could see across the lake on the bluff walls. I even managed to pick off another nice one on my Ned, just a touch over 5 pounds.

Unfortunately, one of the clowns from the circus decided I was having too much fun and put an end to that. They rolled up and started driving back and forth across my shallow point, scanning and pointing around. They had spider rod holders on the back so I assumed they were catfishermen that were going to hopefully anchor out a little bit and give me a little space. Nope, they drove right over the top of my point and beached it, then started throwing what looked like handfulls of brown gravel all over into the water?? I was fuming, but just kept fishing because unfortunately, they had done nothing actually wrong. Then the lines started flying, to each side of me, way out into the water, on fairly light and long spinning rods? I thought maybe channel cat fishing until they got their first bite and landed the fish. They were carp fishing. There's a carp every square foot in this lake, and they decided to do it right on top of where I was trying to fish. I thought about dragging a big jig through their lines. I thought about grinding a deep crank through their lines, thought about tossing my throw net all around the point, but instead, I fished a little bit longer and left. The saying "2 wrongs don't make a right", kept going through my head and I decided not to let them win by making me get down on their level. Instead, I loaded up and drove to a different lake to check on the ice, only to find out it was completely thawed. I spent the last 2.5 hours of my day catching 30 more bass, all small, but it felt like a reward for keeping my composure.

 

The hole jumpers sitting on top of my footprints from the morning. I got bit on the back of their transom while they were rigging their rods.

44 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I spent the last 2.5 hours of my day catching 30 more bass, all small, but it felt like a reward for keeping my composure.

 

Well done, Officer Clayton. I wish I could say that I always follow your fine lead, but sometimes I hold my tongue and sometimes I don't. 

 

What's the difference between a 19-inch Kansas bass and a 19-inch Maine bass?

 

Answer: 'bout a pound.

 

Now, I have caught 19-inchers in Maine that weighed more than four, but most of them are four-pounders. Kansas grows thick fish and Clayton catches them!

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

What's the difference between a 19-inch Kansas bass and a 19-inch Maine bass?

 

Answer: 'bout a pound.

 

Now, I have caught 19-inchers in Maine that weighed more than four, but most of them are four-pounders. Kansas grows thick fish and Clayton catches them!

It’s mostly this lake. Power plant lake and it has shad so thick you can walk on them. 

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

It’s mostly this lake. Power plant lake and it has shad so thick you can walk on them. 

I believe that! Those bass could use Ozempic!   😁

But seriously, It amazes me that in a lake with such a huge shad population, it is even possible to catch any. Why would they go for anything that is not a shad? The shad are there for the easy taking. I mean "easy", because I have observed the bass in my pond pursue shad, and there is no question that once a bass decides, game over! The bass run down the shad in a blink of an eye, and none ever escape. This goes for creek minnows, and any other fish dropped in the pond.

5 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

I believe that! Those bass could use Ozempic!   😁

But seriously, It amazes me that in a lake with such a huge shad population, it is even possible to catch any. Why would they go for anything that is not a shad? The shad are there for the easy taking. I mean "easy", because I have observed the bass in my pond pursue shad, and there is no question that once a bass decides, game over! The bass run down the shad in a blink of an eye, and none ever escape. This goes for creek minnows, and any other fish dropped in the pond.

It has one of the highest population densities in the state according to surveys, so there’s lots of fish in there and it’s still one of the toughest fisheries to get bit at. A lot of guys throw shad baits, but I rarely do for the exact reason you mentioned, why would they eat a shad bait with millions upon millions of the real thing available? So I catch them on Neds and craws and cranks in crazy colors.

Caught a beautiful 7.6 earlier on the A-Rig, along with a few other really fat 3lb class fish, hoping this marks the end of a nasty funk that's been going on for a few weeks caused by crashing water temps and stunned/dying young of the year Threadfin Shad.    All you can eat shad buffets make it almost impossible to catch fish I've found.   

 

 

 

Fat bellies 😍

 

 

 

 

Finally managed to get out for the first time this year. Nothing crazy but it felt good to connect with some fish. Only fished for a few hours, managed 7, biggest one was a bit over 4lb on a bladed jig up against some reeds. Jerkbait and lipless got me a few, but bladed jig got the most. Also culled a tilapia, and had a nice little surprise with an ~11 inch crappie on the lipless.

 

First fish of 2025 was also my first on the Vision 110.

 

Best fish of the evening

Alex, your 7.6 reminds me of your near DD in her perfection. Sure, she's fat, but she's also pristine. 

 

And Aaron lands a four-plus-pounder, making me think that those southern bass are indeed stirring. 

 

Does anyone know if WoodyB is okay? I've PMed him a couple times, but he hasn't replied. I miss his posts and his presence at BR.

Thanks Katie!  They haven't been biting for me lately, but they've surely been pigging out 😁

 

Agreed about Woody, I've wondered a few times what's up with him.   Hopefully everything is okay and he's just taking a break.   

I actually searched him on FB when I noticed he quit posting about a month ago and he is still posting on there, so I assume just taking a break. 

1 hour ago, FishTax said:

I actually searched him on FB when I noticed he quit posting about a month ago and he is still posting on there, so I assume just taking a break. 

 

Thank you. I miss him. If you ever visit his FB page again, tell him he's missed.

On 2/3/2025 at 10:00 AM, BrianMDTX said:

Do they sell ice breaker canoes? 🤣

 

 

Nah. If they did @A-Jay would have had one years ago.

18 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

All you can eat shad buffets make it almost impossible to catch fish I've found.   

When the shad are schooled up in those mega schools, I've done best by fishing the perimeter of the schools and nearby structure rather than in the schools. Trolling that rig just off bottom over structure can be killer as well. About 2 MPH seems to be the magic speed.  I've caught lots of bass, eyes, and muskie trolling it like that. 

Thanks for the tips Tim!    I've found that is definitely the case when the bait is deep and I use a Damiki Rig and 2D sonar.   There are times when I just don't think these fish will eat an artificial bait without putting the bait on their nose.   

 

Earlier I was around a ton of bait, typical frenetic schooling activity for hours with an untold amount of Bass, but these fish are dang near impossible to catch.   When you do catch one though, they are freak shows and usually spit up half dozen shad.    The fish are always really fat during the winter on this lake, but this year is just different.    

 

Did catch a nice 6.10 fish on the 1/8th Queen Tackle Rollin Strollin Jighead and the new elastomer Drift Fry 4.0 in flashing bait.   If you're in rolling action, you will not find a better combo than that.      

 

This 3lb class fish was a perfect football, and you can see some shad it discarded in the water.

 

 

Finally got back out again after nearly 2 weeks of down time. Sadly, two lakes nearby are currently closed, limiting my options. Bluebird day, but a high of 80 and light and variable winds. Only bites I could buy were on A-rig today. Cloudy and nearly 20 degrees cooler tomorrow if I get one more chance to go this week.