2 hours ago, bp_fowler said:

She was hanging out under this tree.

 

I told ya one other time how much I appreciate your pics of where you catch your bass. Well, I'm telling ya again!

 

 

9 hours ago, OHBuckets said:

I was surprised that Largie didn't just pop like a balloon

 

Both of those are absolute units!! Well done! 

 

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

I told ya one other time how much I appreciate your pics of where you catch your bass. Well, I'm telling ya again!

 

 

Katie out here stealing fishing locations all the way from Maine. 

 

I fished my pal's pond again this morning. It was cool, gray, and foggy when I launched. I was excited to fish the bushy shoreline where I caught 16 bass in 40 minutes on Friday. This shoreline:

 

 

Working the shoreline much more carefully, I only took six bass off of it, using a wakebait, Whopper Plopper, blue lizard, underspin, and wacky worm. Using different lures was my approach all day. I was happy to catch three bass trolling my underspin with a white and chartreuse Crush City Mayor, as it has caught nothing last Friday morning. It's my number one spring lure and it didn't just catch bass trolling. It also caught this upper-four-to-five-pounder (20.5 inches, which on the length to weight chart is just over five pounds) being cast:

 

 

In this spot, a little corner with a stream flowing out of the pond where I've caught four big northern lmb this spring:

 

 

They sit in a little pool right before the current starts.

 

Overall, my average size was excellent, i.e. a lot of bass in the 2.5 to 3.5 range with a few bigger. Here are the best of them:

 

 

This one had a swell belly:

 

 

I caught a few smallmouth and this was the best of them. I know, I know, Maine smallmouth are small:

 

 

The bad news is that my canoe seat broke, so I sat on my tacklebox. I'm going to remove the canoe seat today and attempt to fix it. My fix will be crude, but I don't want to give my canoe to a carpenter and then not have it for X days. If only @Blue Raider Bob were here. Bob can build and fix everything. 

 

I caught 29 in all, giving me 273 for 2025. Unless my pace picks up, I won't surpass 2,000 again this year. We had a long, cold winter and tomorrow starts a week-straight of high temps only in the low to high fifties.                       

 

I caught a five-pounder, but also lost a five-pounder, the first big bass I've lost this year. She came completely out of the water and shook her head. My lure flew free while she swam free. In that moment, she belonged on the cover of an old fishing magazine. She was glorious and I smiled whenever I thought about her. It's right when they win sometimes.                           

 

Caught this 19" 3+ over in the weeds, I've been following the fish and moving as I see them instead of stubbornly staying in the same spots like I sometimes get into a trend of doing. Caught this one while it was simultaneously pooping out a full length senko.

Caught 15 today, including a bream. Didn't get a picture of most of them, but the largest, and first was 1lb13oz.

 

 

 

 

 

All of mine were on a fluke, except for the bluegill, which was on a roostertail. I also tried a trap and a swim jig. They didn't want any of that for some reason.

@Bazoo: You and I fish in such different places. The shorelines of your pond look like your son's cheeks and chin. The shorelines of my ponds look like your beard.

We went to the beach for an old friends wedding this weekend!

 

I remember nearly 20 years ago - fishing in the canals behind Tom's parents beach house - I was very curious if they were destroyed by Helene this last year or if they had anything alive in them.

 

I knew I wasn't going to have much opportunity being that I was a grooms man in the wedding and had most of the weekend booked up for social events and wedding related activities.

 

Well we get to a good break point the day of the wedding before we have to change and folks in the wedding go back to the beach house for lunch.

 

Jake and I see our opportunity of course and of course at this stage in our fishing journey - we are curious about one thing and one thing only - do these canals have largemouth bass and do they eat spro frogs?

 

Well I make my first cast from his backyard to a ledge where I can see sandy bottom washed out by current and line my cast up with a nice big piece of wood under a shadeline and start walking my frog out.

 

About one foot in front of the piece of wood - my Spro Pop 60 in Freak gets absolutely demolished and the fish swims towards me and I miss the hookset.

We proceed to catch a mess of largemouth over the course of the next hour - providing entertainment for the people changing into their wedding garments and eating lunch - also blowing Tom and his families minds simultaneously - they had NO idea there were bass in the canals!

 

Jake got his personal best bluegill at 14 oz - just 2 shy of a lb!  He also got the big bass for the day on the floating zoom bubble gum trick worm - about 4.5 lbs!

 

 

We answered the age old question:  YES!  Canal bass eat spro frogs.  🐸🐸🐸😍😍😍

Jake scores the biggest bass and the biggest bluegill. You better get used to finishing second, Papa. I predict there are many Jake Rules days ahead. 

I was really hoping to see @Pat Brown holding a big bass that he caught on a frog while wearing a tux after the wedding! 🤣

 

Nicely done, Pat!

2 hours ago, Fishlegs said:

I was really hoping to see @Pat Brown holding a big bass that he caught on a frog while wearing a tux after the wedding! 🤣

 

Nicely done, Pat!

 

Mrs Meagan decided we better change *AFTER* we fished for 45 minutes at the house in the back canals 👍🏼🫡😭😂

This weekend I got called in off the bench to be a last minute sub for my buddy Jon in a Kansas Buddy Bass 2 day tournament on Truman Lake in Missouri. I hate Truman, and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutal. It's a huge lake that is constantly changing, so it's impossible to learn if you don't fish it a lot for years, which I haven't. I also had no time to prefish, so we were going in completely blind. The week leading up to it, I scoped around on Google maps and found a place I liked. Figuring the fish should be spawning to postspawn, they should still be in their spawning coves and starting to work their ways back to the main lake. So I found a big cove that I liked with a good mix of rock and gravel, some timber, and transitions that was on an outside channel swing that they could dump into when summer gets here. 

 

Tournament morning, we were boat 18 out of 21 and nobody else decided to fish around the marina, so we opted to try that first since it would be off limits on day 2. That proved to be a waste of time. The winds were forecast to be very light, but they were very wrong and there were white caps rolling across the lake. We didn't want to, but we decided to make the long, rough run almost 15 miles down the lake in Jon's old Ranger. 

 

When we got to the spot, he started with a popper and almost immediately had a fish miss his bait. I followed it up with a finesse jig and got our first keeper of the morning.

It was over an hour and several dinks later, we were going across a point that was mostly clay and mud with a few stumps, but if I know anything about Truman, that's the stuff the fish like there. I pitched my jig to the shallowest stump and got popped. I was afraid it was going to be a drum but it turned out to be a solid keeper.

I was getting bit pretty good on a Spro Essestials Popper 80 in chrome color but couldn't get one that was quite keeper sized. Jon's back was hurting so he took a break on the trolling motor and I was kind of mindlessly casting in the back of a nothing gravel pocket with the popper. I was just thinking about how we hadn't caught anything in the back of a pocket when a fish exploded on my bait. She pulled and jumped and ripped drag, I have no idea how the fish didn't come off because there was only one hook in it the whole fight, but Jon got her scooped and we added a nearly 4 pound midday topwater eater to our bag. 

We finished that bank out and went straight across to another small pocket. It was really flat but I started with the popper again and almost immediately had a fish boil on it. It was a line burner but keeper number 4 was in the box and it was only 10:30 and we were fishing until 3! All kinds of time to get number 5. 

 

Let me tell you, when I say the bite died after that fish, it felt like all the fish in the lake disappeared. We couldn't even catch any shorts. Then the real disaster struck. I checked the livewell about 11:30, and the big fish was on her side, gold eyed, looking as dead and she could possibly look. I was gutpunched, this was one of the main reasons I quit tournaments in boats, risking killing a fish that was perfectly healthy just to haul it around and put it on a scale. Frustrusted, I told Jon she was a goner. He checked and said he thought his livewell timer wasn't working and just put it on constant and we left it running hoping for a miracle. At about 1:30 we ran to the dam. Other than a couple heartbreaking catfish and drum, nothing. I checked the livewell again, the big fish was alive! I couldn't believe it. She was righted and thrashing around. I was really happy and it saved us a 1lb penalty, which was really going to help with us only having 4 fish.

 

With 20 minutes left, Jon said we go for a Hail Mary at the marina. I was done, Gopro was put away. We went down the bank once, nothing. Back out, Jon hooked up! But it was short. I was daydreaming, dragging my Bang Stickz through all the little bushes, when it disappeared. I couldn't believe it, my line was slicing towards deeper water. I set the hook and just as fast swung number 5 into the boat! Check out the time stamp on the picture.

 

 

Our day one total was 12.81 and put us in 5th, less than 3 pounds out of 1st and I had big fish for day 1.

We talked it over quite a bit that night. We didn't want to make that run again. The more we talked though, the more it made no sense not to. We had caught fish, there had to be more. There was a 100 boat tournament going out further up the lake, it was going to be busy and we were running away from where they were launching from. It was supposed to be very calm most of the day and we were in water with a good stain. I didn't want to go to the calmer water. We both checked our Deep Dive apps and confirmed the leaders were fishing an area with cleaner water and I was betting they were in for a tough day 2.

 

We made the long run Sunday and pulled into a completely empty pocket and got to work. I told Jon the night before he needed to slow down his popper. He immediately started getting bit to confirm my feelings. It wasn't very long before a fish mauled his bait. Halfway to the boat, a solid 3.5 to 4 pounder went airborne, and seperated itself from his bait. Not the start we hoped for. Then it was 1.5 hours into our morning and we had nothing but several shorts. Saturday we had no Ned rigs tied on, Sunday we both did. We were going down a nice chunk rock bank, perfect Nedding spot. I cast up to the point and my line started to slowly drift off. I hooked up with a solid one that took flight and then pulled hard and stayed down before Jon netted it. I didn't get a picture, but keeper number 1 was a solid 17" fish. I had to remind both of us that it was almost the exact same time as our first keeper the day before, we had plenty of time. To really ring that home, 10 minutes later, my Ned landed next to a big rock and then my line was quickly headed for deeper water. The fish jumped immediately and crashed back down before staying down the rest of the fight. I knew when it hit the net that I'd beat my big fish the day before.

Around the next point, I caught a 12" and 13.5" spotted bass (spots only have to be 12" to keep), to get us just 1 short of a limit. Down a steeper rock bank, Jon's popper got smashed again. I was pleading outloud for the fish to stay stuck, because we needed it but Jon really needed it. The fish dove under the boat and then jumped up and away from the boat at a crazy angle, sending his bait flying the other direction. I stretched as far as I could with the net but came up just a little short. Jon let out and exasperated yell. I felt so bad for my friend. He didn't do anything wrong and he just kept beating himself up about it. It was just a bunch of bad luck at a really bad time.

 

We had a pretty good lull before we went across the point I'd caught my jig fish the day before off the stumps. I noticed a laydown I couldn't see the day before and flipped my Ned next to it. A fish pulled me under the stump and had my 10lb Pounce leader squeaking but I got it drug back out from under it and got our limit filled out.

It was only 10:30, plenty of time to cull those spots. We cut across to where I'd caught my last popper fish the day before. I'd also missed one in a laydown. I could see it much better this day because the water had dropped so much. It was a whole cedar with the roots and everything laying next to a standing hardwood. I flipped my Ned next to it and was in a bad way real quick with a fish heading with my bait towards the rootball. I got a funny hookset and got real lucky when the fish rocketed away from the tree and tailwalked right into the net that Jon was super fast with, and the hook just fell out when it hit the net. The 12" spot was traded out for this one.

Jon dropped it in the livewell and I joked and said I was going to catch his girlfriend out of that tree. I grabbed my T-rig rod and pitched a Rage bug into the tree, hopped it twice and got thumped. I hammered the rod back and quickly swung in another keeper. I culled both spots out of the same tree!

We just kept fishing at that point. Trolling motor down and I ran us to a little pocket we didn't get to fish the day before because of all the crappie fishermen. We went through the whole thing and I wasn't paying a lot of attention as we came out. I cast my Ned a small stump on the end of the point and was talking to Jon when my rod started to get pulled down. I set into another solid fish that I had to finesse through the stumps and into the net. This one culled us up a little bit more.

With about 2.5 hours left, we were deciding what to do. We had another area we had talked about fishing the night before that wasn't too far away we could run to. I decided that was not the best idea. We had fish here, lets get everything we can here and make the best of it. There were a few little mud/sand pockets and points that just had a few trees that nobody had fished, I suggested we run those and see what happens. We caught a few shorts, when I saw a stump that was setup perfect. I cast at a different one and then pointed it out to Jon, told him I didn't see it and to cast at it. He pitched his Ned to it and hooked up with a good one. I didn't get his picture, but the fish barely culled our smallest fish and it might as well have been the biggest in the livewell because he'd finally got one to add to our total. 

 

We stuck it out until about 2:20 when a storm started to roll in. We didn't want to get caught a long way from the ramp so we got in about 20 minutes early and decided we both happy regardless of how we finished and put it on the trailer. Our day 2 efforts gave us 15.05, for a total of 27.86. I was really surprised when the tournament director said he thought we'd probably win with that. 

There was one other good bag weighed in, but a lot of people didn't have limits and complained of much harder fishing and blamed the calmer conditions and increased fishing pressure. 

 

They started calling the top 5, it started at 23lbs, we were in the money! Then it was 24, another 24, top 2! Second place 27.70, we won by .16lbs!

 

Let me tell you, when all those guys heard they got beat by a couple guys fishing out of an old Ranger (the one behind us in the picture), fishing a Ned rig, I thought they were going to throw up 😆

 

It was a great weekend fishing with my good buddy in some tough conditions. 

 

Another exciting telling by @Bluebasser86 with another happy ending!

1 hour ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Let me tell you, when all those guys heard they got beat by a couple guys fishing out of an old Ranger (the one behind us in the picture), fishing a Ned rig, I thought they were going to throw up

Think I’d be more upset about losing to a couple fellas rocking crocks. Especially those multi colored monstrosities.

@Bluebasser86, that was a heckuva good read. Thanks for sharing! And I don't care what @gimsays about the Crocs. I believe in them. Imma get me a pair like yours and pretend they help me fish better. 😄

 

I nabbed a little largie at the pond this afternoon, and earlier, a nice pike out of the river. (Pike pic is in the Other Species Catch Thread.)

 

 

And because @Swamp Girl likes to snipe fishing spots, I grabbed a picture of where I caught him: just a few feet in front and to the left of this rock covered culvert in about 2 and 1/2 feet of water: 

 

 

Both fish came on a Rapala floating minnow.

 

I've come to lose all trust in Rapala's stock hooks. After the battle with the pike, one of the hooks on the rear treble was broken clean off, and the front treble was bent all out of shape. Lure was brand new out of the package and didn't make it past one fish without damage. 

Got these two today on another trip to the shallow weedbeds. Super aggressive and both hit almost instantly. The chubby one got caught up in some weeds and I had to let it work its way out, needed some manual percolating in the water to revive it as such. Gave me a nice splash literally right in my face as it jumped up while I was on the ground getting it ready to turn back loose. 

 

Brought the 30 year old daiwa triforce 153iV reel with me today and it handled both well.

1 hour ago, gim said:

Think I’d be more upset about losing to a couple fellas rocking crocks. Especially those multi colored monstrosities.

Those are toned down a lot from my previous pair. I couldn’t find another pair when I blew out the old pair walking a dam. I like wearing them solely because it bothers people 🤷‍♂️

30 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I blew out the old pair walking a dam.

Blew out the old pair?

1 hour ago, gim said:

Blew out the old pair?

Didn’t have them in 4 wheel drive and my foot went right through the front of one of them.

Dang Clayton you're an absolute hammer!  Congratulations dude!

Attaway @Bluebasser86!!!

Tough day but a good day on Randleman lake in NC. Only caught one i could weigh but it was 5 pounds and 15 oz. Shakey head with a finesse worm. Rest of the day caught a bunch of dinks. It was supposed to be overcast but it was sunny and hot so I am beat.

1 hour ago, IYAOYAS said:

Tough day but a good day on Randleman lake in NC. Only caught one i could weigh but it was 5 pounds and 15 oz. Shakey head with a finesse worm. Rest of the day caught a bunch of dinks. It was supposed to be overcast but it was sunny and hot so I am beat.

 

 

Yessss!  Beauty!

 

We had a nice time yesterday evening before a big storm hit.  No giants but fun.

 

 

Flukes and floating trick worms got it done.  Lost my first bass on a wakebait but it wasn't super huge so I'll survive.  The bite was so cool though!  Saw the fish come up from super far away, bite and then swim with it before I even registered what was happening!

 

Today we hit another spot and had a field day.  @FishTax saw life all over his trail cams and warned me to be on the lookout for big fish - he wasn't wrong!  😛

 

Jake with a 6 yownder to start us off this evening on the merthiolate floating trick worm!  Zoom probably gonna sell me about 6 more bags of those this spring I'll tell you what!

 

Here's one that's definitely post and pre spawn for you Katy!  Note the belly full of eggs and the extremely bloody tail.  She been spawning and she bout to spawn.  @Swamp Girl

 

 

 

A few nice ones on the mag speed worm and fluke for Papa and then I make a long cast with my speed worm and feel a tick at the end of the cast as it's falling.  I know what that means and I gather up my line as fast as my curado 8:3:1 will go and we got us a 4.5 lber!

 

 

Gorgeous fish that just got done laying some eggs.

 

Jake rounded the night out with another nice one and we caught a pretty toad.

 

 

Best 5 were dangerously close to 20 lbs from the bank after school tonight 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

 

Way to go, @Pat Brown and Jake! Jake sure is following in his papa's footsteps. 

 

More and more, when I see photos of Jake, I see the emerging man, but there are still a few photos where I see the boy. 

 

Pat, over the years, I've seen you post many bass with shredded tails. I have never, NOT ONCE with thousands of bass, seen a Maine tail as shredded as the ones you catch. This tells me that either Maine bass are test tubing their fry or they're nest building on soft mud and your bass must be nest building on gravel and mud.

 

Beauty, @IYAOYAS!

Left 80 degrees in South Carolina for a wedding back in Northern Minnesota. Had planned 2 days of fishing afterwards, but because of 40 degree weather, rain and 30-40 mph winds only got a half day in. But found a few good ones on jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and Mini Max chatterbaits. 

Strange first few hours today.  Structure and cover meant absolutely nothing.  Seemed every active bass on the lake was on bait.  Nothing relating to grass, wood, points.... unless there was a ton of bait there.  Surface temp 75, overcast and relatively calm, which made it better for finding nervous bait.  But, really... how do you compete with this

 

Except this girl was all alone in about 8 inches of water .  No shad spawn...not on a bed.... no clue what she was doing there...lol.  I usually don't take a pic unless they appear to be 5# or better, but this was the biggest  3.5# Bass I've ever seen.  She had the mouth of a 5...probably was a couple weeks ago

Once wind picked up in the afternoon, they got onto points and it was lights out for a few hours....probably only because the bait went there.