This past Monday I had some time to get out fishing. The fore cast wasn't perfect, 50-55 degrees, but the wind forecast was 15 mph with stronger gusts. I decided I should go anyway. I figured there wouldn't be too many more days before all the lakes freeze up maybe 6 weeks. I got a pretty late start to the day. I had a couple things to take care of in the morning. I was making my first cast at 1130.The water temperature was 52 degrees and the wind whipping around 10 mph or so out of the west. I decided to start the day with a jig using a rage craw trailer. I was targeting deep trees, wood. On the third cast I felt a slight "tick" in my line. I set the hook hard and the fight was on. I could tell it was a good fish and after getting the net untangled it was in the boat. A heck of way to start the day.

Not the best picture I know. She weighed in at 5 lbs 7 oz.

On the very next cast the another good fish hit my jig, a 4 lb 9 oz. At this point I was thrilled I had decided to fish for a few hours. After making two trips around this particular spot I had landed 7 bass, nothing nearly as big as the first two. At this time I decided to give the spot a rest and fish a coupe other deep trees I know. I got a hit and missed it on the next tree. It is always a bummer missing fish this time of year.  A few moments later at the next woody area I caught another fish on the jig/rage craw combo. Here is what it looks like.

I motored across the lake over to a set of two trees in deeper water 17 ft or so. The first tree I got nothing. I tried other lures here too like a drop shot, silver buddy and a texas rigged worm. The first cast on the second tree produced a quality fish. A 3 lb 14 oz largemouth on the jig and rage combo. The next couple spots produced a whole lot of nothing. I decided to fish one more spot and then head back to the spot I started the day at. After a 15 minute motor I was fishing an off shore rock pile in 8-10 feet of water. I took a few casts with the jig and that wasn't working. I started throwing a squarebill crankbait banging it off the rocks. I caught  couple pickerel pretty quickly. I figured I would stay with the crankbait a little longer. I was rewarded with a 2 lb 13 oz smallie a couple moments later. At this point I decided to go back to the spot that was so good to me in the morning.  It took awhile to get over to the spot I was on the opposite end of the lake. Once I got there, I slowly crept up to perfect casting distance. First cast I was rewarded with a 2-15. I continued to fish the jig and unfortunately the bite wasn't as good as in the morning. After the 2-15 about 20 casts late I caught a 3 lb 3 oz largemouth. After that fish the bite all but stopped. It was getting a bit later in the afternoon. In the late fall I have most of my luck during the middle portion of the day, the lull in the action in the late afternoon was expected. I decided to change things up a little bit. I hadn't had a bite for quite a while. With an hour or so left before I needed to leave I put a rage bug as a trailer on my jig. I fished some offshore trees that I had fished early in the day and with no results. I was swimming my jig and rage bug combo back to the boat when I felt a very slight yet recognizable tick. I set the hook and realize its a real good fish. It puts up a heck of a fight, pulling down deep nowhere near the surface. I get it to the surface and see it has a huge head and mouth. I slide it into the net and oh man it is a good one.

She weighed in at 6 lbs 10 oz.

 That was the last bite of the day. I had to go in at 4 pm. I caught 12 largemouth, 1 smallmouth and 2 pickerel for the day. My biggest 5 were 6-10, 5-7, 4-9, 3-14, 3-3 for a 5 fish limit of  23 lbs 11 oz. A pretty awesome late fall day of fishing.

 

Awesome man those are some good looking fish!

SWEET ~ !

 

I'll say this Maine, you started this magic season you're having with a Bang, you've carried that momentum right through the warmer months and it looks like you're ending it the same way.

 

Really nice bass man.

 

Congrats

 

A-Jay

Great fish! I don't think I caught many more than 12 LMB this whole year. Looks like I've got to get out of MA and up to ME - after all, isn't it all about ME?!?!?!?

Sounds like a fun day, those are some nice fish.

 

Did you get a chance to look at the deformity on the tail of the 6-10?  I can't tell if it is some kind of birth defect or if it looks like other fish have been nibbling on her tail.  What is odd is the rest of her looks perfect, great color & a well defined lateral line.

Sounds like a fun day, those are some nice fish.

 

Did you get a chance to look at the deformity on the tail of the 6-10?  I can't tell if it is some kind of birth defect or if it looks like other fish have been nibbling on her tail.  What is odd is the rest of her looks perfect, great color & a well defined lateral line.

 

 

The tail marking of the 6-10 is from spawning. During the spawn females get injuries to the caudal fin usually the lower portion from fanning the rest and also from the male attempting to stimulate her. At the first the caudal fin injury is red, or bleeding essentially and open wound. What you can see I the picture is that the injury has healed well over time.  Or... it couldn't be from spawning at all... In my opinion though it is an old spawning injury that has healed over again and again. It is a birth deformity or a genetic mutation. In my opinion it is just a big old girl who has spawned many many times.