RIP my rod 

 

It always seemed to me that flatheads fought more like a striper with fast movements and changes in directions, even had one ‘jump’ once (it was more of a wallow). Blues are like hooking a passing submarine; they want to take you where they want to go. In DC they seemed to roll more than they do in NC, I don’t know why that is.

Took my buddy and our kids out on a panfish mission and boy did we crush them. The stringer pic doesn't do the size justice. Several were 12 ounces or bigger and bigger than our hands. Caught 30ish sunnies and 10ish small bass. Most fun I've had fishing in quite some time. The kids ate it up and the fish tacos we turned them into were one of the best things I've ever made even without proper shells.

 

 

 

 

🐈 🐟 

 

The restaurant can keep their fish! 

Got out today after work with the bfs setup, nothing big but the pike was interesting on 4Lb test mono. Sorry for the bad photo of the pike but I wanted my lure back and he snapped the line once he got to the bank. All on the 1/8 square bill.

The Full Grown Pike have been abundant this season ~

This one was really thick and just plain mean.

A-Jay

 

On 5/26/2024 at 6:01 AM, TnRiver46 said:

I guess it was take your wife fishing day , she got a 30” carp that weighed 12.6 lbs with her 5 wt fly rod and a popping bug. They are still cruising around slurping cicadas

Expert casting technique  casting a spinnerbait with a 5 wt fly rod. 

A couple more toothy slimers bellied up to the bar for T-Billy's all you can eat crappie breakfast this morning. First was a nice thick 40.5", second was an anorexic 46.5" old timer. The poor thing was so skinny I felt kinda bad for catching it. 

A bit later I moved to a big flat and pulled this 37" off the weed edge with a crappie colored double 8 spinner. It was an awesome bite. It came in hot and chased around the 8 three full laps then finally smashed it on an outside turn right at the surface. A fired up muskie on a foot of line sure is a hoot!!! The smallest fish was the highlight today. Felt good to get one on an artificial. It's been awhile. 

3 hours ago, T-Billy said:

It came in hot and chased around the 8 three full laps then finally smashed it on an outside turn right at the surface.

Hard to beat a boat side muskie. It’s very difficult to maintain composure in those situations. Most people lift the lure out of the water and stare at the fish in amazement. I know I did a few times when I started muskie fishing. If you make the figure 8 every time it just becomes routine and then you’ll be better prepared for the moment of truth.

 

Our season legally opens here tomorrow.

On 5/31/2024 at 8:53 PM, gimruis said:

If you make the figure 8 every time it just becomes routine and then you’ll be better prepared for the moment of truth.

For sure. The 8 is a big deal, you have to develop a technique to it. Long 9' and 9.5" rods really help with making good 8's. They allow you to make wide turns more easily, and make bigger depth changes when coming through the straights. I like to pull the bait fast and down coming into the straights, then come up high and slow it down through the corners. The bites usually come at the apex of the turns.

Thursday was Mrs. 12poundbass’s birthday. Our son had a baseball game Thursday so last night was her night to do what she wanted. She wanted to go fishing, but skunked. I only caught three fish and all three were pike. Thankfully, the @Siebert Outdoors Fogy survived all three attacks. 
 

 

Only crappie caught on today's trip, but at 15" and 1-3/4 lb it's my new PB crappie

It's that time of year on my local lake when the bass have left their beds, and the bluegill take up residence.

 

I have a great time catching these fish on my 3wt fly rod with an old school click and pawl reel.  Catch and release throwing a barbless Bully's Bluegill Spider.

 

 

 

 

Got me a PB crappie close to 17" and 2#4oz

Byproduct bass fishing using 1/2oz chatterbait zako trailer

 

 

Waiting for @Team9nine approval here on this slab.

It ain't but 33", but anytime one of these over 30" goes into the net, it's a successful day in my book. Had three other follows, all around this size. They're finally chasing, but the water's pretty clear, so they're pretty skittish coming into the 8. This fish hit mid retrieve as I was burning a double 8 over some milfoil that's within a foot of the surface so, I got to see the bite. It came rocketing up out of the weeds and absolutely smoked the spinner. 

I also put about a dozen LM in the boat before daylight. Nothing over 2#. There's some fish to be had pre-dawn, but last week's cool front has the gills in a holding pattern. The night bite won't really heat up until they hit the beds. Should go down in the next week or two. 

I had to hang around the house this morning while my new garage door was being installed, so I didn't get to the lake until 11:30. I fished until 3:00. It was on like Donkey Kong with the 30 somethings. 39", 36" and 31" pictured. I also lost another high 30's and caught a mid 20's dink. Six other aggressive follows, but they're really skittish with the clear water, and I couldn't quite close the deal with them. All ate in the 8. I was BURNING a Llungen 22 Short over grass in 10'-13'. Same deal as when I was hammering them last August. I don't know why I was sticking my tongue out in the pic of the 36". Musta been thinking of @gimruis!!! 😜

Nice work.  The Muskie Whisperer.

 

That is a lot of action for a midday outing too BTW

 

You'll have to post a photo of the new garage door in the "post a photo a day" thread.

Beautiful fish, @T-Billy! I've only ever caught one musky. And it was tiny. 

(At least I think that's what this tiny guy is.)

 

 

Didn't need no figure 8 to catch this river monster. He attacked a spoon about half his size on a straight retrieve. 

58 minutes ago, gimruis said:

That is a lot of action for a midday outing too BTW

Yeah, for sure. Bright sun, mid 80's, light winds. Perfect recipe for a terrible muskie trip, but they were chewing. No telling how many of those follows I could have converted with a little more wind. Could have been a crazy 3.5hrs. No heartbreaks there though. They were all low to mid 30's.

@LrgmouthShad @NorthernBasser you sons of bi***es you jinxed me with my first pike of the season this morning.  It was about 25 inches and dripping with slime.  Yuck.

 

2 minutes ago, gimruis said:

you sons of bi***es you jinxed me with my first pike of the season this morning

Hey now, we warned you. We didn’t jinx you. You jinxed yourself 😁

12 minutes ago, gimruis said:

@LrgmouthShad @NorthernBasser you sons of bi***es you jinxed me with my first pike of the season this morning.  It was about 25 inches and dripping with slime.  Yuck.

 

The pike whisperer!!! 😁

2 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

The pike whisperer!!!

 

I knew exactly what it was when I hooked it too.  It went on a torpedo run from left to right.  I let out some profanity.

 

Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come.  I don't need to be getting into these slime bags all of the sudden.

I hear ya @gimruis. I pulled my bait away from a couple small muskie this morning. They're a PITA to deal with. The bigger fish were having fun taunting me. Eight hot follows into the 8, right on the bait, zero hookups. They would follow through a turn or two then bail. Clear water is making it tough to get bit. In order to even get 'em chasing, I'm having to burn that .22 Short just as fast as I can stand to crank it with an 8 speed Tranx 400. Fortunately no heart breakers, but I did have a nice low 40's take a swipe at it and miss this morning. I think I need to pick up some big bass cranks to show 'em.