Thanks @Swamp Girl, there was a smallie involved as well once my wife showed up so there are some additional pics in the latest bass thread 

Wow, @T-Billy: One after another after another....

Brown trout were hitting. Lost a big one up the creek but made off with two. Then the weather cleared and their aggression expired.

My wife went fishing for some native southern Appalachian brook trout. These little fellers are the crown jewel of the Smokies/blue ridge mtns

4 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

My wife went fishing for some native southern Appalachian brook trout. These little fellers are the crown jewel of the Smokies/blue ridge mtns

That is a pretty fish! I caught the  northwest Iowa equivalent tonight... Some creek chubs! Hopefully they will get me a few channel catfish tomorrow. Also managed 6 crappies this morning, but they were all dinks.

Creek chub good bait for anything including channel cats 

3 morning rats on the jerkbait. Getting to be the time of year where they only want live bait and the lure bite is becoming difficult.

I'm really getting to like this "soaking" crappie deal. 😉 The water's getting close to 70 and the slimers are starting to chase blades, but we ain't quite there yet. I moved three this afternoon on a single #6 but couldn't get 'em to commit. They went once around the 8 and bailed.

The crappie bite this morning on the other hand....... I tied off to a big oak on the tip of a channel swing point at about 7 and put a couple crappie down. At about 8 one of them got blasted and I put this nice 40" in the net.

While I'm unhooking it the other rod went off but just for a second, the fish quickly dropped the crappie. I finish unhooking the 40 and get a quick measurement and pic. As I'm rigging up another crappie, rod #2 goes off again, and this 44" goes into the net. 

Sweet, two nice fish just a couple minutes apart. Dang near doubled up. I get re-rigged and spend an hour staying entertained with catching dink crappie. Right about 9 a bait clicker starts singing that sweet tune, and in short order another 44" is in the net.

 Just as I get her unhooked, rod two goes off. Rut roe Raggy... 44 in the net and another fish swimming off with my other crappie. Here we go... I Jacked her, wrestled her around the transom to the side the net was on, and was able to slide her into the net without losing the 44. I doubled up with what nearly turned out to be a pair of twins. The second fish was 43" and the same color and pattern as the 44" SWEET!!!

That ended up being my last bite of the day, but who cares. Twas an awesome morning, and I'm off for seven more days. I'll be tied to that big oak again tomorrow at first light. 😁

 

2 hours ago, T-Billy said:

I'm really getting to like this "soaking" crappie deal. 😉 The water's getting close to 70 and the slimers are starting to chase blades, but we ain't quite there yet. I moved three this afternoon on a single #6 but couldn't get 'em to commit. They went once around the 8 and bailed.

The crappie bite this morning on the other hand....... I tied off to a big oak on the tip of a channel swing point at about 7 and put a couple crappie down. At about 8 one of them got blasted and I put this nice 40" in the net.

While I'm unhooking it the other rod went off but just for a second, the fish quickly dropped the crappie. I finish unhooking the 40 and get a quick measurement and pic. As I'm rigging up another crappie, rod #2 goes off again, and this 44" goes into the net. 

Sweet, two nice fish just a couple minutes apart. Dang near doubled up. I get re-rigged and spend an hour staying entertained with catching dink crappie. Right about 9 a bait clicker starts singing that sweet tune, and in short order another 44" is in the net.

 Just as I get her unhooked, rod two goes off. Rut roe Raggy... 44 in the net and another fish swimming off with my other crappie. Here we go... I Jacked her, wrestled her around the transom to the side the net was on, and was able to slide her into the net without losing the 44. I doubled up with what nearly turned out to be a pair of twins. The second fish was 43" and the same color and pattern as the 44" SWEET!!!

That ended up being my last bite of the day, but who cares. Twas an awesome morning, and I'm off for seven more days. I'll be tied to that big oak again tomorrow at first light. 😁

 

Nicely Done.

First time for me seeing 2 muskie in one net.  Pretty cool.

So is it fish of 10,000 casts or

fish of a dozen crappie near an oak tree ? 

You decide. 

Congrats and good luck the rest of the week. 

A-Jay

 

On 5/12/2025 at 9:22 AM, Peacedivision said:

Getting to be the time of year where they only want live bait and the lure bite is becoming difficult.

As a Chesapeake Bay fisherman, it’s getting to be the time of year where I check if there’s still fish left to catch

Holy muskies, @T-Billy! What. A. Morning.

Wow @T-Billy! That’s incredible!

 

5 hours ago, A-Jay said:

First time for me seeing 2 muskie in one net.

It's the second time. Last November I doubled up with one on the A-rig and one on a crappie.

The big oak was a bust this morning. I had one smoke a crappie ten minutes in, but it dropped it before I could get to the rod. That was it. I only had one other looker, and I only saw one other cruise past on side scan in a couple hours time. I figured if the fish aren't moving, I should be, so I pulled up stakes and went drifting.

 I hit several spots and ended up catching a 34" and a 38" about five minutes apart in one of my favorite bays. I also raised a 40-42 shortly after but couldn't get it to commit. I got those burning a 22 Short over grass in 12'. No pics. I'm not gonna bother with pics for fish under 40" anymore. I bought a 40" adhesive backed tape for my gunnel so I don't have to bump 'em to get a length. Just out of the net, quick rough measure at the gunnel and back in the water. 

 About 3:30 just as I was bout to call it quits, I picked up this nice thick 40" on a crappie rig to finish out the day.

 

I worked hard for 'em today, and I'm happy to have ended up with three, and it felt good to get a couple crankin. Hopefully I can get back on some big girls tomorrow. 🤞

10 hours ago, T-Billy said:

I'm not gonna bother with pics for fish under 40" anymore.

 

Double cool. Cool that you've reached this class of musky hunter and double cool that you're getting the shorter fish back into the water ASAP. Man, oh, man, Tim, you've become a heck of a musky angler is just a few years. We're all so proud of you!

Outstanding work @T-Billy! In just a few short days you have equaled my lifetime Musky haul! Very impressive!!

     Caught my largest even Red-Eared Sunfish at Nickajack yesterday  It was 11" and 1lb 1 oz. I've caught bigger Shellcracker fishing for crappie but this was my PB for a targeted species.  Thought I hooked a Tarpon! Here's what happened. I trolled over the Shellcracker beds and marked them. Anchored, opened lunch pail and had lunch to give them time to relax, decided to wade to them so no worries about boat control, stepped over side only to stumble and give myself a "Baptist Baptism", complete emersion! I was soaked but had enough sense to put wallet and truck keys in lunch pail beforehand. (Been there-done that)! Fortunately, the water was spawning temps so all is good  🙂.  Took off shirt to dry and got an old-fashioned sunburn to go along with my hand-size thigh bruise. Meant to catch a half dozen for the pond but just couldn't quit. They were that much fun! Took home a dozen to release. Later that evening, during pond time, I saw four of them swim by in a tight school. I did not know Shellcrackers schooled but for a moment they did.

Only one today, but it was the right one. 46" on a crappie. It was the only bite I had all day, but I raised a couple on cranks, and raised four on blades. We're getting close to chuck and wind season!!!

22 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Double cool. Cool that you've reached this class of musky hunter and double cool that you're getting the shorter fish back into the water ASAP. Man, oh, man, Tim, you've become a heck of a musky angler is just a few years. We're all so proud of you!

Thank you Katie. It's sure been an awesome ride. I try to get 'em all back quickly. I have a pretty good system worked out. Once netted, I get 'em unhooked and let them chill out in the net until I have the bump board wet and opened up and the camera set up with a 10sec delay. Then it's out of the net for a quick pic and bump. They're out of the water for under a minute. 

 Now that I won't be taking pics with the smaller fish, they'll be out of the water for more like 10 -15sec.

46 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Now that I won't be taking pics with the smaller fish, they'll be out of the water for more like 10 -15sec.

 

So speedy! Thanks for protecting the resource, Tim.

 

I also keep my bass in the net until I'm ready with the bump board and camera. More and more, I don't measure my bass. One lip and grip photo and they're back in the water.

22 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

I saw four of them swim by in a tight school. I did not know Shellcrackers schooled but for a moment they did.

Maybe they remembered the entertainment you provided for them earlier, and were hoping for another show. 🤣

 

That's a big one. Nice fish!

 

Another beauty, @T-Billy!

27 minutes ago, Fishlegs said:

Maybe they remembered the entertainment you provided for them earlier, and were hoping for another show. 🤣

 

That's a big one. Nice fish!

 

Another beauty, @T-Billy!

Actually there was a boat close enough to see me fall over the side, but I acted like it was part of the plan! I'm at the age where I couldn't care less if they laughed or not!  😁 I had a blast walking through the semi-clear water tossing to individual shellcracker beds. Would have stayed all day but I only wanted a half dozen for the pond. Unfortunately they were all males and I didn't achieve my goal of a mix . Great excuse to go again!

22 hours ago, T-Billy said:

Only one today, but it was the right one. 46" on a crappie. It was the only bite I had all day, but I raised a couple on cranks, and raised four on blades. We're getting close to chuck and wind season!!!

Tim, those are monsters! You use my fish for bait! What is your PB lengthwise? I'm not that knowledgeable but 46" Is a dang big fish! That must feel like setting the hook on a locomotive!

22 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Tim, those are monsters! You use my fish for bait! What is your PB lengthwise? I'm not that knowledgeable but 46" Is a dang big fish! That must feel like setting the hook on a locomotive!

PB is the 48.25" in my avatar. More like setting the hook on a Ferrari. They're sprinters, fast and explosive fighters but not much on endurance.

@T-Billy Your using up all my likes man.