I'm getting so close to a trophy DD fish!  I beat my previous 7 pounder from December by over 2 pounds.  I changed a few things up for this trip and it payed off big time.  

 

First was noise & boat positioning.  I kept myself as shallow as I possibly could, positioning the boat in a foot of water or less, and being very mindful of any noises I was making.  I didn't fire up the outboard until the end of the trip.  I cast toward "deeper" water that was maybe 2 feet deep max, this was where most of the bass were caught this trip.  I also cast parallel to the bank toward the shallowest cover I could find.  All of this is different than my usual approach (put the boat in the deeper water and cast to shallow water perpendicular to the bank). 

 

Second was modifying my spinnerbaits.  I've never had a ton of luck with the typical double willow blade.  This trip I was throwing one I custom made with a large single Colorado blade and a high quality swivel.  I was using a 4.5" paddle tail for a trailer without a skirt.  It worked so much better for a slow retrieve and it got hit hard.  The big Colorado blade thumps like crazy and I noticed that my trailer looked much more alive and moved with much better action compared to a double willow.  Also my hookup ratio improved significantly, and my hooksets were much easier vs. double willow blades.  This could be my new favorite spinnerbait configuration.  

 

It was kind of funny how I ended up catching the 9-10 big girl.  I was catching a few small 1-3 pound bass (along with a bunch of pickerel) when the action died down around lunch time.  I told myself "OK 3 more casts then I'm sitting down to eat."  I cast twice toward the area where I was catching the small fish.  No bites.  OK one last cast... for whatever reason I decided to cast toward some very shallow water next to a bush.  I begin my retrieve, and when my spinnerbait is maybe 10 yards from the boat all hell breaks loose. 

 

I didn't even feel the bass hit the lure, I just saw a huge rush of water, spinnerbait disappeared, then massive headshakes and huge waves of water everywhere.  I was fighting this fish in about a foot of water, less than 10 yards from the boat.  Thank God I got a good hook set!  I managed to work the fish back and forth around the front of the boat until she calmed down and I got her in. 

 

I never would have thought a fish that size would be in water so shallow.  My guess is maybe she was lounging around in the shallows soaking up some sun?  It was warm yesterday (low 70s) and the sun was out when I caught her. 

 

My quest for a DD largemouth continues... I've learned so much from y'all reading all the old threads on here, and I can't wait to get another new PB soon!

     

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

AN OINKER FOR SURE!

 

Congrats, man!

 

 

                                                

Tanker of a Bass man !

Congrats on the new PB.

A-Jay

"Fat bottomed girls make the rocking world go 'round!" Congrats.

That's a for sure Hawg ?

Incredible fish! Huge, huge congrats on the new PB!

 

Congratulations , awesome awesome catch.

Wow congrats! Amazing fish, the spinnerbait isn't dead! I'm also falling in love with spinnerbaits, expecially single colorado, but also double willow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

wow!!!  outstanding!

Outstanding.. great catch. Congrats 

Congratulations, that thing is a tank.

Hawg Alert!

Awesome fish! At first I thought you had it on a cutting board before i realized it was your bench seat. ?

Purdy fish !  Good job !

Congratulations!!!

You did a great job of explaining the specifics of the catch. You not only put me in the boat beside you where I could see the fish and her fury, but you taught me too. Thank you!

 

Congratulations!

Great fish! 

What a fish! Congrats!

Looks like a grouper! Congrats 

Awesome fish and story to go along with it. 

Keep at it.  It took me 16 years to break my previous PB, but I bested it by 1lb.9oz.  If you can get half that on your next, you'll have your first double digit.

That's a stone cold stunna of a largemouth bass.  I'd be shaking for days off that one!  Congratulations!

Nice!  ?