Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 I had one of the best fishing sessions of my life this morning, but I want to begin by thanking @Glenn for suggesting green pumpkin EVERYTHING in one of his videos. I'm a match the hatcher, so I use shad-colored Crush City The Mayors, but after hearing Glenn say that green pumpkin works in all soft plastic, I bought some Mayors in green pumpkin and lawdy, lawdy, did they love them. I went through the entire package. I also want to thank @T-Billy for encouraging me to join the Straight Braid Brigade. I was in a couple situations this morning where braid saved the day. And I want to thank @Pat Brown and Tim again for coaching me to keep their heads up in reeds. Lastly, I want to thank @PhishLI for instilling in me a belief that there are bigger bass in my pond that I'd been catching. That kept me hopeful and searching. Well, today, I found them. I caught 56 total, starting at 4:30 a.m. and quitting at 8:15 a.m. I have dozens of bass photos and I'll share them later today and amend this report, but i want to share three of them now as a trailer of sorts. I keep finding new places to cast due to the pond having bog on three borders with many canals and inlets. One canal had reeds at the entrance. Reeds are my mortal enemy. Bass go in and don't come out. The canal was only about 15 yards deep and maybe four yards wide. It was lined with woody bushes. Here's the inlet/canal: The bass below hit my green pumpkin on an Owner underspin and immediately ran past me to the reeds. Again and again, she tried to enter the reed field, but I kept her head up so she couldn't dig into water. There was a lot of thrashing and splashing and I netted her between reeds. She is special to me because she's proof that there are bigger bass in my pond. My pond is a Q & Q pond, both quantity and quality. Here she is and you can see the reeds she wanted to reach: The very next cast yielded this girl, who ran past my canoe in both directions, burning drag, and under the boat too.: The next cast yielded nothing, but the fourth cast produced this girl, who ran into the woody bushes twice, catching both times. She was bigger than she looks in the photo. Yeah, those three bass in four casts. I also caught two other bass in that little inlet and I caught many other fine bass, which I'll share later. I have to get my hair cut and visit a friend. NOW, THE REST OF THE STORY: I began the morning fishing like it was 2023, using a chrome Whopper Plopper. That's what they wanted. I caught 20 bass fishing a marshy shoreline and a rocky reef with enough grassy plants to attract bass. I was quite pleased with their size. Here are some of those fish, including a smallmouth: After I fished the inlet, I worked my way along more marshy shoreline. You know how exciting it is when you see a V as the bass beelines for your lure? Well, for the first time in my life, I had two bass Vs barreling toward my lure. I had that happen one other time with muskies. Here's that shoreline: And here are some of the bass I caught off of it. The third one down was long and plump: While poking around the swamp, I found this swamped boat. I wish I could claim it, but I'll look for its owner. Sorry about the water on the lens: A couple more bass on the way back and then three pics of my boardwalk and dock. The dock was built by the man whose house is at the entrance to my property. See the white rock in the second photo? He took an old stone wall apart and built that. It's quite stable and I love it: One last look at the pond! I am so pleased with the size of the bass in this pond, as well as their numbers. P. S. - I won't be fishing for the next nine days as I'll be traveling. Dang it! 26 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Brown Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Way to go @ol'crickety! I knew it would happen! I saw a cool video of 'how bass see color' or something like that. Green pumpkin more or less disappears/looks almost invisible to a bass and I think this makes it very very effective in water where they can see the bait well and water where they have learned a profile/lure. I also very much like clearer plastic baits. Watermelon (clear GP) and Smoke (clear grey) variants with different flakes etc. I think they go even further into that realm of 'felt rather than seen' by fish - which can be excellent. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaubsNU1 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 This is OUTSTANDING!!!! Most Excellent @ol'crickety!!! A day to remember for sure! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Functional Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Glad you are finding the bigger fish in your pond! Looks like its producing well and has potential to hold some even bigger fish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 Looks like another fake strike out day. In other words, a home run. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User GaryH Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 What can I say 👏👏👏👏👏 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User PhishLI Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 Nice! Keep working that spot and you'll remain dialed in. That's how it works. Who knows what you'll run into. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User roadwarrior Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 3 hours ago, Pat Brown said: Green pumpkin more or less disappears/looks almost invisible to a bass and I think this makes it very very effective in water where they can see the bait well and water where they have learned a profile/lure. I have always wondered why they're drawn to the color of plants. 3 hours ago, Functional said: Looks like its producing well and has potential to hold some even bigger fish. I'm sure there are bigger bass. I'll try to find them! 2 hours ago, PhishLI said: Nice! Keep working that spot and you'll remain dialed in. That's how it works. Who knows what you'll run into. Will do, coach! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxfisher Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 That is an awesome report! How fast are you fishing that underspin? I always think of those as a deep water lure but you are obviously smashing them with it in shallow water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 31 minutes ago, pdxfisher said: That is an awesome report! How fast are you fishing that underspin? I always think of those as a deep water lure but you are obviously smashing them with it in shallow water. Thanks. I'm often fishing in a foot of water. If I'm fishing rock, I let the underspin tick-tick-tick across the bottom. If I'm fishing a weedy bottom, I speed up my retrieve so that I don't pick up slime, but it's pretty good at slipping through most weeds. When I hook it, I position the point flush to the back of The Mayor or Keitech. I bought a BUNCH of underspins this past winter. The spinner of the last one fell off this morning. I have more ordered. I thought my hoard would last all summer and fall. Ha! I didn't know it was a deep water lure. I share this revealing my ignorance. One way I'm not ignorant is casting. I hit two woody plants this morning, which is rare for me. I usually hit none or one, but I also made so many precise casts to exactly where the bass were and that always feels good. I love casting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdp Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 I really wish you’d quite posting about all these awesome fishing trips. It’s making me jealous! 🤣 Great pics & fish! Sounds like one of those rare fishing days. I too am an all braid fan. My mortal enemy was lily pads. After numerous break offs and lost fish, I switched to braid about 20 yrs ago. I use mostly all braid on my spinning set ups too for topwaters, shakey heads, Ned rigs, etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 Just now, wdp said: I switched to braid about 20 yrs ago. I think my braid is about 20 years old. I bought some Cabela's braid a long time ago and that's what I use. It works just fine. 1 minute ago, wdp said: I use mostly all braid on my spinning set ups too for topwaters, shakey heads, Ned rigs, etc. Me too! I do use mono with my wacky worm rig. I figure a lure as slow as a wacky gives bass a real long look at the line. 2 minutes ago, wdp said: Great pics & fish! Sounds like one of those rare fishing days. Thanks and it was a special morning. There were really hitting. I lost about 30 bass too. I think the way I rig my Mayors on my underspins leads to more lost fish, but it also gives me the confidence to cast everywhere. 4 minutes ago, wdp said: My mortal enemy was lily pads. Yeah, they're tough too. I've lost many bass to lily pads. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IcatchDinks Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 This is wonderful, Katie! So stoked for you! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 Just now, IcatchDinks said: This is wonderful, Katie! So stoked for you! Thanks, ICD. Catching big bass at my pond is, well, a big deal to me. If there's one fat bass, there are more and the pond's just five minutes away. Yeah, paradise is five minutes away. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmurphy87 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Great job @ol'crickety looks like you had a great day on the water. I really admire your dedication to learn and your persistence to keep going. I love reading your fishing reports, keep up the good work and enjoy your beautiful bogs and ponds and thank you for sharing your adventures with us all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bp_fowler Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 This is awesome! Is it possible we may see a 100 bass day from @ol'crickety this year? 🤔 No hyperbole here, I truly think it’s within the realm of possibility. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User T-Billy Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 1 hour ago, ol'crickety said: I think my braid is about 20 years old. I bought some Cabela's braid a long time ago and that's what I use. It works just fine. First, CONGRATS ON AN AWESOME DAY!!! Way to put it on 'em!!! Second, when the time comes to buy more braid, Sufix 832 and Fins XS Big Game are both outstanding lines at a reasonable price. I've tried a bunch, and these are my "go to's". I like 832 for bottom contact, and the Fins for chuck'n and wind'n. 1 hour ago, ol'crickety said: I bought a BUNCH of underspins this past winter. The spinner of the last one fell off this morning. Sounds like it's time to find a new brand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 25 minutes ago, bp_fowler said: This is awesome! Is it possible we may see a 100 bass day from @ol'crickety this year? 🤔 No hyperbole here, I truly think it’s within the realm of possibility. I could have caught 100 today. I quit at 8:30 a.m. I've caught 100 bass many times, but that was when I was younger and much more energetic. 25 minutes ago, T-Billy said: Sounds like it's time to find a new brand. Agreed. I ordered two, new brands. Tim, what is chuckin' and windin'? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MN Fisher Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 2 minutes ago, ol'crickety said: Tim, what is chuckin' and windin'? I'm not Tim - but chucking and winding is when you concentrate on nothing but moving baits...spinners, chatters, cranks, etc....you toss it out, wind it in, rinse and repeat. Sounds like you're having a grand-ole-time, Katie...and I've yet to get Bass Trek in the water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User T-Billy Posted June 5 Super User Share Posted June 5 1 minute ago, ol'crickety said: Tim, what is chuckin' and windin'? Moving baits. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, chatterbaits, etc. The Fins is a smooth 8 carrier braid. It handles well, and is quiet through the guides. The 832 isn't super smooth for an 8 carrier braid, but it handles great, and is the most abrasion resistant braid I've found. I think that gore fiber lives up to Sufix hype. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 Thanks, guys. I'm a chuckin' and windin' gal then. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmurphy87 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said: I could have caught 100 today. I quit at 8:30 a.m. I've caught 100 bass many times, but that was when I was younger and much more energetic. Agreed. I ordered two, new brands. Tim, what is chuckin' and windin'? Chucking and winding is a simple thing. Cast retrieve and repeat. The simple task is overly complicated with all of the variables that you can introduce to your retrieve method. Stop and go, crank pause jerk. Yo yo along with burn it with a few pauses and twitches here and there. Biggest thing is that you don’t want your bait to have a pattern, break it up and find the retrieve that works and repeat to be successful. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxfisher Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 2 hours ago, ol'crickety said: Thanks. I'm often fishing in a foot of water. If I'm fishing rock, I let the underspin tick-tick-tick across the bottom. If I'm fishing a weedy bottom, I speed up my retrieve so that I don't pick up slime, but it's pretty good at slipping through most weeds. When I hook it, I position the point flush to the back of The Mayor or Keitech. I bought a BUNCH of underspins this past winter. The spinner of the last one fell off this morning. I have more ordered. I thought my hoard would last all summer and fall. Ha! I didn't know it was a deep water lure. I share this revealing my ignorance. One way I'm not ignorant is casting. I hit two woody plants this morning, which is rare for me. I usually hit none or one, but I also made so many precise casts to exactly where the bass were and that always feels good. I love casting. Maybe I am talking about a different kind of underspin. The underspins I have are just jigheads with a little willowleaf spinner on the bottom (opposite the line tie). You would not want to fish the ones I have in a foot of water. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Swamp Girl Posted June 5 Author Super User Share Posted June 5 3 hours ago, pdxfisher said: Maybe I am talking about a different kind of underspin. The underspins I have are just jigheads with a little willowleaf spinner on the bottom (opposite the line tie). You would not want to fish the ones I have in a foot of water. That's what I use and I do fish them in one foot of water. Perhaps this is why my underspins only last for about 50-100 bass. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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