It's been windy this week and if I was going to launch, it would have to be with an 8 m.p.h. wind (That's what the forecast said, but it was white-capping on the open water. Even 8 m.p.h. is more wind than I like to fish in my high-sided, light canoe. It was 52 degrees when I launched and 49 when I quit. COLD for late May! Here was the sky:

 

 

The evening was cool, but the fishing wasn't. It wasn't hot either. Lukewarm quantity-wise, but toasty quality-wise. I caught two 19-inchers. The first was nearly 19.5":

 

 

She hit a wacky worm. This one was a little shorter, but likely heavier and she hit a loon-colored Whopper Plopper:

 

 

I caught some other fine bass:

 

 

This one was beautiful:

 

 

One last one and then I stumbled to shore, for I was quite chilled:

 

 

I'm guessing the best five weighed between 18 and 18.5 pounds. 20 bass in all, taking me to 293 bass for 2025. I'm catching fewer bass this year for two reasons: I'm spending more time fishing for bigger bass and it's been a cool spring, cooling the fishing. Here's a little one to say bye!

 

Yep, went fishing this morning before work and it was 49 and raining. It did not warm up at all. 

 

Beautiful fish! Glad you found success despite the cold. 

25 minutes ago, IcatchDinks said:

Yep, went fishing this morning before work and it was 49 and raining. It did not warm up at all. 

 

Beautiful fish! Glad you found success despite the cold. 

 

Br-r-r-r! I think we'll get your weather this Friday, when the low will be 43 and high will be 48. Crazy cool for late May!

Tough conditions for coming into the end of May. I do not miss those yo yo conditions. I am in FL now so I am at the other end of the spectrum, continuous heat until November.  😄

Gosh, yesterday evening sucked the sap out of me. This morning, I feel like I brawled with Bluto. The photos only show the protected areas I fished. To reach them, I had to paddle through white-caps.

 

And for some strange reason, the sky looks light in a lot of my photos. It wasn't. It was gray all evening and it was raining on the drive home.

 

Right now, I have NO desire to fish again. It was rough out there, plus I ended up with a hook in my thumb. It happened in a situation where I would never have predicted it. It was a Rapala hook, a small one that slid into my thumb so easily. I had to punch it through and cut below the barb. So, now my thumb is swollen. Sigh.

 

I know I'm not the only one taking a beating out there, but I have caught 13 bass 19" or bigger this month. Those are big lmb for 44.43 degrees north. 

You could always come to a much more southerly latitude where I live and the LMB are way smaller…… 😂 

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

You could always come to a much more southerly latitude where I live and the LMB are way smaller…… 😂 

 

I've seen how much fun you have fishing with your buddies and wife. Do you have a spare bedroom?

A couple!

Cold, windy, and rainy here in Iowa.

 

Has been for several days.

 

53 degrees currently.

 

Haven't fished much this year.   Insert sad face.

Good thing you could keep yourself warm reeling in those beautiful bass

 

 

40 minutes ago, HawkeyeSmallie said:

Cold, windy, and rainy here in Iowa.

 

Has been for several days.

 

53 degrees currently.

 

Haven't fished much this year.   Insert sad face.

53 degrees is pretty much my favorite air temperature, we are usually somewhere close from late November until March/April with some minor exceptions 

7 minutes ago, pdxfisher said:

Good thing you could keep yourself warm reeling in those beautiful bass

 

 

 

Ha! You and I are lucky to fish the water we do. 

 

I shared that I've caught thirteen 19-inchers or bigger this month, but I didn't share that I've only lost one that size. I feel good about my landing ratio, which is 93%. The one that I lost jumped completely out of the water and shook free, which was something special to see.

Ya’ll are getting what I had in Minnesota this past week. What a front, but what a bummer too because the little I was able to get out they were really munchin !

 

35 degrees in the morning - mid 40’s for a high and steady 20-30 mph wind with gusts to 45. Oh yeah and rain too (but at least is was a “dry rain” lol). 
 

Happy to be back in 80/sunny in South Carolina - need to get out now! 

16 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

53 degrees is pretty much my favorite air temperature, we are usually somewhere close from late November until March/April with some minor exceptions 

 

Oh I love 53 degrees myself.

 

But not when it's super windy/rainy in a kayak.   

2 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Ha! You and I are lucky to fish the water we do. 

 

I shared that I've caught thirteen 19-inchers or bigger this month, but I didn't share that I've only lost one that size. I feel good about my landing ratio, which is 93%. The one that I lost jumped completely out of the water and shook free, which was something special to see.

 

Agreed that we are lucky to get to fish in productive waters that are not over pressured. 

 

Wow! That is a great landing ratio!!

1 hour ago, pdxfisher said:

Agreed that we are lucky to get to fish in productive waters that are not over pressured. 

 

You fish more pressured water than me, however the water I fish is more pressured than it appears. I avoid the weekends to avoid other anglers and I launch early to avoid other anglers. For example, in the top photo, it looks like a wilderness lake, but if I had turned the camera 180 degrees, you would see a line of houses, docks, swimming platforms, and many boats. 

 

1 hour ago, pdxfisher said:

 

Wow! That is a great landing ratio!!

 

Thanks. I'm due to miss some.

Again I'm just wishin to go fishin.  Thanks for sharing your exploits. I'll learn next week whether I'm cleared to go fishing.  BTW we had a cold front come in this morning and it was 60* and 91 now.  Had to put my robe on this morning.

1 hour ago, Alex from GA said:

Again I'm just wishin to go fishin.  Thanks for sharing your exploits. I'll learn next week whether I'm cleared to go fishing.  BTW we had a cold front come in this morning and it was 60* and 91 now.  Had to put my robe on this morning.

 

Fingers crossed you're cleared to fish, Alex. When I couldn't fish this past winter, the exploits of you Southern bassnuts keep me afloat.

On 5/22/2025 at 12:43 PM, FryDog62 said:

Ya’ll are getting what I had in Minnesota this past week. What a front, but what a bummer too because the little I was able to get out they were really munchin !

 

35 degrees in the morning - mid 40’s for a high and steady 20-30 mph wind with gusts to 45. Oh yeah and rain too (but at least is was a “dry rain” lol). 
 

Happy to be back in 80/sunny in South Carolina - need to get out now! 

Now that you’ve left, the glorious weather has returned. Nothing but 70 and sun for the next week. 😂