Had a couple solid days bank fishing in NMI. Smallmouth have long vacated this trib after the spawn, but largemouth remain and conditions have been great. Warm spells followed by rain and cool downs have fish feeding and happy. They’re finally starting to gain weight and recover from spawning. It was a longer, drawn out cycle with fish well into June.
 

Since I fish from shore, I have to deal with a lot of “stuff”. Despite this, I am driven by the challenge of “what can I do today with what I’m given”. That’s always my approach, I am always confident…even when I know better. So I fish with purpose, but for my own e…njoyment. I fish in Michigan, and am realistic with my expectations. I fish for “keeper” sized fish which are 14” in MI. Nice bass for me are 16” or larger. A big bass in this state is 21-22”+; 20+ is d**n solid. 
 

The first day was a bunch of very average 12-15” fish that were really liking a pumpkin jig with an orange twin tail in the bright sun. I also got fish on senkos an even the ol’ pre-rigged worm. Nearer the end of the afternoon, I hit a good fish on a creature bait right after hopping it over a weed patch and letting it fall in the current straight down the edge. As soon as it hit bottom and before I even had my slack up all the way, thump! Day maker for sure. Second day was darker sky so I went with my go to all year, black on blue jig. Got some 12-13” and a couple decent 16-17”. I had a shot at an 18”+ fish on a senko, but totally adrenalized the hookset and she looped around, ate the free senko and continued on lol

 

Great photos, Jon!

Very nice.

Beautiful pics! Sounds like a pretty awesome trip!

On 7/12/2025 at 9:26 PM, JonB2 said:

 

 

K&E "Bass Stopper" worm, looks like! 

Good day there 

You've caught some nice looking bass!

Fished a couple times and it was pretty tough overall. Summer chaos is all week, so midweek is just “less annoying” than the weekend. Despite the ever facing challenges of fishing from shore, I did barb a few greenies. I caught fish on a bunch of stuff, but switched it up from my usual and finesse fished more on day two
 

Had fun with that, as I left the casters in the car and grabbed the M and ML spinning rigs. I got my biggest bass on the ML and after a slightly smaller fish pulled “us” down into the weeds and the 10/10 pulled through with some effort; the next fish was put to immediately. The ol’ basic senko was steady eddie, with a black 4” wacky on a drop shot being good. A t-rigged power worm had a nice run first day, getting 5 quick hits before they stopped biting it.
 

Nothing of notable size, 17” was the biggest, but I’m just happy to be seeing some fat guts and thicker sides. I also caught the same bass twice in the same day and on two different baits; he was special with a knarly old hook scar