I was hoping for 30 bass this morning, as I was armed with my new understanding of where bass in my pond hunker in July (pondweed) and how to catch them (a jig and a wacky Senko), but I could only catch 29.

 

 

I launched at 5:00 a.m. and was home by 9:00 a.m. A cold front hit us last night, which was bad, but it was foggy this morning, which was good. What was very good was the size of the bass. More than half were three to four pounds. I did hook a 30th bass, a fine brown bass that I got to see when it launched, but it shook free. Oh, well. Keeps me hungry.

 

I also used a T-Rigged orange and green crawfish and a shallow running crankbait. I didn't catch a single bass on my main lure, an underspin, but I didn't use it much. I had to keep an eye on the jig's hook. I'm used to fishing a thick 5/0 hook on my underspin and the jighead was a much thinner hook. The bass kept bending it and I kept straightening it.

 

Here are the bigger bass, starting with my last one, which was long and strong:

 

 

Lots of others were beauties too:

 

 

Here's a smallie I did land. It was bleeding a bit, but I hurried it back into the water, which I read stops the bleeding. I shoot for 30 seconds or less on keeping bass out of the water.

 

 

 

Here are four more. The last one was the first one I hooked this morning, on the spinnerbait while trolling to the pondweed patches. It's a terrible photo due to the fog, but it was a nice bass to get me started:

 

 

Not all the patches held bass, but the few that did held three to five. I caught my last bass on the edge of some lily pads. That was rare. Throughout the morning, I'd try lily pads here and there, but the bass weren't there.

 

P. S. - This morning sure tuckered me. Rising early, walking through the woods in the foggy gloaming with all my gear, launching in the wetlands and poling my way to the pond, paddling the length of the pond, fighting strong bass, and then working my way home drains my tank, but I come home happy too. I'm guessing my five best topped 18 pounds. I've caught a lot of bags in 2025 in that range. 

The most impressive thing about your catches is the mix of size and quantity. I might be able to go out and catch 29 but my best 5 would probably go for 5lbs. I normally commit to chasing larger fish but I then I sacrifice numbers. You are able to do both every day! Awesome fish! 

19 minutes ago, 10,000 lakes Bassin said:

The most impressive thing about your catches is the mix of size and quantity. I might be able to go out and catch 29 but my best 5 would probably go for 5lbs. I normally commit to chasing larger fish but I then I sacrifice numbers. You are able to do both every day! Awesome fish! 

 

Thanks! This morning was especially good quality-wise. I think this is because I was fishing where the big girls lurk, I.e. under the pondweed:

 

 

It helped that pondweed isn't tough like lily pads or reeds. The bass plunge into it, but it doesn't free them. I tried dropping my wacky worm right into the pondweed, but that didn't catch bass. I caught them casting about two feet from the edge of the patches and twitching my lure back to the canoe. The hits were tiny taps and a couple times the bass picked up my worm and swam to me.

 

I also caught a few with my orange and green crawfish, working it along the edges too, both slow and steady and twitching it. I'll fish again tomorrow morning, but then I'm done for a month. My young friend is coming in two weeks. I'll show him where and how to catch them, but he'll have to fish with his dad as my eye doc doesn't want me fishing or even in a canoe. 

 

I think I could have filled three seventeen-pound bags, which is consistent fishing. Lastly, I know four bassheads who fished my pond last week and caught two bass between them. That was their total catch. So, the bass don't jump into your boat. You have to find them and persuade them and land them.

23 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

 

Thanks! This morning was especially good quality-wise. I think this is because I was fishing where the big girls lurk, I.e. under the pondweed:

Wherever you are fishing, you are putting me to shame.  My best day this year would not hold a candle to any of your "average" days. 

I will be in your neck of the woods soon SG. Cobbosseecontee is calling. I hope I can do as well. 

FM

1 minute ago, Fishingmickey said:

I will be in your neck of the woods soon SG. Cobbosseecontee is calling. I hope I can do as well. 

FM

 

I sure would look for pondweed, Mickey. However, bass being bass, they might not be under the pondweed again tomorrow morning. As far as doing as well as me, I am greatly advantaged by focusing on two ponds. I know them really, really well. When my sister was here a couple weeks ago, I took her for a paddle and also brought a rod. At three different places, I said, "Sometimes you can catch a bass here if you do this."

 

And at all three places I caught a bass...on the first cast.

 

And I told her, "Don't think that fishing is always this easy. I just know my pond."

5 hours ago, Swamp Girl said:

Not all the patches held bass, but the few that did held three to five.

That's kinda the SOP when fishing deeper weeds. The bass are using that particular patch of weeds because of the structure it's growing on. Often when you catch one, there are several there. It pays to get a quick release and get that bait right back in there. 😉

18 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

It pays to get a quick release and get that bait right back in there. 😉

 

That's just what I did, Sensei! 

 

19 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

The bass are using that particular patch of weeds because of the structure it's growing on.

 

I figured it was a cover + structure = SUCCESS! equation.

Great job @Swamp Girl, nice morning catching. What did you think about that senko bite?

 

I’m continuing to try new and different things for me, and will be throwing this next trip. Can’t wait to see what kind of reaction I get. Research seemed to show everyone considering this a spring bait, but bass eat bluegill all year and my home river is FULL of panfish!

 

 

59 minutes ago, JonB2 said:

Great job @Swamp Girl, nice morning catching. What did you think about that senko bite?

 

Thanks! I think the jig is just what my wacky-hooked Senkos needed. It made them fall faster, but not too fast.

 

1 hour ago, JonB2 said:

I’m continuing to try new and different things for me, and will be throwing this next trip. Can’t wait to see what kind of reaction I get. Research seemed to show everyone considering this a spring bait, but bass eat bluegill all year and my home river is FULL of panfish!

 

I own a similar lure as your bluegill, but have never worked up the courage to fish it. Let us know how it goes!

That is just a crazy amount of high-quality bass! It would be more surprising to see you catch a 1lb bass than a 4lb bass!!

2 hours ago, pdxfisher said:

That is just a crazy amount of high-quality bass! It would be more surprising to see you catch a 1lb bass than a 4lb bass!!

 

Ha! I caught a few dinks. The dinks startle me because they hit so hard, as opposed to the cagey old gals who sometimes hit so softly that I wonder, "Weed?"

@Swamp Girl Did you use a weighted wacky hook then? I’ve thought about that, but that style hook makes me iffy. So far no weight has been best for me running senkos. I do enjoy seeing my line jump, then feel it pulling tight as I reel up the slack!

11 minutes ago, JonB2 said:

@Swamp Girl Did you use a weighted wacky hook then? I’ve thought about that, but that style hook makes me iffy. So far no weight has been best for me running senkos. I do enjoy seeing my line jump, then feel it pulling tight as I reel up the slack!

 

I just used a ball jig. Prior to trying this, I had only fished Senkos weightless and T-rigged. All three approaches have put bass in my boat. You are soooo right about the line jumping and then pulling tight. That's their M.O.! I am quick to set the hook because I don't want to gut hook them. I lose more that way, but it's worth it to me. 

 

FWIW, I'm taking a pal fishing tomorrow. The two other times I took him to other ponds, determined to put him on a big fish, but I caught a 6.5-pounder and a 4.25-pounder. Tomorrow morning's mission is for him to catch several four-pounders! I'll park him atop the sweet spots. Fingers crossed he can close the deal.