In my four fishing trips this week before this morning's trip, I caught a total of 22 (7, 0, 4, 11). Well, this morning, fishing from 7:00 to 10:00,, even though it was cool (45 degrees) and rainy, I caught 23. Prior to this morning, I caught bass here and there, but this morning, they had moved up to the edge of the bog, so since I found them, I landed 23. I forgot to bring my waterproof camera and had to use my Google Pixel 8, which I hate because it's too big for me to operate with one hand and that hand was my surgery hand, plus by morning's end, my hand was too cold to do much of anything.

I saw a couple dozen Buffleheads and was within a few feet of a sleeping goose on her nest, which tells you how quietly I fish. I never awoke her.

I know our water is too cold for most anglers to use a surface lures, but it's been my experience that bass will hit a surface lure earlier than commonly believed, so I caught two on a Whopper Plopper, but most of my bass were caught on my trusty VMC heavy duty underspin with an orange Crush City Cleanup Craw.

I caught my first brown bass for 2026. She just would not be still for a photo, so that's why I took the weird photo I did.

I've launched three days in a row, so even though it's going to be warmer tomorrow, I won't fish...probably...maybe. Some of the bass taken with my TOO BIG cell phone:

My teeth were chattering when I came off the lake and my right hand was so cold that it barely worked. Still, I had fun!

45 bass caught in 2026.

Two bass over 19 inches.

35 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

In my four fishing trips this week before this morning's trip, I caught a total of 22 (7, 0, 4, 11). Well, this morning, fishing from 7:00 to 10:00,, even though it was cool (45 degrees) and rainy, I caught 23. Prior to this morning, I caught bass here and there, but this morning, they had moved up to the edge of the bog, so since I found them, I landed 23. I forgot to bring my waterproof camera and had to use my Google Pixel 8, which I hate because it's too big for me to operate with one hand and that hand was my surgery hand, plus by morning's end, my hand was too cold to do much of anything.

I saw a couple dozen Buffleheads and was within a few feet of a sleeping goose on her nest, which tells you how quietly I fish. I never awoke her.

I know our water is too cold for most anglers to use a surface lures, but it's been my experience that bass will hit a surface lure earlier than commonly believe, so I caught two on a Whopper Plopper, but most of my bass were caught on my trusty VMC heavy duty underspin with an orange Crush City Cleanup Craw.

I caught my first brown bass for 2026. She just would not be still for a photo, so that's why I took the weird photo I did.

I've launched three days in a row, so even though it's going to be warmer tomorrow, I won't fish...probably...maybe. Some of the bass taken with my TOO BIG cell phone:

My teeth were chattering when I came off the lake and my right hand was so cold that it barely worked. Still, I had fun!

45 bass caught in 2026.

Two bass over 19 inches.

Save some for me Swampy! 45 days and counting! Hopefully your hand will be healed and my shoulder will be healed enough to be your net man! Dang....it's a B word to grow old! ☹️ Oh...and hopefully the water will warm up by then. Us West Tennessee swamp boys get hypothermic below 60!

45 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Save some for me Swampy! 45 days and counting! Hopefully your hand will be healed and my shoulder will be healed enough to be your net man! Dang....it's a B word to grow old! ☹️ Oh...and hopefully the water will warm up by then. Us West Tennessee swamp boys get hypothermic below 60!

They're just starting to stir, my friend. And I'm going to be your Net Girl!

Thanks for the report and pictures. Hopefully I'll take some pictures this afternoon as my buddy invited me to fish with him.