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Only had two and a half hours to fish after an early afternoon appt., so switched to a closer reservoir today, but the pattern I’ve been on continues to hold with another limit of bass.

Nice trip after work, lots of numbers . My fly fishing buddy got the lunker for the evening, I missed a few monster topwater hits

Caught five today, top three, big girl is 5.51.

I have seen some really interesting things in my short but expansive time bass fishing. My brother works at a sturgeon farm near the coast of North Carolina and they have a bunch of retention ponds where they stocked bluegill bass and carp to keep the ponds active and the fish have never been fished for in their entire existence. I got to cast lures at them for their first time ever one afternoon with my wife and son while visiting this past summer. We caught a bass on every cast for the first 30 minutes or so. The next 30 minutes it was when we cast to very obvious good areas only. Then after about an hour and a half, not a single fish would bite any lure we threw. It doesn't take long for fish to figure out that we are bad news. There are public ponds that I fish and if I see X number of people there fishing when I arrive I usually just leave. I know the fish will not resume feeding activity or biting things until the pond shows no signs of human activity again when it's like that. There are sections of lakes that are pretty small and public that I fish a lot and I have noticed that I have to kind of rotate the lures I fish in those areas on and off from year to year to give them a rest so that I can catch them again on that lure and sometimes that doesn't even work because other people are fishing that lure. Pressure is very real and Large mouth bass specifically learn quickly and there are actually a lot of scientific studies to back this up in addition to my anecdotal evidence. In my humble opinion, the antidote to fishing pressure is reaction baits and junk fishing. Keep moving. Try to get reaction bites. Don't make casts to the same area over and over again because if you didn't get bit the first time you're definitely not going to bit the second and third time at a pressured body of water. Just keep moving and keep casting your bait at new junk that looks good as you go - and eventually you'll get that reaction strike a few times throughout the day.

Neighborhood pond action.

The A-Rig accounted for this gorgeous Brown bass today. Brief report to follow. A-Jay

If there isn't much other pressure, and you're only going about once a week, I wouldn't worry about it. If you start seeing a dozen others out there every time you go fishing, then the pressure might exponentially make a difference sooner. Keep that spot to yourself. Just a suggestion.

I've heard some members claim that September can be slow fishing. It was today, only caught 3 in 4 hours of fishing. My partner caught this blue cat on a spinnerbait.

The effect of pressure is the bass get harder to catch

Since I'm still on a regular weight loss plan, my wife has been baking things with Stevia, instead of sugar. So far, she's made oatmeal cookies, and banana walnut muffins. Both taste good, and I can't tell much if any difference in taste, compared to recipes which require sugar. Stevia is derived from a plant, has zero calories, and no sugar. There are all sorts of recipes you can make. You have to make your recipes from scratch, so you can't buy an off the shelf cake or brownie mix, which already has a high sugar content. I think it's a good product, and is safe to use. If your like me, and on a weight loss plan, Stevia may work well for you. You don't have to completely give up all baked goods. Using this product, along with regular exercise, is helping me take off the pounds. My weight started at 230, and is now at 197, which is seven pounds from my target goal of 190. And, like they always say, everything in moderation, especially as we get older.

Had my final regular season tournament of the year last Saturday on El Dorado Lake, KS. Historically one of the more difficult lakes on the schedule each year but those are usually the type that I do pretty good at. About a 7k acre lake, very shallow and typically dirty with a decent amount of timber, all 3 of the main species of bass, and a few pretty large creeks that all hold fish. It also has vast amounts of water that seem to be barren and the wind never seems to stop blowing there. For a little bit of a plot twist this time, the wind was actually suppose to be reasonable and the water was clearer than I'd ever seen it on the main lake. I prefished my favorite creek, had several bites but only swung on 2 just to get a judge of size then left for the main lake. I actually struggled in the marina, but when I got out on the lake, I got on a pretty good bite for smallmouth in the wind on main lake points with topwater and spinnerbaits. I thought I could get maybe mid 80's if I got lucky doing that and avoid the crowds in the creeks. Problem was, Saturday's forecast was for 5mph wind, not what I needed to fire up these shallow smallmouth. So I opted to try my luck in the creeks. Saturday was chilly as I hauled my kayak and gear down the steep 10' dirt incline to the water. To my surprise, nobody else ever showed up. I figured I'd have a limit in the first hour with nobody else there. I started picking apart the huge logjam under the bridge where I'd shook a couple fish off the day before when I saw lights rounding the bed of the creek. The AOY leader had launched at the mouth of the creek and picked his way through the minefield of stumps and and shallow flats to get back to the creek instead of pushing in from the embankment like I had. We talked for a moment and he started fishing back into the creek as I tried to remind myself I was lucky that there was only 1 person in there with me. I picked apart the entire logjam and to my surprise, got nothing. In fact, I fished all the productive laydowns and stumps at the launch from the day before and got nothing. Disappointed, I started to follow Scott back into the creek. I finally caught a fish off a laydown, but it was short of the 12" minimum. A few yards further down the bank, I had one hit my T-rig so hard in a beaver dam that it threw slack in my line. I expected a monster, but almost 45 minutes in, I was happy with the 16.25" fish. I was moving very slowly and picking everything apart. I rounded the bend and Scott was already around the next one and out of site. I pitched to a shallow laydown and had barely detectable pressure. I swung and had a 17-20 inch fish wallowing on the surface instantly. She bulldogged to the boat as I reached with the net, right as she popped off and was gone. I knew bites were going to be difficult, so losing a big one hurt even worse than normal. I fished on up to the next bend and picked apart a nasty tree when I got a light pull down bite. I hammered the hook into another big fish that rocketed out of the tree, and came off just like the last one. Another 17+ inch fish that just popped off a Texas rig for no apparent reason. I felt sick to my stomach but had to just keep going. A couple cast later I caught a 14.75" fish off a laydown next to the same tree. Good to have 2, but all I could think was I should have 4 with 2 big fish already. As I went around the next bend, I caught another small fish, 13", and saw Scott heading back out of the creek. Right as I saw him, he hammered his rod back into what proved to be one of the thickest 20" bass I've ever seen. I congratulated him on his catch and he told me that was his first of the day. We passed each other near the back of the creek. I fished the rest of the way back with only a missed bite to show for it. I decided to switch the bait on my T-rig and fish back out. Shortly after I started back out, I caught a 15.75" fish from a shallow laydown. I fished all the way back out of the creek, and caught another 15" fish that filled my limit, but I still needed to cull most all of them out and was seriously considering loading up and going to the main lake because the wind was blowing way harder than 5mph. Then I saw Scott motoring out of the creek, I had it all to myself now, it was making my decision even harder. I pulled my motor and pedals and floated around the logjam, fishing and trying to make up my mind. I'd gone almost completely around the logjam and had pretty much decided to leave, when I got a light tap next to a root wad and my line ran down the side of the logs. A big head wallowed out when I set the hook as I pleaded with the fish to get in the net. She cooperated with me and I put a 19" fish on the board, and I wasn't leaving anymore. This one culled my 13 inch fish. Re-energized, I switched baits again and immediately caught a 15" fish that culled me up a quarter inch. I got back into the creek and pulled up to the nasty tree again, picking it apart with my tube. I pulled it over a limb and a fish swirled as soon as it sank. I whacked her and instantly had the fish on the surface. The hook had gone clear through the top lip and stuck around a limb on the way out. For a split second she stuck there on the limb, then shook loose and just sat there for a second on the surface so I could get a good look, before she sunk out of site again. I was stunned, 3 big fish lost and no explanation for how or why. Some days, it's just not your day is all I could think. I got all the way to the back of the creek with no more bites. I switched baits again to a blue Rage Bug and fished back out. Things really spiraled at this point. I had 4 or 5 bites on the way back out of the creek, 2 felt like heavy fish, but I never even poked one of them. I fished around the logjam, my nerves worn as they could get, then I got snagged and broke off with 20 minutes left. I wanted to quit, I wanted to just go home, but I grabbed my other T-rig rod and pulled the bait off it and put a black and blue Rage Bug on. I was going to put the trolling motor on and just flip as much as I could of my good stuff on the way back into the creek until time ran out. As soon as I started back into the creek, I pitched into the beaver dam and got tapped. The hook actually did it's job this time and a scooped a 17.25" to cull a 15. I jumped back up and quickly caught another short. Less than 15 minutes, I was dropping my bait by anything I could see. A lone stump I hadn't got bit off all day was sitting on a flat. Dropped my bait and the line took off immediately. I flipped the fish in the boat and the 16" fish culled out a 15.25". I had 10 minutes left and took it to the final bell, but that would be my last bite. Found out at weigh in, if I'd have landed any of those other big ones, I would have won. Conversely, the guy that won, caught his 21" big bass of the tournament, with less than a minute left in the day. The championship is the last weekend of the month. It's a 2 day tournament on the smallmouth lake I fish all the time with my family, so we'll see how that goes. Last weekend I went out on the river fishing for big uglies. Got a 40lb blue and a 20lb flathead 5 minutes apart from each other after nothing for 5 hours.

Well, my hinge wind hope didn't deliver. I managed 22, but 16 were smallmouth, all about the same size: My best lure was the Googan Revolver, but I also caught bass with an underspin, spinnerbait, and fluke. This was my best one: The others were like these: Wait, this was my best one: Did Maine represent? You decide.

Bad luck to change.

Feeling nostalgic this morning I visited the flat where I caught my PB Smallie 7 years ago. Well all of that was quickly put to rest by Mr Pike who Clobbered my walking bait. And then tried his best to make me believe he was a big bass - no such luck. Never did get the topwater for bass deal going despite what looked like semi-idea conditions. Limiting factor - no bait shallow. In fact, it took me most all of the morning to even find a couple of schools of yellow perch. But once I did, my efforts were rewarded. I'll get out again, just don't have a clue when that might be, I was thankful for this one however. A-Jay Side bar - been down to only 1 GoPro for a while now. But ordered two new units that should be up and running in a couple of weeks. Hope I can still fish.

I've gotten into some fallfish in the mountain trout stream

I actually do wear the same clothing, again and again and again. They're Permethrin-treated and I want to maintain their effectiveness. You know those YouTube girls who apply makeup before going fishing and wear tight outfits? That's not me.

I think fishing pressure makes fisheries better for the fish - worse for the angler who likes catching bass easily. The more pressure the bigger and fatter and lazier the females are around here. Seems like spots that never get fished are loaded with feisty stupid very skinny 12" bass. I personally LOVE the challenge of catching giant bass on pressured fisheries - it's the pinnacle of the sport in my humble opinion - when you can get an incredibly smart giant fish to buy an artificial lure presentation in next to no gin clear water on a 5 acre pond that gets hammered from dawn til dusk.....but that ain't where it's at for everyone. I also HAVE absolutely seen cautious individual fish who observe less cautious fish being stupid and then immediately lose all interest in said presentation when less cautious fish is stuck in the face. Tournament anglers with FFS who fish pounded reservoirs like Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend report the same sorts of things beneath the surface - claiming that you basically catch a fish and then the rest of the fish vacate and shut down on community holes until it's completely settled down etc. This is why so many resort to targeting individual fish swimming around in open water relating to nothing. They are less alert. Or doing milk runs of 'spots' trying to pick off a fish here or there through out a day rather than sitting on a spot hoping to catch many fish out of a school - completely unrealistic expectation on most incredibly pressured small reservoirs most days. The fish that relate to pressured community hole type structure are very aware of lure and boat presence. Yes - adapting to pressure is fun and challenging and I enjoy having success when others struggle but I will say without a doubt that fishing pressure makes *catching* bass *easily* much much harder very quickly. And sometimes I'm reluctant to accept the pressure I put on schools I like to fish and when I FINALLY change my presentation reluctantly to something I know that they'll bite but I don't necessarily feel like fishing with - I catch a fish. 😂 I think it's a boogie man for SURE on some lakes and reservoirs but I think fishing pressure is everything on others (specifically small bodies of water that remain open 365 days a year) and it's important to be aware of at least what everyone is always doing and try to be different and to keep moving and casting at new stuff for the most part.

I ate the things. I call the dish fried mountain whitefish. Flaky white meat but with plenty of bones.

I think only one person would ever notice…. 🤣

@ol'crickety I would gladly trade your worst fishing day for my best anytime. Between the quality of your fish and the drop dead gorgeous locations you fish I always look forward to your posts, it doesn’t hurt that you and several others on here also have a wonderful way with words.

I was lucky enough to meet Kent a couple times and even take him fishing once on one of our local mudholes. Got to enjoy a good day on the water and many great stories. He's always been helpful anytime I had a question when I was a new mod several years ago. Thanks for everything Kent, I know you're going to be enjoying your retirement to the fullest.

I can respect that and I have a lot of respect for those that can do it, you included. I can't. Nor do I want to either. I am definitely trying to avoid fishing pressure and lakes with a lot of tournaments. I primarily target smaller to mid size lakes that often have limited parking - since the DNR does not allow tournaments on lakes that can take up more than 50% of the parking, smaller lakes with limited parking don't get hammerd with tournaments because they can't get a permit. Less pressure generally means more willing to bite. That doesn't mean bigger fish necessarily, but it does often mean I can let it rip with more aggressive, power fishing presentations rather than screwing around with slower, finesse presentations. Its just how I prefer to fish, and fish that haven't seen as many lures are more cooperative because of it. Targeting lakes with more pressure would probably make me a better angler. I can't deny that. But given my limited amount of time to fish, I try to maximize my chances of running into them.

I have 2 sets of the exact same shirts and pants from Academy because I like them and found them on clearance. Nobody has said anything yet, but I'm sure they're always thinking that I'm just dirty all the time, wearing the same dirty clothes in the tournament I wore for prefishing the day before.

Agree 100% with @gimruis, keep that spot to yourself! Don't tell another soul. Don't post pictures anywhere on the internet. Don't take people there. Fishing pressure is a real thing. Brother and I fished the Churchill River system in Canada this summer. To say it's HUGE does not do it justice...boat ride from lodge to our fishing areas was 30+ miles up river....and we saw just two boats in the five days we fished. The walleye were hitting our pike spoons and bucktails. Let me say that again...catching walleye on pike spoons(!) Another story: work buddy discovered large bass sitting beneath a fishing pier on a local pond, right in town. There is a small walking trail around this pond...it's maybe 3-4 acres total, and has two fountains. Does not look like any sizeable bass would be there. Lots of bluegill. Kids love to fish this pond...it's easy, close, and fun. Buddy figured out the large bass were sitting under the pier, snagging bluegill as the kids were releasing them back in to the water. He would catch a few gills, back hook them, and pitch off the pier....BAM, huge bass! I'm talking 23"+. My suggestion: don't tell anyone, don't post pictures, and above all, don't catch those big bass when anyone can see you. Whelp, he couldn't keep this quiet....and the gig was up shortly. Sadness.

Right. Folks have different ideals on fishing items.. 🤣 For the record my personal best Indiana LMB came on a 5’6” rod, a 500 size Shimano reel with 4pound line. Bait was 1/8 ounce roadrunner. 1992. Nearly 7 pound female. I guess that’s ultra light. Nowadays I use a 7’ two piece light/fast rod made by Edge. A 2500 Vanguard w shallow spool and it holds roughly 100 yards of 4 pound I’m about to give 2 pound test a try but idk… wish me luck 🤪

We have this one particular lake " electric only " that produced many 8lb + bass. Word got out and the lake started getting pounded. It's only 117 acres and easily accessible so 20+ boats per day was common and with many night fisherman. This all started 20 years ago and now the lake is referred to as 1 fish Frederick. The lake your referring to sounds very unpressured, enjoy.

@bulldog1935, everyone here, on the forum was good , it was the bunch here that couldn’t agree. It was a fun thread though.

Thanks, Alex, and thanks too to the rest of you. I ran out of reactions. Well, I'm off and fingers crossed I guess well and find a big bass or two. @Team9nine might not mean to do this, but lawdy, he's sure putting pressure on the rest of us to swing some big gals aboard! #Mainemustrepresent!

There maybe some truth to that given the quality fish he’s been posting lately. Any outing that doesn’t include those fraudulent fake bass is a winner in my book.

My opportunities to go bass fishing have been rare and difficult. Water is low, everything is changing, fish are acting different, and I haven't had the time to invest on the water figuring them out. But I did manage a very nice pike last night.

I service them myself. I keep all of the parts I have left over after I reassemble them. I hope to make a new reel from these parts someday. 😆

Went to my local pond to test out a theory with the free rig. I typically use a 1/8oz weight but stepped it up with a 1/4 and 3/8oz. I used a 4in OSP DoLive Beaver and an Evergreen Flop Craw with a 2/0 Owner Haymaker. I caught three nice keepers sitting in middle of the lake.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Members, and Friends, Today we celebrate an extraordinary individual who has been the heartbeat of our community for nearly two decades. Today, we honor and bid farewell to Kent (A.K.A. RoadWarrior, or RW for short), who is retiring after 18 years of dedicated service as a global moderator. When I think about the journey these forums have taken, it’s impossible to separate its success, growth, and culture from the incredible contributions of RW. He has not only been a moderator but also a mentor, a friend, and, most importantly, a cornerstone of the community we cherish so deeply. RW joined us at a time when these forums were just starting to grow, and through his hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment, he helped shape them into the thriving, vibrant community it is today. His influence can be felt in every corner of this place—from the way we welcome new members to the traditions we hold dear, RW's fingerprints are everywhere. For 20 years, RW has embodied the values we hold high: integrity, excellence, and a deep sense of community. He has been a guiding light, ensuring that our members always felt more than just part of the forums—they felt part of a family. His ability to connect with people, to understand their needs, and to make everyone feel valued has been nothing short of remarkable. RW, your retirement marks the end of an era, but your legacy will continue to inspire us. The warmth and camaraderie you've fostered here will resonate for many years to come. While it’s hard to imagine this place without you, I know that the values and culture you’ve instilled in us will continue to thrive, thanks to the solid foundation you've laid. On behalf of everyone here, I want to express our deepest gratitude. Thank you for your years of service, for your dedication, and for being the heart and soul of this community. You will be greatly missed, but your influence will remain with us always. As you step into this new chapter of your life, we wish you all the joy, relaxation, and adventure that retirement brings. You’ve more than earned it. Remember, this will always be your home, and you will always have a place here with us. Let’s all raise a glass to RW—a true legend of Bassresource. Here’s to you, RW. Thank you for everything. Cheers! Glenn

Winn grips are trash. The LFS is a much better reel in my opinion. I’ll be honest I think a lot of these Lews are gimmicky to attract younger anglers. The main line of the LFS, pros, BB, heavy duty, etc are really good products.

I've watched a fair amount of content from folks like Jon B on Youtube fishing in Maine. Nobody 'represents' Maine better than you Katie! Beautiful fish and leaves, Fall fishing imho is the hardest time of the year. So much junk fishing goes into it that it can feel random and unproductive at times.

Both Speed Spool LFS and Mach 2 SLP have the same mag brake, which I like very much on Super Duty G LFS, and bought a 2nd reel on closeout. Good brake for casting light weights. I'm not a fan of Winngrips, and swapped them with Abu EVA knobs (from SDS Customs in Ukraine). (different reel TP-LFS - these are the EVA knobs) I think the choice comes down to how hard you plan to fish the reel. If you want a beast, it's the LFS. If you want smaller fit in hand, it's SLP.

Sorry I missed this thread. I have a 1oz spinnerbait mold that I use for pouring magnum spinnerbaits. I have one that use that is a #6 and #7 Colorado blades for early season fishing.

Japan Lure Shop Bellows Gill restock. Grab them while the grabbin’s good. 5.82 a pack.

I'm lucky because I fish a smaller lake with little fishing pressure. On busy lakes, the obvious spots get hammered a lot, especially on weekends. As a result, bass can become harder to catch.

Always enjoy reading your tourney breakdowns, @Bluebasser86. Entertaining and informative. Good luck in the championship!

@GRiver nah, a fun thread, no tears, no bad blood, everybody throwing out ideas - the purpose of discussion. Adding a datapoint, NS Black Hole rockfish marked UL and rated 1 to 5 g - this rod is really fast and feels like a rocket, even with the solid tip. I go to this rod for soft plastics, especially tandem rigs. Loaned this rod to my bud Stevo on a tide pass trip, and he liked it so much he went home and ordered both this rod and the 8'9" M version, and matched them with a pair of small-frame Stradic. He's already a Black Hole fan, since IRT sells their rods in heavier sizes to match his US-built spinning reel.

Lol - they were clearancing out SPF50+ long sleeve shirts for $25, so I bought several. I wear a fresh one each trip 😉 Thank you! Can’t risk changing the “mojo” at this point.

If you're going to wait 5 hours for your first bite, at least make it a good one 🤣 40lb blue on cut carp. 5 minutes after she swam off, this 20lb flathead ate my sunfish.

There's been some other threads recently about fall fishing conditions/weather. I've posted my opinion in them, but I'll go ahead and do it here again. If the overnight air temps are frosty/cold, you're better off waiting to start fishing until later on the next day. I would probably go closer to lunch time than early in the morning. If the overnight temps are mild, then you can start right away. Clouds play a pivotal role here. An overnight cloud deck keeps air temps higher, whereas a clear night drops them. This is just my experience the last few falls and from what others have posted here. I've found it to be true.

Thank you for the compliments. I really strive to give value for my services. For the OP, value or “is it worth it” depends on your personal perspective. No, it’s not brain surgery but there are pit falls, and it takes time. Currently, I get $26.95 for a deep cleaning which is anywhere from an hr to 90min of work. I also now offer an Econo-clean service for lighter used reels and the budget minded for $18. I offer a reservation service to meet hard deadlines with quick turnaround, primarily for trips, tournaments etc but also for people in warmer climates that fish year round. I post tips here and take lots of calls with diy questions if someone needs help. There are lots of videos and pages online. Some are good, some not so much, and others just plain terrible. Hopefully, in the future I’ll have more formal DIY support offerings but there just enough hrs in the day right now. If you’re reading this and have questions or need help/advice let me know and do my best for you.

This is the case for me. Every time I've fished a craw that advertised "defensive" position or a worm that floats, there's been nothing special about it. My opinion is the fish prefer the more neutral position, as that, in my opinion, is the natural state of most aquatic life; horizontal.

Thousands of dollars later, thank you for sending me down the rabbit hole of G Loomis MBR tapers 😆

The most versatile spinning rod IMO is something in the 6'6"-7'0" range Medium power Fast tip. I like SC rods but there are so many other name brands to choose from also.