MaineBassMan

I don't think you can really predict where it will come from. I think there are possible new world record small mouths in many states there is just not a lot of them in a given water, and all it is going to take is one lucky angler! I would love to see it come from Maine so that the fishing world would go what the BLEEP, that wasn't suppose to happen! ;D

The boat is put up for the winter and now the long Waite begins. I'll be reading and watching fishing shows for several months to come. Browsing the fishing tackle catalogs and starting up my tackle wish list for next season. The past season was a weird one with all the weather systems that came through. We had tons of rain and I have never seen the lakes that I fish stay so high throughout the season, they almost stayed at Ice-out levels. Even though we did have many days where we caught lots of fish, (25 fish a person or more a day), we did catch a lot of nice sized bass. There was a lot of feed this year for them. The last tournament of the season my Dad caught the lunker bass for day 1 in a lake that produces a ton of small fish but some how he manage to catch a 5 pound small mouth in about 19 feet of water on a jig. We ended up in 5th place at the end of the two day tourney. I believe we ended up in 8th or 9th place for the overall standings for the season. Not our greatest year we struggled in the tournaments this year. The fish just weren't doing what they have done in past season for us so we had to learn how to fish totally different from what we are use to. Here is the 5 pound small mouth my Dad caught in the tournament. Once again I realized that I didn't take enough pictures, these next pictures are the last ones that I took for the season. It was not our last trip it was just the last time that I dug out the camera. That 5 pound smallie was my Dads new personal best small mouth. I caught my personal best small mouth this season at 4lbs 5oz, I caught 3 small mouths that weighed that this year. I really want to break 5lbs on a smallie. My biggest large mouth for the season was 5lbs 2oz, actually I caught two of them at that same weight. I didn't beat my personal best large mouth this year, which stands a 5lbs 15oz, I hope to break that 6lbs barrier, hey an oz is an oz! This is Downeast Maine fishing I know you southern boys catch them all the time down there but our fish go dormant in the winter. Hope those of you that can still go fishing take advantage of it and have a good time as for me the mental break down begins.

Awesome smallies Bass1!

Thanks my father is my primary fishing partner. We fish local tourneys together. We get to fish together a lot. No better fishing pal out there and we love to rib each other and the biggest fish of the day always gets a dollar. I've almost earned enough to retire early this year? Every year he is having a harder and harder time beating me. 8-) I tell him I had a great teacher!

I'd say a mid to upper 2lber but no more than 2lbs 12 oz.

Awesome, you got a great fishing partner there!

My father and I went out today and had a hell of a time even if it was cold and rainy. The water levels are way up keeping the bass in the shallows. Caught a few on a 1/2 jig with Rage Tail craw trailer, but they really wanted a junebug senko wacky rigged dead sticked. We caught only about 25 fish but they were fat and healthy. My two biggest were 4lbs 90z and 4lbs even. Our five biggest fish weighed a total of 19lbs even. The last tournament we fished on this lake back in May was won with a 22.66lbs five fish bag limit. Here are some of the pictures:

Great trip, But that can't be Maine I thought we were only infested with dinks!!

The fishing around here has dropped off the last couple of weeks. I had better fishing a couple of days after ICE OUT than now. A good day lately is about 15 fish a day with maybe one good bite. I've tried just about everything I have, fished shallow, fished deep and still just can't find a consistent bite. The only thing that has kinda worked for me is fishing 4-5 ft. weed edges using a 1/2 oz football jig with Rage craw trailers. I have caught a few smallies on their beds, but the beds have been few and far between. Water temp is right around 70 degrees, should be a lot more beds. The fishing is usually smokin right now, but we have been getting some crazy weather systems coming through lately and lots of high winds. Guess I'll have to keep at it! 4lbs 07oz. Black 1/2 football jig with an okeechobee colored craw caught in 5 1/2 feet of water on outer weed edge. 3lbs 08oz same jig caught in 6 foot of water on outer weed edge. 2lbs 130z 1/2 football jig can't rember colors for the jig or craw. Caught off from a bed.

Good job Dwight Hottle !! I can't believe that I, MAINE actually got 3rd. This was fun can't Wait to do it next year.

Went out by myself today and ended up catching only 10 bass. The biggest was only 2lbs 12oz. but they were all over 2lbs. Had a lot of fronts moving in, it went from 58 degrees to 43 degrees then rain. I had a pleasant encounter with a cow moose and her calf that looked to be only days or a week old. Took some pictures of them so you all could enjoy them. You have to look hard to see the calf. My Great Uncle caught this one on Memorial Day 4lbs 08oz

Hope you didn't try and kiss her!

I love my largies too, but its awful hard to resist smallies and their ability to stay out of the water! I also have a hard time resisting largies and their ability to take drag as they pull for the bottom! I guess the only way to cure this addiction is to over indulge! 8-)

Nice bruiser!, I've been catching all my big largies so far on the wacky worm too!

Nice hogs!

Ya they are full of eggs the spawn is just around the corner. The males were in making beds. All I caught were big fat females. I didn't notice the missing fin until I got home. I wonder if someone clipped it or what?

Thanks about the photos, its hard taking a good picture by yourself in high winds. I bet you like the looks of that craw hanging out that big girl's mouth! I have a big assortment of the Rage tail craws and the anaconda. This was the first time using them and I too thought the color combo was right on. I love how those claws flap like crazy. When I was in shallow I watched the jig on bottom and every little twitch I made those claws would flutter. Even when I didn't give it action the motion of the waves and current would give it "LIFE". I also loved how well they handled the punishment those smallies were dishing out at it, I used one craw for 15 bass. I even missed one where he only had a hold on the claws, (clear water could see the bite), and when I set the hook I felt the claws stretch and the lure came flying out hitting me in the chest. I figured I would be down a claw or two but nope both were still there. I have used other craws like the Paca craws, which are nice too, but the claws rip off too easily.

No I actually caught him out in about eight feet of water. I was by myself and the wind picked up and between setting up the camera and getting the fish ready I was blown into the shore line.

Fished from 12:30pm to 5:00pm Today and I threw just about everything at them, especially stuff that has already worked for me this year. They ended up falling for a 3/8oz black flipping jig rig with a rage tail craw in the Alabama craw color. I found them in about 8 foot of water. I caught two smallies that weighed in exactly at 4lbs 5oz, they could of been twins. It was a little slow but I still ended up with 15 smallies, my 5 biggest weighed in at 18lbs 10oz. They are filling up with eggs check out how fat their bellies are! Once again I was fishing alone so the pictures aren't the best. 4lbs 5oz: The other 4lbs 5oz bass The rig in action: Beer gut

I have good luck with spinner baits. I like all black ones with a black over sized colorado blade. It slow rolls real nice or you can churn it along the surface and puts out lot of vibration. I have caught some of my bigger Lmb on them. The only thing I don't like is that the dinks wear them out and then you hook a HOG and he jumps once shaking his head and the wire breaks. This make me want to cry every time it happens! :'(

Nice bass, nice looking water too!

Awesome smallies!!

I guess I wouldn't need my polarized sunglasses there ;D. Beautiful country there and nice picture.

No she was chasing bait fish in the brush up against the shore. The senko is june bug color, my favorite. As far as the lake goes, I can't put that out over the Internet. Too many people in my area would of killed these bass.

Nice looking bass! You look like you had a good time.