Bluebasser86

The only new place I'm sure to be crossing off my list is Lake Tenkiller, OK in March for the Bassmaster Kayak Classic. I have a few local lakes I've been wanting to get to, maybe this will be the year.

I did have a regular workout routine and better diet but my new position at work has made it very difficult. I've been feeling it lately. My shoulders, hips, and elbows have really been hurting after each trip. With the Bassmaster Kayak Classic fast approaching, I've forced myself to get back in the gym and pay attention to what I'm eating again. I've been doing a lot of stationary biking to get ready for all the pedaling and working with stretch bands to get my shoulders and elbows feeling better.

They didn't cast or run well at all.

I've swam out to get a big bass that snagged me in a downed tree when I was bank fishing once. It was way more effort than it was worth because the fish had significant ground shrinkage after I got back to the bank. What I thought was a 5-7 pound fish while it was thrashing around on the surface was more like a 3.5 pound fish.

It was pretty nice, 34-38 during my time on the water. Comparatively, it's barely supposed to make it to double digits this weekend 😒

I like the H20 baits, but these were a miss for me.

The Jaint Juice Provoke is one of my favorite stained water colors.

Made the first trip of the year to the power plant lake Saturday. Every report I've been hearing from there has been terrible. No fish and no size at all. I wasn't hoping for much, but actually had a really good numbers day, just wasn't able to find the big one I was hoping for. Still caught around 30, mostly on a Zman Big TRD on a 1/16oz head. They're not missing any meals.

Never finished the report from the 1st I guess. Caught fish from my 3rd cast of the morning until the end of the day. Water temps from 41-43.5. Ned, flatside, and rock crawler did most of the damage. All small fish, but over 40 of them kept me busy.

Just hoping that at 0734 on the 1st I'll have the first one on the board of the new year 😄

@TnRiver46 my wife had to go to the new one in Springfield, MO while we were down there this weekend. I'm still a little shell-shocked from fighting my way through that madness.

@TnRiver46 there was a uniformed officer working off duty security there that I talked to for a while. I don't do big crowds well, don't like having that many people close to me, don't know many officers who do like big crowds. He said he was getting paid really well but I told him I couldn't handle the madness no matter how much they paid.

We stopped at one on our way down to Florida a few years ago, somewhere in Georgia I think? It was a lawless place. I liked the Wawa's in Florida a lot better. I wish we had those here.

There was someone following him with a phone and recording, it was surely for "Tik Tok Fame".

Pretty fond of the Baby Kingyo 110 JR, but IDK if you can find any in the wild.

I've caught lots of bass with bright red lips from ponds and lakes with virtually zero crawdads in them. I believe it's likely more of a circulation/body function reaction to the cold water. The fish slows down in cold/colder water due to it being cold blooded. As a result, the fish's body begins to pump more blood to vital regions (mouth and gills primarily for breathing and feeding). As the fish slows down in cold water, it feeds less, so it's important for cold water feeding attempts to be successful, therefore the body makes sure the mouth is a functional as possible by pumping extra blood to it, and as a side effect, causes the bright red lips. That's my story and I'm sticking to it 😅

Fog is very disorienting. I deal with very thick fog/steam each winter on the power plant lakes and even with GPS, it's unsettling. I think the worst of it is the guys with GPS that decide to just send it into the fog because they "trust their gps". Know what the GPS doesn't map? Other boats! I've had some pretty close calls with some idiots on the water so I've gone more to idling close to shore in shallow water where they're less likely to be running.

I get some pretty serious indecision sometimes on where to go and what to fish for.

Last trip of the year was a little slower than the last, but still pretty good. Biggest fish was on an A-rig.

Thanks @T-Billy, I actually caught 2 of those palomino trout that day. Never saw either of them, both of them ate a Ned rig.

https://ibb.co/jV0Kv2m

I've caught a bunch of doubles, but never caught 2 bass at once on an A-rig. Now that 5 baits are legal in KS, I figure it's just a matter of time.

Way less than years past.

Idk if it's a guilty pleasure, because I love catching big wipers when I'm fishing for bass. Big catfish are fun too, but I'd rather catch them when I'm targeting them.

I have the largest size Frabill Trophy Haul net I carry in the boat that easily fits 30lb catfish and it has the lift assist handle. I'm thinking that may be a good option. That fish was 41" I think, it was just over the size to be a keeper, which was a big deal at the time for me. It was a great fight and a super exciting bite. A very shallow fish that kicked up a huge wake behind my bucktail and exploded out of the water when it ate it. I'd love to go back and get one from the kayak.