The Baron

The early morning topwater bite has slowed, but you're still marking fish at 10-12ft. over 20-25 ft. of water. Fishing not far off of submerged weeds in 6-8ft. of water the fish were in earlier, but the smallies are pulling out of that for deeper water. Flat bottom, sandy/clay or marl. A small-ish lake with fairly clear water, not crystal but about 4-5ft. visibility. Forage is likely bluegill or minnows, but the lake also has herring. Water surface temp 74F. Lots of 4#-class smallies around, and bigger. What's you're go-to lure (and rod/reel/line setup if you want to go into more detail)?

Got out not a small-ish back lake today. I thought it was a hidden gem, but we were first to the launch spot (no ramp - it’s a bit rough) at 4:30am and two more guys showed up while we were backing up. When we left at 10am, there were 6 trucks/trailers parked along the road and another guy just showing up. I enjoyed a decent topwater bite on smallies throwing a popper - my buddy had no bites on a whopper plopper. I lost an est. 3lb. and then a 3.5-4lb. on jumps, but of course landed all the dinks. haha. Topwater slowed and I was marking lots of fish moving 8-10ft. deep over 20ft. of water so I clipped on one of my favourite jerkbaits - a Rapala Ripstop. 1st cast, about 1/2 way back and whack - a 4# pike. Netted him and he rolled and thrashed, but came free of the lure. So I quickly retrieved the lure and flipped it out of my way into the lake. Released the pike and then realized when he thrashed he’d bitten through my line, so my $15 jerkbait was gone. ? Went on to find a good worm bite right along a weed edge in 8-10ft. of water. Best of my morning was about 3.5#, but we boated about a dozen 1.5-2.5#. I do love the 10” worms and really leaning into a decent one with a 5/0 on 40# braid. ? Despite the unlanded smallies and the jerkbait whoopsie, it was a great morning. I’m LOVING our little Bass Tracker 165 setup.

Agreed, a senko is extremely hard to beat here and quite consistent. The trick for me is hi-viz braid (10# fluro leader) and watch the sinking line like a hawk. Most bites are very obvious, and I don’t give them much time with it. Walking that fine line means big fish needs to be played very carefully (light drag, if possible) and netted ASAP, as we tend to skin hook a lot of them as the trade off for not gut hooking them. So many days for me start out trying to fish other techniques, for my own enjoyment/satisfaction. But it’s not uncommon for me to “lower my standards” and end up throwing a wacky senko. haha

I'm still a big fan of the MaxScent Flatworm and Flatnose Minnow. But we picked up some Missing Bomb Shots and they look fantastic - thinking their ribbed body might be the ticket in a particular lake we fish that has fairly stained water. Haven't tried them yet - been mostly largemouth fishing in the weeds so far, in clearer lakes.

Looks like a great day.? The double is fun - they were definitely schooled up and competing for food!

A couple of beauties! I'm LOVING our little bass boat, but have not forgotten about our canoe - it will get used to access a particular little lake at least once this summer. Also on thinking you'd catch them on plastics, but got all on a Whopper Plopper... it never ceases to amaze me how specific this game can be. My son and I fished through the same weedy bay last weekend for about an hour, him using a wacky senko and me a TR Bandito Bug - a bait/presentation I have a lot of confidence in. He caught 1/2 dozen or more, I didn't get a bite.

Well that's not how we like our big bass stories to end, but not wasting her was the right decision. I had not eaten bass since I was too young to remember (my Grandpa was not the catch release type. lol). Then I went bass fishing with a buddy a couple years ago, and he fishes for food. We caught and released plenty and he kept his 6. I told him I couldn't be bothered to clean any - not a complete lie, as at that time I didn't really know if bass... especially warm water summer bass... were good to eat. Well, he showed up at my door the next day with a bag of fillets - a mix of LMB and SMB from our trip the evening prior. They were delicious and we could not tell them apart. I'm still a catch and release guy, because I really can't be bothered cleaning them, but if we gut hook one and I know it won't make it, that's the death bell for the next couple of 2-pounders so we have enough for a family meal of fish tacos.?

Went out to another new to us lake Sunday (just got a boat this year, so almost everywhere is new to us). I wanted to map some structure and find smallmouth, but after less than an hour of that with only a few small fish, we swung near a weedy bay and my son started catching largemouth on a wacky rigged senko. He wanted to stick with that (can’t blame him) so he kept throwing a wacky and I tried a TR Bandito Bug. Ended up my son put on a wacky worm clinic and caught half a dozen in less than an hour… to my zero ? including his new PB - 3.65#. We went on to try frogging through the midday and caught a few, including Wes catching his first ever LMB on a frog (he tried last year and never got hooks in one), which he was more excited about than his PB. Lol. It was a good day.

We deal with ticks up here in both turkey season and deer season. I've found permethrin spray to be 100% effective. I buy a premixed aerosol version called "Mosquito Shield" and one can does all the clothing my son and I will use for a given season. Easy to use - just spray your clothing down and let it hang outside in the sun to dry (doesn't take long). It lasts several washings, and we've never had a tick on us when using it. If we wear untreated clothes, it's a different story.

Same here - already had a patch surgically removed and others frozen, so I hide from the sun as much as I can. Long sleeve sun shirts, a brimmed hat with solid top (not mesh) and a sunshield. I tried SA stuff and they're way too hot, but I've got a Columbia one and a Huk shield that are both good.

I myself don't mind a moderate rain, just not steady rain all day. But, I'm a new bass boat owner and very nervous about getting the boat carpet soaked and not being able to dry it out properly.

I had found Tackle Talk previously, but didn’t get far into it. I listened to a couple episodes today and it’s good, so I’ll dig around in there for a while. Agreed that FF is the ticket for the product plugs. I don’t mind though - good content has to get paid for somehow.

I spend a fair bit of time on the road, and am looking for recommendations for bass fishing podcasts. I'd prefer podcasts that focus on general fishing tip, techniques, baits etc. rather than talking about the various tournament series. I've searched around and found a few, but most are too heavy into talking about the professional tours. Smallmouth Crush is my favorite so far, but I'd like to find something similar about largemouth fishing.

No back pain, not too windy, no rain, off work for the day and nothing on the honey-do list. Launch our “new” boat at a quiet ramp and use the Garmin to find something interesting at a lake we’re still learning. Put a few over 2# in the boat and learn something new - if it’s a mix of smallmouth and largemouth using different techniques, even better. Add my son or daughter on the front deck and I’m a very happy man. I am well aware how blessed I am, I was just more curious to hear what others think as far as a “good” bag goes. I think sometimes I set the bar too high in that regard, and forget it’s not always easy to catch ‘em.

Our opening weekend was slow, with a disappointing number of decent fish caught over three 1/2 day outings (only a handful each trip, for two of us). That said, we were fishing right after a big rain/cold front and guys who know a lot more than me said it was a tough weekend. Even the pros struggle to get bit some days, so I’ve found myself wondering what makes a “good” day of bass fishing? Beyond just being out there and having fun, what do you consider a “good” day - a half dozen fish?… a dozen or more? Or can that one really solid fish (5#+) make your whole day?

Got out again this afternoon, after a great Father’s Day brunch and some family time. Tried a large 12ft deep weed flat surrounded by 40+ feet of water. Should be killer, but no bites. I did map it on the Garmin for future use, as it doesn’t show up on the lake maps.? We then moved shallow and found some in 3-10ft. of water. My son was throwing a wacky rigged senko and caught several dinks then unfortunately he hooked what looked like a good one that did a couple drag pulling runs and then somehow just came unhooked. I ended the day with a 2.5# on a Bandito Bug, cast to the opening in the lily pads you can see over my right shoulder. Impressed my son because I said last cast and I’m gonna catch one right in the hole… ? Five workdays now between me and the next outing. ?

OK, now he's just showing off. ? lol

Today was Bassmas for most of southern Ontario. With all the pent up fishing energy, I had high hopes of power fishing a boat load. But with thunderstorms last night ahead of a cold front, the bass weren’t on board with that plan. I ended up downsizing to a 2.8” Keitech on an 3/16oz. head and fishing it very slow with regular pauses. That got me a few, including a 3.5# (ish) LM in the morning, with all inhaling it on the pause/fall. I then took my son out for the afternoon to a different lake (he’s not a morning person. lol) and found the same - they wanted slow baits. I started us off with a 3.6# smallie on a wacky senko. We ended up with a mixed bag of about a dozen 1-2#. This was the first day of bass fishing in our “new” boat, so we’re both happy boys.?

You’re awesome. ????

Yeah, I don’t need physical guides for power loading onto the trailer. I just need some poles so I can see the trailer better when backing down the ramps and also to help line up the boat so when I pull out it’s centred on the trailer/bunks. It’s a 16ft aluminum so the rear end floats above the bunks when loading and I’ve had to back into the lake to fix the alignment a couple times - exactly as @WRB stated. (and especially when my kids were in charge of eyeballing the boat as I pulled out. haha). The actual boat guides look pretty handy for bigger boats though.

No, I haven’t loaded in a cross wind. I’ve only launched a few times in calm water and can already see how much poles would help. I just placed the order to BP. More money spend… B.O.A.T. ???

We’ve got a small aluminum bass boat - a Bass Tracker 165 on the original Tracker trailer. I’d like to add some guide poles, so I can see the empty trailer when backing up and to help with getting the boat centred up when loading. I’ve looked at DIY videos and bought a u-clamp and a section of PVC tubing today but can’t figure out a solid way to mount the tube, also some headaches with the angled needed if I’m attaching right to the frame. So, I’m looking for suggestions on a sturdy kit that will work well, instead of a cobbled up DIY. Any suggestions?

Our bass opener is just 3 sleeps away and jig fishing on the top of my list for this year. I bumped up my selection from a local maker, adding both regular jigs as well as some with rattles. For the jig gurus, where and when would you be throwing a jig with rattles vs. one without? Is there every a time you would not throw one or the other?

That’s really good to know. An MKP-2 might be better when I’m working offshore structure and holding in Spotlock. Definitely better if I ever wanted to try slow trolling for walleye. Thanks!