Johnny Falls

Really cool. Looks great.

Hey guys, Thanks so much for the input. Things have picked up in the last couple of weeks for me. I have about 15 bass under my belt with the largest around 4lbs. I have been really focusing on fishing the 4.8" Fat Impacts and senkos which have yielded most of the fish.

Historically, I never fish this early in the year, the opportunity just wasn't there in the past. This year, being a teacher, I'm on lock down but my local water is open. I have been out about 10 times or so in the past couple of weeks and I have landed a total of about 5-6 bass. Nothing great, but a couple 2.5 lbers. It's a totally different fishing the prespawn. The water is still really cold and the fish I have brought up have been really cold as well. I have had decent luck with some chatterbaits and senkos. Hang in there and keep at it.

4/0 Owner Beast hooks loaded with a Keitech Fat Impact in Blue Gill Flash Wacky Rigged Senko, Black with Blue Fleck, Pumpkin Chatterbait White and Chartreuse with Keitech Fat Impact Trailer Zoom Horny Toad, Black maybe Green Pumpkin Hope this helps.

Hey there Mac, I'm in a very similar situation, I'm a bank fisherman from NJ. March has been tough for me as well. I have been out probably a dozen times thus far and napped about 5 fish. It's slow going for sure but it's picking up. Try to slow down your presentations, whatever they are. I mean really slow them down. When you think there's no possible way it should be this slow, that's about right. I have also had some success with Senkos on my last couple of trips. Wacky rigged was the key for me in my lake. Hang in there, the temps are rising and the fish should be more aggressive soon. I hope this helps.

Welcome!

Welcome!

Welcome brother!

Nice smallie there and welcome to the addiction!

That's a rough day for sure but when it's all said and done, you're safe and you lived to tell about it. It does sound like a bad experience but as the other guys mentioned, you learned a couple valuable lessons from it which is a positive. Sorry about the gear, that's a tough pill to swallow but again, it can be replaced and you can move forward. We have all had rough times on the water for sure, hang in there. You have a ton of sh** on your plate, but it will pass. Hang in there buddy and be well.

Hey guys, Up until this weekend, I have fished a jig 1X in my life. Midday, during the summer and got slammed by a PB smallie. What do I do? Put the bait back into the tacklebox and don't throw it again for 3 years. I don't understand. After reading all 24 pages of posts in this thread and watching a ton of vids on the subject my interest has been peaked again. I went out last night and determined to keep the jig tied on come hell or highwater. I caught a nice pickerel on a blue/black jig without a trailer, believe it or not. Didn't get a bass but got something else, confidence with this bait. I really spent a lot of time experimenting and learning the bait. I feel like this is bait I will keep on throughout this season and really find out it's potential. I just wanted to thank everyone for the tremendous amount of information and insight into this bait.

Holy cow, just thinking about those stats and history makes my head hurts. I really wish I had kept a fishing log for the past 25+ years. I can't even begin to comprehend those numbers. A lot, just a lot but I'm always looking for more!

Wow, nicely done. Always a treat when a smallie shows up. Not many in my lake. Great job!

Good job Sam! I hate cold weather as well, I can't stand it! This year is the first year that I have been fishing this early in the season. I have been out maybe 10 times since ice out and I have caught a total of 2 fish. I have been bundling up and getting out there. I think being home from work and having my kids home from school has been a HUGE motivation factor to getting out there this early.

Hey guys, Thanks so much for the replies. Well, it happened on Friday afternoon. I went out again and I managed to bag 2 fish which I was super excited about. The first one I caught was on a 1/4 oz white and chartreuse spinnerbait with a keitech trailer. VERY slow and along the bottom. Not a huge fish but it was amazing to get that first one under my belt. The second came on a 4.28" green pumpkin fat impact that was slow rolled on the bottom as well. Again, not a big fish but a nice catch nevertheless. I just wanted to thank everyone for their time and advice. As I'm typing this, there's about 1" of fresh snow on the ground here. Looks like some cold water bassin' for a while. Thanks again to everyone.

Hey there Fishin', Don't get me wrong, I'm sooooo grateful to be getting out and even holding a rod. I know how lucky I am, believe me. Thanks for the tips. I'll give the chatter baits a try today along with a couple senkos which I haven't used just yet.

Hey guys, Since I'm located in Northern Jersey, I typically don't start my season until about May 1st or so in the years past. Since we have had such a mild winter, there's a ton of open water has been for quite sometime. Since I have been forced to work from home, I have decided to get my season started early. I'm lucky enough to live very close to a number of lakes and have gone out about 5 times with zero luck, I mean zero luck. Not a bump, hit, nothing, although I did catch a decent Crappie, first in my life. I have tried jigging, swimbaits, crankbaits, etc. I know other guys are catching in the area but I'm striking out. I don't get it. Usually during the Spring and Summer months, I do very well. Feel free to post some tips, tricks, techniques, prayers, whatever to get rid of this skunk. Ugh.

Thanks Gents, glad to be here.

Good lookin fish right there, nicely done.

There was a lot of tension between my wife and I in previous years about the amount and frequency of my fishing trips. That's has pretty much subsided due to the fact that now I take my little one (7 years old) with me. Not that she always wants to fish but she's just happy to bring along some toys and just be with me while I fish. When I hook up, I'll give her the rod and let her reel it in which really gets her excited. She's likes petting the fish when it's landed as well. It's a nice bonding experience between us which my wife really appreciates. Works well on all fronts for the most part.

7" Black Power Worm, 1/4 oz Texas Rigged.

Went to Dick's a couple days ago just to look around, what a mistake. The selection was minimal and besides that, the prices were ridiculously high. Now I realize why I stopped going there. Never going back.

Amen.

Hey guys, Greetings from Northern NJ! I have been fishing for the past 25+ years. (Where the hell did all that time go?? I'm not that old, 46) Been a very mild winter here so I'm anxious to get out there and wet a line asap. No hard water in sight which is crazy. Anyway, I'm glad to be here and join the crew.