Blue Raider Bob

First Fat Bass of February! Well, not actually. I caught three before this one and one after, but she was the fattest! Water temp started at 42 deg. but rose to 48 deg. by late afternoon. Unfortunately, so did the wind. By very early afternoon it was whitecapping and my day was done. Managed four fat ones at Nickajack and really pumped about what the future holds! Wanted to bring her back to my pond for some new genetics but she went belly up in the livewell, and with a couple hours to fish, and over an hour drive home, I reluctantly let her go. I'm not risking killing one just for my hobby. She didn't belly up when I put her back. She found a new gear and was GONE!

Eric, in all fairness, those videos are several years old. I though it was incredibly awesome that my manmade pond could attract such exotic animals such as otters. They were living under my dock in the space between deckboards and floor joists. I have a octagon viewing hole in the middle of my floor that the otters would use to access their lairs, as well as the dock surface. Not only Otters, but I've had two Beavers stop by for a day, and you guys know about the Muskrat invasion. The piles of bluegill scales on the dock were upsetting, but I thought that's a small price to pay for this relationship. Attitude changed when I started finding bass skulls on the dock and bank. Then my dog brought the jaws of my 5-3 Largemouth up to the house and my soul collapsed. Something had to be done. I had to pull up the deckboards to frame in all the access points to the former living spaces, which were covered with scales and heads. Now the otters have to live somewhere else. This is only a problem during the wet months of the year when the creek is flowing. They spend the dry months at the Stones River.

BR friends, this is my place in Tennessee. Swamp Girl was kind enough to post because I am too inept. Thanks Katie!

They have no definite entry point. There is over 300' of pond bank facing the wet weather creek and they enter and exit anywhere they want. Trapping Muskrats was easy. All you do is put trap in front of burrow entrance, but trapping these dudes is impossible. The body parts can show up around the entire perimeter. They use the whole thing for their needs. The only plus is they do not actually live here anymore. I blocked the egress under the dock where they used to use the space between joists and floatation panels. Now they migrate to the pond so I never see them anymore. Just their presence is noted. You are exactly right, they are killing my pets. These are the same bass that would nearly take Cicadas from my hands last summer. I have made a small dam so I could have an area that keeps water year round. The bottom of this small pond is made with liner remnants from the large pond. It is lined in rock and there is always a fish population from the farm pond washouts up stream. Unfortunately, there is no way to move the stream from my property. It enters my place from a culvert under the road I'm on.

We all sound like that Alex. Anybody says different is lying. 🤣

The ice has melted on the pond except for the southern edge shaded by trees. Unfortunately the Otters have returned. ☹️ They travel via a wet weather creek that borders my pond. The creek runs from farmland and farm ponds south of my property, and terminates into the Middle Fork Stones River about two miles north of my property. This is an annual winter event. I never see them after the wet weather creek ceases to flow in late spring. Yesterday I was able to walk the pond bank and dock but came upon distressing sights. There were two bass jaws on the bank, piles of scales on the dock, and body parts in the water beside the dock. It/they are quickly depleting my pond. I sat on the dock until 9:30 last night bundled up and hopeful. No one showed. I have no idea what time they arrive, but its probably way after shut-eye. Where is TnRiver46 when you need him? Probably up there on Rocky Top with the mountain boys hooking bass! 🙂

Followed this estate Auction and ended up buying a 16' Alumacraft Maverick at a terrific price, but here's where the Senior Moment came in. There were a couple dozen lots of fishing supplies. This guy really loved his fishing, but more than that, he LOVED the Bait Monkey. There were boxes and boxes of vintage lures still in the package. I mean Hellbenders, and Jitterbugs still in the original boxes. At least a dozen tackle boxes spilling over and gobs of rods and reels. Some of the lots went for over 100.00. Anyway, one of the lots showed a Shimano Bantam B-Mag 1000 still in plastic. Well the "Bantam" got me unhinged and I started biding on it. Bid it up to 45.00 and won! I was high-fiving myself and slappin' my back! Giggling just like a juvenile, doing the Fargo Strut and laughing insanely. Got home, checked it out on E-Bay, and you can get one for 30.00 plus shipping! 😶 What! Dang! I spent 45.00 for a 30.00 reel? Well, I can't undo the celebration, but I can have fun with it and share the humor! Unfortunately, I told my wife, and with her memory, I will hear about this forever! Anyone else have a senior moment at an auction?

Gotta see a picture of that when you are finished.

Been working on Elton John's Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding Having a blast and getting it down but dang, it's tough! I'll be setting the Tak back on the hook soon, it's getting into the fifties this week!

Wow what an offer. If you box it up and ship, I got shipping plus whatever you want for it. thanks

Well said Pat. It's pretty obvious though, I'm still playing checkers while you're playing chess! Those are some classic axes! Not to mention the Fender Pro Reverb. Takes me back to another time. Back when I was rockin' the waist long mullet and had hearing! Both of those are gone. I've got a Tak nylon. Love it. Used to play it for church services before our church closed down a decade ago. I would crank it up over the church PA and man that sanctuary really sounded like heaven. BTW, you lost me when you went to "Open Tunings". I still struggle with EADGBE 🙂

That's me too. My wife enjoys it until I begin to sing! 😕 She is a great singer and back in the day, our date night Saturdays consisted of her choosing a stack of songbooks, a cold bottle of champagne, and me playing while she sang. Good times!

I've crossed over the bridge Tim. I no longer reach for the LP or the Strat. Nowadays it's the Tak. No longer is it Zeppelin and Skynyrd. It's Marshall Tucker and the Alman Brothers. My pants flappin days are past but YOU keep ROCKIN!!!!

That is a fantastic suggestion. I played a little back in the day and was pretty sorry at it. I started playing guitar instead. Maybe hit it again for a few. Right now the piano is just stressing the floor joists. 🙂

Thanks, I prefer hand held but the new boat distance between motor and seat is just too far.

1977 Monark 15' w/50HP Merc.

Just bought a 16' Alumacraft Maverick at auction and am looking to replace aged trolling motor. I am a lifelong handle operated trolling motor angler and have never used a foot controlled motor. What is an easy to use/learn motor that will work for me. Not looking to spend spotlock money as it is not needed for my way of fishing. thanks

You mean "Getting Ready to pay the Bait Monkey !!!

My home gym has two heaters! It is still 35 deg. in there! I'm with you on the book thing. I read religiously. Just finished one about the Whaleship Essex, and now I'm halfway into the Mayflower/Plymouth colony moving towards King Phillips war.

We of the southland are getting a dose of what our northern BR brethren experience every year so it poses a question. What do you guys do all winter? I am grappling with cabin fever because my pond is frozen solid, my home gym attached to my garage is so cold I cannot use it, it's too cold to work on farm equipment, way too cold to build anything, just walking the farm is painful. My wife is close to justifiable homicide so please offer suggestions, and remember, keep your answers G-Rated. This is a family forum!

Dang Chef! Now I can't unview that mental image!

We've all waved that flag! I'm jealous! Not just the fish.....but the big dose of (WANT TO), to get out in it and succeed! My (want to) needs a caffeine boost and your post just gave it!

BR stories are NEVER a waste of time and my intelligence being questioned is old news. I've got someone at home that practices that daily. 🙂 She's convinced me there's an issue, but that can be said of all anglers at some time or another!

Actually, I DON'T want it. I swim in that pond too! 👀

Just read where one is pinging off the Florida coast. Clayton can stay in the states if he chooses. Either way, my money's not on the shark! If that thing were swimming in my pond, I could follow its wake. It would cure my otter problem! Muskrats too!