Woody B

Just some random thoughts. I believe you said parts of the lake are surrounded by swamps. IF oxygen levels and forage permit perhaps the biggest Bass are deep in the swamps. I believe big Bass have to eat a bunch. I also believe to get big they have to be effective hunters. The biggest ones are probably going to have the best ambush spots. How much fishing pressure? Most, or maybe even all of the 5 pound plus Bass I've ever caught were either caught at night, really early or when it was pouring rain. I suspect fishing pressure has something to do with this though. We're pretty settled that it takes quite a few years to grow a 5 pound Bass with Maines short growing season. Was there some kind of event (weather or something else) that triggered a fish kill ~15 or however many years ago? I'm also curious why there doesn't seem to be any small Bass. What does the bottom of the lake consist of? Are there any good spawning areas? Bass, and animals in general are good at adapting, but a "muck" bottom isn't ideal for spawning. Perhaps spawning is difficult for some reason due to habitat. Perhaps good spawning seasons are few and far between. Could this explain all the Bass being the same size? There's a BUNCH of people around here who know more about this stuff than I do. Once you get your driveway, dock, ect completed you need to get a "pond boat" to keep at your dock. Jon boat, Bass Raider, or something. I've got a Lowrance Elite7 Ti2 I'll give you. However, I don't have a transducer. You may be able to get a better unit, with a transducer for what a suitable transducer for the Ti2 would cost. Do any BR members have a compatible transducer sitting around? 170 acres may be too big for this, but have you considered tagging the Bass you catch? I don't know what equipment is needed but it would be interesting to see how much "the Bass tagged #7 grows in a year, if you catch it again.

I managed to get 3 in the boat today. I caught the first, and biggest, an 18 inch Spot within my first 10 casts. I thought that was a good sign but the bite dried up. We had a bunch of rain last week. The forecast was for rain this morning, but it didn't rain a drop. I got plenty of Bass to follow various lures for a couple feet. They just wouldn't commit. Water was pretty muddy. The first was on a double willow blade chartreuse spinner bait. The 2nd (smallest, a 13 inch Spot) was on a wacky. The final one came on a black Bizz Baits Big Thump (one big colorado blade) spinnerbait. It's been hot, but the water was a couple degrees cooler than last week. I suppose the rain cooled it some.

Derail, but I'd just wear my speedo to work if the company didn't supply uniforms. Hopefully I'll have some fish pictures tomorrow.

I'm lucky enough to not have to deal with "hard" water. My fishing year is 5 months old. My first Bass of 2024 was a 3 pound Spot caught in 30 feet of water off a rocky point. This was on January 7. My first 5 pound Bass(5.04) of 2024 was a day later, under a dock walkway hugging the pilling. It was in 2 feet of water. The rest of my 2024 Bass have been somewhere between the type areas these 2 were in. Lay downs have been productive for me so far this year. Most of my bigger Bass for this year have came from lay downs. There's a good bit of pressure in the waters I fish, but most people just fish around the lay downs. The big Bass are in them. Spinnerbaits and Wacky rigs have been responsible for most of my bigger Bass. I've also caught decent numbers on Shaky heads, cranks, buzz baits, and a couple on a Devils Horse.

I only target Bass. I've been skunked a handful of times since I bought my current boat in Dec 2021. Only one time have a caught some kind of fish, but no Bass. I caught a White Perch and a Channel Cat. It didn't smell good but I didn't consider it a .Skunk

My opinion is tainted. I live 1/2 mile from SC in Grover NC. I've lived in the same county my entire life. I don't know anything else, but I like it here. We rarely get Snow. It's hot during the Summer, but not nearly as hot and humid as Florida. It's also not that much hotter, and many times less humidity than places further North like Ohio. Cost of living is going to vary from county to county and city to city. Team9nine for some reason I thought you were further East. Decades ago I won a BUNCH of races, and dollars at Greer Dragway.

In my original post I "predicted" an 8 pound Largemouth. I caught one last weekend that was 7.91 pounds. (an ounce short) I also said I'd get a replica made of an 8 pounder. 7.91 isn't 8, so I'm holding off on the replica. However, (I hope I'm not jinxing myself) I've got a new goal for 2024. At least one Bass 5 pounds or larger every month. 5 months down, 7 more to go.

A good friend of mine is a Catfishing freak. Most of my Catfish knowledge comes from him. He says the 3 BIG species around here (Blues, Channels and Flatheads) go on a feeding spree before spawning. He also says generally they don't eat while spawning.....but will attack anything that get's near their "nest". (he used the word nest, not bed) According to my friend. Generally Blues are the biggest, and easiest to catch using traditional Catfish methods. Blues are scavengers and normally eat dead stuff. Drifting, (or at some times trolling) using cut, fresh Bluegill or White Perch are the method most use. They use floats that look like cut down pool noodles fanned out at different depths on multiple rods. I was surprised by this method as I thought Catfish were mostly bottom feeders. They catch a bunch of Blues like this, along with an occasional Flathead, or Channel cat. Fatheads are predators, who's diet is similar to Bass. They mainly eat (live) fish, and crawfish. Channels are smaller that Blues or Flatheads. Their diet is somewhere between Blues and Flatheads. The World record Blue is 143 pounds. It was caught in Kerr Lake in Virginia. Part of Kerr lake is in NC, but the record was caught in VA. The record for a Blue is over 100 pounds in over a dozen states. (including here in NC, as well as GA, SC TN ect) Blues aren't native to NC. I'm not sure about other states. The World record Flathead is 123 pounds, caught in Kansas. No other State that I can find has a record over 100 pounds. The NC record is just under 78 pounds. The SC record is 84 pounds. I caught one weighing 53 pounds a couple years ago. (on a Bandit 200, and 12 pound test). Flatheads are native in a small part of NC, but not the lakes I fish. Channel Cats are smaller. They look similar to Blues. I used to confuse them but finally learned the differences. The World record Channel is 58 pounds and was caught in Santee-Cooper in SC. The NC record in only 27 pounds. There's other catfish species, both freshwater and saltwater. Around here you'll occasionally see a couple different species of Bullheads, as well as Yellow Catfish. These are much smaller than the other 3 species I've listed. I'm not a big seafood/fish eater. I have no idea how the different species compare for cooking/eating.

I'm thinking they pretty much eat anything in sight during pre spawn. Great!!!! Now I can't use trailers to keep Blues from biting. I didn't "believe" the trailer kept them from hitting, but in the past few weeks I've probably made 10 or less casts with a spinnerbait and no trailer. 4 of those casts caught Blues, on caught a White Perch. No Cats or Perch when using a trailer. I suppose in big enough numbers any species could be bad for Bass but I don't think the Blues, or other Cats hurt Bass fishing where I'm at. However, this time of year I believe the Bass stay away from them. I'm thinking a Channel Cat would be the less of a threat to Bass than any other Cat due to their size, and the size of their mouth. I suspect Blues are only a threat this time of year when they're in crazy eat everything pre spawn mode. They have Catfish tournaments all the time at the lake I fish. IIRC there's State regulations that you can only have 2 Blues over 30 inches in your boat. I suppose the state wants to protect the big ones. The State also advises not to eat more than one serving a month due to PCB's and mercury in the water.

I've caught a BUNCH of them Bass fishing. I enjoy the HUGE ones, but the rest are just a pain. Blues are mostly scavengers, but they're more aggressive toward live prey during pre spawn, and spawn times. I usually only catch Blues this time of year. Flatheads are predators. You can catch them on artificial baits year round. It might just be a coincidence, but I haven't caught a Blue on a spinnerbait with a trailer. I normally use either a Mann's Classic Spinnerbait trailer, or a Damiki Armor Shad for a trailer. Pretty much anytime the last month I've thrown a spinnerbait without one I've caught a Blue. I haven't caught on when using a trailer. Maybe my trailers are Catfish repellant. Be careful if you end up with a Blue on your 'Yak. They'll fight like heck for a few seconds then just quit. I call it playing dead. I had a 15 pounder that Mrs B caught come "back to life" in my boat. I ended up with a fin in the top of my foot all the way to the bone.

I'm kinda AC/DC on Spots. I took a ~30 year hiatus from Bass fishing. In my previous fishing life 3 to 4 pound Largemouth were common, and you'd hear about a DD at least once a month. I'll readily admit that sometimes (regardless of whether we're talking fishing, or something else) the "good ol days" weren't exactly as we remembered them. Now it's hard to get a lure in front of a 3 to 4 pound Largemouth without a 10 inch Spot getting to it first. I suppose I shouldn't complain, or blame Spots though. I've caught at least one Largemouth over 5 pounds each month this year.....in a Spot infested lake. "They" say "don't leave Bass to find Bass". If you're catching 10 inch Spots that's all you're going to catch if you don't leave. I don't know if the Spots have harmed Largemouth fishing around here, or if they're blamed for fishing pressure, pollution, lack of State stocking, ect. I been learning (by experience) about how Spots and Largemouth interact. I've found that certain areas will hold Spots that are 12 inches long or less. (I call them micro Bass). They're super aggressive. I could catch a boat load pretty much every day. I'd just fish for Bluegill if tiny fish were what I was after. Some people like easy to catch tiny Bass. (nothing wrong with that) I've found that the bigger Spots (at least where I'm fishing) tend to be in the same areas as Largemouth. I've caught larger Spots and decent sized Largemouth on back to back casts. I've rarely caught anything bigger than a 12 inch Spot in an area thick with small Spots. Spots fight like heck, especially when they get some size to them. My PB Spot is 4 lbs 15 ounces. It fought like a nuclear powered submarine.

This is a minnow compared to some of the Crappie pictures I see on here but I caught a 12 1/2 inch Crappie today on a wacky rig.

Today was different than yesterday. My biggest today was barely bigger than my smallest yesterday. I caught 5 (all pictured) as well as a 12 1/2 inch Crappie (in other species thread) as well as a small Yellow Perch and a Bluegill. (no pixels on those). Water temp was a degree warmer than yesterday (74 degrees) but I was on a different part of the lake.

1. Having to work when I should be fishing. 2. Having to work when I should be fishing. 3. Having to work when I should be fishing. 4. Having to work when I should be fishing. 5. Did I mention having to work when I should be fishing?

I'm looking to catch older Bass so I wear Old Spice. Dior, and that other stuff is only good for young Bass.

My Manager laid out of work and got this.

I was asleep. This picture was taken by a co worker who lives ~5 miles from me. I've seen them before when I was traveling, but I don't remember them ever being visible this far South.

Cashion Core Worm and Jig rod. 7 foot, MH action. I've got one I use for the same things you're wanting too. They're made right here in North Carolina. The only problem is, the rods pretty sensitive. I have to be patient when using a Chatterbait so they have it in their mouth before I set the hook.

Thursday after work Dolly (Yorkie, dog) and I went and checked out a newly refurbished boat ramp on a small river/reservoir. (The jury is still out on taking my boat there or not. 99 Islands Lake on the Broad River, 388 acres) We walked up to the edge of the water just in time to see some kind of fish eat a floating Cicada. I haven't seen or heard any Cicadas at the lake I normally fish. I think that's strange. They're thick around my house ~30 miles from the lake.

There's a lesson there though. I should have "attended to the details" last night instead of stuffing my face with Pizza and playing my guitar.

People. I completely understand, and accept the fact that they have just as much right to be on the water as I do.....but a crowded lake is still a crowded lake. I'm usually off the lake by 10 during the Summer.

I was expecting to struggle today. We had storms last week (including a tornado a mile from my workplace) along with a BUNCH of rain. We also had a sudden cold snap. It was 50 degrees this morning. I went later than I've been going incase there was debris floating in the lake. With blue bird skies, North winds and a cold snap I wasn't expecting much. I lost a decent (2 or 3 pound) Bass on my first cast.(spinnerbait) I followed up with a wacky, and broke my line on the hookset. (way too easy to break, I hadn't retied since last week) I spot locked my boat, retied everything, and sharpened/repaired the bent hook tip on my spinnerbait. On my 4th cast I caught the biggest Bass I've caught since getting my current boat. 7.91 pounds, 24 1/2 inches long with a skinny 15 7/8" girth. My PB was 34 years ago. Typical big Bass strike, but not typical big Bass fight...at first. I felt the blade stop thumping on my spinner bait and set the hook. I thought I had snagged a piece of wood, or something. It was dead weight.........until I saw the boat. Then.........she freaked out, went under the boat and took off toward deep water. Luckily I had trimmed up my motor, so I could follow her around the boat with my rod, and not interference. She ran 50 feet or so, then commenced to walk on her tail......like a big Bass is supposed to do. After she was good a tired I got her to the boat, and lipped her. After that I caught 6 more. The smallest was 13 1/2" the others were well over the 14" mark on my boat. The water is "kinda" muddy, but not as bad as I expected. Water temp was 73 degrees, the same as last Sunday. It's ironic that many times when I expect to struggle due to weather, or for other reasons I do real well. When I think I'm going to slay them I either catch dinks or skunks. 7 isn't great for many here, but it's good for me and a 4 hour trip. Especially with an almost 8 pound kicker and no dinks.

Keep doing what you've been doing. Don't try to fix something that isn't broken. This goes for anyone who isn't having problems, regardless of what fuel they're using.

I usually fish lakes that have both Largemouth and Spots. Often times they're in different areas, or at least the small Spots will be in one area. Sometimes decent Spots, and Largemouth will be in similar areas. I don't want to skunk, so if I think catching Bass will be hard that day I go straight for a the smaller Spots to get the skunk out of the boat. After that I target bigger Bass. I guess you could say many days I start with #1, the switch to #3 after one Bass. I know it's against a "rule", but I will leave Bass to find Bass. I don't care about numbers, beyond one. I have a busy life, both at work and at home. I'm rarely able to fish more than 3 or 4 hours at a time. I also do #5. I enjoy helping others catch Bass. Last weekend I had a friend who was fishing the same lake I was, at the same time. (Different boat) He was struggling. He texted me where he was at. I tested back "go under the bridge, then left for 1/4 mile. You'll catch a Bass or 2 on the rocky point on the left. He went up there and caught a 3 pounder there, then had a decent day fishing rocky points. I'm not an expert. Many times when I try to help someone else catch Bass I end up learning something that helps me. It's funny how that works.