Woody B

Timely thread. I haven't had any collisions with rowers. There's a bunch on Lake Wylie, but they are usually either in the big part of the main channel, or in the "cove" where they come from. This makes it easy enough to stay away from them. The timely part, Saturday I saw one, with 2 people in it row right into the side of a dock. The problem I face most is sail boats. On a couple occasions I had to basically pull up my trolling motor quickly and fire up my outboard to get the heck out of an area that was full of them. I've seen them running into each other. I know they'd run into be, and then it would be my fault. I try to stay out of everyone's way. I could see multiple row boats, in a narrow channel being a problem. Many of them I see have little mirrors mounted on a cap bill so they can actually see where they're going.

Regarding a 2nd spawn, There's been studies showing that it takes Largemouth, and Smallmouth Bass 11 months to develop eggs, after spawning. I've been "told" that Spotted Bass sometimes spawn 2 times a year. I can't find any information on this that I consider reliable. I've caught some Spots recently that appeared to be full of eggs. Here in NC Bluegill spawn pretty much all Summer. I've been seeing Bluegill on beds since April. I've also been catching Bass that are feeding on these bedding 'Gills. I don't know, and can't find any information I consider reliable regarding if the same Bluegills spawn over and over, or if it's different groups of fish.

I need to add to my last post about the current "season". I really get a kick out of watching others fish. Saturday (August 31) many were fishing primary points, drop offs and channel swings. The calendar switches to September and all of a sudden there's a BUNCH of boats running way up the creek channels. It's like the calendar tells them where to fish. FWIW I'm still seeing Bass on channel swings, secondary points and the mouths of creeks.

I caught a handful of cookie cutter Spots today along with 2 decent Bass. A 17 inch Spot, and an 18 inch Largemouth(both pictured). Back to work tomorrow.

I'm with Catt. Water temperature is back up to 86 degrees in Lake Wylie. It tain't Fall yet.

I caught 4 today. 3 decent ones, and one 12 incher. 2 Largemouth and 2 Spots. All are pictured. I wouldn't have taken a pic of the little one, but it was my first September Bass. After a hot week water temperature is back up to 86 degrees. I'm ready for cooler weather.

So far in 2024 I've caught at least one 5 pound Bass each month. I finally caught my August 5 pounder today on the last day of the month. Many people around here catch more and bigger Bass, but I'm happy with a 5 pounder every month so far. I caught 9 today, 3 Largemouth, and 6 Spots. I launched my boat at 6:10 AM. I caught the 5 pounder (5.42 pounds, 21 5/8" long first picture) on my 3rd cast.....but my first 2 casts weren't "real". I pulled up to the first stop on my "milk route". I aimed my sonar toward a spot where a bush is overhanging the bank a foot or so above the water. I saw the Bass on sonar. I had decided to try a Devils Horse today. I needed to skip it under the overhanging bush. I made a couple practice skips out of the other side of the boat, toward the center of the channel. After those 2 casts I made a perfect skip under the bush right on top of the Bass. It gently sucked it into it's mouth. I set the hook and it went crazy, walking on it's tail, like a decent sized Largemouth is supposed to do. 2 casts later I caught a 3 poundish Largemouth, and another 14 inch Largemouth a few minutes later. After the Sun came up the LM bite stopped, but I started catching Spots. None of the Spots were huge, but the smallest one was 14". I thought it was a big cat for a while. It's tail was crooked.......either an injury or deformity, but it sure didn't make it any weaker. (2nd picture) We've discussed Spots spawning multiple times a year. All of the Spots I caught (including the deformed/injured one) looked to me like they were full of eggs. The last picture is an 18 inch Spot I caught on my last cast a 8:51AM. Depending on the weather I may go tonight around Midnight. Regarding cuts, nasty stuff in the water, fish slime, ect. I always have cuts on my hands due to my occupation. I put some hand sanitizer, and rubbing alcohol in my boat to clean my hands with after handing fish, or getting them wet.

Smithwick still makes the Devils Horse, but I consider it old school. I've got a few that are older than I am. I've got an old Creek Chub Darter. My Grandfather used to fish with they all the time. Always yellow. He called them "Yellow Darters". I've also go a couple Bomber lures that look like Arbogast Mud Bugs. I don't remember what Bomber called them. I remember fishing with a "Lazy Ike" when I was a kid, but I can't find any in my old stuff. I also remember a lure, but can't find one. It was basically a wake bait that looked like a mouse with a tail. I used Hopkins Spoons for years. I don't remember a Johnson Silver minnow until recently. IIRC I was in my teens when I first heard of a Spinnerbait. One of my favorite lures decades ago was a Texas rigged worm, either Purple or Motor Oil color.

Howdy from Grover NC.

I haven't sought out a scientific answer but have "heard" that Spots sometimes spawn twice a year. I don't know if spawning age females are capable of producing eggs that quick. I'm 99% sure Largemouth aren't. I caught this Spot Sunday. It doesn't "exactly" look like a spawner to me, but it had a bloody tail, as well as light rub marks on it's side that many spawners have.

I don't believe in magic lures. The one thing all of the guys mentioned have in common is, regardless of what they're casting, they're casting it with pinpoint accuracy and in a manner where it lands on the water like a feather. That, and being where the Bass are is the magic. Not what lure is tied on.

I'm a mechanic. Cuts are part of my life. Make sure your Tetanus shot is current.

In Lake Wylie (a few hours Southwest of Lake Gaston) I've been struggling to find Largemouth during the Summer. I attempt to target Largemouth, and during the other seasons I manage to catch mostly Largemouth. I've not been able to find them consistently this Summer. I can still find one occasionally, as well as some decent Spots. When I catch a 10 inch Spot (I call them micro Bass) I crank my outboard and go somewhere else. I think the Spots, especially the smaller ones school up more than the bigger Spots or Largemouth. Lake Wylie is full of Spots but still has some decent Largemouth. I've caught a BUNCH over 5 pounds this year including a years best of 7.91 pounds. However, I haven't caught a 5 pound plus Largemouth since June. (I caught a 5 pound Spot in July) The State stocked Lake Norman (2 lakes upriver from Wylie) with F1's. All that accomplished was making the Spots fat.

I caught 12 today. 11 Spots and 1 lone 16 inch Largemouth. I caught the LM on my 3rd cast. Biggest and last on last cast was a 19 1/2" Spot. First and last pictured. The first few came on a spinnerbait. Later ones came on a (gasp) Ned rig. (no I didn't go over to the darkside. I'm still using baitcast equipment)

I picked the wrong landing this morning. I got there around 5:45. A club tournament with ~25 boats was blasting off at 6 so I just waited until they were gone. I didn't want to get ran over. I have a pretty good day after getting started. I caught 11 Bass, 7 Spots and 4 Largemouth. The biggest Largemouth was 17 inches (pictured). 1 Spot was 18" and another was 19" . (biggest, caught on my last cast at 9:58 is pictured) I also shook off a couple Cats beside the boat.

I'm not sure your definition of pharmaceutical drugs. I don't have arthritis, but Voltaren gel does wonders for my shoulder. (small labrum tear). It's recommended labeled for arthritis, but Dr recommend it for my shoulder. Follow the directions and don't over use it. I can basically forget about my shoulder pain, but if I don't use it for a couple days the pain comes back. It also takes a couple days to work. I use it twice a day, as recommend by my Dr. The label says you can use it 4 times a day but twice a day works for me.

This thread could be an inspiration for me. If I could "sell" my job I'd have a bunch more time to fish.

I don't "watch" fishing, but I've been wondering about that myself. I suppose some people may prefer watching someone casting like a mad man, beating the water to a froth, instead of making targeted casts.

I'm ambidextrous, but prefer to reel a casting reel with my right hand and reel a spinning reel with my left hand. With a casting reel 99.999% of people will use a different grip reeling than they do when casting. We palm the reel with our non reeling hand when reeling. We hold the grip, right behind the reel when casting. Changing hands after casting, or simply changing grips after casting seems to take about the same amount of time. With a spinning reel 99% of use grip the reel seat/rod, with a split finger grip for both casting and reeling. Most of us don't change hands. Mrs B does prefer to change hands. She casts her spinning equipment with her right hand gripping the reel seat.......then changes the grip to her left hand, and reels with her right. There's no right or wrong way. I'm also pretty sure the fish don't care.

A good bodyman can repair a car as good as new. This is assuming any crush zones that were compromised got properly repaired. If you have any reservations about repairs being done properly have "Wreck Check" inspect you vehicle after it's repaired, if there's one around your location.

I've never night fished much past September, or before March or so. My reasons for fishing at night are cooler temperatures, and a less crowded lake.

I've always used a pad lock on the coupler on all of my trailers. They're cheaper, and more secure than a trailer coupler lock. You can still break a padlock with a hammer but making stuff difficult to steal usually helps. In some situations I also padlock a chain through the openings in a wheel around the spring. I don't travel overnight with my boat, but spent months at a time on the road with race cars and trailers back when I was racing. I would also do something simple to disable my tow vehicle when parked at a motel with a trailer. So....decades ago a few drag race rigs had been stolen at hotels. A friend of mine decided to jack up the back of his dually (with the trailer attached) and leave it on jackstands. Myself, and another friend of mine saw that. We took the rear tires/wheels off his dually, picked the lock on his trailer, and put them inside. He freaked out when he came out the next morning and his wheels and tires were missing. He didn't leave it on jackstands anymore after that.

There's a bunch of good aluminum boats on the market now. A good friend of mine has a Vexus AVX1980. It's super nice, and rides/fishes like an aircraft carrier. Some of the earlier aluminum Vexus boats had problems with the hulls cracking. Vexus repaired that, and took care of the people who had problems. The newer ones don't have those problems.

It's funny you'd mention WWF. I've always heard professional wrestling referred to as "soap operas for men". There's another thread about that made me think professional Bass fishing is the new soap operas for me. (no intending to leave the ladies out) So, I've said many times I don't watch or follow BASS, or any other professional organization beyond what I see here, and through conversations with a few friends who do. Regarding my opinion on rules. You can't put the genie back in the bottle...you can't un ring a bell ect. I think limiting the number of screens, or limiting the total square inches of screens would be a good move.

Just more attention seeking behavior by someone who's never won a major tournament. I suppose if he "almost" won with it the it might be giving him an unfair advantage. He's fished professionally for 30 years and has averaged less that $30K a year in winnings. Many of these complainers sound like a race car driver crying because their car is too fast.