Latest Catch Pics Thread

[Bluebasser86]

We had a good amount of snow Sunday, a little more snow Monday, and temps barely climbing above 20 with 10-15 mph north winds, but that's my day to fish so away I went. I forgot my snow shovel, and they hadn't cleared or salted the ramp. Thankfully they maintenance guys forgot to put their snow shovel away before they left the shop by the ramp so I borrowed theirs and spent half and hour clearing snow and ice. Still slid a little launching, forgot to take my motor support off so got my hand wet removing that. Did my customary flip to the end of the dock jetty with a Ned and thought I bumped a rock but it felt mushy? Swung and nothing but looked like a little swirl came to the top. Flipped back at it, felt a for sure peck and missed it again. Dropped it on him again and it mushed up again, bam, snow bass.

My guides were icing up fast, so were my reels. My braid was freezing on my Ned rig reel so it was almost refusing to go onto the reel and knotted up on me bad twice, plus I'm pretty sure the ice cut my line on the hookset once (still got the fish though). I worked for 8-10 fish in the 4 hours I could stand it before I threw in the towel. I did get one pretty healthy fish on a sexy gold 2tap.

[The Bassman]

I don't know how you do it. Anything 32* or less and I'm holding my hand warmer on my last 2 or 3 guides every couple of casts. That's when I call it quits.

[IndyBass]

Hit a confidence pond today in 27° weather and was rewarded with 2 nice ones. Top 2 are the same bass and bottom 2 are the same. Used  a cut down Junebug Hula Stick

 

 

 

 

 

[galyonj]

17 hours ago, Midwest Fisherman said:

Hit a confidence pond today in 27° weather and was rewarded with 2 nice ones.

Beautiful fish! Miss me with that weather, though.

[Paul Roberts]

On 12/17/2019 at 1:11 PM, Midwest Fisherman said:

Hit a confidence pond today in 27° weather and was rewarded with 2 nice ones. 

 

Wow! Pretty, pretty!

 

Neat that people are out there catching em in the winter. Wasn't always like that. "You can't catch bass in winter!"

[Team9nine]

Found just enough open water on one pond today to make a few casts into, but that was enough. Mission accomplished

 

 

[The Bassman]

Hey! You cheated. They didn't shut their fountain down. Just messing with you. I think there's at least a full inch everywhere else. Looked at a Nextdoor post where people were concerned because kids were walking on ponds. Hoping things open up soon. NWS still saying we're warm past New Year. Congrats on the snow bass.

[NorcalBassin]

Made it out for what may have been our last trip of the year. Bite has been picking up but still not what it usually is with the spots this time of year. Easy to get greedy and I shouldn't complain about 10+ fish up to 3lbs for a half day in December. 

 

 

 

 

[TnRiver46]

[roadwarrior]

[Paul Roberts]

16 hours ago, Team9nine said:

Found just enough open water on one pond today to make a few casts into, but that was enough. Mission accomplished

 

 

Great shot of a winter bass.  

Only water we have open now is where the waterfowl have congregated. I'm going to leave them be.

[Paul Roberts]

On 11/20/2019 at 10:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

 

Just... Wow!

 

On 11/28/2019 at 3:28 PM, galyonj said:

Caught a funny lookin' dink yesterday afternoon. Everything I know to look for points to a largemouth, but the color's like nothing I've ever seen.

 

I know a little about snakes and stuff, but not all that much about fish. Is it amelanistic, maybe?

Fish match their background. Fish in cloudy water will match that even "spacelight"; That's what your fish was responding to. Fish in open clear water, and away from bottom or objects, can be silver without markings, what I've called "pelagic silver". Fish near bottom or cover take on markings. This can be faded in cloudy water, or very intense in clear water. Fish also adjust color and patterning by mood, esp noticeable during the spawn.

On 11/29/2019 at 3:22 PM, TnRiver46 said:

It’s kind of weird, they run upriver in fall here also. The spring run they go way up into shallows but in fall they go up pretty far and seem to stop in deep holes and stay there all winter long. I’ve been known to have a fish fry darn near every night in winter and I give my neighbors a lot.  We caught them right below a dam today, 30,000 cfs. 

Many spring spawning species begin such activity in the fall, only to be held off until spring. Some have even been known to attempt spawning in the fall on warm years (yellow perch, chain pickeral, rainbow trout). Fish populations that must migrate a distance may begin that migration/run in the fall, and then winter over part way. This is why their are, or sadly were, year-round salmon runs in the Pacific NW, due to distance needed to travel to spawning grounds.

[Paul Roberts]

Last outing... until we get a thaw.

 

Revisited my shallow "Jungle Warfare" pond from this summer. Yeah, it looks a bit different now.

 

 

41F core water. Few fish in shallows. Found my fish in two "deep" cuts/channels, taking a half dozen beautiful winter bass. All on a 1/16oz Ned/Slider Head. Those "deep" cuts were 5 to 6fow, surrounded by 3 to 4fow.

 

 

[galyonj]

2 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

Fish match their background. Fish in cloudy water will match that even "spacelight"; That's what your fish was responding to. Fish in open clear water, and away from bottom or objects, can be silver without markings, what I've called "pelagic silver". Fish near bottom or cover take on markings. This can be faded in cloudy water, or very intense in clear water. Fish also adjust color and patterning by mood, esp noticeable during the spawn.

Right on. It's fascinating to me, the differences in coloration and pattern among the same species of fish that I've caught sitting in the exact spot I caught the one pictured. I love fishing.

[The Bassman]

On 12/22/2019 at 10:05 AM, Paul Roberts said:

Last outing... until we get a thaw.

 

Revisited my shallow "Jungle Warfare" pond from this summer. Yeah, it looks a bit different now.

 

Solstice sun angle and gold tinted bass--beautiful!

[N Florida Mike]

Tying to do better with jerkbaits. Especially this time of year when my weedy home lake is clearer of weeds. 

This is the 2nd fish I’ve caught since a friend gave me the bait last week.

The bait is the mystery minnow, by knockout bait company. I caught both fish on a slow, steady retrieve with breaks in between.

[N Florida Mike]

I’m on to something with this jerk bait. Every fish I catch gets bigger. I lost one that was 4 + a little while ago.

Getting excited about putting a few hours into it tomorrow.

[TnRiver46]

@N Florida Mike, it’s just a fluke with more hooks! 

[Team9nine]

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Too nice out and too many people off work for the holiday, but after being stuck inside for a few days and just laying in bed with the flu, it was nice getting out and catching some little ones.

[The Bassman]

9 hours ago, Team9nine said:

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

National snow cover map shows one stripe right across our area (shrinking). That's contributing to our mid-upper 20's nights. We take one step forward then a half step backward. Should be full open by Christmas day. Warm weather till rain Sat. P.M.

[Paul Roberts]

 

18 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

I’m on to something with this jerk bait. Every fish I catch gets bigger. I lost one that was 4 + a little while ago.

Getting excited about putting a few hours into it tomorrow.

You are going to LOVE jerkbaits!

 

15 hours ago, Team9nine said:

The struggle is real!  Thought after two days of low 50 degree highs, I'd see a lot more melting at the ponds. Nope. Still almost nothing open, and the one I hit two days ago is ony about 10% more open now than then...which means about half of it is still ice covered. Still made some casts and was able to land one little guy, so better than blanking. Continued warmup will get a couple of these places opened up eventually before we go cold again.

 

 

Warmer air temps this late, at our latitude, tend to slow heat loss, but don't do a heck of a lot for heat gain. Need direct radiation / sun angle for that. Only places open in my waters now are where waterfowl are keeping spots open, and a few incident (N) shoreline edges. Water beneath that ice is 38, 39F, so it's gnawing away. Needs some help though. Radiation is the workhorse. Conduction, not so much.

[N Florida Mike]

1 hour ago, Paul Roberts said:

You are going to LOVE jerkbaits!

I’ve fished with them before but never have done well. Soft plastics are hard to compete with around here.

[Paul Roberts]

I understand that!

[N Florida Mike]

I got out for a few hours today. Windy !! Stuck with the jerkbait and got a few . I got the feeling today would have been tough even with plastics.