Latest Catch Pics Thread

[TheBaitMonkey]

Things are starting to get warmer here in Northern Illinois! Water temps got up to the mid 40's at a little lake by the house today and I was able to snag a couple of solid ones, this one being the big bigger one at around ~21".

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, GreenPig said:

Caught 9 Spots today. The biggest a 3.30 hit a 12" Ol Mag Monster and the others bit the TRD on the Flatlands Wobblehead. Water temp is 63.5 and climbing but the lake's colored up from the recent storms

Couple of studs for sure, awesome job!  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Curse you, BassMan and Bob, who serve the bait monkey! Now I just placed an order for TicklerZ's in coppertreuse. 

 

 

 

 

Katie is going to be living in a cardboard shack with a dirty monkey, and a yard slap full of tackle if she doesn't get open water soon ?

[Swamp Girl]

@AlabamaSpothunter

 

Thanks, Alex, you made me laugh. I checked the two closest ponds two days ago and they were still all ice, but I'm thinking I might see soft water within a week or so. When I go out, I'll be wearing my wetsuit and will stay so close to the shore, but it would be great to finally catch a bass or two. They'll be shivering if I do!

 

@The BaitMonkey, I love your fish! Also, you have impoverished me. I'm living in a cardboard box because of you.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

At this point I'm just fishing pretty lures, until hot summer nights.    That's okay, I can't really stop until the white whale hits the net anyways, many days over the last month I've said that's it only to be there the next day ?

 

Tomorrow I'm going to clean a portion of the lake of trash, need a big numbers day ?

 

[ScottW]

Decided to goof off a little this afternoon at the pond from prepping for our month long trip around Florida with our travel trailer. Got the fishing gear all ready as well so figured I may as well ‘test’ things out, right? ? Snagged this healthy looking fella on a 5” Yum Dinger in blue flake/black on a ned. He’ll do until I can ply the Florida waters. ? 
 

 

 

[Just Fish Michael]

6 hours ago, TheBaitMonkey said:

Things are starting to get warmer here in Northern Illinois! Water temps got up to the mid 40's at a little lake by the house today and I was able to snag a couple of solid ones, this one being the big bigger one at around ~21".

 

 

Northwest Illinois here and yes the water temps SLOWLY getting to low/mid 40s.  The March snow needs to stop!  Catching some nice ones on small hair jigs. Many crappie mixed in.  This one about 19 inches. 

 

 

 

[T-Billy]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

At this point I'm just fishing pretty lures, until hot summer nights.

The night bite gets hot for me when the water hits right about 70. That's late May/early June here. Lots of post spawners feeding up on the shallow flats at that point. Chatterbait over the still submerged grass is a killer. If they're short striking it, I'll switch to a paddletail swimmer. 

[TnRiver46]

4 hours ago, T-Billy said:

The night bite gets hot for me when the water hits right about 70. That's late May/early June here. Lots of post spawners feeding up on the shallow flats at that point. Chatterbait over the still submerged grass is a killer. If they're short striking it, I'll switch to a paddletail swimmer. 

I’m gonna try some night fishing one of these days dad gummit. I just about fall asleep with the sun still shining this time of year, maybe I’ll hit it pre dawn 

[hokiehunter373]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’m gonna try some night fishing one of these days dad gummit. I just about fall asleep with the sun still shining this time of year, maybe I’ll hit it pre dawn 

I love pre dawn.  Cooler and get to watch that sunrise.  Makes me feel better while I'm not catching anything lol

[AlabamaSpothunter]

9 hours ago, ScottW said:

Decided to goof off a little this afternoon at the pond from prepping for our month long trip around Florida with our travel trailer. Got the fishing gear all ready as well so figured I may as well ‘test’ things out, right? ? Snagged this healthy looking fella on a 5” Yum Dinger in blue flake/black on a ned. He’ll do until I can ply the Florida waters. ? 

 

Nice, you taking a pole or two on your trip?   Have a blast and be safe! 

[ScottW]

4 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Nice, you taking a pole or two on your trip?   Have a blast and be safe! 

Yup, two medium spinning rods with 2500 reels. There are some lakes and ponds near and/or at most of the places we’re staying. My planning of the route may have had something to do with bodies of water nearby. ? ? My wife has wanted to visit the Keys so I figured a trip around Florida visiting family (fishing) and friends (fishing) would allow her to check that off her bucket list (did I say fishing?). I’m a thoughtful kinda guy. ? ?

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, ScottW said:

Yup, two medium spinning rods with 2500 reels. There are some lakes and ponds near and/or at most of the places we’re staying. My planning of the route may have had something to do with bodies of water nearby. ? ? My wife has wanted to visit the Keys so I figured a trip around Florida visiting family (fishing) and friends (fishing) would allow her to check that off her bucket list (did I say fishing?). I’m a thoughtful kinda guy. ? ?

Fishing the keys can be pretty fun, lots of mangrove snappers . I even hooked a small tarpon down there. I enjoyed the canoe trails thru John pennekamp state park the most 

[ScottW]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Fishing the keys can be pretty fun, lots of mangrove snappers . I even hooked a small tarpon down there. I enjoyed the canoe trails thru John pennekamp state park the most 

That’s definitely one of the places I wanted to visit. Key Largo looks to be a beautiful place to kick back and enjoy the scenery (fish ?).

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, ScottW said:

Yup, two medium spinning rods with 2500 reels. There are some lakes and ponds near and/or at most of the places we’re staying. My planning of the route may have had something to do with bodies of water nearby. ? ? My wife has wanted to visit the Keys so I figured a trip around Florida visiting family (fishing) and friends (fishing) would allow her to check that off her bucket list (did I say fishing?). I’m a thoughtful kinda guy. ? ?

My favorite place to fish on Earth is the Florida Keys.   What a fun sounding trip, look forward to some pics brother! 

[T-Billy]

Three bites today. I'll take 'em gladly after two skunkings in a row. One front after another rolling through here this week, with another rolling in tomorrow. Has the bite all kinds of jacked up. 

[Swamp Girl]

@T-Billy That is so cool. Three bites and three species, all beauties, made all the sweeter by a pair of skunkings. You're a heckuva fisherman, Tim.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

Three bites today. I'll take 'em gladly after two skunkings in a row. One front after another rolling through here this week, with another rolling in tomorrow. Has the bite all kinds of jacked up. 

Straight hammer bro!   Very impressive, and the jelly inside me says it's all because of the hat ?

 

----------------------------------------------

 

 

Went to the local Monkey hangout and bought my biggest bait to date in terms of length, an 8"/2.5oz Sneaky Pete in Bone.    Didn't fish today, as took the morning and cleaned trash from the lake.....found a Loomis IMX/Shimano Crappie rig lol.   Anyways, I had to see the action on this new bait, so I went down to the dock.   

 

I'd say the 10th cast, I watched this submarine track the bait for a yard or two and then absolutely crush it.   Took forever to get off the hook though which kind of soured it, but she swam off fine.   Honestly wasn't trying to catch a fish, go freaking figure.   Spend the last two days fishing hard for nothing even close to the size of this fish, and then bam I catch her from the dock with a single pole and lure.   Bass fishing is the most frustrating and exciting hobby I've ever had by a large margin.  

 

I completely see why there is a whole sub community of Bass anglers who dedicate themselves to throwing big swimbaits.  

 

Lastly, somehow while I was collecting trash this cool guy ended up at my feet.   Here I am throwing red baits like an absolute FOOL ?

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

16 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Didn't fish today, as took the morning and cleaned trash from the lake

 

What a mensch!

 

16 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

found a Loomis IMX/Shimano Crappie rig

 

Karma, Baby!

 

17 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'd say the 10th cast, I watched this submarine track the bait for a yard or two and then absolutely crush it. 

 

More karma.

[TnRiver46]

20 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Straight hammer bro!   Very impressive, and the jelly inside me says it's all because of the hat ?

 

----------------------------------------------

 

 

Went to the local Monkey hangout and bought my biggest bait to date in terms of length, an 8"/2.5oz Sneaky Pete in Bone.    Didn't fish today, as took the morning and cleaned trash from the lake.....found a Loomis IMX/Shimano Crappie rig lol.   Anyways, I had to see the action on this new bait, so I went down to the dock.   

 

I'd say the 10th cast, I watched this submarine track the bait for a yard or two and then absolutely crush it.   Took forever to get off the hook though which kind of soured it, but she swam off fine.   Honestly wasn't trying to catch a fish, go freaking figure.   Spend the last two days fishing hard for nothing even close to the size of this fish, and then bam I catch her from the dock with a single pole and lure.   Bass fishing is the most frustrating and exciting hobby I've ever had by a large margin.  

 

I completely see why there is a whole sub community of Bass anglers who dedicate themselves to throwing big swimbaits.  

 

Lastly, somehow while I was collecting trash this cool guy ended up at my feet.   Here I am throwing red baits like an absolute FOOL ?

 

 

Guess you solved that daily puzzle, ditch the boat and fish off the dock for $400, trebek 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, ol'crickety said:

 

What a mensch!

 

 

Karma, Baby!

 

 

More karma.

Thanks Katie!    Gonna try to find the owner of the rod/reel, as it has some weird name on it.    Could be someone's sentimental favorite, the rod is perfectly fine, will inspect the reel if I can't find the owner 

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

Guess you solved that daily puzzle, ditch the boat and fish off the dock for $400, trebek 

 

??

 

The key all along was to actually try and not catch a Bass, and do so with as little effort as possible......why didn't you guys tell me sooner ?

[TnRiver46]

3 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Thanks Katie!    Gonna try to find the owner of the rod/reel, as it has some weird name on it.    Could be someone's sentimental favorite, the rod is perfectly fine, will inspect the reel if I can't find the owner 

??

 

The key all along was to actually try and not catch a Bass, and do so with as little effort as possible......why didn't you guys tell me sooner ?

Hahahah. That’s works sometimes if I recall correctly 

[TheBaitMonkey]

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

Three bites today. I'll take 'em gladly after two skunkings in a row. One front after another rolling through here this week, with another rolling in tomorrow. Has the bite all kinds of jacked up. 

Looks like a fun time!

[BigAngus752]

Somebody likes the watermelon Trick Worm....

 

[Pat Brown]

 

Well...

 

@Catt recommended I keep tossing that red lipless and tonight in front of a cheering audience that literally lined up to take pictures of this beast, I caught my 3rd bass on a lipless ever, my first fish on a red crankbait and my second largest bass of my life.

 

I went to the pond with my wife and son after work today for a little line time and it was POPPING with live bait anglers and and dog walkers and people out enjoying themselves.

 

Water was slick calm and bluebird skies.

 

I paralleled the bank working my way down to the dam and on my fourth cast bringing my red 6th sense Quake lipless crank past the outflow I saw my line swimming left very slowly and felt very confused because I felt no bite at all.

 

I reeled down and felt her load up and then the drag started to peel out of my Daiwa Fuego like a truck was attached to my line.

 

I reeled this way and that convinced I had a catfish and then saw her hulking mass swimming in the clearer water just off the bank and realized I had a giant bass on.

 

I played her carefully trying to avoid treble hook /jumping catastrophe and in a few moments I was holding her up while panting in front of a clapping crowd!

 

My wife shot the pictures and we released her and she swam off happy as a clam.

 

Beyond thankful to hold that magnificent creature in my hands.