Latest Catch Pics Thread

[LrgmouthShad]

It’s a winter bass that I caught with no electronics and a no frills kayak. I don’t care that it’s small. 
 

Badin. Water is quite clear and chilly. Nighttime temps are below 30 right now and there was barely a gasp of wind today. I look forward to conditions improving. 
 

Only clue I have is to start looking for some deeper wood. Might change launches tomorrow
 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Same conditions as @LrgmouthShad, but I've come to rely heavily on my 2D/Sidescan during the winter.   Wouldn't have caught this one on the Damiki Vault without it today.     

[gim]

5 hours ago, thediscochef said:

Man I haven't caught a fish since the 8th.

I haven’t caught one since the 21st.

 

Oct 21st, that is. 

[MN Fisher]

Better than me - my last bass was mid September.

[Bankbeater]

I couldn't get a bite on jigs, plastics, or crankbaits this morning so I decided to go after panfish.  Sure enough, I caught a small bass on a Rooster Tail.  First December bass since 2015.

[The Bassman]

It's a mindset thing. For years I assumed that winter fishing would be a waste of time. Figured that dunking worms in creeks for suckers was the best I could hope for if there wasn't enough ice to support me on ponds.  In recent years our winters have trended warmer. You're in pretty much the same latitude as me. Dec. is actually one of my favorite months if weather permits. El Nino has put us in the sweet spot this month. Numbers and size have been good. Two tips: small waters and light tackle. You're not far from the birthplace of midwest finesse. Master it and get catching.

[TnRiver46]

He’s baaaaaaaack

 

[LrgmouthShad]

@TnRiver46 thanks dude. when I come back to fishing after a hiatus, I usually think of two things. 1. Gosh it’s so good to be fishing again. 2. Do I remember how to do this fishing thing? 
 

Every time it’s just like riding a bicycle again. 

[Dwight Hottle]

Got out on Lake Toho this week for two days of post cold front with high winds. Fishing was slow & the fish that did bite did not want to commit. We did the best we could with difficult conditions. Highlight of the trip for me was slow rolling a Hudd 68 & catching my first ever fish on a Hudd. I'll be more commited to it in the future. 

 

[Blue Raider Bob]

Dwight, those fish could eat my PB!

[Pat Brown]

TANKS!!!!! 🎣🎣🎣🎣🎣

[Swamp Girl]

Wow, Dwight! I had to google both Lake Toho and Hudd 68. Big lure for big bass. 

 

Slow rolling means a slow retrieve, right? Does it mean anything else and does anyone happen to know its origin? Maybe rolling the lure along the bottom due to the slow retrieve?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

@Dwight Hottle  Look at those slaunch donkies, that bottom one makes me smile ear to ear.....nothing better than when they got that winter time feed bag strapped on.

 

What did the bottom one weigh?   I'll guess 8ish 

[RipzLipz]

@Dwight Hottle Nice pigs. 👍

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The Blade Bait bite is close to being as addictive as a Jerkbait bite.

 

Love seeing these fish get fat this time of year, caught a Spot earlier that could've popped. 

 

[Dwight Hottle]

Slow rolling means what your thinking. I think the saying started with spinner bait retrieves where the angler cast it out allowing it to sink to the bottom or near it & then slowly retrieving it so it maintains the depth without rising. You can do the same thing with a swimibait. The Hudd 68 combines the bigger tail piece from the 8" Hudd to the 6" Hudd body. They also sell a regular Hudd 6" bait with the smaller tail.

[Dwight Hottle]

Good eye just shy of 8.

[Swamp Girl]

Alex, I know we describe bass like yours as fat, but fat is far from the truth. Your bass is a mass of muscle, which is why it's so successful at predation. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Well said Katie, and I agree with you especially this early into the winter season.  

 

Dwight's last fish looks like she's already got a ton of eggs, whereas a bit north here they are just starting to put that feed bag on and I don't expect to see a belly full of eggs like that until late Jan. to early mid Feb. 

 

That last fish had the build of one of yours, but yours always stay that fat some how 💪

 

 

[RipzLipz]

@Dwight Hottle If you don’t mind me asking, were those up around Kissimmee grass yet? IIRC, they should be moving up in the next 4-6 weeks down there or a bit further south.

[Dwight Hottle]

 No all came from off shore  weed clumps & hydrilla. 

[LrgmouthShad]

Today’s trip: one bite again, but this time I did not convert. It was a jig bite on a shallow laydown. Never felt the bite and was slow to the hookset, which I didn’t execute well. I believe it was a very large fish. Oh well

[Swamp Girl]

Those big ones are crafty. 

[LrgmouthShad]

@ol'crickety I know better. As soon as I realized I didn’t have any sensation of my jig, should’ve been automatic. Reel all the slack out till I feel the fish and rip it.

I’d been fishing a senko for most of the day. I was surprised that got me nothing. Then it occurred to me that maybe I needed something falling faster. Something like a jig, which they didn’t bite yesterday. I put on a full size jig, which by default put me in hog hunting mode. Just missed the hog 🫤

[T-Billy]

I feel for ya brother. I had a similar experience my last bass trip this year. I was working my flippin rig through a shallow bushy treetop. Mid 40's water.  I went to move the bait and had just enough time to think, am I up against a thin branch  or...  The whole limb suddenly shook, giant boil, totally wiffed the hookset. CRAP!!! Giant for sure. I know better than to feel for it that long, and yet... Sigh... Misses really hurt when you know it was a possible PB, and you blew it by making a rookie mistake.