Latest Catch Pics Thread

[CastingClinic]

Quick morning trip on the Passaic river.  Caught this two and a half pound smallie on an audacious chartreuse/white chatterbait with a white craw trailer.

[thediscochef]

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

[ATA]

Just now, thediscochef said:

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

Not even a nibble? I cant believe that. 

[thediscochef]

Just now, ATA said:

Not even a nibble? I cant believe that. 

Believe it. Slump continues. 

[ATA]

1 minute ago, thediscochef said:

Believe it. Slump continues. 

Well we all had days like that, Wish you best luck next time.

[thediscochef]

My buddy caught a four early and that was a wrap on the day

Just now, ATA said:

Well we all had days like that, Wish you best luck next time.

I appreciate it. It happens to everyone at some point I guess 

[gim]

25 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

I spent almost nine hours on Lake Fork with a guide today. The end.

 

Hard not to laugh at this.  Even if it does suck.

[thediscochef]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

 

Hard not to laugh at this.  Even if it does suck.

Hope you enjoy the laugh 🥱 glad you enjoy my bad luck

[gim]

2 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Hope you enjoy the laugh 🥱 glad you enjoy my bad luck

 

I just want to clarify, its not the failure I find amusing.  Its your post.  "The end."

 

Sometimes its best to just laugh at it and move on.

[thediscochef]

Just now, gimruis said:

 

I just want to clarify, its not the failure I find amusing.  Its your post.  "The end."

 

Sometimes its best to just laugh at it and move on.

Thank you for clarifying, it was pretty not clear lol

[MIbassyaker]

4 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Thank you for clarifying, it was pretty not clear lol

 

FWIW, as a great enjoyer of gallows humor, I also laughed.

[Swamp Girl]

47 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Believe it. Slump continues. 

 

Chef, for the cost of a guide, you can fly to Maine and camp on my pond/lake and catch two hundred bass in a few days. And I'll be glad to take you to the ponds and bogs where the five, six, seven, and eight-pounders swim, but the two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half-pounders at my pond are a blast. 

 

I'm going fishing in a few minutes. For the first time in my life, I'll be using a fishing kayak. I'm allowing a neighbor to keep his boat on my land and he said to use it whenever I want, so I will. I'm excited to see if the bass are still in the swamp alongside the swamp, as I loved the maze below. It was like golfing at Augusta, if Augusta had the obstacles of miniature golf: 

 

[LrgmouthShad]

@thediscochef you’re good brother. We understand some days are just tough out there. Certainly I do.  Nobody’s laughing at you. We just can’t wait for the “wild card” to reappear and another 7lber+ to pop up on the end of your rod. 

 

[PhishLI]

24 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

For the first time in my life, I'll be using a fishing kayak.

Keep your center of gravity. No leaning except for back towards the seat. Hoosket only with your arms.

[Swamp Girl]

Thanks, @PhishLI. I don't expect too many issues. My solo canoe feels like a fence rail and threatens to dump me several times each trip. It won't be my first time in a kayak. Just my first time in a fishing kayak, but I'll apply your advice. 

[thediscochef]

48 minutes ago, MIbassyaker said:

 

FWIW, as a great enjoyer of gallows humor, I also laughed.

It's no sweat, I assumed after Mr. Ruis clarified that any following laugh reacts are as described. Thank you though 

[Fishingmickey]

15 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Thanks, @PhishLI. I don't expect too many issues. My solo canoe feels like a fence rail and threatens to dump me several times each trip. It won't be my first time in a kayak. Just my first time in a fishing kayak, but I'll apply your advice. 

Depending on the brand and size. Some fishing kayaks are way more stable then a canoe. But if your reach out to the side and get your upper body center of gravity out far enough... Some kayaks and my old Mainstream kingfisher would slip right out from under you like stepping on a banana peel or squeezing a bar of soap. Good luck, Crickety!

FM

[Fishlegs]

I've been trying to decide where to start with describing my fishing trip yesterday. It was a highly anticipated trip since it's the first time I've been on a boat in about two months. It got off to a tough start when one friend who was going couldn't make it due to car trouble. Once we launched the boat everything seemed ready...except the fish weren't biting. We fished three miles of prime shoreline before we got our first bite. That bite was a small, but ornery spotted bass. At least we wouldn't be skunked. We tried the other side of the river, and managed one more small fish in four more miles of prime shoreline. Then we decided to try fishing deeper. It feels strange floating down the middle of the Tennessee River fishing unseen structure, but with modern electronics it can work. We caught a few little smallmough, a couple more small spots, and one random sauger. Still nothing exciting so we decided to eat a sandwich while we formulated a new game plan.

 

We decided to fish the more shaded side of the river one more time hoping the fish might be drawn to the shade since the air temp was in the upper 80's, and the water temp was in the mid 70's. We made a good choice. We caught 6 fish in the first 5 hours of the trip, but we ended up catching 12 more in the last 3 hours. The bite was very subtle all day, except for the one pictured below. This was the best one of the day, and there was nothing subtle about her. She put up a great fight. She was 3 lbs 10 oz, but punched way above her weight class. When I set the hook, she didn't budge until she ran the opposite direction of the boat. When I got her turned around she came out of the water like a missile. It took several tries to get her in the net, but we got her. My partner ended up getting one pretty similar in size late in the day.

 

 

On my way home my wife called to tell me that her parents wanted to take the kids out on the boat, but she didn't feel like going. I'd already spent 8 hours on a boat, but I'd love one or two more. A full day of fishing followed by a beautiful evening cruise with the family. What a day! I feel very blessed to have had such a day. As the sun was setting I thought to myself, "If this is what retirement is like I need to find a way to get there sooner!" 🤣 We missed the friend who had to miss the fishing trip, but hopefully he'll make it next time.

 

[bp_fowler]

Unexpectedly got a few hours to fish today so I decided to go to the Gun Club since I hadn’t been there in a while.

 

Blue bird skies, with temps nearing 90 degrees with a light breeze out of the SSW.  
 

Unfortunately the pond has started to scum over with thick patches extending from the bank from a few feet out as far as 10-15 yards around the entire perimeter.  I was not equipped to handle this with my light tackle but I did the best I could but only managed one on a paddle tail.

Tomorrow I will be up early and at a nearby state wildlife area for some pre-dawn fishing.  Hopefully I’ll have better luck then.

[TnRiver46]

@Fishlegs, that 3-10 looks like a 5 lber!

[Team9nine]

Getting warm out there. Surface temps at 80 or above, and starting to look like the beginning of a thermocline, but still seeing bass fry. Caught half a dozen skinny post-spawners. Only one possible group of bass, but they scattered quick. Everything else just singles here and there. Might look elsewhere if I get out tomorrow. Bonus channel cat that was part of a group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

Great trip report, @Fishlegs.

 

 

[Mbirdsley]

so possibly my last far away trip for a while ( maybe rest of the summer i dunno) untill at least end of july due to my twins being born.

 

fished clear lake in  ogemaw county.l which is northern michigan.  I had 4 hrs of drive time ( 2 hrs each) and fished for 8 hrs.  clear lake is a fairly deep, medium sized lake and ultra clear lake which, on a good day we can see down 20 ft.  I wanted to catch atleast one day of the spawn.  Im not big on bed fishing but, i guess i just like to see them on their beds for whatever reason.  

 

I was the only one fishing on the lake.  literally had the lake to my self except a couple of pontoons.  glad i’m missing the madness this weekend doe to memorial day. 

 

 which, luckily i saw both large mouth and smallies on beds.  the couple of large mouths that i saw were completely locked down on beds and which, i didnt mess with the large mouth.  the small mouth were on beds but, weren’t lock down.  most were doing wide orbits around the center of the nest.  most of them ran away from any lure.  except the first smallie which , crushed a spine craw in gp hayes.  I didn’t mess around with the bedding fish too much.  I caught that one and than had another get off.  All my fish either came on a yum GP hayes spine craw t-rigged with 1/8 weight or a shakey head with 5 inch smoke purple berkley fatty bottom hopper on a shakey head ( first shakey head bass ).  So the smallies are either just starting to spawn or it’s about over i couldn’t really tell. 

 

most of the smallies that i caught were roaming around across the lake from the beds in 6-8 ft of water. the large mouth all came in shallower water except the big one.  I caught my first 3 lbs large mouth of the year which, weighs 3.26 lbs.  caught him on the spine craw at the end of a blow down.  that was one hardest fighting bass i’ve caught.  He actually took a lot on line out.  i’ve had 5 lbers that didn’t fight as hard. 

 

also, caught a couple cool shots of a loon swimming under water right next to the boat.  that loon was in 8 ft of water and swam right over the small mouth nests. 

 

still need to get the hang of drop shotting. 

 

great day yo be on the water in northern michigan.  it was good to be “ Up North “ 

[Swamp Girl]

2 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

my twins being born

 

 

That loon photo is amazing. I really enjoyed your trip report. 

[thediscochef]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

@Fishlegs, that 3-10 looks like a 5 lber!

I was gonna say the same thing. For sure looks bigger then my SM PB of 4-1