Latest Catch Pics Thread

[AlabamaSpothunter]

49 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I give thanks for Thanksgiving fish photos.

 

Alex, if you land a DD this winter, I'll pay for your dinner. Promise. 

 

Woo-hoo, @LrgmouthShad!

Haha, dinner will be on me.    I've gotten so obsessed over this that the longer it goes without a DD on my homelake, the more I have no idea how I'll react.    I know this one will be much more meaningful.   I took the first one for granted in my early 20s and in college.    This one will mean a lot more if it happens.  

 

The 7.8lb I caught in early August got the ball rolling, but when an old friend who has access to the lake sent me this pic from last February, all I do is think about trying to catch this fish.    She was 10.6.   Over the summer the lake biologist got a 9.4 on a fly rod lol.     Lake was built in the late 60s, and over the decades it's produced a number of DD fish.    

 

I go to bed thinking about how many others are out there like her, or if this old girl is still swimming and has even gained a lb+.     The wonderment of fishing, not having a real clue what's swimming down there is one of the things that doesn't change whether you are 10 years old, or 90 years old.

 

My friend's fish from last Feb.

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

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I didn’t give up though and I persevered through it and enjoyed every single minute of it and I can’t think of a better way to spend 5 hours of my time on thanksgiving. Happy thanksgiving to you all and good luck, keep catching them for us poor souls up north with our frozen water. It makes me smile and feel like a kid at Christmas when I see all of you still catching them.

 

Gosh, I LOVE ^this.^ I just followed you.

 

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Haha, dinner will be on me.   

 

No, Alex, you'll get the dinner if you land that DD. It will be a treat for me to treat you.

 

I'm guessing that Walt Whitman would have known how you'll feel when you land another Scaly Mammoth. As Whitman wrote, "I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world. The last scud of day holds back for me,."

 

I'm just hoping that I can hear your mighty yawp from Maine and if I do, I'll yawp too. So will Tim. So will Phish and Eric. We'll all rejoice with you. 

 

The bulges in your friend's bass made me laugh. The bass I catch don't ever get so big that they grow every which way. 

 

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The wonderment of fishing, not having a real clue what's swimming down there is one of the things that doesn't change whether you are 10 years old, or 90 years old.

 

Heck, yeah, ^that's^ right. I wrote an essay for Gray's Sporting Journal where I shared how fish swim in my dreams and the uncertainty of dreams is in my fishing. We don't know what's down there and I love not knowing. As you age, you see the same comedy and tragedy play out again and again and I sigh for the sameness, but not fishing. Fishing keeps us wondering and thus, the wonderment of fishing. 

[gim]

18 hours ago, The Bassman said:

I gotta get one of those hats.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

16 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Gosh, I LOVE ^this.^ I just followed you.

 

 

No, Alex, you'll get the dinner if you land that DD. It will be a treat for me to treat you.

 

I'm guessing that Walt Whitman would have known how you'll feel when you land another Scaly Mammoth. As Whitman wrote, "I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world. The last scud of day holds back for me,."

 

I'm just hoping that I can hear your mighty yawp from Maine and if I do, I'll yawp too. So will Tim. So will Phish and Eric. We'll all rejoice with you. 

 

The bulges in your friend's bass made me laugh. The bass I catch don't ever get so big that they grow every which way. 

 

 

Heck, yeah, ^that's^ right. I wrote an essay for Gray's Sporting Journal where I shared how fish swim in my dreams and the uncertainty of dreams is in my fishing. We don't know what's down there and I love not knowing. As you age, you see the same comedy and tragedy play out again and again and I sigh for the sameness, but not fishing. Fishing keeps us wondering and thus, the wonderment of fishing. 

Your replies are always such a pleasure to read Katie, you have such a wonderful command of language, wit, and intelligence

 

I hope to see you keep writing articles for BR at the minimum.

[Swamp Girl]

Alex, I once went musky fishing with about 20 guys in northwestern Ontario. One was an ex-fighter pilot. Two were bouncers. One played college football. One was a race car driver. And so on.

 

I was the only nerdy English major there, but lawdy, they were so creative with language. Funny. Raw. Profane. Playful. Word-wise, I felt like a puppy playing with the big dawgs. 

 

But those men were so much than their words. The final evening, I got in trouble on the big lake in a lightning storm. They didn't sit around and fill the warm, dry cabins with words. They went to their boats in that storm and went looking for me, their searchlights making the lake look like London in the Blitz. And when they finally found me, after a couple hours of searching, those big, tough men were so tender. They didn't chastise for lingering in the storm to cast a few more times and then running out of gas. They were simply grateful that I was returning to the warm, dry cabins with them. 

 

And I was too. 

 

P. S. - I wrote another article for Bass Resource yesterday. I have to let it sit for a few days before I submit it. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

16 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Alex, I once went musky fishing with about 20 guys in northwestern Ontario. One was an ex-fighter pilot. Two were bouncers. One played college football. One was a race car driver. And so on.

 

I was the only nerdy English major there, but lawdy, they were so creative with language. Funny. Raw. Profane. Playful. Word-wise, I felt like a puppy playing with the big dawgs. 

 

But those men were so much than their words. The final evening, I got in trouble on the big lake in a lightning storm. They didn't sit around and fill the warm, dry cabins with words. They went to their boats in that storm and went looking for me, their searchlights making the lake look like London in the Blitz. And when they finally found me, after a couple hours of searching, those big, tough men were so tender. They didn't chastise for lingering in the storm to cast a few more times and then running out of gas. They were simply grateful that I was returning to the warm, dry cabins with them. 

 

And I was too. 

 

P. S. - I wrote another article for Bass Resource yesterday. I have to let it sit for a few days before I submit it. 

I love your stories and can't wait for the new article!    Writing is a rare talent these days especially, it's a pleasure to read someone who writes old world.    Hard to describe great writing, just one of those things where you know it when you see it. 

[ScottW]

17 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Picked up my best bass of the season and new ol muddy pond record on Turkey Day. Not using my usual high contrast scale because don’t have my gear with me. The one I used read 6.8. Only reads to tenths. 
 

Caught on the ol muddy special: a black senko.

 

Back in NC briefly to see family. Happy to be back.

 

almost no sleep today or last night. Hunting in the morn

Congrats on the pig! You ought to come south more often! ?

 

13 hours ago, Jmurphy87 said:

Well no fish for me today I caught a skunk lol. I have been planning on getting the kayak out for one of my last few times this year today. It’s been warmer than it has been the past few days, high of 50 today so I figured that I might stand a chance. I was wrong, have not been by spring valley in a minute so I had no clue if there was any soft water at all.

 

 I took my lipless, blade bait, mid depth crank, square bill and jig trays with me and some trailers. I fought the kayak down my apartment stairs from my deck loaded it on top of my mini suv and headed off to fish.

 

 I got there and saw ice as far as I could see. I didn’t give up though I was determined. I was hoping that it was thin ice still, nope it was 1.5 inches thick. Still determined I unloaded my kayak and all my gear and set off. 
 

I had to use my anchor to knock holes in the ice to push off of and keep moving forward three to six feet at a time. I was heading for the deeper channel to reach thinner ice, nope wrong again. See the pattern lol.

 

 I was heading to the deepest part of the lake to fish the drop from 4-18 feet, there’s a very big cove that I normally do great in throughout the year. I can normally paddle there in 20 minutes or so from the far side of the lake with soft water, nope not today I was a tortoise. I think it took me a hour and forty five minutes to get there.

 

 I got about halfway there and knew that I was probably not going to catch anything because I was going to have to break ice to be able to get anything in the water. I was still determined and wet from the water splashing when I was knocking holes in the ice to push off with my paddle. 
 

I finally get there and there’s no soft water in sight, well now it’s time to make a hole and probably scare all the fish away. I proceeded to do exactly that, I am not giving up. I tried my lipless by casting it a short distance in the spot I cleared and let line out till it hit bottom and would yo yo it in tiny short burst and let it set, nothing. Time for the jig same thing cast out let line out let it reach the bottom and very gentle short raises and let it set nothing.

 

 I didn’t catch anything but I was soaking wet and had thrown my 5lb anchor to knock holes in the ice to clear my spot and to get myself back to shore, the shallows froze over on my original path. I didn’t give up though and I persevered through it and enjoyed every single minute of it and I can’t think of a better way to spend 5 hours of my time on thanksgiving. Happy thanksgiving to you all and good luck, keep catching them for us poor souls up north with our frozen water. It makes me smile and feel like a kid at Christmas when I see all of you still catching them,

 

Geez! That’s some fishing trip there. My shoulders are sore after reading that. Good on you for sticking it out though.

[LrgmouthShad]

31 minutes ago, ScottW said:

You ought to come south more often! ?

Keep an eye on my location. Might change to somewhere warmer…. Oh idk…. Maybe around March. 
 

Anyone feel like Whataburger?

 

tentative! Nothing set in stone

[TnRiver46]

Got an SMB and meanmouth. Also missed several bites on cut bait for catfish 

[LrgmouthShad]

5 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Got an SMB and meanmouth. Also missed several bites on cut bait for catfish 

Meanmouth is really cool. Sweet deal. 
 

I almost had a spinnerbait biggun from ol muddy to show you. 
 

Im ashamed to say but that fish owned me. Had no control. 

[GreenPig]

Fished today from 7a - 1p in off/on heavy rain. Had a big fish swipe at my 7" Bull Shad early and then this Spot grabbed it. Water temp is 58.

[TnRiver46]

45 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Meanmouth is really cool. Sweet deal. 
 

I almost had a spinnerbait biggun from ol muddy to show you. 
 

Im ashamed to say but that fish owned me. Had no control. 

When they get big, all control is lost haha

1 minute ago, GreenPig said:

Fished today from 7a - 1p in off/on heavy rain. Had a big fish swipe at my 7" Bull Shad early and then this Spot grabbed it. Water temp is 58.

Did you steal all the rain ? 

[Swamp Girl]

@LrgmouthShad

 

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Im ashamed to say but that fish owned me. Had no control. 

 

[GreenPig]

18 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

When they get big, all control is lost haha

Did you steal all the rain ? 

I believe so and I found the limits of my boots waterproofing at 9am.

[ScottW]

2 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Keep an eye on my location. Might change to somewhere warmer…. Oh idk…. Maybe around March. 
 

Anyone feel like Whataburger?

 

tentative! Nothing set in stone

March-ish sounds about right for the warm up down here. Trade ya a Whataburger for a Hardees Frisco Angus burger! ?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

44 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Fished today from 7a - 1p in off/on heavy rain. Had a big fish swipe at my 7" Bull Shad early and then this Spot grabbed it. Water temp is 58.

They're as mean as they are beautiful.    Fishing in those conditions is a testament to the level of angler you are

 

Caught 5 this afternoon, all small ones.    I never winter fished much growing up, and as a young adult so I'm spending at least half my time on the water playing mind games with myself and fighting my confidence.     

 

 

 

[PhishLI]

9 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Fished today from 7a - 1p in off/on heavy rain. Had a big fish swipe at my 7" Bull Shad early and then this Spot grabbed it. Water temp is 58.

Ah, yes. The Big Bass hit my big bait right off the bat syndrome. I know it well.

 

Me: I'm running up for a wile.

Wife: It's terrible out. What's a while?

Me: Um, just a quick one. A couple of hours maybe, if I last that long. A smidge more if there's a hot bite.

Wife: Oy.

 

7 hours later...

 

Wife: I thought you said it'd be a quick one.

Me: Well, a big bass hit my big bait right off the bat.

Wife: A good one! ???

Me: Well, it hit hard, but shook off quickly.

Wife: Oh. Then what else did you catch?

Me: Well, nothing. Not even a sniff.

Wife: I don't understand. Why'd you stay so long then?

Me: Well, 'cause a big bass hit my big bait right off the bat...

Wife: Oy.

[T-Billy]

9 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

  I never winter fished much growing up, and as a young adult so I'm spending at least half my time on the water playing mind games with myself and fighting my confidence

Don't sweat it, just keep grinding. It's the big fish time of year. The colder it gets the bigger my average size is, but numbers are often down. Not always though. A couple warm, calm, sunny days can load the shallow laydowns with fish.

[Woody B]

I've been busy so I'm late posting.  Family get together for Thanksgiving was at my Sister in Law's that lives on the lake..........so I took the boat.   Before and after the feast I managed to catch 10, all spots including 2 that were 18 inches.   I only saw a couple other boats on the lake.   Water temp is down to 57.  They were out on points where the water was 20 to 25 feet deep.  They were suspended early, and hugging the bottom later.  

 

 

 

[Aaron_H]

On 11/24/2022 at 8:18 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

Picked up my best bass of the season and new ol muddy pond record on Turkey Day. Not using my usual high contrast scale because don’t have my gear with me. The one I used read 6.8. Only reads to tenths. 
 

Caught on the ol muddy special: a black senko.

 

Back in NC briefly to see family. Happy to be back.

 

almost no sleep today or last night. Hunting in the morn

 

Dude, that's a donkey! Congrats man, good to see you back at it.

 

17 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Keep an eye on my location. Might change to somewhere warmer…. Oh idk…. Maybe around March. 
 

Anyone feel like Whataburger?

 

tentative! Nothing set in stone

 

Central FL would be a no-go, they closed all the Whataburgers around here over ten years ago. We got Five Guys in the trade so it wasn't all bad. I do miss those triple Whataburgers w/cheese, though.

 

[Swamp Girl]

@Woody B, you are consistently successful. To achieve your level of consistency, I'm guessing you're not a one-trick, Whopper Plopper-pony like me. However, you must have favorite lures and techniques. Mind sharing two or three? 

[softwateronly]

Terrible pics and no scale yet again, but this big girl is about 24". She loved a crankbait burned/paused just before a 10' shelf on one of our few points.  The fat 17-18" grabbed a blade as it ripped from some short grass on the shallow side of a steep break.  There were a couple other decent blade bait bass and one little guy on a okashira head w/ 3" spark shad.

 

scott

 

 

 

[Woody B]

6 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

@Woody B, you are consistently successful. To achieve your level of consistency, I'm guessing you're not a one-trick, Whopper Plopper-pony like me. However, you must have favorite lures and techniques. Mind sharing two or three? 

You catch a BUNCH more bass than I do.   I fish all kinds of baits.  I look around at what other people are doing, and usually try to do something different.   Lately I've seen a BUNCH of people throwing jerkbaits on points, but right at the bank.   It's always interesting to see pretty much everyone doing the same thing.   Is there a book or something they're all going by?   Many people say bass fishing is on a down cycle at Lake Wylie.  Most of the people I talk to at the landing aren't catching any, or many.  I caught 7 today.  I told a couple people at the landing.  They said they hadn't caught 7 all year.  I showed them pictures.    

 

The fat one was 14 inches long and weighed 2 pounds 5 ounces.   The other one pictured was 18" and weighed 3 pounds 6 ounces.   I caught 4 today on a 1/4 ounce Red Eyed Shad,  3 on a Bandit 300 and 1 one a Strike King 8XD.   

 

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, Woody B said:

I look around at what other people are doing, and usually try to do something different.  
 

Is there a book or something they're all going by?   

 

Easy, everyone else throws nothing but ned rig haha

[Team9nine]

Wanted to go for bass today at the local reservoir, but got sidetracked by the crappie again. Did throw jerks and jigs on some of the crappie holes and scored one decent bass. Water at 44 degrees and holding steady, but expecting an inch of rain over the next 24 hrs, so we’ll see what happens.