Latest Catch Pics Thread

[The Bassman]

  On 1/16/2023 at 8:59 PM, ol'crickety said:

I was skunked today, for the 73rd day in a row!

 

 

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Skunks only count if you get a bait in the water so you're still good. I would love to experience what Maine has to offer.

[Jmontgomery87]

I got a couple on a Keitech today. Extra slow rolled just over the bottom. Both were very subtle bites. I also found a KVD 1.0 square bill that I lost a month ago on a lay down. I managed to snag it with my swim bait and reel it in.

[Fishlegs]

  On 1/17/2023 at 4:05 AM, Jmontgomery87 said:

I also found a KVD 1.0 square bill that I lost a month ago on a lay down. I managed to snag it with my swim bait and reel it in.

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Well done!

[Team9nine]

Lost our sunshine right as I got to the lake today. The 20 mph wind rotated to the NW as the clouds rolled in, and air temps dropped 7 degrees into the low 40s - it got cold out there quick. But, I was able to land one nice 16” fish on FnF, so I’m calling it a win. This spot was still partially frozen yesterday, so happy just to see totally open water again.

 

[Swamp Girl]

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

[LrgmouthShad]

  On 1/17/2023 at 9:20 PM, ol'crickety said:

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

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And today on bassresource I listen to @ol'crickety describing 16 year old boys, especially their physique, comparing them to bass of a certain size, and likely daydreaming about sticking hooks through their faces. 

[A-Jay]

  On 1/17/2023 at 9:20 PM, ol'crickety said:

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

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Bad form.

Might need a mulligan right there.

A-Jay

[thediscochef]

Well I finally got my first of the year, technically. 14 of 17 days spent fishing this year, this is what I've caught. Four hours skunk today and snapped off a megabass ito shiner. Feeling pretty ridiculous carrying around a curado dc for what amounts to casting practice. My buddy caught a 3.5 at my usual spot yesterday, using the same stuff I do. I just don't get it. I can't figure it out. I've tried everything I own. Other spots, other lures, stuff I don't normally use. I haven't had this much trouble catching since I started fishing two years ago and it's pretty dumb. 2023 better pick up the pace, this is unacceptable 

[TnRiver46]

  On 1/17/2023 at 10:22 PM, thediscochef said:

Well I finally got my first of the year, technically. 14 of 17 days spent fishing this year, this is what I've caught. Four hours skunk today and snapped off a megabass ito shiner. Feeling pretty ridiculous carrying around a curado dc for what amounts to casting practice. My buddy caught a 3.5 at my usual spot yesterday, using the same stuff I do. I just don't get it. I can't figure it out. I've tried everything I own. Other spots, other lures, stuff I don't normally use. I haven't had this much trouble catching since I started fishing two years ago and it's pretty dumb. 2023 better pick up the pace, this is unacceptable 

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Bout time for some spinning gear! 

[Swamp Girl]

  On 1/17/2023 at 10:17 PM, A-Jay said:

Bad form.

Might need a mulligan right there.

A-Jay

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Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

  On 1/17/2023 at 9:25 PM, LrgmouthShad said:

I love those 16" bass. I think of them as 16-year old boys, not much meat, but a lot of young muscle. 

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Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

[Eric 26]

  On 1/18/2023 at 12:15 AM, ol'crickety said:

 

Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

 

Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

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I read it I laughed my butt off and d**n girl you remind me of my maternal grandmother who I absolutely adored and it was her husband my maternal grandfather who was the avid fisherman who’s genes were passed on so I say write what you think ?

[LrgmouthShad]

  On 1/18/2023 at 12:15 AM, ol'crickety said:

 

Ah, I see what you mean. You guys weren't reading that literally. Well, I wrote it literally. Gotta remember I'm in a room full of dudes!

 

 

Here's the mulligan: I love those 16" bass. They've got that youthful vigor. 

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How on earth did you quote something you said under my name? That’s freaking me out. I hope no one screenshots that ?

 

@ol'crickety if you did not understand how that could have been taken, you might be Jesus. If you are Jesus, just in a female form, please let us know immediately. I’ve got some things to repent for, and also, I’m a big fan of your Dad

[gim]

  On 1/16/2023 at 11:40 PM, Woody B said:

I saw a goose fight yesterday

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I see that quite a bit in the spring time when a pair of Canada geese has claimed an area for their nest, and other geese show up. Those things can get nasty. They are mean sons of *******. They will not back down when they are protecting a territory, nest, or goslings.

 

Years ago, when I used to hunt them, if we had a wounded one, even a full grown male lab had trouble retrieving it. We would often just have to dispatch it with another load of BB.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

 

Fished in schizo weather, misting rain, sunshine at times, cloudy, weird conditions.   Once that sun started peaking I out though, and after being skunked for about 1.5hrs, I headed to the north end of the lake where it's much more shallow, and an untold amount of more recently spawned Shads get herded against structure where wolf packs of Bass turn the water into a volcano.    

This happens quite often, and usually ends it terrific amounts of frustration.  You could net the fish going crazy easier than getting them to bite a bait 90% of them time.    I threw 6-7 baits at them, and then started to throw the A-Rig, and it was producing quite well.   Caught 5-6 fish in about an hour, but eventually I realized the size class fish that were there weren't worth risking maiming by this very harmful A-Rig.    First time I can remember driving away from dozens of fish blowing up in the background.    I made the right call I think, these fish were getting SO FAT and I want big fish agressive fish next year, and the year after so it's not completely altruistic.   I love the A-Rig for big fish, but these smaller fish can hook themselves with the other free hooks in some bad ways.   Just didn't feel ethical to me.    

 

Caught a tank of a Spot, and these were the 1-2lb uber belly LGMs.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

Went out for awhile Sunday until the wind got too strong for us to deal with in the kayaks. It was tough for me, couldn't get them to eat anything but a Ned really. Stony was getting them on a Frittside 5 and 7 and did pretty well including the big one of the day.

All mine were babies.

Water temps were 39-42*

[Jar11591]

@AlabamaSpothunter those largemouth looked like they’ve eaten a softball 

[Blue Raider Bob]

  On 1/16/2023 at 11:40 PM, Woody B said:

Speaking of birds.  I saw a goose fight yesterday.  I didn't get pictures.  It was still in the 20's.  My phone was buried under a bunch of layers of clothes.  There was a group of Geese, 10 or so on the bank.  Another group about the same size landing in the lake, near the bank.  The Geese on the bank started spreading their wings and squawking.   One of them went out into the water, it was flapping it's wings, squawking, and had it's neck/head stuck out almost horizontal.  One from the other group was doing the same thing.  They were swimming toward each other.  When they got pretty close the entire group that had just landed flew off.   The one from that group that was "flexing" flew off too.  I guess the ones on the bank won.   

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They travel in family groups and as you have seen, are very territorial. I have had a family group claim my pond in the past and any intruder was not welcome. Don't know how they ever group into the larger size flocks that we see travelling since they can be so touchy.

  On 1/18/2023 at 3:01 AM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

 

Fished in schizo weather, misting rain, sunshine at times, cloudy, weird conditions.   Once that sun started peaking I out though, and after being skunked for about 1.5hrs, I headed to the north end of the lake where it's much more shallow, and an untold amount of more recently spawned Shads get herded against structure where wolf packs of Bass turn the water into a volcano.    

This happens quite often, and usually ends it terrific amounts of frustration.  You could net the fish going crazy easier than getting them to bite a bait 90% of them time.    I threw 6-7 baits at them, and then started to throw the A-Rig, and it was producing quite well.   Caught 5-6 fish in about an hour, but eventually I realized the size class fish that were there weren't worth risking maiming by this very harmful A-Rig.    First time I can remember driving away from dozens of fish blowing up in the background.    I made the right call I think, these fish were getting SO FAT and I want big fish agressive fish next year, and the year after so it's not completely altruistic.   I love the A-Rig for big fish, but these smaller fish can hook themselves with the other free hooks in some bad ways.   Just didn't feel ethical to me.    

 

Caught a tank of a Spot, and these were the 1-2lb uber belly LGMs.

 

 

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Alex this touches right on my point about fishing the northernmost areas in a lake. In my pond the southern areas are fishless this time of year but the northern coves have them stacked up. Epic Spot with a very full belly!

[Swamp Girl]

  On 1/18/2023 at 7:07 AM, Jar11591 said:

@AlabamaSpothunter those largemouth looked like they’ve eaten a softball 

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Heck, yeah, they do! I love fat bass. It tells me the lake and fish are healthy. Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare. You could catch Alex's bass above ten times in a row and they'd still be plump.

 

@Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

 

  On 1/18/2023 at 3:01 AM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

You guys better be nice to Katie, she'll be back to embarrassing us all in a few short months ?

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I don't know if many of you are nerds (I know Bob is, thank goodness. Nerds are my people!), but in "a few short months," all your bases will belong to me!

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

  On 1/18/2023 at 3:48 PM, ol'crickety said:

 

Heck, yeah, they do! I love fat bass. It tells me the lake and fish are healthy. Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare. You could catch Alex's bass above ten times in a row and they'd still be plump.

 

@Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

 

 

I don't know if many of you are nerds (I know Bob is, thank goodness. Nerds are my people!), but in "a few short months," all your bases will belong to me!

 

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Katie I'm the same way on skinny fish for the same reason.   I also hate when a fish I catch spits up a shad.    Great part about this place is that I know the membership by in large cares more about the fish's health than catching the fish.   

 

Use the trash talk as fuel, let the hate run through your fishing pole ?

[Jar11591]

  On 1/18/2023 at 3:48 PM, ol'crickety said:

Likewise, skinny fish worry me. I actually feel bad when I catch a skinny bass because I used some of their energy and they don't have any to spare.

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I feel the same when I catch a skinny fish. I would rather a skinny bass ignore my lure and eat a real meal.

[Swamp Girl]

  On 1/18/2023 at 4:01 PM, Jar11591 said:

I feel the same when I catch a skinny fish. I would rather a skinny bass ignore my lure and eat a real meal.

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I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

[Blue Raider Bob]

  On 1/18/2023 at 4:17 PM, ol'crickety said:

 

I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

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On the other hand, nothing makes me happier than when a bass regurgitates a plastic lure. This has happened to me twice now. Get the bass in the boat and see something in its throat. Pulled two long creature baits from bass including one that must have been eight inches long. Only an inch or so was visible but I kept pulling until it was out. Very satisfying. The other was a Zoom speed craw that I still use!

  On 1/18/2023 at 4:17 PM, ol'crickety said:

 

I'm with ya, Jar. I wish I could open my tackle box when I catch a skinny fish, show that hungry dude all my lures, and say, "Don't try to eat any of these until you're fat!" 

 

And I also wish I had shad on my boat that I could feed a skinny bass before releasing it.

 

Alex, regarding bass regurgitating shad, I'm exactly the same way. I'm even tempted to carry a mini-plunger and stuff the shad back into the bass. 

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What you are describing is a bolus gun. It is nothing more that a plastic plunger to force unwilling livestock to take their medicine. I only know this because I live on a farm. Some livestock will knock you down trying to get their medication, while others will run from you for days. They are all different. Sounds like something I need in my boat, although the bass that Alex catches don't have enough room for another crammed shad. That last picture he showed looks like that bass ate a dock bumper! 

[Bluebasser86]

  On 1/18/2023 at 3:48 PM, ol'crickety said:

 

 @Bluebasser86 You took a great photo of your friend.

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I always try to. I took a bad picture, one time, but it was of my good friends first ever brown trout. It was the only picture he had of it, and the only one he caught the whole trip that we took specifically to try to catch brown trout. I still feel bad about it. 

[Swamp Girl]

  On 1/18/2023 at 6:04 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

 

I always try to. I took a bad picture, one time, but it was of my good friends first ever brown trout. It was the only picture he had of it, and the only one he caught the whole trip that we took specifically to try to catch brown trout. I still feel bad about it. 

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Well, you're a good fishing pal and a good man, for your mistake changed you forever, upgrading your fish photography.

 

The one photo I regret was taken by my brother, who's a great photographer, but he took it in near darkness, with no flash. He was in one canoe and I was in another, so we were both moving. He had to leave the shutter open longer than any hand can be still, but he still captured my bass...a bit. My beast is nearly shrouded by night in the photo, but you can make out its outline and it looks every bit as big as when I first saw it beside my canoe and swore at its size. 

[Team9nine]

40 was the number today, except for my fish count - lol. We briefly hit 40 degrees for our high, and I was able to squeeze in 40 minutes of fishing before the rain moved in. Catch count was only 5 though. Several bass really washed out in color, but several displaying bright red lips. Ned did all the work today.