Latest Catch Pics Thread

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother!

 

Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr.      

Literally lunch................break, I bet you ate them like sushi ?

I even tried to give the crappie to the guy fishing next to me , he declined 

[thediscochef]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Might only be three, but it's a beauty brother!

 

Just keep reminding yourself it's not you, it's the fish......I still vividly remember your 7.8 you posted not too long ago off the 110jr.      

ha that's been the mantra "it's not me, it's the weather" and it's true. can't control the water. that one at least looks like it's been eating, which is nice. Had some skinny fish up in that spot for a bit. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Your arrogant narrator 4-5 days ago: 

 

"I'm finally tapping into the secret truth of the Bass fishing universe"

 

"She's coming any cast, what are you going to do when you catch her"

 

Two days of brutal wind and deep fish, your now humbled narrator:

 

"what the heck am I'm wasting so much time and effort for, you suck"

 

"Just don't lose a bait at this point and go home"

 

"my hands are freezing, what am I doing out here"

 

There will never be anything as rewarding and as equally frustrating as Bass fishing.   It's an exercise in sheer madness, it's a disease, it's a drug, it's a complete journey through one own's ego.  

 

5 hours being blown around like a top for 4 fish in the 40s.    Back to back days where the fish beat me down.  Thankfully the Flashback Mini fooled three, and a runt hit the A-rig.    They might just win for a third day in a row, I'll have to find out though lol ?

 

I'm blessed to have caught 4 or 1 fish in all reality, I'm blessed to be fishing, that's all that matter.  We're all so blessed to catch these amazing creatures that have colors Crayola couldn't dream of.

 

[keagbassr]

Got out for a couple hours yesterday morning and a couple more hours this afternoon. Caught 4 each session. Nothing huge just  some nice chunks.  1st 2 pics from yest.  2nd 2 pics from today 

[bowhunter63]

Good day there

[GreenPig]

Couple Spots from yesterday 

[TnRiver46]

22 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Couple Spots from yesterday 

Purple worm sighting…….

 

nice ones! 

[Woody B]

I called my "guru" last night.  (A kid I taught to fish 40 years ago,  and put on a 8 pound smallie)   He's a heckuva bass fisherman.   I told him I was struggling in cold, muddy water.  He asked "where are the bass in the Summer when it's muddy?"   I said, "shallow, very close to cover"   He asked "how do you catch them".  I said "put something flashy right in front of their nose, for a reaction strike".   He said "Bass don't have a thermometer."  

 

It rained buckets Thursday.  The lake is really muddy again, with lots of stuff floating.   I caught 7 today in 4 hours.  Water temp was 49 to 51.   Some were right up on rocky banks, the others were at shallow stumps.   The same places I catch summer time muddy water bass.  I caught 3 on a Red Eyed Shad (lipless) and 4 on a black and red spinner bait.  Biggest (pictured) was a 3.21 pound 18 1/2 inch Largemouth.  4 spots and 3 largemouth.   

 

I'm pleased with my last 2 outings, but I'm still ready for warmer, clearer water.   I'm going tomorrow but not sure where yet.  

 

[Swamp Girl]

Nice fish and great story, Woody. Your pupil has become your teacher.

 

19 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'm blessed to be fishing, that's all that matter.  We're all so blessed to catch these amazing creatures that have colors Crayola couldn't dream of.

 

Good writin', Pard!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 hours ago, GreenPig said:

Couple Spots from yesterday 

Beautiful, those are some high quality Spots.  

2 hours ago, Woody B said:

I called my "guru" last night.  (A kid I taught to fish 40 years ago,  and put on a 8 pound smallie)   He's a heckuva bass fisherman.   I told him I was struggling in cold, muddy water.  He asked "where are the bass in the Summer when it's muddy?"   I said, "shallow, very close to cover"   He asked "how do you catch them".  I said "put something flashy right in front of their nose, for a reaction strike".   He said "Bass don't have a thermometer."  

 

It rained buckets Thursday.  The lake is really muddy again, with lots of stuff floating.   I caught 7 today in 4 hours.  Water temp was 49 to 51.   Some were right up on rocky banks, the others were at shallow stumps.   The same places I catch summer time muddy water bass.  I caught 3 on a Red Eyed Shad (lipless) and 4 on a black and red spinner bait.  Biggest (pictured) was a 3.21 pound 18 1/2 inch Largemouth.  4 spots and 3 largemouth.   

 

I'm pleased with my last 2 outings, but I'm still ready for warmer, clearer water.   I'm going tomorrow but not sure where yet.  

 

Your sig line is quite appropriate, great story and great day!   

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Nice fish and great story, Woody. Your pupil has become your teacher.

 

 

Good writin', Pard!

Now my head is HUGE......getting a writing compliment from a savant writer ☺️

[AlabamaSpothunter]

For the most part I've been having the majority of my success this last month at the furthest north end of the lake.     I started there for the third day in a row with the same results, got blanked sans an aquarium sized fish.   Promised myself if that happened, I would motor to the exact opposite part of the lake a couple of miles away, the most southern portion, the dam, and lots of deep water from 28ft- 34ft.    My nemesis outside of summer, and heavy cover in deeper water on key structure elements....which tends to cost more money in baits than when I can't reach the baits with the pole.  

 

My first hint that the fish might be active "offshore" was the flashback mini being trolled, I can't stress enough how much I learn from this bait, and then how many times I stop because of it, look around with sonar and start casting and bam, next thing I know I'm on a pattern.   The flashback mini just opens that door so many days it seems.   More of a tool than a lure at this point.      

 

I've tried to catch the fish in the deep 20ft+ water all over this lake since mid-August, and never had any success.     Josh Jones is the whole reason I haven't given up, I can see the fish he can catch perfectly fine on quality downscan, but never could get them to bite anything.    Obviously I'm not catching JJ fish, but I scratched the surface today, and I'm even more convinced giants are down there. 

 

All the quality fish came 100% because of downscan and strolling an A-Rig in an avg. of 30fow along a carpet of bait.  I would just countdown to where I saw the Bass diving down into them, many times 15-20ft over bait in 20-34ft.  I think somebody with FFS would have absolutely destroyed it today in my situation.   Something that was again inspired from bits and pieces of Josh Jones's interview and what he's disclosed thus far.

 

Two 5lb class fish, a 4lb class fish, and several other smaller quality fish including a solid Spot.   These fish were absolutely fat to the max, and their colors were just something else.    Every time I hooked up in that deep water, I thought it was my white whale lol.  It was like I tapped into a secret source of fish on the lake. 

 

Got two double ups on the A-Rig as well and caught another nice fat fish on the 110jr +1.   Total was around 15 fish in about 6 hours so it wasn't hot fishing for sure.  About 10 came from the deep water, the others came in 10-15fow.    A week ago I was catching them in less than 2fow, it's a defective puzzle I want my money back ?

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

[BassSteve]

Hey,

 

So it's no giant but a decent fish, my first largemouth of 2023. Feels good again to feel the fight of a bass ?? hopefully there's more where that came from 

[Swamp Girl]

Gosh, those are beautiful bass, Alex. Your bass have preposterous bellies, bellies that make me laugh!

 

Thanks for showing us the sonar screen on video and still shots. There is no way I'll lug a battery for a sonar unit, but I still like seeing how you apply it to catch fish. 

 

Congrats, Steve, on your first 2023 bass. You are one ahead of me. Alex is about 256 ahead of me. 

[BassSteve]

10 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Congrats, Steve, on your first 2023 bass. You are one ahead of me.

Thanks I appreciate that. If I put in more effort I would get more, I'm probably not going to get heavy into my fishing until March. That was just casting out in the backyard this morning to see if I could produce anything lol 

[LrgmouthShad]

Figured I’d share this MONSTER of a first fish that I caught on a Keitech. Absolute beaut

 

Nah, Im done fishing this lake I think. I’ve spent a lot of time on various parts of the lake and not catching the size I want. I may return if I think we start going into prespawn

[Swamp Girl]

I've met @LrgmouthShad. He's the first giant I've ever met, so I can only roughly estimate his size, but I'm guessing he stands about 14' tall. I know I got a crick in my neck talking to him. So, his bass is likely a DD. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

2 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

Gosh, those are beautiful bass, Alex. Your bass have preposterous bellies, bellies that make me laugh!

 

Thanks for showing us the sonar screen on video and still shots. There is no way I'll lug a battery for a sonar unit, but I still like seeing how you apply it to catch fish. 

 

Congrats, Steve, on your first 2023 bass. You are one ahead of me. Alex is about 256 ahead of me. 

Thanks Katie!  On the good days I rarely need the sonar, but as time goes on and I improve with it, there are days now where it's the only reason I catch them.  

 

You put in a ton of effort on the front end before ever getting in the kayak.   Your sonar is your ability to find tucked away pieces of water, and truck back into places where fish aren't nearly as likely to be pressured.  I think the people who are doing the best with electronics in the fishing world are using them to target un pressured fish on otherwise pressured bodies of water.

 

Being a topwater queen, and heavy cover angler such as you are, I'm not sure it would make a huge difference anyway.       

[Swamp Girl]

You're probably right, Alex. I'm casting to cover and fishing shallow water. Heck, I fish some bodies of water that are 10' at their deepest.

 

You're right about my prep too, Alex. I study the Fish & Wildlife depth maps and the Google Earth images too. I use the historical slider to see the water at different times of the year, which shows me where vegetation grows. I also bought a laminator so I can print and protect the maps in plastic.

 

I can't see the bait balls, but sometimes I see bass chasing shad on the surface and I've had good luck casting to them.  

 

BUT, Alex, I am seriously impressed by your winter fishing. A of Bass Resource guys are struggling, but you have caught so many fish in the four, five, and even SEVEN-pound class. And you're doing it with your dinky boat on a lake that no one else is bothering to fish just now. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

23 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

You're probably right, Alex. I'm casting to cover and fishing shallow water. Heck, I fish some bodies of water that are 10' at their deepest.

 

You're right about my prep too, Alex. I study the Fish & Wildlife depth maps and the Google Earth images too. I use the historical slider to see the water at different times of the year, which shows me where vegetation grows. I also bought a laminator so I can print and protect the maps in plastic.

 

I can't see the bait balls, but sometimes I see bass chasing shad on the surface and I've had good luck casting to them.  

 

BUT, Alex, I am seriously impressed by your winter fishing. A of Bass Resource guys are struggling, but you have caught so many fish in the four, five, and even SEVEN-pound class. And you're doing it with your dinky boat on a lake that no one else is bothering to fish just now. 

You're too kind, the blind squirrel just found a bounty of acorns  ?

 

Nothing makes me happier than seeing shad on the surface and fish blowing them up, I get so excited every time I cast straight into the water, backlash, hook rods, anything but make a good cast on the fish.   

 

 

[ScottW]

5 hours ago, BassSteve said:

Hey,

 

So it's no giant but a decent fish, my first largemouth of 2023. Feels good again to feel the fight of a bass ?? hopefully there's more where that came from 

No fair wearing flip-flops in January! No bonus points for you! ?

 

@AlabamaSpothunter, if these winds ever die down enough I’ll try my Garmin out on the pond. Not even gonna try it and be blown all over the place and spun like a top. ?

[BassSteve]

19 minutes ago, ScottW said:

No fair wearing flip-flops in January! No bonus points for you! ?

Ha lol, well even though I'm in Florida I still wear them even if it's 50° out so....we don't get cool fronts too often so I make the most of it when we do

[T-Billy]

5 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Being a topwater queen,

Queen? I thought Katie was the Plopper Princess. Dang, she moved on up faster than Weezy Jefferson!!! ?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, T-Billy said:

Queen? I thought Katie was the Plopper Princess. Dang, she moved on up faster than Weezy Jefferson!!! ?

Well I called her the Whopper Plopper Queen this one time.........Plopper Princess is downright brutal ?

 

Bless your heart Katie, it's a bad bunch in this thread ?

[T-Billy]

12 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Well I called her the Whopper Plopper Queen this one time.........Plopper Princess is downright brutal ?

 

Bless your heart Katie, it's a bad bunch in this thread ?

? Well... I mean... That girl caught more bass on a plopper last year than I caught on everything put together so............ ?   ?? Love ya Katie!!!