Latest Catch Pics Thread

[thediscochef]

37 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

Had this day marked for over a week. Open water and an open schedule. Could barely sleep. Had the boat all loaded last night for a mid morning trip to my favorite lake, because the weather called for a high of 67° and 10-15mph wind. Perfect spring weather. So I hit the road about 9:30 for the 45 minute ride north. This lake is a much higher altitude than where I live despite it being only 45 minutes north, so I was getting nervous as the closer I got the more snow on the ground I saw. My anxieties were alleviated when I pulled into the launch; a lake 80% ice-free, and the big snow bank on the launch had melted away. 
 

Main lake temps were between 46-48°, and all the coves were still iced in. I started by flipping a jig to a couple of my favorite lay downs, but no takers. I made my way to my favorite spot of any of the lakes I fish. It’s a gradually tapering point surround by steep drop offs on all 3 sides. When I got there, the water was 2 degrees colder than the water where the timber I was fishing was. Had to decide if I wanted to go back to warmer water, or fish the cooler spot that I know has excellent structure. Decided to stay, as I’m confident this spot holds fish 365 days a year, under any condition. I was immediately proved right while I was slinging a 3/4oz spinnerbait in about 15’ of water on the front drop off of the point. A nicely colored 2 pounder lazily ate the spinnerbait with rage swimmer trailer:

Frozen coves: 

 

The 10-15mph wind they called for turned into 25mph+ gusts and made fishing pretty difficult as my anchors refused to hold. Decided to call it a day after a while of fighting the wind and no more strikes. 
 

Should be back at it a few more times this week as the weather is supposed to perfect. The water temps will be rising rapidly and when I return in a couple days the entire lake should be ice free. I look forward to getting on the good shallow timber jig bite that I do every year in the spring. 
 

But man it felt good to get out there after such a long winter. Finally feeling that tug, whose absence caused me so much withdrawal the last few months was too good to be true. 

Love to see it, hope you get to go again like that soon

[GaryH]

On 4/10/2023 at 11:17 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

Had my first kayak tournament of the season Saturday on Big Hill Lake in Cherryvale, KS. It was a combination Kansas Kayak Anglers and Kansas Bass Nation tournament so it was quite a few fishermen on a not so big lake that was also 5' low, so even smaller than normal. Big Hill isn't a place I have fished much, and I haven't had much fun the times I've been there. 

I got the the lake Thursday evening an hour before dark and made a few cast before dark from the bank by the dam. Caught a couple largemouth, a smallmouth, and this thing.

 

That was a mistake because I ended up staying up past midnight chasing spawning walleye and catching nothing but spawning white bass. 

Friday I launched in the creek in the only small access point. I hurried dropping my stuff but there was still a kayak and a boat waiting for me even with me just throwing my stuff in a pile on the ground next to the kayak. Jumped back in my truck, dead battery ?. Thankfully I had cables and the other kayaker gave a quick jump. I helped him launch and let the boat launch before I finished putting my stuff together and started fishing. The bridge by the launch had spawning crappie on it, so it was crawling with bank fishermen, boats, even people hauling crappie 20' up to the bridge. I really wasn't sure what to start with, I thought it was going to be a prespawn bite but the low 60* water and full moon had me second guessing. I started with a spinnerbait and swimbait and quickly had a few short strikes but not hookups. It seemed way too early in the year still, but the little voice in my head was screaming at me that these fish are spawning. I cut off my jig and switched to a black and blue Zman Bang Stick with a very light 1/8oz tungsten weight and 4/0 Owner Cover Shot hook. The water was too dirty to sight fish, so I started super slowly dragging it around likely areas. I pulled it past 1 stump, them recast a foot to the right and caught a nice 16.5" fish when I was dragging it back, I knew then, they're spawning. I caught a couple more, it seemed every time I'd pick up that rod, I'd catch another. Not knowing how many there were to be caught, I went way up the creek and started catching spawning white bass and a few catfish.

Late in the afternoon, I pulled into a little pocket and caught a small one and a 19" fish real quick. There was big shad everywhere in there, I had my starting spot. I left the creek and caught a few small ones on the main lake and called it a day early.

Tournament morning, I wasn't surprised when a majority of the anglers were launching in the creek. I headed straight to my little pocket and 1 other angler joined me. It was a very small spot, but we talked, he was going to fish the south bank and I was going to fish the north. Lines in was 6:30, I sailed my cast into a tree on the shore, shook it loose, and there was a fish on it immediately. My first cast curse fish was 15.25" on the Bang Stick. 20 minutes later, I was dragging my bait back and it felt like it just hung in the trees, but it didn't feel quite right, so I swung on it. Turned out to be a 17.5" fish that looked like she was about to pop.

Maybe 5 minutes later, same bite, almost same results, but this fish looked like it had already spawned and it was 17.75"

I fished down my side and picked up my other rod that had a Strike King Rodent in Okeechobee Craw and a little 1/4oz weight and started dragging that. Right at the entrance to the pocket, I got a very light tap. It turned out to be a 19.50" fish and the hook fell out in the net.

My next cast, I caught a 14.5" (the male I assume), so I had a limit and it wasn't 8am. A few cast later, I caught a 15.50" to cull the 14.50". I fished that pocket for a long time, caught several more small fish, before I moved across the creek. I caught a small one immediately. 10 minutes later, I made a cast with the Bang Stick and got a small backlash. I cleared it and when I got my line tight, it was moving off the bank. That fish was 16.50 to cull the 15.25.

After that was a long dry spell. I caught a few dinks but nothing even close to helping. Around noon, I moved to a bank that leads up to the pocket I'd fished, between it and the bridge. I had missed a big one on a glide bait the day before on practice, so I knew they were there. I fished the Bang Stick super slow and I started getting bit way further off the bank, almost straight under the kayak, but they were still small. One cast I timed on the video at almost 50 seconds from splashdown to hookset, was finally the fish I was looking for. She streaked off and made it know she wasn't another dink like the rest. No this was a beautiful 18.25" fish that bumped me up to 89.50" on the day. 

I caught several more, but nothing that helped. I had terrible service, so I didn't have any idea how anyone had done except the guy fishing the pocket with me, he had around 75". Everyone at awards was grumbling about tough fishing, but there's always a couple that found them. Well it turned out, I was that guy this day.

I won both the tournaments, took home 2 cool plaques, enough money to cover my entry fees the rest of the year, and qualified for state the first tournament of the year!

 

 

 

Great job BB…. ?????

[Woody B]

Last day off work today.  I went back to Lake Wylie.  Well....... I didn't get skunked.  I caught 1 bass.  I guess I lost it around 11 o'clock yesterday.  I caught 10 yesterday.   (post on previous page)  he 9nth one was a 11:14.   The 10th was a 3:31.   I started around 8 today.   I lost one small one early, then nothing for hours.  The lake was muddy.  I went way down the lake to clearer water but no luck.   I decided to head back up the lake and fish a few muddy spots.   I like to catch a bass on my last cast.  At 3pm I told myself, I'm leaving when I catch a bass, or at 4pm,  so I had an hour to get rid of the skunk.   I caught the nice spot pictured at 3:09.   I also lost a rod and reel.   I had 4 combos on my deck.   At that time I was fishing a crank, a bladed jig, a ned rig and a shakey head.   I had sit the shakey head combo down and picked up the crank.   5 minutes or so later I went to pick up the shakey head and it was gone.  I guess I sit it too close to the edge of the deck and it slipped in.   It wasn't windy at all.   If there wound have been a splash I would have heard it.   I guess the bait monkey done it.  I've been considering another rod.  The one I lost was the one I was going to retire.   It also had my least favorite reel on it.   

[thediscochef]

21 minutes ago, Woody B said:

Last day off work today.  I went back to Lake Wylie.  Well....... I didn't get skunked.  I caught 1 bass.  I guess I lost it around 11 o'clock yesterday.  I caught 10 yesterday.   (post on previous page)  he 9nth one was a 11:14.   The 10th was a 3:31.   I started around 8 today.   I lost one small one early, then nothing for hours.  The lake was muddy.  I went way down the lake to clearer water but no luck.   I decided to head back up the lake and fish a few muddy spots.   I like to catch a bass on my last cast.  At 3pm I told myself, I'm leaving when I catch a bass, or at 4pm,  so I had an hour to get rid of the skunk.   I caught the nice spot pictured at 3:09.   I also lost a rod and reel.   I had 4 combos on my deck.   At that time I was fishing a crank, a bladed jig, a ned rig and a shakey head.   I had sit the shakey head combo down and picked up the crank.   5 minutes or so later I went to pick up the shakey head and it was gone.  I guess I sit it too close to the edge of the deck and it slipped in.   It wasn't windy at all.   If there wound have been a splash I would have heard it.   I guess the bait monkey done it.  I've been considering another rod.  The one I lost was the one I was going to retire.   It also had my least favorite reel on it.   

Losing a combo hurts, i have a daiwa fuego somewhere in lake ray roberts. Won't ever forget that combo. I hadn't even caught a fish on it. Buddy caught it on the backswing and it was gone forever 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 hour ago, Woody B said:

Last day off work today.  I went back to Lake Wylie.  Well....... I didn't get skunked.  I caught 1 bass.  I guess I lost it around 11 o'clock yesterday.  I caught 10 yesterday.   (post on previous page)  he 9nth one was a 11:14.   The 10th was a 3:31.   I started around 8 today.   I lost one small one early, then nothing for hours.  The lake was muddy.  I went way down the lake to clearer water but no luck.   I decided to head back up the lake and fish a few muddy spots.   I like to catch a bass on my last cast.  At 3pm I told myself, I'm leaving when I catch a bass, or at 4pm,  so I had an hour to get rid of the skunk.   I caught the nice spot pictured at 3:09.   I also lost a rod and reel.   I had 4 combos on my deck.   At that time I was fishing a crank, a bladed jig, a ned rig and a shakey head.   I had sit the shakey head combo down and picked up the crank.   5 minutes or so later I went to pick up the shakey head and it was gone.  I guess I sit it too close to the edge of the deck and it slipped in.   It wasn't windy at all.   If there wound have been a splash I would have heard it.   I guess the bait monkey done it.  I've been considering another rod.  The one I lost was the one I was going to retire.   It also had my least favorite reel on it.   

Dang Woody, hate to hear about the rod/reel.   Really sucks it didn't make a noise so at least you could come back and magnet or stick fish it out. 

 

Awesome Spot though, and I'd rather have one quality fish like that than 10 dinks.   The universe will see to it that you catch a big fish for the lost rod and reel

43 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

Losing a combo hurts, i have a daiwa fuego somewhere in lake ray roberts. Won't ever forget that combo. I hadn't even caught a fish on it. Buddy caught it on the backswing and it was gone forever 

Wow, hope that was a good buddy, or he might have been diving or swimming ?

 

I just found somebody's $250 Crappie rig with a Loomis IMX and a nice little Shimano panfish sized reel.   Tried to find the owner, even had a name on the cork handle, sure that person lost more than $250.   I retire baits that catch very memorable fish.  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Fished for about 3hrs, most of which was again with this 3/16 tungsten 5/0 red Gama EWG with a Missile Baits D-Bomb in Bruiser Flash.    Got 4 bites, caught two fish for over 10lbs lol.    That's a first for me.   Caught a nice Crappie on the Rapala OG Rocco 5.

   

 

Biggest girl got weighed and went 5.14, second 5.14 in the last few weeks.   Why can't these fish just eat a Threadfin before biting my bait.? 

 

Second nice fish would have been 4.5-5lbs I suspect.    Hate that I was so stubborn with the power fishing moving baits, left lots of meat of the table but I'll know next year.  

 

 

[TnRiver46]

[AlabamaSpothunter]

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

Man that's a really beautiful fish there.    Looks like it's been aerated.  

[TnRiver46]

1 minute ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Man that's a really beautiful fish there.    Looks like it's been aerated.  

Just netted, photo, and put back. The catfish got aerated and bout to be filleted !

[12poundbass]

5 hours ago, Mbirdsley said:

Went to crystal lake Montcalm county Michigan.  Wind was bad.  I should have went back to duck lake.  Caught 3 all on differnt lures.  Biggest ( 16 inches ) one came on a 6th sense lipless crank which, was tied on my new deep cranking rod I just built.  2nd fish 14 inches can’t on a blue gill jack hammer.  Smallest  came on a shallow perch shad rap.

 

water temp is already 48 degrees on this deep lake. Usually this is one of the last lakes to warm up. 

For the record I suggested Duck lake. You’re like my wife, she asks, “does this look good” or “do you like this decoration or this one?” She always does the opposite of my answer. ?
 

Side note, 48* on Crystal lake tells me my smaller lakes are probably a few degrees warmer and I need to get my poop in a group. With the cooler nights I’d figure low 40’s not upper! 

[Mbirdsley]

34 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

For the record I suggested Duck lake. You’re like my wife, she asks, “does this look good” or “do you like this decoration or this one?” She always does the opposite of my answer. ?
 

Side note, 48* on Crystal lake tells me my smaller lakes are probably a few degrees warmer and I need to get my poop in a group. With the cooler nights I’d figure low 40’s not upper! 

I know but, the allure of possible catching smallies was to great.  I was very surprised by the temp on crystal.  I’m thinking they are really close to spawning on duck lake if they havnt started already.  
 

everything was going good untill my buddy showed up half way through at the launch.  I kinda lost focus and he dosnt really have the gear to do what I wanted to do.  Which, was crank, jerk bait, maybe run a Carolina rig, and or fish in that kind of wind 

[thediscochef]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 

Wow, hope that was a good buddy, or he might have been diving or swimming ?

 

He's my guitarist and a close friend, helped me replace it with nicer gear. I do miss that fuego, I had to chase that thing down to buy it in the first place. Would have been a perfect rig for these weightless flukes I've been throwing...
I claim some responsibility for placing it in his range, though I did say "hey don't catch this on the backswing" maybe two minutes before he launched it. I was impressed by how well his gear handled it, first time I ever considered buying an Abu Garcia rod. Was supposed to be a momentary placement, but not like that LOL

 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 

that's a pretty sight

[AlabamaSpothunter]

34 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

He's my guitarist and a close friend, helped me replace it with nicer gear. I do miss that fuego, I had to chase that thing down to buy it in the first place. Would have been a perfect rig for these weightless flukes I've been throwing...
I claim some responsibility for placing it in his range, though I did say "hey don't catch this on the backswing" maybe two minutes before he launched it. I was impressed by how well his gear handled it, first time I ever considered buying an Abu Garcia rod. Was supposed to be a momentary placement, but not like that LOL

 

that's a pretty sight

Thanks, and you're a good man for recognizing the value of a rare friendship over a material object.   

[thediscochef]

9 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Thanks, and you're a good man for recognizing the value of a rare friendship over a material object.   

Money comes and goes, rods and reels do too. We're only here a short time. I do also reserve the right to give him grief about it, but only once in a while ?

[Swamp Girl]

19 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

LOL, sorry to laugh but you have such a fantastic way with words, shallow like a bimbo ?

 

When you gonna fish the potential camp out dream looking lake?

 

I'm thinking June for the camp out trip, Alex. Thanks for asking. I KNOW that I know less about LMB fishing than 90% of the BR community. However, when it comes to pitching a camp on an island, well, that's my wheelhouse and I'm not just the captain. I'm the admiral, having pitched tents on rocky islands in wolfy boreal forests to way down in the buggy bayou and everything in-between: sand bars on the Wisconsin River, Ohio's beech forests, and the Appalachian Mountains. 

 

I'm glad the bimbo line made you laugh! 

 

10 pounds in two bass made me smile!

[ScottW]

Finally got a chance to go fish yesterday but the ‘nature trail’ leading to Lake Oklawaha was blocked by a felled tree. Turned out both ‘trails’ to the lake go down a fairly steep bluff. Not so good for a 66 year old with 5 stents so I loaded up the truck and drove the 5 miles to Rodman dam.

 

Wind was gusting pretty much the whole day and the current above the dam was pretty fast. On the opposite side there were fishing piers on both sides of the spillway plus a boat ramp. I tried a few jigs, a spinner bait and a couple of Ned rigs. Nada. Got to watching the other folks and no one was getting any bites so I moved to the boat ramp. Lots of Lilly pads around the little cove so I tossed a frog in them to see if my luck would change. Still nada. So after packing things up and heading back to the Ft. McCoy KOA I figure this leg of our trip was a bust fishing-wise. I did take a quick pic of the sign at the boat ramp though. It did keep me very aware of where I was. ?

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

8 minutes ago, ScottW said:

Finally got a chance to go fish yesterday but the ‘nature trail’ leading to Lake Oklawaha was blocked by a felled tree. Turned out both ‘trails’ to the lake go down a fairly steep bluff. Not so good for a 66 year old with 5 stents so I loaded up the truck and drove the 5 miles to Rodman dam.

 

Wind was gusting pretty much the whole day and the current above the dam was pretty fast. On the opposite side there were fishing piers on both sides of the spillway plus a boat ramp. I tried a few jigs, a spinner bait and a couple of Ned rigs. Nada. Got to watching the other folks and no one was getting any bites so I moved to the boat ramp. Lots of Lilly pads around the little cove so I tossed a frog in them to see if my luck would change. Still nada. So after packing things up and heading back to the Ft. McCoy KOA I figure this leg of our trip was a bust fishing-wise. I did take a quick pic of the sign at the boat ramp though. It did keep me very aware of where I was. ?

 

Sorry about the Skunk Scott, but thanks for the report.   Hope you guys are having a blast on the trip!   Stay safe, and have more fun ?

[Eric 26]

20 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Sorry about the Skunk Scott, but thanks for the report.   Hope you guys are having a blast on the trip!   Stay safe, and have more fun ?

What he said ?

[Swamp Girl]

Scott, I'm also 66 and stink like a skunk, so you're not alone. And after I descended a steep hill yesterday to fish on tipsy rocks, I came home and took a nap, feeling the double-six. Thanks for the gator sign photo!

[thediscochef]

I hacked my way through an acre of pure briar to get to this fish. Remarkable how many boats rolled up on us that far out. Even on weekdays Ray Bob is getting hammered right now. One guy asked how we got out there and I raised the machete lol

Also if anyone has recommendations on how to repair the gloss finish on a rod, there was an errant swing today that stripped some clear off the back of my St. Croix ?? lessons were learned

One of these days, it will be worth the messy hikes 

[keagbassr]

Got out for about 3.5 hours this morning, until the wind gusts started getting into the 30+ mph range. Boated 5 with the best one weighing 4-14 on a spinnerbait.

[GaryH]

2 hours ago, thediscochef said:

I hacked my way through an acre of pure briar to get to this fish. Remarkable how many boats rolled up on us that far out. Even on weekdays Ray Bob is getting hammered right now. One guy asked how we got out there and I raised the machete lol

Also if anyone has recommendations on how to repair the gloss finish on a rod, there was an errant swing today that stripped some clear off the back of my St. Croix ?? lessons were learned

One of these days, it will be worth the messy hikes 

Dang.. you are persistent ?

[Team9nine]

Saw the first two nesters today in the shallowest micro lake I fish. The first one I spooked intentionally, and he swam to the deep weedline edge, sat for a minute, then returned. That told me he wasn’t just sunning. I let him settle back down while I finished working the rest of that bank, then switched to a soft plastic and caught him on the return. He was about 2 pounds and is the one in the pic. Another 50 ft down the bank I spotted another nester, and was able to catch it, too. That one was a little bigger, closer to 2-1/2 lbs. In total I got 20 today.

[T-Billy]

Got out for a short trip today after my morning chores. Caught 9 dinks, a 3.55# and a 2.68# in 3.5hrs. Best part was pulling the two quality fish and two smaller ones out of used water. Pulled into a cove to catch a break from the wind, and there were a couple guys starting down the same bank I intended to fish. I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a go, and pulled in a respectful distance behind them. The 3.55 came from the middle of that gnarly pine behind me in the pic. Notice how it didn't break me off @AlabamaSpothunter? ? 50# Vicious braid.

Two laydowns later came the 2.68 and a dink. The guys ahead of me fired up and left. Lol. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

4 hours ago, keagbassr said:

Got out for about 3.5 hours this morning, until the wind gusts started getting into the 30+ mph range. Boated 5 with the best one weighing 4-14 on a spinnerbait.

Get a load of that belly, magnificent!   Congrats on the toad! 

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

Got out for a short trip today after my morning chores. Caught 9 dinks, a 3.55# and a 2.68# in 3.5hrs. Best part was pulling the two quality fish and two smaller ones out of used water. Pulled into a cove to catch a break from the wind, and there were a couple guys starting down the same bank I intended to fish. I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a go, and pulled in a respectful distance behind them. The 3.55 came from the middle of that gnarly pine behind me in the pic. Notice how it didn't break me off @AlabamaSpothunter? ? 50# Vicious braid.

Two laydowns later came the 2.68 and a dink. The guys ahead of me fired up and left. Lol. 

I might have motored off in shame, but I would have binoc'd your lure before I did so ?