Latest Catch Pics Thread

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Eric 26 said:

@Bluebasser86 that is the most colorful sunfish I’ve ever seen. Simply stunning and that rock bass is definitely well built also.

That's a male longear sunfish in full spawning colors. They're beautiful little fish and very aggressive when they're protecting their nest. I had some pecking my legs while I was wading through the creek and got too close to their nest. 

 

The other 2 sunfish are both green sunfish, we don't have any rockies within a couple hours of us unfortunately. I guess it's the kid in me that enjoys the panfish but I'll always have a soft spot for them. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 minute ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I guess it's the kid in me that enjoys the panfish but I'll always have a soft spot for them. 

 

If a fisher doesn't enjoy panfish, he should see a shrink. If I ever fished for DD bluegills, I'd first strap water skis to my feet to enjoy the ride if I actually hooked one. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

3 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

If a fisher doesn't enjoy panfish, he should see a shrink. If I ever fished for DD bluegills, I'd first strap water skis to my feet to enjoy the ride if I actually hooked one. 

Agreed, it's hard to love Bass fishing without having your first memories being that of catching sunfish.   

 

Sunfish have gotten more kids into fishing than anything else.  

[Pat Brown]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Did a little creek fishing Saturday with my boys. Couldn't find any bigger fish, but the sunfish were willing. Tons of green sunfish and longears. Found a couple little bass right before we left.

Sunday I took the boat out. I don't know why I do that anymore. It was the calmest day I've fished in a long time and I was in my boat instead of my kayak. I catch bigger fish from my kayak too I think. We still caught over 30 bass and I got to test out my new mini bladed jigs a little bit.

I caught a little one on it this morning on a quick stop before work also. I was surprised I caught anything with all the spawning carp tearing things up. 

 

 

 

Those long ear sunfish sure are beautiful!!!

 

I have kind of a hunch that when the carp get to spawning they kind of root around in the dirt a lot looking for places to make their beds and I think they kick up all sorts of good stuff that brings bait fish into an area which of course brings the bass ?

[Blue Raider Bob]

23 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

 

 

Those long ear sunfish sure are beautiful!!!

 

I have kind of a hunch that when the carp get to spawning they kind of root around in the dirt a lot looking for places to make their beds and I think they kick up all sorts of good stuff that brings bait fish into an area which of course brings the bass ?

Prettiest fish that swims, I say! God ran out of colors after creating the Longear. The Bluegills got the leavings. 

[Deephaven]

22 hours ago, gimruis said:

In northern MN that’s very possible, especially in areas of the boundary waters canoe area.  Around my house in the Twin Cities area, no way. The pressure is very high on the lakes here, especially the more sizable ones. There are tournaments, high school matches, and leagues almost every night from now until Labor Day.

 

@FryDog62, @Deephaven, and @MN Fisher will agree with me on the pressure here locally.

Lord, on Tonka there are more $80k+ bass boats on a normal weekend than in the biggest tournament there ever is.  That being said, since it rained on opener I saw the least amount of fishing boats that I ever had.  Even a spot open on the Carson Bay ramp...albeit a private ramp, but I've never seen that before on opener.  Hopefully the covid fishing itch is waning locally.

[WIGuide]

 

Got out prefishing for next weekends derby this past weekend. Managed to find a spot stacked up with some prespawn girls. Caught the first one on my first cast actually and almost lost it being more surprised than anything, but overall I caught quite a few fish until the weather changed. The wind switched around and picked up, the clouds came in, and temps dropped from the mid 70's down to the upper 50's. I feel like the crazy weather this spring, has the fish somewhat skittish to move up and are hanging a bit behind the water temp compared to normal. I was seeing temps anywhere from 59 up to 66, but very little activity up shallow at all. Overall, it was a blast to get out and catch them, but I'm not sure how much if any of what I found will play in the tournament. I guess only time will tell. 

 

[Jar11591]

5 minutes ago, WIGuide said:

I feel like the crazy weather this spring, has the fish somewhat skittish to move up and are hanging a bit behind the water temp compared to normal.

Same exact thing seems to be goin on here. Nice catching!

[N Florida Mike]

I was messing around on the dock catching bream, hooked a small one, and this one ate the bream. Put up a great fight with 6# line and a small # 6 light wire bream hook!!

By the way, this is a different fish than the one my boss’s son caught a couple weeks ago. That was chunkier if anything and darker than this one…

[ScottW]

Slipped down to the pond right before the storm hit. Not too shabby if I say so myself. 10 minutes and 3rd cast. Made a couple of top water dances while putting up a fight. Was a nice end to the day.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

53 minutes ago, ScottW said:

Slipped down to the pond right before the storm hit. Not too shabby if I say so myself. 10 minutes and 3rd cast. Made a couple of top water dances while putting up a fight. Was a nice end to the day.

 

Dude I just got absolutely destroyed out in the middle of that crap.   I hate the weatherman so much lol 

 

 Nice one brother, glad you capitalized instead of capsized like me

[ScottW]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Dude I just got absolutely destroyed out in the middle of that crap.   I hate the weatherman so much lol 

 

 Nice one brother, glad you capitalized instead of capsized like me

I got lucky! I wanted to fish some more so badly but figured I didn’t need to push my chances and hightailed it back to the house.  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

39 minutes ago, ScottW said:

I got lucky! I wanted to fish some more so badly but figured I didn’t need to push my chances and hightailed it back to the house.  

I was so mad about being forced off the water in such a rude manner earlier that I decided to ride the bike down to the dam and fish a Buzzer and then flip a D Bomb.   25 casts with the Buzzer, one small little blowup, picked up the D-Bomb, and 5 casts later I'm hooked up with a butterball 3lber who had me wrapped on a pipe, and in the weeds.   

 

At this point I'm like "yeah boy, night game is back on like donkey kong", release the fish, and watch it swim away with the headlamp, and something just happens to catch my eye about 2 ft away from where I just landed the fish.   

 

I have no idea if this is a small copperhead or a rat snake, but you better believe that was my last cast LOLOLOL.   

 

 

[NorcalBassin]

First fish of the morning on a spinnerbait.

 

Looked topwater-ish, so I figured I might as well give it a shot. Few casts later and the first topwater fish of the year.

 

Topwater is so addicting and now that the bite is on it's going to be a few months before I leave that rod at home.

 

[T-Billy]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I was so mad about being forced off the water in such a rude manner earlier that I decided to ride the bike down to the dam and fish a Buzzer and then flip a D Bomb.   25 casts with the Buzzer, one small little blowup, picked up the D-Bomb, and 5 casts later I'm hooked up with a butterball 3lber who had me wrapped on a pipe, and in the weeds.   

 

At this point I'm like "yeah boy, night game is back on like donkey kong", release the fish, and watch it swim away with the headlamp, and something just happens to catch my eye about 2 ft away from where I just landed the fish.   

 

I have no idea if this is a small copperhead or a rat snake, but you better believe that was my last cast LOLOLOL.   

 

 

Rat snake. 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, T-Billy said:

Rat snake. 

 

Whew!

 

Anyway, congrats on the night bite, Alex!

 

Topwater, Norcal! 

 

I'm off to fish this morning and you better believe I have a Whopper Plopper on one of my outfits! I've also used a couple walk-the-dog lure this year, but haven't even triggered a strike, much less caught a bass with one.

[galyonj]

@AlabamaSpothunter copperheads are identified by their hourglass-shaped markings that are dark on the edges and lighten towards the center. These markings may or may not meet, but are always thick on the sides and narrow toward the spine of the animal. See here:

 

 

Also note the following identifying characteristics:

• body is thicker than a rat snake
• Note how slender the head of the snake in your photograph is compared to this example
• Copperhead pupils are vertical slits, and rat snake pupils are round.

[TnRiver46]

12 minutes ago, galyonj said:

@AlabamaSpothunter copperheads are identified by their hourglass-shaped markings that are dark on the edges and lighten towards the center. These markings may or may not meet, but are always thick on the sides and narrow toward the spine of the animal. See here:

 

 

Also note the following identifying characteristics:

• body is thicker than a rat snake
• Note how slender the head of the snake in your photograph is compared to this example
• Copperhead pupils are vertical slits, and rat snake pupils are round.

Also, you can feel the evil when you actually see a pit viper. It’s a no doubter when it happens, there’s a reason timber rattler species name includes the root word horrible or terrible haha, can’t remember which 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Great stuff guys thanks a bunch for the ID info.

 

It was a smaller guy, and I guess that's why it's better to give things the benefit of the doubt instead of just killing every nope rope I see.   

 

Little guy was likely having himself a huge buffet.  Matt Allen from TB during a video was just talking about how his favorite time to throw a rat is after a big rain when all that stuff washes down into the water. 

 

Bet the bite was fire last night ?

34 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Also, you can feel the evil when you actually see a pit viper. It’s a no doubter when it happens, there’s a reason timber rattler species name includes the root word horrible or terrible haha, can’t remember which 

Man there's a huge difference b/t the venomous snakes down here in central AL, and then in TN.   I've never seen a rattler in person, got a buddy who lives in the mountains in TN, dude can't rid of all the Pits that call home in those boulders.  NOPE, NOPE, NOPE ?

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Great stuff guys thanks a bunch for the ID info.

 

It was a smaller guy, and I guess that's why it's better to give things the benefit of the doubt instead of just killing every nope rope I see.   

 

Little guy was likely having himself a huge buffet.  Matt Allen from TB during a video was just talking about how his favorite time to throw a rat is after a big rain when all that stuff washes down into the water. 

 

Bet the bite was fire last night ?

Man there's a huge difference b/t the venomous snakes down here in central AL, and then in TN.   I've never seen a rattler in person, got a buddy who lives in the mountains in TN, dude can't rid of all the Pits that call home in those boulders.  NOPE, NOPE, NOPE ?

I know of a high end house in the mtns that had 5 copperheads and one big timber rattler all in the same den 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

2 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I know of a high end house in the mtns that had 5 copperheads and one big timber rattler all in the same den 

They make flameflowers now for civilians.....is that a tool your toolbox? ?

[TnRiver46]

They called me and I said Im not entering the same zip code as that den. They won’t bite it you don’t fool with em haha

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

They called me and I said Im not entering the same zip code as that den. They won’t bite it you don’t fool with em haha

Yeah this guy has all the snake handling tools and removes them from his property, but they keep showing back up.   He thinks he built his home on a huge denning site. 

 

There is just such a visceral reaction for me when seeing a snake, creeps me out big time lol.

[TnRiver46]

That’s exactly what happened at this place, it’s changed owners 2-3 times over the last decade and they’ve all seen lots and lots of copperheads in the same tiny area 

[Alex from GA]

Had a pretty good afternoon yesterday with a good LM and Alabama both caught on worms shallow.