Latest Catch Pics Thread

[ironbjorn]

15 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

It's 3:45 a.m. and I'm back out to try to make sense of them again. I'll be fluking, jerkbaiting, and Axe Blading. We'll see! It's 41 degrees. Brrrr!

I never have any luck with LMB that are busting in a feeding frenzy. SMB are eager eaters for me during such times though.

 

Don't forget the Deadly Nedly... It's not fun, but it sure is effective. 

 

Good luck.

[Swamp Girl]

 Bass 2. OLD CREAKety 0 

 

I failed again to catch one in the feeding frenzy, much less entice a hit. The fluke failed. The clear Sammy (walk the dog bait) failed. The jerkbait failed. Next time I'll try a Ned and an Axe Blade. I though I had an Axe Blade with me this morning, but I didn't.

 

After a bass-less half hour, I moseyed and caught 16 and lost at least that many, which comes from fishing the morning after fishing the prior evening, thus I'm OLD CREAKety.

 

My biggest was 18.5". I caught an especially fat 17.5-incher and several 17-inchers. The top baits were the big, black Whopper Plopper and the shad-colored Rage Swimmer. The SMB were frisky. I saw an osprey catch a fish and a bald eagle flew overhead with its catch too. 

 

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 Bass 2. OLD CREAKety 0 

 

I failed again to catch one in the feeding frenzy, much less entice a hit. The fluke failed. The clear Sammy (walk the dog bait) failed. The jerkbait failed. Next time I'll try a Ned and an Axe Blade. I though I had an Axe Blade with me this morning, but I didn't.

 

After a bass-less half hour, I moseyed and caught 16 and lost at least that many, which comes from fishing the morning after fishing the prior evening, thus I'm OLD CREAKety.

 

My biggest was 18.5". I caught an especially fat 17.5-incher and several 17-inchers. The top baits were the big, black Whopper Plopper and the shad-colored Rage Swimmer. The SMB were frisky. I saw an osprey catch a fish and a bald eagle flew overhead with its catch too. 

 

 

Nice piggies, and you'll get them figured out.

 

Being around schooling/frenzied fish is one of the most exciting, and potentially frustrating things in fishing.    They'll either eat just about anything you can get close, or they won't touch anything but a particular magic bait that it seemingly takes forever to find.   Again I think there is always a bait they'll chew, just a matter of finding it.  

 

3 seasons of the year I deal with lots and lots of this behavior, I've missed it big time during the Spring.  I don't get up early enough for the Shad Spawn, and outside of that I never see them doing it.   The Winter and Fall is incredible, acres will erupt with this type of activity.  Now I'm sad it' not Winter ?

[Swamp Girl]

13 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

 Again I think there is always a bait they'll chew, just a matter of finding it.  

 

I think you're right and I'm afraid it might be a fly. I was sure the weightless fluke would work because I could drop it right on a feeding bass's head without scaring them. I was also sure the Sammy would work because it mimics a dying shad. Maybe live bait would work. Has anyone used live bait in a feeding frenzy?

 

13 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Being around schooling/frenzied fish is one of the most exciting, and potentially frustrating things in fishing. 

 

Amen to that, brother! 

 

What's weird is that when I move away from the frenzy, I can catch bass again. What was frustrating was the some of the bass sounded big, i.e. they were moving a lot of water like only big bass can do. It's going to be windy and cold the next two days, so I'll have time to ponder this and watch some videos. And REST!

[hokiehunter373]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

Maybe live bait would work. Has anyone used live bait in a feeding frenzy?

 

I mean live bait always works, right?  That's why some look down on others it they're not using artificials.  

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, hokiehunter373 said:

I mean live bait always works, right?  That's why some look down on others it they're not using artificials.  

 

I wouldn't use minnows and risk introducing a new species to the pond, but I'm thinking a nightcrawler a foot or two under a slip bobber might work. I'll try it. I'm also going to try an A-Rig, which would simulate a school of fleeing shad and a spinnerbait. BTW, I have no hesitation to use live bait if that's what works. A bobber going down is thrilling. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

4 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I wouldn't use minnows and risk introducing a new species to the pond, but I'm thinking a nightcrawler a foot or two under a slip bobber might work. I'll try it. I'm also going to try an A-Rig, which would simulate a school of fleeing shad and a spinnerbait. BTW, I have no hesitation to use live bait. A bobber going down is thrilling. 

I didn't know you had an A-Rig, sub 60d water that's the deal.  

 

Play around with the size swimmers you use.  Sometimes they want a big 4"+ one, other times they want a 3" size one. 

 

If you can get on an A-Rig bite, it will change your life ? 

[hokiehunter373]

57 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

 

I wouldn't use minnows and risk introducing a new species to the pond, but I'm thinking a nightcrawler a foot or two under a slip bobber might work. I'll try it. I'm also going to try an A-Rig, which would simulate a school of fleeing shad and a spinnerbait. BTW, I have no hesitation to use live bait if that what's work. A bobber going down is thrilling. 

Oooh A-rig. Ding-ding-ding.  That might do it

 

And I didn't think/wasn't insinuating you would.  I imagine it's how the majority of us started.  It's certainly how I started my kids catching sunnies too.  I've just seen some of that attitude around here before.  I was also being slight tongue-in-cheek because nothing is a slam dunk all the time

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I didn't know you had an A-Rig

 

Oh, yeah, I have that dang monkey on my back. I bought lures all winter.

 

10 minutes ago, hokiehunter373 said:

Oooh A-rig. Ding-ding-ding.  That might do it

 

Something better work or I'm going or I'm going to die of a broken heart. Being in the middle of a frenzy with no working lures is like being surrounded by the very best of Brooklyn's pizza and you don't even have a couple bucks for a single slice.

 

Hey, a shout-out to @T-Billy, who told me last fall to chuck my Rage Swimmer into heavy cover (I had no clue what it would come through.) and now that's one of my go-to techniques, plus it's thrilling to pull a big girl out of big grass. Also, thanks to @PhishLI, who told me that bass wouldn't shy from braid on moving lures, for without it, I don't think I could set the hooks on bass in grass/pads/reeds. Even then, I sometimes fail to pin them, but it sure is fun trying.  

[T-Billy]

1 hour ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Oh, yeah, I have that dang monkey on my back. I bought lures all winter.

 

 

Something better work or I'm going or I'm going to die of a broken heart. Being in the middle of a frenzy with no working lures is like being surrounded by the very best of Brooklyn's pizza and you don't even have a couple bucks for a single slice.

 

Hey, a shout-out to @T-Billy, who told me last fall to chuck my Rage Swimmer into heavy cover (I had no clue what it would come through.) and now that's one of my go-to techniques, plus it's thrilling to pull a big girl out of big grass. Also, thanks to @PhishLI, who told me that bass wouldn't shy from braid on moving lures, for without it, I don't think I could set the hooks on bass in grass/pads/reeds. Even then, I sometimes fail to pin them, but it sure is fun trying.  

Katie, in those weedy waters you fish, bass won't shy away from braid period. Froggin, swimbaits, T-rigs, senkos/flukes, PLOPPERS..... 40 or 50# Sufix 832 will serve you well for all sorts of things.

[T-Billy]

2 hours ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I didn't know you had an A-Rig, sub 60d water that's the deal.  

 

Play around with the size swimmers you use.  Sometimes they want a big 4"+ one, other times they want a 3" size one. 

 

If you can get on an A-Rig bite, it will change your life ? 

That's the general concensus I know, and it dies off for me mid 50's, but I'm gonna spend some time with it on deep structure, at night, later this summer to see if maybe there's a bite window for it there too. 

 The night bite is about to get hot here very soon. It'll be all about weeds through June and july, but going into August that always slows down and lots of fish move to rock structure. I'm gonna try rollin a rig around on deep rock when that goes down this year. Might be a waste of time, might be a game changer. Only one way to find out.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

6 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

That's the general concensus I know, and it dies off for me mid 50's, but I'm gonna spend some time with it on deep structure, at night, later this summer to see if maybe there's a bite window for it there too. 

 The night bite is about to get hot here very soon. It'll be all about weeds through June and july, but going into August that always slows down and lots of fish move to rock structure. I'm gonna try rollin a rig around on deep rock when that goes down this year. Might be a waste of time, might be a game changer. Only one way to find out.

Night A-Rigging in the Summer.......just the thought of that makes me happy ?

 

You're a hammer on that A-Rig, wouldn't surprise me at all if you make that deal work.   You'd think making yourself try new things is easy, and at least for me it's the exact opposite.   One of the hardest parts of Bass fishing for me is changing things up.   

 

We gotta stop talking about A-Rigs and Axe Blades......I'm about to go put my head in the freezer and think about Winter ?

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

9 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I'm about to go put my head in the freezer and think about Winter 

 

Gosh, ^this^ is funny!

 

9 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

One of the hardest parts of Bass fishing for me is changing things up.

 

Me too! I'll chuck a new lure half a dozen times and if I don't get a bite, it's back to the Rage Swimmer or a Whopper Plopper. Heck, when I try a Whopper Plopper imitation or change the color of my Rage Swimmer, I feel like I'm fishing on the edge. 

 

36 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

Katie, in those weedy waters you fish, bass won't shy away from braid period.

 

Yeah, that's what PhishLI said and you guys are right. I've fished mostly braid the last few outings and I don't feel like my hits dropped off, but I sure feel more confident in weeds. Tim, you'd laugh if you knew how often I hear your voice in my head when I chuck my Rage Swimmer into weeds ("Tim says I can do it, so here goes."). And when I do and I feel my lure ticking off weeds, but not sticking, I'm still surprised it's working!

 

However, now I'm wondering about the feeding frenzy. That was open water, in the same place both this morning and yesterday evening. I wonder if casting with six lb. mono would help. There have been times in my fishing life where I was fishing with the lightest line in lakes and it was a huge difference maker in what I caught versus what others caught. 

 

 

[T-Billy]

16 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

We gotta stop talking about A-Rigs and Axe Blades......I'm about to go put my head in the freezer and think about Winter ?

The Bama rig was certainly a game changer for me in November/December - March/April.

 

[T-Billy]

9 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

Yeah, that's what PhishLI said and you guys are right. I've fished mostly braid the last few outings and I don't feel like my hits dropped off, but I sure feel more confident in weeds. Tim, you'd laugh if you knew how often I hear your voice in my head when I chuck my Rage Swimmer into weeds ("Tim says I can do it, so here goes."). And when I do and I feel my lure ticking off weeds, but not sticking, I'm still surprised it's working!

Welcome to the STRAIGHTBRAIDBRIGADE  Katie!!! ?

11 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

There have been times in my fishing life where I was fishing with the lightest line in lakes and it was a huge difference maker in what I caught versus what others caught. 

It can sometimes make a huge difference for sure. I think the effect the line type and diameter has on the action of the lure can make as much, if not more difference than its visibility. When it comes to catching those schoolers, matching the hatch may be the key. 

[Swamp Girl]

9 minutes ago, T-Billy said:

When it comes to catching those schoolers, matching the hatch may be the key. 

 

I assume they're chasing shiners. Golden shiners are the common forage where I live, so I bought various lures this winter, both surface and sub-surface, in a golden shiner finish. Of course, I cast those very lures, but nada. I'll keep plugging. 

 

I think I'll rig an outfit with 4 lb. mono and toss a tiny surface Rapala. If I hook a five-pounder, it's gonna feel like Alex's Great White Whale!

[JMac603]

Couple from an Oneida trip last week. 4.7 was the best. Tough conditions but still had a blast. All caught on a black 1/8oz Brian's Custom hair jig.

[Mbirdsley]

Hit up Lincoln lake Kent county Michigan.  So this is a cool lake first time I’ve been there.  There are actually 3 separate lakes that are connected via a canal/river.  I caught most of the fish on the middle lake.  I lost a 3lbs ( guesstimate) smallie on the eastern drop off on Lincoln.  I am so close to taking the next step I can feel it.  The next step would be consistently catching 3 lbers 
 

the pike came on a mega bass deep 6 on the very northern lake.  Everything else came on a spine craw t-rigged in the new color GB Hayes 

[gim]

Haven’t seen @Team9nine post here lately. Maybe his holey jeans finally fell apart.

[12poundbass]

37 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

Hit up Lincoln lake Kent county Michigan.  So this is a cool lake first time I’ve been there.  There are actually 3 separate lakes that are connected via a canal/river.  I caught most of the fish on the middle lake.  I lost a 3lbs ( guesstimate) smallie on the eastern drop off on Lincoln.  I am so close to taking the next step I can feel it.  The next step would be consistently catching 3 lbers 
 

the pike came on a mega bass deep 6 on the very northern lake.  Everything else came on a spine craw t-rigged in the new color GB Hayes 

You were less than five minutes from my house. ?

 

Growing up we had a cottage on Blue lake. Did a lot of fishing on Blue and the “middle” lake. I caught a nice 4lber on the west side of the sunken island on Lincoln before. 

[Mbirdsley]

43 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

You were less than five minutes from my house. ?

 

Growing up we had a cottage on Blue lake. Did a lot of fishing on Blue and the “middle” lake. I caught a nice 4lber on the west side of the sunken island on Lincoln before. 

We need to fish some time. I should have spent more time on Lincoln but, waisted a lot of time on the northern lake.  Most of those bass came from emerging pads next cat tails on blue west basin. 
 

I can see that Lincoln all 3 lakes would be a disaster come summertime weekends.  With the camp ground and marina in lincoln. 

[Pat Brown]

Didn't set the world on fire yesterday but I did connect with one heck of a bass on my 1/4 oz Siebert swim jig in super white with a white x zone swammer on the back.  She thought it looked pretty tasty I guess.

 

Slow rolled it over a submerged tree that was sticking out into wind current and she knocked slack in my line like a giant.  

 

I did get some acrobatics on the way in and I love to see them jump.

 

Got a couple little fellas and missed a couple bites once I figured out the swim jig pattern for the day.

 

Super fun 2 hour session from the bank.

 

Tight lines!

 

 

[thediscochef]

Got this and a couple little spotted bass this morning. Gonna be back tonight and then ponding in the morning ?

[Johnbt]

6.2 pounds & 23"

 

Caught it yesterday throwing a nearly unweighted black Ol' Monster at a steep bank into the narrow band of grass and swimming it back through the pads to the boat. It was the thing to do yesterday for both of us. And last week too.

[Swamp Girl]

What a head on what a fish!