Latest Catch Pics Thread

[gim]

A couple of friends and I went this morning for about 4 hours.  Ideal conditions with low clouds and a decent wind presented an opportunity to fish faster with aggressive, moving lures.  Normally I don't fish with 3 people bass fishing in my boat, but they both wanted to go with so I allowed it as long as we were careful about casting.  Turned out to be a great morning, 13 bass and 7 northern pike later, including several quality fish.  I piled into my fifth 20 incher of the season.  Even the pike were decent sized too.

[thediscochef]

Stepped out around 930p to see about annoying some bass. First cast mission accomplished and then 2.5 hours of head scratching. Weather finally starts cooling off next week it looks like, finally back in the 90s. Low quality pic is low quality but it was dark and the flash kills my night vision 

[LrgmouthShad]

Today was really tough. Even though I had psyched myself up to catch a big sack today, I did know that the conditions could be good or bad, depending, and in this case, they were bad. Water temps 85-91, water level 17ft low, water clarity ultra clear with no rain for well over a month and a half. Often no wind to speak of, but there were little 10min bursts of a breeze. I tried deep and shallow with around 8-10 different techniques. None of my old stuff was working. But, I did at least manage some fish. 2 I photo'd and the 2 others were not picture worthy. 

 

Once upon a time, in Aberdeen Bait and Tackle in NC, I stumbled on a pack of green weenie zoom finesse worms. Once upon a time on Badin Lake, the shaky head wizard taught me to fish a shaky head. I'd like to thank those two things for happening, because otherwise, I'm pretty sure I would be sitting on no fish today. 

 

That's 8lb trilene xl on the reel by the way. I was fortunate to never break off or lose a fish.

[Woody B]

Getting a little shaggy there @gimruis    Do I see hair overlapping your ears?  Is it touching your collar???   

[Swamp Girl]

@gimruis is allowed to be a bit shaggy. His get out of jail free card is that 20" bass. 

[gim]

3 hours ago, Woody B said:

Getting a little shaggy there @gimruis    Do I see hair overlapping your ears?  Is it touching your collar???   

Haircut is scheduled tomorrow. It is getting a little frizzy.

[Team9nine]

First time out in 4/5 days after suffering with heat indexes over 100 every day, topped by a reading of 111 on Thu. Even just standing outside playing with graph settings was miserable. Snuck out before sundown and was able to catch 4 on Ned. Hoping to get out again in the next day or two as cooler air invades for a short spell.

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

I went fishing with the kid again yesterday evening. We caught 20 in two hours, both largemouth and smallmouth, up to 17" with quite a few fat ones. I haven't caught a four-pounder or bigger in more than a week and I'm itching to do so, so I'll be going solo the next couple times. I focus better when solo and when the kid is with me, I'm tying his knots, unhooking his fish, untangling his snarls, freeing his lures from bushes, and so on. It's hard enough to land a bigger bass and harder still when I'm not actually fishing much of the time. I'm slowly teaching him to be more independent.

[Pat Brown]

Incredibly difficult day out yesterday.  Slick calm.  Nearly bluebird skies most of the day.  96° that felt 136°

 

Managed to miss a total of 8 fish on the buzzbait.  I tried all manner or fast and slow hookset and they were just not committed to it.  It was always just swatting at it coming through the pads/grass.  Very frustrating.

 

Did end up catching a few on little swimbaits and the Hybrid Hunter again.  I caught my biggest of the day, an incredibly skinny/stunted 3 lb 12 oz bass.  Wish I had some snacks to give her before releasing her.  She looked hungry.

 

Jake also caught a slew of baitfish today, including a golden shiner, black crappie, channel catfish, multiple sunfish species, yellow perch and little tiny bass.

 

We also found a floating zombie bass that was close to 7 lbs.  Still fairly fresh being munched by turtles on the rip rap wall.  No obvious signs of cause of death.  Bummer.  She was very NOT stunted.

 

[Swamp Girl]

6 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Managed to miss a total of 8 fish on the buzzbait.  I tried all manner or fast and slow hookset and they were just not committed to it.  It was always just swatting at it coming through the pads/grass.  Very frustrating.

 

I know ^these^ days, when the bass swipe, but don't bite. 

[Pat Brown]

I tried to slow down in the pads with a frog and a worm but they 'wanted' the buzzbait more, IE, they reacted to it.

 

I may try the buzz toad today if similar conditions happen.  I'm hoping the cloud cover holds out and we get a stiff breeze before the storms hit tonight.

 

Could produce a giant very easily if everything comes together.

 

The days between stable weather patterns that are in line with seasonal trends are always the toughest and they tend to happen in late summer and late winter the most.

[gim]

Geez @Pat Brown that one looks like it went through a meat grinder.

[Swamp Girl]

4 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I tried to slow down in the pads with a frog and a worm but they 'wanted' the buzzbait more, IE, they reacted to it.

 

I may try the buzz toad today if similar conditions happen.  I'm hoping the cloud cover holds out and we get a stiff breeze before the storms hit tonight.

 

Could produce a giant very easily if everything comes together.

 

The days between stable weather patterns that are in line with seasonal trends are always the toughest and they tend to happen in late summer and late winter the most.

 

Pat, I appreciate your letting us look at more than your fine fish. You let us look into your mind too, unpacking why you throw what you throw. I'm fishing alone tomorrow morning and am hankering to throw a fluke. Do you think it's too late in the year to chuck a fluke?

[Pat Brown]

Fluke is 365 day a year bait IMHO

[TnRiver46]

Hey pat, ever try a ribbit toad or zoom horny toad when they won’t grab the buzzer? 

[Pat Brown]

50 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Hey pat, ever try a ribbit toad or zoom horny toad when they won’t grab the buzzer? 

 

 

I think that's exactly what I shoulda coulda woulda done but i had a mental block for some old reason.  I think that toad gives em some meat to grab.

[1984isNOW]

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Managed to miss a total of 8 fish on the buzzbait. 

What's your set up? Including the lure itself

 

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Fluke is 365 day a year bait IMHO

I agree 100%, sometimes it's hard to accept that there's a day the fish just say no to it haha

[LrgmouthShad]

I hate flukes. Hate em. Can’t catch crap on them or jerkbaits, but I stink with both. Lol

[1984isNOW]

3 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I hate flukes. Hate em. Can’t catch crap on them or jerkbaits, but I stink with both. Lol

4/o ewg on 30#braid into Lillie's, the bigger hook helps with weight. Don't even think about how to work it, sometimes let it sit sometimes move it sometimes wonder what the heck you're doing and why even bother fishing and then catch one and say "oh yeah, that feeling"

 

Don't tell anybody but throw pink

[Pat Brown]

Jerkbait is one of those techniques I can catch a cold on a sunny day with.  It's just deadly.

 

Fluke I'm okay with but I know it works.

 

@Kites R4 Skyfishing I am using a 7'3 Heavy Fast action rod with an 8 speed reel and 40 lb braid.  Been slamming them on this set up the past couple weeks on the buzzbait.

 

The one I was using for the most part was the 1/8 oz Boogerman Buzzbait in a shad color.

 

It's caught over 10 fish recently and it's still getting blow ups left and right.  I don't know what it is about the boogerman but it gets bit.

[1984isNOW]

@Pat Brown/ 1/8 huh, that's little. Into shallow cover or over deeper water?

 

I been buzzing a lot of this summer, lost 3 buzzbaits already. Gonna start making my own. How's the squeak on that one?

 

Heavy fast with braid, interesting. How's that heavy fast cast the light lure? I started throwing it on a mh moderate fast and a medium fastish (slow side of fast) with 12 or 15# Big Game and noticed more hook ups, also remind myself to point rod tip at fish before hook set, seems that extra second helps connect.

[Dominat0r]

Hit headwaters yesterday, was a good day...got about 30 fish total, mostly 1-2lbs. Biggest was 4lbs off a bass pro boss glide bait. The others were on a magnum speed worm, junebug red. I missed a couple on a kietech swimbait, but it was getting bit towards the end. Wasn't super super hot either, around 90F, which is actually kind of cool for us. 

 

[Swamp Girl]

4 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Fluke is 365 day a year bait IMHO

 

Well, then, it's FLUKE ON!

[diehardbassfishing]

I've been away from BR and fishing for awhile. This is my first "Scorable Bass" for 2023!

A medical issue that got my attention! Gents, keep up with your PSA testing! Sure glad I did...

 

 

[Woody B]

I didn't take a picture of my lone bass today.  I usually always take a picture of the first one.  This one was 10" or less.  It came unhooked when I boat flipped it.  It was flopping around on the deck,  I just took my toes and pushed it back into the water.  It was in my first dozen casts or so.  I figured I'd catch more.  I went to a different lake.  (Lake Rhodhiss, Valdese NC)  It's an hour North and in the mountains.  I figured the water would be cooler.  It was a couple degrees cooler.   The lake is full of laydowns.  The laydowns were full of bass, or at least fish that looked like bass on sonar, but they didn't want to move.   The water was quite a bit cooler on the upper end of the lake but the entire upper end was lifeless at least on sonar.   I also caught a 9 inch Crappie.   I won't be able to go next Saturday morning due to family commitments.   I'll probably go back to Lake Wylie Saturday night around 10 or so.  

 

@Pat Brown  I've always had trouble getting hook ups on buzz baits.   Can you use a treble hook where you're getting strikes or are the weeds too thick?  Owner makes some treble hooks with a big enough eye to use as a trailer.