Latest Catch Pics Thread

[Pat Brown]

Awwwww shucks it just happens to be getting around to the best time of year to bass fish in NC is all that's happening I reckon!  I'm actually off em plenty - but I appreciate the vote of confidence!  I sincerely hope you catch some good ones when your water gets right for it!  😎😎😎

[TnRiver46]

Yo @AlabamaSpothunter, what left that bass up on the bank? A blue heron ?

 

nice catches love to see them schooling on top like that 

[RipzLipz]

@TnRiver46 I think it initially saw a spinnerbait hanging from a tree, couldn’t resist the urge & jumped to get it & was subsequently attacked by a predator.

[Pat Brown]

Well....I got a twofer this morning:

 

First bass on a Ned rig and a first bass on the Damiki rig..... because well I caught it on a Ned rigged fluke fished Damiki style 😎. I guess a ned-miki?

 

So I'll preface this by saying I witnessed a very very cool thing before catching this little guy:

 

I was casting the Nedmiki out pointing my rod up, shaking the tip and feeling fast enough to keep my fluke just below the surface, occasionally pausing my reeling etc

 

I saw the laydown I've lost a thousand lures in at the mouth of the feeder creek and figured what the heck, make a couple casts past it and see what happens with this silly thing, mind you I haven't had a sniff in an hour of tossing this thing without really knowing what I'm doing....

 

First cast I bring the fluke between the major junction in the wood and a GIANT bass comes out of nowhere and breeches trying to swallow the thing - clearly very reluctant to commit - but I have NEVER seen the big fish come unglued like that EVER on this pond.

 

I make a second cast.  Same exact thing happens again.  The fish rolls on the bait aggressively, breeching briefly and swirls around back to its spot.

 

I make a third cast, this time I see a smaller swirl and feel a thump and set the hook!  

 

I think a school of bass was hunkered down in this wood ambushing shiners and I came at the right time with the right bait and they had never seen anything like it so - don't be afraid to do the Damiki rig shallow power fishing style!!!

 

[RipzLipz]

12 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

I sincerely hope you catch some good ones when your water gets right for it!  😎😎😎

I appreciate that thought & I will be trying as soon as ice is off if we ever get any. Still no ice yet but from today on nights are going to be a bit colder than they were up until last night. I think we had a high of 60° on Xmas Eve. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to squeeze in any time to go.

 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

13 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Yo @AlabamaSpothunter, what left that bass up on the bank? A blue heron 

 

nice catches love to see them schooling on top like that 

Yeah sorry I should have mentioned that......Blue Heron snagged that dude and then kept struggling with it and dropping it, finally flew off without the fish and that's when I grabbed it.     

 

Not sure if it would have come back to eat a dead fish, but those Herons get plenty of opportunities.   Lots of fish I catch have scars from them.  

 

Katie, from your lips to God's ears 😁

 

Thanks Tim!  

[Bass Rutten]

Lake Ida Florida, December 24 2023, 2.97lb peacock bass. Caught on 1/4oz berkley squarebull 3.5, nice way to break in my new daiwa ss air reel, a huge upgrade from the slx bfs in every aspect. They were aggressive and plentiful on this day right off my friends dock.

[thediscochef]

Been on a garbage streak but it happens. Managed a handful on a lipped crank the other day. My friend got me that bait and I finally had the right day to use it. Also discovered the nomad swimtrex max66 3/4oz. Those are excellent lipless cranks, going to be a staple in there with the red eye shad.

Technically skunked yesterday BUT I caught an outstanding lesson, which is better than catching anything shy of a PB. I ran into a former record holder at Roberts. He's a bank fisherman and a d**n good one. He caught a 2lb spot and a 4-5lb LM right in my face (I helped him land the LM and took pictures for him, no sulking here). He very graciously shared a LOT of information with me, I did my best to return the favor but he's got a heck of a resume on that lake. I told him he would fit right in here, has that attention to detail and dedication. Always good to meet good people.

Gonna get back out midday and see what happens

[RipzLipz]

@Bass Rutten Stunning colors on that peacock.

 

@thediscochef Those are the right people to meet when fishing.

[Swamp Girl]

@Pat Brown, I always enjoy your stories. You've got the gift.

 

I enjoyed your story too, @thediscochef.

 

44 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Katie, from your lips to God's ears 😁

 

I'm just playing the odds. You're catching those 4/5+-pounders steadily now. At least in Maine, every six or eight four-pounders is topped with a six-pounder, but in Alabama, our six-pounders are your eight+-pounders.

[Pat Brown]

 

Managed one nice one on the underspin.  Looks almost like a spotted bass!  Super defined lateral colors and small mouth.

 

I missed a really big fish on the jig inside of a tree that got me wrapped up and came off.  Felt the head shakes.  Not small.  

 

Missed a fish in the same area as I got the nice one a couple casts later on the underspin.  

 

Not bad for a couple hours before they closed!

 

Saw the mad spaghetti and tried tail spinners and blade baits.  No dice.

 

Gonna try the flutter spoon next time.

[Swamp Girl]

21 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

I missed a really big fish on the jig inside of a tree that got me wrapped up and came off.  Felt the head shakes.  Not small. 

 

Dang it! 

 

Love the photo: blue on blue on blue.

[Team9nine]

Changed lakes today because I needed to see if the next reservoir over reacted in the same manner as the one I usually fish. Got my answer pretty quick after pulling up - water was in great shape. Clear and about 49 degrees. Had only been here once, so had a few spots found and marked. Someone was on what I thought might be the best spot, but fortunately a similar area just uplake was open, and a school of bass was using it. They weren’t big, but picked up 7 or 8 fish in about 60-75 minutes on a combination of jerkbaits and jigs. Need to spend more time looking around and fishing this body of water this winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NJBasstard]

Bite was on this morning here in NJ with water temp around 47f. Got a few on a glide with this 5lb10oz being the biggest, and possibly the last good one I'll get for 2023.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

That's a really nice fish NJBasstard, congrats!  

[TnRiver46]

Launched at 2:30 after work and caught some fish (caught a flying squirrel at work……)

 

highlight was a 19.5” SMB, also got 2 drum, 2 yellow bass, and a white bass 

 

 

[ak6388]

Just a single one today on a tough day but it was the right size! Caught right off the main fork of a laydown with a DBomb Texas Rigged. Last one of the year for me. 

[The Bassman]

Bundled up and worked 1.5 hrs. for five bites on a cold late Dec. afternoon. Loved every minute of it. Something about the off season that appeals to me. I truly enjoy the solitude of these raw, gray days. 

[thediscochef]

Why didn't anyone tell me that following sage advice was a smart idea? I would have failed if it weren't for the fact that I succeeded 

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, The Bassman said:

I truly enjoy the solitude of these raw, gray days. 

 

Then you would love fishing the wilderness of northwestern Ontario. So many of the days up there are raw and gray and everyday delivers solitude.

[NJBasstard]

I know what I said in my post yesterday, but that was before knowing I didn't have a full day's worth of work today 😅  Got out for what is officially my last day of fishing for 23'. Decided on a body of water I haven't been on since 2014/2015 and managed to put a pattern together. Vision 110 and S Waver doing all the work again..

 

[RipzLipz]

@NJBasstard Nicely done & nice fish.

[Pat Brown]

Got that tank I was after on the ol' Red Eye Shad this morning right when a cold front hit and dropped the temp 9 degrees and brought a bunch of clouds and a North wind in.  She crushed it on a slower pumping retrieve.

 

[lunkerboss923]

I decluttered my arsenal and wanted to simplify over Christmas, so I sent my unwanted rods and reels to ALF to buy some nicer gear. Been eyeing the G Loomis IMX-PRO 843C for a while. I wanted a good do everything moving bait rod. I paired it with a Zillion SV TW G 7:1. The idea was to see how it felt with several moving baits. Well within a few casts, I got my answer, it does perfect with a chatterbait. The rod has a soft tip and strong backbone. I was able to keep the fish pinned. I recommend this rod to anyone. 

[bp_fowler]

Well, I was able to get out today now that the Christmas time running around is done.  Saw this unlucky fella as son as I started working my way down the bank.

Now I’m not the kinda guy that believes in signs or superstitions but given the day I had afterwards this may have been an omen.

 

I started off working a soft jerkbait around the lone stump protruding from the water. After a few casts in I felt a heaviness so I reeled down and set the hook BAM!  It felt like I had broken off but when I reeled in my line I saw this 

I’ve bent hooks before but never snapped one…and the hits kept coming after that.  Move down to where a creek fed into the pond and tried a Ned.  Few cast in…hung up and had to break it off.  Tied on another one…4 casts later same thing.  
Decided to switch to a paddle tail…and over the next 45 minutes broke off all three heads I had on me.  So I called it a day after that.  
 

Skunk won this round 🦨