Maine

[Mainebass1984]

This past weekend I journeyed back to Maine for some early season lunker hunting. I was hoping the recent warm weather had warmed up the water temperature above 50 degrees.  After making the journey to Maine, waking up at 5 am to drive another 2.5 hours into Maine, I arrived at my destination.  The water had warmed since the last time I fished. When I launched around 8 am the water temperature was 47 degrees. The wind was calm and it was sunny. My plan was to target isolated wood and 5-10 ft of water. In the first hour of fishing I boated 6 bass the biggest being a 5 lb 2 oz largemouth on a jig. I was getting more bites on moving baits, especially a rage tail swimmer. The bite slowed until it basically shut off around noon. The water kept warming until it reached a high of 49 degrees. The wind picked up out of the north blowing 10-20 mph. It made fishing on spots a challenge. After struggling for hours with out a bite I went back to my first spot where a tributary was dumping in. It was a smart move as I boated 6 more bass but nothing larger then 2 lbs 14 oz. I fished until dark and finished with 11 largemouth and 5 smallmouth.

Saturday started off cold. I met Shane J early in the morning and after another 2.5 hour drive into central Maine we arrived out our destination for the day. A relatively new lake to me. I had been there only 2 times before this outing. After what I saw I really wanted to fish it in spring. I had a feeling that it would be a great day for big fish. After the cold start in the morning it warmed up nicely. It was sunny as well but the north east wind blew 10-15 mph all day and was constant. The first 2 hours we were fishless. We hadn't even had a bite. We were targeting the primary drop off  but it didn't have any kind of structure or cover. The water was warming up nicely, already over 50 degrees. Once we got to the first area that had cover along the drop off we started getting bites. Shane was committed to fishing glide baits and I was fishing a rage swimmer. Once we got dialed into the pattern we consistently caught fish. We focused our efforts along the primary drop off along the western shore of the lake where there were isolated milfoil patches in 4-8 ft.   The fish were there and we were catching numbers of fish with several 3s and 4s mixed in. Around 2 in the afternoon we caught a couple lunker largemouth.

She weighed in at 7 lbs 10 oz

This fish weighed in at 5 lbs 8 oz

Once we landed the two lunkers we really dialed in the small area we were fishing.  We didn't get bit anywhere else on the lake and felt as if we should concentrate our efforts where we were. After boating the 2 bigger fish the bite slowed down for awhile. We were still boating fish but not nearly as quickly. Around 5  in the afternoon the wind slowed a bit and then shifted to a south wind. Just after the wind shifted the bass really started hitting. Shane boated a 5 lb 5 oz largemouth, a 3 and a 4 in a matter of minutes. After switching to a deps side swimmer I caught a 4-13. Then it was Shanes turn to catch a lunker.

That girl weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz

The fish continued to bite but we didn't get any more lunkers for the day. Between the two of us we caught 22 largemouth. Our biggest 5 were 7-10,7-7,5-8,5-5 and 4-13 for a 5 fish limit of 30 lbs 9 oz. It was a great day of spring fishing for big fish. The water reached a temp of 53 degrees by the time we left. All of our fish came on moving baits I caught most of my fish on rage tail swimmers and my brand new deps side swimmer.

I returned by myself to the lake that was so magical on Saturday. I had planned to take my father but he wasn't able to make it. It was a long boring 2.5 hour drive from my fathers place in Maine. I planned on going right back to the same are where Shane and I had done so well the day before. The morning bite was good. The fish hadn't moved and were still slamming the rage swimmer and the deps side swimmer. My first fish was a 3 lb 4 ozer then the next 2 fish were picture worthy lunkers.

She weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz

Got this 5 lb 5 oz on a deps side swimmer.

 Then all of a sudden the bite shut off. The water was 55 degrees, the wind was calm, it was sunny, the air temp was very warm for April, and I was in the right spot. For some reason the bite shut off. I couldn't get a bite on a moving bait if my life depended on it. After going fishless for 2 hours or so I decided I needed to change up tactics a bit. I started fishing a jig and a senko in a little deeper water 6-10 ft in the same areas that had been producing the day before. The jig was a bust but the senko was catching fish. Most of the fish were smaller then what I had been catching but I did manage one more decent fish.

A hard fighting 5 lb 9 oz largemouth on 8 lb flouro. Sadly I had to leave around 5 ish to make the 2.5 hour journey back to my dads then make the 2.5 hour journey back to Barre, VT. It was worth it though. I ended the day with 10 largemouth. The 5 biggest being 7-2,5-9,5-5, 3-4,2-12 for a 5 fish limit of 24 lbs. I have this coming Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off. I will be going back and hopefully be able to catch a few. It sure was a weekend to remember !

 

[A-Jay]

Impressive ~ That type of early season bass action is surely worth the long drives.

 Looks like you're both primed for a Banner year of Big Bass ~ Great work guys

Congrats

A-Jay

[long island basser]

Awesome couple days, nice going.

[BassB8Caster]

Awesome work! Those pigs definitely make it worth the drive. Whats your largest lm and sm caught in maine?

[MikeOGNR]

1 hour ago, Mainebass1984 said:

This past weekend I journeyed back to Maine for some early season lunker hunting. I was hoping the recent warm weather had warmed up the water temperature above 50 degrees.  After making the journey to Maine, waking up at 5 am to drive another 2.5 hours into Maine, I arrived at my destination.  The water had warmed since the last time I fished. When I launched around 8 am the water temperature was 47 degrees. The wind was calm and it was sunny. My plan was to target isolated wood and 5-10 ft of water. In the first hour of fishing I boated 6 bass the biggest being a 5 lb 2 oz largemouth on a jig. I was getting more bites on moving baits, especially a rage tail swimmer. The bite slowed until it basically shut off around noon. The water kept warming until it reached a high of 49 degrees. The wind picked up out of the north blowing 10-20 mph. It made fishing on spots a challenge. After struggling for hours with out a bite I went back to my first spot where a tributary was dumping in. It was a smart move as I boated 6 more bass but nothing larger then 2 lbs 14 oz. I fished until dark and finished with 11 largemouth and 5 smallmouth.

Saturday started off cold. I met Shane J early in the morning and after another 2.5 hour drive into central Maine we arrived out our destination for the day. A relatively new lake to me. I had been there only 2 times before this outing. After what I saw I really wanted to fish it in spring. I had a feeling that it would be a great day for big fish. After the cold start in the morning it warmed up nicely. It was sunny as well but the north east wind blew 10-15 mph all day and was constant. The first 2 hours we were fishless. We hadn't even had a bite. We were targeting the primary drop off  but it didn't have any kind of structure or cover. The water was warming up nicely, already over 50 degrees. Once we got to the first area that had cover along the drop off we started getting bites. Shane was committed to fishing glide baits and I was fishing a rage swimmer. Once we got dialed into the pattern we consistently caught fish. We focused our efforts along the primary drop off along the western shore of the lake where there were isolated milfoil patches in 4-8 ft.   The fish were there and we were catching numbers of fish with several 3s and 4s mixed in. Around 2 in the afternoon we caught a couple lunker largemouth.

She weighed in at 7 lbs 10 oz

This fish weighed in at 5 lbs 8 oz

Once we landed the two lunkers we really dialed in the small area we were fishing.  We didn't get bit anywhere else on the lake and felt as if we should concentrate our efforts where we were. After boating the 2 bigger fish the bite slowed down for awhile. We were still boating fish but not nearly as quickly. Around 5  in the afternoon the wind slowed a bit and then shifted to a south wind. Just after the wind shifted the bass really started hitting. Shane boated a 5 lb 5 oz largemouth, a 3 and a 4 in a matter of minutes. After switching to a deps side swimmer I caught a 4-13. Then it was Shanes turn to catch a lunker.

That girl weighed in at 7 lbs 7 oz

The fish continued to bite but we didn't get any more lunkers for the day. Between the two of us we caught 22 largemouth. Our biggest 5 were 7-10,7-7,5-8,5-5 and 4-13 for a 5 fish limit of 30 lbs 9 oz. It was a great day of spring fishing for big fish. The water reached a temp of 53 degrees by the time we left. All of our fish came on moving baits I caught most of my fish on rage tail swimmers and my brand new deps side swimmer.

I returned by myself to the lake that was so magical on Saturday. I had planned to take my father but he wasn't able to make it. It was a long boring 2.5 hour drive from my fathers place in Maine. I planned on going right back to the same are where Shane and I had done so well the day before. The morning bite was good. The fish hadn't moved and were still slamming the rage swimmer and the deps side swimmer. My first fish was a 3 lb 4 ozer then the next 2 fish were picture worthy lunkers.

She weighed in at 7 lbs 2 oz

Got this 5 lb 5 oz on a deps side swimmer.

 Then all of a sudden the bite shut off. The water was 55 degrees, the wind was calm, it was sunny, the air temp was very warm for April, and I was in the right spot. For some reason the bite shut off. I couldn't get a bite on a moving bait if my life depended on it. After going fishless for 2 hours or so I decided I needed to change up tactics a bit. I started fishing a jig and a senko in a little deeper water 6-10 ft in the same areas that had been producing the day before. The jig was a bust but the senko was catching fish. Most of the fish were smaller then what I had been catching but I did manage one more decent fish.

A hard fighting 5 lb 9 oz largemouth on 8 lb flouro. Sadly I had to leave around 5 ish to make the 2.5 hour journey back to my dads then make the 2.5 hour journey back to Barre, VT. It was worth it though. I ended the day with 10 largemouth. The 5 biggest being 7-2,5-9,5-5, 3-4,2-12 for a 5 fish limit of 24 lbs. I have this coming Saturday, Sunday, and Monday off. I will be going back and hopefully be able to catch a few. It sure was a weekend to remember !

 

You guys are garbage.... Just playing buddy nice fish. Gives me that drive to keep hammering out the swimbaits. 

[Mainebass1984]

6 minutes ago, MikeOGNR said:

You guys are garbage.... Just playing buddy nice fish. Gives me that drive to keep hammering out the swimbaits. 

Garbage ? hahaha. I will take that garbage any day. Keep fishing swim baits. I didn't mention it in my post but I do believe I missed the biggest fish of the weekend.... On an Osprey 8 inch line threw... Right now big swim baits are working

 

["hamma"]

Awesome!,... congrats on the success,...those pigs are one reason why,.. i love maine

[BronzeChaser]

Having lived in Maine my whole life, those are seriously giants haha. Wish I knew where to find ones like that. Good job figuring out the bite. I haven't been catching anything over 4 since just after ice out.

[Mainebass1984]

1 hour ago, BronzeChaser said:

Having lived in Maine my whole life, those are seriously giants haha. Wish I knew where to find ones like that. Good job figuring out the bite. I haven't been catching anything over 4 since just after ice out.

I lived in Maine until I graduated college. I have spent many, many hours fishing all over the state. A lot of time, effort and dedication.  It isn't wasn't easy. For starters I suggest being the first one on the water and the last one to leave. You will learn a lot.

[NEjitterbugger]

WOW you guys got on some giants! That is some amazing stuff guys, just sick haha..

[Smokinal]

Hey Maine, good to see ya back at it!

[Mainebass1984]

2 hours ago, Smokinal said:

Hey Maine, good to see ya back at it!

Heading back for the next 3 days. Its big bass time !!

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, Mainebass1984 said:

Heading back for the next 3 days. Its big bass time !!

Good Luck ~

And get that video camera up & running !

It would be way past too cool to get a couple of those Mutant New England Monsters live at 5 !

A-Jay

 

[nhbassin]

On 4/23/2016 at 9:51 PM, Mainebass1984 said:

Heading back for the next 3 days. Its big bass time !!

Any luck last weekend?

[Mainebass1984]

The wind sucked. It was 15-20 mph out of the North and Northeast. Gusts 25-30 mph each day.. Water temperature was good at 57 * on sat, 56 * on sun and monday. For the weekend my buddy and I got 2 6s, 3 5s, 8 4s and 9 3s. We did pretty good considering the wind sucked so much. Be a couple weeks before I get out to Maine again. Hopefully the water doesn't warm up much. We caught fish on jigs, rattle traps, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, senkos, and rage swimmers. The bite was actually tough the last two days. It was a grind. My friend caught 2 of the biggest fish f his life and got his 4 biggest for the year so far.

[DogBone_384]

Have you ever thought of guiding yourself out to mere mortals? 

You just caught more bass weight in one trip than I will all season ... Absolutely Awesome ...

[MikeOGNR]

5 minutes ago, DogBone_384 said:

Have you ever thought of guiding yourself out to mere mortals? 

You just caught more bass weight in one trip than I will all season ... Absolutely Awesome ...

Basstitution is an illegal form of fishing man this website can't condone it. 

[DogBone_384]

Like Sgt. Schultz said, " I know knoth-ink"

[Mainebass1984]

10 hours ago, DogBone_384 said:

Have you ever thought of guiding yourself out to mere mortals? 

You just caught more bass weight in one trip than I will all season ... Absolutely Awesome ...

 I have thought about it. About 8 years ago I was going through the process of getting my guides license. I got a job offer in Alaska and didn't finish getting my guide license. I have thought about getting it recently. I think I am going to wait until I retire in a few years. I do enjoy taking people fishing and getting them on some fish.

[DogBone_384]

So we might see another site sponsor in a few years? ?

[BronzeChaser]

On 4/26/2016 at 7:31 PM, Mainebass1984 said:

The wind sucked. It was 15-20 mph out of the North and Northeast. Gusts 25-30 mph each day.. Water temperature was good at 57 * on sat, 56 * on sun and monday. For the weekend my buddy and I got 2 6s, 3 5s, 8 4s and 9 3s. We did pretty good considering the wind sucked so much. Be a couple weeks before I get out to Maine again. Hopefully the water doesn't warm up much. We caught fish on jigs, rattle traps, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, senkos, and rage swimmers. The bite was actually tough the last two days. It was a grind. My friend caught 2 of the biggest fish f his life and got his 4 biggest for the year so far.

Tough weekend with 3 5's and 8 4's. i wish my tough weekends were like that lol. You should guide for sure. Most people in Maine don't catch  a lot of fish of that quality, speaking from experience.

[Mainebass1984]

13 hours ago, BronzeChaser said:

Tough weekend with 3 5's and 8 4's. i wish my tough weekends were like that lol. You should guide for sure. Most people in Maine don't catch  a lot of fish of that quality, speaking from experience.

It was a 3 day weekend. The wind was brutal.