A pair of frosty 4-4s

[Swamp Girl]

I launched at 29 degrees this morning. The field I crossed glittered with frost. I fished a big bass pond and caught two bass that went 4 pounds 4 ounces each. I hooked a bigger bass that ran and shook free. My drag is cranked up and neither of the four-pounders nor the big girl I caught last week could pull on that drag. So, whatever she was, she was strong.

 

I caught four other bass too before the wind blew me off the pond. I could fish in 29 degree air with some comfort, but not 39 degrees with a bullying wind.

 

One four-pounder was caught on a shad-colored Keitech and the other was caught on a Sixth Sense squarebill. The Keitech on an Owner underspin has become my favorite lure. You can drag it on the bottom. You can pitch it into reeds. You can catch bass in 10" of water and 10' of water. A slow, steady retrieve and a stop-and-go retrieve are my favorites.

 

I also took a photo of the shore from where I was catching bass so that you can see how far out I was. I lead with two photos of the first four-pounder, then some smaller bass, then the shoreline shot, then the other four-pounder. 

 

P. S. - I saw my first 2024 lily pads. Spring is coming, even if it didn't feel like it this morning.

 

 

 

[MIbassyaker]

I'd call that a success!   An Owner flashy swimmer with a Keitech is one of my favorites too. 

[TnRiver46]

Beauties. I cannot catch fish on an underspin, regardless of depth 😂 . It’s the whole spin thing that always gets me 

[F14A-B]

Nice. Good to see some very healthy LMB, casting or spinning gear? 

You must live next door to A-Jay lol 

[Pat Brown]

You got me on that Flashy Swimmer in veggie deal and it's lights out even on the toughest days here in NC!!!  Great fish and a happy story to go with it!

[Swamp Girl]

I'm going to a quantity pond tomorrow. It's where I own property and I just fetched the canoe that I'll keep there. The thing I love about my pond is the bass are soooo strong there. They're not the biggest bass, but a three-pounder there fights like a four-pounder everywhere else.

 

@alonerankin2: I think A-Jay and I live at about the same latitude. His Menderchuck looks undeveloped and the lakes I fish are pretty undeveloped too. I think that helps. I drove to a lake I've never seen to fetch my new canoe and the cabins and homes were suffocatingly close and two-tiered. There were cabins on the water and behind them, a whole other row of cabins. No. Thank. You. 

 

I hope you all noted that I weighed two bass this morning. Some of you want me to weigh more fish, so I did. 

[F14A-B]

14 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I'm going to a quantity pond tomorrow. It's where I own property and I just fetched the canoe that I'll keep there. The thing I love about my pond is the bass are soooo strong there. They're not the biggest bass, but a three-pounder there fights like a four-pounder everywhere else.

 

@alonerankin2: I think A-Jay and I live at about the same latitude. His Menderchuck looks undeveloped and the lakes I fish are pretty undeveloped too. I think that helps. I drove to a lake I've never seen to fetch my new canoe and the cabins and homes were suffocatingly close and two-tiered. There were cabins on the water and behind them, a whole other row of cabins. No. Thank. You. 

 

I hope you all noted that I weighed two bass this morning. Some of you want me to weigh more fish, so I did. 

Haha, I took a gander at it based upon the air temperature you stated and the healthy appearance of those fish.. so I’m not surprised, in guessing that you all share the same latitude, 😁 hope you have a nice day fishing tomorrow! Look forward to pictures no matter the size.. 

[Swamp Girl]

6 minutes ago, alonerankin2 said:

Haha, I took a gander at it based upon the air temperature you stated and the healthy appearance of those fish.. so I’m not surprised, in guessing that you all share the same latitude, 😁 hope you have a nice day fishing tomorrow! Look forward to pictures no matter the size.. 

 

Fish pics are coming. After tomorrow's quantity pond, I'm going to a quality pond on Monday for the first time in 2024. It's one of my favorite places to fish and with the water plants just rising, I'll have a better chance of boating a big one, one of the ones I often lose to weeds. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I hope if I get reincarnated as a Bass, I end up in a Maine bog.....Katie you've sure proven that it's a LM Bass paradise.     They always look so healthy and fat, and nobody is fishing for them 24/7.   

 

Awesome report, I'll take a couple of fat 4+s any day of the week and twice on Sunday 😁

 

ETA:  Katie never posts non healthy fish......even in the summer and fall her fish are fat footballs.       Outside of the cold weather and shorter growing season, Maine seems to provide an amazing climate for LMs.....something I never would have thought of before Katie's reports. 

[Swamp Girl]

Alex, you're right about their health. Tomorrow's pond is one fat fish after another. Not long, but all well fed.

 

I did fish one pond where the bass were skinny. I won't return to it. There's a parasite that afflicts the bass in some ponds and I think it's in that pond. It's a shame, because I love the look of that pond. Not a single building. 

 

1 hour ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Maine seems to provide an amazing climate for LMs

 

You're so right, Alex. The size of the largies here surprises me too. This is smallmouth, brook trout, and salmon country. I think most anglers who come to Maine fish the big, deep lakes where one catches trout, salmon, and smallies. I fish the bogs and ponds that they drive by on their way to the big, cold water. 

 

I'm expecting to catch a big bass or two on Monday. In 2023, that pond was so consistent for fat fish. 

[Alex from GA]

Is 4-4 the weight or the date?