If you could turn back time.

[LrgmouthShad]

Otisco, one of the finger lakes. It’s the only finger lake I’ve fished. It was the shortest drive. 
 

Or, the Big Piney River in Missouri, with the caveat that I get to go back in time with a healthy rotator cuff, so I could actually float the river in my kayak for smallmouth.

[Lottabass]

When my son was young, back in the 70's, we fished a pond with duckweed.  I had 2 Bill Plummer Super Frogs.  This was the start of my Frog addiction.  Anyway, I'll never forget a big bass that gollywhopped my sons frog and darned near pulled him into the water!  After that every time when we would get ready to go fishing we would high five and exclaim "SUPERFROG!"  I'd like to go back to that time and place.  Thank God for memories!

[Junk Fisherman]

11 hours ago, ol'crickety said:

 

Do tell.

 

I had no idea what I was doing the first time I went to Grand Traverse Bay in 2011.  I was a shallow, weedy lake largemouth fishermen who would throw topwater in the morning and pitch plastics all day to weeds and docks.  So I was lost going on the Great Lakes and fishing smallmouth in water that had 20' of clarity.  That first day I headed out without a clue as to where to go.  I passed a boat fishing what looked like a point and didn't think much of it.  I went to a dropoff area and threw wacky worms and a dropshot for a few hours and caught a couple small bass but I had no confidence in what I was doing.  I was getting ready to leave and on the way I decided to check out the area where I saw the other fishermen.  Note- this was before GTB really blew up.  This was a Monday in mid June and there were only a couple of guys fishing the entire bay.  I only saw one other boat that day with just a few trailers in the parking lot.  Anyways, I pull into the area and I immediately see what that fella was fishing.  All sorts of rocks and a nice tapering flat out to the main basin of the bay.  Plus, there are acres and acres of bare sand bottom on GTB.  This area had about the greatest concentration of rocks that I had seen.  So I start fishing the area and it had been cloudy all morning.  The sun came out and all the rocks and sand lanes and dropoffs just popped due to the water clarity and polarized glasses.  I threw a tube on the edge of a rock ledge in about 4' of water and I just see a black blur hover over it.  I set the hook and it was a 5.3 lb smallie.  A few minutes later I caught a 5.5 lb smallie.  I continue to fish the area just hopping a tube and I probably caught 20 more fish that day with everything over 16".  Would of had a 23 lb bag or so which is still one of the best days I've ever had.     The next day was too windy so I came back on Wednesday and caugth a 5.9 lber and probably 20 smallmouth between 4 and 5 lbs.  It was rare to catch anything under 16" and 75% of the fish were 18" or more.  And these were all fat, feisty, prespawn fish that often jumped and put on a display all while using light spinning gear.  What do you say to that?  It was easily the best fishing I'd ever experienced.  I fish a lot of heavily pressured water around Chicago and it would take me years to catch the number of quality fish I was catching there in a morning.  I literally had goosebumps and would shake at times since I knew how special the moment was.  

 

The fishing in that area was never that good again.  I did catch a 6.6 lber there (profile pic) and had multiple 22-24 lb days from that area in subsequent years but I caught mutliple 20 lb bags in the same day off the same area on my first trip without knowing much at all about smallmouth fishing.  The area is the size of a football field or so.  I've seen KVD there a couple times.  Sadly, the spot is not nearly as good as it was and it is a major community hole now.  The first year after the pandemic was the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen with probably 12-20 boats in the area nonstop during the middle of the week.  The last two years the area has been mediocre at best but I still spent too much time there.  So yeah.... If I could go back and fish anywhere at any time it would be Grand Traverse Bay in 2011.   

[crypt]

Stick Marsh/Farm 13.......was there the day it opened..was the best place on the planet at the time.......

[Catt]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Finally, I'm thinking you didn’t  have a GUIDE.  

Nicely Done.

A-Jay

 

I have a GUIDE but he ain't earthly

 

 

[gim]

Early April 2018.

 

Guided saltwater fishing trip with my Father in Key West for 3 days. We caught tarpon, jacks, barracuda, sea trout, bluefish, lady fish, and various species of snapper.

 

At one point on the second day I piled into this jack crevalle that our guide called a “slob.” It took me nearly 25 minutes to land it. And then I caught another one with amazing color shortly thereafter.

 

I hope to go back there some day when my own son is old enough. The power those fish have is unrivaled in the freshwater realm.

 

 

[jbmaine]

If I could step out of a time machine, I would love to fish the lake we had a camp on when I was a kid,  as it was back then.

 I would also love to fish the Androscoggin river from Errol down thru the thirteen mile woods as it was back in the seventies when I first started fishing it.

 And-if I could really crank the old time machine up I would love to see and fish this area as it was before it was settled. I have often wondered what it must have looked like back then.

[MIbassyaker]

I would go back to Northern California, where I lived for 6 years, 1998-2004 near the Delta, Sacramento River, and Lake Berryessa-- but before I got really interested in, or knowledgeable about bass. I only fished a handful of times, from shore where available, and not with any efficiency or competence.  I would repeat those years, and knowing what I know now, fish a lot more, and better.

[geo g]

I would go back to the late 80’s early 90’s and fish will all the old fishing friends I had that are not around anymore.  We had so much fun, so many laughs, and caught so many big bass.  It’s just not the same because of all these guys.  Everyone shared info, shared spots, and shared stories.  It was just special!  The weekend road trips to new locations, and the endless card games at night.  When I think of fishing trips it always goes back to these times.  RIP my friends!❤️

[Woody B]

I'm with @geo g     You can't go back, but if I could it would be more about fishing friends than the water we fished in.  

[Swamp Girl]

I'm with @geo g too.

[Pat Brown]

Got a new one - if I could have my skills and knowledge today back in any point in my life - id want to be back in the jon boat with my dad fishing a jelly worm on the lake he took me on before I could even fully speak correctly.  Those were special times that I think about often.

 

The big bass we fished over 😂😂😂😭😭😭

[WRB]

If could go back 20 years to 2004 I would be 61 still working, my wife would be planning her retirement, my son starting his career. My daughter planning announcing her engagement and our parents still living. 
Catching a 20lb+ still a possibility. 

10 years later 2015 all the parents are gone, we are both retired traveling the world, daughter didn’t get married, son working  no longer believe a 20+ is possible.  
2020 we lose our all our siblings and our only son to cancer no longer looking to fishing just trying to make it day to day.

2024 thankful for my BR  friends👍

Tom

 

[Swamp Girl]

@WRB: 

 

[Bankc]

Ms. Taylor's tank.  It's just an farm pond next to my grandparent's old house that no one really fished but us.  And, being a small pond and fishing it so often, I got to know every square inch of it.  Every submerged rock.  Every piece of timber.  Every weed.  There was no need for sonar or FFS.  I already knew where every fish in that pond was. 

 

But you can't go back.  So I'm just thankful I got to experience something like that when I did.  Not everyone does. 

[BrianMDTX]

Oh my. I’ve pondered this and no matter what, only one place keeps coming back to me. Wye Mills Community Lake on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. 
 

It’s early 1970’s. Although the spillway and Wye East River were well-known for the spring yellow perch run, the lake (50 acres) had a good reputation for bluegill, yellow perch and bass. There were old, leaky wooden rowboats for rent (leave the money in a can and grab as many life preservers as required) and off you go. In the summer it was loaded with duckweed. I was maybe 12 or 13 and we were only fishing with nightcrawlers. I made a cast from my Eagle Claw fiberglass rod and a Garcia Mitchell 300 with 8 lb. Stren near a fallen tree. I saw the line move and then the green back of a bass break the water like a dolphin and head for the bottom. Looking back I’d say it was maybe 2-1/2 to 3 lbs. tops, but back then it was a giant. I’ve never forgotten that bass. 
 

But it was much more than that. It was the place my dad, brother and I (and often my dad’s friend Mr. Fred) always used to go to fish from a boat, and although no more than a little over an hour away from our home in Baltimore, it always felt like an adventurous trip. It’s not so much the place I miss. It was the magic. 

[Swamp Girl]

Thank you, @BrianMDTX and @Bankc. I really enjoyed reading your memories. 

[Jar11591]

The old quarry I use to fish back in 2015-2016. Several deep, crystal clear ponds that were loaded with big largemouth, smallmouth, pike, and panfish. The fishing was incredible, but people also used it as a party spot, and eventually it was overrun with partiers that swamped the place, left insane amounts of trash, got hurt, and everything else. They closed off access to it eventually. People couldn’t respect the beautiful resource we had. I wish I could fish it again as it was. 

[Swamp Girl]

10 minutes ago, Jar11591 said:

The old quarry I use to fish back in 2015-2016. Several deep, crystal clear ponds that were loaded with big largemouth, smallmouth, pike, and panfish. The fishing was incredible, but people also used it as a party spot, and eventually it was overrun with partiers that swamped the place, left insane amounts of trash, got hurt, and everything else. They closed off access to it eventually. People couldn’t respect the beautiful resource we had. I wish I could fish it again as it was. 

 

I would love to set aside woods and water for such people. It would be theirs to use exclusively. No responsible people would ever arrive to oversee it or clean it. And they wouldn't have access to any pristine woods or water. They'd be restricted to their de facto dumps. 

[Eric 26]

I honestly would move heaven and earth or give whatever was asked of me to fish Morcom Lake in Minnesota with my departed brother. I haven’t been there or in Minnesota for that matter in 40 plus years but as a kid we went for a week every year for as long as I can remember, I have fond memories of being there with just my mom, dad, sister and my 2 brothers. It then turned into a guys only trip with my cousin and uncle then neighbors and their sons and many of my older brothers friends who were more like my big brothers than just his friends. At the time my grandfather who was no longer with us knew a gentleman who had 2 or 3 cabins on the lake and in the last trip I went on as I stopped going at 15 due to high school football camp we rented both cabins and even brought up a camper there were so many of us. It was the most amazing place as I remember with nothing to do but fish, shoot bows and arrows or BB guns and explore the surrounding woods looking for anything “cool” including a beaver skull my older brought back to boil 🤢 At night you could hear the coyotes singing or the hiss of a bobcat that if you shined a flashlight on he/she would freeze for a magical moment before running off. One of my favorite things was when we would bring the garbage to the dump down the road where the dads would take the trash out then we’d back down the road and wait for the black bears to come and enjoy the eggshells, left over pancakes and especially the bacon fat that was put into the coffee cans. As we got older my brother and I had dreamed of going to Canada together  and more realistically planned to go back to Morcom Lake but I wound up becoming a step father at 21 to my then 2 year old son followed by my brother raising a son a handful of years later then the birth of my daughter followed by my son and by the time everything settled down and we could start planning that trip I lost my brother in a construction accident which is why I started this post the way I did. Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this novel and also to @ol'crickety for starting it as it brought back a flood of memories which I’m thinking of as I typed this out with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. As a side note if either @gimruis @MN Fisher or anyone else ever fished there or knows what became of the lake I would love to hear about it.

[Rockhopper]

Steelhead fishing on the North Umpqua river in my early teens.  Heaven.

[Tackleholic]

A stream in Illinois where I would wade for Smallmouth wearing only shoes and shorts, carry everything in a belt pack.  I would continue for hours;  never see or hear a vehicle or another person, only the wildlife.  I would usually turn back after 30-50 Smallmouth and a few of other species.  I now live in a great area for fishing, in Arkansas, but that Illinois stream was true paradise.

[RevoSEMIpro]

Mississippi River Pool 8 2000-2001 ish

Mississippi River Pool 8 2000-2001 ish

[gim]

1 hour ago, Eric 26 said:

As a side note if either @gimruis @MN Fisher or anyone else ever fished there or knows what became of the lake I would love to hear about it.

 

Not familiar with that one, but I did look it up on the DNR's website.  Its way north in St Louis County, nowhere near me.

 

Only one survey is available on their records, way back in August 1997.  I see that it only reaches 6 feet max depth.  I have to imagine it experiences frequent winter kills.

 

Status of the Fishery

Morcom (Paleface) is a shallow, 178 acre, dark water lake located two miles northeast of Melrude. Access is gained from a developed public landing on the outlet. Numerous logs and deadheads in both the river and lake create a hazard for boat travel. Black bullhead dominate the fish community in this lake that periodically winter kills. Black bullhead were abundant in the 1997 survey with sampled fish averaging 6.4 inches in length. Northern pike were also numerous with an average length of 21.6 inches and an occasional fish over 28 inches. Bluegill and black crappie were plentiful with average lengths of 7.6 and 8.5 inches respectively. Most of the bluegills were aged 8 and older while black crappie were generally 3 and younger. Pumpkinseed and yellow perch were not as common as the previous species, yet were near the normal range for lakes similar to Morcom. Anglers might also encounter: white sucker, yellow bullhead and largemouth bass when fishing on this undeveloped lake.

[Bazoo]

I reckon for me, it would be a farm pond that I had when growing up. It was probably an acre, and we were told it was 18' deep.

 

I was about 13 at the time, and I got my first taste of bass fishing there. I remember catching a bass on a crankbait, and one of the hooks got in it's eye. I didn't know what to do and started crying. I tied the line to a bush, leaving the fish in the water. Then I went up to the house and got mom.

 

She was irritated, as she didn't want to be troubled with such proceedings, rather, she much preferred to be perched on her chair in front of her desk with a cup of coffee in one hand and a Tareyton 100 betwixt the fingers of the other hand.

 

Nevertheless, she saw fit to get the side cutters and accompany back to the wilderness of our backyard pond.

 

She cut the hook that was offending the fish's eye. I unhooked the critter and put him back unscathed. Mom admonished me and said don't be fishing any more.

 

That was a turning point for me, and I've always remembered it. It made me want to learn all I could about how to unhook and properly handle fish.

 

That pond once yielded a fish that the adults to me was a smallmouth. They seemed excited... though I've never figured out why. It was just a fish to a 13 year old.

 

I always fished to the same spot, never around cover, nor what looking back would have been the better spots. I'd like to be able to work around it and all the dead stumps, the shallows, the tree lines.

 

Now, I'd start with the Spit'n Image. Then I'd move to squarebill crankbaits. Then, weightless trick worms. Might as try small spinnerbait amongst the stumps. Then I'd try flukes everywhere. And lizards... man.