Surfacepalooza

[Swamp Girl]

I caught 70 this morning, which is a LOT for me in the fall. When I reached my car, I felt like all the sap had been sucked out of me. Most of them were this size:

 

 

And this size:

 

 

I saw five deer emerge from the woods to drink at a point. I also saw herons, eagles, ospreys, and geese. 

 

I caught EVERY SINGLE BASS on a surface lure, including a Whopper Plopper, frog, wakebait, and popper. The popper was a Yo-Zuri and was clear, black, and gold. I had been working my poppers like walking baits, but this morning, I popped and stopped. I hooked one small bass, perhaps 13 inches, and a BIG bass tried to eat it beside my boat. 

 

I did catch some bigger bass. Here's one:

 

 

However, my camera died. I think it needs a new battery. 

 

I returned to where the BIG bass tried to eat my 13-incher and worked that area again, but nada. I never actually saw it. I saw a lot of water being moved, but it would have to be big to consider a 13-incher a meal.

 

Lastly, I caught some 15 and 16-inch bass that were so fat they made me laugh, but my camera wasn't working at that point. They're fattening for the winter. Speaking of winter, it was 49 degrees this morning and I had to walk in water up to my knees to launch my canoe, so that's one reason I staggered out of my canoe at the end of the fishing. 

 

Now I'm going to rest. So tuckered!

 

 

 

[gim]

70 bass is a lot.  You found an active school of them.

[Swamp Girl]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

70 bass is a lot.  You found an active school of them.

 

You're right about them schooling. I took 75% of them out of one area. A few times, I'd pop my surface lure and shad would scatter, which is why, I'm guessing, the bass were there. I could have caught 100, but when I reached 70, I stopped casting and came home. I caught 75 one morning last June and wanted to hit the 7-0 mark one more time in 2024. 

 

Here's a bass from this morning that had a weird shape. I pulled my cell phone out of its waterproof pouch to photograph it because its tail isn't long enough for the rest of its body. It's like a guy with a long torso and short legs:

 

[Skunkmaster-k]

Dadgum !

[Functional]

1 hour ago, Swamp Girl said:

It's like a guy with a long torso and short legs:

 

 

So that's what Id look like in fish form....(stubby Italian genes)

[pdxfisher]

Wow! That is an amazing trip! 70 topwater fish is just a crazy day.  You probably remember the one cast where you did not get bit

[Swamp Girl]

25 minutes ago, pdxfisher said:

Wow! That is an amazing trip! 70 topwater fish is just a crazy day.  You probably remember the one cast where you did not get bit

 

They weren't bumping my lures. They were intent on eating them. That always bumps up my numbers. You know those days when they nudge your bait? This wasn't one of them. 

[Bankbeater]

Dang, that is a lot of bass.  Nice job!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Great job Katie, bet that was a metric ton of fun!

 

I've never caught 70 quality Bass in a session.     Mid 50s is about my best.  

 

 

[Swamp Girl]

28 minutes ago, AlabamaSpothunter said:

Great job Katie, bet that was a metric ton of fun!

 

I've never caught 70 quality Bass in a session.     Mid 50s is about my best.  

 

 

 

It wore me out, Alex, but I think being wet and cool was a big energy drain and paddling was tough at times, as the wind kicked up and the weeds were so thick that I had to keep shaking them off my paddle.

 

I am proud of how well I played them in such thick cover. Extracting bass from weeds has been my most important, new skill. Do you remember a thread I started a few years ago wondering how to fish in the thickets? Now, I love it. When I hook a four-pounder with a foot of water to play it, I keep my cool and enjoy the tussle. 

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 9/23/2024 at 6:01 PM, AlabamaSpothunter said:

I've never caught 70 quality Bass in a session. 

You, me, and the rest of us mortals!