Warm weather Winter Bass VA

[BassShephard]

I started not to go fishing today with the bad day I had yesterday (I caught some yesterday but not what expected being in the 70s) but Boy am I glad I went now. Only had 2 hours to fish (late evening) fish were every were, herds of 1IBs some 2Ibs and even saw a 3 plus swimming around the bank... but nothing was biting. After an hour I hit a hot spot, I think they were feeding on minnows and I just keep pulling them out, I caught what you see below and lots more dinks (lost count). Nearly dark I thought maybe I should call it a day, but decided on going down to the 2 pond on the property. Caught a bass then through my bait along side some pillars and my baits comes to a halt, it felt like I snaged something... here this huge bass comes splashing out of the water I'm pulling and fighting it rod and reel screaming, I'm yelling and praying DON'T COME OFF!!!!....DON'T BREAK!!!... I pull up this big old bass and start yelling and cheering lol. The pictures are crap cause it was near pitch black out and I was shaking, I was to excited to gauge its weight but It has to be a little over over 6IBs what do you all think?

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[nice_lunker]

Nice fish!  I guess I should've tried the local ponds here.  Instead, I fished sandy river res. today from 11- 5 and got skunked! 

[BassShephard]

Thanks, what I learned today was nothing ventured nothing gained, I haven't been to Sandy or biery creek, but want to go really bad but no decent boat.

Here is the bait I caught him on, I'm amazed 1. he bite it and 2. I was able to land him. one hook bent, one broke and the slightly bent one wasn't hooked (least I think), neither was the back hook. I call this my lucky bait cause its my go to when I don't catch much and it usually always produces..so it lived up to its name today.

[shimmy]

You know, i am usually upset at people calling bass a 6 pounder when it is not close but i think you are on to something! That very well could be over 6. I would place more money on saying it was over 6 than in the 5's. Great fish, and on that little rapala, man. Send me a PM when you want me to come down and help you fish that pond :

Great fish, that is enough to get me antsy now...

[mudkart]

Nice bass.  I'll not argue w/ it being a 6, it's a fatty.  Carry a scale!

[BassShephard]

Thanks! Yeah I Don't like guessing what they weigh cause you can only guess but so accurately, all I know this fish was heavy lol and had to be at or over. There claims of one person catching a 9 pound bass and another seeing a 7-9 pound bass. I know I've hung one last year that had to be close to the one I caught, he had nearly just big of mouth but he got off 7 feet from the bank.

Nice bass. I'll not argue w/ it being a 6, it's a fatty. Carry a scale!

HAHA I did and it said he weighed 2 pounds 3 oz : If this fish weighed that then I'd eat the Crank bait I caught him on lol.

[Chaz Hickcox]

Had a 24 inch fish go 4lb 12oz last summer.  Skinny fish suck, and it happens.

[Bigbarge50]

Nice fish..... definitely looks around the 6lb mark, give or take a few ounces.  A very impressive fish.  Throw in the weather and water temps lately..... very impressive. 

I went to Burke on Wednesday of last week, huntsman on sunday in NOVA... skunked both days.  Water temps were between 42 and 46..... not exactly ideal to say the least. 

Any clue what the temp was in that pond? 

[BassShephard]

Thanks! My guess is maybe 48-52 maybe higher but I'm accounting for night time cause that is when I caught it around 6:15 pm (maybe later didn't have a watch).

Been going a lot since then and been catching a lot of little bass. Fri I hang one I think was big, it felt big and was putting up a hell of a fight but he came to the surface and threw the hook :'( I caught maybe a 1.5-2 Ib fish that day and lots of little ones.

[Bigbarge50]

Hey it is great your catching anything, my three trips have been real tough sledding with no action. 

[Tallent88]

im jealous been twice caught 2 fish . where were you fishing nice fish buddy looks like over 6 nice healthy looking fish !

[BassShephard]

Its just a matter of time and we all will be catching lots! I've been fishing the same place, Its 2 private ponds on the same property and a creek, but I haven't fished the creek lately. I went last week twice, did decent the first time (little bass and lots of crappie), but cold weather/rain has set in and only caught 2 on the 2nd day. Since I caught that big one I've been craving more big fish . Spawning season is so close.... I've been seeing bream hanging in the shallows messing around, just need the steady temp!

Nothing big but I've been catching quite a few bass this size, also gives a good view of the pond. It doesn't show the whole pond, It curves to the Left (toward the back of pic) the island i'm standing on is usually flooded by now, lots of fish like to hang there.