2017 Bass Photos

Redbreast… blue label..black bush.. scotch or Irish whiskey – they’re all good

Another St. Croix fish from yesterday. Big shoulders on this one, a memorable “eat” on a top water and a great fight. Just over 18 inches.

SR

Nice! That must be a blast catching them on the fly rod.

Watched my dad use a fly rod for smallmouth and that is a whole nother dimension. Poetry in motion followed by utter chaos

Got a nice smallie pre fishing for a walleye tournament. Did not measure it but was a fun fight.

Been jigging up some nice bass out on some smaller metro lakes. This 5 lber bit last night while I was picking out a backlash. Bait was sitting there for 10 seconds! Anyone else ever experience this??

Nice fish. Experienced it quite a few times, it’s called dead sticking. I don’t have much patience for it, so like you I’ve caught them usually when I get a backlash or I am tending another line and set the pole down.

2 times I remember distinctly. The first I set it down to catch a sunfish on my other line. I heard my pole being dragged into the water. Despite the resistance, he didn’t let go. The second time was with a chatterbait. I was picking out a backlash or something, so I was looking down. I never saw my line move, but I heard this splashing and a bass was jumping trying to throw my hook.

A lot of times at the pond I’ll cast a plastic worm out and soak it while I fish with my other pole.

Pug – cool that you’ve seen this as well. It’s happened enough times this summer that it doesn’t feel like a coincidence. I’ll be experimenting with how to cover water while working in the occasional deadstick.

My son caught this off of our dock this weekend. It went a bit over 19″, and as you can imagine, he hasn’t stopped talking about it. It took a swipe at a good-sized bluegill that he was reeling in a few minutes prior to him hooking the it. He handled it well!

That’s awesome!

Another Arizona toad.

Bought a new to me bass boat last Friday and was out all weekend and ran into some nice fish. Got my old man on a nice chunk too. Hasn’t fished In a couple years. He was pretty happy.

My biggest smallmouth bass.
I caught yesterday she was fat and thick. I think around 5-6lbs.

Not my first 20 incher of the season – but was my first with a down vest on. Sure was brisk in the East wind this morning!!

Got this monster 7+ fish on Sunday. Squarebill near some weeds!

That’s 7″ more than I have been catching lately. October can’t come soon enough.

Nice vest Frydog!

Niece with a bucket

Have had quite a good time bassing this summer. Here are a few nice ones.

Time to celebrate – water temps came down to the 50’s today

Not big, but a good sign. The cooler temps mean the bass should start getting active again now that water temps aren’t 90°F. I could tell by the fight too that they are in their optimal metabolism zone. Fought like a 4# and it refused to let go of my thumb on the release. I assume it though it was the chatterbait it just tried to eat.

The TRD works on crappies as well.

I like using texas rigged KVD tube jigs because I can use a heavy bullet weight, 1/2 – 1oz and the bulk of the tube will help it still fall slower and more natural. I can chuck this set up nice and far which is crucial in a featureless retention pond when you are trying to get the lure to the “deep” center of the lake.

This one is a healthy 3.5-4lb fish. I am glad to see them girthy.

I think I put myself in a rut fishing the bank and sunrise too much. 75% of the time the bass are going to be scattered in the middle of the pond.