2023 Fresh Water Catch

UncleFester

Old Mossy Horns
I tried ice fishing....... ONCE. That was all it took for me to realize that what the northern folks call a "nice one" is what we southern boys call "bait". Way too much creaking, cracking and crap shifting under my boots for me to have a good time. I did invent a new game that day, I call it "sitting on the bank with a nice fire and drinking JD straight out of the bottle"...... I enjoyed THAT......
Yeah they have a name for the scared folks..... kidding. You can sit on the bank and drink. Everyone but me was drinking and playing football on the ice. I was eagerly waiting for a flag to fly.

I honestly like catching fish either long as I am or long as my finger. I grew up on a creek and fished it daily. I still get that little adrenaline shock every time my line twitches no matter the fish.

I will say the first trip I went on this time around was a large body of water on a windy day. It literally sounded like a Star Wars movie. The ice shifting and cracking sounded like laser cannons from the movies.... but unnerving for the ignorant(me), but they say the ice is cracking and getting thicker... don't know if that's so or not. We were in 11 and 12 inch thick ice. I didn't fall the first day, took two swan dives the second trip, still hurting from it too.

They all ain't little even though mine were small. I've seen some large fish brought thru the ice that I doubted would fit thru the hole.

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Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah they have a name for the scared folks..... kidding. You can sit on the bank and drink. Everyone but me was drinking and playing football on the ice. I was eagerly waiting for a flag to fly.

I honestly like catching fish either long as I am or long as my finger. I grew up on a creek and fished it daily. I still get that little adrenaline shock every time my line twitches no matter the fish.

I will say the first trip I went on this time around was a large body of water on a windy day. It literally sounded like a Star Wars movie. The ice shifting and cracking sounded like laser cannons from the movies.... but unnerving for the ignorant(me), but they say the ice is cracking and getting thicker... don't know if that's so or not. We were in 11 and 12 inch thick ice. I didn't fall the first day, took two swan dives the second trip, still hurting from it too.

They all ain't little even though mine were small. I've seen some large fish brought thru the ice that I doubted would fit thru the hole.

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That’s an awesome haul. I can’t tell you how jealous I am. Those ditch pickles are colored up nicely in that cold water. Are pike really that good to eat? Have caught a lot of them up there but never tried one.
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
This is like game 13 of the season if crappie fishing were like the NFL. Season is over when they hit the banks 😂
I agree. But I'm not an NFL an so................................My crappie season starts when duck season ends. I just took this past Saturday off to get ready. Duck hunt this weekend then crappie fish until Turkey season. Then bass fish all summer. Deer hunt October and mid November. Then back to duck hunting. I will crappie fish the fall if its too hot to deer hunt. Oh yeah, and reload anytime I find a few minutes in between. I just have too many hobbies.
 

timber

Twelve Pointer
I agree. But I'm not an NFL an so................................My crappie season starts when duck season ends. I just took this past Saturday off to get ready. Duck hunt this weekend then crappie fish until Turkey season. Then bass fish all summer. Deer hunt October and mid November. Then back to duck hunting. I will crappie fish the fall if its too hot to deer hunt. Oh yeah, and reload anytime I find a few minutes in between. I just have too many hobbies.

Sounds like a good plan until you got to the bass fishing part. I probably lived most of my life with simular schedule. I enjoyed fishing but it was something to do when there was nothing to hunt
 

shotgunner

Ten Pointer
Sounds like a good plan until you got to the bass fishing part. I probably lived most of my life with simular schedule. I enjoyed fishing but it was something to do when there was nothing to hunt
I'm a high school teacher. It really just gives me something to do during the summer.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Nine bass today in our pond.
All on Ned rig junebug half zero for the rig.
Shallow in very upper end.
All small but the first of the year.
Besides a Mepps in dirty water the Ned rig is king in a clean bottom pond. Imo
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
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Took dad out today and he got his birthday bass. 70 years young. Hopefully we get many more days like this. Awesome day on the water that was both numbers and quality. I love it when we catch both green ones and the spotted variety!
What type of lure and presentation you using? I just started bass fishing this past year with my oldest son (13) so we are still learning but we are hooked now.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
What type of lure and presentation you using? I just started bass fishing this past year with my oldest son (13) so we are still learning but we are hooked now.
It really depends on what body of water I’m on, water clarity, water temperature and the weather conditions. Yesterday it was sunny and was in a place with pretty good water clarity so most fish were caught on a small profile swimbait.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
it's none of my business @hclaye25 but trying to duplicate any aspect of dhc's catches will be a challenge.
Unless you are in the boat with him his methods may be useless where you are.
I went yesterday and could have fished a swimbait three thousand miles and never caught a bass.
This time of year water clarity is huge in bait selection and bass location.
If you will describe for us your situations that you and your son are fishing you can get a lot more and better advice.
Bass are pretty vulnerable for the next three months- This is a fine time to be starting.
Good Luck.
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
it's none of my business @hclaye25 but trying to duplicate any aspect of dhc's catches will be a challenge.
Unless you are in the boat with him his methods may be useless where you are.
I went yesterday and could have fished a swimbait three thousand miles and never caught a bass.
This time of year water clarity is huge in bait selection and bass location.
If you will describe for us your situations that you and your son are fishing you can get a lot more and better advice.
Bass are pretty vulnerable for the next three months- This is a fine time to be starting.
Good Luck.
We usually fish Lake Norman and Mountain Island lakes in the Charlotte area. The water is usually very clear. I was raised in WV. I fished a lot but it was mostly for catfish out of the Ohio River and trout stocked in streams. I did Bass fish a couple of farm ponds for bass but used live bait. Bass fishing is new to me and my son. We had a little luck last year but really don't know what we are doing. I figure any advice given could only help us. Thanks - Clay
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
It really depends on what body of water I’m on, water clarity, water temperature and the weather conditions. Yesterday it was sunny and was in a place with pretty good water clarity so most fish were caught on a small profile swimbait.
Thank you for the information. Greatly appreciated.
 

ncstatehunter

Twelve Pointer
We usually fish Lake Norman and Mountain Island lakes in the Charlotte area. The water is usually very clear. I was raised in WV. I fished a lot but it was mostly for catfish out of the Ohio River and trout stocked in streams. I did Bass fish a couple of farm ponds for bass but used live bait. Bass fishing is new to me and my son. We had a little luck last year but really don't know what we are doing. I figure any advice given could only help us. Thanks - Clay
Pearl white flukes, Ned rigs, soft plastic swim baits, shakes heads and square bill crank baits. 90% of what I fished when I lived there and still what I would now, especially this time of year. An a-rig as well. A Texas rigged ribbon tail worm in Spring and a wacky rigged trick worm or senko as well would be on the deck of my boat or in the kayak. But I’m far from a bass catching machine, don’t use a fish finder and an a shallow water guy mainly, whether that’s the bank or points that go out into deeper water or humps in the middle of deeper water.
 
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hclaye25

Four Pointer
Do you have a boat? If you do and you fish the Charlotte area lakes especially norman then we are on the verge of the most fun time of the year to fish that lake
I do. I have skiff that I mostly use at the coast. I just put on a new GPS trolling motor. We plan on going next weekend. I usually fish the lower portion of the lake and target docks (Blythe Landing Area). Any advice on lure and color selection for this time of year?
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
Pearl white flukes, Ned rigs, soft plastic swim baits, shakes heads and square bill crank baits. 90% of what I fished when I lived there and still what I would now, especially this time of year. An a-rig as well. A Texas rigged ribbon tail worm in Spring and a wacky rigged trick worm or senko as well would be on the deck of my boat or in the kayak. But I’m far from a bass catching machine, don’t use a fish finder and an a shallow water guy mainly, whether that’s the bank or points that go out into deeper water or humps in the middle of deeper water.
Thank you for the information. Greatly appreciated. Hopefully, I will be adding some pictures to this post in the near future.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
I do. I have skiff that I mostly use at the coast. I just put on a new GPS trolling motor. We plan on going next weekend. I usually fish the lower portion of the lake and target docks (Blythe Landing Area). Any advice on lure and color selection for this time of year?
If you are fishing close to ramsey(the hot hole) it is very close to spawning time. When I fished the lake a lot I would fish from ramsey into Davidson with a 4 inch green pumpkin yum dinger wacky rigged weightless on a small hook and 8lb test fleurocarbon line around shallow docks and some just going to the banks. You can focus on coves that are on the main lake and the inside of the main points. Spotted bass roam all over hut can bed pretty deep in that clear water. The largemouth will be roaming and spawning inside the coves. Also a light ned rig. There are times when you can use moving baits when it’s windy. But from mid February-early may you can do damage with the wacky rig and ned rig. Just have to slow down. 50-100 fish days are in your future if you figure out how to get bit on those 2 things. The close it gets to April the further up the lake towards 150 I would go as the water warms more up the lake.
 

hclaye25

Four Pointer
If you are fishing close to ramsey(the hot hole) it is very close to spawning time. When I fished the lake a lot I would fish from ramsey into Davidson with a 4 inch green pumpkin yum dinger wacky rigged weightless on a small hook and 8lb test fleurocarbon line around shallow docks and some just going to the banks. You can focus on coves that are on the main lake and the inside of the main points. Spotted bass roam all over hut can bed pretty deep in that clear water. The largemouth will be roaming and spawning inside the coves. Also a light ned rig. There are times when you can use moving baits when it’s windy. But from mid February-early may you can do damage with the wacky rig and ned rig. Just have to slow down. 50-100 fish days are in your future if you figure out how to get bit on those 2 things. The close it gets to April the further up the lake towards 150 I would go as the water warms more up the lake.
Thank you very much for the information. I greatly appreciate you providing some tips. I will keep you posted on how we do.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
We usually fish Lake Norman and Mountain Island lakes in the Charlotte area. The water is usually very clear. I was raised in WV. I fished a lot but it was mostly for catfish out of the Ohio River and trout stocked in streams. I did Bass fish a couple of farm ponds for bass but used live bait. Bass fishing is new to me and my son. We had a little luck last year but really don't know what we are doing. I figure any advice given could only help us. Thanks - Clay
Add this to the other suggestions. This guy even mentions norman directly in his video. Maybe not right now but when they move up just a little I guarantee your spots will eat this. I used over 200 (10 bags) of centipedes (and you can rig it from either end to extend the life of the bait) last year fishing this rig. It is so easy and effective that it's addicting. I use a bobber stop instead of a toothpick and I like a tungsten weight because it will hang less in rocks.


Good Luck.
Blaukat is an old tourney guy who specializes in the ozark lakes which fish alot like Norman.
 
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