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| It all started in January... |
As the warmer weather has finally arrived, the ice is melting and my recovery from back surgery is coming around. But before I get full bore into the spring crappie, bluegill and bass opps here along the Mason Dixon, let's look at the best of the beasts and bass from last years trips. Here we go...
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| Bass on ice...that's nice! |
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| Personal best hardwater largemouth at 22 inches. |
During January and February of 2014, I managed to ice 38 largemouths from local small lakes, including five fish over 20 inches and a personal best 'ice bass' of 22 inches on a 10 degree day. These fish hit 1/10 oz Kastmaster spoons tipped with waxies or maggots. Great fun on 2 and 4 pound test!
Then, it was on to ice out bass with rattle baits...
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| Quarter ounce rattle baits rule! |
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| A couple days after ice out...this happened... |
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| ...and then this... |
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| ...and later, this. Plus sized gal hit just before a snow squall. |
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| Another windy day winner! |
I took a break from the small lake gig and trolled for stripers at another lake with my friend Brandon, No stripers that day, but he put me on this...personal best public water largemouth...
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| Monster 24-inch bass on a live shiner...Wow! |
After all that excitement, we settled down for some more pond action throughout the season...
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| Matt with a near 20-incher. |
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| Judson with his personal best fly-caught bass at 19.5 inches. |
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| Catchin' 'em on your own flies is always cool! |
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| Linda still has it! Nice worm bass at 19 inches. |
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| No problem getting the bait down the hatch! |
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| Luke with a lean one on a frog! |
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| Public lake piggie over five. |
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| Matt scores again...on a live bluegill. |
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| Got lucky with this one on 2-pound test. |
Whew! What a year! we totaled 646 largemouths and smallmouths with about 250 of those fish exceeding the 18 inch, or 3-pound mark. Here's our best smallie efforts...
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| Judson works in a nice creek bass. |
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| Nice!!! |
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| Another stream warrior. |
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| Our bigger stream bass went nearly 3 pounds. |
And, a few more highlights from the year...
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| Funny man Billy Decoteau with a fine Shenango Lake smallmouth. |
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| Billy again with a big white bass. |
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| Dan Dannenmueller with a hybrid striper. |
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| Bro-in-law Paul with a dandy largemouth. |
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| Matt's 32 inch channel cat. We removed the hook and sent her back! |
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| A September 22-incher at twilight. | | | |
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I don't know that I could have been any more blessed in fishing than I was in 2014...seems like everybody in our gang got onto some bigguns'. But what made it really special was fishing with family and friends all year. As 2015 gets revved up, I'll be recovering from back surgery and Linda will face knee replacement surgery. So, I might not get into the fishing this year that I'd like. But one thing for sure...God will bless us through any trial or tribulation that we have, whether physical, emotional or spiritual. He is with us always, and our comforter and support.I really like what it says in Psalm 28: 6-7...
'Praise to the Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy,
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to Him in Song.'
Thank yo Lord! Looking forward to it all in 2015!
