PB largemouth this morning

[Burning Babies]

Well, fishing has gotten a lot tougher down here in the last few weeks. With booming shad populations in most of our lakes combined with intense fishing pressure, most guys are only catching a few bass a trip, with many coming up empty handed. I've really had to experiment to produce bites myself, but one of the few things that's been working for me with some consistency has been an early morning topwater bite. With that in mind, I hit my first spot this morning around 6:20, tossing an Excalibur Pop'n Image around an island in the Portage Lakes. I started at the extended northern point of the island and worked clockwise, mixing in a Booyah Bi-You buzz on occasion.

 

I got my first strike on the southern tip of the island about 10 minutes later; a sharp slap that sounded like maybe a 14 inch fish. I set the hook into some weight, but didn't really know what I had until it turned and headed straight up to the surface. Twenty inches of bass heaved it's huge gut a foot and a half out of the water, crashed down, and ripped drag. It came up again, did a beautiful side-walk, ripped more drag, and then sulked under the boat for a bit. I gradually teased it out and netted it.

 

 

My digital scale bounced back and forth between 4-15 and 5 lbs even. My previous PBs were two 4.5 lbers, weight on a quality spring scale, so this is easily my best. After a bit of a photo session, back she went. I'll probably get a fiberglass reproduction made of it when I have the cash.

 

Anyway, after that, I worked around the island again with a popper, followed by a few other options. I only had one missed strike to show for it, which was the last action I got all morning (about 4.5 hours total). Still, I can't complain. To give you and idea of the kind of pressure these lakes get, at one point, I was fishing the same point I got that bass off with three other boats. There were boats on almost every piece of offshore structure, all morning.

[Spiel]

Nice tank!

[Rich Clemens]

Congrats BB. Clearing you PB by 1/2 pound is a nice jump forward. 5 1/2 lb next time eh ?

[Fishing 24/7]

This is what i call a pure LMB!

 

congrats

[Whitespinnerbait]

Nice Bucket....

[evster]

Nice fish! Must have been fun.

[Kenny G]

That is a Hawg Dawg!

Good job.

Kenny G.

[crankbait]

That thing is huge, looks like it can swallow a softball.

[Burning Babies]

Thanks guys. I'm sitting on some of the best public bass water in the state, so hopefully I'll start to see a few more chunks as I get them patterned out a bit more.

[Leecher]

Beauty hawg BB

Congratulations

Leechman

[Greencoachdog]

That is a beauty Largie!!!

 

I think that's some kind of record for the state of Ohio?

[Rattletrap2]

Very Nice!

 

The colours look a little different than the ones I see around here. Nice contrast.

[blaque]

sweet fish......Id'a guessed the fish in your avatar had a little bit of an edge on this one though.?

[limeyangler]

Congrats on the PB!

 

Bassin on our lake here has been real tough so far too........

 

Great fish, great detailed report, thanks for sharing.

[splashhopper]

niiice feeesh mang

 

did you catch it on the top water lure? and which one?

[Burning Babies]

sweet fish......Id'a guessed the fish in your avatar had a little bit of an edge on this one though.?

 

Yup, the one in my avatar was an inch longer, and heavier built. However, I sampled that one working. It was the nicest bass I've seen in Ohio, and I get to see a lot of them.

 

niiice feeesh mang

 

did you catch it on the top water lure? and which one?

 

I got it on an Excalibur Pop'n Image in Shad pattern, with the rear bucktail treble replaced with a feathered one. The fish hit in 10' of water, on a long pause.