Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

Bass Fishing => Bass Fishing Tips, Techniques & General Discussion => Topic started by: djkimmel on November 09, 2016, 09:01:58 PM

Title: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: djkimmel on November 09, 2016, 09:01:58 PM
Frankly, after having a pretty great spring and a good first half of the summer I've been struggling more often than not to catch bass good especially this fall. I've been to St. Clair several times and not got on them good since that last time I went out with Scott Dobson.

I've seen some reports and pictures from people who are slaying them but they seem to be in the minority overall so I wondered who among us is slaying them somewhere, and who has been struggling like I've been struggling the past few weeks??
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: robhj on November 10, 2016, 10:53:38 AM
I definitely have not been slaying them lately, but this has been my best season ever in terms of quality fish, both smallmouth & largies. I did have several days this year when I really got on both quantity & quality, but so far this fall, although I've gotten quality, I have yet to really catch a lot in a single outing. Usually but this time of year I've had several days when I've caught 15 or more fish that have really been grouped up, but I think the water temps have been warmer than usual based on past years, but I don't keep records so I can't say for certain. I've fished several lakes over the last few weeks in W. MI, NE MI, & Traverse area and water temps have been 50-54 degrees. I'm planning on keeping my boat ready at least until December to hopefully get out a few more times locally.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: Cy on November 11, 2016, 12:29:25 PM
Fall fishing has pretty much sucked around here...or I guess I should spotty at best!  A decent day followed by 2 weeks of nothing!  I can only guess it's the warm weather?
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: TheFishinPollock on November 11, 2016, 05:02:56 PM
I gave up and went hunting a week ago
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: dartag on November 12, 2016, 06:07:54 AM
Mist be bad all over.  Got to Florida Wednesday morning.  Went to my favorite pond that evening and caught a couple nice fish and saw some cruiser's.  Cold front came through that night and only caught 1 little fish in 2 days.  All the cruiser's are gone.  Even the blue gills.  Did find a Great Horned Owl sitting on a nest.  Hopefully I will get a photo todY.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: djkimmel on November 12, 2016, 06:04:46 PM
Well, that's cool for my MichiganBirder.com side but not so cool for bass fishing. I guess I'm not alone. I did see a couple different boats hammered them on St. Clair the past few days but neither of them were me and I don't know where they were - just that they were not where I went!
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: 21XDC on November 12, 2016, 08:49:08 PM
I fished Erie today and struggled... Saved the day with some Largemouth... Still not great.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: detroit1 on November 12, 2016, 09:14:55 PM
I got skunked for the first time this year on Orchard last sunday. Seeking revenge tomorrow.....
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: t-bone on November 13, 2016, 05:20:04 PM
Slow weekend - only a couple fish each time out and nothing big.
The fish are telling me to keep the boat in the garage!
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: Jay-MadWags on November 13, 2016, 07:10:49 PM
Tim and I had a great day on the Detroit River today. 15 LM bass. Best 5 went almost 19 pounds. Caught 15 walleye but only 4 measured.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: Firefighter Jeff on November 16, 2016, 09:55:35 PM
  Neck is a little sore but great pictures !!!  ;D       Nice bass.  Can I ask what you caught them on???  What a great fall for weather huh ??
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: Jay-MadWags on November 17, 2016, 06:39:54 AM
Sorry about the orientation of the pictures I just sent them from my iPhone. We caught the bass on spinnerbaits and T-rigged craws. The walleye were caught jigging in 35 fow.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: dartag on November 17, 2016, 03:39:16 PM
Tough day on Union today.  Caught 1  3.5 pound LM in 5 hours.    Also caught 2 nice Walleye.   I invited them to dinner and they accepted.   It has been at least 15 years since I have eaten a fish out of my lake.

After my adventure to the Hot Ponds yesterday and mediocre fishing It may be time to get the Shrink Wrap out.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: djkimmel on November 21, 2016, 04:30:58 PM
We didn't catch a lot on Loon Lake on Friday but the bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, were all really nice ones! So where the @#$%#@ pike!! One bite off and 4 fat ole gators! We put Loon on the must-return-again list of lakes. Saw several really big smallies after landing 2 that were pushing 4 pounds each, and another almost 3 pounds!
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: thedude on November 22, 2016, 10:34:54 AM
blade bait finally turned the last week for me. Was out thursday and did very well on LM with a couple smallies. Sunday in the cold and wind Cy and i had an awesome day, boating numerous 3 and 4+ LM. we ended our tournament season with 22.5lbs and 5.5 kicker.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: Jay-MadWags on November 22, 2016, 07:10:42 PM
Nice fish Dude!  What lake did you catch them on?
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: robhj on November 22, 2016, 07:51:06 PM
Great way to end the season. Awesome bag & well earned getting some fish on Sunday. The weather was brutal but looks like the fish were snapping.
Title: Re: Okay, who's catching fish good and who is struggling??
Post by: 6 lb Smallmouth on November 24, 2016, 07:55:26 PM
Awesome fish Dude!

I have been terrible on Lake Michigan in NW Indiana the last 4 times I have been out.  1 14er" in 4 trips (I don't count the stray salmon I caught).  On one of the days I was out a tournament was also going on and they struggled as well so that at least made me feel a little better.  I went to a cooling lake a couple weeks back and outfished the 26-27 hours I spent on Lake Michigan in the first 30 minutes.  I had a really good summer here but I have not figured out these fish this fall.  Granted, the last time I was out the temps were 56-58 so I don't think they were really turned out yet. 

Going to be around 50 here Saturday so I will give it a shot again.  Got my blade baits ready to go.