Who's been fishing this year. With the warmer temps has any one went bass fishing? I'm thinking about getting me some of those banjo minnows to try this year. I'm tired of the little 1-1.5 lb bass. Anyone ever tried them?

 

I haven't tried bass fishing yet but I have been wearing out the crappies and catfish down on highrock... caught a big blue cat last weekend that wieghed almost 25 lbs!!

 

My dad and brother are going tomorrow, to lake Reese in Asheboro for crappie. I've been back in town but just got back to working on my truck today, and thats a must fore' I can wet a hook. Hopefully next week sometime, maybe I can run out to Highrock too Mako.
dm04, with the dogwoods finally blooming the crappie are moving up on the banks to spawn, which mean the bass are in pre-spawn for the next 3-4 weeks or so, feeding like crazy for their turn.
As for the banjo minnow I've never used them, I stick with the basics, cranks, spinners, and the ever faithful plastic worms and jigs. Don't know what part of the state you're in, but here in the piedmont bass fishing will be good from now thru the end of may then it'll get back to normal..but I love that too!
You want bigger bass?...use bigger bait! What you catch right now will mainly be schoolers, but if you do some huntin for the right structure and cover you can find the more solitary bigger bass. But the 1-2 pounders are the best eatin'!

 

if you want big bass,,,,,, find a submerged grass bed in any lake in about june and buzzbait the **** out of it after dark! I've caught several bass over 8 lbs on badin doing this up by the train tressle at the old whitney landing. plus it's always fun to hear that big mouth just explode on a topwater bait that you can't see!

 

Know where the idea for the buzzbait came from....ever seen a baby duck running across the top of the water?

 

I'm from burlington, My closest lake is mackintosh. I dont have a boat so i stay off the lake. We went last sunday with some minnows and caught a few. I'm going to try to go today or sometime this weekend.

 

I bankfish Tuckertown a lot, and some areas on Highrock. No boat either tho my dad has a 17 ft basstracker, plus a 12 ft jonboat I gave him a few yrs ago. I borrow it back once inawhile. Like when i ever get my ole ranger sorted out.

 

Be hittin lake Reese myself tomorrow mornin'! Finally get to wet a hook! Poor ole truck will just have to wait. Daddy will want to crappie fish..but I still hear some pre spawn bass callin my name..

 

We're hitting Oak Island this weekend and gonna need to hit the Cape soon too. May make a run to Fort Fisher. I'm back to almost surf fishing only, just found it too hard to sling any thing under 4oz with my 12' casting rod...

 

Heh,...I don't have that problem here. My biggest problem when fishing with my dad is choosin a rod if I don't happen to have mine..he carries about 15 or more of every type..armed to the teeth. This for mostly bass and crappie fishin'
My longest rod is only 7'. an old (now) Berkly. But it and a 6 and 1/2 ft rhino rod have caught me a lot of nice bass over the years.

 

I went saturday to a pond I knew had fish in it. Took me 2 dozen bass minnows. I caught about a dozen 1-1.5lb bass, 2 2-2.5lbers, and a couple brim. I was fishing 2 rods, one with a mepps and the other with a minnow. At one time I had a brim on one and a bass on the other. I believe it is overstocked because all the bass are on the little side.

 

Thats possible, tho it's usually the bream that wind up over populating. It depends on the size of the pond too, and it's age. If a young pond then the fish just haven't had time to grow yet. An old pond then I would agree with ya, just overstocked.
I fished a pond years ago that was in a back pasture on the persons property. Hadn't been fished in years...pulled crappie out up to 3 lbs. and bass over 6

 

well, left my truck alone and went fishing back on tuesday...no good tho. Went to HighPoint City Lake..the old one, hooked one bass and lost him. Dad caught a couple of hand size crappie and bluegill...all in all..well it's never wasted time on a lake!!

 

Gonna try and go to Reese again tomorrow. My brother and dad went to it's sister lake, Lucas, Sat. and were catching them in laydowns in about 9 ft. of water. Hoping that works tomorrow too, don't want to spend half my time huntin them! I'll have the cam with me if anything intresting is caught.

 

I gotta get back out there but its been to dang hot. There are no shade trees around the pond i go to.