Laid up bass

[seadogg]

Went out the past couple mornings. Found big schools of big fish laid up in a cove. I'm talking over 40 pounds. They reminded me of tarpon just sitting there on the surface. As I was drifting along I was spooking fish they were so numerous. Tried topwater and had a few follows. Tried subsurface and couldn't even get a look. Managed to land a few smaller fish to 20lbs but the big girls were smarter, following right to the boat. I thought my heart was gonna give out. Anybody ever see this type of thing before?

[ProfessorM]

Yesterday, but not 40 lbers mostly high 20 and some bigger mixed in just floating along with the tide. My anchor line must have spooked dozens as they floated by. Scared me a few times too. As soon as the sun got up bite died but they were still there. Try at 4 in the morning before it gets too light but sometimes you just have to watch them and that isn't so bad either.
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[capecodkid]

Try ripping a Stick Shad as fast as you can and stopping it dead in its tracks, worked for me when they act like that.

[bart]

Was just having a conversation about this with a lower bay sharpie who now fishes out of a boat. He encountered the same scenario - all big bass finning on the surface, easily spooked during the day. He went back at night with eels and smoked them

[Rockport24]

yeah I was gonna say - go back at night. We have a super sharpie here on the site who slays monstahs in skinny water at night....

[Cohenfishin]

Originally Posted by capecodkid

Try ripping a Stick Shad as fast as you can and stopping it dead in its tracks, worked for me when they act like that.

Did the same thing one morning on the back side of the Elizabeth's last year
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[piemma]

I found some big girls this morning early. Everyone wants pictures so here's one. Not killed either she swam away happy as a clam.

[iamskippy]

Boat fish dont count 😀
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[bassballer]

Nice fish paul
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[Raven]

that's a chunka...

[Rmarsh]

Originally Posted by seadogg

Went out the past couple mornings. Found big schools of big fish laid up in a cove. I'm talking over 40 pounds. They reminded me of tarpon just sitting there on the surface. As I was drifting along I was spooking fish they were so numerous. Tried topwater and had a few follows. Tried subsurface and couldn't even get a look. Managed to land a few smaller fish to 20lbs but the big girls were smarter, following right to the boat. I thought my heart was gonna give out. Anybody ever see this type of thing before?

Casey: I was kayak fishing buzzards bay a few years ago and experienced something a lot like that.
Found myself in the middle of an acre of large stripers, so many that they where bumping into my kayak as I was throwing eels at them, bouncing it off their heads...no takes. They moved east towards the canal and were gone...at least I thought they were.

A little while later I hooked my largest striper ever, problem was I was using light tackle and couldn't subdue the brute. After about 30 minutes it was a standoff.
While holding the rod with one hand, I hand paddled the kayak closer to shore, and in ten feet of water I could see it.

Got the fish into the wash near shore, exited the kayak and pulled her in, but she spit the hook and was loose in the shallows. I ran to where she was and jumped on her but she literally slipped through my hands and swam away.
Still haunts me.

[Rockport24]

wow, that's a cool story - especially the jumping on the fish part!

[Rmarsh]

I know I've posted that story
before...but I relive that incident a lot. Despondent for awhile after it happened.
My apologies if you've read it before.
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[The Iceman 6]

That is a great story and can see why it would haunt you.

[Rmarsh]

My hands never got to the fishes mouth where I could get a grip. Tried to just get a grip on the body.....but the slime helped her
wrestle free then out run (swim)
me.

I hope to get a shot at a fish that large again.

Ugh
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[piemma]

Originally Posted by bassballer

Nice fish paul
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BB, it was lights out this morning right where I saw you last week. Awesome fishing at last. Let's see if it holds.

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by piemma

BB, it was lights out this morning right where I saw you last week. Awesome fishing at last. Let's see if it holds.

what time tomorrow?

[piemma]

Originally Posted by iamskippy

what time tomorrow?

I thought boat fish don't count

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Rmarsh

Casey: she literally slipped through my hands and swam away.
Still haunts me.

do you carry a gaff now?

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by piemma

I thought boat fish don't count

Only if i am on board!

[flyvice11787]

Fly rod .
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[PNG]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

Yesterday, but not 40 lbers mostly high 20 and some bigger mixed in just floating along with the tide. My anchor line must have spooked dozens as they floated by. Scared me a few times too. As soon as the sun got up bite died but they were still there. Try at 4 in the morning before it gets too light but sometimes you just have to watch them and that isn't so bad either.
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[ProfessorM]

LOL. Chris the Howdy is the only lure I have gotten a few on so far this year in that color. I lost a white one Monday. Good thing I make a lot of them. Lost a good fish on another white one yesterday. Did get a few to the boat, but they mostly mocked me all morning, still fun though.

[PNG]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

LOL. Chris the Howdy is the only lure I have gotten a few on so far this year in that color. I lost a white one Monday. Good thing I make a lot of them. Lost a good fish on another white one yesterday. Did get a few to the boat, but they mostly mocked me all morning, still fun though.

and found a few hundred yards east of the light