Kevin Van Dam Forums

twitch - 01 February 2012 12:23 AM

I have never fished in January, but I took the time and made myself go out today for an hour or so. Air temps in the high 50’s, rain, and 20mph winds. Wasnt expecting much but I was pleased to catch two…....and surprisingly they both hit fairly hard despite the cold cold water. I was a little shocked to see some gills up shallow (less then 6” of water). The water cant be over 42 degrees.

One over 14” and the other about 17” @ 2.5lbs.

Numero Uno

LOL!  Had to make yourself go huh?  I hate it when that happens.  Hopefully I should be getting my truck back today.  I can’t wait to get out there.  I haven’t been fishing since I’ve been home this time and it’s driving me crazy.  I’m still going to try jigs and suspended jerkbaits, and try to stay with it when I don’t get any hits right of.  I don’t know what the water temps are right now, but I’m hoping they’re starting to get in that pre-spawn mode and moving into their transition zones.

CincySid - 02 February 2012 09:16 AM

twitch - 02 February 2012 03:59 AM

Pax - 01 February 2012 11:50 PM

Good January bass Twitch…...my lakes are soft up here and I’m thinking hard about getting out myself…..And people say global warming is a bad thing…lol.

lol, I agree. Bad thing is, its going to suck big time if the temps fall later this month. Once I get to break these winter doldrums, its real hard to slip back into them.

Sell your boats twitch and be a bank fisherman, tougher to catch fish consistently from the bank but more rewarding IMHO.

I dont mind bank fishing. I just dont like its limitations.
I say you need to celebrate your retirement and buy a canoe…..........strap it to the roof of your car and explore some of Illinois lakes with your wife

DDaniel - 02 February 2012 12:27 PM

twitch - 01 February 2012 12:23 AM

I have never fished in January, but I took the time and made myself go out today for an hour or so. Air temps in the high 50’s, rain, and 20mph winds. Wasnt expecting much but I was pleased to catch two…....and surprisingly they both hit fairly hard despite the cold cold water. I was a little shocked to see some gills up shallow (less then 6” of water). The water cant be over 42 degrees.

One over 14” and the other about 17” @ 2.5lbs.

Numero Uno

LOL!  Had to make yourself go huh?  I hate it when that happens.  Hopefully I should be getting my truck back today.  I can’t wait to get out there.  I haven’t been fishing since I’ve been home this time and it’s driving me crazy.  I’m still going to try jigs and suspended jerkbaits, and try to stay with it when I don’t get any hits right of.  I don’t know what the water temps are right now, but I’m hoping they’re starting to get in that pre-spawn mode and moving into their transition zones.

How often do you fish Lay Lake DD?
I say by the end of this month it should be full pre-spawn mode unless a bad cold spell hits. I know G-ville has been dipping into the low low 50’s on some days. Fish should be staging….........and I bet some never left the grass since it was such a mild winter.

twitch - 05 February 2012 11:26 AM

DDaniel - 02 February 2012 12:27 PM

twitch - 01 February 2012 12:23 AM

I have never fished in January, but I took the time and made myself go out today for an hour or so. Air temps in the high 50’s, rain, and 20mph winds. Wasnt expecting much but I was pleased to catch two…....and surprisingly they both hit fairly hard despite the cold cold water. I was a little shocked to see some gills up shallow (less then 6” of water). The water cant be over 42 degrees.

One over 14” and the other about 17” @ 2.5lbs.

Numero Uno

LOL!  Had to make yourself go huh?  I hate it when that happens.  Hopefully I should be getting my truck back today.  I can’t wait to get out there.  I haven’t been fishing since I’ve been home this time and it’s driving me crazy.  I’m still going to try jigs and suspended jerkbaits, and try to stay with it when I don’t get any hits right of.  I don’t know what the water temps are right now, but I’m hoping they’re starting to get in that pre-spawn mode and moving into their transition zones.

How often do you fish Lay Lake DD?
I say by the end of this month it should be full pre-spawn mode unless a bad cold spell hits. I know G-ville has been dipping into the low low 50’s on some days. Fish should be staging….........and I bet some never left the grass since it was such a mild winter.

I’ve only fished it once but did really good.  There is a lot of grass on Lay Lake.  It’s kind of hard to force myself to go that far when I have some many other options much closer.  I really do need to fish it more.  It’s a great lake.  The weather has been a little rough this weekend and I just got my boat and truck back, so I’ll be heading out to Jordan tomorrow.  It’s driving me crazy since I haven’t been able to go fishing yet this time home.  I can’t wait to get out there and see what the water temp is and how the fish are reacting to it.

twitch - 05 February 2012 11:23 AM

CincySid - 02 February 2012 09:16 AM

twitch - 02 February 2012 03:59 AM

Pax - 01 February 2012 11:50 PM

Good January bass Twitch…...my lakes are soft up here and I’m thinking hard about getting out myself…..And people say global warming is a bad thing…lol.

lol, I agree. Bad thing is, its going to suck big time if the temps fall later this month. Once I get to break these winter doldrums, its real hard to slip back into them.

Sell your boats twitch and be a bank fisherman, tougher to catch fish consistently from the bank but more rewarding IMHO.

I dont mind bank fishing. I just dont like its limitations.
I say you need to celebrate your retirement and buy a canoe…..........strap it to the roof of your car and explore some of Illinois lakes with your wife

Not with my wife, maybe someone else’s. LOL i got no place to store a canoe and don’t want to rent storage. i agree the bank limits me but i got nothing else so i’m trying to make the best of it. believe me i am trying.

there are some techniques i would love to fish but i can’t really do it right from the bank, like drop shotting, i can’t really do it from the bank, the way it needs to be done. there is some cover i can’t really fish the right way, but i catch a few here and there and it gets frustrating but for the most part i’m happy just getting out and wetting a line.

I’ll rent a boat a couple of times and see how it goes.

Congrats on some nice catches twitch. Got me itching to get out and see how I could do…

CincySid - 05 February 2012 01:33 PM

twitch - 05 February 2012 11:23 AM

CincySid - 02 February 2012 09:16 AM

twitch - 02 February 2012 03:59 AM

Pax - 01 February 2012 11:50 PM

Good January bass Twitch…...my lakes are soft up here and I’m thinking hard about getting out myself…..And people say global warming is a bad thing…lol.

lol, I agree. Bad thing is, its going to suck big time if the temps fall later this month. Once I get to break these winter doldrums, its real hard to slip back into them.

Sell your boats twitch and be a bank fisherman, tougher to catch fish consistently from the bank but more rewarding IMHO.

I dont mind bank fishing. I just dont like its limitations.
I say you need to celebrate your retirement and buy a canoe…..........strap it to the roof of your car and explore some of Illinois lakes with your wife

Not with my wife, maybe someone else’s. LOL i got no place to store a canoe and don’t want to rent storage. i agree the bank limits me but i got nothing else so i’m trying to make the best of it. believe me i am trying.

there are some techniques i would love to fish but i can’t really do it right from the bank, like drop shotting, i can’t really do it from the bank, the way it needs to be done. there is some cover i can’t really fish the right way, but i catch a few here and there and it gets frustrating but for the most part i’m happy just getting out and wetting a line.

I’ll rent a boat a couple of times and see how it goes.

Cincy, you should look into one of these
http://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks.aspx?hullID=SE330

I got mine for 200.  They fit into duffel bag easy.  Inflate easyand fast.  Very stable and like riding on an air cushion.  They aren’t built for speed, but your in a kayak anyways.  I still use mine even though I got the jon boat.  Idon’t now how they got the lab to stay in one. LOL

CincySid - 05 February 2012 01:33 PM

twitch - 05 February 2012 11:23 AM

CincySid - 02 February 2012 09:16 AM

twitch - 02 February 2012 03:59 AM

Pax - 01 February 2012 11:50 PM

Good January bass Twitch…...my lakes are soft up here and I’m thinking hard about getting out myself…..And people say global warming is a bad thing…lol.

lol, I agree. Bad thing is, its going to suck big time if the temps fall later this month. Once I get to break these winter doldrums, its real hard to slip back into them.

Sell your boats twitch and be a bank fisherman, tougher to catch fish consistently from the bank but more rewarding IMHO.

I dont mind bank fishing. I just dont like its limitations.
I say you need to celebrate your retirement and buy a canoe…..........strap it to the roof of your car and explore some of Illinois lakes with your wife

Not with my wife, maybe someone else’s. LOL i got no place to store a canoe and don’t want to rent storage. i agree the bank limits me but i got nothing else so i’m trying to make the best of it. believe me i am trying.

there are some techniques i would love to fish but i can’t really do it right from the bank, like drop shotting, i can’t really do it from the bank, the way it needs to be done. there is some cover i can’t really fish the right way, but i catch a few here and there and it gets frustrating but for the most part i’m happy just getting out and wetting a line.

I’ll rent a boat a couple of times and see how it goes.

Renting boats can get real expensive really fast.  I’m not going to tell you how to spend your money but I will tell ya congrats on getting ready to retire.  Have you considered some of the plastic portable boats like the flat-bottoms and bass buggie boats?  There is an article: Small Boats For Bass Fishing in the Feb issue of bass master magazine.  A car battery, hand controlled trolling motor and a pickup truck bed or small trailer for a car is all you need in addition to the boat to get out on the water. 

EDIT: boats like these:

http://indiana.findanyboat.com/boats/8ft-plastic-bass-boat.html 

http://georgia.freeboatshopper.com/boats-parts/12-foot-plastic-jon-boat.html

http://massachusetts.freeshopperads.com/boats/bass-hunter-113-plastic-bass-boat-wtrailer.html

Believe me guys i have looked at all the little boats, pontoon and inflatables, kayaks, canoes etc….. and still looking.  if i was going to buy one it would be the bass buddy. i’m to old and fat and have inner ear and hearing problems. my balance is kaput. i would fail a sobreity test completely sober.

i’ll see what i can come up with after i retire and see how the money works out. problem is a lot of the ponds i fish don’t allow boats of any kind. Only 2 do and at one you have to rent, you can’t put yours in. I don’t have much desire to travel much to other lakes when 5 miles down the road i can fish.. if i travel to go fishing it’s for a trip for a week or more to someplace.

hate to get old guys, it’ll happen to you one day. An inflatable might be an option but i would like a solid bottom and it just looks like you are way low in the water, and i can’t stand up without falling over, not the boats fault, my fault for lack of balance. the biggest thing is going to be the money, i’m working on a few things we will see.

Funny, when i’m working i don’t have much time to fish and after i retire i’ll have plenty of time but not enough money to fish how i want. i’ll work something out but if i don’t it’s not all bad, i’ll still catch fish from the bank. just bear with me when i whine about bank fishing and getting skunked a lot. LOL,  Thanks for all your suggestions.

I would love to fish and I could but Michigan has a bass season so no deal….

combsdale - 07 February 2012 07:33 PM

I would love to fish and I could but Michigan has a bass season so no deal….

X2.  I am looking forward to the steelhead run.  Maybe this year I can actually land one.