Day after Christmas 2023 biting bass

 

The day after Christmas, most folks are still recovering from sugar comas and fruitcake hangovers. Me? I decided to trade in the tryptophan for adrenaline and chase some green ghosts in the lake. Now, I'm no ice-fisherman, but the sun was surprisingly high, the thermometer inched its way up to a balmy (well, for December) 45 degrees, and the itch to try and catch a few green fellers was too strong to resist.

I started out with an underspin with a nice Strike King Rage Swimmer 3 inch swimbait in the three inch flavor. I would consider this a fairly big lure when you consider the size of the underspin and the swimbait together. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Dude, there is no way they are biting that lure." But hey, desperate times (and freezing fingers) call for desperate measures. And guess what? It worked! One of the bass slurped up the bait near the bottom and closer to the bank. I feel like the bass was following it from the deep and decided to slurp. I had a very slow retrieve on this one. i hoisted him to the bank – a beauty, his scales shimmering like Christmas ornaments. I got a really good picture that you can see above.

The second underspin catch I was mimicking a dying fish or dying shad. I was popping the underspin up off the bottom and letting it float back down. The nice bass hit the bait of the float back to the bottom. Again, I have to believe that this bass was also deeper and came closer to the bank to eat.

My final bass catch of the day came when I casted out an H20 Academy jerkbait. I casted into a well known spot...definitely a high percentage of fish I have caught in that area (near a drain). Very slow retrieval, basically deadsticking...Nothing. Then, BAM! A tug that jolted me back to reality. I set the hook, and brought the greenie weenie to the shore. He was chunky largemouth, glistening in the winter sun. Score one for the crazy Christmas fisherman!

As I released the magnificent bass back into the water, I couldn't help but laugh. Who needs Christmas cookies when you can catch fish like these? The post-Christmas chill may have nipped at my fingers, but the bass-catching thrill warmed me from the inside out. I always have a sense of greatfulness when I catch and release these beautiful creatures. Have a great rest of the Holiday Season! I definitely am!