The rare snow bass

[Big Mike]

I was bored, the sun is out and I think it was above 40 degrees so I decided to walk around my community lake and cast a few. Had no expectations of catching anything with the cold front yesterday and drop in water temp. Was very surprised to get 2 on a tube bait. Spawning is in the air if they’re biting today.



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[Yak67]

Man you can add ice fishing to your check list LOL Who knew about the elusive snow Bass???

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2016 Hobie Outback LE#217

[ronaultmtd]

Community Ponds are great ways to maintain sanity when a severe case of cabin fever strikes...congrats on catching a March fish...nasty weather month...

[Mark]

Nice catches Mike.

I like the term, snow bass.

Let's hope yesterday was winter's last gasp.

I have no community pond, so I'm heading across the bridge next Tuesday for Smithville. Looking forward to a few post-snow bass, picks, bluegills or crappies.

[bignose]

I bet that fish was so cold, that touch of a human hand releasing it felt good. Certainly warmer than the water!

[mike o]

I also got a snow bass Friday though there is no snow in the picture. I fished loch raven with my gulp her I shad I got on clearance. I thought I might get a pike or pickerel but got this strange looking large mouth20180323_170737.jpg

[Big Mike]

Nice bass and that is a strange molted pattern. Warming trend later this week should really turn them on.

[ronaultmtd]

Warming trend? Not your average first week of April temps forecast on the weather channel...more of the same March weather-gusty, breezy...cold nights below freezing with mid 40’s low 50’s daytime temps...until the surface water temps in the Bay get above 45 degrees, I think fishing will be less than exciting...hopefully we will see the end of winter weather soon...

[Big Mike]

The freshwater lakes and ponds temperatures move “quicker” than the bay and a few days in the 50’s can have a wonderful affect on the fish. Heating up the bay will take a lot longer.

[ronaultmtd]

Absolutely...and the shallows and flats in the Bay and rivers heats up much faster than the deeper channels...I usually try my luck in the Bay to see what is going on before now...but daily small craft advisories dampen my enthusium to do 35 mile, one-way drives to my usual spots...looking at the long-range weather forecast (usually wrong) past the 8th of April, gives me some hope...we could always load up our kayaks and head down south for some Rudee/Lynnhaven Inlet action, but it is a long (4 hour) drive one-way for me...figure if I am going to take a road trip of 4 plus hours, might as well head down 95 to SC beaches and inlets...

[Mark]

mike o,

I know largemouth can change appearance depending on their surroundings due to light receptors in their eyes. But usually that change results in a dark or light coloring of the entire fish. Your catch looks somewhat confused!

Thanks for sharing.

[bignose]

I have seen many early season, cold water bass with brighter patterns and some splotching.
I caught the same fish several times last year with very distinctive markings, as the season went on the contrast between dark and light spots decreased.

[Memory Lapse]

The first rule of snow bass is you don't talk about snow bass...

[Big Mike]

That made me laugh. Good start to the day