Bass following hooked bass

[Granny]

This weekend I picked up a 16" or so largemouth bass on a Big Magic Stik. As I was reeling it in I noticed another fish, about the same size, swimming along side of the hooked fish. I have heard of smallies doing this but not largemouth. Anyone else have this happen?

Also on saturday I saw a school of small minnows or fish making splashes on top of the water. I tossed a spinnerbait into the middle of the school and a 20" largemouth drilled my bait. As I reeled it in there were small fish jumping all over. I couldn't tell what kind of fish they were but they were about 6" long. Would a school of smaller bass hang around a larger bass? Or was this large bass following this school of bait fish?

Thanks,

Granny

[Deitz Dittrich]

Yes I have seen largemouth do this as well, however, smallmouth do it more often.

I would guess what you saw were schooling sunfish. I myself have seen this quite a bit lately also... When you find a school of sunfish like that.. usually you have found a few nice largemouth as well... CONGRATS ON THE 20" fish!!!

[Granny]

Exude,

Of course I was alone so I had to take a picture of the fish with just my hand in the picture.

I kind of figured it was sun fish but I wasn't sure. It was right at a weed edge and as I reeled in the fish were jumping all the way back to the boat. I was concentrating on the fish so I didn't get a good look at the jumping fish.

Thanks,

Granny

[Superduty]

I've seen this happen with largemouth also. Was on a crankbait bite at the cabin in late summer last year and it happened 2 or 3 times in a half hour of fishing. My brother had it happen fishing docks this summer while prefishing for an upcoming tournament. Seems it can happen either deep or shallow. Never had the luxury of landing two at a time however. Was really hoping for a double while I had that school fired up with the crankbaits. Any of you guys ever catch two on the same bait? Either largemouth or smallmouth.

[bucketmouth64]

I've had a largemouth follow a hooked fish a few times on a crankbait bite. It has always happened while alone. I've heard that if you have a second person in the boat that they have a good chance in catching the follower if they get their bait in the water quickly. A couple of years ago my friend was bringing in a bass on a crankbait and he said it felt like a big heavy fish. When it was close to the boat he had 2 hooked on. Unfortunately, one came off when I was getting the net. That was pretty cool to see.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Superduty- I did it on Balsam lake a few years ago... heres the pict.. both were fairly nice fish too..

Rats pict didn't work.. I'll try and find a different site to host the pict...

[This message has been edited by Exudedude (edited 09-28-2004).]

[sami0115]

Exude:

where did you learn about lure making (mainly jigs)? i am very interested in learning about it. sounds like a great hobby for the winter.

andy

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sami-Technically I am really not making the jigs.. i order the parts and just put them togeather. I tied bucktail jigs for a lure company in college to help make a little beer money. So I already knew how to do that pretty well. As far as painting cranks and such like that, I learned a lot from a friend, and you can also get books from the library...

Thats where I suggest you start. Learn the knots for tieing flys.. then its up to your imagination to get started on your own.

[EBass]

Here's my theory on your 20" Granny as I had the same experience a few weeks ago on a Metro lake.

I saw all sorts of smaller minnows with big splashes all around in the dieing milfoil. I got right up in there and casted away. I got nothing. So I tied on a little fluke (match the hatch) and I get a hit and it's big, real big. It's pulling the drag is screaming, it goes to the surface and it's a nice bass, no wait, a nice pike, no wait, a walleye?? I get it closer and it's a stinking dogfish!!! Oh well, it was a fun fight. She was pushing the 6-7 pound mark.

I leave and go back later on and fish are still jumping all over. Some big splashes and some smaller ones. I toss out ye ol scum frog and my second cast I have a huge blow up. And this time it's a bass for sure and a biggun. She measured 20". Nothing the rest of the time.

Now I know that big fish like big easy meals, so they (big fish) aren't eating the tiny minnows, they are eating the small crappies eating the small minnows. (In theory any ways)

I also heard that big bass are loners. Meaning the bigger they are the less likely they are to school. However, there's always the exception. Gotta love fishing, it's different each and everytime.

On 4th of July I caught a 21" fat bass. And sticking out of it's throat was a wee little pike. I do have a pic of that. I need to scan it and post it. That's my biggest this year. Weird that it ate a pike huh? Which is good because that lake has a ton of them little pike.

[Dan Wood]

I've seen the same thing, altough not too many times with LM. Last year we picked up 4 really nice fish in one small area (maybe a 20 yard diameter area) - we had one come up along side a hooked fish. That is the last time I've seen it - they were clearly schooling together.

[Granny]

Exude,

Cool picture!

[Superduty]

Nice fish Exude! Balsam can be tough in the early season(prespawn). Cold water and lots of fishing pressure. Based on your lure and the early Wisconsin opener I assume that was when you got the double. Looks like you dug pretty deep into the archives for that photo!

[Never Enough Time to Fish]

This past Saturday, my fishing partner caught 2 largemouth bass at the same time while casting a popper type lure. Small east metro area lake. One went 18 1/2" and the other was 14 or 15". I took a couple of pictures. Have to wait and see how they turned out and if you can see both fish with the lure in their mouths. Pretty cool to say the least!

Never Enough..................

[Granny]

Exude,

If you want send me the picture (LSW2002 at AOL dot COM) and I will put it up for ya. I would like to see some of these pictures.

Ebass,

Besides a couple pike that was the only bass I caught in that area. I still can't break the 20" mark this year. Oh well, many days of good fishing yet!

Granny

[Deitz Dittrich]

Well, its in the Green Champ.. so at least 3 springs ago.. and yes it was in the spring... So I dug a little deep.. LOL

[sami0115]

seeing those shorts brings back memories of the 80's.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Dude.. that hurts... LOL.... I am a child of the 80's... cant help it.. LMAO

[Never Enough Time to Fish]

Finally got the boat camera film used up and devloped. Here is the photo of 2 bass caught at the same time on one lure that I mentioned earlier in this thread. First attempt at posting a pic, so hope this works.

Never Enough.........

[This message has been edited by Never Enough Time to Fish (edited 10-15-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Never Enough Time to Fish (edited 10-15-2004).]