I always considered the Basin as the area between the flood control levees, hence, the Basin. From Morgan City all the way north of Henderson.

Next time, cut two pieces of mono off line about 30 inches long, and tie a simple overhand knot in one for the girth. Lay the unknotted line along the length and cut it off...from tail to closed mouth. Take the line with the single knot and measure around the bass at the widest area...and cut off excess. Wrap those two lines and put in tackle box or pocket till you get home. Use a tape measure to lay line along to get a good reading.

http://legacy.myfwc.com/fish/

Put the length in the box and click on the purple box, and it will convert to M.M. Put the girth in box and click on the purple box and it will convert to M.M. There are 3 formulas used . Look at the last one, by biologist Hal Schramm...I have found to be the most accurate. My son caught one on Toledo Bend in 3-05-16, and I caught one also. We weighted them at Fin and Feather Resort. Any weighed over 10 lbs, and you get a free replica. My son's weighed 11.1 lbs...was 25.0 inches long and 18.5 inches in girth. My weighted 11.40 lbs.ad was 23.5 inches long and 20.0 inches in girth. My son's bass was empty, and had already dropped he eggs, probably should have pushed 13 lbs or better, being 25 inches long...but did not have the girth.
Anyway..a fisherman can always get a measurement just by using their line.

Great bass there man! I have seen them that size on Toledo Bend, and even caught 10 lbers around here, but nothing approaching 13 lbs....like that big bass. Super rare, and a special bass.

We have been using black worms, dark senkos, and chatterbaits.

There are nice bass around these marshes also. I won the Media Bass tournament out of Morgan City last week with a 5 bass stringer that weighed 17.39 lbs...biggest was 5 lbs. The Lunker bass caught, was 7.25 lbs. This will be the 5th year since Hurricane Isaac, and we have had zero storms...hopefully we can get by this year also without one. The bass are really growing now. Many 7 and 8 lb. bass weighed in this year around here, and a 9.2 from the Basin.

Living the Dream Guide Service. Fun for the whole family. Call Jerry Thompson 318-256-8991
I have heard from folks I know who have hired these folks to catch crappie, they caught their limit, and had a blast. May want to call and check them out for a trip.

Where are you staying. If you are staying at mid-lake near the bridge that crosses the lake...you can try this. The big bass in last week's BASS event, almost 10 lbs...came out of the cove right above the bridge on a spinnerbait. In the early morning right near daylight...try and find some grass sticking out of the water...the locals call it hay grass....in 1 to 3 feet of water. The shad have begun spawning, so you will see many small shad in schools .....shallow...until the sun comes up. Around 8 or so, they move out to deeper water until late afternoon to the next morning. Throw a topwater popper like a PopR...or a minnow lure like a Rouge. When the action slows...look for a little deeper water...7 to 15 feet....places that transition from shallow to deep fairly quick. Use a jig with craworm trailer, or a june bug color worm...3/8 sinker and 5/0 hook. Fish it slow. You can also fish boat houses and piers with a spinnerbait, and seawalls. There are some bass making beds now, some that have already spawned and hanging around structure and deeper transition areas like above....as well as bass coming in from deep water to stage and spawn. These bass will also stop and stage for a while in areas that change from deep to shallow. Good Luck.

Last January my wife had her knee replaced and that put the crimp on my spring fishing time. This Feb....she had her other knee replaced, and I knew I was going to be taking care of her. I did get my daughter to watch here the first week of March, and the boys and I went to the Bend for a couple days. We got there just in time for a huge front...and +30 mph winds. Did not fish the main lake, and stayed in coves. We caught 15-20 a day....so we did not do bad, and had 5 -6 bass between 5 and 7 lbs. Most folks we talked to out there were only catching 2-3 bass after that front. I had my chance at one over her around Lake Salvador....looked to be 8-9 lber...but she threw the lure on her last jump....right near the boat. With no storms for the last 4 years...we are finally growing a few nice ones again!

Well, when nobody answers...I reckon that means it was kept.

Very nice bass....wonder if he turned her loose....

I already submitted my 'feedback' at the meeting in Houma that the State CPRA held there recently....in a public, recorded message. The CPRA...did not like it either.
I pointed out that 80% of our coastal marshes are privately owned...most by oil companies who own millions of acres. These deep pocketed corporations are closing off many of the waterways that South Louisianians have used....even before oil companies arrived here. The real problem started in 1987, and the ruling by the US Supreme Court...on Phillips Petroleum vs the State of Mississippi. Phillips bought some land along a river in that state....and the river flowed into the Gulf. This oil company took over the river...believing they owned the river bottom, and any oil and gas under it. They applied for a permit for drilling, and the state told them, they owned the river bottom, always have. The Court ruled in favor of the State. This set these oil companies off like nothing else. In this corrupted state....they started with their cronies in our Legislature. They changed our water access laws in 1990....and few sportsmen realized this...because it as done without any fanfare. We are the only state who does not recognize the Public Trust Doctrine of the US Constitution....which says...No matter who buys, sells, and owns the costal areas affected by the ebb and flow of the tides, ( coastal waterways), the water is always held in Public Trust. The Public has the right to use the waterways. They placed many definitions in these laws, and a deal where a person had to go to a map of 1812....which were highly inaccurate and incomplete....to see if you could use a waterway. Many other silly deals were added also.
The 120 projects of the State CPRA Master Plan...are on....private marshland...much that has eroded or sunk and is no longer there. State law says once this happens, the area is now...State water bottom owned by the state. The sweetheart deal worked out by the State CPRA....IS THIS. They will use between 50 and 100 Billion dollars of PUBLIC funds, and restore these areas...then give them back to the former owner...for all to be posted and the public kept out of the waterways. I told CPRA...they had to be kidding. They will use a massive amount of PUBLIC funds....only to give these restored, private areas back to be posted again...with no access guarantee to the public. They said they had to work out these agreements to 'save the marsh'. Looks like the only deal that will stop the entire misuse of massive amounts of public funds on this deal....are lawsuits.

My sons Eric and Adam and SIL Shawn, made our annual trek to the Bend this past week, and as usual, had a ball. A wicked cold front hit us right after we arrived, and winds were 15-20 mph, gusting to 25-30 mph...so fishing the main lake like last year was a scratch. We caught several last year between 11 and 12 lbs, and a 9 lber....but fishing in the coves...we did not find any of those big gals. We caught 5 bass between 5 and 6 lbs, and averaged 15-20 bass a day. The average size was impressive, all going between 3 to 4.5 lbs. My sons ErIc and Adam each lost a hawg fishing in heavy timber, when they both got wrapped around trees, and broke off 20 lb. flouro line. Adam lost one right before dark Thursday, that looked to be around 9 lbs. After fighting it for a good while and she got wrapped on a stick up, she came loose and shot towards the bow of their boat. We were right next to him and had a birdseye view. The big gal jumped and cleared the water near his troll motor, and when she came down and hit the water, the hook came out. He was not too happy.

I catch most of my lunker bass...in the winter, and not during the spawn. Dec. and Jan. are my best months...always.

I know this is an older post...but is the 'landowner' suggesting the natural bayous and passes on the yellow shaded 'land' is also...private?????

I went up to Gramercy yesterday to help folks sandbag their homes and try to keep dry. Throwing those deals around ...is when you realize you are no longer in the shape you thought you were. Going to try some Demo skills tomorrow further north. Buying some Bengay first...

You know that pic is old... those are all old luggars....probably 2 cylinder jobs. There was also shrimp drying, wooden decks behind the store.

Great catch, and great story. Congrats to the wife! I am glad she returned it , perhaps some kids will catch her and make great memories. You can always eat the smaller ones, but those big gals are rare, and special!

Hurricanes come and go...but it does not change the fact.... that we place a lot of taxes and fees into that program... and we should at least get a few fish...end of story.

Great looking catch! Glad you are back to fishing!

Very nice deer! I used to hunt coming up... but when I went into a plant, and then worked my way up to running it...I had little time. Fishing was something where I could hook up the boat and zoom out there on short notice and get back... with a launch a few minutes either direction from my house. The kids who start out hunting and fishing...very seldom get into trouble. Both my sons go saltwater and freshwater fishing with me all the time. Perhaps they will keep dad in mind when he cannot get around too good.