I'm calling this my personal best fish ever. even though I've had a couple smallies that I think were a bit longer. This was the kind of fight that keeps us going back for more. The kind that you catch yourself daydreaming about over and over for years to come. I actually didn't even measure this one, she put up such a fight I could tell I just needed to get her back in the water as quickly as possible. I've had little use for my tape measure lately so I knew it was buried somewhere in the bottom of my tackle bag. I preferred to get her back in the water quickly to fight another day.
I was knee deep in the water fishing a deeper pool, with my back to a riffle. I was more expecting to catch a suag or a drum. I tied on a crazy bright green Hot N Tot that I've had some luck with saugs recently. I was casting way out into the still water, reeling it in rather fast as the water starts to speed up before it goes into a riffle. She hit it like a freight train, stayed deep for awhile burning up my drag. At first I thought it was another big drum, then she breached ... a high flying flip in the air I knew it was an awesome smallmouth. She pulled my drag so much I thought I must have set it way too loose. She pulled and pulled, one last jump wore her out and I was able to reel her into the shallow water. I could tell she was exhausted, she barely moved as I removed the treble from her mouth, one quick picture and I help her in the shallow water then she slowly swam away. I checked my drag after releasing her - it wasn't loose at all. she was just solid muscle and had her way with it for a couple minutes until she tuckered out.
I'm guessing she was about 18 inches, she was fat and very healthy. I've caught a couple 19's in the past but this the most enjoyable fight I've ever had with a fish.
I'm calling this my personal best fish ever. even though I've had a couple smallies that I think were a bit longer. This was the kind of fight that keeps us going back for more. The kind that you catch yourself daydreaming about over and over for years to come. I actually didn't even measure this one, she put up such a fight I could tell I just needed to get her back in the water as quickly as possible. I've had little use for my tape measure lately so I knew it was buried somewhere in the bottom of my tackle bag. I preferred to get her back in the water quickly to fight another day.
I was knee deep in the water fishing a deeper pool, with my back to a riffle. I was more expecting to catch a suag or a drum. I tied on a crazy bright green Hot N Tot that I've had some luck with saugs recently. I was casting way out into the still water, reeling it in rather fast as the water starts to speed up before it goes into a riffle. She hit it like a freight train, stayed deep for awhile burning up my drag. At first I thought it was another big drum, then she breached ... a high flying flip in the air I knew it was an awesome smallmouth. She pulled my drag so much I thought I must have set it way too loose. She pulled and pulled, one last jump wore her out and I was able to reel her into the shallow water. I could tell she was exhausted, she barely moved as I removed the treble from her mouth, one quick picture and I help her in the shallow water then she slowly swam away. I checked my drag after releasing her - it wasn't loose at all. she was just solid muscle and had her way with it for a couple minutes until she tuckered out.
I'm guessing she was about 18 inches, she was fat and very healthy. I've caught a couple 19's in the past but this the most enjoyable fight I've ever had with a fish.
I'm calling this my personal best fish ever. even though I've had a couple smallies that I think were a bit longer. This was the kind of fight that keeps us going back for more. The kind that you catch yourself daydreaming about over and over for years to come. I actually didn't even measure this one, she put up such a fight I could tell I just needed to get her back in the water as quickly as possible. I've had little use for my tape measure lately so I knew it was buried somewhere in the bottom of my tackle bag. I preferred to get her back in the water quickly to fight another day.
I was knee deep in the water fishing a deeper pool, with my back to a riffle. I was more expecting to catch a suag or a drum. I tied on a crazy bright green Hot N Tot that I've had some luck with saugs recently. I was casting way out into the still water, reeling it in rather fast as the water starts to speed up before it goes into a riffle. She hit it like a freight train, stayed deep for awhile burning up my drag. At first I thought it was another big drum, then she breached ... a high flying flip in the air I knew it was an awesome smallmouth. She pulled my drag so much I thought I must have set it way too loose. She pulled and pulled, one last jump wore her out and I was able to reel her into the shallow water. I could tell she was exhausted, she barely moved as I removed the treble from her mouth, one quick picture and I help her in the shallow water then she slowly swam away. I checked my drag after releasing her - it wasn't loose at all. she was just solid muscle and had her way with it for a couple minutes until she tuckered out.
I'm guessing she was about 18 inches, she was fat and very healthy. I've caught a couple 19's in the past but this the most enjoyable fight I've ever had with a fish.
"a high flying flip in the air I knew it was an awesome smallmouth"
River bass have so much energy its amazing at times. Even the little creek chubs can give you a run for your money. It's like they have been training their whole lives on treadmills, earning each prized meal. That one looks like it's been skipping workouts lately though! Nice....
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