PB Smallie

[AllenOK]

Got out early from work, and did a little more exploring.  Basically, trying to follow a stream as closely as possible, crossing it whenever there is a bridge, etc.  Second stop looked pretty much like the rest; 20' wide, maybe 12" deep.  I'm using one of my baitfish ties clipped onto a jig-spinner frame, and I swapped out the stock blade for a size 3 hammered chartreuse Colorado blade.

I wasn't getting anything at the second stop.  No "pecking" from sunnies.  Fan-cast the upstream side of the bridge, then cross over to the downstream and fan-cast that.  Nothing.  Last cast was quartering downstream.  I had no idea how deep it was, but it was an undercut bank with some wood cover.

A split-second after the lure hits the water something about pulls the pole out of my hands!  I start fighting the fish.  It's pulling drag.  Nice!  After about 30 seconds, I still hadn't seen the fish.  It decides to slosh around on top for a few seconds.  HUGE smallie!  Never jumped!

I finally landed the fish.  I have no idea about length.  I didn't have my Hawg Trough with me on the bank, and my rod doesn't have a tape measure stuck to it (like my panfish rod does).  That's my size 12 sneaker.

I want to say easily better than 16".  Probably pushing 3 lbs.

View attachment 5

 

[hookup]

Nice bronze back - pound for pound the small mouth bass is the best fighting fresh water fish.

 

[Barefoot]

Beautiful fish! Great story and I sure miss fishing clear streams.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Nice healthy chunk, congrats! 3# is the infrequent outside limit of my moving water opportunity too, and they rip when they run with the current & go airborne. Just learned by experience that smallies can hold UNDER a bridge this time of year. Old low wood bridges built on heavy plank bank retainer foundations are best, as they often have slack current indents underneath where banks have accreted outward over protective riprap dumped at the bridge edges. Challenging to access the strike zone with sometimes only a foot or two clearance above water level, so I usually stand upcurrent, cast-drift under, and retrieve against the flow. My first try cupla days ago also got white bass, drum, & kittys out of the dark recesses. Luckily, these species of the sizes present could be held firm on the hookset and guided upstream out from under. A wiper strike would be a problem.

 

[AllenOK]

I've been exploring this "river" by car for awhile now. Basically, where a road crosses the stream, or a small park. Many of the bridges are low, but not that low! Sheesh!

I have pulled several Smallies out from under a bridge. It's usually the first thing I do at a new spot; cover the water on the upstream edge of the bridge. If anybody's home, and feeling frisky, they let me know really quick-like