Any day is a great day to chase smallmouth. Thursday was perfect, light wind, sunny and hardly any other bass fisherman. I had the pleasure to share my boat with Jack Naylor, a great multi species angler. Jack and I had been planning this trip since we first met at the ice fishing get together last winter.
We got on the water around 12:15 PM and hit some spots that produced early season for me in the past. It did not take long for us to start seeing fish, carp , a big muskie, and the fish that we were chasing, smallmouth bass. After a short time I connected on a fat 15 incher . Not seeing as many fish as I thought we moved to another area. This trip would be a run and gun until we saw big pods of smallies.
Well that never happened.
We fished many areas seeing 3 or 4 fish and catching one or two at each stop. We also caught two Northern Pike. Both of these fish were caught on plastic worms. Here is Jack with the biggest pike of the day.
My biggest, an 18 incher, was caught on a 3.5 inch tube while Jacks, 18.5 incher, was caught while throwing a weightless senko. Jack and that fish is the first picture in this report. We saw fish in the sand, on rocks and in the pencil reeds. With the water temps around 68 degrees we could have targeted spawning fish on the beds but I decided to leave those fish alone. We did however still see some smaller males on beds and other fish going through their spawning rituals, chasing and rubbing each other.
Till next time,
Ron
Ron, Great Mille lacs report!
Do you find that in a clear lake, you have to use smaller diameter or floro line to catch the smallmouth? What lb/type line do you prefer?
Awesome report. Hey Jack what do you think of those Mille Lacs smallies?
Great looking fish Ron!
Clearly shows your passion for those bronzebacks!
Kudos to you for leaving those spawning females alone!
Great report Ron
Looking forward to the next one!
Ron,
Thanks a lot for sharing your boat with me. I really enjoyed it.
Mike- Those Smallies are tanks, and are not easy to control, even the medium size ones.
Very fun time. Thanks again.
Jack..
Great report, Ron. I had a similar experience on Saturday when I took a break from the eyes in the afternoon. We focused on cruisers and left the spawners alone. It’s nice to see fellow smallie chasers respecting the spawners. It burns me up to watch fishing shows in the winter where the TV boys drop tubes or leeches on beds on my favorite lake.
As to Luke’s query, I spooled with 14lb Fireline and 3′ of 8lb Vanish leaders for fishing Yum Dingers. Casts a mile and really pulls the piggies out of the reeds. I’ll probably add a No-Snagg Sinker to the set-up in a few weeks to drag tubes and Baby Brush Hogs around the reefs.
Nice job guys!
Sorry Luke, I did not see your question.
I use McCoy’s Mean Green line in the 6 or 8 pound test. I have not experimented with fluorocarbon yet.
I am a firm believer that if it’s not broke do not fix it.
Ron
Welcome to IDA Fat Albert.
Ron
Thanks, Ron. I’m really not that fat, I just use lots of Zoom Fat Albert grubs and needed a unique handle.
If anyone else is looking for a great mono, try Silver Thread AN-40. Unbelievable line for $5 a spool. You’ll cast finesse baits farther in clear water and catch more weary fish.
Ron Thanks for the smallie report.
Can’t beat a good smallie fight. Ever get up around Grand Rapids?