First let me say I am happy to be back fishing/posting reports after my back surgery…I thank all the IDAers for the kind support!
When my friend Herb Samme’ asked me about a trip for big fall Smallmouth it was music to my ears. Two long months recovering from back surgery and I was chomping at the bit. Our plan was to look for bass in their typical fall locations…rocky points and humps near or in deep water. We headed toward the dam on the Brule River reservoir looking for the tell tale “hooks” of big Brawny bass…It took about two minutes for a 22” beauty to smash Herb’s 4.5” tube jig
We drifted from 60 fow across a “hump” that topped off at 28’ when something hit my 5” SuperFluke/BFT 1/4oz jig combo so hard it wrenched my wrist… My 6’8” Med XF Legend rod suddenly seemed awfully inadequate as another 18”+ bass burned my drag, peeling off 8# line in a hurry…
For the next three hours the action and quality of the Smallmouth was incredible! We switched from spinning tackle to 7’ MF baitcasters simply because we were missing too many hooksets in the deep water and were (IMHO) tiring these big girls too much in the long ensuing battles…Believe me the casting rods were NOT too much fro these brutes!
Sad to say both Herb and I had to go to work and leave the water all too soon…We landed a dozen mongo smallies…19- 22 7/8”… lost several more on colossal leaps…and had at least four “bite offs” probably from big Brown Trout that reside here also. Believe me guys. This is the time for Mega Smallies! You know what? Everyone else is in da woods!
Here is another brute that fell for Herbs Tube jig…
This one put my 6’8″ stick to the test! Believe me!
Who couldn’t love a face like this!!!
The FISH of course…
Man Tom 22 7/8ths Wow nice smallie, looks like a real nice lake too.
Nice report Tom. Some awesome looking smallies there. I am going in two weeks to spend a weekend looking for the same.
Beautiful fish Tom!
Looks like your back surgery worked out. Good to see your report and know that your back out on the water.
Boog
Nice fish Tom!
I bet it was hard to go to work that day, eh?
Sully
OHHH MAN!!!I musta been NUTS!!!!
Those are some darn nice fish!
NICE!
Great to see you are back on the water bud. VERY nice fish. Thanks for the report and pics.
Thanks, Bill
tom,
Nice fish and Report
Welcome back..
Jack.
Nice bass Tom.
Glad to know you’r surgery was successful.
TOM’S BACK!!!
Nice looking smallies Tom.
John
That’s Funny…that guy Herb looks just like my Uncle Herb from up here in the great white north. I taught that guy everything he knows and alot that he’s forgotten.
Looks like he still knows how to put the brown ones in the boat though! Nice Fish guys!
LIKE IT,
Welcome to IDA….
Jack.
Thats what happens when you get old!
Send him more Green/Chart tail Venom Tubes!
Thanks for posting kid!