Smallie's can FIGHT!!! no exxageration 2024
Del from philly reply :
I caught my personal best river smallmouth yesterday out of the schukill river
The way this thing fought steady, i knew it was descent, but when the fish was about half way in, it went into a burst of speed and felt like a freaking shark!
it was amazing that burst of energy....the most power i have ever felt from a fish in fresh water
after a good 4 minute fight, i finally got him in....
despite how big he looked, he was only 2.8 lbs???? suprised me, i thought it might be over 4 lbs....
iv heard that river smallies weigh less than lake smallies......
anyway, these things can fight like no other fish, when they want to
whover said poiund for pound, the best fight was 100% right on.....
I WAS SO ticked I DIDNT HAVE MY CAMERA!!!
anybody else ever run into the "Burst of Energy" when bringing in a smallmouth???
it was about 3 X more strength than the majority of the fight.....this little burst
literly almost broke my rod in 2....
Davis reply :
What ya catch him on Johnny?
Yes I have dealt with that "burst" on occasion. Especially when they come out of the rapids and into calmer water while hauling them in.
tntitans21399 reply :
Most fish have that burst, usually always when they see the boat. My biggest fight wasn't a smallie, but it was a Hybrid Bass. It is a cross between a Stripe Bass and a White Bass (I think). But these take a couple of minutes to get in the boat. You have to use heavier gear, I had one last spring break a 10-15 lbs test rod when I was lifting him up to reach down and grab him. Luckily the line didn't break so I was able to get him in the boat. They have two burst, one when you hook them, and then another when they see the boat. I had to force my thumb in mouth to grab his bottom lip, he didn't want to open, so I could get the hook out.
Bream Master reply :
The man has seen the light! ;D
Del from philly reply :
QuoteWhat ya catch him on Johnny?Yes I have dealt with that "burst" on occasion. Especially when they come out of the rapids and into calmer water while hauling them in.
KUT TAIL WORM.....7.5"....weightless with a 3/0 gamagatsu wide gap hook
I missed about 6 in a row before getting this one in......one was definately a little bigger, the rest felt smaller
the reaosn i kept missing them was slack line......they kept hitting it when i would let it go slack, so i tryed my best to set the hook, but it was tough
They would hit it the second the worm hit the water.....my line just went instantly tight, like a zip cord....
amazing......for about 25 minuted, then not another one in
no boat. by the way,....just my feet......i think it was when he got out of the current....it amazed me how strong that thing was
Del from philly reply :
it was weird, the ones I missed, after i brought the worm in, it looked like it was stained with blood in certain spots....
anyone ever have this happen?
roadwarrior reply :
Quoteiv heard that river smallies weigh less than lake smallies......
Nope, but those north of the Mason-Dixon line generally weigh less than those found in Confederate States.
8-)
Gunrunner26 reply :
Hmmm. I must be missing something here. So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?
Davis reply :
QuoteHmmm. I must be missing something here. So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?
No he is saying that the smallies can get bigger down south.
Which I would agree with. Erie and it's tributaries can produce some nice smallies (I know), but just like LM bass.....the south IMO can produce some larger ones.
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteHmmm. I must be missing something here. So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?
No.
A HUGE Lake Erie smallmouth might weigh 7 lbs which is a VERY NICE Southern bass.
:
GeneinTX reply :
My son caught his PB smallie last night. 3# even, I thought he had a 10# LMB, no exageration!
GeneinTX reply :
FLECHERO, Can you tell where the pic in the above reply is?
flechero reply :
Nice smallie! Glad you guys are getting out. I still haven't been out in a long time. Looking to get out this weekend though. (finally a weekend in town!)
QuoteFLECHERO, Can you tell where the pic in the above reply is?
Looks like "one fish bank" in the background. Which would put you guys near Temple Lake Park- right about here (by the sportsman's club cove), except your pics are facing 180 degrees the other way from my pic :
roadwarrior reply :
Hey Buddy!
That's a fine fish, too!
8-)
Del from philly reply :
yeah, that second fish is bigger than the smallies around here that iv got in
about the size of the first one
am i losing my mind.....i c ould swear somebody on here said the river smallies at full growth weigh less on average than a lake smallie
smallfry reply :
Now, for a real treat, try it with a 9 ft. whippy stick...
Of course those smallies down south weigh more, it is from all the Bubba beer that gets spilled into the water. They got beer guts...
On the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteOn the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...
Absolutely!
Northern numbers are staggering. A GREAT day here is 10-15 smallmouth, combined total for two guys! Seriously, we NEVER catch numbers. Fishing live bait on the Tennessee we might catch more than 100 lbs of fish per man, but that's a combination of cats, drum, stripers, buffalo, sauger, crappie and both green bass. Just catching a brown fish every now and then is what keeps us coming back.
flechero reply :
QuoteNow, for a real treat, try it with a 9 ft. whippy stick...Of course those smallies down south weigh more, it is from all the Bubba beer that gets spilled into the water. They got beer guts...
On the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...
I do quite a bit of smallie fishing with the fly rod, it's actually my favorite way and with cooler temps approaching, the smallies wil be shallow for the next 2 months!! We are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies. (must be more beer spilled here ...lol) Other than that only a couple of canyon type lakes in Texas have them. They don't get as big here, most of the lake records are about 6 1/2 - 6 3/4 lbs.
Gunrunner26 reply :
Then I would be happy with just a nice Erie SM. I can't imagine what a 7 pounder would even look like, much less how it would fight.
roadwarrior reply :
QuoteThen I would be happy with just a nice Erie SM. I can't imagine what a 7 pounder would even look like, much less how it would fight.
It would look EXACTLY like the fat one in my avatar. The other fish was nearly four inches longer but only weighed another pound. That one is my PB.
guest reply :
I think the biggest difference in the fight of a LM vs. SM is endurance. A 3lb SM may take about as long to land as a 5+lb LM caught on the same gear. I love it! I guess that goes along with being faster and stronger than LM though.
Those are some sweet smallie pics guys!
Hey Johnnydel, in my neck of the woods, a river smallie typically weighs alot less than a lake smallie of the same length. It's not uncommon to catch a 20 inch river fish that only weighs 3 pounds. Lake fish around here often closely resemble a football while river fish usually look like torpedoes. Young SMB from either environment tend to look about the same, where you really start to notice the difference in weight is with the older fish.
Either can grow big and fat, but river smallmouths spend their entire life fighting current so it helps keeps them slimmer. Lake fish are able to sit in one spot for long periods without expending energy, and much like a person, get fat because of it. Kind of like a 6' tall athlete vs. a 6' tall couch potato. They're the same height but one has a much bigger girth!
Another thing that plays a role is the forage base. Lake smallmouth, depending on the region, often have a ridiculously large and nourishing forage base. Lake Erie SM have gobies, southern reservoirs have shad, western lakes have trout and kokanee salmon, and northern lakes have ciscoes and yellow perch.
Fish in rivers are usually dependant on crawfish, various minnow species, or whatever else the current brings them. Food in rivers is usually not as abundant, or as easy to catch, as the baitfish in lakes.
smallfry reply :
QuoteWe are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies.
Actually, I think my dad's uncle may be partly responsible for the construction of some of those lakes. O.H. Ivie is named after him...
I do very well on our lakes using an 8 wt. with 250 grain striper line to fish a brown and orange clouser-ish creation on rockpiles down to 15 ft. Works year round, but with the weeds starting to die they're starting to group up. Should be able to start pulling 10-20+ good fish off each of the "hot" spots any day now. There's nothing like a strip-set hook set and then lifting that long rod against a bronze football. My best on the fly rod so far is a 20"-er. I am definitely making sure that rod is in the boat this weekend.
flechero reply :
QuoteQuoteWe are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies.
Actually, I think my dad's uncle may be partly responsible for the construction of some of those lakes. O.H. Ivie is named after him...
I do very well on our lakes using an 8 wt. with 250 grain striper line to fish a brown and orange clouser-ish creation on rockpiles down to 15 ft. Works year round, but with the weeds starting to die they're starting to group up. Should be able to start pulling 10-20+ good fish off each of the "hot" spots any day now. There's nothing like a strip-set hook set and then lifting that long rod against a bronze football. My best on the fly rod so far is a 20"-er. I am definitely making sure that rod is in the boat this weekend.
Ivie is a great place for LM bass, I don't think there are smallies there. Is your striper line a full sink line? So far I've limited to a sink tip and some sinking heads. We can flyfish year round for both LM and SM. I love this area!
Sorry Johnnydell for the semi hijack.
FishTank reply :
I love catching smallies. They put up one of the best fights. My personal best was a 4lb at my local honey hole but favorite was a 2lb that I caught with a Mepps inline spinnerbait in about one foot water in a really fast moving section of White River here in Indiana.
smallfry reply :
I don't remember the exact name, but it is a Cortland with a sinking head and an intermediate running line. The reason I probably don't remember the name is because I am not that happy with its durability. I just replaced it with a Scientific Anglers Streamer Express in 250 grain, but haven't really thrown it much yet so I can't say if it is better or not.
Bream Master reply :
Smallfry,
You're using an 8 wt. for smallmouth? Huh and WOW! Never heard of such a large rod and line for smallmouth. The ones you catch must be huge then. If you're fishing for smallies with an 8 wt. I want to be fishing your waters. ;D
Cortland 555 sucks. Don't get it. The line retains a lot of residue from the water and feels more sticky than slick.
Cheers.
roadwarrior reply :
Hmm...
I fish #4 & #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft.
flechero reply :
QuoteHmm...I fish #4 & #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft.
Sorry, we went off on flyfishing. But Z-Y would make a good leader/tippet! 
Alpster reply :
QuoteCortland 555 sucks. Don't get it. The line retains a lot of residue from the water and feels more sticky than slick.
Cheers.
If you have spool of 555 you don't want, just send it to me. I don't care what size. I love it! 8-)
Ronnie
GeneinTX reply :
FLECHERO,
You hit it on the head!
We ahve been nailing Smallies all week, out there.
smallfry reply :
QuoteSmallfry,You're using an 8 wt. for smallmouth? Huh and WOW! Never heard of such a large rod and line for smallmouth. The ones you catch must be huge then. If you're fishing for smallies with an 8 wt. I want to be fishing your waters. ;D
Cortland 555 sucks. Don't get it. The line retains a lot of residue from the water and feels more sticky than slick.
Cheers.
Average smallie for me is about 3 lbs., but 4's are possible on any given day and I get a few 5's every year (although no 5's on a fly rod....yet). The 8 wt. rod is more for the sinking line and bait than it is for the fish. My fly fishing is actually a lot like what the striper fishermen on the east coast do. Heavy sinking lines, clousers, epoxy flies, etc. I don't think I'd be able to throw a 200-250 grain line on a 6 wt. for distance and accuracy without having a very very sore shoulder at the end of the day.
rondef reply :
Nice smallie GeneinTx
Del from philly reply :
QuoteQuoteSmallfry,You're using an 8 wt. for smallmouth? Huh and WOW! Never heard of such a large rod and line for smallmouth. The ones you catch must be huge then. If you're fishing for smallies with an 8 wt. I want to be fishing your waters. ;D
Cortland 555 sucks. Don't get it. The line retains a lot of residue from the water and feels more sticky than slick.
Cheers.
Average smallie for me is about 3 lbs., but 4's are possible on any given day and I get a few 5's every year (although no 5's on a fly rod....yet). The 8 wt. rod is more for the sinking line and bait than it is for the fish. My fly fishing is actually a lot like what the striper fishermen on the east coast do. Heavy sinking lines, clousers, epoxy flies, etc. I don't think I'd be able to throw a 200-250 grain line on a 6 wt. for distance and accuracy without having a very very sore shoulder at the end of the day.
your average smallie is 3lbs??? d**n man....your lucky
aroudn here i get all excited when i get a 2 lber... :-[
Jake. reply :
I wish we had a smallmouth river around here. Sigh.... :'(
zachvii reply :
I love the smallmouth fight over a largemouth anyday. Here in Idaho I catch a little of both randomly in the reservoirs and you can usually tell the difference right off the bat because the largemouth just dont have the same meaness of a smallmouth. I like that we have both species though because the odds of catching a 6lb smallmouth in Idaho are slim, but there are plenty of largemouth in that range to be had.
AnthonyRSS reply :
A good friend of mine said he caught a 27" smallie at Tims Ford earlier this year. Said it was 3" past his Golden Rule but he didn't have a scale on him....
Anthony
Cade Laufenberg reply :
15 fish a day between 2 guys on live bait..even if they are all 7 lbs..i feel sorry for you guys..
sorry, i'll take my northern smallies any day...You can't beat enticing limits of 3-4 lbers and then helplessly playing them to the boat. lake smallies fight like river largemouth..river smallmouth... 
I always love this time of year..and also the early-mid spring..when almost all tournaments are won with smallmouth, and usually 5 fish limits of 17+ lbs. In a tournament that i fished in this spring, I witnessed a 24 lb 6 fish limit. It was mega. The thing is, they were throwing back dozens of the same exact size once the had their limit....
by the way...Lake Erie has plenty of 7+ lbers.
a local hero of mine said he had a 35 5 lber day last november on a trip with some buddies, and the year before that one guy had an 8-14.
roadwarrior reply :
Well, I would like to catch 4-5 lb smallmouth all day, too! As a "destination" I would definitely pick Lake Erie over the Tennessee River. The only thing that helps getting over the lack of numbers down here is knowing that there is a legitimate chance of catching the next World Record, or something close.
8-)
guest reply :
YBM, those are some nice smallmouth! I love the contrasting colors on those two fish. Makes for an awesome picture.
Cade Laufenberg reply :
yeah it sure is a nice picture. By the way, that is Jim Johnson in the picture...He is from my hometown and placed 9th in the '06 bassmaster classic after qualifying for the classic..
electrikal reply :
Man, oh man, I gotta get to Lake Erie someday!! :'( Catching 5lbers all day sounds almost like heaven. Now if Lake Erie was south of the Mason/Dixon line and had the potential for a 10+lber . My best "five" were actually three weighing 14.12.
farmpond1 reply :
Even a small smallmouth can easily make up for it's diminutive size with it's sheer fighting ability. Most of my smallies are fairly small so their first run doesn't usually have a lot of "torque" but they always fight hard all the way up to to my waders. I've never met a smallmouth I didn't like.
Cade Laufenberg reply :
you know what...forget what I said earlier...forget erie...go to the Mississippi River!! ;D I caught 9 keepers today and my friend caught 8 keepers. My best 5 were 19-1/4 lbs..My best 3 were 14-1/4 :o
S I G M A reply :
whoa... what part of the mississippi are you fishing??
Cade Laufenberg reply :
Pool 8, near La Crosse, Wisconsin (southwest Wisconsin)
Skip Johnsons Guide Service reply :
Hi guys just joined the site and enjoyed the reading on this topic, you all keep mentioning erie, yep its easy to get 20lb plus limits and they are super hard fighters with nothing short of spectaculer jumps and averaging about 3 1/2 lbs plus but I havent seen mention of lk st clair? on an average day I exceed 18lbs with my best 5 and I get bummed if I dont catch at least 10 2lb plus smallies.
If youve never fished st clair your missing out!
by the way hardley anyone fishes largies here so 50 + fish days are common in the back canals.
S I G M A reply :
QuotePool 8, near La Crosse, Wisconsin (southwest Wisconsin)
hmm... i'm down at pool 11 and the largest smallmouth i've ever seen get pulled out of these waters looks like one of those...
Cade Laufenberg reply :
pools 7, 8, 9, and 5a could all be considered trophy smallie fisheries, especially 5a. That second picture I have to admit makes the fish look bigger than she really was, however it was still 5 to 5-1/4 lbs easy. Another big thing is the time of year..You just don't catch a 20 lb sack of smallies in the summer ;D
I've never fished pool 11, or 10 really either for that matter, But I'll bet if you get out on the wingdams down there, you'll find the same results. Make sure you locate the wingdams with deep holes on them, you'll probably find a few wintering smallmouth nearby!
Check out this article that I wrote for a complete run down of what I'm doing...
http://www.futurebass.com/articles/artmisssmalie.htm
mibronzeback reply :
New to the forum and enjoy the site. I used to live north of La Crosse and fished Stoddard with excellent results for big smallies. Have had similar luck in Canada and used to do well near Traverse City, MI. One of my WI buddies fished near Ashland in the bay (dont recall name) with great luck on big smallies. They are tremendous fighters anywhere you get them!
Cade Laufenberg reply :
Stoddard Smallies..now those are a treat. when they're in there, its a hoot. I usually travel down to Stoddard in late June through July when the largemouth are going nuts. I caught so many 3-4 lbers out of the slop down there this year, as well as won some cash in tournaments using that area. It's an awesome area, why'd ya move?!?! ;D
mibronzeback reply :
My wife lost her job in 02' and we both found jobs in MI. I have not fished Stoddard since 04', but we used to do quite well on LM, SM and some monster pike. When I am back in WI these days I fish northern lakes west of Park Falls near my wife's parents place. Some decent smallmouth, but most people fish for musky up that away! Have you fished Lake Owen? Not bad
Cade Laufenberg reply :
Nope..without a drivers license (not yet) and parents who don't travel much, It's been pretty hard for me to get some reps in on other bodys of water. I've fished the river and that's about it. I put in quite a few hours on Lake Nagawicka over by Milwaukee but only because that is where the state tournament was. I wouldn't recomend that lake to an enemy..I'm sure it can be good but wow, 1 fish for 3.13 won the tournament, I had 4th with a 1.52. There are some big smallies in there but they seem tight lipped. I missed a toad on a grassline that would have won me the tournament.
I get my license in January, and I'll be traveling a lot more. I'll have to keep that lake in mind, thanks.
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