Custom Baits - Forum

Fishing News and Reports => Fish Pictures and Success Stories => Topic started by: Fishermanbt on 05/31/21 20:41 UTC

Title: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 05/31/21 20:41 UTC
Headed out Sunday to meet up with fishing buddies to pull an overnight’er float trip on the South Branch of the Potomac in WV. This stretch is around 14 miles total and we camp on the river bank about halfway. With temperatures in the upper 40’s Sunday was rough. The deck of my kayak looked like the wife in the middle of a fashion crisis. I threw everything in every color with only a few fish to account for.

Monday morning. After a good nights rest in the hammock we were on the water just after 8:00am. This time everyone was struggling to find fish consistently. Once the sun burnt through the fog the smallies started cooperating. I had caught a few on a white with blue highlight 3.5” Ripper. I decided to change over to a 2.75” tube I made in chartreuse with purple and red glitter just to try and get some numbers. Through a swifter section I casted to a small pocket along the bank and the bait just stopped. Fish on! After fighting this beast with one hand and trying to keep the boat straight with the ore in the other, we ended up in the tail out and I was able to get it in the net. I know this isn’t a state record and many of you have caught bigger. However, it my biggest smallmouth to date on a tube I created with a jig head I poured.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 05/31/21 20:49 UTC
Here’s some other pics
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: efishnc on 05/31/21 21:23 UTC
Congrats Fisherman!!!

One of my fondest smallie memories was a PB caught on a fly that I tied... besides the investment of crafting time, there's something about being intimate with the fish (kayak, float tube, or wading) that really ups the pleasure factor of every fish caught!
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: WALLEYE WACKER on 05/31/21 23:41 UTC
Awesome day on the water with great pics also smallmouth’s are still the a fun fighting fish for me.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 06/01/21 05:40 UTC
Sorry about the scenery pics being sideways.  I tried to fix them.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Lines on 06/01/21 09:10 UTC
Nice fish. Looks like a beautiful place.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: ctom on 06/01/21 16:43 UTC
Smallies are a riot.

I got my personal best [tongue in cheek] dogfish today, about 12 pounds. This one totally wrecked a frog bait. Totally wrecked it.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: efishnc on 06/01/21 21:38 UTC
I got my personal best [tongue in cheek] dogfish today, about 12 pounds. This one totally wrecked a frog bait. Totally wrecked it.

Saying "dogfish" and "bait wrecking" in the same sentence is a bit redundant... but noting a personal best in the bowser category?... I'm not sure if it is harder to admit that or to say congrats on that one.   :-X
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: ctom on 06/02/21 06:54 UTC
I really do not like to admit having caught one, especially a big one. Doggies are real hard on the sunfish populations. Had there not been others in the area seeing the thing I'm pretty sure it would have gotten slit before going back.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: basscatlildave on 06/02/21 07:09 UTC
That looked like a great time. Congrats on your PB smallie.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Do-it Rep on 06/02/21 13:59 UTC
Congrats!  That's great!
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Les Young on 06/02/21 15:32 UTC
Congratulations.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Shaunm81 on 06/02/21 18:38 UTC
Congratulations thats a nice one.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 06/02/21 19:52 UTC
Thanks everyone for the kind words.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: ctom on 06/09/21 08:08 UTC
That looks as though you're sitting at the top of a dam in the second picture [sideways] of the second post. That's a neat view on smaller waters when the water isn't huffing it.  Looks peaceful in the picture.

Years ago I was at the top of a 55 foot dam in a canoe looking over while the water was below the lip as generators were running and the water level down a tad. Some fool in a small run-about decided to run up and turn sharp to throw water over the dam going about 50 mph but miscalculated his turn and he and the other three took the plunge. The boat landed right side up with all 4 still in it on a sand beach about 40 feet from the bottom of the dam/plunge pool. The operator took the steering wheel pretty hard but other than that nobody was really hurt bad but all blew in excess of .25 on a breathalyzer when the sheriff and rescue crew arrived. That was something to have a front row seat to see that boat literally sail.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 06/09/21 16:53 UTC
LOL!  I bet that was a show for sure Tom. Gotta love courage juice. The picture you mentioned is where the river comes around an island and makes an almost 90 degree right hand turn under a railroad trestle and then drops in elevation creating a fun 30-40 yard ride. The River had created this small back water pool so we decided to camp here for the night.  Of the four boats we had only one flip as he attempted to bank left into the back water just in front of that big tree.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: ctom on 06/09/21 18:35 UTC
I love the fog. Man, that just makes the picture. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Fishermanbt on 06/10/21 17:27 UTC
Got my state citation in the mail today that I sent in for. 20” was the minimum needed to apply.
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: Lines on 06/10/21 17:49 UTC
That's cool!
Title: Re: New PB smallie
Post by: efishnc on 06/10/21 20:25 UTC
Any thoughts on putting your pic on canvas as another trophy memory?