New PB smallie

[Fishermanbt]

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.

[Fishermanbt]

Here’s some other pics

[efishnc]

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!

[WALLEYE WACKER]

Awesome day on the water with great pics also smallmouth’s are still the a fun fighting fish for me.

[Fishermanbt]

Sorry about the scenery pics being sideways.  I tried to fix them.

[Lines]

Nice fish. Looks like a beautiful place.

[ctom]

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.

[efishnc]

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.   

[ctom]

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.

[basscatlildave]

That looked like a great time. Congrats on your PB smallie.

[Do-it Rep]

Congrats!  That's great!

[Les Young]

Congratulations.

[Shaunm81]

Congratulations thats a nice one.

[Fishermanbt]

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

[ctom]

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.