Dwight Hottle

Doesn't get much better than that. Congrats.

If your an Indians fan you have got to love the sweet sixteen winning streak. Go tribe.

5-5.5lbs. Congrats on your new PB.

Welcome back Andrew.

Congrats on the new PB.

I would go with a faster ratio reel like 7:1 in the shimano line.

Is anyone having problems not seeing some posted images this morning including Glenn's new gallery improvements?

Congrats on the new PB.

It's always been spring for me. Start of a new season. fat prespawn bass, mother nature's rebirth and another chance for a new PB. What's not to like about that.

Pay to have a rod builder repair it for you or have them build you a new rod on a quality blank & use your components from the broken rod. The latter might not be economically feasible but get a quote just incase. I can recommend you a couple of builders if you want.

Congrats on your new PB. Nice looking fish.

36 for me plus what I have forgotten.

It's possible somebody transplanted it down there but smallmouth have never been indigenous to Florida.

Pike are suckers for that falling jig trick. Works with spoons too. Good instincts on your part. Congrats on the big pike PB.

The Cleveland Indians never get the respect they deserve. Who will be the last team standing in the AL? http://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/the_indians_are_on_a_mission_to_make_you_pay_attention_whether_you_want_to_or_not/s1_13132_24582019?ref=yfp

Great lake smallmouth are big water nomads. They winter deep then migrate shallow for pre spawn & spawn. Post spawn they go deep again after recovery from spawning. Then in the fall they migrate shallow again before going deep for the winter. So yes it is seasonal. The thermocline doesn't really have an effect since it is usually deeper than the fish which will go 40-60 feet deep in mid summer. Thermoclines on Erie differ from traditional lakes because of depth & wave/wind actions. Also you need to understand that the great lakes flush themselves mutiple times per year depending upon depth with Erie flushing the most about 11 times per year.

I love using jerk baits all the time. They are most effective in the spring & fall when the bass are more shallow as compared to the rest of the year. Most of the fish I catch are suspended or are coming up to hit the baits. Depth of water is usually in the 15' to 25' range. I do fish them over deeper water when the visibility is good up to 40'. Predominantly the fish are singles or in smaller groups as opposed to schooled fish.

I could not agree with you more.

I use Maxima ultra green copoly for smallmouth leaders & I have never felt I missed any bites by not using fluoro. I have fished against a guy using flouro from my boat using the same baits & we never really noticed a difference. Water clarity on Erie is usually not that good because of turbidity from the waves so any clarity advantage fluoro has is negated almost all the time. Lake Ontario because of its deeper nature does have clearer water than Erie.

Tigers have such great coloration. They are my favorite esox.

Yes all from PA waters of Erie. If one picture was off Chambers Island in Door County you & I would be fishing together.

Indians say Sale sail away. The best fight was yanks/tigers.

Captain Shane Procell

I hope you heal fast and can fish this fall.

Indians are looking good. I hope Miller comes back.