Steveo-1969

I like this rule on our river in the spring time and wish it was in effect year round. Selective harvest by letting the bigger spawning stock go and eating the littler ones. @slonezp Great walleye!!!!

There's no reason to be worried about hooking a 12-pounder with 10# line, especially if you are in open water without any cover around to interfere. BUT you need to have your drag set correctly and learn how to properly fight the fish. If you are just going to "real" [sic] it in, then your line and your heart are probably going to break.

Thank you for taking the time to write up your tournament experience from each day. Unfortunately I didn't get to watch the last day live but I kept up through the thread in the Tournament forum. Congratulations on making it to this tournament and fishing so well. I can already hear myself telling someone in the future: "Are you talking about AOY Nolan Minor? Oh yeah, great guy and great fisherman. He was on Bass Resource, his handle was @everythingthatswims (cool name, eh?) and he was on the WVU fishing team. Members called him 'ETS' which had a nice ring to it, kinda like 'KVD' doncha think?". Looking forward to following your career. LET'S GO MOUNTAINEERS!!!!!!!!

I have that same blank on a custom casting rod. Love it!

I don't often fish with a spinning rod, but when I do I prefer to use a G. Loomis WPJR 821s GLX with a 30 size Shimano Stradic CI4. 10# Sufix 832 and some kind of mono or fluoro leader tied on.

X2. I am a self-professed G. Loomis fan boy (I own 2 NRX casting rods and a GLX spinning rod) but I had Mike at @Delaware Valley Tackle build me a casting rod for fishing a specific jig weight and I couldn't be happier. If I need another high-end bottom contact rod in the future I'll have Mike build me another one.

Whoa, wait a tick. You were a guest on Lake Commandos with Steve Pennaz? Definitely one of my favorite shows, very cool!!!!!!

I am completely addicted to fishing a finesse skirted jig for smallmouth in my shallow rocky river. Generally it's a 3/16 ounce Strike King Bitsy Bug with a Baby Rage Craw on the back. Both in blue craw color with the tips of the craw colored orange. Matter of fact, I'm so addicted to fishing this size jig that I had Mike @Delaware Valley Tackle make me a custom rod this spring just for fishing this jig!!

Welcome to Bass Resource. BEAR DOWN!!!!!!

Based on the variety of answers this is obviously personal preference. I like an XF action for fishing bottom contact, jigs and t-rigged plastics. I was fishing a Loomis MBR rod for bottom contact but it wasn't fast enough for me and I'm now fishing an XF rod.

It's been a l-o-o-o-o-n-g time since I've chased this particular game, but in my experience your best time of day is after dark. During the day they can be harder to find. As for location, any building that has LOTS of neon lights on the outside of it will be worth a look inside... ? Welcome to BR!!!!!

@Fairtax4me nailed the conditions from this past Sunday. I waded around the Williamsport, MD area and had slightly above average for midsummer and good clarity though not crystal clear. @Mike Mirowski I do 99% of my fishing on the Upper Potomac and wading for smallmouth is my favorite thing to do. What section of the river do you fish?

I read through all the replies waiting for someone to mention this! Fishing is for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors. Catching is just an occasional bonus. If I wanted to spend time outside doing something that's frustrates me I'd play golf. I have a buddy who bases the enjoyment of a fishing day on how many fish he caught. If he gets skunked or doesn't catch many his whole day is ruined, in fact it happened to him yesterday and I listened to him complain about it for 15 minutes this morning. I don't know why he doesn't just sell his boat and his fishing gear and buy golf clubs and a membership at the country club instead. OK, I'm off my soap box. Take a deep breath, enjoy your surroundings, be thankful you have the health and the means to go fishing, and fish. And sometimes catch too.

I don't fish from a kayak, but I think what you are describing is very normal for kayak fishermen. I have seen this on TV, YouTube and members here have talked about it.

Ha-ha, yup! "Oh my God, it's a GIANT!!" Then it's always a 2-pounder.

I'm assuming that's why Mike Iaconelli pulls line out on EVERY fish he catches......

Glad you found a way to get your son interested! To get my 10 year old grandson interested in fishing I'd have to figure out how to get a fishing rod to look like an Xbox controller......

Welcome to BR Will. River smallmouth are my favorite fish in the whole wide world!

"I don't often fish straight braid, but when I do I use a Trilene knot."

Very cool. "He's a fishin' man fishin' any time he can! YEAH!!!" Grab the Frabill, I'm busy cooking Johnsonvilles....

Welcome to Bass Resource and congrats on that giant smallmouth!! Do you sing the theme song for John Gillespie's Waters and Woods TV show?

I love fishing a jig so if I can only have one lure for SMB then that's what I'm picking!

I have never done this to a smallmouth myself but have seen this on countless TV shows where they discuss holding them under the belly to keep them from moving. I'm thinking with so much video evidence it's gotta work right?

Congratulations on finishing so well and thank you for the excellent descriptive write-up. You are making WV proud in more ways than one!!

@Nebasska After reading your signature I'm not sure why you are complaining. You are still fishing, correct?