Bass-Addict

Why is that, do smallmouth do better in cooler water? What part of Canada you in? Last summer in August we went to a place in Ontario called Crow Rock Lodge for my cousin’s 40th birthday. The fishing on the main lake was pretty mediocre but my dad and I ventured off to a remote hidden lake they called bass lake. We saw a map of it in the lodge and asked about it and this really old guide volunteered almost immediately, he was the resident bass pro. He took us there, about a 15 min ride and then a 15 minute hike to the lake, via a trail formed by native Americans. There was a boat waiting there on the small spring fed lake. It was like fish in a barrel, we must have caught 30 smallmouth, and I’m talking good ones. Awesome experience! We were the talk of the trip. The rest of the group had one or two northern to speak of, the rest chased Muskie around all day.

Walleye?! They’re like the least game of any fish! d**n good eating but they don’t fight for crap and are extremely easy and boring to catch.

No I said largemouth are easier to catch

I’ll never understand this. Smallmouth fight harder, put on a far more acrobatic display, and are much prettier fish. They are also much more challenging to catch. Not to mention fishing a wild scenic river in the woods is much more adventurous and immersive than sitting on a hot stagnant lake or pond. The only logical explanations I can come up with are that they are more widespread, easier to locate and catch, and most importantly size - they get much bigger, but so what? I’ll take fighting ability over size all day. I just don’t really get it.

Ok, what about the length though would it be necessary or easier to use with an additional foot of length above the net or is 3-5 inches sufficient? Most of the trekking poles are 51-53” max.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-WT1003-67-Inch-Monopod/dp/B00FAYL1YU Is this too long?

I had a guy at the fishing store tell me I wanted the poles to be 2-3 ft taller than the seine net, is that true or should I be fine w a 51-53” pole on a 4x8 ft net? I found some collapsible trekking poles that would be much easier to take w me in my kayak, you think they would work well?

Yeah, there are plenty of spots along the shore with mud and dirt, if they hold firm in sand I can’t imagine why they wouldn’t in mud.

Lol you think that anchor would really be difficult to get in the ground? Why wouldn’t tent stakes work? Would these be good poles? I need something collapsible as I’m storing in my kayak. https://www.amazon.com/Outry-Collapsible-Trekking-Walking-Hiking/dp/B077HSLHH6

Oh ok haha, you think a tent stake might work better?

So how do they attach to the poles, would I not be able to slide one of the poles down in that? Can you think of a better way to anchor it?

How long do I want the poles to be? Trying to find some telescoping metal poles on amazon. Ordered this to anchor on shore! Should work great. https://www.amazon.com/Beachr-Beach-Umbrella-Anchor-Strong/dp/B014RQZZC0

You telling me to kick rocks? ? Jk, yeah got both the 8 and 4 foot Frabill on Prime, arrive tomorrow gonna start w the 4 I’ll let you know how it goes!

Haha. Will it be difficult to operate by myself? Is there a way to anchor it into the ground on the beach? Is 4 or 8 big enough or what size do you recommend? Do I need 12?

Being that I usually go alone I ordered the 4x4 frabill. Think that should work still? What size poles should I get?

Unfortunately no, I’ve called every bait shop within 50 miles and no one sells craws, let alone soft. I went today, set a trap back in a small trapped area of stagnant water right alongside the river but not connected to it in any way. The water looked pretty gross and murky, you think there may be crawdads in it? I’d hope there would be, considering when it’s raining more there’s a creek that flows right by it into the river. I would think when that dried up they migrated to the stagnant mini pond, unless you think they couldn’t survive there and migrated to the river instead. I don’t know how much oxygen they need.

Ok so then tell me what I’m doing wrong

Wow that’s creepy, skulls on the tree? Haha.

Your article was for commercial crawfishing in the bayou, hardly the same as catching little bugs in creeks in the Midwest. Diff climate and species entirely.

I agree catching crawdads for bait at the start of every trip on the river is a big part of my routine, can’t wait to be back on my feet. I use a net and lift rocks and swipe in one quick motion, usually pretty high success rate. They seem to hit the smaller ones more, but I’ve had smallmouth devour decent sized ones too. Something primally satisfying about catching your own bait, especially a crawdad and having it eaten whole.

How did you catch them in creeks, and was it difficult? I remember doing it as a kid but not how it went specifically.

You could prob find a way to inject them but not before PETA got to you

You think they’re easier to catch in the creek?

I’ve now tried bacon, hot dogs, cat food and tuna.

Lol obviously not simple if it’s not working