TnRiver46

Crazy day. Fished a few hours without any bites offshore 20-40 feet, water temp 47. Finally my buddy hooks up with a fly on sinking line, 18” skinny smallmouth. I landed the fish for him and took a picture, jump back up on the trolling motor and grab my rod that I had set down when he hooked up (zoom dead ringer on drop shot). Turns out there’s a bass on it! The owner size 1 hook was right in the top lip in perfect position even though the rod was unmanned. Guess who? It’s the bass I’ve caught 4 times in that same spot the last two winters. And he was much fatter than when I caught it a couple weeks ago, probably because it eats everything. No more bites for an hour or so and we head to the lake house to put another coat of mud on some drywall. As we head back out to fish late afternoon, we decided to try some cliffs. My buddy got one on the fly and I got two on a worm, small fish. We decide to go back offshore and I hook up to something strong and fast vertical jigging a rapala lipless that has been through the ringer and no longer rattles for some reason. This fish is pulling like a striper causing me to free spool several times. I keep telling my buddy it’s a striper and it’s shoots up toward the top like a smallie. It decided not to jump but I did see it, a nice 20-21 ish smallmouth maybe 4-5 lbs. just as he is approaching my hands the lure just came out, hooks didn’t bend or anything. Bummer but I don’t think it was super big so I tried not to think about it. I kept on jigging that same bait and a nice walleye ate it! Good way to end it

I’m going after one of those here in about 4 hours.......

Very cool video. I’d call it “fun times in the red boat” The rock bass where you fish are monsters

I always wondered if canoes were allowed in kayak tournaments

Yes.......

Sounds like a white bass party!

In the Cherokee elite series event of 2019 (freezing temps in February), I imagine almost zero of the competitors used braided line . This year they are coming in may and there might be a few people using it for some reason but I doubt it

I’ve tried both in clear water and saw the fish laughing

Sorry I have nothing. Never even laid eyes on it

+2. If it didn't we would all fish 100 lb braid

Boooooo....... I still play it!!!

I live close to 2 DSG (one has fishing stuff one doesn't), academy sports, too many wal marts to count, two locations of a mom and pop store called c and c outdoors, edgemoor outdoors, McKee outdoors, 4 live bait/tackle stores near 4 different dams and probably some I'm forgetting and some I've never heard of. Brick and mortar is alive and well in East Tennessee. I think about the only thing I've bought from the internet is replacement worm gears for my round Abu Garcias and some vibrating jigs from @Bluebasser86 (that flat out catch em)

I was tossing a rapala husky jerk off the bank the other day. The nose was pointing slightly down but it was suspending perfectly for as long as you would leave it there .

You are tougher than I am...... That's no place for a basshead