Bird

Lol, I brought this subject up at work today and this fanatical fisherman said the exact same......black jointed jitterbug. Ok I'm fanatical also but old and drink maybe a little to much for night fishing.

Welcome from the beautiful state of Va.

Nice catches and you were no doubt having fun.....it's why we fish.

Love the boat AND that awesome action shot, wow.

Most of the lakes I fish are gin clear. I never use swivels and only direct tie so with efficiency in mind, no leader. I MUCH prefer braid in moss green but do have several reels rigged with fluorocarbon , fish don't seem to care. Only complaint with braid.....it's in love with front treble, if applicable. I also fish from a brilliantly bright orange boat and fish once again don't seem to care. But just like the baits we throw.....confidence is paramount.

Budget friendly ? Lightning rod

I also have a bad back and a $1500 kayak with a framed seat.....about 5 hrs is my max. Hoping you and your wife find comfort.

Hope the rest of the week delivers for Ya' That lake is so big it's intimidating. Lol But docks always seem to hold fish

Unfortunately you are correct about the diminished smallmouth numbers In VA. I talked with DNR and was informed that record rainfall basically eliminated the spawn.

I fish all day several times a week, it's actually exhausting so continuing into the night is not likely for me. BUT when I was younger I quickly learned that bass do indeed hit at night as we would consistently catch smallmouth and largemouth all night while cat fishing.

Thermacell is one of my better investments for sure......around the water and in a treestand.

Have fun fishing. My wife travels several times a month for her Job, gone weeks at a time on occasion. I pass the time on the water ?

It's been sloooow here in VA, been dry and hot. Got on the water at day break, fished for 6 hrs , missed a good one early on a buzz, caught a 2lb LM on white spinnerbait and another 3lb on a skirted jig.....that is it. Threw 5"-7" flukes for the most part. My local lake is heavily mossed over.

My fondest memories are fishing and camping along the river with my brother, we did it every year for many years when the Smallmouth were spawning. He's a logger and roofer, always working.....what an idiot. Lol He gave up fishing but I still make the 20 mile float every spring and still find it very enjoyable. I fish 90% alone, occasionally the wife goes but she turns it into a picnic atmosphere and talks to much.

I've always found that hard plastic top water baits have lower percentages hook rates like spooks, jitterbugs and torpedoes.....why I prefer buzz baits.

Yeah, cichlids are very popular in the aquarium world but the problem is they can get quite large for the average aquarium and very aggressive so the owners simply dump them in a nearby water way after they're tanks get terrorized. Good news, Mayan's don't get that big in the wild in comparison to LM bass but has a big attitude.

Nice, Big northern on a Ned.

I don't like getting worm guts on my reels. Lol Nightcrawlers do work but attract to much attention from pesky little fish. Now if I'm taking a youngster fishing then nightcrawlers are perfect.

Wow that is thick. I definitely throw a frog with heavy braid.....slow twitch.

I have 2 Feelfree boats. They build good stuff and stand behind them. Good fishing.

Here's another one to consider, a great fishing platform with several options. Jonny boats Bass 100. Won't allow me to post any pics for ya' ?

River Smallmouth are a particularly easy fish to catch but as mentioned, get in the river and float and enjoy some nice action with about anything in your tackle box. Find drop offs and eddies.....eddies are turbulence behind big rocks that may or may not be exposed but you'll notice that the current is actually flowing in a circle and sometimes back up river.....they'll be one hiding there.

My wife's 2017 Santa Fe has the 3.3 with 290 hp and 5000lb towing capacity.....should yank a bass boat with relative ease.

If I'm floating and need to cover water for active fish then I throw nothing but white spinnerbaits or pearl flukes. Stationary or wading I prefer bucktail jigs with pork or fat cow trailers. Creature baits work also.

I'm likely a minority as I carry a very small tackle box with only proven baits, time tested. I even have certain colors I won't stray from. BUT I fish with a guy who keeps on his bass boat.....11 rods-reels and 7 tackle boxes the size of a microwave. We both have fun and catch fish ?