electrikal

Looks like you've got a future pro on your hands. Great job on the fish & the son!! Keep em fishin!!

Congrats - bet that will whet the ole fishing appetite for awhile. Nothing like catching a big one to keep you going back and back and back!

Bob, your buddy is correct about the back of the harbor - plenty of good size threadfins and other minnows. I've always forked over the dough for store bought but know of others that are willing to spent time casting a net. There is a good bait shop off 72 hwy on the Colbert cty side right where you turn to go up on Hawkpride Mtn that carries all sizes. The large (bass) minnows will still die quick so be sure you have a good areator & maybe a ice bottle to keep em cool. They perk up real good when dropped in warmer river water and for a few minutes will really dance on the hook. : I personally have reels with 6,8,12,17lb test (P-line) and let the fish tell me what's working that day but if tackle is limited I would go 10-12. Most of my smallmouth are caught on the 12lb but as I said earlier, I fish a lot of spinners and cranks. I fish plastics on the lighter test and if live bait fishing I'd use the same. RW - you're gonna give me the bighead . I'd say I'm just persistant - my wife says stubborn- but I don't like to leave the river till I catch something and smallies are my favorites! And I know that the same fish I catch in the spring & fall have to be in the river somewhere & they gotta eat.

Congratulations on a good evening with your son. 8-). If you can get down below Wilson around the lower end of Seven Mile Island, the stumps and humps off the channel areas near the smaller islands have produced a few decent smallmouth for me. I caught/released a 3 1/2lber, Labor day morning, right along the south side, near Buck Island.

No luck with smallies on topwater but I did catch several LM's on Spooks in the weedbeds around 7 Mile Island. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and jig/pigs have produced smallies the best for me this year. No lunkers - the largest was 5lbs 12 oz. But I'm not set up for fishin the big minnows like RW does. I hope to get setup with a good aerator and round tank by fall. My boat's baitwell is rectangular and my last attempt at fishing large minnows produced a lot of dead bait fish. Apparently they bunch up in corners and beat themselves senseless.

WELCOME to the BFF. Always nice to see a fellow North Al. fisherman on here. I haven't been up below Wheeler lately but I've heard the lower end of Hawg Island is producing a few smallies. Hope your boy catches a nice one. If you keep him interested till fall, you should be able to put him on some good ones. My Dad started me fishing at around 4 or 5 and now I can appreciate those times even more. Patience, persistance and good clean (unless you hang a catfish) fun. And the best time - when I first beat his catch. He put me (about 13) out under the Trace bridge during a pouring rain (no rainsuit for me!!!) and went further up river to fish. Upon his return, 30-40 minutes later, he tells me to get in the boat and I grab my makeshift fishin line stringer with a 2 1/2lber caught on my lowly castoff rod & reel and beatup purple fliptail worm. The look on his face!! and then ;D. And he had nothing to show for his 40 min. of rainsoakin! Keep em fishin!!!

Congrats on the PB ;D.

Bob, I went out on Pickwick, Labor day morning, before the crowds hit. I fished around Buck Island Chute and caught one 3 lb 9oz smallmouth, early, on a large rattletrap imitation (about 3 1/2" long shad-colored) & a 2 1/2 lber on a crawdad colored jointed shad rap as I came in. The smaller one put up a better fight. It jumped 3 times - heading straight down and pulling drag each time. Both fish were in about 12' - 16' of water. Structure in the area of both fish consist of isolated stumps. The wind blew at a good rate (10 - 15mph) from the northeast which helped the current along. TVA wasn't releasing near what I'd hoped. As luck would have it, my camera batteries were dead. :-[ If you do fish on the water below the dam be sure you take someone with you (preferably someone that knows the water). It's best not fish in that area alone. Too easy to get distracted while reelin' in that big one!!!

Welcome to the BFF. Glad to see a fellow local Pickwick fisherman. Hope to hear some good reports !!

I'm with RW & CJ on the next WR - TENN chain. Hopefully Pickwick!! But I'm biased since I live on Pickwick. Out of curiosity, what are most of these state records caught on? Live or artificial?

Dang straight !! I've been sidelined (wife broke a leg and needs alot of assistance)maybe a blessing :-? but did get to go out below Wilson from the bank. Caught one 3 1/2lb LM. She promised I'd get to go out this weekend early so hot or not " Who cares, I'm going fishing!"

I'm installing the same thing on my old 84 Champion. Best price and selection i've found so far is at http://www.boatpartstore.com/accesssearch.asp?cat=itemname&cval=1&hval=67&val=96. Still trying to figure out mounting. :-/ Just found the ATTWOOD site - http://www.attwoodmarine.com/products/gassprings/gas_springs_and_accessories.asp?category=7&path=gassprings&categoryname=Gas+Springs+and+Accessories&headername=Gas+Springs+and+Accessories Good info on mounting methods and types of brackets.

Hey DG, I fish tht area often. Had my PB day just up from there off the main channel Lauderdale cty side.

Nice Job DG!!! I live on Pickwick and fish it alot, that's a good catch on any dogday in the summer. Which end of Pickwick are you fishing?

Nice Catch!! Which end of Wilson were you fishing? Congrats on the Lunker prize

Great Day!!! Congratulations! Nothing like a smallie or even better, several:P Try reducing your pics next time. Makes it easier to see the whole pic without scrolling. What area are you fishing?

Look good to me!! A lot of smallies here in N. Alabama look like those. Wish I could afford to fish up north and catch some of the beauties they have in those lakes :-/.

Good looking fish and keep that kid fishin'.

Yeah must be a shame to be stuck with all those 10lb + largemouth ;D.

Great looking fish no matter where you are. Just wish my " Bonus Fish" had been that fleshed out. None of our smallies are that compacted.

Great way to get the youngin's "hooked" on fishing. My grandson (6) had rather let me hook em and he reels them in but he enjoys it. Just wish he could go more often.

Yeah I noticed the tail also but seems a little late for just spawned fish here. Water temps have been over 75 for over a month. It was a clean catch (mouth hooked) so I don't figure that as the reason. Yeah, Dan, I could have swore that it was a 10lb or larger drum, almost dead weight but digging for the bottom. I didn't even think about where my net was until I saw her!! Hey, Nate, looks like my selenoid went out. No repair shops open on Saturday or today so no fishing from the boat till Tuesday >.

Yea, BShaner, I was surprised at the weight vs length myself(maybe my digital scales are off) :-/. The fish in my avatar photo were shorter but weigh more. They were caught around spawning time though. This fish looked a little haggard but fought hard.

Posted this at the smallie forum, thought I'd share here too. Haven't posted in a while but couldn't resist showing this one. I had been out since 5:30 am and had caught four largemouth (1 1/2 to 3 lbs.) on topwater before 8:00. Switched to a powerworm but nothing but little ones as the sun beat down (92 degrees by 10:00). Water temps were in the low 80's.. I decided to crank up and come in (jetskiers and yachts were churning up the water >. But alas my 175hp Mariner decided to not cooperate. Turned the key to the sounds of silence . Checked battery, fuses and all was good but still no turning over. I no longer have a cranking rope so I headed in on the trolling motor. I was only about a 1 mile down river from the dock so what the heck I decided to fish my way back. Got out a crawdad colored ShadRap and proceeded to cast my way in. No luck until I got to the mouth of the creek where the dock was and felt a hard tug on the line. I shut the trolling motor down and was about to turn around thinking I was hung up when I felt the persistent tucking. As I reeled in I thought I had a big drum or catfish as this fish didn't want to come in. But then as I got it within 15' I could see this one still trying to head for the bottom. Once landed I measured 23 1/2" and weighed 4lbs 1oz. Sure felt a lot bigger!!! My camera was in the truck so I put em in the livewell and continued in. Sorry about the way its photographed but 4lbs of flopping fish is hard to hold at arms length and still get in the frame and click. Great way to end the day ;D

Nate, I have my best luck with a Tiny Torpedo. Cast upstream of the holes or cover and reel it across or by the cover. Numerous species of fish will attack the TT but bass in my area find em irresistable