Caught 3 this morning. Size is down quite a bit from what I was doing this time last year,  but after the last half of May and all of June, Im just glad to catch something again.  Broke in the new Shimano Caius 150HG and Shimano Convergance rod, loved how the reel retrieved and the levarage the long handle on the Convergance gave me.

On 7/14/2025 at 12:04 PM, Blue Raider Bob said:

Tried to load pictures but they kept loading sideways.

 

      Between scorching sun where I hid under an umbrella, to dark clouds and thunderbursts that challenged my courage, I managed to gets lots of smallies.

     There is a two mile stretch of the Cumberland river a few miles below the Old Hickory dam that is my go-to. The current is usually about 1-1.5 mph and that is perfect for my style of fishing. I toss a soft plastic (Ned Rig) on the rocks, and bounce the lure as close as I can to the bottom on the retrieve, as I drift with the current. I hang up often but I have learned to deal with this in a fun way. When I have to troll against the current, towards the banks to retrieve the hang up, I toss a Gitzit swim bait parallel to the shore. This is a killer, as the smallies just can't pass it up. The combination of the current dragging Ned, and the stationary tossing of the Gitszit made for a memorable float. Caught about thirty yesterday afternoon until Mother Nature intervened and ran me off the river. They were still biting as the lightning inched closer, and the wind picked up. Rain I can stand, electrocution I cannot!

     Got to slip away from work Thursday to try the same area of river as before. Conditions were different. Either an abundance of rain, or more generation demand from Old Hickory dam had three generators running, causing higher water levels and stronger current. The current was moving my boat at 2mph or better and the fishing was tough. Caught about a dozen smallies around a pound, along with a big drum and a small mouth buffalo, However my last fish was a river monster smallie at 19-3/4 inches and pulled like a rocket. Picture only wants to load sideways so you will have to take a fishermans word for it. Too inept to figure out how to post pictures. 

3 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

19-3/4 inches

 

That's a BIG river smallie, Bob. WOW! So proud of you. So happy for you.

That is a very nice river Smallmouth. I am sure that was a ton of fun. Nice job.

Just one from a brief wet-wading escape today:

1 hour ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

     Got to slip away from work Thursday to try the same area of river as before. Conditions were different. Either an abundance of rain, or more generation demand from Old Hickory dam had three generators running, causing higher water levels and stronger current. The current was moving my boat at 2mph or better and the fishing was tough. Caught about a dozen smallies around a pound, along with a big drum and a small mouth buffalo, However my last fish was a river monster smallie at 19-3/4 inches and pulled like a rocket. Picture only wants to load sideways so you will have to take a fishermans word for it. Too inept to figure out how to post pictures. 

Sent Katie a picture of it so she will vouch for me........I think.......😶

I had to change the format and downsize it, but it was worth the work! It's a BIG, FAT bass. Plus, Bob didn't long arm it and the camera didn't even capture its full length:

 

2 minutes ago, Swamp Girl said:

I had to change the format and downsize it, but it was worth the work! It's a BIG, FAT bass:

 

Ha!  Thanks Katie but I'm not sure the BR crowd was ready for that big, grey, mass of ugly behind the bass but it was HOT!  Please fellas, leave off the "missing link" comments. I've already heard them all. Even from my mom!  I started shaving in pre-school!   😁

10 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Ha!  Thanks Katie but I'm not sure the BR crowd was ready for that big, grey, mass of ugly behind the bass but it was HOT!  Please fellas, leave off the "missing link" comments. I've already heard them all. Even from my mom!  I started shaving in pre-school!   😁

 

Bob, you're 6' 4", you were raised in a swamp, and you dig ponds and build houses. Anyway giving you grief will have to deal with a man with VISE-GRIP hands.

 

Bob's hands:

 

 

#SwampGirlhasBob'sbackhoweverhairy

not gonna lie, a little bit jealous of the folks with tbe smallmouth bass. those things look so awesome and ive heard they fight harder than a largemouth does. not sure if we have any in our neck of the woods or not.

Nice fish, @Blue Raider Bob…not sure why you’re wearing a sweater in July though. 😂

 

Me and the boy visited one of our favorite stores.

 

 

 

 

Ended up getting matching BPS hats, mine is in green.

 

Got into a few today at the city lake. Started by skipping under a small bridge. This is a finger of the main lake where a trickle runs in. Few people take the time to fish it I think.

 

I called for the boy to bring the phone, as he and it was in the car, and he stopped and took a picture of this walnut on the way to me, which he was proud of.

 

 

 

 

Pulled this little guy out of some shallow water in a culvert.

 

I got another bass at another spot on the lake, but without a picture.

Had our 4th tournament for Kansas Kayak Anglers this past Saturday. It was a road runner tournament that we could pick from 3 different lakes to fish from. I ended up choosing the wrong one apparently, which is a commen theme from these style tournaments, as 1st-4th all fished a different lake. I ended up in 5th out of 27. The lake I fish is like a flooded jungle and I lost several nice fish to the trees and couldn't make up for it. I did catch a couple decent ones. My bigger bites were coming on a homemade sapphire blue slither rig with a black and blue Rage Craw on the back. I was fishing it on 50lb Smackdown on my Okuma X Series rod and reel. Even with the heavy action rod and 50lb braid, I couldn't get them out of that mess.

 

 

 

@Bluebasser86 that lake looks like it would be a blast while simultaneously being extremely nerve wracking especially since you’re fishing a tournament.

Fished one of my go-to local lakes for a few hours this afternoon.  Started off catching a couple small pike on a bladed jig, running it through sparse cabbage on an 8ft. hump.  Backed off the downwind side and was able to pull out a few on a 10” power worm from about 12ft. where the weeds taper off.  Felt good to catch a few - fishing has been generally poor.  Surface temps 79F, which is very hot for around here.

 

Tough overnight at the lake. Reaction bite was not happening, lots of jig/drop shot seemed to be the answer.

Was a tough and slow bite earlier. Me and the boy tried various things, including spinnerbaits, crankbait, curly tail worms, and trick worms. Seems all they wanted was a baby brush hog.

 

 

 

 

 Nothing special out of me but at least I didn’t get skunked. I didn’t get out before 9pm and the light was fading quickly. No bites in the pond so I headed down to the river producing this feisty little guy. Very close to the bank along the rocks and under the trees. Caught on a 1/8 keitech jig head with a 3inch easy shiner in Arkansas shiner color. I had one about the similar size come off while trying to land it.

 

But any day you catch a river smallie is a good day.

Fished a private lake in North Jersey, first time this year and what a difference a year makes.

It was heavily weeded in, previous years there were not much weed.

We were able to find a different area of the lake that was not as bad.

Wound up with 16 fish, Largemouths, Smallmouths and a couple of perch.

  

6poundbass couldn’t get his butt out of bed this morning so I left him. I caught four dinks. I got home and he was up, so we hooked the boat back up for another trip on a different lake and we finally got a couple photo worthy bass. Ten total bass for the second trip, two sinks and the rest over 2lbs.

 

Had not fished in a couple of weeks...moved Dad to assisted living. 

 

Got out on the home lake today...and broke out the oldest rod in my stable...a Cabela's C44x, CDH 602 casting rod, purchased in 1992. 

 

Tied on one of my old favorites, a blue fleck power worm. And proceeded to slay them. 

 

Nice 18-1/2" | 3lb LMB. Good times!

 

Tried a popper a few minutes, with nothing, so went straight to the jig. Building confidence in them still.

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's a good-looking bass, @DaubsNU1. Yours too, @12poundbass.

On 7/18/2025 at 6:48 PM, BluegillsTightlines said:

not gonna lie, a little bit jealous of the folks with tbe smallmouth bass. those things look so awesome and ive heard they fight harder than a largemouth does. not sure if we have any in our neck of the woods or not.

     I catch a few smallies below Nickajack dam, the headwaters of Guntersville, so they are found throughout the entire TVA chain of lakes. Pickwick is worlds famous for them. Keep hitting the TVA lakes where there is current in the first few miles below the dams and you will for sure catch one eventually. I do not want to start a scuffle, but In my opinion, from experience, smallies have another gear that the LM does not. While the largies hit like a truck, and fight like a rodeo bull, the smallies hit like a missile and fight like a bronco! Also in my humble opinion, the Spotted bass fall somewhere in between.

10 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

In my opinion, from experience, smallies have another gear that the LM does not. While the largies hit like a truck, and fight like a rodeo bull, the smallies hit like a missile and fight like a bronco!

 

When you come fish my pond, Bob, you'll add a caveat, which is "except at Ol' Swampy's pond, of course, where the green fish outfight the brown fish."