If so, this is the first one I've ever caught! Coolest thing that happened to me in a long, long time. (Yes, I get excited over little things.)

 

1/4 oz Cavitron.

 

 

Wore them out today AND left them biting. Doesn't happen often to me.

 

Sneaked out of work early to fish for about three hours in the afternoon/ evening.

 

Started in the lower third in a spot where a pile of boulders lead into the creek channel. I managed to stick a couple of small keepers on a swim jig right away, and then nothing. Fished a couple of similar looking spots, and caught nothing there either. Not part of the pattern I guess.

 

Went over with a light T-rig and a jerkbait with zero luck.

 

Junk fished a few points and some funnels with deep water access with the swim jig, the buzzbait, the Pointer and a Sammy. Caught one here, and one there, all except two on the swim jig and the buzzbait.

 

They just didn't want a stop and go retrieve. Figured that out when I caught one on the Pointer when I was swimming it back. They didn't want the Sammy either. Lots of blowups, and exactly one fish caught.

 

My theory is that largemouth bass have- well- rather large mouths. If they want a bait, they will eat it. Stuck with the buzzer and the swim jig after that.

 

The real problem was location, as usual.

 

They were stacked on steep steep dropoffs, probably because the water level is falling. I don't like fishing one-dimensional breaks, but hey, if that's where they are, that's where I'll fish.

 

Wore them out after that. Lots of non- and barely legal keepers, with a few 14-15 inchers and a couple of solid 2 pounders. I probably had a 9-10 pound limit.

 

Must have caught 25-30 fish- I lost count after ten or so.

 

It was raining on and off most of the time- called it a day after a flash or two of lightning in the distance.

 

Winds were from the east! I never do well with an east wind. Today was different I guess.

 

 

Gear:

 

Light T-rig/ Pointer/ Swim jig: 7'6" Helium3 2.5 power, Curado I, 12# Tatsu

Buzzbait/ Sammy: 7'6" BPS cranking stick 2 power, Curado G, 55# Samurai with 12# Siege leader

Yes

Yes indeed. Congrats!

yup, definitely a smallie and a nice catch for sure

Excitement is justified. Congrats.

Yes Sir -

 

That would be a Bronzeback . . .

 

Congrats

 

A-Jay

Deep I caught one there last summer 12"long on a drop shot. Supposedly it used to have a very large population of smallies. 

Definite smallie! Congrats!

Yup, that's a smallie alright. Congrats!

Congrats on your first smallie!

 

Jeff

Nice fish, I am still looking for my first Smallie.  Hear they put a nice fight for the size.

Yes it is and a nice one too!

Congrats on your first smallie! They are addicting!

Welcome to the smallmouth fraternity deep.

Absolutely ... my favorite fish to chase!  

Good job figuring them out and the SM. Most of the rivers around there have SM.

Smallie on a buzzbait too! Awesome

Congrats on your first smallie!   Healthy looking bronzeback!

What body of water did you catch it from, looks gorgeous!