After getting skunked the first two trips of the year, I was starting to wonder if I still knew how to catch one. So I went out yesterday to Laurel Lake, I was hoping it still had some clear water after all this rain, and fortunately it did. Still very cold though, water temp was 40-43.

 

For the first spot of the day I ran down to a long sloping point, and on about my 6th cast I ran into this big Smallie:

 

 

Definitely the biggest I've ever caught on Laurel, and right up there with my PB, I never carry a scale so I couldn't say for sure. Water temp was 41 when I caught it, so it was also the coldest bass I've ever caught. (Well, I fished live bait in rivers years ago during the Winter and caught some, so a few those may have been colder but that's a little different anyway )

 

I think I fished for about 5 more hours and I didn't get another bite all day, but I was still happy with the results.   

 

 

 

Way to hang in there!  Nice, solid smallie!  Fishing a jig or a shakey head?

Nice fish! Did you measure it's length?

2 hours ago, 38 Super Fan said:

After getting skunked the first two trips of the year, I was starting to wonder if I still knew how to catch one. So I went out yesterday to Laurel Lake, I was hoping it still had some clear water after all this rain, and fortunately it did. Still very cold though, water temp was 40-43.

 

For the first spot of the day I ran down to a long sloping point, and on about my 6th cast I ran into this big Smallie:

 

 

Definitely the biggest I've ever caught on Laurel, and right up there with my PB, I never carry a scale so I couldn't say for sure. Water temp was 41 when I caught it, so it was also the coldest bass I've ever caught. (Well, I fished live bait in rivers years ago during the Winter and caught some, so a few those may have been colder but that's a little different anyway )

 

I think I fished for about 5 more hours and I didn't get another bite all day, but I was still happy with the results.   

 

 

 

Nice fish and way to break the early season shivers!!

 

Nice Brown Bass ~

Congrats

A-Jay

Great fish! 

3 hours ago, Ratherbfishing said:

Way to hang in there!  Nice, solid smallie!  Fishing a jig or a shakey head?

Thanks! Caught it on a 3 inch grub. Which was really odd, because I haven't thrown a grub in years. I just happened to rig one up on a whim the day before when I was getting my gear ready.

3 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Nice fish! Did you measure it's length?

Thanks! I didn't measure it either. Probably a 21" fish though, she was built solid too, I figure 5 for sure.

3 hours ago, 38 Super Fan said:

Thanks! I didn't measure it either. Probably a 21" fish though, she was built solid too, I figure 5 for sure.

That’s a monster! I bet you won’t go another 3 yrs without throwing a grub 

Nice fish man!

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

That’s a monster! I bet you won’t go another 3 yrs without throwing a grub 

 Sometimes we forget about the classics, well at least I did anyway. Come to think of it, I haven't thrown a tube in a while either.

Very nice smallmouth!