Okay granted, it was a little fish, but tell me this 1 1/2 lb Smallie didn't have some really big ideas when he slammed this 9" MS Slammer :-)

BTW, I hate to report this, but about an hour later, I hooked, and fought to the side of my boat, an aproximate 11 lb "Northern strain" Largemouth (certainly would have been my PB Northern).... and was reaching for the net when it popped off, and swam away :-( :-( :-( Still crying about that one. But their is always the next time :-)

Peace,

Fish

Wow, that is awesome. This is why I love smallies. they will hit anything! Great pic Chris!  ;D ;D

Yep, that is a great pic!

8-)

Great pic. Yes, thats why I love smallies. they have bad attitudes, lol.

Ouch that sucks man - was the northern lm also on the slammer?  It still surprises me they seem to work so well, the way they look and all...

Yes, the big Northern strainer was on the Slammer also. I know, they do look like a chunk of broomstick with hooks on them, don't they ? But I'm convinced that they still work well, as top water lures, because so much of the lure is out of the water, or hidden in chopped up water, and bubbles. If you could make one swim at the same depth and speed as a Hud, I think the Hud would just blow it away 99% of the time.

BTW, to backtrack a bit, I pulled up over the top of that same tree I hooked the Northern at, on my first stop of the day. There were actually two good ones hanging out there... like an 8 to 9, and an 11'ish lb'er. I threw my Hud out past it, and as I brought it over the bigger ones head, it turned, and kicked towards it. My heart was in my throat.... but then it just bumped my Hud, with its mouth completely closed :-( Of course it had no intentions of eating it, but rather, it just wanted to check it out.

So anyway, I'm about 98% sure that the big Northern I lost 8 hours later, was the very same fish.

Two close encounters in the same day, and I still didn't put her in the boat :-( Oh well.

Peace,

Fish

WOW

Here maybe a dumb question, but how can you tell a Northern Strain Largemouth from a Florida Strain one or any other strain Largemouth that may be out there?

Those bass can be ambitious/greedy fellas.  On my first trip to Lake of the Woods in Canada the smallmouth only wanted big baits.  I caught nary a bass on a "normal" sized bass bait but my group caught numbers on super shad raps.  The smallest bait they showed any interest at all in was a 5 1/4 inch Rapala.  And these bass weren't wall hangers either.

You know what they say:

A bass boat is just a buzz-bait to a smallmouth!

Here maybe a dumb question, but how can you tell a Northern Strain Largemouth from a Florida Strain one or any other strain Largemouth that may be out there?

I have the same question? This can only be determined by taking genetic samples.

that lake only has northern strain largemouth in it. it has never had floridas planted.

Chris,

My favorite part of the pic is that you are lipping the lure, not the fish!!  Absolutely priceless!!!  Great shot.