I caught my personal best river smallmouth yesterday out of the schukill river

The way this thing fought steady, i knew it was descent, but when the fish was about half way in, it went into a burst of speed and felt like a freaking shark!

it was amazing that burst of energy....the most power i have ever felt from a fish in fresh water

after a good 4 minute fight, i finally got him in....

despite how big he looked, he was only 2.8 lbs???? suprised me, i thought it might be over 4 lbs....

iv heard that river smallies weigh less than lake smallies......

anyway, these things can fight like no other fish, when they want to

whover said poiund for pound, the best fight was 100% right on.....

I WAS SO ticked I DIDNT HAVE MY CAMERA!!!

anybody else ever run into the "Burst of Energy" when bringing in a smallmouth???

it was about 3 X more strength than the majority of the fight.....this little burst

literly almost broke my rod in 2....

What ya catch him on Johnny?

Yes I have dealt with that "burst" on occasion. Especially when they come out of the rapids and into calmer water while hauling them in.

Most fish have that burst, usually always when they see the boat.  My biggest fight wasn't a smallie, but it was a Hybrid Bass.  It is a cross between a Stripe Bass and a White Bass (I think).  But these take a couple of minutes to get in the boat.  You have to use heavier gear, I had one last spring break a 10-15 lbs test rod when I was lifting him up to reach down and grab him.  Luckily the line didn't break so I was able to get him in the boat.  They have two burst, one when you hook them, and then another when they see the boat.  I had to force my thumb in mouth to grab his bottom lip, he didn't want to open, so I could get the hook out.  

The man has seen the light! ;D

What ya catch him on Johnny?

Yes I have dealt with that "burst" on occasion. Especially when they come out of the rapids and into calmer water while hauling them in.

KUT TAIL WORM.....7.5"....weightless with a 3/0 gamagatsu wide gap hook

I missed about 6 in a row before getting this one in......one was definately a little bigger, the rest felt smaller

the reaosn i kept missing them was slack line......they kept hitting it when i would let it go slack, so i tryed my best to set the hook, but it was tough

They would hit it the second the worm hit the water.....my line just went instantly tight, like a zip cord....

amazing......for about 25 minuted, then not another one in

no boat. by the way,....just my feet......i think  it was when he got out of the current....it amazed me how strong that thing was

it was weird, the ones I missed, after i brought the worm in, it looked like it was stained with blood in certain spots....

anyone ever have this happen?

iv heard that river smallies weigh less than lake smallies......

Nope, but those north of the Mason-Dixon line generally weigh less than those found in Confederate States.

8-)

Hmmm.  I must be missing something here.  So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?

Hmmm. I must be missing something here. So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?

No he is saying that the smallies can get bigger down south.

Which I would agree with. Erie and it's tributaries can produce some nice smallies (I know), but just like LM bass.....the south IMO can produce some larger ones.

Hmmm. I must be missing something here. So a 5# Lake Erie SM weighs less than a 5# Wheeler Dam SM?

No.

A HUGE Lake Erie smallmouth might weigh 7 lbs which is a VERY NICE Southern bass.

:

My son caught his PB smallie last night. 3# even, I thought he had a 10# LMB, no exageration!

FLECHERO, Can you tell where the pic in the above reply is?

Nice smallie!  Glad you guys are getting out.  I still haven't been out in a long time.  Looking to get out this weekend though. (finally a weekend in town!)

FLECHERO, Can you tell where the pic in the above reply is?

Looks like "one fish bank" in the background. Which would put you guys near Temple Lake Park- right about here (by the sportsman's club cove), except your pics are facing 180 degrees the other way from my pic :

Hey Buddy!

That's a fine fish, too!

8-)

yeah, that second fish is bigger than the smallies around here that iv got in

about the size of the first one

am i losing my mind.....i c ould swear somebody on here said the river smallies at full growth weigh less on average than a lake smallie

Now, for a real treat, try it with a 9 ft. whippy stick...

Of course those smallies down south weigh more, it is from all the Bubba beer that gets spilled into the water.  They got beer guts...

On the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...

On the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...

Absolutely!

Northern numbers are staggering. A GREAT day here is 10-15 smallmouth, combined total for two guys! Seriously, we NEVER catch numbers. Fishing live bait on the Tennessee we might catch more than 100 lbs of fish per man, but that's a combination of cats, drum, stripers, buffalo, sauger, crappie and both green bass. Just catching a brown fish every now and then is what keeps us coming back.

Now, for a real treat, try it with a 9 ft. whippy stick...

Of course those smallies down south weigh more, it is from all the Bubba beer that gets spilled into the water. They got beer guts...

On the other hand, while the biggest fish might not be as big, there are probably more fisheries that produce greater numbers of "quality" to "very nice" fish up north...

I do quite a bit of smallie fishing with the fly rod, it's actually my favorite way and with cooler temps approaching, the smallies wil be shallow for the next 2 months!!  We are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies. (must be more beer spilled here ...lol)  Other than that only a couple of canyon type lakes in Texas have them.  They don't get as big here, most of the lake records are about 6 1/2 - 6 3/4 lbs.  

Then I would be happy with just a nice Erie SM.  I can't imagine what a 7 pounder would even look like, much less how it would fight.

Then I would be happy with just a nice Erie SM. I can't imagine what a 7 pounder would even look like, much less how it would fight.

It would look EXACTLY like the fat one in my avatar. The other fish was nearly four inches longer but only weighed another pound. That one is my PB.

I think the biggest difference in the fight of a LM vs. SM is endurance. A 3lb SM may take about as long to land as a 5+lb LM caught on the same gear. I love it! I guess that goes along with being faster and stronger than LM though.

Those are some sweet smallie pics guys!

Hey Johnnydel, in my neck of the woods, a river smallie typically weighs alot less than a lake smallie of the same length. It's not uncommon to catch a 20 inch river fish that only weighs 3 pounds. Lake fish around here often closely resemble a football while river fish usually look like torpedoes. Young SMB from either environment tend to look about the same, where you really start to notice the difference in weight is with the older fish.

Either can grow big and fat, but river smallmouths spend their entire life fighting current so it helps keeps them slimmer. Lake fish are able to sit in one spot for long periods without expending energy, and much like a person, get fat because of it. Kind of like a 6' tall athlete vs. a 6' tall couch potato. They're the same height but one has a much bigger girth!

Another thing that plays a role is the forage base. Lake smallmouth, depending on the region, often have a ridiculously large and nourishing forage base. Lake Erie SM have gobies, southern reservoirs have shad, western lakes have trout and kokanee salmon, and northern lakes have ciscoes and yellow perch.

Fish in rivers are usually dependant on crawfish, various minnow species, or whatever else the current brings them. Food in rivers is usually not as abundant, or as easy to catch, as the baitfish in lakes.

We are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies.    

Actually, I think my dad's uncle may be partly responsible for the construction of some of those lakes.  O.H. Ivie is named after him...  

I do very well on our lakes using an 8 wt. with 250 grain striper line to fish a brown and orange clouser-ish creation on rockpiles down to 15 ft.  Works year round, but with the weeds starting to die they're starting to group up.  Should be able to start pulling 10-20+ good fish off each of the "hot" spots any day now.  There's nothing like a strip-set hook set and then lifting that long rod against a bronze football.  My best on the fly rod so far is a 20"-er.  I am definitely making sure that rod is in the boat this weekend.

We are lucky, there is a small area of 7 or 8 lakes in Central Tx that have smallies.

Actually, I think my dad's uncle may be partly responsible for the construction of some of those lakes. O.H. Ivie is named after him...

I do very well on our lakes using an 8 wt. with 250 grain striper line to fish a brown and orange clouser-ish creation on rockpiles down to 15 ft. Works year round, but with the weeds starting to die they're starting to group up. Should be able to start pulling 10-20+ good fish off each of the "hot" spots any day now. There's nothing like a strip-set hook set and then lifting that long rod against a bronze football. My best on the fly rod so far is a 20"-er. I am definitely making sure that rod is in the boat this weekend.

Ivie is a great place for LM bass, I don't think there are smallies there.  Is your striper line a full sink line?  So far I've limited to a sink tip and some sinking heads.  We can flyfish year round for both LM and SM.  I love this area!

Sorry Johnnydell for the semi hijack.

I love catching smallies.  They put up one of the best fights.  My personal best was a 4lb at my local honey hole but favorite was a 2lb that I caught with a Mepps inline spinnerbait in about one foot water in a really fast moving section of White River here in Indiana.

I don't remember the exact name, but it is a Cortland with a sinking head and an intermediate running line.  The reason I probably don't remember the name is because I am not that happy with its durability.  I just replaced it with a Scientific Anglers Streamer Express in 250 grain, but haven't really thrown it much yet so I can't say if it is better or not.