Will Wetline

Fine fish!

Yup. From this craftsman's point of view, a jig that I've tied must be painted. However, I've been fishing GYCB Hula Grubs with an unpainted tungsten bullet for a couple of decades and not a single smallmouth among the many I've caught on this T-rig said to me, "Why didn't you paint the weight to match the grub?"

I use a marker buoy as a point of reference when working a hump or a large flat.

The majority of smallmouth in my home water in central Massachusetts are now cruising deep under schools of their summer diet. Quabbin Reservoir still calls me, however, and I answer by anchoring deep on the edges of humps and flats optimistic that one or two might swim by. This fair fish took a Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver, T-rigged.

Having a mindset that values a certain level of OCD, I've always enjoyed fine detail work. I started casting, painting and dressing jigs about 20 years ago and, as Bluebasser86 has mentioned, there's trial and error, a learning curve to getting proficient at it. Patience is an important component of the process. Cadman advises, "Practice, practice and more practice, and when you think you're good practice some more." I've stopped short of throwing my tying vise out of a closed window, but there have been frustrating times. If you can get through your I don't understand moments, you can become a better bait maker. Even though I don't have money falling out of my pockets, I never approached the hobby with the thought of saving money. I like good tools and quality materials and budget until I can buy them. And I'm never in a hurry when I make baits; my attitude is when it's done to my satisfaction, it's done. I think other bait makers will agree that when you catch a good fish on your own work you get a better buzz. Now I'm going to have a beer and think about the details for a tricked out TRD . . .

Yet another example of your thorough understanding of "F + L + P = Success."

Congratulations!

Pop . . . pop . . . pop . . . This smallmouth, a tad under 4 lbs., has got a Duo Realis Popper 64 hanging from its lip.

I like a red hook for a nose hooked soft jerk bait because it looks good to me and catches smallies. When the gold hook underneath gets exposed it still catches smallies.

Add a T-rigged Hula Grub into the mix.

June 5 Out with Jason for something like our 14th annual trip to Quabbin. Jason is an accomplished hunter and every year I ask him if he filled his slingshot limit as well as bow, shotgun and the other weapons hunters use. To call him a "smallie guy" too, would be a gross exaggeration. He does this once-a-year trip. And when you put a rod in his hands, he's dangerous. Jason was generous enough to let me catch a few too: June 7 Finally connected with Derek, a fellow member of BassResource.com, and we had a most agreeable day: the weather was great, we found a reasonable number of smallmouth, and Derek didn't throw me out of the boat for the crummy jokes I told. Derek is not only a more than competent fisherman, he's a classy guy. Two results of Derek's net handling: The top baits during both trips were Ned rigs and soft jerk baits. Others were thrown - topwater, spinnerbaits, Duo Realis Spin Bait 80 - but the smallies were underenthused about these menu items. Did not see as many beds as usual for this time of year. Highest water temp in the areas we fished: 72º. I'm thinking the smallmouth will be susceptible to my low-tech style of fishing for another month. Catch you later, Will Wetline

The boat was rocking too hard for the scale to settle on a reading, so let's call this smallmouth 3 3/4 lbs. A Finesse TRD on a 1/16 oz. mushroom head is stretched out along her upper lip.

I bought a pack of these last season, cut one in half and, with difficulty, stuck it on the end of a 1/8 oz. ball head bear hair jig. I didn't like how it looked in the water - the leather hardly moved - but the smallmouth in the picture below and two of its friends liked it just fine. I've also tried a high-tech fabric, PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol), which is marketed as an alternative to chamois and is called "the Absorber." Its primary market is auto enthusiasts but www.Cleantools.net recommends it for drying your wet dog or yourself after exercising. Anyway, I cut this stuff to shape and hung it on the back of a football jig. It looked great in the water and this largemouth liked it, but the casting distance was noticeably reduced. I will trim this design down for next season (I'm throwing plastics now, mainly ElaZtech) but do think the PVA material is worth further experimentation.

Thank you for the detailed report. It certainly has been a weird, tough-for-fishing season, weather wise.

They look real good, Allen.

I cast them from Do-it's Midwest Finesse mold with the Owner 5313 hook, size 1. https://www.barlowstackle.com/Do-It-Midwest-Finesse-Jig-Mold-with-Wire-Keeper-P3414.aspx

That's quite the string of big smallies!

Was anchored off a wind-blown rocky shoreline shortly after 7:00. Water temp was 52.1º. Why not start off with a deep suspending jerkbait? Good morning to you! Here's another one that mistook a Lucky Craft Staysee 90 SP for a nutritious breakfast. The wind, which had been just about perfect, soon puffed up to the point that it was knocking the heads off the whitecaps. I'm outta there to find somewhat calmer conditions. Got into the general area of a small rock hump I've been fishing for years but couldn't pinpoint it. Dropped the anchor onto the surrounding soft bottom and thought I might locate it by fan casting a Finesse TRD on a 3/32 oz. Midwest Finesse head. I didn't hang rock but I did hang this: This big smallie looks like a 6 lber. but it's only 3.81. (I'm not saying it wasn't welcome in my net.) Finally found the hump I was looking for. I was getting fish but also getting hung up and breaking off. Feeling I had sacrificed enough tackle to Mistress Quabbin for this outing, on the next snag I put the rod down, opened the bail and went forward to untie the anchor rope so I could get behind the stuck jig and maybe free it. I untied the first hitch and then glanced at the reel. Why was the line peeling off that quickly? Because a 3.96 lb. smallmouth had plucked the jig off the rock! Now wait a minute, I know this fish looks smaller than the one in the previous pic, but the scale read the weight I posted. When I win the Lottery I am going to buy the perfect Quabbin boat which will be big enough to carry a professional photographer as well as a masseuse to massage my sore senior body when it tires from techniques other than finesse. I'm not holding my breath on the Lottery win, though. Onward to a long ridge now. The wind has calmed to the point that there is none. Ugh. I'm not through fishing for the day yet and I adopt an attitude of extreme stealth; when the Q's very clear water goes flat the fish get skittish and go deeper. I rig my 7' ML outfit with a 1/16 oz. Midwest Finesse head with a Mudbug TRD. The smallies particularly like Mudbug on a sunny day. I cast and took a short snooze while waiting for this bait to hit bottom. Ha! Note that I've pulled my arms in so close to my body that this fish looks like a 2. The Accu-Cull scale read 3 1/2. Alright then. Enough for this day. I'm going to buy a Lottery ticket on the way home. Will Wetline

Here's a "wake up" fish from early 5/18. Report on the day will follow.

That's a fabulous start to your season! Care to tell us what baits and techniques caught all those cold water smallies?

A well told story and y'know I'm thinking that it's your long experience playing fish - how many thousands? - that enabled you to keep your cool and land this one. I congratulate you, sir.

Congrats!

Greetings, Jim. I just sent you a PM.

Coldbasser, You're missing vibrating blade baits such as the Silver Buddy on your list. There are a number of posts on BR about how to fish them. It's good that you have the understanding of the need to be patient this time of the season. Fish s l o w l y. Tight lines to you.

The 6 lb. smallmouth in my avatar pic ate a 4" Slim Senko, wacky rigged.