Little Fish Or Skunked?

[Swamp Girl]

I fish wilderness lakes in Canada, where it's rare to see another canoe, so there are few small fish because fish aren't being caught and kept and there are few big fish, because the summers are short and the winters long. An average smallmouth is 16.5 inches, which some of you would consider small, but I love 'em. If I had to choose between one monster on Lake Erie or a typical hundred bass day in Canada, I'd take Lake Erie for ONE day and spend the rest of my days catching those 15 to 20 inch-bass.

[SirSnookalot]

IMO the difference between catching smaller fish and a larger one is which fish gets to the bait first. If I thought I was targeting only bigger fish I'd fooling myself into thinking I'm some kind of world class fisherman. I've caught little fish on big baits and big fish on little baits, I'll take all the sub 3 pounders that come my way, the next cast just may yield that 10#+, or that " bonus fish".

[Dwight Hottle]

I fish wilderness lakes in Canada, where it's rare to see another canoe, so there are few small fish because fish aren't being caught and kept and there are few big fish, because the summers are short and the winters long. An average smallmouth is 16.5 inches, which some of you would consider small, but I love 'em. If I had to choose between one monster on Lake Erie or a typical hundred bass day in Canada, I'd take Lake Erie for ONE day and spend the rest of my days catching those 15 to 20 inch-bass.

The typical day on lake erie fishing for smallies can be very similar to Canada regarding the numbers but bigger average size. I have had days with 50-100 bass in the boat with two people fishing but the size runs from 1-4 lbs with a shot at a 5lber. This is very prevalent with live bait. But i hear about wanting numbers with a shot at a personal best.

[Swamp Girl]

The typical day on lake erie fishing for smallies can be very similar to Canada regarding the numbers but bigger average size. I have had days with 50-100 bass in the boat with two people fishing but the size runs from 1-4 lbs with a shot at a 5lber. This is very prevalent with live bait. But i hear about wanting numbers with a shot at a personal best.

A part of me is tempted to transplant some gobies to some smallmouth lakes in northwestern Ontario. The smallmouth also aren't indigenous. I won't do it, but I would love to have a Dwight-sized pic or two and even better if I were in a canoe!

I fish a lot of leeches in Canada. I'll begin and end a day with surface baits, but when they stop hitting the surface baits, they'll keep hitting leeches. Nightcrawlers can turn to mush up there if there's a hot spell, but I can leave those leeches out of the water for an hour by oversight and they'll be fine.

[Dwight Hottle]

I fish a lot of leeches in Canada. I'll begin and end a day with surface baits, but when they stop hitting the surface baits, they'll keep hitting leeches. Nightcrawlers can turn to mush up there if there's a hot spell, but I can leave those leeches out of the water for an hour by oversight and they'll be fine.

Have you ever tried any black bunny jigs? They replicate leeches very much. Paul Jensen of jensen jigs makes them.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/jighead/rabbithairjigs.html

[Swamp Girl]

Have you ever tried any black bunny jigs? They replicate leeches very much. Paul Jensen of jensen jigs makes them.

http://www.angelfire...ithairjigs.html

I haven't, but I will. Bounce 'em off the bottom?

[Dwight Hottle]

I haven't, but I will. Bounce 'em off the bottom?

Yes. Or you can fish them same way you would fish any other jig. Leeches borrow in mud bottoms over winter & emerge in the spring soon after ice out. Be careful fishing them as walleye & pike love them as well.

[Swamp Girl]

Yes. Or you can fish them same way you would fish any other jig. Leeches borrow in mud bottoms over winter & emerge in the spring soon after ice out. Be careful fishing them as walleye & pike love them as well.

Pike are my foes! They take my lures. Walleyes are my friends because I put them in my belly! Every year, I catch some nice pike, but I don't bring them into the boat because they're berserkers and I don't want to tangle with the teeth in my slim canoe,

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

Pike are my foes! They take my lures. Walleyes are my friends because I put them in my belly! Every year, I catch some nice pike, but I don't bring them into the boat because they're berserkers and I don't want to tangle with the teeth in my slim canoe,

I guess Pike are rather good tasting from what my co-worker and others have mentioned.

[J Francho]

I guess Pike are rather good tasting from what my co-worker and others have mentioned.

Yes they are! It amazes me that such a foul natured, stinky, slimy, ugly creature could taste so good. You have to know how to fillet them, though. I use the "5 steak" method, One back strap, two sides, and two tail fillets. Just cut around the Y-bones, and get this:

[dumfish]

Well, if I were spoiled like some of you, I would probably give up angling unless I could fish Bill Dance's honey holes.

[roadwarrior]

The reserviors of the Tennessee River have been his "honey holes" for years

and they are open to the public 24/7/365. An important aspect of targeting bigger

fish is selecting the best lakes or rivers availabe to you in your area. We don't have

the same opportunities here in the Mid South as some of the guys in the "Big Bass

States", but it is pretty well known which water gives you the best chance at a trophy

fish.

[Goose52]

I just read through all the posts and I think most of the points of view have been covered. For me, there is more to fishing than "catching."  Like SirSnook said, it's one way to get outdoors. No cabin fever for me as long as I have soft water - I fish, at least for 30-45 minutes, every day I can, in the nastiest weather if necessary. A mild winter here so far, the coldest that I've been fishing (and caught a fish) was 31 deg air temp, winds steady at 25, gusting to 35, wind chill 17 degrees or lower - all that for a 15" bass. I fish in the same or worse weather and often get no fish. The point is to get outside and enjoy it.   I don't want to sit on the sofa and think about fishing, I want to go fish.

 

Now, once I'm on the water, do I scoff at <3lb fish. NO way.  Fish size is dependent on the quality of your water. The good news is that all my lakes are within a 6-mile radius of my home - I can jump in the car and be at a lake in a couple minutes. The bad news is that these lakes are not very fertile, and I could quote all the bad news from our lake consultant's reports but basically, conditions are poor in my lakes for size and quantity of fish. There ARE some big fish to be caught...but not many.  After catching over 3,300 bass in the last 3 seasons, and having a pretty good idea of what's in my water, I've established these LMB size categories for my lakes:  <10" = dinks, 10"-13" = OK fish, 14"-17" = nice fish, 18"> = BIG fish.  Another measuring stick - the local bass club allows 10" as a keeper, and the 6-7 hour tournaments are often won with 5 to 7lb (2-angler) bags. Some boats won't catch a 5-fish limit. So, with that kind of water, I have to take what I can get.  If I can get a couple nice fish (14"-17") during an outing, it's been a nice day indeed.

 

So, what ARE my goals when fishing?  1) to catch a fish - any fish. I want to feel that tug on the line, 2) to catch a bass (after all, I'm supposed to be a bass angler), 3) to catch a bigger bass...

 

If I DO get a 3 pound fish - man, time to celebrate - they don't come often...

 

I work hard for my fish....

[tnriverluver]

I only fun fish now so if it makes it into my boat I am a happy fisherman.  Even if it is a trash fish it is still fun to feel that tug on the line.  As far as bass go I prefer eating small bass over just about any other species and try to keep a few in the freezer from time to time.  Our local bass lakes have a 14-18 in slot and the majority of the fish are in this slot and are bigger than I would keep to eat anyway.  In the fall I can get on the small 12-13 in fish and have a blast along with getting a few for an occasional dinner.  If you can't enjoy catching small fish I think you are taking fishing too seriously and missing out on just having some fun.  I tournament fished for several years and understand the competition aspect but there is a point the tournament fishing becomes work instead of fun.  Try to enjoy life more cause you never know but to what today is going to be your last. 

[SirSnookalot]

Been catching a whole bunch of these little guys, lot of fun, I get outside for an hour or 2, beats watching Dr Oz.

[BassinLou]

Little guys?? LOL. I wish those little guys were out in the glades this past weekend. Those out there will then be considered teeny tiny guys.