Ratio Of 5Lb To 6Lb Smallies

[Dwight Hottle]

This spring I thought it would be interesting to keep a log of all smallies caught out of my boat between 5 & 6lbs and between 6 & 7lbs. I hopefully wanted to record a third category of 7 to 8lbs but that didn't happen. The log data only included three months, April, May & October, prime months for me. The total of five to six lbers was 60 smallies. The total of six to seven lbers was 8 smallies. Biggest fish went 6-15. That makes for roughly a one out of eight ratio or put another way you have to catch eight 5lbers before you are going to catch one over six pounds. And unless your lucky you won't break seven. Since I started fishing lake erie for smallies about 2005 I have noticed a yearly change regarding the numbers of quality fish. Some years the number of six to seven lbers sky rocketed while others years we barely saw a true six. The numbers of legit five pounders bodes well for the future. Total time spent fishing out of those three months was about 7 weeks. All 68 smallies were caught on jerk baits.

Now if we just get Steve Parks to spill the beans about his numbers.

[scaleface]

man, I need to fish Lake Erie.

[roadwarrior]

Jerkbaits?

I'm shocked. Seriously, this is my favorite technique, but I thought

the vast majority of your fish were caught on a swim jig, specificlly

this Jensen: http://jensenjigs.com/frame.html

[Dwight Hottle]

Jerkbaits?

I'm shocked. Seriously, this is my favorite technique, but I thought

the vast majority of your fish were caught on a swim jig, specificlly

this Jensen: http://jensenjigs.com/frame.html

Honestly all on jerk baits. I love using jigs but the last few years I have targeted suspending fish using jerks.

[A-Jay]

Some mind boggling numbers right there Dwight; and all in 7 Weeks ~

I'm betting there are more that a few guides from all over, who would be very happy to be able to advertise those statistics.

Thanks to you, I can claim a few from each catagory.

A-Jay

[Siebert Outdoors]

Wow, that is definitely some great stats.

[HookSetDon]

Thats really something, you have that bait dialed in!

[00 mod]

Outstanding results. But the real question is how many smallies did you catch to get those 5's and 6's?

Jeff

[Dwight Hottle]

Outstanding results. But the real question is how many smallies did you catch to get those 5's and 6's?

Jeff

Not as many as you would think. We get a lot of 3-4lbers but not twice as many as 5+ Maybe A-Jay, Speedbead or CWB will chime in with their own observations.

[PABASS]

Wasn't there a mass die off this year, I believe my wife told me about it? Maybe it wasn't even smallies?

[A-Jay]

Outstanding results. But the real question is how many smallies did you catch to get those 5's and 6's?

Jeff

Not as many as you would think. We get a lot of 3-4lbers but not twice as many as 5+ Maybe A-Jay, Speedbead or CWB will chime in with their own observations.

The first thing BR members should know, is that Dwight is a total Stickler when it comes to weighting fish. He uses 2 different scales - a certified Boga grip and a very high speed digital model (sorry I don't remember the brand name) My point here is - these are not "guesstimates" but are about as accurate a weight as one can get while on the water.

OK - So I went back through my notes from the week I spent on Lake Erie this past April.

And for that week, I'd have to agree with Dwight's perspective.

Here's the numbers from that 7 days of smb fishing - all on jerkbaits ~ you can draw your own conclusion.

Each day we fished between 9:30am – 6:30pm.

Each day we had between 15-25 fish.

Most days every 5^th smb was over 5lbs.

For two days every 4^th smb was over 5lbs.

The 5^th day, I took a 5 lb 9 oz smb – a new PB.

The 6^th day, Dwight’s first fish was a 6 lb 1 oz smb – not a PB for Dwight.

The last day, my first fish was a 6lb 4oz smb – Definitely a New PB !

A-Jay

[00 mod]

So basically give Dwight 7 days and he will put you on a lunker or two......noted

Jeff

[roadwarrior]

The first thing BR members should know, is that Dwight is a total Stickler when it comes to weighting fish. He uses 2 different scales - a certified Boga grip and a very high speed digital model (sorry I don't remember the brand name) My point here is - these are not "guesstimates" but are about as accurate a weight as one can get while on the water.

OK - So I went back through my notes from the week I spent on Lake Erie this past April.

And for that week, I'd have to agree with Dwight's perspective.

Here's the numbers from that 7 days of smb fishing - all on jerkbaits ~ you can draw your own conclusion.

Each day we fished between 9:30am – 6:30pm.

Each day we had between 15-25 fish.

Most days every 5^th smb was over 5lbs.

For two days every 4^th smb was over 5lbs.

The 5^th day, I took a 5 lb 9 oz smb – a new PB.

The 6^th day, Dwight’s first fish was a 6 lb 1 oz smb – not a PB for Dwight.

The last day, my first fish was a 6lb 4oz smb – Definitely a New PB !

A-Jay

Well, I have been fishing the Tennessee River for 13 years and have had a day like that!

It's really hard for me to imagine fishing with that kind of production and consistency. Kudos

to you Mr. Hottle!

:respect-040:

[CWB]

Not as many as you would think. We get a lot of 3-4lbers but not twice as many as 5+ Maybe A-Jay, Speedbead or CWB will chime in with their own observations.

I can honestly say that in the 4 days I was there, out of the 50 or so fish I caught, (I lost track) maybe 5 were under 4-4.5 lbs. My PB of 6-4 came on a Berkley Flicker Shad 2 minutes into the day on my birthday. I ended up with best 5 that went over 26 lb. I actually got dissappointed reeling one up and seeing it wasn't a 5. Phenomenal fishery to say the least. Maybe fall is less numbers and better avg. size and spring is better numbers and mixed size? Only Dwight could confirm this. Or maybe I need to come out in the spring and assist in the research. (hint hint)

[Dwight Hottle]

I can honestly say that in the 4 days I was there, out of the 50 or so fish I caught, (I lost track) maybe 5 were under 4-4.5 lbs. My PB of 6-4 came on a Berkley Flicker Shad 2 minutes into the day on my birthday. I ended up with best 5 that went over 26 lb. I actually got dissappointed reeling one up and seeing it wasn't a 5. Phenomenal fishery to say the least. Maybe fall is less numbers and better avg. size and spring is better numbers and mixed size? Only Dwight could confirm this. Or maybe I need to come out in the spring and assist in the research. (hint hint)

Ken I didn't know you were such a researcher.

[Dwight Hottle]

Well, I have been fishing the Tennessee River for 13 years and have had a day like that!

It's really hard for me to imagine fishing with that kind of production and consistency. Kudos

to you Mr. Hottle!

:respect-040:

Thank you sir. It really is the fishery that makes those numbers possible.

[Big-O]

Great Stats Dwight! Just another example of catching the most - of what you target the MOST.

[retiredbosn]

Utterly amazing!! Wow

[shimmy]

Dwight, as always, you are the man.

[PABASS]

Thank you sir. It really is the fishery that makes those numbers possible.

Yeah for the gobbies!!

[SAC2]

all i can really say is thats amazing. my ratio of 5 pounders is probably about 1 in 600.

[11justin22]

Wow that is mind boggling. Especially for smallmouth. Guess its probably because we don't have smallmouth that get that big around here. But I can't even imagine getting on a largemouth bite like that. I'm guessing reading between the lines that u are a guide?

[PABASS]

Wow that is mind boggling. Especially for smallmouth. Guess its probably because we don't have smallmouth that get that big around here. But I can't even imagine getting on a largemouth bite like that. I'm guessing reading between the lines that u are a guide?

Erie PA is known for BIG small mouths, I have read that one reason and probably the main reason is that gobbies were introduced and the smallies took advantage of this in a BIG way. Its been the last 10 or so years from my understanding. Around here if you want a trophy small mouth head to Erie and then apparently to Dwight lol..

[Dwight Hottle]

Wow that is mind boggling. Especially for smallmouth. Guess its probably because we don't have smallmouth that get that big around here. But I can't even imagine getting on a largemouth bite like that. I'm guessing reading between the lines that u are a guide?

No to the guide. Just retired & fish for fun.