A Smorgasbord For Smallies, 5/14/13

[Will Wetline]

Headed out on the big waters of Quabbin, I got a strong sense of deja vu. With air temps in the mid 40ºs and the wind blowing 20 mph, these were about the same conditions as a month ago. What was different, however, was water temp which I expected to be in the low 60ºs. And at this temperature the smallies would be spawning, an annual urge which trumps even a severe cold front . . . I thought.

 

I planned to start on Heavyweight Hump but 200 yards away from it I ran over a small, deep "bright spot," a stretch of bottom consisting of sand, gravel and a few jig eating rocks surrounded by darker bottom.  (Maybe deeper, maybe muck - I can't tell without sonar.)

 

Anchored, I tie on the bait that showed me a sizable smallie 10 days ago. Today:

 

 

Well, I guess that qualifies me for membership in the Clam Catchers' Club, but that's not what I'm here for. I tie on a jig. Understand that I don't like bed fishing. I feel they should be left alone at this time. But what happens if a jig accidentally hops into bed with a bass?

 

 

Here I'm holding about 2 1/2 lbs. of guilt. I continue to fancast. After about 15 minutes I look at the bed. Is she back on it?

 

 

Yes. I feel better now.

 

Onward to H. Hump. The wind is up and the water temp is in the high 50ºs. A 3/8 oz. spinnerbait might get a response.

 

 

Now I'll show 'em a crankbait.

 

 

Alright now. They've seen aggressive presentations. Maybe there's one more bass here that would prefer something subtle.

 

 

This smallie sucked in a Senko, wacky rigged and twitched.

 

I move to a large sand flat and position to fancast edges where deeper water/different bottom compositions meet and smallmouth cruise.

 

Wham! Bam! Two decent fish, one on the spinnerbait, the other on the crank.

 

From here I anchor at several positions on the Big Bass Breakline, a steep drop off the sand flat into deep water. It didn't live up to its name today, showing me only a 1 1/4 lb. fish.

 

H. Hump has been rested for a while now. Have more brown bass moved up? Not on top. Maybe a jig in deeper water. Ah, yes:

 

 

This was my best catch of the day at 4.0 lbs.

 

It's mid afternoon now, I'm getting tired and looking at the dark bottomed clouds. Time to head in and visit the Bass Magnet. Huh. Only one keeper here. The sweet spot on this small rock pile gives up  a 3 lber. more often than not.

 

Swinging at anchor on the Bald Head Ridge, I'm trying to work a jig. "Please, Mistress Quabbin, may I have one more to make 10 for the day?" (I smiled as I said this. You've gotta smile, good day, bad day - you're fishing.)

 

 

" Thank you, dear."

 

Here are today's tools of bass deception:

 

 

The smallies and I particularly like this spinnerbait skirt. I make it from a half width each of yellow/chartreuse rubber and white rubber and a half tab of clear/gold fleck silicone.

 

In the mid '90s I came across this 1/3 oz. crank at Walmart for a buck. It has served me well since. Under dark skies, smallies slam the chrome - or what's left of it. I consider this one just about broken in.

 

Even though an exceptionally good smallmouth slayer, Crestliner2008, has told me not to worry about the hook being inline with the length of the Senko, it just seems more logical to me to orient it perpendicular. This o ring gizmatic comes from the Wacky Saddle Kit which is available from ***.com. (This is just one of many juicy tidbits of information I've learned since joining BassResource, and I thank you all for helping me refine my bass fishing presentations and, indeed, further my quest in the study of smallmouthbassology.)

 

This jig has been producing for me since the beginning of the season in a couple of different weights and color combos. I make the shaky head and skirt and add a 4" or 5" GYCB trailer.

 

And there you have it folks, a Quabbin report of a chilly day in the middle of May.

 

Tight lines all,  

 

WW 

[00 mod]

Awesome report and awesome fish!  Congrats!

 

Jeff

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Great report and some excellent smallies!

[A-Jay]

Excellent and very entertaining narrative ~

 

Nice to see the Q is still a magic place especially in May.

 

Your versatility, adaptability and willingness to be flexible when fishing each area / spot clearly pays off.

 

There's not better teacher than time on the water.

 

Nice photos too - especially flying solo.

 

btw, those conditions do look tailor made for a jerkbait.

 

A-Jay

[MarkH024]

Great post! What did you use to snap that image of the smallie on the bed?

[Dwight Hottle]

WTG WW. You are the master at write ups.

[Will Wetline]

A-Jay, Don't I wish they'd hit a jerkbait! For some inexplicable reason, they won't touch a suspending jerk in the Quabbin when the water temp reaches the mid 50ºs.

Mark H024, My camera is a Canon PowerShot D10, good underwater to 10 meters. For the bed shot, I just held it a couple inches under the surface, took a few shots and hoped I got a good one.

[Paul Roberts]

Nice report, Will! Always fun to see your stories and images. Cameras have come a long way!

[bnick]

great report!

I love that top view of the bed!