duckmaster1 Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Well, decided to drive about 3 hours to try my luck at small mouth fishing here in Indiana, did not know what to expect, just found a place to pull off and try, 2 nd cast caught a little one, 10 inches, but he jumped out of the water, and put up a good fight for the little guy, I was wading in about 2 foot water that was flowing good, crystal clear water. Then went up a little and found a tree down in the river, the opposite bank was in the shade, so I casted a small Rebel floating crawdad and then he hit, Never had a fish hit a lure like that, then out of the water he came, and I fought him for about a minute, I know that sounds corny, but never had a fish fight like this, whern I saw him, he was looking at me, and man he was big! I finnaly landed him, I am guessing around 4lb. range, took some pics of me and him, and then let him go for another day. I may never catch a small mouth that big again, but that was a special catch for me, and the fight he gave me, I felt the best thing to do is let him go. latrer that day, I was showing a pic to another guy around the area, he told me I was stuppid for not mounting him. But you know, it was great just catching a fish like that, and pics will do good for me. Quote
jtharris3 Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Real nice fish. Since you have pics of him, if you took measurements of him you can get a replica mount made. Quote
duckmaster1 Posted July 7, 2013 Author Posted July 7, 2013 I did not measure him, I was just so excited that I caught one that big. Just so happy to catch one that big. Quote
EvanT123 Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Nice job. There's nothing like wading for river smallies. Are you going to be making that 3 hour trip a couple times more now? Quote
NEjitterbugger Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Not trying to take away from your fish at all but I think 4lbs is a stretch... The smallie in this photo was 1.97 pounds and the largemouth was 3 lbs 0oz... Still a beautiful smallmouth bass!!!! Quote
CPBassFishing Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Is that pic of the "4lber"? Not trying to crush your dreams but that fish is not over a pound and a half. 1 Quote
29JMP29 Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 still a nice fish... and a lot of fish that size fight like a 4 lber 1 Quote
Super User Crestliner2008 Posted July 7, 2013 Super User Posted July 7, 2013 Nice fish! Now you see why so many of us rank the smallmouth bass as No. 1. 1 Quote
Snakehead Whisperer Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 I may never catch a small mouth that big again, but that was a special catch for me, and the fight he gave me, I felt the best thing to do is let him go. latrer that day, I was showing a pic to another guy around the area, he told me I was stuppid for not mounting him. But you know, it was great just catching a fish like that, and pics will do good for me. I'd be willing to bet that there are 5-6lb. fish in your area, so don't be so sure you won't catch one bigger than that. Few things compare to the fight of a big smallmouth on light tackle. Quote
NEjitterbugger Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 H I'd be willing to bet that there are 5-6lb. fish in your area, so don't be so sure you won't catch one bigger than that. Few things compare to the fight of a big smallmouth on light tackle. Heck it's fun catching 5oz smallies!!! Quote
Snakehead Whisperer Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 H Heck it's fun catching 5oz smallies!!! Sure is. If I had a dollar for every time I thought I was fighting a 2lb. smallie only to pull out an 8" fish, I'd be very wealthy. 2 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted July 7, 2013 Super User Posted July 7, 2013 Your hooked now. Nice first smallie. Quote
duckmaster1 Posted July 7, 2013 Author Posted July 7, 2013 Thanks, I did put the smallie on my forearm, and measured my arm today,20 inches was his lenght, and now that the excitement has settled down some, I am sure he was at least 2 lbs. I am used to cathing largemouths down here all the time that range from 2-3 lbs., and I do know it was more close to 2lb. range. Still excited about it, and I am hooked, trying to plan my next trip. I have to drive 3 -5 hours to get to these rivers, but after the first trip, it was worth it. So you guys that fish for smallies on a regular basis, what all do you use, I know use what you use for largemouth but smaller, so do you guys use soft bait for them? Small mouth bass fight more harder than the large mouth I am use to catching, even the 3 lb. largemouth I caught last week, did not fight half the amount that this big smallie did, maybe due to the smallie was in current on the river. Thanks for the compliments and no, you guys did not burst my bbble, just brought me down to reality. 1 Quote
Kevin22 Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 A 20" smallie would be roughly 4lbs. Congrats again! Quote
HeavyDluxe Posted July 7, 2013 Posted July 7, 2013 Congrats... I'm so thankful I live near great smallie water. They are an absolute hoot! Quote
405z06 Posted July 8, 2013 Posted July 8, 2013 A lot of guys that river fish for smallies here in Missouri never even really talk weight of the fish, just length. People either tend to exagerate the weight of the fish or they or simply are not good at guessing (I would include myself in the latter group). The beverage cooler I use when in a canoe actually has a ruler built into the top of it, which is cool. Takes about 2 seconds to lay the fish on top, and goes right back into the water. I also carry a small tape measure in tacklebox if I am wading. It's hard to tell from the angle of that picture, but that is definately a nice fish. I bet it pulled like a freight train. But it doesn't look anywhere near either 20" or 4lbs. I'm not sure how your rivers looks in Indiana, but if I am floating down a river I carry 2 rods. The baitcaster is gonna have a 1/4 oz tandem spinnerbait in white or chartreuse 95% of the time. The other rod, a spinning rod, will have a tube or texas-rigged 4" Senko on it 95% of the time. Quote
duckmaster1 Posted July 8, 2013 Author Posted July 8, 2013 I was reall happy catching a small one that was 8 inches long, I will say they fight and I love how all of them came up out of the water. Man this small mouth fishing has me hooked, I may have to give up hunting and do more small mouth fishing. The small ones fought good also, just did not think they would fight like that. I mean, I catch 1-2 lb. largemouth bass all the time down here out of lakes, and they do not fight that strong, I was really impressed, but I guess when they fight the current all the time, instead of just floating around some moss, they have to be strong. But I am now staring to look at other states to fish for these bad boys, I am hooked on them. Quote
405z06 Posted July 8, 2013 Posted July 8, 2013 I know how you feel, duckmaster. Once I found Ozark stream smallmouth fishing, it was all over for me We are blessed here in Missouri with a ton of options for stream smallies. I spent this past weekend floating the Current River in SE Missouri.The Current is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozark_National_Scenic_Riverways This was where I slept after I couldn't fish anymore Saturday night: Quote
BuffaloBass716 Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 Smallies fight so much harder than largemouths, But i love them both. Nice fish! Quote
aquaholic Posted July 10, 2013 Posted July 10, 2013 smallies are a blast. I love fishing for them here. I hate to be a ball buster but i also dont think that was a 4lber. Its a great first smallie though. I think the record is only 7lbs for indiana. Quote
Renesis07 Posted July 27, 2013 Posted July 27, 2013 Smallmouth fight like hell! It always feels like you're reeling in a monster and out comes a 12" smallmouth .... lol Largemouth are fun, but smallies definitely put up the better fight. Quote
duckmaster55 Posted July 27, 2013 Posted July 27, 2013 Sure is. If I had a dollar for every time I thought I was fighting a 2lb. smallie only to pull out an 8" fish, I'd be very wealthy. Quote
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