Not Quite 6

[senile1]

On Saturday I got the bass boat out, updated my maps on my Garmins, and generally made sure everything was good to go.  I took the boat out to Smithville Lake today to mainly work with the Depth finders and peruse the lake bottom though I was prepared if I found fish.  I only had 4 hours because of plans later.  Smithville is 7190 acres so it takes a bit to warm up.  Water temperatures varied from 39.5 to 41.5 degrees at the surface and winds were gusting to over 30 mph today.  After scoping out some very large points all the way to the river bed at 43 feet and finding little to speak of, I moved to a very large creek and followed its channel.  About a quarter mile from what will be the spawning beds in a couple of months, the creek channel bends sharply toward the bank to an area protected from the wind.  There is a lot of timber in this lake and the channel edge was lined with it.  I had a feeling that this calm water near the bank with 17 feet of water in the channel might be a good spot.  I pulled up into about 4 feet of water and cast into the 17 feet deep channel, dragging a finesse jig past the largest tree which was in about 8 feet of water.  I didn't feel a bite but you jig guys know how it is when you get that odd feeling of heaviness through your rod, so I set the hook and landed this decent fish.  My scale was showing a bit over 6 but then settled in at 5 lb 14 oz.  She was 22.5 inches long.  And of course I forgot my camera so I had to use my phone.  The angle kind of makes her mouth look small but oh well.  She was a pretty fish though you can't tell from my pathetic camera skills. 

 

 

 

 

[BassObsessed]

Nice hawg!

[NHBull]

Awesome and thanks for sharing 

[riverbasser]

Your right at that angle its got a spotted bass mouth. Good catch

[A-Jay]

Nice Bass ~ Great Smile !

Bet they both felt really good.

Congrats

A-Jay

[Dirtyeggroll]

Nice one! I’m about 2.5 hours from Smithville. I’d be happy to help netting a few ;).

[Bassin' Brad]

Liked the write up! Nice fish as well!

[senile1]

14 hours ago, riverbasser said:

Your right at that angle its got a spotted bass mouth. Good catch

Yeah, I thought the same but there are no spotted bass at Smithville.  None of the pics were great, but here's one that cuts off the tail a bit but it shows her girth better.

[mattkenzer]

Great Fish. Thank you for sharing ...

I really need this ice to go soon.

[senile1]

10 hours ago, Dirtyeggroll said:

Nice one! I’m about 2.5 hours from Smithville. I’d be happy to help netting a few ;).

I go to Table Rock, Stockton, or LOZ and have more success at those lakes and I only see them once or twice a year, or maybe not at all.    Smithville Lake is my white whale.  Fishing it sporadically, over the last 15 years I have caught a few 6s and a couple of 5s, but have never broken 7 lbs.  I have much difficulty catching numbers there and typically, I don't catch more than 5 - 7.  I have had quite a few skunks there.  My main purpose in going out yesterday was to try to find the wintering spots for these fish and, then as the season progresses, follow them in and out so I can improve at this lake.  

 

You might be very disappointed if you came with me to this lake, but you are more than welcome.  Maybe you can teach me something so I can tame this whale.     

 

Regarding other fish at Smithville, my wife and I have had some big days for crappie and white bass, but largemouth bass, not so much.

[roadwarrior]

I think it's a great pic!

 

[ratherbfishin1]

That is an amazing fish.  Congrats!

[Darren.]

Sweet catch!!

[Bankbeater]

Nice going!

[Stalking bass]

That's a big one congrats

[Bluebasser86]

I've fished Smithville twice, never had anything I could 100% confirm was a bite. Last time I fished it was in a tournament. I tied for second with the 28 other guys that didn't catch a fish. 1 guy out of 30 brought in a bass that was just shy of 8 pounds, only fish caught that day. 

 

Great fish on a tough lake!

[senile1]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've fished Smithville twice, never had anything I could 100% confirm was a bite. Last time I fished it was in a tournament. I tied for second with the 28 other guys that didn't catch a fish. 1 guy out of 30 brought in a bass that was just shy of 8 pounds, only fish caught that day. 

 

Great fish on a tough lake!

I know what you mean.  See my last post above about my "white whale."  There are bass there and some big ones.  In some tournaments they will occassionally break 20 lbs for the win.  Many times though, it is tough to fish and I have seen some poor tournament weights more often than not.   Maybe the lake has too many gizzard shad as the main entree and the bass just don't find our lures appealing.  I have caught enough big ones there to not give up though.  

[scaleface]

Good  narrative on how and where you caught her .

[Dwight Hottle]

Sweet. Not a bad picture at all considering the circumstances. 

[SuperFluke]

That’s an awesome fish.  I had a day out there two years ago when me and a buddy had over 15 lbs with four fish on a squarebill up in the camp branch arm.  I’ve fished it twice every spring for the past five years or so (KC corporate challenge), and there are plenty of days where I have not gotten a single bite.