My sons first smallie

[Davis]

This 17" was grabbed out of the Cattaraugus Creek which is right down the road from me in NY state.

Great creek for smallies to come up out of Lake Erie. My son caught this one on a 7" Black/Char Berkley Power Worm. They just smash them in the rapids rigid weightless. I was a very proud dad this day seeing how this was his first smallie ever and his biggest bass ever caught. He don't have a boat so this creek is the best chance we have at smallies coming out of Erie. I have some more pics of others that we caught including a weird one with black marks all over its body. More to come soon.

[bassbob08]

great job young man,

[Davis]

Here is the weird one that I caught. At first I was thinking oil on the fish. But upon rubbing the markings they felt the same as the rest of the fish. Any ideas? I was wondering about lamprey but the wounds would be much different. Again sorry for the size. I don't have a resizing program.

[roadwarrior]

Do you think that fish is diseased or is that an odd pigmentation pattern? I have never seen anything like that on any fish, anywhere.

[Davis]

I don't know RW. It has me baffled as well. I have been fishing for 18 + years and have never seen anything like that come out of this creek. I grew up fishing this creek. Like I said it seems like its part of the pattern in a weird way. No rough edges or abrasions. Odd to say the least.

[Davis]

Another smaller sized smallie but I wanted to give you guys an idea of the beauty of the place that we fish. Bald Eagles are very much present here. A couple nests up the creek a bit. Very pretty place.

Another smaller creek smallie (fight like crazy in this creek, if they take you into the rapids hang on) Lots of shale ledges and rocks.

[Lucky Craft Man]

Do you think that fish is diseased or is that an odd pigmentation pattern? I have never seen anything like that on any fish, anywhere.

I caught a smallmouth once that had a large black spot like that close to his tail.  I just assumed it was a birthmark.  Maybe it is caused by something else.

[bass109]

;D I grew up fishing this creek, i fish a creek now and the species of fish that come out, are alittle different. Might be the chemicals, but this is what the bluegill look like in my area.

[Davis]

Bass you grew up fishing the Catt as well? Or are ya just busting my chops!  

Maybe its from some of the chemicals that have flowed down from the old glue factory about 10 miles upstream over the years. But being close to the mouth of Erie makes me think that most of the smallies are coming up from the Lake. But Erie isn't the cleanest of Lakes either with Dunkirk being so close.

[dgquail]

AWESOME FISH!!!! HOPE YOUR SON IS HOOKED ON SMALLIES!!

[Dan:]

;D I grew up fishing this creek, i fish a creek now and the species of fish that come out, are alittle different. Might be the chemicals, but this is what the bluegill look like in my area.

that's not a bluegill. Looks like either a pumpkinseed of green sunfish.

[Ky_Lake_Dude]

;D I grew up fishing this creek, i fish a creek now and the species of fish that come out, are alittle different. Might be the chemicals, but this is what the bluegill look like in my area.

I think thats just a pumpkinseed.