Fish Chris Posted May 5, 2011 Posted May 5, 2011 Geeez, did I ever have a blast today ! The fish were still acting kind of goofy and post spawn'ish.... but nothing that a live-lined, tail-hooked crawler can't take care of I did get 1 Largemouth pushing 5 lbs on the 9" MS Slammer, and I got blasted (for the first time, while just swimming it) on the 6" Hud, but missed that one. Everything else was caught on the crawlers. I ended up catching 7 Largemouths, from about 4 lbs to this 7.3 lb'er.... But the REALLY COOL part was the Smallies I caught 5 of them, and even the smaller 3 were nice 3 to 4 lb'ers..... But then I stuck this beautiful 6.2 lb'er.... So, at about 4 pm, I pull up to this off shore hump, which is only submerged by about 5 feet of crystal clear water. Immediately I see several nice, 3 to 4 lb Smallies.... but then I see a MONSTER ! I was guessing it at 8 to 9+ lbs ! In fact, I thought it was a Carp until it swam around to the other side and the light changed directions, and not only was it a bass, it was a Smallmouth ! So, I back off a little and flip out a crawler. Tick...... set the hook, fish on ! But I could tell it was not the monster, it came to the surface once, before popping off. Oh well. Flip out another crawler. Tick..... set the hook, fish on ! It shoots for the surface and jumps.... only about 3-4 lbs, but this one pops off too ! WTH ? My hook felt sharp > But I changed it out anyway. Quite a bit of time passes, with 3 or 4 fishless casts. Finally, I decide to let the spot rest, and come back on my way out. But as I start to cruise out with my T-Motor, I see a BIG one about 30 feet out in front of me, cruising forward also. So I kill the T-motor, put on another crawlers and cast it out ahead of the fish. {note: it was almost like I was chasing the fish at this point, and this almost never works.... especially with big fish} But I'll be darned if she didn't turn downward, nose down to my crawler, and slurp ! I let her take it a few seconds, and got a good hook set. It came to the boat pretty easy / fast the first time but as I was reaching for the net, she decided this was not good, and she must have ripped literally 40 feet of drag ! Holy $#%& ! Now remember, I just lost the two fish prior to this one + I KNOW this is a BIG fish ! Ya', know, I'll play with a 3 or 4 lb Smallie as long as it wants to playt. No hurry, and if I lose them, no big deal.... But with this one, all I wanted was to put it in the boat ASAP !!!! And of course, instead, this fish just ripped, and ripped, and ripped ! Ya' know, time gets kind of distorted when your adrenalin is pumping full bore, so I could be off, but I swear this fish fought for 8 minutes ! By the time I got the net under her, I was just rattled ! But geez, what an awesome fish ! She ended up going 7.3 lbs, and had a very similar frame, to my 8.5 lb PB in my avatar.... just about 1.2 lbs less in the belly.... not that this one was skinny, by any means. Just not totally over inflated, like my 8.5. I have to say this, I sure picked the right two fish to lose, and the right one to land LOL Here's a vertical shot.... And here's the horizontal. Probably my favorite shot of the trip..... Just wow ! Was that ever fun ! Oh, and it was like 85 degrees, water was like glass most of the day Peace, Fish PS, I'm actually not sure if this was in fact, the monster Smallie that I sighted in that same area. Remember I guessed it at 8 to 9+ lbs ? I guess I could have just been off a little.... OR, maybe there is still an 8 to 9+ lb'er cruising that area waiting for me to go back and stick her next week Quote
chris fenk Posted May 5, 2011 Posted May 5, 2011 So awesome chris! glad your stickin fish at that lake! Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 Man..... Great story, great pics and awesome smallmouth! I'll be looking forward to your post next week. If there is a bigger fish in there, you'll get her. Good luck! p.s. Congrats too on the diet and training, it's working. I like the Van Diesel doo, too. You look like a new man! Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 WOW ! Congrats on a Great Day and some Really Fantastic Bass ! You're taking "fishing with worms" to a Whole new Level. A-Jay Quote
Super User 00 mod Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 Awesome. I dont know if it is your camera setup, your knowledge on how to take awesome photos, or what, but you fish/photos are absolutely amazing! Jeff Quote
Super User senile1 Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 Nice smallies, Chris! Maybe you, or someone else, has explained this before but why are the smallies in California greener that the smallies back East? Quote
Super User J Francho Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 You get more sunburn as thee day progressed, LOL. Awesome fish man, love that 1st one. Quote
sodaksker Posted May 5, 2011 Posted May 5, 2011 Great report and great fish pics. Maybe with that new "ripped" physique you are pulling those hooks right out of their mouth without even knowing it. Quote
Fish Chris Posted May 5, 2011 Author Posted May 5, 2011 Much thanks guys Hey RW, I feel like a new man 00mod, well, I've been doing digital photography for about 13 years. A lot of it is my cameras. {love my Canon A6xx's models } But the biggest secret (which since I tell everybody, it really isn't a secret LOL) is that I put my big catches straight into a 100 qt icebox (my livwell) so they can rest and recuperate. Then I break out my camera, set up the tripod, and I almost always take a few test shots, usually holding something bright white up where the fish would be (like the lid of my water jug). I then view these shots and check the exposure. From that, I can quickly make and small tweaks on my camera that I think I need to, to dial it in to spot on. Once that is ready to go, I will pull the fish out, hit my timer, and set back for 3 to 5 consecutive shots (my camera will take as many as I set it up to do, after any amount of seconds of the timer... about 2/3rds second apart. I will then put the fish right back in the livewell, and view my shots.... I might notice that I was holding the fish too high... or my horizon was crooked, etc, so I tweak it a little more, and take another set > never keeping the fish out of water for more than maybe 15 seconds at a time. Doing it this way, their is really not much way to screw anything up. Just like my fishing, I like to give myself the best possible odds. Senile1, I wouldn't say all of our Smallies here are greener.... mostly just the ones from this particular lake, with some much more so than others. I personally think it's diet (these Smallies eat a lot of Kokanee trout) and water conditions. Thanks again for all the replies. So, where do you think my mind will be today while I'm at work ??? LOL Peace, Fish Quote
Super User 00 mod Posted May 5, 2011 Super User Posted May 5, 2011 Thats awesome! Wish I had the same setup! Wish I caught the quality fish, then I'd buy that setup to have that good of shots! Congrats again and keep postin!! Jeff Quote
Rippinglips Posted May 5, 2011 Posted May 5, 2011 Man oh man. Nice fish an great story get back out there an land tgat 9lber! Lol Quote
Fish Chris Posted May 6, 2011 Author Posted May 6, 2011 Rippinglips, I've been thinking about that > and even if my judgment was just off, and I did catch the big one I saw, I'm still sure this lake has a high 9 if not a 10 and change I saw one last year that looked like a double digit Largemouth... except it was brown ! Chasenbass, dude ! I'm honored that you would re-register, just to reply to my post Talk to you soon. Peace, Fish Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted May 6, 2011 Global Moderator Posted May 6, 2011 Awesome fish! I couldn't even imagine catching a smallmouth that big! That would be big for a largemouth around here though! Nice job! Quote
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