djs12354
Well-known member
sweeeeeeeet!
The_Sasquatch
Well-known member
Amazing.
ryguyfi
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That's one fat fish there Dave! Congrats. All these years of fishing for those bronzebacks and now they're all falling victim to your mastery of fly fishing.
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Fishidiot
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Ry,
Probably more dumb luck (with more emphasis on "dumb" than "luck").
Certainly a fattie. I don't worry much with weight and don't usually have a scale. This guy (probably an old female in reality) was indeed very thick and heavy. I'd guess he's in the upper four lb range - maybe a tick over five. Whatever the case, river bass are often very heavy in the late fall, pre-spawn months. They seem to slim a bit by late summer but this is a very broad observation.
Probably more dumb luck (with more emphasis on "dumb" than "luck").
Certainly a fattie. I don't worry much with weight and don't usually have a scale. This guy (probably an old female in reality) was indeed very thick and heavy. I'd guess he's in the upper four lb range - maybe a tick over five. Whatever the case, river bass are often very heavy in the late fall, pre-spawn months. They seem to slim a bit by late summer but this is a very broad observation.
Deuterium
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Great fish! Congrats.
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pwk5017
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Great catch!
I plan on going out today for some smallies. I am so pumped for it. Were you stripping that clouser or jigging it? Just curious how prone to chasing baitfish the bass are. Keep posting massive smallies at this rate and you are going to have groupies falling you around.
I plan on going out today for some smallies. I am so pumped for it. Were you stripping that clouser or jigging it? Just curious how prone to chasing baitfish the bass are. Keep posting massive smallies at this rate and you are going to have groupies falling you around.
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Fishidiot
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PWK,
This time of year, I prefer a slow jigging action. With the warmer water temps this year, however, it wouldn't surprise me if a stripped retrieve would nail 'em.
This time of year, I prefer a slow jigging action. With the warmer water temps this year, however, it wouldn't surprise me if a stripped retrieve would nail 'em.
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pwk5017
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Yeah, I was stripping a size 2 black and white clouser yesterday and did alright. The smaller stream I fish was up a bit, so I didnt even attempt jigging, because i just wouldnt have been able to effectively jig. My first fish was a 12"er(pretty avg for the stream) then I had two more that were 8"--which my brother downstream was quick to comment on. Also, my brother grabbed a baby softshell turtle as it was washed downstream. I have never seen one before and this one was about 1.5" in diameter. We put him on the mouth of a nearby trib so he didnt get beat to hell in the high water.
On a mildly depressing note, my brother and I were not the only two guys fishing this stream. In the summer it is really rare for me to see another angler, let alone 5! It is one of those streams that most people dont fish, because access can be difficult and it doesnt have largemouth in it. Fellow angling pressure isnt such a bad thing, but this was the wrong kind of angling pressure--guys with 3 rods and Y shaped sticks etc. Then, I am 90% sure I saw a guy creel a 10" smallie as I was exiting the stream to head home. The stream is 25' across, it doesnt need harvesting, let alone out of season harvesting. I am hoping these guys get there fix on opening day of trout and leave my smallie/carp gem alone!
On a mildly depressing note, my brother and I were not the only two guys fishing this stream. In the summer it is really rare for me to see another angler, let alone 5! It is one of those streams that most people dont fish, because access can be difficult and it doesnt have largemouth in it. Fellow angling pressure isnt such a bad thing, but this was the wrong kind of angling pressure--guys with 3 rods and Y shaped sticks etc. Then, I am 90% sure I saw a guy creel a 10" smallie as I was exiting the stream to head home. The stream is 25' across, it doesnt need harvesting, let alone out of season harvesting. I am hoping these guys get there fix on opening day of trout and leave my smallie/carp gem alone!
sholgate
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I loved reading this entire thread. I have never caught a sm over 16" until last summer. Finally an 18" on the Schuylkill River.
I have to admit, I have never tried for them this time a year. I am usually occupied with trout.
I have to admit, I have never tried for them this time a year. I am usually occupied with trout.
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pwk5017
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For some guys(me) its all we have. Trout is only a weekend affair for me, and thats with an hour on the road to get there. I am still looking for the 20"er myself. I think the yough is going to produce one for me this summer.
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Fishidiot
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Sholgate,
Thanks. In my experience, the pre-spawn window - roughly about March 10th to April 10th is the best time of year to get a very large bass. Late fall is a close second.
PWK,
Although not generally known for bass, the Yough is a world class smallie fishery and I'd think would be an excellent place to hunt that trophy fish.
Thanks. In my experience, the pre-spawn window - roughly about March 10th to April 10th is the best time of year to get a very large bass. Late fall is a close second.
PWK,
Although not generally known for bass, the Yough is a world class smallie fishery and I'd think would be an excellent place to hunt that trophy fish.
