What a Screwy Day

Share your fishing adventures, especially ones using antique tackle!
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Reel Geezer
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What a Screwy Day

Post by Reel Geezer »

What a screwy day! The lake out front opened to boating this morning, so I decided to try the largemouth today. I launched at 9:00 just down the road and found water temps in the 43-45 degree range. After an hour of futile casting and searching, I decided to go home and then head to the river. I got to my favorite section of the river around noon and ran 4 miles upstream to drift and fish my way back. In the first three miles I stepped on a rod and broke it, lost my anchor when it somehow became unhitched from my anchor rope, but did manage to catch three decent smallmouth.

About a miles above the ramp I had a vicious strike on a shallow gravel flat. The fish ran out into the river, took drag, and convinced me it was a big catfish. Then it jumped! Suddenly the day was looking up. After quite a while and a really good fight, I lipped this fish:

Image

She was 21” and really broad. I put her in my live well and got out my camera. After shooting several photos I was about to put her back when I remembered I had a digital scale somewhere. After ransacking the boat I finally found the scale to learn that she was indeed a fat one. She weighed 5 pounds 4 ounces. She wasn’t the longest smallie I have caught in the river, but she did weigh the most.

My tackle was a G.Loomis Bronzeback rod, a Daiwa Pixy reel full of 10/2 yellow Power Pro braid. The lure was a 1/8 oz. trout size Chatterbait with a 4” green Kalen grub as a trailer (no skirt).

What started as a day to forget ended up OK. Even Fudge approved the ending. Also note the Boise State hat.
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Brian F.
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Post by Brian F. »

What an adventure, Phil! That thing's a brute - nice fish!
Alan Baracco
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Post by Alan Baracco »

Phil,

Nice hat, isn't Boise State known as the Smerfs? Sorry, my daughter played VB for UNR, had the pleasure of watching them take BS in 3 a few years back. Go Wolfpack!

Cheers,

Alan
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john elder
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Post by john elder »

Well, looks like my blessing on your fishing trip today worked! ...well, sorta...I meant for you to catch a limit at the lake! :D Nice fish, Phil!
Jim Wiegner
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Post by Jim Wiegner »

Hi Phil:

Sorry about the stomped rod and lost anchor. On the other hand, a great ending to the day!

Years ago when fishing for trout in Shasta lake in northern California, I hooked a smallmouth that would put most steelhead to shame. Not as big as this one but it fought like a demon, and was a magnificent fish.

You and Fudge do pretty well as a team. Give your hairy buddy some pets for me.

Jim
Teal
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Post by Teal »

Phil,

Holy Cow! That is a HUGE river smallie. And the coloring is perfect. Just a perfect bronze. Congrats!

I truly believe the smallmouth is the finest American game fish.

-- Dr. Todd
fishbugman
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Post by fishbugman »

Terrific Bronzeback Phil! Congratulations!

My first day fishing in Oregon in 1996, I tossed out a silver Johnson spoon and hooked into my first ever and what turned out to be my largest smallmouth, so far. After a terrific fight with numerous runs and struggles to keep him out of tree stumps and bridge pilings, I was amazed and partially embarrassed that this 4lb fish had worked me. I unhooked and released it as quickly as I could hoping some of my fishing buddies wouldn't get a good look and see how small he was. I just didn't know any better...being from southern California I had caught several largemouth 2 or 3 times larger with far less struggle. I will never forget the prophetic words of an old timer walking by me as I released the fish saying "remember that fish son, you'll likely never see a larger smally." I probably caught 500 more over the next 6 years, but never another 4 pounder.
Roger Schulz
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Post by Roger Schulz »

Beautiful fish Phil. Hopefully it will add another inch or two and be around for me in August. It seems like you have a lot of problems hanging on to your anchors. I think you need to evaluate your system. Maybe Fudge is chewing on the anchor line when your not looking or when you are stepping on your rods.

Your real challenge will be to try and find an even a bigger fish during the remainder of the year.

Roger
NJFisherman
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Post by NJFisherman »

Good story Phil. You seem to always be on top of the new stuff too...I was wondering how the 10/2 casts...and is the yellow pretty much invisible? The Delaware river is low here and the fish are extremely finicky...seems like the small diameter might be a good idea!
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