First smallie of 2018

[mkwerx]

Ya'll should give big swimbaits a try. I have at least had the biguns follow them to within a rod length, watched them swipe at the lure, and occasionally stick one. othrrwise, stickbsits ala Senko or Yum Dingers, lipless and shallow rynning cranks are my go to baits.

I was fishing the Tualatin earlier with flies, picked up a few smallies on a deceiver.

 

[Mister Bisley]

I use a lot of 5-6" swimbaits and shimmy sticks(senko style worms), how big we talking?

 

[bbbass]

Argonaut's brother caught smallies on spider jigs on Brownlee.

 

[mkwerx]

I use a lot of 5-6" swimbaits and shimmy sticks(senko style worms), how big we talking?

I got my best smallie of the year cpl seasons back on a 7 inch rainbow trout swimbait. I watched a guy pull a 5-6lb bass off the bank with a 12 inch glidebait a few weeks ago. I know a few guys who routinely throw the big soft swimbaits and get the big mommas, and the 2-3lb fish still eat those. A 17 inch largemouth (about 3lbs) can eat a 10 inch largemouth according to bass expert biologists.

FYI Sportsmans Warehouse carries some of the 5 and 7 inch in both hard and soft varieties. I use my heaviest baitbaster to throw them, currently a 7'6" medium heavy power fast action. I would be using a 7'6" heavy power if I had one, esp for the soft bait, as its 2.5 oz. The hard baits I have only weigh about an ounce or so.

 

[mkwerx]

 

[Crazyeye24]

My youngest caught his first bass last weekend. A little small but still a fish-on!

 

[mkwerx]

Heres a few random Hagg bass pix from the past few years, I hardly get pix of my fish, so gotta rely on others to snap em



That one fell to a 5 inch Dinger fished weightless wacky, pumpkin with chartreuse tail. Thats the most common color / size I throw.



That one we got fly fishing small leech patterns under a float for trout. Nice by catch, not huge, but fun on a 3 weight.



That one ate a big Bomber deep diver. Kid was 3 foot tall in that pic, fish was about half his length.

 

[mkwerx]

They eat topwaters too. First fish on a popper a fellow sent me in a fly swap last year. Not huge, but fun again.

 

[mkwerx]

My youngest caught his first bass last weekend. A little small but still a fish-on!

View attachment 466309

Killin it with a Rapala! Congrats!

 

[Crazyeye24]

A busted up one too. The lip broke off and is now dedicated to top water!

 

[Flymph]

I used to throw deep diving Rapala Husky jerks with 3/4 oz weights off drop offs for mackinaw, but we actually caught a lot more bass... of course the lure was a trout!

 

[Argonaut]

We fished Brownlee on Sunday, missed the big Crappie bite but my brother caught a nice mess off small mouth bass. He sent some fillets home with us........I have never warmed up to large mouth Bass, I can smell them as soon as I make the first cut but this small mouth was great. Quite a few bones but they were large and easy to deal with. The meat was outstanding cooked with some good Idaho onions and mushrooms in butter. I guess, I need to have BBBASS teach me how to catch them.

 

[Mister Bisley]

View attachment 466303

View attachment 466304

View attachment 466305

View attachment 466306

Now you've got me thinking about rigging up one of those pool noodles in green pumpkinseed, wacky weightless style LMAO


Oops meant to quote your post above the one I quoted

 

[Mister Bisley]

We fished Brownlee on Sunday, missed the big Crappie bite but my brother caught a nice mess off small mouth bass. He sent some fillets home with us........I have never warmed up to large mouth Bass, I can smell them as soon as I make the first cut but this small mouth was great. Quite a few bones but they were large and easy to deal with. The meat was outstanding cooked with some good Idaho onions and mushrooms in butter. I guess, I need to have BBBASS teach me how to catch them.

Neat! I have only tried Largmouth and assumed the smallies tasted just the same. Will have to investigate...thanks!