Why Smallmouth?

I'm going to write a story about smallmouth bass fishing. Most anglers agree that smallmouth are one of the most amazing fish we can catch around here. Even most hardcore largemouth guys won't contest the fact that smallmouth, and their fighting abilities, rule.

I want to see some quotes I can use, for the record, about catching smallmouth bass. Be as eloquent and descriptive as possible... even corny works.

I prefer "real names." If it's not on your profile, please tell me (via PM if you prefer).

GO!

Jason McGee .. not so much a quote as a short story. The stream by my uncles house in west Kentucky was full of small smallmouth and we would go in the afternoons and catch them for hours on small crawdad crankbaits and grubs, to me they are the pinicle of freshwater game fish and are as beautiful as they are fun to catch. They remind me of afternoons spent being a kid and how fishing for them was such a part of my childhood.

For those unenlightened folks that have never had the pleasure of catching smallmouth, they just won't understand...

My dad raised me wading creeks in Mid TN fishing for smallmouth on ultra-light rods and tackle. It is my first love from a fishing perspective. I guess I was around 9 at the time. We were maybe thigh deep in good hole on the creek when a really nice smallie blew up on the Rapala my Dad was throwing. He tells me to get behind him as he fights the fish. After fighting this fish for several minutes, with some amazing runs, and many jumps (as we all love about them), the fish threw the hook. It was then I hear my Dad use foul language for the first time. I stood there, in the creek, rod in hand, with my mouth open looking at my dad. He looked me dead in the eye and said "Son, if the Lord is a fisherman, he will understand." :super:

Thanks for bringing back the memories. I miss my Dad.

There are few things that can compare to the anticipation and excitement of rounding a bend of a river or stream in a canoe, and spotting a deep hole below a riffle with the certainty that you are going to have a fight on your hands.

Wading small streams or canoeing rivers, there is no fish in our waters like Smallmouth. I've had many a blessed day thanks to them.

Great stuff... especially your story CBU93. You can bet that quote is going in my story.

rsimms":16pbsj8d said:

Great stuff... especially your story CBU93. You can bet that quote is going in my story.

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If you think that was something, wait till I tell you about the first time my Dad heard me use foul language...surprisingly enough, small mouth were involved then too :shock: :lol:

Great story cbu93. I think that language thing works with trout also.

There were four of us went fishing in two canoes early one calm morning. We were fishing close to one another when i hooked one of the biggest smallmouth ive ever had on a line. It made a run and at the speed of light jumped between both boats and it was at least 3 ft out of the water when it did a violent head shake sending my spinnerbait straight up in the air and then back into the boat at my feet. It was quite for a few seconds and one of the guys in the other boat said "that's worse than a girlfriend breaking up with you"...He was right.

Why smallmouth? Because there are no tarpon in Tennessee.

Pilchard":3i8033p9 said:

Why smallmouth? Because there are no tarpon in Tennessee.

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Pilchard":25gawtu0 said:

Why smallmouth? Because there are no tarpon in Tennessee.

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There aren't?



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What the he** is that thing? Looks like good bait... Looks kind of like the shad(menhaden) I used in Florida for tarpon... It was the preferred bait in many situations.

Pilchard":2spu5v4q said:

What the he** is that thing? Looks like good bait... Looks kind of like the shad(menhaden) I used in Florida for tarpon... It was the preferred bait in many situations.

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It is good bait. I give them to the catfish and striper fishermen. It's a skipjack herring, they are also called Tennessee tarpon. Hit small streamers and jump over and over when caught. An absolute blast on a fly rod. I've been catching a bunch recently.

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Growing up in the 70's on the gulf coast of Mississippi I read every outdoor magazine I could get my hands on. My favorite fishing articles were always about the one fish I couldn't catch. Smallmouth bass. I dreamed that one day I could live or go where they were to experience the jump and fight of these legendary fish. As luck would have it I settled right here in middle Tennessee which as we all know has true trophy smallmouth waters. For the last 26 years I have waded creeks, fished lakes and the giant tailwaters below Wheeler dam for these fish. I love the other big fish such as stripers and hybrids and even the largemouth bass but every time I catch one of those truly big golden bronze smallies it takes me back to my childhood laying on my bed in my room reading those articles.

Thanks to everyone for weighing in!

Here's the story: https://newschannel9.com/sports/outdoor ... -the-river

Well done sir!!

TRIGGER":3r5e33mm said:

Well done sir!!

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Thank you.

rsimms":26iptmr8 said:

Thanks to everyone for weighing in!

Here's the story: https://newschannel9.com/sports/outdoor ... -the-river

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Nice article