C Teeter 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2014 Went up to Van Buren, Mo and wet waded the Current river last weekend with my dad and brother. I landed two fish on my 6wt fishing a weighted San Juan worm, drifting some pocket water on the edge of a current seam. I kept seeing this smallmouth dart out into the current and grab something before dropping back in the slack water over a dark bottom. I could tell where he was holding and probably made twenty cast before I got the fly in front of him, man was it on when I did, that was my second smallmouth ever and the biggest by far. He was between 2.5 to 3 lbs and gave my 6wt all it wanted pound for pound the strongest bass I have ever fought. He fought so hard I didn't think I would get him in, he spooked another smaller fish on one of his runs upstream which I caught I few minutes later. I don't know who was hooked better the fish or me!! But I sure can't wait to get back and do it again. I hope everyone gets to have the same experience this summer, and plants a big wet one their fish too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rockworm 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2014 Is there anything more exciting than putting your fly in front of a fish you can see and watching him take it? ( I was going to qualify that with a "piscatorial-speaking" but metaphorically I think it stands up.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottK 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2014 Congrats on the smallies! The Current's on my list this year, awesome area over there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vicrider 0 Report post Posted June 7, 2014 Sounds great, and you don't have to qualify a river smallmouth with "pound for pound". A 3# river smallie like you caught hooked tail to tail with a largemouth of most any size and that smallmouth would drown the bigmouth in a matter of minutes. I've also had the chance over the years to catch some nice river and lake smallmouth and tho I've never caught a fish I didn't like (well, there are those eelpout things) smallmouth will always top the list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C Teeter 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2014 Yeah that is a really nice area if it didnt have the massive tube hatches it would be a great place to fish. I agree they need no qualification pound for pound, being a newbie to smallies I was absolutely amazed at their strength, can't wait to get back!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2014 Love smallmouth. Right now I'm up in Vermont, working on trying to catch a couple from the lakes around where I'm at. So far nothing but rock bass, My favorite way to fish for them is top water, either they blow it up or sip it gently like a trout but when you set the hook you know it ain't know a trout. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fly Fishing Russia 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2014 This is bass we catch in the Amur River (Mandarin bass, genus Siniperca). This one is considered a big fish. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted June 8, 2014 That would be considered a big fish anywhere. That's a very pretty fish. Looks like a good fighting fish. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horsefly 0 Report post Posted June 9, 2014 That's a fine fish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
