Item Delivery: One Smallmouth Bass may be randomly requested in Spring or Fall at the "Help Wanted" board outside Pierre's General Store for a reward of 150g and 150 Friendship points. Realizing they had something special, Yarbro and his friend immediately called it a day and headed straight to a local store for an official weigh-in, where it tipped the scales at an impressive 8 pounds, 9 ounces.Soon after, Yarbro's fish was granted the men's 6-pound line class record, which it still holds today.The men's 16-pound line class record has belonged to Terrell D. Nail since he pulled an 8 pound, 6 ounce smallmouth from Alabama's Pickwick Lake on January 4, 1988. Even smallmouth on streams with gin-clear water can be taken consistently on larger lures with standard casting gear.Some of the most productive lures for stream smallmouth fishing are 1/4-ounce Smallmouth on the big waters of natural lakes and man-made reservoirs will also hit spinnerbaits as large as 3/4- or 1-ounce models with number 5 willowleaf blades. Other big baits for taking heavyweight smallies include 5/8-ounce buzz baits, 1/2-ounce jigs tipped with bulky plastic chunks or craws, 5 1/2-inch suspending stickbaits, deep-diving crankbaits and Zara Spooks. That’s why we can’t tell how old a fish is without examining the scales or other hard parts. Vertical jigging with 3/4-ounce slab spoons or bumping tube baits or finesse jigs along the bottom are effective tactics for catching wintertime smallies.After the spawn, reservoir smallmouth move into the 8- to 10-foot range along pea gravel points where they can be takin on the Mojo rig or small crankbaits. Dragging From April through June, northern smallmouth will be in various stages of the spawn congregated in depths of 10 to 20 feet. Smallmouth bass were once considered just a northern relative of the black bass family. This has created a feud between the two states, who both want to claim ownership for this monumental catch, and understandably so.In 2001, angler Terry Dodson made angling headlines for the world record smallmouth he pulled from Lake Jocassee, which is located in far northwest section of South Carolina and very close to the North Carolina border.
All Rights Reserved. Like larger bass, they eat ravenously. One of the most fun ways to catch topwater smallmouth is on a Any soft plastic bait that imitates gobies is deadly for smallmouth on the northern lakes infested with the invasive species. By late June and July the fish move to deeper structure n the 20 to 25 foot range. Since smallmouth will be gorging on gobies rather than chasing baitfish, the key to triggering strikes is keeping your bait close to the bottom.Whereas the northern lakes freeze up in the winter, the man-made reservoirs below the Mason-Dixon Line provide year-round access to smallmouth bass fishing. Nagai needed only a few minutes to subdue the catch, which soon after became the heaviest smallmouth ever caught on 8-pound fly tippet.Innovation, customization, continue to lead the way in fishing-tackle storage.Perspective from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.30 awards presented (virtually) from the New Product Showcase.Perspective from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.Simple to make and grill, these BBQ Venison Burgers are the ultimate food to serve at your...If you've been catching catfish with the same method for years, it's time to change it up and...Bass Pro Tour angler Andy Montgomery shares his insight on the new Lew's Pro SP Skipping and Pitching SLP Reel.Yo-Zuri pro Carter Andrews discusses new saltwater fishing lures with Florida Sportsman's Jeff Weakley as part of our 2020 ICAST New Fishing Gear Guide.Whatever the target species, these rods feel good in the fly shop when you're giving them a test drive.Brand ambassador Ryan Lilly highlights the features of the Old Town AutoPilot 136 motorized kayak and the Discovery 119 Solo Sportsman canoe.Here are the 10 most common spinning and baitcaster reel performance problems and how to fix...30 awards presented (virtually) from the New Product Showcase.Perspective from the National Shooting Sports Foundation.The best jig fisherman are those that are always aware of what their jig is doing.A behind-the-scenes look at our bass-fishing gear reviews from Lake Picachos.An hour here, 30 minutes there, 10 casts after work; sometimes that's all it takes.Try Rainy River, Lake of the Woods, for a mid-summer dream trip.Game & Fish headed south to battle giant bass in old Mexico to test the latest baitcasting...All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content.