05-11-2009, 01:47 AM
Went fishing for a few hours today on the Patapsco River, first time here. GPS coordinates: [url "http://local.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.257064,-76.777697&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.231745,67.851563&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16&iwloc=A"]39.257064,-76.777697[/url]
Several years ago when I lived in Michigan, I'd fish the Escanaba River and use nightcrawlers floating off the bottom to catch smallmouth. And drum. You could tell exactly what you had when reeling the fish in -- if the fish fought, it was a smallmouth, if there was no fight, it was a drum.
Anyway, tried the same tactic today on the Patapsco with nightcrawlers and didn't get anything except bluegill nibbling off the end of the nightcrawler. So I switched to a perch-colored Shad Rap and got several bluegill chasing the lure ... and finally got one to bite. First time ever catching a bluegill on a crankbait. Later caught another one on a frog crankbait.
Then I switched to a good sized Beetle Spin, and the 2nd or 3rd cast hooked a 10-12" smallmouth. It jumped out of the water twice, but on the second jump, the lure came out.
I did land a 5-6" smallmouth a little later, albeit with a smaller Beetle Spin (snagged the larger one).
This section of the river has "trout" written all over it, but it's supposedly prime smallmouth territory. It's perfect for wading, and I only saw one group of fishermen. They parked along the river where I was and asked if it was a good area to fish. "Nope."
Ha ha, go away!
Pat
[signature]
Several years ago when I lived in Michigan, I'd fish the Escanaba River and use nightcrawlers floating off the bottom to catch smallmouth. And drum. You could tell exactly what you had when reeling the fish in -- if the fish fought, it was a smallmouth, if there was no fight, it was a drum.
Anyway, tried the same tactic today on the Patapsco with nightcrawlers and didn't get anything except bluegill nibbling off the end of the nightcrawler. So I switched to a perch-colored Shad Rap and got several bluegill chasing the lure ... and finally got one to bite. First time ever catching a bluegill on a crankbait. Later caught another one on a frog crankbait.
Then I switched to a good sized Beetle Spin, and the 2nd or 3rd cast hooked a 10-12" smallmouth. It jumped out of the water twice, but on the second jump, the lure came out.
I did land a 5-6" smallmouth a little later, albeit with a smaller Beetle Spin (snagged the larger one).
This section of the river has "trout" written all over it, but it's supposedly prime smallmouth territory. It's perfect for wading, and I only saw one group of fishermen. They parked along the river where I was and asked if it was a good area to fish. "Nope."
Ha ha, go away!Pat
[signature]