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With all the reports about perch being caught at Pineview we left this morning with high hopes of enough perch to do chowder. We parked at the Cemetary and walked out. We were fishing by 8:30. It was cold and light snow was falling. We found the perch right away and caught about 30, most of them small but good enough for a fillet. We were in water from 25 to 40 feet. About 11:30 I hooked into something that I knew was not a perch. When it finally started up through the hole we were both surprised, it was a Small Mouth Bass. It measured 18 1/2 inches and is by far the biggest bass that I have ever caught. We have never tried eating bass so decided to keep it and have it for dinner. We lest about 12:30, the snow was picking up and I was cold. All in all a really good day on the ice.
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Dang, that is one nice smallie!
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wow! congrats on the beautiful fish!
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Way to go, that's a beautiful SMB. You look like a happy camper.
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That's a really nice smallie and judging by the way his eyes were bulging out you made a wise decision as she probably wouldn't have survived had you released her. They also are delicious table fare.
Enjoy!!!
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Sunrise on the water
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It sounds like you had a fun time congrats on the bass.[fishin]
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wow! just 4 inches from state record.
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Sweet - well done, and thanks for sharing. Have seen some lunks reported out of those waters.
What did you catch it on? Curious - was it hard to get it up through the hole? Did you reach down and grab it, or just tug the line.
I like bass. I'd missed them for a lot of years, and rediscovered just the past couple. They sure can fight like no-one's business!
Did he take runs? Loose drag? Or just reel 'em in?
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Wow!! That is a beautiful smallie, and they do taste great. Smallmouth have a tendancy to take over so keeping some to eat does not hurt a thing!! Great post and picture.
[fishin]
MM
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I caught the bass on Northland buck-shot rattle spoon tipped with a small piece of perch meat. Actually the fish really didn't fight very much and we did have to lip it out of the hole as I was only using 4 lb. line and a light pole. I've caught much smaller bass in Deer Creek in the summer that fought a lot harder. I guess they slow down in winter. But it was a lot of fun bringing it in because I could tell it wasn't a perch.
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Great catch! Smallmouths are a rarity this far into winter through the ice. Largemouths are quite common. You must have dropped it right in it's mouth!
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