# Slaying Giants 9-5-12 Report



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Making my way to the first pooled section of the river the sky hung overcast in the air as rain briefly drizzled. I had to step through florescent shades of bright green moss that seemed to be reaching out toward the middle of the river from both sides of the river bank. The water was low and clear. In a few sections of the river I could see smallmouth working the river bottom to roust out crawfish from under the rocks. The fish seemed to be spread out and due to the cloud cover they must have felt less vulnerable. I picked off a few 13in and 14in smallmouth (1st pic) with a weightless soft jerkbait. It was exciting to see some of the strikes as they chased down the lure in the shallow water. You could see a wake ripple behind the lure as the smallmouth chased it down. 

In the next hole I continued my work with the same presentation until I lost it on a solid hook set. I decided to switch to a 4in red senko and it got hit hard on the first cast. I got a good fight with a few explosive tail walks. On the last jump the fish threw my senko a country mile but to my surprise the smallie remained hooked. I knew this fish was big and sized up to a good 17 inches in length a very good fish. (2nd Pic)

Once again with my lure missing from the hook I decided on the blue pearl Zulu. As I pinched the lure on I could see that the line had frayed quite a bit but laziness took over and against my better judgment I did not retie. I threw to a current seam and twitched the lure into motion and felt no hit but rather a weight holding on to the line. I set the hook and the weight grew heavier much heavier. Then the weight exploded from the surface and the fish I saw made the last smallmouth look small. 

It may sound silly but after turning 30 last week in this moment I felt like a kid again . . . I battled the fish like it were a dragon. Thrashing atop the water from underneath its gill plates it seemed to spit red fire at me. My most immediate thought was my bad decision not to retie my line. My second thought was that this fish was for sure the legendary 20 smallmouth Ive hunted so long for. The rest of my thoughts were lost in all the action. The line stretch and pulled but above all else it held together . . . how I dont know but it held. I reached down to lip the fish and my thumb disappeared in its gapping mouth. I laid it on the bank for an anticipated measurement. The difference between this fish and the last was noticeable in every way. The tape stretched to 19 solid inches and stopped! (3rd pic) This was to date my largest smallmouth bass. Its size was incredible which leaves me still amazed to think just how big a twenty inch smallmouth must truly be. Still hunting the 20 smallmouth, fish on . . .


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## StillH2OBasser (Oct 24, 2010)

Those are some AWESOME fish! Great report and great fish. I don't know how that one isn't 20, thats a giant. How was your senko rigged? I did pretty well this year wacky rigging them, but the senko would fly off the hook about every other fight. Looks like the Fall bite is on its way.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Nice fish.. cool report too..im with ya... i havent yet landed the 20" monster...but im still at it!


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## Matulemj (May 29, 2012)

When I pulled in my 18 incher last week and saw how fat it was I was thinking the same thing about that 20 incher! We'll get ours one day! Still, looks like you had a killer day, 19 inches is HUGE, solid job man.


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## bank runner (May 23, 2011)

Awesome Smallies!!! I know how you feel last year I caught a 19,19.25,and a 19.50 so hang in there. I got a 20.50 incher this year


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

Those are some nice fish! I wonder how much a 19 incher like that weighs. Until I started coming to OGF, I rarely measured a fish in inches, because my people and I always weighed a fish and measured it in pounds.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

StillH2OBasser said:


> Those are some AWESOME fish! Great report and great fish. I don't know how that one isn't 20, thats a giant. How was your senko rigged? Looks like the Fall bite is on its way.


Thanks it was a MASSIVE fish. I set the Senko up with a weightless Texas rig on a 1/0 EWG offset. In the skinny water the Senko has plenty of salt making it heavy enough for a good fall in the water column. The conditions were great for fishing last night . . . Let's hope it just gets better with the on set of fall.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

bank runner said:


> Awesome Smallies!!! I know how you feel last year I caught a 19,19.25,and a 19.50 so hang in there. I got a 20.50 incher this year


Nice fish!!!! . . . What's the details on that catch where when how???


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

beautiful fish and a nice post.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

Nice fish SMB. I've been sick all week, so looking at your fish pics has been very therapeutic since I can't get out


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Warehouse!

To better facilitate your recovery I'll post this 2nd pic of the 19 incher. 

You can see in this pic I am holding the phone as far out as I can and pulling the fish back toward me as far as I can. The fish is directly next to my head and I still could not get the whole fish in the picture. A very good problem to have I guess.

It's hard to get a good pic without the proper equipment ( dumped my camera in the river a few weeks back).


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

I love your writing style SMB. It makes me feel like I'm right out there on the river myself. Congrats on that monster smallie! That's a beautiful fish!


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## BigTripp (Oct 1, 2010)

StillH2OBasser said:


> Those are some AWESOME fish! Great report and great fish. I don't know how that one isn't 20, thats a giant. How was your senko rigged? I did pretty well this year wacky rigging them, but the senko would fly off the hook about every other fight. Looks like the Fall bite is on its way.


I usually double hook mine on a 2/0 EWG. Those Trokar hooks are expensive but I've caught over 20 fish a day on the same hook and it's always hooked perfectly in the corner of the mouth. The cheaper Strike King baits seem to be just as effective and hold up quite a bit better. I put a pack of Black/white strike kings in with some Black/orange yamasenkos. Turned the white ones orange and I was getting more fish on Strike Kings and they were holding up better.


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## HOUSE (Apr 29, 2010)

SMBHooker said:


> ... You can see in this pic I am holding the phone as far out as I can and pulling the fish back toward me as far as I can the fish is directly next to my head and I still could not get the whole fish in the picture. A very good problem to have I guess.


That, or you have an abnormally small head, lol.


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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

BassAddict83 said:


> I love your writing style SMB. It makes me feel like I'm right out there on the river myself. Congrats on that monster smallie! That's a beautiful fish!


So basically You are saying his writing style made you wet? Is this what I take from this? LOL

Seriously he tells the story very well and does bring you into the fishing with him


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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

Congrats on a great night on the River. great fish. I fully understand the whole iPhone camera problems, i use an iPhone as well.


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## BaddFish (Jun 20, 2009)

awesome story... if you want 20" + go to St. Clair.


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## bank runner (May 23, 2011)

I caught my 20.50 in Smallmouth on 4-9-12 on the Great Miami using a 4in grn Venom Tube. I did not weigh her but guess right around the 4lb range she was a little lean.


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

BaddFish said:


> awesome story... if you want 20" + go to St. Clair.


Caught my PB smallmouth there when I was 11 years old. 4.2 lbs!


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Britam05 said:


> Congrats on a great night on the River. great fish. I fully understand the whole iPhone camera problems, i use an iPhone as well.


I transport the Iphone in a ziplock and try to only take it out over solid land for pics but it just cant come close to the performance of the Cannon that got trashed in the river. Looking at a waterproof Cannon to replace it down the road. 

But until then I can share a tip that did help some with the IPhone. I downloaded a new App only two days ago. Look up TimerCam in the App store (its free) it allows you to do a self timer delay.


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## Britam05 (Jun 16, 2012)

SMBHooker said:


> I transport the Iphone in a ziplock and try to only take it out over solid land for pics but it just cant come close to the performance of the Cannon that got trashed in the river. Looking at a waterproof Cannon to replace it down the road.
> 
> But until then I can share a tip that did help some with the IPhone. I downloaded a new App only two days ago. Look up TimerCam in the App store (its free) it allows you to do a self timer delay.


Thanks I will check that app out. I have camera plus. It works pretty good.
I bought a military style case at walmart a few months back. It has an otterbox style feel and very tough. I clip phone on my sling pack when I wade


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