# 5 lb River Hawg 4-23-13 Report



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

The last two weeks of precipitation had our local flows swelling in and out of their banks. The chart of this recent river activity reads like a heart monitor with sharp spikes flowing up and down reflecting the rhythm of spring. The rain was now three days past with the water finally working its way down. However, rain was forecasted for the evening and the day after so, I worked the narrow window that was gifted to me. To capitalize on a short few hours of daylight I planned to power fish, moving quickly to a few points on the river. I harbored three rods on the deck of the boat. The jerkbait had earned its rank in the line up over the course of the so far short spring fishing season. Plan B was a spinnerbait and if all else failed I had a soft plastic craw tied on for back-up but, I hoped things would not escalate so far. With the cold stretch of the last few nights past I hoped to key in on a still active cold water bite. 

In broad daylight a strong moon played high in the sky bouncing behind heavy cloud cover offering faint moon beams that could not be seen. Amidst the evening&#8217;s backdrop I floated down current and cast a minnow imitation far out off the port side. I stood to gain advantage on working a properly executed presentation. Although a good bite was anticipated, out of nowhere the rod loaded up with weight. I set the hook and the bow of the kayak eagerly turned into the fight. First fish of the evening, not the size we want but a bass none the less. 

*Smallie*










The high water and stain no doubt offered larger fish safe passage and concealment in shallower water. I knew they must be lurking here in the skinny water but still near access to deep pockets. After many casts without another bite on the jerkbait I moved on to plan B and picked up the chartreuse willow spinner bait. I pitched to a short eddy and immediately knew it was the right decision. A quick jump from the river and a nice looking bass threw my lure and returned home to the river. I continued down river pitching toward shallow slack water targeting wood and areas that drop off sharply to deeper water. After a long cast the lure thumped through the murk of dark brown water when she took hold and put a nice bend in the rod with a respectable pull on the line. She breached water attempting a tail dance that her girth would not allow. A mouth that could have swallowed whole the smallmouth caught earlier she shook the blades of the lure with loud claps that sounded like a violent wind chime in a storm. I couldn&#8217;t hold in my excitement and yelled out with a shout for the lure to hold on to her. It held and after an epic fight I lifted her from the river with a weight that my arms had never felt from a bass that swims in the river. 

*5 lb River Hawg*










Having been the victor of today&#8217;s adventure over weather, water and game . . . tomorrow&#8217;s rain will once again cover the river in a rising tide of high water and swift current preventing even the most dedicated angler from the same pursuit. I paddled home knowing the season had only just begun. 

*Another Largemouth*


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## BassAddict83 (Sep 21, 2010)

Duuuude!!! Sweeeet!!!


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## Fisherman 3234 (Sep 8, 2008)

Very nice bass!!!


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

That was a very well written report! Nice catch too!

Mr. A


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## sporto (Jun 7, 2005)

Nice catch, way to maximize the small window of opportunity!


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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

Nice report!


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## treytd32 (Jun 12, 2009)

Enhorabuena, que es un puerco


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## IGbullshark (Aug 10, 2012)

all i can say is....DAYUM!


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## MIKE*A (Apr 12, 2009)

Nice job SMB!

Mike


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## oldstinkyguy (Mar 28, 2010)

treytd32 said:


> Enhorabuena, que es un puerco


When I was young and wild, I woke up once or twice in the morning and rolled over and said the same exact thing....


That really is a great fish tho!


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## deltaoscar (Apr 4, 2009)

Great fish SMB. Congrats dude.


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## treytd32 (Jun 12, 2009)

literally LOL'd stinkyguy


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## deltaoscar (Apr 4, 2009)

treytd32 said:


> literally LOL'd stinkyguy



Me too. He's on a roll tonight.


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## SConner (Mar 3, 2007)

Awesome fish and report... Get on it!


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## co-angler (Jan 3, 2010)

Fantastic SMB!
I must say though, It makes me sick to think that at almost the same time, on the same day, I was rifling through my tackle trying to decide which bait to tie on as nothing else was paying off. I got to my spinner bait box and grabbed the chartreuse spinner and thought, " nah, I'll throw the white one with the gold blades. Dammit man!

That largie is a beaut!


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

nice catch SMB!!


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

Heck of a bass SMB... our buddy Mike Walsh (aka Max Prime) emailed me photos of your catch yesterday.


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## trailbreaker (Oct 11, 2008)

nice catch smb


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## Dandrews (Oct 10, 2010)

Holy cow!! Congratulations!!


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

co-angler said:


> Fantastic SMB!
> I must say though, It makes me sick to think that at almost the same time, on the same day, I got to my spinner bait box and grabbed the chartreuse spinner and thought, " nah, I'll throw the white one with the gold blades. Dammit man!
> 
> That largie is a beaut!


Thx!!! I've had that spinnerbait for several seasons now. It's the only chartreuse one I have. That fish was pissed off for busting at that lure. It was hooked on a nice long cast and it beat up the lure good. It was mangled up bad enough that it took a good effort to tune back to where it would run half way right again. 

Ooooh she was hell a fun to catch!! 




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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

BITE-ME said:


> Heck of a bass SMB... our buddy Mike Walsh (aka Max Prime) emailed me photos of your catch yesterday.


Oh, you mean "Free Bird" he's a fine American!! 


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## kingofamberley (Jul 11, 2012)

That is an awesome largie, especially from a river. Congrats!


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## SamiFish (Apr 24, 2013)

nice fish, that's awesome. i always push the boundary with the water tolerance and usually come back skunked - that's always nice to see that some times (very rarely) it pays off


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