# Olentangey hawg smallmouth



## London calling (Dec 12, 2008)

Slipped out to the tangy this AM before the kids got up. Hooked into a monster smallmouth measusred a touch over 21 inches I was guessing @3lbs give or take she was mucho thick. I went on to catch 5 more bass a 14 , 2 12's and 2 10's plus 7 bonus rock bass. 13 fish in @ 1:30 . All were caught on a rebel crawfish brown top yellow sides. The water was stlightly up and satined. The big fish was on the slack water side of a sand/gravel bar. the 12's bass were in a cut/pocket of a weed bed below a wing dam. The 10's came from a fallen tree. All rock bass were caught on a strech of rip/rap bank.
Tight lines one and all........

London Calling


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## Buckeyeheat (Jul 7, 2007)

Nice report & nice fishin! Congrats on the Fish Ohio sm!


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## scappy193 (May 11, 2009)

WOW!! i'm still waitin for one of those kind of days. i've never seen a smallie that big out of a river. is that the biggest you've ever caught?


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## Smallmouth Crazy (Apr 4, 2006)

Sounds like a great day, congratulations on the hawg.


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## CaptKC (Feb 25, 2008)

Nice report and congrats on a great day, but anyone else thinking, "monster smallmouth measusred a touch over 21 inches" and "mucho thick" has got to weigh a lot more than 3 lbs????


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## topwaterdevil (May 23, 2007)

It should go about 4 1/2. Maybe more, depending on girth.


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## mkombe (May 23, 2007)

Yeah, I was going to chime in on that earlier. You are definitely slighting yourself on the weight.

If it was 21' and thick then I would put her around 4.5 - 5 lbs.

Great catch!


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

i had a 18 a couple weeks ago and it went 2.6 depends on the fish though


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## rweis (Dec 20, 2005)

Way to go LC. I agree with the guys that it had to go 4 lbs and unless it was emaciated, I'm thinking closer to 5.


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## London calling (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks all! I have ever estimated the weight of a fish 3 lbs was just a guess. She had some shoulders on her and belly was full of something. Shes still out there for one of you to catch


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## danjaquino (Jun 2, 2005)

That's a huge smallie, nice work.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

Congrats!!!
That's the largest one I've ever heard of from the Tangy. Ever.
Congrats again!


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## PapaBullhead (Jun 4, 2006)

Fantastic fish! I've worked hard for 5 years and haven't got a river-20" yet! I netted a 21-inch lake smallie once for my buddy - it was 5.6 lbs. If yours was a fatty, it should easily be 5.


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## bopperattacker (Sep 12, 2008)

I'd give up my first born son to land a hog smallie like that. I've never broken the 17 inch mark yet. Nice fish, next time bring Pics of gtfo.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

Benny,
Head on over to your favorite stretch in my neighborhood, and bust out a Blue/Silver Rebel popper. Toss it in that same areas you were tossing 3" grubs the other evening...you'll get your 18"er.
Or borrow Dan's white/chart spinnerbait...whichever one's getting hits.


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## bopperattacker (Sep 12, 2008)

andyman said:


> Benny,
> Head on over to your favorite stretch in my neighborhood, and bust out a Blue/Silver Rebel popper. Toss it in that same areas you were tossing 3" grubs the other evening...you'll get your 18"er.
> Or borrow Dan's white/chart spinnerbait...whichever one's getting hits.


that brought the LOL's. Tried the spinner bait last night, nothing. In my opinion grubs are the ticket. I also under estimate my lengths to avoid conflicts with all the know it alls on the OGF, plus anything bigger than 12 inches can't fit in my fryin' pan.... 

(ps. the frying pan comment is a joke all you C&R buddies.)


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## Lerxst (Jul 17, 2009)

Nice review!

I could only dream of a SM like that. Cought my personal best Sunday at only 16" lol.


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## topwaterdevil (May 23, 2007)

Those rebel craws will produce.

And bopperattacker reminds me of another poster that used to frequent here... "BennyLovesSaugeyes" ?


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## snuff (Apr 19, 2007)

That is a fine catch. There some nice smallmouth all over the central ohio area. I have caught fish 18" up to 21" in the licking river,the hocking river,the kokossing river and other creeks in the area. Good luck and keep fishing. I started when I was about 5 and am now 63. Plan on wading and canoeing as long as I can.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

topwaterdevil said:


> And bopperattacker reminds me of another poster that used to frequent here... "BennyLovesSaugeyes" ?


Dems fightin' werds.

The Rebel craw has its place in every stream fisherman's tackle box.


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

21 incher def close to 5 pounds. Mine was 21.5 and 5 pounds 5 ounces.


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## bopperattacker (Sep 12, 2008)

andyman said:


> Dems fightin' werds.


sounds like topwater needs to make a trip to my boxing gym. btw, I am a professional thumb wrestler, beware.....


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## idontknow316 (Mar 21, 2008)

Those pictures don't do that fish any justice. But you get the point.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

bopperattacker said:


> Tried the spinner bait last night, nothing. In my opinion grubs are the ticket.


Riddle me this................in your favorite stretch of river with riffles and eddys and boulders galore.........a smallie behind every rock.............you are going to find x number of big fish, x number of medium fish and x number of small fish. If y represents the size of your forage, how many big fish are you going to catch.
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I'll see what you come up with first?


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

Bopp,
Stick with your grub or whatever is good for you. Maybe consider throwing a 5 or 6" grub instead of a 3' and see if anything happens.

What Critter is suggesting is the old "bigger bait - bigger fish" adage. And as a general rule, it is indeed true for smallies most of the time.
I think it boils down to what you're after. Meaning if you want to catch alot of fish, and most of them in the 12-14" range with the occassional 16"+ fish, then smaller baits are what you want to throw.
If you want to catch fewer fish (maybe), but increase the average size to 15-17" with the occassional smaller fish, than consider tossing larger baits.


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## Darby Rat (Aug 8, 2005)

Crittergitter, it's impossible to determine how many big smallies will be caught, because Z, the amount of rocks are unknown. LOL. The old adage "bigger bait=bigger fish" is probably a good overall general statement. But in fly fishing, virtually all the fish large+small, are caught on very small flies. My Fly Fisherman magazine always shows these ridicuosly large fish, with a tiny fly hanging from it's mouth. During a hatch, the fish gorge on tiny insects, they just have to eat a bunch. Even if there is bigger bait on the bottom, they are looking upward to get the emergers or spent spinners floating on the surface, because they're easy pickins and genetically imprinted for hatches. Help me out here guys, but I believe smallies usually like craws smaller than 3", and prefer 2.5"-2.0". They don't like to fool with the larger claws that make it more difficult to swallow. That's why the Rebel Wee Craw works well in streams. I've heard they pick up the larger craws, then blow them out attempting to break off or damage the claws before swallowing them.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

I agree with the fly fishing thing. And I agree smallies prefer a certain size of craws.
BUT, many of the baits I'm throwing aren't really imitating a hatch, or even a typical forage. Some are strictly reactionary type baits. In these baits, bigger bait almost always equates to bigger fish...almost always.

For instance, a spinnerbait or a buzzbait. A 3/8th-1/2 ounce size will almost always produce bigger fish than their 1/8th ounce counterparts.
Also baits like spooks, poppers, torpedos....almost all produce bigger fish when upsized.

I think the same holds true for plastics that imitate forage, but only up to a certain limit.
Like a 5" fluke will attract larger fish than a 3" version, or a tube, or a grub, etc...but they all seem to have an upper limit.

I believe I have found the upper limit for tubes. Maybe for grubs.
But I've yet to find the size limit for buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and spooks.
It's crazy how large of a spook a smallie will hit. Kind of like a dog chasing a car....exactly what did they think they're going to do with it after they catch it?


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

andyman said:


> Bopp,
> Stick with your grub or whatever is good for you. Maybe consider throwing a 5 or 6" grub instead of a 3' and see if anything happens.
> 
> What Critter is suggesting is the old "bigger bait - bigger fish" adage. And as a general rule, it is indeed true for smallies most of the time.
> ...


Sheesh, the professor himself comes in and helps ya out. Yes, my point is a little more in depth though. The biggest fish in the system are the apex predator and the laws of biology, ecology etc dictate that there will be a limited number of them. Fact is most fish just don't get that big and the ones that do get that big for a reason.....they are smarter. Really, they just are more efficient ie.....they will expend the same amount of energy to eat as the little 10"r but the biggun is eating a 6" craw(why cause he can) again the whole efficiency thing. Back to my expanded point of quality vs quantity. If you wade/walk a mile and half of creek. You only have the opportunity to encounter about 1 or maybe 2 of those apex predators due to the available habitat and environment niches they will fill. Now, if you float 6 to 8 miles of that same flow......you increase your opportunity to encounter the apex predator 10 fold. 

So, if you spend 5 hours covering 1.5 mile of river chunking a 3" twister tail......don't be surprised if the biggest fish you catch is 14-16"s. However, if you float through 6 miles and spend the whole time chunking a bigger bait.....you'll find some quantity and some quality. The whole competition for food factor and fish instincts to react to a prey item(bait) dictates that you will get a couple small ones and a few medium size fish to go with the bigguns. 

I'll give you a football analogy. The way Andy or I fish, we are throwing the bomb to Randy Moss every play looking for the TD. You meanwhile, are dropping it off to Wes Welker all day long looking for another 1st down. First downs are good, but TD"s are the ultimate goal!

Oh...........and I don't fly fish.......maybe if I lived in Montana or something, but around here........nah.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

I see what you are saying now....that friggin' X,Y, Z thing threw me off. I started having differntial equations flashbacks and broke out in a cold sweat.

You bring up a very good point though.
Evidenced every time the pattern is very specific.
The last time we were in PA that is exactly what happened. The guys in jet boats (start and stop at the same ramp) could only cover 1-2 miles. The yakkers and rafters were covering 10-12 miles in the same time frame, from one point to the next.
The yakkers and rafter numbers (Of good fish...over 15") were almost exactly 5-6 times greater than the jet boaters. 
They simply presented their lures in front of more quality fish.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

There are exceptions to the general rule. If there is a seasonal concentration of baitfish or prey in a localized spot........ie spawning run for baitfish or a school of fish herding baitfish in a binge feeding period for example.....then you could have a group of apex predators in a localized spot. However, this phenomenom is known as a bonanza for a reason........it is the exception rather than the norm. I swear I am going to find these conditions on one of my outings.


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## striperfreak (Apr 30, 2004)

Nice catch London, i believe i will hit the tangy tomorrow night, will post. I was going to say ive caught more 18-21 inch smallies on a buzz and poppers than anything else. Then i realized that is what i throw at them the most. Confidence in what your throwing plays a big part of these equations. I have never caught a bass over 12 inches on a grub, i have also never caught a bass on a spinnerbait. I know spinnerbaits work but 5 minutes without a bite and i usually switch. Thus the problem with me fishing spinnerbaits.


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## bopperattacker (Sep 12, 2008)

critter/andyman:

thanks for the great advice. It will come in handy. Sometimes I throw some bigger baits, just don't ever stick with them. I need too. I am becoming a very one dimensional angler of late. The grubs just never let me down. I've had my far share of 17's, and maybe some bigger. I just low ball my numbers a lot of time to be safe. The last trip, the biggest Smallmouth did come on a bright green 4 1/2 inch split tail..... So it makes me think and say, ummmm, maybe I should use bigger baits. thanks again guys.


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## StuckAtHome (Apr 29, 2004)

I hardly ever throw small baits anymore, huge spinners is preferred, but when that bite is slow I'll toss a Subwalk, its a monster, but it will produce fish, mostly 15" plus. There are times when scaling down works, seems clearer flows I'll fish a bait that doesn't have much flash compared to 'normal' water. Take the new river in august, guys couldn't buy a bite with anything, even plastics, but someone tried a 3" senko and they couldn't keep the SM off the hook, a 5" one didn't get a look.
I truly believe in the reaction bite, they are not hitting it out of hunger, but instinct. Thats why I think a large loud fast moving bait gets results over small baits, plus I think a bigger prey item equals more calories for the energy spent.

Time for a ride...
Mike


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## GarryS (Apr 5, 2004)

Congrats on the NICE smallie London...... and on the catch and release... Thats a true trophy smallie!! Especially for the Tangy!! .... 

GarryS


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## scappy193 (May 11, 2009)

this thread is one reason why i love ogf. so much information. you guys really know what you are talking about and make me think about things i've never thought about before. i'm pretty new to river smallmouth fishing and i know i have a lot to learn. for instance, i too have become kinda one demensional. if i catch 3 fish on a rebel craw across some riffles, then i stick to it and when i stop catching fish i don't change location or lure. so thanks guys for all the info. def very useful advise and will for sure be used.


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## danjaquino (Jun 2, 2005)

IDONTKNOW316
that is freakin' huge!!! Nice one dude!!


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

i have a quickie for you guys. you are preaching quality over quantity on fish ie numbers vs size and say that floating will get you better fish. but i don't necasarily agree with that.but what about the quality of the location or a location with quality fish rather than alot of numbers i might spend all day in the water and only cover a couple miles and you guys cover 6,8, even 10 miles in a day. i understand what you are saying about presenting to more fish and i get it but to me when i'm in the water rather than on it i can slow down and work the fish rather than cast to a spot a few times then move on. i have had several nice river smallies and very rarely ever float. the way i look at a river is that in some of the pools or streches that i fish, it can be miles of unimpeded (sp) water and those apex predators can move great distances in a little amount of time. or they can stay put and stack up. i do agree that most times a bigger bait equals bigger fish but fewer numbers, but out of my experience a medium sized bait will produce good numbers of quality fish with a few dinks and a few trophys as well. and i have always been one to try and match forage first then try the off the wall stuff if that doesn't work. but alo tof the times when i upsize bait i end up catching fish that i am not after to each his own i guesse


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

fishintechnician said:


> i have a quickie for you guys. you are preaching quality over quantity on fish ie numbers vs size and say that floating will get you better fish. but i don't necasarily agree with that.but what about the quality of the location or a location with quality fish rather than alot of numbers i might spend all day in the water and only cover a couple miles and you guys cover 6,8, even 10 miles in a day. i understand what you are saying about presenting to more fish and i get it but to me when i'm in the water rather than on it i can slow down and work the fish rather than cast to a spot a few times then move on. i have had several nice river smallies and very rarely ever float. the way i look at a river is that in some of the pools or streches that i fish, it can be miles of unimpeded (sp) water and those apex predators can move great distances in a little amount of time. or they can stay put and stack up. i do agree that most times a bigger bait equals bigger fish but fewer numbers, but out of my experience a medium sized bait will produce good numbers of quality fish with a few dinks and a few trophys as well. and i have always been one to try and match forage first then try the off the wall stuff if that doesn't work. but alo tof the times when i upsize bait i end up catching fish that i am not after to each his own i guesse


Are you saying you can spend 4 to 6 hours in say, 1 mile stretch of a river and catch 3, 4, 5 or even 6 smallies of 17" or larger? I don't think that would be the norm in most places. However, if you cover 6 miles in 6 hours, it is certainly possible to catch 5 or 6 that size. I typically don't get more than 2 or 3 even if I float all day, but that probably has more to do with my abilities rather than their existance.


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## bopperattacker (Sep 12, 2008)

Fishingtechnician is a machine. 

While I'm catching 12 inchers, Fishingtechnician consistantly lands 15-18 inchers on the regular. I don't know what he does, but he catches HOGS all the time. I say it's from fishing experience in those sections. He knows every drop off, rock point, flow ect...


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## fishintechnician (Jul 20, 2007)

6 hours would be abotu 2 miles for me and yes there have been days when i have caught 4 and 5 over 16'' there have also been days when i cathc 30 with nothing over 15 and there are days when i get squat btu i am saying i would rather work my way slowly through a good stretch than work alot of good areas fast just my preference i guesse 

by the way i like amp not redbull


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## BassCrazy (Oct 11, 2007)

All the other jargon on this thread confuses me, but here's a congratulatory shout out from the NE corner of the state!

S-W-E-E-T F-I-S-H!

...and continued success. The catch and release was cool, too.


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## andyman (Jul 12, 2005)

Fishintech is right. So is Critter. I think there's merit to both.

I wade alot, and I float more. The one thing I prefer about floating is that it allows me something wading doesn't.
Once a pattern is found, like something as simple as fish are in the riffles, than I can stop, wade, and fish the riffles thoroughly. Get back in my yak, and float down to the next riffle. Then repeat the process.
In that way, yes, I think you get the opportunity to present your lure to more quality fish and work them as much as needed.


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## CptOrdnance (Jun 5, 2009)

My congrats to you. Great fun !!!


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## danjaquino (Jun 2, 2005)

Wow, this thread is popular. Thanks for all the information guys. I think both ways can be productive, it's just a matter of preference. I've never fished from a yak, so I can't weigh in on that. I do like to wade, I just like being in the water. i think it would be nice to take a trip in a yak to check out spots that some people don't get to because they are not easily accessed and here is where I might see that guys in yaks will be in areas where there is not as much fishing pressue. I would say this would definitely put the odds in your favor. As far as big fish go, well, I guess that all depends on the habitat in that area. But once again, I would say the odds are in your favor when fishing less pressured fish. This is only my second year fishing for smallies and I am learning so much. I'm not an expert by no means.There are so many factors that come into play when fishing for them. It's very challenging, and that is what keeps me coming back every weekend. Good luck all, and did I say, nice fish guys? yeah, I think I said that twice earlier.


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