# I’m a smallmouth addict



## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Had the day off work again so that gave me a 4 hour window to fish this afternoon. Had to bust the drysuit back out. Thought it was gonna rain and never did but it was cool out. Best 5 went 81.5” including another 19” and an 18.5”. Also caught quite a few fish and knocked out a few challenges on ANGLR! Water temp was 59 degrees on the river today. 4th smallmouth over 19” or over in the last week and 2 days! This past month has been nuts.


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## Bass Assasin Slaton (May 22, 2011)

What kind of baits are you using? Also what depth are you fishing? Nice Fish!


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Bass Assasin Slaton said:


> What kind of baits are you using? Also what depth are you fishing? Nice Fish!


One eddy goes from 2 ft to 7 ft as it gets longer. The fish were further back and deeper yesterday around 7 ft. I caught another fish on a rocky steep drop off around 311 ft deep. The others came from a flat to a drop off where the flat is 3 ft deep and then starts to drop to 13 ft. They were right on the edge where it started to drop off. I was using a fat swing I o too 3* keitech with a 1/4 oz tungsten wicked weights underspin. Others came on a TRD. Fishing SLOW has been the ticket on the cold days. They didn’t want a square bill at all.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

You’re having a “Dream Season”! Congrats on all your catches! It’s been impressive for stream and river fishing!


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

polebender said:


> You’re having a “Dream Season”! Congrats on all your catches! It’s been impressive for stream and river fishing!


Thanks! I’ve been fishing these spots for the last 6 years. It’s awesome to see these fish getting bigger every year.


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Convert over to muskie, you won't go back to smallmouth.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Legend killer said:


> Convert over to muskie, you won't go back to smallmouth.


I'd rather catch carp !

Nice smalliea BB, you been killing it !
Good luck and good fishing !


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Legend killer said:


> Convert over to muskie, you won't go back to smallmouth.


I’ve caught them before from the kayak. I would if they were in my rivers but they aren’t. I for sure don’t like fishing any lakes here in Ohio. Rather fish the river.


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## whitaker201 (Apr 4, 2014)

Nothing wrong with being a Smallie addict! I think I saw you at the Moraine ramp Saturday. I was launching my Tracker with a jet drive.


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

whitaker201 said:


> Nothing wrong with being a Smallie addict! I think I saw you at the Moraine ramp Saturday. I was launching my Tracker with a jet drive.


Yep. That was me. First time on that stretch. It was a good stretch but I think it might be better in the summer since it’s shallow and fast mostly until east river road. Caught a bunch of dinks on the deep rip rap drop offs. Around 9-13 ft deep. Knocking off stretch by stretch a little at a time. I think I’m at around 58 miles floated on the great Miami now and 35 on the little Miami.


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## sjwano (Sep 13, 2018)

Do you typically paddle back upstream or get help with transport? Even with a paddle kayak I have not yet found the courage/plan to fish the GMR (in the Dayton area) given the many dams and fast flow.


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

Legend killer said:


> Convert over to muskie, you won't go back to smallmouth.


We consider them junk fish when fishing Alum. Pound for pound nothing around here fights like a smallie.


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> We consider them junk fish when fishing Alum. Pound for pound nothing around here fights like a smallie.


Thats a joke


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## DeathFromAbove (Oct 21, 2008)

My jealousy knows no bounds. I'd take a 22 inch River Smallie over a 48 inch Musky any day


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## Muddy (May 7, 2017)

Nice Smallies. You can’t beat the fight of a Smallmouth. Not many other freshwater fish can compare.


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

sjwano said:


> Do you typically paddle back upstream or get help with transport? Even with a paddle kayak I have not yet found the courage/plan to fish the GMR (in the Dayton area) given the many dams and fast flow.


I float with a buddy on long trips. We meet at the take out and put kayaks into one truck and then drive to put in and float down to the truck we left at take out. When I’m fishing alone, I always put in and take out at the same spot. A few of my alone spots are pretty easy to get to and fish. Dragging the kayak up and down the hill is the pain part but worth it. One of my spots I paddle downstream and fish and then paddle back up to the truck. Sometimes I paddle upstream and then have to drag through riffles.


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

Thanks guys. Don’t get me wrong, catching a musky is a damn good time in a kayak lol. I just love smallmouth and rivers.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> Pound for pound nothing around here fights like a smallie.


 That's debatable 








Good luck and good fishing !


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## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

I spend half of my time fishing for river smallies, the half for flatheads. Bowfin fight harder though.


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## hoplovestofish (Aug 3, 2010)

garhtr said:


> That's debatable
> View attachment 356853
> 
> Good luck and good fishing !


My thoughts exactly. hop


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## whitaker201 (Apr 4, 2014)

BuzzBait Brad said:


> Yep. That was me. First time on that stretch. It was a good stretch but I think it might be better in the summer since it’s shallow and fast mostly until east river road. Caught a bunch of dinks on the deep rip rap drop offs. Around 9-13 ft deep. Knocking off stretch by stretch a little at a time. I think I’m at around 58 miles floated on the great Miami now and 35 on the little Miami.


I should look up how many miles of the GMR I have covered in my jet. I know I have fished the 4 pools from the dam south of Needmore road to the dam in Middletown and a couple more pools both north and south of the Dayton area.


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## BuzzBait Brad (Oct 17, 2014)

whitaker201 said:


> I should look up how many miles of the GMR I have covered in my jet. I know I have fished the 4 pools from the dam south of Needmore road to the dam in Middletown and a couple more pools both north and south of the Dayton area.


You can use the google earth measure feature to see how many miles you’ve been on. I’m trying to hit every mile on the GMR as a bucket list type thing.


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## whitaker201 (Apr 4, 2014)

Didn't even think about that and I've used that tool before too.


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

Quote: Convert over to muskie, you won't go back to smallmouth.

Muskie are grossly over-rated. Just big old shovelheads without the whiskers.
I fish an optimum muskie hot spot in Canada, but after dinner head out for some surface smallies every time - and still manage to catch muskie.


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