Pacemaker Fishing Forum

I got out super early to beat the heat and get a morning session in before the heat kicked up.  Put in by 5:15am.



The plan was to try topwater at the island and then work the MD shoreline before the sun got up high.  No bites on the Whopper Plopper, so decided to move upriver to the shoreline.  There are a good number of either small baitfish or YOY smallies that are feeding on the surface.  I was not able to get a bite on the WP, Chug Bug, grub or my stinger setup.  I decided to throw the small crank I caught my 18"er on last time.  I had changed the hooks on it last night.  It is one of my Bomber Fat A 4F cranks in a rare color.  After moving a little more toward the middle and a few casts, I caught a strong 14.5" smallie.  It took a minute to get teh hooks out, so no picture.  Not injured, just hooked good.  I was happy to get the skunk out.  A little while later, I caught another that was about 12.5".  No pic.  3rd fish was a healthy 14"er that took a pic of.



The sun was starting to clear the trees and the bite slowed.  I moved back up to float again, more toward the middle.  There were fewer baitballs and blow ups.  I was not getting bit, but kept casting and cranking.  Finally, at around 8:00am something slammed the crankbait.  It just stopped.  I thought it was a big catfish until I looked in the water and saw a big smallie with the crank sideways in it's mouth.  It was pretty close to the boat and it was not really fighting.  I grabbed the net, but the fish was going under the boat and out far enough to be too far to net.  It did a little tail dance on top of the water that was awesome.  I finally was able to get it in the net.  It was long and had beautiful coloring.  The crank was sideways in it's mouth, but came right out when I opened it's mouth.  Maybe the net unhooked it, not sure.  Measured quickly and was easily 21.5".  Could have been a little longer.  Got a few quick pics of my longest smallie ever!











Revived her and she swam off strong and splashed me. 

I fished a bit more and ended up catching one more 13"er on a tube at the ledge.  Off the water at 9:55am!

Last edited by drxfish (Jun-28-21 8:41AM)