What's Up With The Smallies?

[hambone80]

Hey, I was just wondering what's going on with the fishing on the river? I heard the goggle-eye are being caught, but what about the smallies? Also, does anyone know how big is a lunker river smallmouth in Missouri. Just wondering because I caught a real good one earlier this week, but didn't get a photo. It was pushing four pounds though. Thanks.

[whetstone]

You officially caught a lunker.

[Phil Lilley]

Four pound "anything" is a lunker in my book

[Phil Lilley]

http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/71.pdf

Mdc's Master Angler Award

[WebFreeman]

26in and 7 lbs for a rainbow seems pretty steep compared to the others. Guess that's why it's "master".....

[Wayne SW/MO]

Thats a very big Smallie for a Missouri stream. Congratulations.

[smallmouth man]

Went wading on the James south of Battlefield MO this week. My buddy and I caught a dozen smallmouth or so, a few largemouth and lots of goggle-eye. All came on soft plastic grubs and craws. Biggest were a couple 14 in smallies. one bigger smallmouth came off. We saw several gar and suckers.

[hambone80]

Four pound "anything" is a lunker in my book

Well it wasn't four pounds, but over 3 and 1/2 pounds for sure. I just wish I had my camera. It was only my second smallmouth ever! I must say that these are my new favorite bass. I have always had a love affair for largemouth and always will, but smallies are awesome fighters and beautiful specimens of fish to. I caught in on a full size jig and craw I was using for largemouth.

[hambone80]

Went wading on the James south of Battlefield MO this week. My buddy and I caught a dozen smallmouth or so, a few largemouth and lots of goggle-eye. All came on soft plastic grubs and craws. Biggest were a couple 14 in smallies. one bigger smallmouth came off. We saw several gar and suckers.

Thanks for the update smallmouth man. Much appreciated. Any smallmouth is a good smallmouth.

[Al Agnew]

I much prefer gaging stream smallies by length and not weight, since when you get up to the big fish range, weight can vary as much as a pound during the year, or even if the fish has been eating well or not! It takes an 18 inch smallie to make Master Angler Award status. 20 inches is kinda the mark to really shoot for. Anything 21 inches and over is rare enough that it could be the fish of a lifetime for a lot of anglers. Personally, I keep track of, and usually take photos of, anything over 17 inches. 15-16 inchers are fairly common, but bigger than that it's a notable fish.