Maries River

[creek wader]

Al and others,

I finally got out and gave the walk the dog and spinnerbaits a test. I went down to an access on the Maries river. I tried this place because I thought the water would be too low at the others that I usually fish. I was a little surprised that the water was still up a bit, and still stained from the recent rains. I mainly fished a long deep slow moving pool.

I started out on foot and used the 4" BPS "XPS Slim Dog", it is BPS's version of the "Sammy". My first cast was into the riffle feeding the pool, with no hits. My 2nd cast, was what I figured would happen. I hung it in a tree on the opposite bank. I managed to retrieve it but, had to stir up the water crossing the stream. That is why I've held off buying the "Sammy". I figured I'd lose it, right out of the gate. Anyway, I started figuring out how to cast it with better accuracy, and how to walk the dog with it. After many casts, I caught a 10" largemouth on it. My first on a top water lure in a stream. A few cast later, I caught another. After several more casts, I had a fish explode on it. This was no sport bass and sounded like a someone doing a belly flop. It was big. I hesitated for a split second, then remembered someone saying to keep reeling. So, I did but it didn't come back. That was enough proof for me. So, I went back to the truck and got out the inflatable yak. I grabbed and extra pole and put on a black buzz bait.

I floated the upper end of the pool and fired both lures to no effect. I changed the buzzbait to a chartreuse and black spinnerbait. There was a narrow slot, basically dividing the pool in two. It had a little current there and a few downed trees. I tossed the spinnerbait near the tree and caught a 12" largemouth. On the next cast, I casted back upstream, into the channel near the bank. There, I caught my first smallie ever, on a spinnerbait. It was a nice 12 incher. So, now I had a little more confidence in both lures.

I casted for a while, then decided to put a trailer on the spinnerbait. All I had on me was a 3" Yum Dinger so, I tried it. About 3 casts later into the shadows near a mud bank I caught a stout 16 1/2" smallie. He put on quite a show before I finally got him into the boat. Now, my confidence was really building. I caught another 12" smallie and a 12" largemouth, on the spinnerbait. I switched back and forth between the two. I was walking the Slim Dog near a laydown when the water exploded, I kept reeling and missed it. So, I came back with the spinnerbait and wham, after a hard fought battle I landed a very thick 18" largemouth.

I got to the end of the pool and had to portage a riffle to the next very shallow pool. After quite a few casts, I finally had a nice strike on the slim dog and missed it. I threw it back out a few times and nothing. So, I changed to a 3" yum dinger and caught a 12" largemouth a few casts later.

I headed back after only covering about a 1/2 mi. I made some casts here and there, but the wind was blowing me back down stream. So, I mainly paddled back. Near the upper end of the pool, I fired the slim dog past a weed bed and worked it past. Then I saw something coming after it. There was a big splash and a miss. So, I kept working it. Finally on the 3rd strike he got hooked. After a good fight I brought him boat side, and saw that I had at least a 14" smallie. My first smallie on a "sammy" style lure. I tried to grab him several times. He kept shaking the treble hooks wildly at me. Finally, he shook off. So, technically I didn't land him. But, I still got to see him. That has given me confidence to further try the "walk the dog" lures and the spinnerbait.

I only fished about 3 hrs. and it was just in that 1/2 mi. long pool. I kind of wore it out. I didn't catch a lot of fish, but most were bigger than what I usually catch. I seen enough of the spinnerbait and "WTD" lure, to want to get back out and try it. The bass exploding on it was a hoot. Can't wait till next trip. ... wader

[Guest]

deleted

[creek wader]

When they blow up on WTD lures it really get my heart pumping, they are quickly becoming one my favorite baits to throw. That 16 1/2 incher is a hog for that stream!

Yea, the biggest smallie that I've caught on the Maries was a 17 ", 3 yrs. ago. ... 12" is a good fish for the Maries and a 15" is usually a very nice fish for that stream.

I just measured my paddle, that I have at home. I think I under estimated the smallies length. I'll have to measure it again. I got 17" from where his mouth is, in the pic, to the end of the paddle. And he hangs over. ..hmmm, I'll have to check my tape in my tackle bag and the other paddle, when I get to Jeff.

Yea, the explosions were awesome. I wish I could of landed the smallie that shook off, when I tried to grab him. That one hurt, (should of took the net). It would of been my first smallie on a WTD lure. I guess it gives me an incentive.

[FishinCricket]

Small stream Bass on a top water, there are very few things (besides my lovely wife) that get my heart thumping and my blood boiling like that. Good stuff, and if ya dont know ya should know, ya know?

[Buzz]

Great report Wader....It sounds like persistence paid off.

I love those big blow ups. It nearly makes your heart stop.

And those spinnerbait fish are nice too. I love it when they are on the spinnerbait, one of my all time favorite baits and also one of the most versatile baits you can use.

[Al Agnew]

Excellent! I think you also experienced the frustrations of fishing the walking lures...lots of heart-stopping blow-ups that come up empty. One tip...if you keep working the lure after a missed strike and the fish doesn't come back after it again, next time one swings and misses, stop the lure, let it sit for a couple seconds, then barely twitch it. Once in a while that works.

Lipping a fish with a big lure full of trebles draped across its face is always a challenge. I've gotten pretty good at it, but it ain't easy. If it's a small fish, under 12 or 13 inches, I often just grab the lure body as firmly as I can, then put the rod under my arm and use the other hand to get a grip on the fish's lower jaw. If it's a big one, I get its head up out of the water and look for a way to grab its jaw around the lure. But the most important thing is to expect the fish to give its head one good shake when you first grip its jaw. So when you grab it, grab it HARD.

[rps]

Look at my avatar. It speaks for me. Well done.

rps

[creek wader]

Thanks guys. I'll be back at it in the morn. Give ya full report. ... wader

[Linhardt]

Speaking of lipping fish with two treble hooks on a hawg stick. Was up a truman dam and was fishing the generator side by the fence. Hybrids started hitting the top close by so everyone including me started throwing their hawg sticks at em and walked the dog. Hooked a 12 lb hybrid and reeled him in. Lipped him and as I was getting ready to pull the lure out he shook and my hand slipped off his jaw and one treble went all the way through my thumb and the other treble still had the fish on it.

Before I could even grab him again he violently flopped and ripped the treble right out my thumb. Needless to say the fish were still hitting the top so I quickly wrapped tape around my thumb, put him on the stringer, and kept on fishing. Boy was my thumb sore for several days. Now I carry boca grips along when after those big fish.

[creek wader]

Speaking of lipping fish with two treble hooks on a hawg stick. Was up a truman dam and was fishing the generator side by the fence. Hybrids started hitting the top close by so everyone including me started throwing their hawg sticks at em and walked the dog. Hooked a 12 lb hybrid and reeled him in. Lipped him and as I was getting ready to pull the lure out he shook and my hand slipped off his jaw and one treble went all the way through my thumb and the other treble still had the fish on it.

Before I could even grab him again he violently flopped and ripped the treble right out my thumb. Needless to say the fish were still hitting the top so I quickly wrapped tape around my thumb, put him on the stringer, and kept on fishing. Boy was my thumb sore for several days. Now I carry boca grips along when after those big fish.

I hear ya. I was trying to unhook a small bass one time. It flopped and hooked my thumb. I thought I'd release him first then get the hook out. Bad decision! Before I could release him he flopped again and buried the treble under my thumb nail. I tried the string tech niche and of course it didn't work. It's hard to do it on yourself. I wound up at the emergency room and a little embarrassed. It must be a fairly common thing. Because they actually have a tool in the emergency room, that's sole purpose is for removing fish hooks.