cnr Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 This report's a little late, but better late than never. I went out last Friday with joeD when the cold front was pushing through, had the day planned all week and wasn't going to let a temperature drop stop us. The entire day seemed to hover in the mid 50s with very low cloud cover and light mist on and off all day. With the drop in temp I thought the day would be marginal at best. Boy was I wrong. Definitely proves the best time to fish is whenever you can, you never know how it may play out. Surprisingly the water was a little low and fairly clear, I had not been on this stretch all summer and I was assuming the water would be a little higher with all the rain we have had this summer. We started out throwing Super Flukes and Sammy 85s. I think I picked up one on a fluke and one on the Sammy, nothing to write home about but it was a start. Throwing to all of the typical spots, heads of riffles, scour holes, pour offs, etc. Still nothing special and a fish here and there, no real pattern…yet. When we came to the first hole, a place I usually don't like because they never seem to pay off, the game changed. First cast into the hole with the Sammy and the water exploded from a nice smallie, missed it. A few casts later the same thing, small fish but cool top water hit, landed it and put it back. JoeD started hitting them too and we quickly realized we had a pattern. Top water baits in the slow water, sometimes from the edge but just as many from the middle area. The fish smashed the lures every time they hit, no subtle bites here. I switched over to a Gunfish 95 to get a little better "walk the dog" action out of the bait, that Sammy 85 is hard to work consistently, at least for me. Fishing improved for me with the Gunfish and JoeD stayed with the Sammy, both of us consistently catching fish. Most were in the slow holes with just a few from the traditional summer pattern faster areas. Nothing with notable size for the most part, just a lot of 13"-15" fish. Except for this one. 20.5" of awesome. Came from the deep center of the river straight up and blasted my Gunfish…missed, then immediately turned and ate it completely. No kidding, the entire bait was in the mouth and I only saw the line going to the fish with the mouth closed during the fight. Takes a big smallie to inhale a Gunfish. A couple of hard drag stealing runs under the canoe and I finally had landed my biggest Smallmouth to date. Oh yeah. We fished in a well known section of the upper Meramec. No big secret, lots of guys fish it.
Chief Grey Bear Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Very nice!!! Chief Grey Bear Living is dangerous to your health Owner Ozark Fishing Expeditions Co-Owner, Chief Executive Product Development Team Jerm Werm Executive Pro Staff Team Agnew Executive Pro Staff Paul Dallas Productions Executive Pro Staff Team Heddon, River Division Chief Primary Consultant Missouri Smallmouth Alliance Executive Vice President Ronnie Moore Outdoors
Mitch f Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Wow, what a pig! When you broke 20" you did it in style!!!! Congratulations!! "Honor is a man's gift to himself" Rob Roy McGregor
Smalliebigs Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Very happy for you......what a beast....so sweet!!!!
MOsmallies Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Simply Awesome!!! Congrats Mark! That's a hog!!!!!!
countryred Posted September 17, 2014 Posted September 17, 2014 Awesome fish/ awesome day..!!!!!!!.....grrrrr and I won't be on the water for at least a couple weeks.....
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