Short summary of today's trip 9/24

[Brian Jones]

Floated 8 miles through a section of water that I'll refer to as "Al's stretch".  Long story short, I'm not Al..............................................

[Mitch f]

He already sore mouthed em all! ??

[joeD]

Floated Blackwell to Hwy 21 this past Thursday. Water was definitely up, but not too much. Had some color, but not bad. Slow start, yet not discouraged. Told fishing partner that the Big is an afternoon river. He knew that already. I fish with him all the time. 

We caught some nice smallies, nothing huge. Average size was nice though. Mine were on topwater. His on flukes of course. But the story of the day was the size of the largemouths we caught. Big and fat. Buried in wood. I had an absolute monster on, that I yanked from a mess of limbs and roots and apparent lost haybale, but, the brute wrangled himself (herself?) free. We saw the profile however. Just added to my disappointment. Not a bad day though. 

Chalk one up to the fickle nature of the Big Brian. Least you got out and made it happen, fish or not.

[Brian Jones]

10 hours ago, Mitch f said:

He already sore mouthed em all! ??

I think he just has them trained so well they only bite his baits Mitch..

8 hours ago, joeD said:

Floated Blackwell to Hwy 21 this past Thursday. Water was definitely up, but not too much. Had some color, but not bad. Slow start, yet not discouraged. Told fishing partner that the Big is an afternoon river. He knew that already. I fish with him all the time. 

We caught some nice smallies, nothing huge. Average size was nice though. Mine were on topwater. His on flukes of course. But the story of the day was the size of the largemouths we caught. Big and fat. Buried in wood. I had an absolute monster on, that I yanked from a mess of limbs and roots and apparent lost haybale, but, the brute wrangled himself (herself?) free. We saw the profile however. Just added to my disappointment. Not a bad day though. 

Chalk one up to the fickle nature of the Big Brian. Least you got out and made it happen, fish or not.

Almost picked that one Joe.  But since I had all day free and it had been years since I'd floated the stretch I chose I decided to float it instead.  I also hoped to bring home a mess of Spots to go with a bag of pond largemouth that need to be eaten.  But that didn't happen either.

Ended up with seven "keepers" so the day was not a total wash.  But fickle is definitely an understatement.  I had at least that many more on that came unbuttoned either at the canoe or on the way to the canoe; including a couple that would have been close to master angler size.  Big fish of the day was my first keeper; a fifteen inch smallie that was caught the new fad top water in the hole at the access.  Despite throwing it another two hours, that was the only keeper I caught on it.

Aside from burying a treble in my thumb which I hope NEVER happens again, it was a good day.  I only saw one other person in 9 hours, I floated a stretch of water that I hadn't been on in 15 years, and I got to wear a sleeveless t-shirt.  No pics this time though...... 

[Pat Magee]

What is it with everyone burying treble hooks in their hands this month?!? I think that is my biggest fear when out fishing, well that and maybe dying

[timinmo]

Was on the Big yesterday also. One fish. 21 inches, Biggest river largemouth I have caught in a while.

[Brian Jones]

4 hours ago, timinmo said:

Was on the Big yesterday also. One fish. 21 inches, Biggest river largemouth I have caught in a while.

Great fish Tim.  Considered that stretch as well.  But a few of the local butchers have really worked on that section this summer.  Glad to see that one has eluded their baits.

[Mitch f]

5 hours ago, timinmo said:

Was on the Big yesterday also. One fish. 21 inches, Biggest river largemouth I have caught in a while.

Great fish Tim! Please let don't let anyone in on your secret technique of dusting off the rod  handle before fishing. ?

[timinmo]

Well I don't get to go often.  Just trying to make the most of the opportunity.   

[Al Agnew]

Hey, stay off my river!

Actually I don't know which is "my" stretch.  I usually fish each stretch between Irondale and Brown's Ford once each year, and a couple of stetches twice.  I missed one stretch in there this year, but fished another section that I haven't been on in a long time.