I Am Going To Get That S.O.B.

Twice now. Same spot. Mid pool, about four feet from the submerged tree. Same popper. Success and failure. Success in that I manipulated the popper to the smallie’s liking. Pop, pop, pause. Big swirl, heavy tug. Set the hook. Failure in that the tippet broke, again. I know that old saying, ‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” Now, it just got personal.

I found a spot that has the mother of all big, resident smallmouth bass. Most resident smallies in the northeast Ohio tribs probably average 8” - 10” in length. On occasion you can catch bigger ones. In fact, last year I netted a couple over 12”, and I was thrilled. The one that I have now hooked twice has to be over 15”. I caught a glimpse of it as it broke the surface to inhale the popper. Then, as Yogi would say, “déjà vu all over again”, the sickening feeling you get as the rod and line snap back after being under tension.

It has to be the same fish. I can’t believe there would be multiple smallies that big in that same spot. Trust me on this.

Now, I can add obsessed to superstitious and sentimental. At 3:00AM in the morning I'm awake formulating a game plan to get him. One size stronger tippet. Test the knots, test the knots. Sharpen the point of the hook. I am going to get that S.O.B.

It was not a total loss on the river. I did manage to net a couple of smallies. The one pictured below is not even average size but has some of the nicest markings I’ve seen. It was caught at first light and the vertical markings just jumped out. Who knows, I could obsessing over this fish in five or six years.

This smallie has great markings. Caught at first light on a golden retriever.

(Click on image for larger view.)

This one hit the popper a minute before the mother of all resident smallies showed up again.

Go out and fool a fish!