Last week I wrote about the amazing sense of smell and taste catfish possess. Salmon swimming the open ocean follow the subtle scent trail of the river in which they were born to home in on the exact location of their birth when they mature and make their own spawning run. Catfish possess a sense of smell as much as 100 times greater than salmon.
For stream fisherman in this part of the country, it would seem that smallmouth bass are the only reason for existence. This writer is often guilty of such angling narrow-mindedness. However, while the bronzeback is the undisputed king of the creek, the black and green prince is hiding among the rocks and roots, ready to offer good fishing even when the smallies are sulking.
April and May offer some of the best smallmouth bass fishing of the year but it also offers some of the most contrasting fishing conditions of the season.
One day might be perfect, with nice water and great weather, while the next day might bring muddy high water, thunderstorms and sometimes snow. This means that even more than lake anglers, springtime river bass fishermen must stay adaptable to the changing conditions.
A catfish’s sense of smell (and taste) is so great they are likely capable of perceiving their entire universe with their sniffers. Much the same way we observe four separate pine trees on a hill, catfish can likely smell four different carp swimming alongside a distant brushpile.
“I don’t fish for bass,” a guy mentioned last week as we discussed this spring’s fishing bonanza at a local boat ramp. “Besides, there is no way I could afford it,” he said gesturing towards a glistening metal-flake bass boat loaded with rods, boxes of lures and mysterious electronic gadgets. “It can get too complicated and too expensive,” he added.
Are you fishing for finicky fins in clear waters? The SPRO Aruku Shad Silent is an essential addition to your tackle box.
Catching any fish under twelve inches long usually isn’t worth my time. There are a few exceptions however and bluegill are one of them. Pound for pound they fight like a tiger and are second to none when it comes to table fare.
Most of the year giant bluegill can be difficult to catch. Thankfully late spring and early summer offer an exception. This time of year trophy sized gills are going through their mating ritual and aggressively feed while producing next year’s crop of offspring.
There’s something very rewarding about making your own stuff. Over the years I’ve made my own recurve bows, built boats, fly rods and a host of other things. However nothing has been more beneficial to me than making my own flys. It is extremely cost efficient and there’s nothing like fooling your favorite game fish with a gob of feathers and hair you personally put together at the tying vice.
Hit the waters this summer to become the next to break a local record.
The popular Under Spin Head is making a big splash with this mini re-release.
