A Secret Shared

There are only a few people that I share my smallmouth streams with. My wife, Caleb, my great-nephew, and now Russell. I met Russell several years ago when he was hired as summer help in the distribution center that I work at. A college student working towards his teaching degree, he impressed me with his love of fishing and hunting. He is one of the rare people who I've hunted and fished with who enjoys the experience of being on a stream or in the woods and if fish or game are found so much the better, but these ventures afield are not gauged by the weight of his creel or gamebag but rather by the sharing of a meandering stream or brushy grouse covert. Russell's teaching now near the Chesapeake Bay but still finds time to occasionally come back to these Allegheny Mountains that are home to him. The following pictures were taken on one of my secret smallmouth streams that I've trust it's location to Russell with.

The water. Low with lots of rocks, walking is required to reach the deeper holes that the smallies thrive in.
Fish on!!! The start of an enjoyable evening.

The first fish, a nice chunky smallie that brings a smile to Russell's face.

Some nice Rockbass were also found and returned to the stream.

As the sun started to set the action increased.

The fish of the night. All the fish were caught on my hand-poured plastic worms that Russell like to brag up :).

A long walk through a hayfield and along the back country road to the truck ended an enjoyable evening that hopefully will be repeated soon.

Just another day in Paradise

Caleb, my nephew Jim-Bob's boy, was able to fit a fishing trip into his busy schedule so we headed to an enchanted creek that I treasure. I know someday other people will realize the size of the smallmouth bass that live there and fish it out but until then I treat it gently and enjoy the magic it possesses.

On the walk in we pass by one of the creekside residents looking no doubt for breakfast.

After several fruitless casts near the parking lot we press upstream until we find we we're looking for.

After a good 30-45 minute walk we reach the enchanted pool. A place where I've made some wonderful memories of past battles with the resident smallmouths.

After several smaller smallmouths and a couple of rockbass SUCCESS!!!

One last jump.

Now there will be two people with wonderful memories of this special place.

The Hunt for Summertime Smallmouths

The Fourth of July is my unofficial start of Smallmouth Bass fishing. The rivers and streams are flowing lower now with the fish more congregated in deeper water. But fishing is much more than catching fish to me at least. It's seeing what Mother Nature has to show me along my rivers and streams that flow through my Allegheny Mountains. It's the anticipation of what flora or fauna you will find around the next bend in the stream.

The Rock Bass can provide you with some action until you find the Smallies.

Even a small Smallmouth can bring a smile to your face.

A nice fat 14 inch Smallmouth. The "fish of the day" on this trip.