My Gem

With my big water not giving up many smallmouths I traveled to my little Gem of a stream that never seems to let me down. Although I had planned to walk downstream to the RailRoad pool, I tossed a purple Carrot into the Bridge pool and immediately caught a  feisty 8 inch smallie. It was just a little after 6 AM so the pic is a little dark.

I started upstream into the Bridge pool and never looked back. My first four casts got me two smallies and two missed strikes. After I lost the Carrot to a missed strike I tied on a Mustard Seed Crayfish, the smallies seemed to like it too.

All too soon it too was torn up and was replaced by an Oxblood colored Crayfish. I tossed it farther upstream in the pool and was rewarded with a solid strike. I knew I had a "nice" one as she made the little Daiwa scream with several deep runs through out the pool. Slowly I worked her into the shallows and I had my prize.

17 inches of battling Smallmouth. A nice fish most anywhere, a real trophy in this small stream.

I continued my way upstream catching several more Smallies and RockBass.

I shared the water with an Osprey and a Kingfisher this morning, but this Hummingbird far across the stream was the only one who held still for a pic.

After a couple of hours my back told me it was time to call it a day and head back to the truck. I didn't mind as it had been a wonderful morning with cooperative smallies in a beautiful setting.