After several failed attempts to coordinate days off together Ray Johnson and Frank Krajenka, both sales associates from Jays Sporting Goods in Clare, were able to set Thursday, August 8th as a definite date to try for smallmouth bass on one of our local rivers.  This would be Rays’ first trip to a river for the feisty smallmouth.  Frank is an avid panfish and smallmouth angler from Beaverton who truly enjoys introducing others to all the great things that our outdoors has to offer.  Living just two blocks from both a river and lake affords Frank many opportunities to fine tune his fishing skills, and easy access to take others who may be new to his type of fishing.  Ray was more than willing to give it a shot, as he really likes to fish but is new to a lot of the various ways and places that fish can be caught.

    Ray arrived at Franks house at 9:00 am Thursday to find Frank just finishing packing his backpack with the necessary tackle and waders needed for fishing the river.  After a few minutes of chit chat the two eager anglers were on their way.  A 15 minute hike down the road and through a large field and woodlot led Frank and Ray to one of the many holes in the river, which Frank felt confident would give up at least one decent smallmouth to start the day. 

    Frank is a firm believer in the use of soft plastic baits of all shapes and sizes for many types of fish, with smallmouth bass being at the top of that list.  Ray was very familiar with this as he is Franks tournament partner in the annual 10 week Jays bass tournament.

The only thing different would be the use of a small split shot sinker about 14 inches up the line from their soft plastic, Texas rigged, worm.  A dark green worm would prove to be just what they would need in the mud stained water.

    After just a few short casts across the current Ray hooked into his first river smallie.  The 10 incher brought a smile to Rays’ face as the little bronze back raced down current doing everything in its power to free the hook from his jaw.  Rays’ brand new rod and reel won the battle and the fish was landed successfully.  Not a big fish but it was the type they were after.  Having the entire day to fish would surely provide enough time to find one of the lunkers that hung out in this section of river.

    Casting across the current and allowing the small split shot sinker to  bounce off the rocks in the river until their bait was directly down stream , then reeling and casting again.  Placing each cast slightly up or down stream from the last cast.  Over and over again, until every inch of the fifty yard long and three feet deep hole had been fished.  Often setting the hook, only to find that it was a weed not a bass that had been nibbling on the soft plastic worm.  A weed, a rock, a weed, a rock.  Until one of those pesky weeds started stripping line from Rays’ new spinning reel. 

    Ray was now hooked into a nice smallmouth.  As he tried to reel, Ray was introduced to the affects of current and fish muscle working together.  His little spinning outfit held tight as the fat small mouth made its first shot down stream.  The spool whined as Ray swung the rod tip to the side to try to turn the fish back up stream.  And turn it he did.  Now the fish was making a sprint up stream and it was all Ray could do to keep up with it.  Reeling as fast as possible he finally managed to catch up with the fishes run and wear it out enough to be landed.  A beautiful 16 inch bronze striped smallmouth bass.  Rays’

largest smallmouth ever and it was only 10:30 am.  A few more casts and it was time to head upstream to what Frank considers to be one of the best holes in the river for big smallmouth bass.

    After a 100 yard wade upstream, Frank and Ray were standing along the inside edge of a sweeping bend in the river which is one of Franks “honey holes”.  On the way to this special hole Frank explained to Ray that if there would be any lunkers caught today they should be able to pull a couple dandies from the hole ahead.  With a slow sweeping current, the bend  offered 5 - 7 feet of water with some large submerged boulders for the big “bronze backs” to hide.  As they approached the “honey hole” the overcast sky let loose with a steady rain, but not enough to deter the anglers.

    Working his rig slowly across the current, allowing his split shot to tap lightly along the bottom, Franks second cast was answered with a sharp tug and a steady pull upstream.  He quickly reeled in any slack in the line and set the hook with a brisk snap of the rod, up and away from the direction the fish was traveling.  As the razor sharp Gamakatsu hook penetrated the fishes jaw it realized it was hooked and definitely did not like the feeling.  With the typical reaction of smallmouth bass the fish headed immediately for the sky.  As the smallmouth cleared the surface of the water the anglers knew they had a nice fish.  Splashing loudly, the fish reentered the river and headed downstream.  Frank is well aware of the tactics of the local fish and applied heavy pressure to the line and steadily reeled in a very respectable 17 inch smallmouth, but that would only be the appetizer for what was to come from the “honey hole”.

    Not 10 minutes later Ray felt a slight tap on his lure and quickly set the hook only to have his line snap.  Could that have been the big one that got away?  Maybe, but Ray and Frank were determined to not let one broke line bring their spirits down.  Continuing to work the hole, Ray soon had another nice hit only to have it break off once again.  Sensing something may be wrong with Rays’ line Frank told him to just let the fish have the next bait a little longer then slowly sweep the rod tip away from the fish.  A combination of the current and the razor sharp hooks should provide enough energy to set the hook deep into the fishs’ jaw.  With that said Ray tied on another rig and continued his casting in hopes for a big fish.

    A short time later Rays’ line began to get tight.  Remembering what Frank had said Ray let the fish eat it then slowly swept his rod tip to the side.  In an instant his rod was doubled over and the drag was giving up line.  Frank soon realized that his partner had a good fish and told him to back reel rather than let the fish peel line from the spool.  Back reeling has become a major tactic in Franks arsenal against big fish on light to medium weight tackle.  Ray cautiously back reeled when the big fish wanted to run and retrieved line when the fish tried to rest.  As it came closer to the anglers the bass revealed himself, then made one final effort to free himself from the hook ,but Ray had gained the upper hand.  He lifted his rod tip high and brought the fish to the surface where Frank was able to scoop his hand under its belly and lift it out of the river.  18+ inches  and fat with crayfish and minnows, what a smallmouth.  Yet it was only the first of three big fish and several more decent ones to be landed before the two fishermen would call it quits.?

    Throughout the day Ray broke his line five times but actually hooked three of those fish a second time.  One had a hook still in its jaw, one had our worm half way down its throat, and the third was still attached to some of his line, which Ray just happened to snag while casting.  He had his lure stuck in a rock so Ray waded across the river to retrieve it.  When he freed his lure from the rock Ray noticed another line tangled around his.  As he began to untangle it he felt something pulling on the other end.  Believe it or not it was a nice 15 and a half inch smallmouth with Rays hook and lure still attached.

  At 1:00 pm they decided to call it quits.  Ray had landed his 5 fish limit of keeper smallmouth.  Along with a couple landed by Frank they had a dandy stringer with 7 nice fish, 14 great fillets, and memories to last a lifetime. ?