Wee R catching fish

Rattling around the bottom of the tacklebox, the Rebel Wee R has risen.

It's been awhile, but I finally caught some fish!  After getting skunked the first few times out this year, I was beginning to wonder if them brown fish were ever going to awaken from their winter slumber. 

The weather had started to turn for the better, but not quite ideal with several warm days in a row.  The flakey weather kept having me put off side trips to the skinny rivers near my house, but I finally decided to venture to the Little Patuxent after work today.  Temps about 55 degrees and partly cloudy.  Water temp measured right at 50.  The river level was close to summer levels, but not quite as clear.

The plan was to start out with a Z-Man Finesse TRD Worm and a Rapala Shadow Rap and work them slowwww.  The first couple spots I tried produced nothing.  Not even a bite. 

First fish of the day
and 2018 -- a 12"
smallmouth.

Moving downriver, I decided to try a spot where I haven't caught anything in the past.  It's really slow moving current, very straight section of river, about three feet deep in the middle.  Lots of big rocks scattered on the bottom, though. 

After a couple casts with the TRD worm, there was a really subtle bite on the end.  I set the hook, and the fish fought back.  It came to the surface, and it was a decent smallmouth bass.  After hoisting the fish up the bank, it measured a nose over 12 inches!  Finally with the first fish on the board for 2018!

A few casts later, another fish loosely clamped onto the TRD worm, and it was another smallmouth bass, but only around 10 inches.

After trying the Rapala Shadow Rap without luck, I moved to another spot.  No bites on either lure here, and it was off to another spot.   And then no luck and off to another spot.  And another.

I decided to head back upriver but wanted to hit a few of those areas with other lures.  Looking through the little tackle box with me, I decided on the no-name spinnerbait and a small square-bill crankbait, a Rebel Wee-R.

A couple things here.  First, I've had this Rebel Wee-R for awhile, since before getting back into fishing in 2014.  So it's 10-15 years old at least (maybe not even made any more in this size?).  Second, all the kids these days say square-bill crankbaits work, and I have made a note to add them to my repertoire this year. They have a fat profile, and the bill supposedly helps skip the lure snag-free across rocks. I've bought a few on impulse buys at Susquehanna Fishing Tackle, but why not try the lure that's been rattling around in my possession for several years?  If I snag it or launch it into a tree, it's not a great loss.

It was a good decision.

Back upriver at another spot where the TRD worm and Shadow Rap had no interest, the Wee R had a a strong strike, but the fish didn't get hooked.  The no-name spinnerbait had some swipes, too, but also nothing.  I kept slow presentations with both lures -- the Wee R barely wobbling through the water, and the blade barely churning on the spinnerbait.

After a few more spots without any luck, I returned to the same section where I caught the two smallmouth bass earlier.  The spinnerbait had some interest ... from trout!  The Maryland DNR stocks trout in the Little Patuxent and many other rivers and streams during the offseason, and that includes golden trout, a variation of rainbow trout (but not to be confused with golden trout found in the western U.S.). They are easy to spot cruising the river because of their bright coloring.  And this one nibbled on the spinnerbait and actively followed it on subsequent casts.

Switching to the Wee R, the trout still showed interest but wouldn't bite.  After a few casts into another section to avoid the curious trout, I had a light hit on the little crankbait.  But when I set the hook, it felt like something good.  The fish rose to the surface (but didn't jump), and I could tell it wasn't any ordinary Little Patuxent smallmouth.  Not even a 12-incher.

I got the fish on the bank and measured it at 16 inches.  I've caught three 15 inchers prior on the Little/Middle Patuxents, so this was my biggest for those rivers.

Sixteen inches, a new best on the Little/Middle Patuxents!

My personal-best from the Potomac -- a 17-incher -- came in September, so maybe this bodes well for the trip Karen and I have next Friday on the Susquehanna.  The temps are supposed to be going back up the next few days, so who knows.  Smallmouth Season has started!