Thursday I set out for Claytor Lake in Virginia in search of my first smallmouth bass. Claytor is a clear mountain lake. I fish hard until dark Thursday and ended up with 3 largemouth and a spot throwing cranks and a shakyhead. Baitfish are virtually nonexistant on this lake tough day on a tough lake. That night I was looking at Facebook on my phone and a buddy recommended Philpott Lake for smallies, so I did a little research and decided if things werent better Friday, I would try Philpott Saturday as it was about an hour from where I was staying. Friday morning I talked to a local at the ramp, he recomended a jerkbait and a-rig along the bluff walls, I spent about the first 3 hours doing that without a bite, spent the rest of the day running around looking for signs of life and trying different things, not a single bite all day. I talked with my buddy that night about Philpott and he emailed me some gps numbers of different places to try. Saturday I leave early and head for Philpott, its a pretty tough drive going down twisting and turning mountain roads, about 10 miles of the trip was on a little road that resembled a bike path. About a lane and 3 feet wide with a wall on one side and a steep drop off on the other with no rail. I finally made it to Philpott about 8 and put in. I checked all my buddy's spots with nothing, I then started checking long points looking for bait, most was 20-50 ft down and around submerged tree tops. I spent a few hours dropshotting and jigging a sworming hornet, got a 17" largemouth in 40 ft. I quit about 4 and made the long drive home disappointed that I never did connect with a smallmouth.
I woke up tired and looked at the weather, rain to the east and alot of rain to the west. I debated whether to stay home and rest and have a dry boat or go fishing and risk soaked carpet. After a few minutes of looking at different radars, It looked like I could get in atleast a few hours with minimal rain so off I went to Jordan. I got put in about 830 and went to work, jordan looked like chocolate pudding compared to where I spent the previous 3 days. Didnt take long and I had my first hook up on a crankbait, I could tell it was a huge fish. I caught a glimpse and knew it wasnt a bass, I was thinking big cat as it kept digging deep. I got it up and it was 12 lbs of ugly, nasty lure busting bowfin, that was unexpected. About an hour went by and I finally hooked up again, it came off. I headed to one of my better areas from last week and watch a dink try to eat my jig, missed. A few minutes later I swung and hooked a good fish, about 3 lbs. I hit a crankbait spot and got a fat 3.5 and a 15", had another pull off after a short time. Headed to another crankbait spot. I yanked my plug loose from a snag, cranked it 4 turns and a good fish grabbed it, a few casts later, a 6-3 and a few other solid fish. I ended the day with 8 bass, 7 of which were solid keepers I figured I would quit while I was ahead and get home before it rained.
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Who needs brown bass in green water, when you can get green bass in brown water.
I woke up tired and looked at the weather, rain to the east and alot of rain to the west. I debated whether to stay home and rest and have a dry boat or go fishing and risk soaked carpet. After a few minutes of looking at different radars, It looked like I could get in atleast a few hours with minimal rain so off I went to Jordan. I got put in about 830 and went to work, jordan looked like chocolate pudding compared to where I spent the previous 3 days. Didnt take long and I had my first hook up on a crankbait, I could tell it was a huge fish. I caught a glimpse and knew it wasnt a bass, I was thinking big cat as it kept digging deep. I got it up and it was 12 lbs of ugly, nasty lure busting bowfin, that was unexpected. About an hour went by and I finally hooked up again, it came off. I headed to one of my better areas from last week and watch a dink try to eat my jig, missed. A few minutes later I swung and hooked a good fish, about 3 lbs. I hit a crankbait spot and got a fat 3.5 and a 15", had another pull off after a short time. Headed to another crankbait spot. I yanked my plug loose from a snag, cranked it 4 turns and a good fish grabbed it, a few casts later, a 6-3 and a few other solid fish. I ended the day with 8 bass, 7 of which were solid keepers I figured I would quit while I was ahead and get home before it rained.
Who needs brown bass in green water, when you can get green bass in brown water.