Personal Best smallmouth

Those post-spawn smallmouth are weak and small. Don't bother. 

I never know what to put on the brag board. One angler's personal best is another angler's average Sunday, depending on where and how you fish. But I was proud of this fish because she made me work for it, and because I caught her on a technique that was new to me, and because she's my personal best by 1/4 inch. I fully believe if I hadn't kept burying my rod tip in the water she would have cleared 5 feet vertical. I've caught a lot of 16-17.5" smallmouth, but never broke the 17.5" mark until this one.

She was released unharmed.

Nice! 

For those of us not getting out - please stop sharing!  Kidding of course - looks like a great day to have been out on the water - and, again, nice fish!

-Sam

 Nice fish. I've never gotten one to jump in Washington. Our smallies are lazy divers.

Very nice fish and a great shot of the aquabatics...congratulations on the PB!

New technique??? I'm all ears!

New technique??? I'm all ears!

Not new to most, just new to me. I was working a suspending jerkbait out in the open part of the water, rather than targeting shoals and structure with soft plastics.

Thanks ya'll. It was a nice day. We were all swimming, the kids were jumping from kayak to kayak, and we practiced self-rescue. One of those perfect Portland days we don't seem to get enough of.

New technique??? I'm all ears!

Not new to most, just new to me. I was working a suspending jerkbait out in the open part of the water, rather than targeting shoals and structure with soft plastics.

That's my favorite technique for smallies.nice fish.been to windy to get out here.

I got one from the bank during lunch today.  Nice way to break up office time.

I got one from the bank during lunch today.  Nice way to break up office time.

Awesome! I need to get out and do some lunch-time bank fishing. Great idea!