Title: Fish Hook Removal

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010601/2231.html

Title: Through-The Gill Hook Removal
http://www.in-fisherman.com/magazine/articles/if2806_HookRemoval/index.html

Early Spring Fishing for

Smallmouth Bass in Rivers & Lakes

My fishing buddy Vince asked me to join him on a scheduled trip on the upper Delaware River w/ Blaine (Backwoods Anglers Guide Service). The recent unseasonable cold weather had river water temps @ 39 degrees on this cold April 10th Tuesday morning . I knew this cold weather would present a challenge as I drove from my residence in Bensalem Pa. and observed the outside air temperature drop from 37 to 29 as I approached Easton Pa. The air temps rebounded to 35 degrees as I continued north on 611.

We blasted off in Blaine’s river jet boat @ 8:45 am w/air temps of 37 degrees. Blaine put the first smallie on board w/a Lucky Craft Suspending jerk-bait. Vince followed w/a smallie and walleye on the rigged creature. I finally warmed – up w/1 on the W.W. Smallies delight jig.

The strong ,cold NW wind increased and followed us to every stop making boat control very difficult, even for the veteran guide.( I was glad I was riding ) We picked fish here and there as the W.W. Smallies Delight jig took over the lead. We had to use 1/4 oz vs. the preferred 1/8oz. jigs to successfully feel the bottom w/the wind and current in the clear water w/ visibility to 3+ feet. I only brought 8 of the new W.W. jigs and finally lost them all to snags after boating 9 smallies on them.

We ended the day with a hot C.W. Smallies delight Jig bite that brought the tally to 29 smallmouth to 19” and 2 respectable Walleyes. Needless to say, I was proud and pleased with the results (70% of our fish) these 2 –new jigs produced on their river debut w/ the 39 water temp. and windy, cold air temperatures. Hair jigs and tubes accounted for 4 bass.
 

Blaine did total 5 smallies on the L.C. SJB but switched over to the C.W.'s Jig @ the end to boat 3 additional smallies.

Spring fishing in lakes can be feast or famine. Warmer air temperatures signal anglers to get ready for the shallow water bite. Smallmouth bass are active after ice-out when water temperatures move into the low 40 degree range. This is the time to fish those off-shore rocky high-spots and humps for hungry, jumbo pre-spawn smallies. Here’s some successful trips I reported on earlier this spring.
 

3/26/07

Mike and I finally finished the necessary boat repairs and managed to get out for the 1st time this spring . Water temps varied from 43.9 - 44.5 on this cloudy day. Our 1st ledge stop found us practicing our casting. The smallies were waiting for us as we arrived on our 2nd offshore high spot. I missed 2 bumps on the Sonar Blade bait and then put a 5pd 3 oz smallie in the boat on the blade.
 

Within the next 5 minutes I put a smaller bronze gladiator in the boat on the blade.
 

I switched over to the C.W. Smallies Delight jig after the blade bite died and hooked –up with another nice smallie that came unbuttoned.. Within the next 10 cast ,I had another one on that hit the jig and this time he managed to stay on through 2 jumps and the usual maneuvers @ boat side before gaining his freedom. Mike changed over to the C.W. Smallies Delight jig and shortly there after I heard him yell, I’m On”! Mike was a happy camper as I slide the net under his 4 pound smallmouth.
 

Mother nature decided to make things miserable with rain in the 57degree air temp. I barely got the rain gear over the insulated coveralls when the rain came down. In-between rain showers, I managed another smallie on the C.W. Smallies Delight jig.

VanSciver3-23-07012.jpg

We moved to another ledge as the wind and rain intensified. The smallies were playing “hide and seek” as the rain really started to come down. We pulled the pin after this successful 3 ½ hour trip.

3/26/07

Smallie Seeker and I decided to chase some post-front smallmouth today. The water temps. ranged from 44.9 to 46.2.The weatherman's promise of diminishing winds held true for the later P.M. hrs. with brilliant sunshine. The smallies wanted nothing to do w/blade baits today but they engulfed the 3" C.W. Smallies Delight jig when presented w/a slow "polish the rocks" technique. Grubs, float'n fly and hair jigs (rabbit & arctic) produced "O" results. We ended up w/ 7 smallmouth and 1 largemouth-all caught on the aforementioned jig. Our 4 biggest smallies weighed 4.6 - 4.7 - 4.9 & 4.11. At one time ,Vince and I had doubles on. Needless to say, we were elated w/this post-font action. Here's some pics of the day.

4/22/07

Vince and I fished for smallmouth bass on this warm Sunday afternoon. It’s been just about 3 weeks since I’ve fished the lake for smallmouth bass. Surface temps today ranged from 57-66 degrees- a much warmer increase from the 44 degrees experienced almost 3 weeks ago. We stopped at our favorite consistent, cold-water ledges first and skunked after an 1 hr. of using C.W. & W.W. Smallies Delight jig, Sonar Blade Baits, slow-rolling spinner baits and suspending jerk-baits. Our second stop saved the day w/2 pre-spawn smallies to 4pds. on the L.C. Suspending D.D. Staysee 90 jerk-baits in Ghost Minnow and Clown patterns. I put 1 additional smallie in the boat w/the L.C. SJB on our 3rd stop. The fish will need a couple more days to adjust to this sudden influx of un-seasonal warm weather as they migrate to the shallows. Here’s some pics of our day.