BillM Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 Checked the weather yesterday and it looked like it was going to rain pretty much all day in the Barrie area. I was thinking muskie, but I really didn't want to sit in that fine misty rain all day. Talked to the oldman and we decided to head north to see if we could put a few smallies and maybe a walleye or two in the boat. Gbay is one of my most favourite places to fish. It's giant, vast and there is fishy water everywhere. One thing I love about fall smallmouth is that they're fairly predictable. Started off motoring around until we started to mark fish. Got a few in the 15-20ft range but they were dinks. A few bigger ones around 25-30ft feet. I know they can be found very deep this time of year so I turned the spot lock off the Terrova and the slight wind we had just kept pushing us out deeper bit by bit. Then this happens. First fish was probably 4lbs, and not a second later my oldman pulls up a monster as well. We found the motherlode. Wolfpacks of giant smallies smashing big bait balls made up of shiners, etc. We couldn't get the lines back down fast enough. We caught them on everything but the giants came on big sucker minnows a few feet off bottom. . As fast as they'd show up on the screen, they'd be gone again. Move 20-30ft and we're ontop of another wolfpack. This happened pretty much all day. I don't wanna guess how many fish we put in the boat and how many were lost, but it might be the best day of smallie fishing I've ever had. The deep fish were brought in fast and released quickly, I didn't take pics of them. I do have a big needle in the boat to fizz them but luckily we didn't have to use it. My oldman is diabetic, so of course he doesn't bring anything with him to eat so we gotta call it after only 3hrs, lol. I'm hoping this warmer weather sticks around a bit longer so I can get back out there. Put two OOS lakers in the boat as well, not really surprised as they should be in full spawning mode once the water cools down a bit (I saw an average of 61 degrees out there). Haven't even thought about dusting off the steelhead gear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 Beauties bill! Very dark fish. I too love this time of year. It's almost hard to pick a species. And once again the sucker minnows strike! Folks, if you aren't using them you are missing out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_cdot Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 great day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misfish Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 Those are some nice piggies Bill. Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 awesome..lots of fish and October fishing in a t shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Ironmaker Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 (edited) Them are some nice slabs there Bill. Look like Erie Smallies. Many here will use the largest bait they can buy, Golden Shinners are great. I love that HBird 958C DI you have there Bill. My next upgrade I think. How do you like it? it looks like a very detailed image on it. No fishing for anyone here today, I hope not, gusts of 94 KPH this afternoon. Edited October 15, 2017 by Old Ironmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitespinnerbait Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 By far the best time of the year for Smallmouth........After reading this report I WANT TO GO FISHING NOW !!!! Nice Brutes right there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted October 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 Them are some nice slabs there Bill. Look like Erie Smallies. Many here will use the largest bait they can buy, Golden Shinners are great. I love that HBird 958C DI you have there Bill. My next upgrade I think. How do you like it? it looks like a very detailed image on it. No fishing for anyone here today, I hope not, gusts of 94 KPH this afternoon. Thanks bud! My HB 787 took a crap last year and that's what I used on the bow. So I was thinking why not get something bigger? lol found it on BBCBoards for a decent price. I love it. It's not even the HD version (LED) but I really haven't noticed that much of a difference between the two (I've got a 898HD SI on the console). Great bang for the buck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted October 15, 2017 Report Share Posted October 15, 2017 Nice! Sucker minnows only caught walleye for me on Lake Erie, chubs or golden shiners were the way to go here. Do you fish them in a jig? Since the bite here was usually 17-22 feet I used a 3/8 fuzz e grub with the minnow on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PUMP KNOWS Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 Very nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted October 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 Nice! Sucker minnows only caught walleye for me on Lake Erie, chubs or golden shiners were the way to go here. Do you fish them in a jig? Since the bite here was usually 17-22 feet I used a 3/8 fuzz e grub with the minnow on it. 3/8oz jig head and hooked through the nose. Super simple. Most of them didn't even make it halfway down before 3-4 fish were on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKRISONER Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 way to put in some work on them...god im spoiled haha got some insight into where they are headed. 3 weeks ago they were already working their way out, main basin 25-35 fow near sunken islands especially if it had a little weed on it...youll see when i get around to posting my semi annual report lol. Well done sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmer Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 Those are some nice looking smallies! Thanks for sharing your success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhioFisherman Posted October 16, 2017 Report Share Posted October 16, 2017 3/8oz jig head and hooked through the nose. Super simple. Most of them didn't even make it halfway down before 3-4 fish were on it. Basically the same deal as it was here, simple and no guess work as to whether you have the right lure on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosebunk Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 You're not a little fella Bill... so I know those are good fish. May have to follow suit and put in just one day of bass this year. Fall fishing has been pretty well been all muskie. Bit hard by that bug. Smallies are a tonne of fun though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeyangler Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 AWESOME! HUGE FISHES. I have struggled this year a bit when it comes to bass, they are not as plentiful as most years on my waypoints and the ones I've been getting have been smaller, good to see some nice fat ones being caught! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_cdot Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 AWESOME! HUGE FISHES. I have struggled this year a bit when it comes to bass, they are not as plentiful as most years on my waypoints and the ones I've been getting have been smaller, good to see some nice fat ones being caught! I find I'd do better if I deleted my waypoints at the end of every year for smb... then again I fish a large featureless lake so that might have lots to do with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manitoubass2 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 AWESOME! HUGE FISHES. I have struggled this year a bit when it comes to bass, they are not as plentiful as most years on my waypoints and the ones I've been getting have been smaller, good to see some nice fat ones being caught! Your not alone. It's been a struggle here too I'm very curious if it has to do with new species in the river? All the sudden we have an abundance of crappie, whitefish and carp I've caught the odd crappie over the years, then it exploded. But I've never seen whitefish in rainy river and I've only seen one carp until this year, now it's the new norm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limeyangler Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 I find I'd do better if I deleted my waypoints at the end of every year for smb... then again I fish a large featureless lake so that might have lots to do with it LOL....I should delete a few of my waypoints too, when I drift like Bill describes I find myself marking a waypoint as soon as I get a hit and set the Ultra spot lock to on. However, the main waypoints I refer too are structure where the bass play in the fall, depending on the day and conditions you just have to find where they are on that structure. They definitely congregate there in the fall. Your not alone. It's been a struggle here too I'm very curious if it has to do with new species in the river? All the sudden we have an abundance of crappie, whitefish and carp I've caught the odd crappie over the years, then it exploded. But I've never seen whitefish in rainy river and I've only seen one carp until this year, now it's the new norm CARP!!!??? WTH! Do you target the whitefish? They will be in spawning mode now....I need to get down there to do a Rainy River Whitefish video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted October 17, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 You're not a little fella Bill... so I know those are good fish. May have to follow suit and put in just one day of bass this year. Fall fishing has been pretty well been all muskie. Bit hard by that bug. Smallies are a tonne of fun though. I really wanted to fish muskie, but I'm glad the weather turned me north instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hutch4113 Posted October 17, 2017 Report Share Posted October 17, 2017 Great looking fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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