2010- Indiana Smallmouth Catch Recap.

2010 went out with a wimper; an icy ending. I did get on the board in December, only just, with 11 bass back on December 5th! I landed smallmouth bass  in 22 different streams in Indiana  in 2010.

 I have a string of smallmouth every month  going on 5 years now. January could be tough if we don't get some open water.

Warning: there be statistics and numbers below. Turn away now, if that's not your bag.

2010. Overall, a good year when I think about the feel of it. Numbers were up. I ended with 1,483 bass (98% smallmouth bass) and 147 'other' fish in 431.35 hours in 87 trips. My best ever yearly rate at 3.44 SMB per hour fished (3.78 fish per hour of all types while SMB fishing).

I fished less, but caught more bass in less time. I was on the water 140 hours less in 2010 than 2009

 Some great numbers days; I had 7 days 20-29 SMB, 8 days 30-39 SMB, 6 days 40-49 SMB, 2 days 50-59 SMB, 1 day 60-69 SMB, and 2 days 70-79 SMB.

Lots of action from May onwards.Very slow before then.

I landed 146 Smallmouth Bass 16" or better. 89 were 17" or better. The percentage of larger fish in 2010 was way down from 13.93% in 2009 to 9.84% in 2010 (lowest since I've kept track).

The larger 18"+ group shrunk from 59 in 2009 to 32 in 2010. 2009 was my best year for big fish and worst for numbers. So now we have a near reversal. (2007 was my best year for numbers 1,876 and 16" + = 235)

I did fish some smaller feeders that probably limited the upper size smallmouth as well as inflating numbers of 11-14" smb. However, it didn't change when I got back out in the big rivers. There it were lots of dinks m(under12") and one nice fish (17"+) a trip, maybe two. On several streams, it was clear  a fine year class of 8-11" bass was just getting to catchable size. A nice sign for future Indiana smallie populations.

In 2010, it took me about 2.95 hours to land a 16"+ smallmouth bass, 13.48 hours to land a 18"+ smallmouth bass, and 53.9 hours per 20"+ smallmouth bass.

In 2009, it took me about 3.4 hours to land a 16"+ smallmouth bass, 9.68 hours to land a 18"+ smallmouth bass, and 51.9 hours to land a 20"+ smallmouth bass.

It would suggest a 18-19" size class may have had a hard time, though 8 fish over 20" would indicate the cupboard is not dry. Smaller streams could have changed this somewhat, as there seemed to be more 16-17" bass, and not many 18"+ fish as year's passed.

Army Ants

Goin' Out West- Tom Waits

Goin' Out West from Anti Records on Vimeo.

Well I'm goin' out west
Where the wind blows tall
'Cause Tony Franciosa
Used to date my ma
They got some money out there
They're giving it away
I'm gonna do what I want
And I'm gonna get paid
Do what I want
And I'm gonna get paid

Little brown sausages
Lying in the sand
I ain't no extra baby
I'm a leading man
Well, my parole officer
Will be proud of me
With my Olds 88
And the devil on a leash

I know karate, Voodoo too
I'm gonna make myself available to you
I don't need no make up
I got real scars
I got hair on my chest
I look good without a shirt
Well I don't lose my composure
In a high speed chase
Well my friends think I'm ugly
I got a masculine face
I got some dragstrip courage
I can really drive a bed
I'm gonna change my name to Hannibal
Or maybe just Rex
I know karate, Voodoo too
I'm gonna make myself available to you
I don't need no make up
I got real scars
I got hair on my chest
I look good without a shirt

I'm gonna drive all night
Take some speed
I'm gonna wait for the sun
To shine down on me
I cut a hole in my roof
The shape of a heart
And I'm goin' out west
Where they'll appreciate me
Goin' out west
Goin' out west

Email Campaign: Indiana Smallmouth Bass limit to Change to 14"?

Next Wednesday, the Indiana DNR Advisory Council is going to consider a recommendation for a statewide Indiana 14” smallmouth bass size limit. This would increase the size limit to 14” in rivers and streams.


If this is a change you would like to see implemented, email your support for the measure to:

*Removed* THANKS!!!
Time is of the essence on this! Let's let them know how Indiana feels about it's river bass fishing. This is far from a sure thing!

December 14th deadline.



Thank you!!

I love a float dunk-Winter Smallirama continues 12/4/2010

Wasn't going to fish this weekend until I saw the forcast.


Looks like things will be down into the 20's and teens at night. With low rivers, the eddies where winter smallies dwell would be freezing over soon.

 I took Wendy for an easy one. Didn't even get the waders on. Holes are both 75-100 yards from the car

4 bass to 13" in 6 casts right off the bat. We moved up to a larger pool, Float sunk. I set the hook too hard and saw a large fish coming in upside down, hook popped out. Set hook way too hard and lost a couple more. Then caught 3 with soft rod lift.

Went back to hole one. The dog was loving the snowy weather. Contemplated chasing a couple of deer. When I got back to the hole, the first drift dunked a, 13"er. Then the next resulted in this 17"+ smallmouth that has multiple black melanosis patches.

Caught a couple like that today. Then a dink. Then nothing. We walked back up to the second hole. Dunk, fish pulled free! Dunk. Bigger one, fighting it, hook popped out! Looked 15-17" range. I did land a dink. Good day for sure. Lots of action, if a bit dissapointed in losing the bigger bass. Need to gear up correct and get the hook to hand near 100%.

Funny how if I left and came back smallies would be back eating in the hole. All strikes once again came on a dead drift. There was a sweet spot in both eddies that seemed packed with bass. No straggler locations despite trying for quite while.

What was the cause:

1) after a 2-3 fish fighting the rest spooked.

2) The fly jiggling too much spooked the bass.

3) Our profile got noticed?

4) Fish swimming the circuit-but only bit in the 'sweet' spot

11 SMB in 17 float dunks (which is a poor % for FnF). (17") in 3.5 hours

Wish I would have switched back to mono as air temps were 31-28F