Five Pound Problem

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ben Hanes on May 20, 2009 at 10:15pm

I started in Capital City Bass Club (Olympia) when I was 13. Back then it was hard to stay awake for 8 hours during a tournament! Now there's never enough time! There's a couple guys on this site who would vouch for me Eric, who remember me back then. I took two years off when I was at Central, but still fished as much as possible. Actually that's when I really started to learn a lot about smallmouth.

Permalink Reply by Mike Matkowski on May 21, 2009 at 6:14am

The better question is how many five pounders have you caught during a tourney.

I would also add that it is easier to catch big fish on weekdays and if you are able to get out frequently. I have a fishing friend who was laid off a few years back, and while he was waiting to be called back, he would get out every day at prime time and have the prespawn fish all to himself. He caught his share of over 5's, but made my weekend adventures tougher.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on May 21, 2009 at 6:59am

I'll answer that question Mike, ALOT! Last tourney Wolsky caught a 5.14 and we had another that was almost the same size. My biggest in a tournament it was Northwest Bass a couple years ago and it was 5.98 it was not good enough for big fish and I had another on the River that was over 5 for big fish and have had quite a few others. This year my largest is 6 pounds 6 oz. not in a tourney so I guess it doesn't count, I caught it on my flipping stick and a 5/8 oz. flipping jig.

Mike Matkowski said:

The better question is how many five pounders have you caught during a tourney.

I would also add that it is easier to catch big fish on weekdays and if you are able to get out frequently. I have a fishing friend who was laid off a few years back, and while he was waiting to be called back, he would get out every day at prime time and have the prespawn fish all to himself. He caught his share of over 5's, but made my weekend adventures tougher.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Grimes on May 21, 2009 at 7:03am

Probably why I have had my luck with the good fish. I would say that most of em I caught were during the week in the mornings before working swings.

Jeff

Mike Matkowski said:

The better question is how many five pounders have you caught during a tourney.

I would also add that it is easier to catch big fish on weekdays and if you are able to get out frequently. I have a fishing friend who was laid off a few years back, and while he was waiting to be called back, he would get out every day at prime time and have the prespawn fish all to himself. He caught his share of over 5's, but made my weekend adventures tougher.

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on May 21, 2009 at 7:21am

It doesn't matter what time of the year you fish, you just have to fish in order to catch one. I think I have caught a smallie over 5 pounds every month of the year except maybe December. Yes most of them have came out of Lake Wa or Lake Samm but I have also caught a few in Potholes, Moses and Wallula. My Largest 2 ever came from Palmer Lake.

You shouldn't be bitter about not catching one over 5 last time I checked it didn't take a limit over 25 pounds to win any tournament in this state either (excluding Henderson/Wolsky) It's kind of like saying I haven't ever weighed a bag over 20lb.

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on May 21, 2009 at 9:38am

Ron, I wasn't saying you can't catch a five-pound smallie throughout the year; I have also caught them in all months including December (from Lake WA on a 3" Flashtrix dropshotted).

My point is that the data on large fish catches consistently points to specific periods when trophy fish are more like to be caught, and my logs indicate this as well. One could argue that there are likely different reasons for this, but the data is what it is.

And yes, you have to fish to catch them, and you also have to fish where 5 pounders live. This is also why some catch more than others who don't.

ciao,
Marc

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

It doesn't matter what time of the year you fish, you just have to fish in order to catch one. I think I have caught a smallie over 5 pounds every month of the year except maybe December. Yes most of them have came out of Lake Wa or Lake Samm but I have also caught a few in Potholes, Moses and Wallula. My Largest 2 ever came from Palmer Lake.

You shouldn't be bitter about not catching one over 5 last time I checked it didn't take a limit over 25 pounds to win any tournament in this state either (excluding Henderson/Wolsky) It's kind of like saying I haven't ever weighed a bag over 20lb.

Permalink Reply by Mike Bess on May 21, 2009 at 10:51am

Dont feel bad Ben. I haven't weighted a 5 in a T for probably 4 years now. The standard for a trophy sm is 5lbs which is a cow. It's just like elk hunting. I know of some very good hunters who have never killed a good bull but they keep plugging away. You'll get one in time

Ronald Hobbs, Jr. said:

I'll answer that question Mike, ALOT! Last tourney Wolsky caught a 5.14 and we had another that was almost the same size. My biggest in a tournament it was Northwest Bass a couple years ago and it was 5.98 it was not good enough for big fish and I had another on the River that was over 5 for big fish and have had quite a few others. This year my largest is 6 pounds 6 oz. not in a tourney so I guess it doesn't count, I caught it on my flipping stick and a 5/8 oz. flipping jig.

Mike Matkowski said:

The better question is how many five pounders have you caught during a tourney.

I would also add that it is easier to catch big fish on weekdays and if you are able to get out frequently. I have a fishing friend who was laid off a few years back, and while he was waiting to be called back, he would get out every day at prime time and have the prespawn fish all to himself. He caught his share of over 5's, but made my weekend adventures tougher.

Permalink Reply by Abbottola on May 21, 2009 at 11:55am

Ben, like most of us except for Tag, I'm still new to the swimbait thing. I can count on four fingers the 5's I've caught on a swimbait. As mentioned earlier, 5lbs are very educated fish. Maybe not on baits in front of them but where they live that allowes them to get that big. My favorite place and time for big smallies is any pool on the Columbia in the summer and fall. Deep weedlines with current adjacent, because the fish doesn't have to work hard and its well protected. Pockets, corners or eddy's along those deep weedlines is prime time. Keep as natural of presentation as possible, and most importantly find your own water. Community spots have more conditioned fish.

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on May 21, 2009 at 6:22pm

Its funny because I have caught a five pounder, yet I'm not sure I've ever caught a four. Caught a ton of 3's, and maybe some of them have been 4 even, but not an oz more. Luckily I had a camera and a scale with me when I caught her. Its the fish in my avatar pic. 5lb 4oz. I just got lucky that april day. I would certainly trade all of your 4's for the five.

snakes

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on May 21, 2009 at 8:41pm

What did you catch her on, swimbait, lipless, dropshot? Or something more natural? Zzzz, Zzzz.

The Snake said:

Its funny because I have caught a five pounder, yet I'm not sure I've ever caught a four. Caught a ton of 3's, and maybe some of them have been 4 even, but not an oz more. Luckily I had a camera and a scale with me when I caught her. Its the fish in my avatar pic. 5lb 4oz. I just got lucky that april day. I would certainly trade all of your 4's for the five.

snakes

Permalink Reply by Ben Holten on May 21, 2009 at 9:38pm

Focus on waters that have big fish. It isn't too hard to catch a 5 pounder on Moses. 6's are a little hard to come b though.

Permalink Reply by Josh Potter on May 21, 2009 at 9:54pm

I have a 5 pound problem too but it's not a bass issue.

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