Central Pennsylvania Fishing

This is the second installment describing my quest to catch a smallmouth bass I have named “Clint”. To get up to speed read my first post about me vs. the smallmouth bass. This time the wily smallmouth actually received some help from an unlikely accomplice. Round two of my battle with Clint took an almost unbelievable turn. Read more about it by following the link below.

I like to keep my blog posts very short and to the point but given my on going battle with the smallmouth bass, I’m going to be a little long winded and maybe even verbose at times. Round two took some interesting twists and turns, one of which, borders on the unbelievable.

The Bait
I neglected to talk a lot about the bait I’ve been using but I have learned that a fish, even one as wily as Clint, will take the same bait over and over even after being hooked. On my second attempt to catch Clint, I hooked up the same bait. A texposed Yum Dinger in pumpkin/chartrues.

Round Two: The snapping turtle accomplice
My second attempt to catch Clint came just one day after my initial encounter. I once again approached his lair from a downstream position staying well back from the hole. I pitch my texposed Yum Dinger adjacent to the root wad just as I had done the day before. The first cast just drifted by the log with no takers. I cast a second time, and still not a bite. I miscued on my third cast and landed the bait a couple feet from my target in about 6 inches of water. I was trying to quickly reel in my bait for another cast when once again the big smallmouth darted from is hiding spot and nailed the bait!

I let Clint run for about 2 feet then set the hook. Once again I was locked in a back and forth combat trying to let the fish run enough to tire but at the same time working hard to redirect him from going back under the root wad. The fish was pulling and bulldogging for all he was worth with me on the other end of the line doing the same thing.

After a few desperate runs, the smallmouth began digging itself under a large piece of the root lying on the bottom. I estimate the root to be about 8 inches in diameter. Despite this, I was confident that I had a solid hookset and that the fish was tiring sufficiently. I felt I could easily win this round and bring the smallmouth to hand.

Suddenly the battle took an unsuspecting and unbelievable turn. As the fish bulldogged under the root he disturbed another stream creature that had taken up residence in the root wad. It was a medium sized snapping turtle. When I saw the snapping turtle come out from under the root, I didn’t understand the significance of the situation. As the turtle kind of tumbled and rolled the smallmouth darted under the turtle. Of course this all happened so quickly, I really didn’t have time to think. All I know is that when the smallmouth darted under the turtle my line snapped! More than likely is was cut by the edge of the turtles shell.

Once again, I was left on the bank fishless and pondering what had just occurred. Had the turtle and the fish conspired before hand? Has this ever happened in the history of fishing? Why have the fishing gods forsaken me? I returned to my car pondering these questions and more. One thing is for sure. I was now more focused on catching this fish than the day before. It is now bigger than just me and the fish. It’s me against nature!

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