Tims Ford Mini Vacation

[Crash_Override]

Went to Tims Ford Lake with some family and friends this past weekend and i must say it was a blast!!! We camped at Fairview/Devils Step campground and fished all around that area. Plenty of smallmouth action, crappie, and a few cats hitting a variety of crankbaits, soft plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits, and rooster tails. The smallmouths hit pretty much all day long when it was overcast and a mild drizzle of rain. I kept a few keepers but lost a bunch!!. They sure can put up a fight!!! The one I got however was the biggest smallmouth ive caught in a long time, measuring 22 1/2 in and weighing near 7 lbs.I will definetely keep coming back to camp here in the future!!!

[blink]

sounds like a great trip! any pics of the big smallie?

[creekcrappie]

Nice fish! I caught a 19 inch spot there a few years ago on a roostertail.

[Crash_Override]

The pic of it on my 2 ft cutting board is the big keeper. I should have registered that one to get my T.A.R.P. for smallmouth...oh well...didnt think about it till after i had filleted it...lol

[SAMBOLIE]

The pic of it on my 2 ft cutting board is the big keeper. I should have registered that one to get my T.A.R.P. for smallmouth...oh well...didnt think about it till after i had filleted it...lol

Are you saying that is a 7 lb fish on the cutting board?

[blink]

The pic of it on my 2 ft cutting board is the big keeper. I should have registered that one to get my T.A.R.P. for smallmouth...oh well...didnt think about it till after i had filleted it...lol

Looks like a largemouth to me.

[white95v6]

Looks like a largemouth to me.

Yea I don't see a single smallmouth in his pics.

[Crash_Override]

Mouth didnt open past his eye so i assumed it was the smallmouth and not a largemouth. Maybe im wrong..still pretty new to bass fishing and fishing in general. Hell now im a little embarressed if it was a largemouth. Yes it was 6.6 on the scale. i wish i had gotten some better pics. Sorry Guys..!!

[blink]

http://images.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/animals/fish/bass/small_vs_large.gif

[Crash_Override]

Thnx blink..looks like i need to read up more to recognize wth im catching...lol

[blink]

Thnx blink..looks like i need to read up more to recognize wth im catching...lol


All good man. Not trying to rain on your parade.
I am just really into species ID's and love to share info.

[jad2t]

Even if it was a largemouth it would have been a TARP. 22" is the length for a TARP largemouth bass.

Nice fish!

[MNfisher]

Nice fish! Study up on the markings too. A smallmouth bass has completely different markings than a largemouth. Catching new species and identifying them is one of the many fun things about fishing!


Mike

[Crash_Override]

Alright i will...Thank you all!!!

[Alphahawk]

Congrats on your catch.



Regards

[SAMBOLIE]

Nice fish! Study up on the markings too. A smallmouth bass has completely different markings than a largemouth. Catching new species and identifying them is one of the many fun things about fishing!
Mike

Good thing they have different markings since they are the same color. ;)

[GO-OKFISHIN]

Nice catch! I need a new scale so I can start weighing some of my fish.

[agelesssone]

Catch & Release Link


Estimating Weight of Largemouth Bass

This information is provided for those who wish to hold “paper” fishing events, releasing bass immediately after catch instead of holding them for weigh-in. Figures in the conversion table below represent average weights calculated from statistics on 3,178 Texas bass. By using this table, you can get a reasonable estimate of a fish's weight.
This method is not accepted for official fish records and will never be as accurate as weighing on a certified scale, but it can be helpful at slot limit lakes, or for fishing clubs that wish to provide better care for bass during the hot summer months when fish are easily stressed.
Instructions



Measure the bass to the nearest eighth of an inch.
Go down the first (left-hand) column and locate the row corresponding to the length of your fish in whole inches.
In the “Fractions” columns across the top of the table, find the nearest eighth of an inch that matches the length of your bass.
Read down the column to find the estimated weight in pounds.

For example, you want to find the weight for a bass that is 18¼ inches long. Find 18 inches in the first column, then move across the table to the 1/4-inch column. Read the estimated weight of 3.46 pounds (3 pounds, 7.4 ounces).
Length-weight Conversion Table
for Texas Largemouth Bass Inches


22 6.40 6.52 6.64 6.77 6.89 7.02 7.15 7.28 23 7.41 7.54 7.68 7.81 7.95 8.09 8.23 8.38

The top of the scale should be in 1/8 inch increments so 22 1/2 inches would be 6.89 lbs. Close enough.

[MNfisher]

Good thing they have different markings since they are the same color. ;)

Green...brown...what's the difference.


Mike

[agelesssone]

They both taste great!!