The past few days in fish....

I've been fishing a lot actually. So much that I'm a bit behind on posting. Mostly smallie fishing with a hybrid trip mixed in. I'm in a tiny bit of a slump for the two best fish of the last week have both gotten off. A hybrid that felt much nicer than the one in the photo that I never saw and an absolute giant of a smallmouth that came off right at my feet. No coming off on a grand leap or anything. The thing was just about whipped and the hook just popped out. Simple as that. I'm going to be pretty sore about that for a while. The smallies have been biting very well on three inch grubs, square bill crankbaits and curly shads. I'm still learning the ropes on this hybrid thing being a lifelong smallmouth guy. I'm not used to not fishing well but I find myself doing it over and over while hybrid fishing. But I'm making progress. I'm starting to fell pretty comfortable in the tribs but the Ohio is taking a lot of learning. And heaven help any one around if I try to cast one of those launcher rigs, I'm a menace with one. At least it's an excuse to get more tackle. I got a seven foot Fenwick with a Pflueger Arbor for most hybrid fishing and I guess I'll break down and get a launcher rod eventually. I also caught three shovelhead in the last three days, two today. All three were on a curly shad fished on a 1/4 ounce jighead fished for smallmouth. The two bigger shovels were both pretty skinned up from being in the rocks. I'm always amazed at the injuries flatheads inflict on themselves this time of year.