As I eluded to in one of my comments, Josh & I did very well in our little excursion to the Mississippi River.  We started fishing sometime after 11am.  As we worked our way to the spot, the bet was set. We decided to bet big fish, and the reward would be dinner.  We also would keep track of numbers for bragging rights, it is just in our competitive nature

It started fast & furious, I managed to land 6 smallmouth bass in my first 7 casts.  When we first started, I was using a Green Pumpkin Mizmo tube on a BiteMe Tube Jig head.  I think early on, I was up 10 fish to Josh’s 4 and thats when I lost a decent fish right at the bank and soon after that I broke of my tube jig.  So I played around with my mojo rig, and caught several bass on a Baby Ring Fry-Green Pumpkin.  Although during that time period, Josh got up like 17 to 12.  That is when I told him, “numbers are all fine & good, but today its the big fish that pays the bills.”  About that time, Josh hooked a good one and lost it to a big pile of wood.

By this time, I had rigged up a 3 Green Pumpkin Berkely Power Tube on a fine wire 1/8 tube jig head.  It was game on, I came storming back and got the first fish weighing at 2lbs 14oz.  Blame Josh for the poor photo quality.
We left the first hole around 2:15pm and it was Rich 29 – Josh 24.
 
My First Good Smallie                                               My Power Tube Setup, Along with some chewed up casualties
At the next hole, Josh made a surge, then I got on a school of fish where it seemed like I was catching them every cast for 20 minutes.  It was actually a little ridiculous.  About the time I hit 40 fish, Josh double up his rod on fish #30 for him, but that one weighed a staunch 3lbs 13oz.  I knew I had my work cut out for me.  I caught another 10 quick fish and was at 50.  Knowing I needed to try to catch a big one, I made my way down from Josh looking for a honey hole.  Caught several more fish, but nothing over 1.5lbs.  Now I am around 65 fish, so I switch back to the mojo rig with a larger bait, a Green Pumpkin Fork Craw.  I now started catching some better fish, the number slowed but I caught several fish in the 2lb class.  I then got sawed off on the rocks by a decent fish.
 
One of my 2lbs+ Fish                                                                                       Josh’s 3-13
I went back to the tube near Josh, I continued to poor on the numbers of fish, and sure enough Josh got one more nice fish – 3lbs-12oz.  I think I caught about 60 of my 76 fish on that little Power Tube setup. I think Josh caught most of his fish, including the big ones on a Green Coffe Tube.  It was 5pm and now too dark to really fish, overall, very good trip.  Final fish count, Rich 76 – Josh 65.  Josh, nice job on the big fish.  On a positive note, Josh had previously told me that, none of his other buddies had every caught more fish then him here.  I guess that little run is over

Josh’s 3-12
Guess it’s time to keep our eyes on the long range forecast and wait for another warm day to sneak out
Welcome, email subscriber #51!