"asadi" wrote:
.....(past snipped)...
I believe I'd have to go with the rock bas, pound for pound wise...

I tend to agree however I must say Rock Bass seem to have no stamina. And it
does not seem like they are tired I guess it is that they just give up. They
fight like hell and then all the sudden just roll on their side. But on
release they bolt off. I like catching Rockies but they are quitters, But
still fun to catch. ( and not that I have kept a fish in 20+ years but Rock
Bass DO taste good. they make a hell of a sandwich )

On the topic of Smallmouth. I love fishing for Smallmouth. I can think of 2
times last year that it was all I could do to even get them on the reel, and
still played hell getting my hands on them. It is not at all uncommon that
once brought to hand you risk a hook in the hand because they just will not
stop thrashing around. And then... caught, lipped, pictures taken, talked to
(you gotta tell 'em how pretty they are) upon release you still take a face
full of water. Kind of their way saying '**** off '. They are sassy
*******s, no doubt about it, and fun to catch.

I'd love to go fly fishing for smallmouth with poppers. That's
one of the reasons I paddle far into the Canadian backcountry.
The reason I don't fish for them more around central Illinois
is that they rarely hit surface flies in our streams. Around
here it's mostly wooly bugger fishing and phooey on that ****.

Well, YOu have to hitthe water early enough that you tied your popper on
before you left 'casuse it's barely starting to break light..
'reverse that for night time poppers-right about dark thirty

Yep, I couldn't agree more.
One hour before sunrise. (Dim light, gray mist coming off the water. What a
time to be alive!)
Sunset to "dark thirty".

Sounds like a great trip, Chris. Wish I could load up my canoe
and join you !

Good luck.

--
Ken Fortenberry

john

Wish I was going.
~Chad