October Smallies

After an early morning run down to Chattanooga to pick up Kimberly's new car (2004 Volvo S40) Scott, Ethan, Ian and I fished the Clinch for a few hours for smallmouth.  The smaller (2 - 3") shad minnows are bunched up in big schools in the main channel, so it was a one throw bait day.  We started down the Clinch in town just across from Byrd field where Ethan and Scott caught a couple of small bass.  Ethan kept the Barnett "trash fish" tradition alive and boated a respectable drum.  Next we hit the bluff side of the main channel just downstream of the discharge from TVA's Kingston Steam Plant.  Ethan caught the smallmouth of the day (2 lbs - Boca certified).  Scott added a spunky Kentucky Spot, and I missed a couple of fish - I think I was having redfish withdrawls from the Destin trip - I was definitely not on my A game today. We then headed up river to try the bluff on the right just up from the Center Ferry bridge.  Ethan added a couple more smallmouth to the day's total, and I think I may have accidently landed a game fish that was attempting suicide.  Overall, it was another beautiful fall day on the water with some of my favorite fishing partners.