Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of fishing for smallmouth bass with our club president, Rich. Several years ago, Rich gave a presentation on the topwater technique he uses for catching these fish. His insights have led to countless enjoyable moments on the water for me. Although I prefer using my fly rod, I’ve learned that topwater gear can be incredibly effective and thrilling when conditions are right.
Watching Rich fish reminded me of the great negotiator Herb Cohen, who advocated for playing the part of the fool to cause opponents to underestimate you. Rich seems to embody this approach perfectly. On Tuesday, he casted five, six, even seven times to the same spot with no immediate results. As he puffed on his cigar, I couldn’t help but think he might not catch anything. However, knowing Rich’s skill, I was confident he’d eventually find the fish. Sure enough, he did, and here’s a photo of his impressive catch.
Never underestimate this mans ability to catch fish
The day before, I had arrived at Oil Creek and managed to land a nice smallmouth on a large popper. On Tuesday, I caught the same number of bass as Rich, but his were significantly larger!
Nice smallmouth on Oil Creek
With plans to fish the Clarion River, I parted ways with Rich and headed over to Clear Creek State Park. That evening, I only caught one small fish. The Clarion was flowing about 50% faster than during my previous visit, making it challenging to maneuver a popper effectively.
The next morning, despite my low expectations, I ventured to a section of the river that Al had praised from our trip last September. It required a long walk and wading across the river, but the effort was worth it. Over several hours, I caught 13 smallmouths ranging from 10” to 15”. Even the smallest of these fish put a respectable bend in my 5wt rod.
I was out of hands! Nice Clarion River smallmough
I remain grateful to Rich for sharing his topwater technique and look forward to applying it in future outings.
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