Lake Sonoma smallmouth sunset

I left work at 4:30.Around 6pm I entered the beautiful dry creek valley.I launched to a flat lake with sun and warm air. I worked the dam first . No one home. I then went to the north side of the lake and started working the brush and the points.I tried my robo worms. My senkos. My rapalas. Nothing. While I was packing last night to get a quick getaway I put in an old lure that I have been carring around for a long time. A white rooster tail with a siver spoon and a white teaser. I have fished with these since I was a kid and I still love them. apparently the smallmouth at Sonoma love them too. I ended up hooking 7 fish and landing 5. I lost a real nice fish around 17 inches right at the yak.  I swear that oz. for oz.
these are the fightingest fish around( is that a word?). I caught my first legal smallmouth of only 13.5 inches but it was fantastic. I have said it before that when I signed up for AOTY largemouth and smallmouth were never caught by me. So this is real fun . Going to the old stuff in my box, being alone on the water until after sunset and hooking and realeasing a fiesty little fish. I now look at Lake Sonoma with a new set of eyes. Thanks Mike.

great job...i've never fished that lake, even though its just right up the road

Congrats on the SMB Craig.  Way to get in an after work fishing trip.  Rooster tail! See you Saturday.

Thanks john and Steve. I will see you saturday at the hali-fest. Lets talk about the following week-end there.

Awesome read this morning Craig. WTG on the SMB. Thanks for sharing
some pictures too.

Jedmo

Nice work! We need to hookup there at Sonoma sometime, maybe an overnight camping trip, it really is a pretty lake.

Craig my brother WTG man. I think you will be able to bail that 17plus incher soon.

Nice Job Craig Great Conditions thanks for the Blow by Blow. Love that sunset

pulling out the classic....that's CLASSIC!
 good on you for chasing those darn things when you get your chance to.....and thanks for the pics&port too!!  They do fight & i wish we had them bigger around here.

Congrat on the catches! You're now moving to 3rd place on the AOTY list    Thanks for the report and pictures.  See ya in Paradise 

WTG on the smallies man, see you Sat

Nicely done Craig.

Nicely done Craig.

Ditto!

WTG Craig, Looked like a great day on the water.
let me know next time your heading up there and we can hook up.

That I will do. Maybe Memorial day if the ocean is rough. Take it easy Will the surfer man.