Arrival of Fishing Season in Virginia

Today I caught my first warmwater fish of the season, a smallmouth bass in a local city park stream.

Today is the third day in a row of temperatures in the 60s, and the water temperature was 52F. I fished a medium-sized pool just below a large riffle on my lunch hour. I used a Clouser minnow with a size 16 pheasant tail nymph on a dropper. I was fishing with Tim Holschlag's "crayfish hop", using an indicator at the leader-line junction. The bass took the nymph and my first thought was, "I've snagged bottom". The indicator just stopped for several seconds, and as I was giving a tug to free the rig, the indicator moved. I quickly set the hook and landed this:

Attachment 14021

Four more months to go before we can legally catch those....and we will....lots.;)

Why four months to "legally" catch a common warmwater species?

Our Bass season doesn't open until the last weekend in June after the spawning season.
I think the "warmwater" species here are a little more stressed in our neck of the woods, as their home is covered with ice for 4 +/- months of the year.

Way to go, Waskey. The past couple of days the "mud" is beginning to ease up some. Well, until tonight. I'm sure you have seen the local forecast-heavy thunderstorms tonight. You were fortunate to get some fishing in before they muddy up again.
You and I should get together one of these days (on your lunch break). I'm not looking for your honey holes. Just to meet you and say Hi.

George

Nice! I always look forward to those first open-water fish of the year! :)

Lucky fella! Weather's warmed up nicely here too (albeit windy) but I've yet to make it out. Nice fish!