Not only does throwing the big ones back help the gene pool but YOU can catch them again. I can't begin to tell you how many of the large BGs out of the lake I usually fish have one [or more] holes in their lip.

Not only does this work with BGs; one summer a friend and I caught one smallmouth NINE times! His [or her?] lip had more holes in it than JaLo's earlobe! We named him "ole dumbo". Cast a grasshopper at the head of an overhang of riprap, let it float back under it about one foot, give a little pop - and KAPOSH!!!! We only tried for that fish if the fishing had sucked otherwise that day.

don