Some days it’s not about size; it’s about the beauty of the fish that delights me. Three smallmouths of 9 to 11 inches came to hand (one lept 7 times) before I became fascinated with Longear Sunfish. Their bright orange bodies flecked with turquoise nearly glowed in the evening light. Two dozen of the 5- to 6- inchers grabbed little hair bugs from the surface in splashy takes. Like Brook Trout, their coldwater counterparts, they aren’t big but their beauty and spunky fights create lasting memories.
Lovely Longear; Beautiful Evening
