I stumbled across your Insta account the other day... Maybe you could save some 20 inch smallies for the rest of us ? Lol. Some really nice fish in there. So you have most luck with plastic shad baits ?

Quetico Mike specializes in Smallmouth Bass, but really excels in catching the Wiley Rock Bass.
However, he's not very successful in catching any other species, according to his old fishing crew in the Ely area. :)

wvevans: " I stumbled across your Insta account the other day... Maybe you could save some 20 inch smallies for the rest of us ? Lol. Some really nice fish in there. So you have most luck with plastic shad baits ? "

I mostly use ZMAN scented jerk ShadZ and RaZors. I have a new article coming out about fishing these lures in the Boundary Waters Journal; which is a follow up to my popular article Zulu Magic. It should be published in the Spring or Summer issue. If you would like to read the original article send me an email at - queticomike@yahoo.com - request Zulu Magic.

The Great Outdoors: "Quetico Mike specializes in Smallmouth Bass, but really excels in catching the Wiley Rock Bass.
However, he's not very successful in catching any other species, according to his old fishing crew in the Ely area. :)"

The only time I caught rockbass in Ely was when I was fishing with the old crew because they made me fish with leeches (walleye fishing). They detested those fish more than smallmouth, I won't go into detail. I did catch one nice rockbass on a lure up there once on a solo trip to the BW. It was a trophy RB .....lol

With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)

Ahem.......fish snobs.

I have fond memories of tossing spinnerbaits into thick reeds early in the spring on lake St Clair and whacking some really outsize rock bass. Fun stuff.......I also liked catching them in rivers while drifting in a tube and fishing for smallmouth. Any brushpile or deadfall contained several of the hard pulling little rascals. And what shall we say of table fare? They are fine and dandy as a panfish and are welcome on the end of line or in the skillet any time.

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)"

If you want to see a look of utter disgust, take a look at my smallmouth pics, if anything like that exists!!
I don't keep Syrup of Ipecac in my house if needed, I merely have a photo of a Smallmouth Bass which would cause any sane person to blow lunch!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :)

The Great Outdoors: "

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)"

If you want to see a look of utter disgust, take a look at my smallmouth pics, if anything like that exists!!
I don't keep Syrup of Ipecac in my house if needed, I merely have a photo of a Smallmouth Bass which would cause any sane person to blow lunch!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :) "

Whatever, I know a closet bass fisherman when I see one. I bet you still have a picture of that 25 incher somewhere. :) LOL

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)"

If you want to see a look of utter disgust, take a look at my smallmouth pics, if anything like that exists!!
I don't keep Syrup of Ipecac in my house if needed, I merely have a photo of a Smallmouth Bass which would cause any sane person to blow lunch!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :) "

Whatever, I know a closet bass fisherman when I see one. I bet you still have a picture of that 25 incher somewhere. :) LOL"

You two crack me up.....blood feud!!!, instead of Hatfield's and McCoy's we have the Smallie's vs Walleye's. In my humble opinion I will gladly take either one on any day...lol

Seriously though I do love the banter on this subject without all the hurt feelings or political ramblings some of the other threads can slide into.

Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then.

GBTG: "Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then."

I'm sure there are people here who will tell you that smallmouth does taste better than walleye. I have heard people mention that smallmouth have a sweeter taste and walleye does not have much for taste other than the batter and spices added for taste.

QueticoMike: "

GBTG: "Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then."

I'm sure there are people here who will tell you that smallmouth does taste better than walleye. I have heard people mention that smallmouth have a sweeter taste and walleye does not have much for taste other than the batter and spices added for taste."

I'll take walleye over smallmouth for eating but I will take a smallmouth for the fight any day. Hooking into a football shaped torpedo is a blast.

Selfsuffi: "

QueticoMike: "

GBTG: "Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then."

I'm sure there are people here who will tell you that smallmouth does taste better than walleye. I have heard people mention that smallmouth have a sweeter taste and walleye does not have much for taste other than the batter and spices added for taste."

I'll take walleye over smallmouth for eating but I will take a smallmouth for the fight any day. Hooking into a football shaped torpedo is a blast."

Same here.....

That's why we go to BWCA and Q. We get both! I thank the Good Lord everyday for that special place.

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)"

If you want to see a look of utter disgust, take a look at my smallmouth pics, if anything like that exists!!
I don't keep Syrup of Ipecac in my house if needed, I merely have a photo of a Smallmouth Bass which would cause any sane person to blow lunch!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :) "

Whatever, I know a closet bass fisherman when I see one. I bet you still have a picture of that 25 incher somewhere. :) LOL"

No, when I tried to snap a photo of that Smallmouth, my camera threw up!! :)

The Great Outdoors: "

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "

QueticoMike: "

The Great Outdoors: "With that look of pride on that face, all suspicions confirmed about your Rock Bass fetish!!!!! :) Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!"

That's definitely more of smirk than pride. If you want to see pride look at my smallmouth pics.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! :)"

If you want to see a look of utter disgust, take a look at my smallmouth pics, if anything like that exists!!
I don't keep Syrup of Ipecac in my house if needed, I merely have a photo of a Smallmouth Bass which would cause any sane person to blow lunch!!!! Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!! :) "

Whatever, I know a closet bass fisherman when I see one. I bet you still have a picture of that 25 incher somewhere. :) LOL"

No, when I tried to snap a photo of that Smallmouth, my camera threw up!! :)"

I literally LOL when I read that one. Sounds like a crappy camera ( no I didn't say crappie )

It was an industrial strength camera, but not prepared to take the ugliness of a Smallmouth Bass!!!

Heck, when I brought it over the side, my boat threw up too!!

It was a major barfathon! I was hoping to land a Burbot to offset the disgusting mug of the bass. Blaaaaaaaahh!!! :)

This reminds me of the pie eating contest from the movie - Stand By Me

Pie eating contest

It does!!!!!!!
Must have been a large photo of a Smallmouth Bass on the table cloth to cause that big of a chain reaction!! :)

The Great Outdoors: "It does!!!!!!!
Must have been a large photo of a Smallmouth Bass on the table cloth to cause that big of a chain reaction!! :)"

Probably looked similar to this.........LOL

GBTG: "Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then."

My sneaky bass fishing buddy, when frying up a mess of eyes and and has eye lovers present that would never gulp down a smallie, sneaks in a few bits of SMB.....no one ....he tells me...has ever caught him at it......noticed or complained......

Nice fish! Just make sure to hold all your fish further to the camera:)

Needed this thread tonight. Innocent banter and laughs.

My three favorite fish represented. Growing up in TN, the river rock bass...or Red-eye as we call em...hit harder and fight as hard oz for oz as some smallie.

And we mix our fried fish too. If the water's cold and the batter's gold it is a good day. Enjoy what you have.

Longtripper: "

GBTG: "Just Think if Bass tasted like walleye.............of course we wouldn't have a trophy bass fishery then."

My sneaky bass fishing buddy, when frying up a mess of eyes and and has eye lovers present that would never gulp down a smallie, sneaks in a few bits of SMB.....no one ....he tells me...has ever caught him at it......noticed or complained......"

When fish are fried correctly (375-400 degree oil) and breaded, no one will be able to tell the difference between a Pike, Walleye, and that other fish thing who's name escapes me. Oil at lower temps changes the taste and texture of the fish dramatically.
Being ugly and disgusting (like a Bass) doesn't make something inedible, as bacon proves. It comes from something almost as ugly as a Bass.

PS-Mike, where did you get the 12" arm extensions from that you used in the Bass photo?? Bwahahahahahahaha!! :)

I was lost after bacon was mentioned.........as I always say to each their own :)