Piggyback Weekend! Big Fish Picture Gallery. (PHOTOS)

This past weekend, my son and I spent an awesome 3 day weekend at our cabin in NE South Dakota.  I'm pretty sure my son Hunter wants to find a way to make a living fishing.  I have to admit, if I wasn't already doing my dream job, (radio) making a living fishing or hunting sounds pretty good to me.

The walleyes have already spawned at our lake and our pretty tough to catch right now, so we spent this weekend going after Smallmouth Bass.  These are easily our favorite fish to catch and every picture you're about to see are whoppers.  Catch and release whoppers in South Dakota for Smallmouth Bass is 18 inches or above or any fish over 3lbs.  Nearly every fish we caught this weekend was over 18 inches (some near 20) and most were over 4lbs.  Even a few 5 pounders, which is a trophy in just about any state.

What made it even more fun, was that most of these fish were on beds.  The females had already spawned and and the big males were guarding the nest from predators.  Luckily for us the wind was fairly light for most of the weekend and we were able "sight"  fish these beauties on their beds.

Smallmouth bass are known pound for pound, as hard of fighting fish you'll ever catch.  Northern Pike, Muskies, you name it.  The "Bronze Bass" as they're known, are something truly special in our eyes.  If you would like to experience it for yourself, we have several good bodies of water within an hour drive of Bismarck Mandan.

All of the fish you're about to see were "released".  We caught over 60 between the two of us in two days.  Enjoy and see you on the water.