When A&HTV gives you smallmouth

It’s a hot August day, and I’m fishing with Mike Miller, longtime host and producer of OFAH’s Angler & Hunter Television. We’ve already been on the water for several hours, and — as I’ve seen him do countless times — Miller skips a flipping jig deep into the shadows beneath heavy cover. This time, though, something unexpected happens: the jig snags on a branch. Getting up close and personal with overhanging trees, docks, and other gnarly cover is never flawless. Hang-ups happen. Miller shakes the line, then gives it a tug.Snap! “That’s my only one VMC prototype jig,” he said. “There’s no way I’m losing it. I’m going in after it.” Soon Miller’s head and torso disappear into the willow’s branches. As he searches for the jig, he provides a running play-by-play of the unfolding situation, keeping Dent, his videographer, and me chuckling. I offer to help, but Mike insists everything is under control. Instead, he suggests I grab a few photos — after all, my main purpose on the trip is to document a day in the boat with him. Moments later, he emerges victorious, jig in hand and a grin on his face. He ties it back on, and we resume working the shoreline. Minutes later, Miller pitches into a prime-looking spot — lush weeds bordering a clean sand patch. His line jumps, and he sets the hook. For a moment, we both think this is the one; the big largemouth we’ve been chasing for the TV show he’s filming. Nope. Instead, he hauls in another impressive shallow-water smallmouth. Not that either of us is complaining about bronze over green. After all, rescuing a snagged jig and then, moments later, using it to land a chunky bass makes for a pretty entertaining segment. Still, we can’t quite wrap our heads around the lack of largemouth action, especially since they were the intended target species for the day. Face time with Mr. Miller The outing traced back to an earlier invitation. “Hey, you should come bass fishing with me,” Miller said in 2023 at the Toronto International Boat Show. It was our first time meeting in person, even though we’d spoken many times before. Miller has long been a great info source of juicy fishing techniques and reliable tactics for Ontario Out of Doors’ content I’ve written. When he suggested sharing a boat, I jumped at the chance. It