where did u fish out of dale at and i have fished dale about all my life and over the past 2 years i have noticed a decline in the fishing over there i think it has to do with the slot limit and if they would just make it a 18 inch limit then the fishin would be alot better..... but i dunno what to tell ya there really aint a trick to catchin smallies on dale but dale is a lake either they are on or off.... i know u could have caught one if u fished a zara spook across a point or parallel a steep bank or even over a grasss bed..... but hey i have been doin the same thing as u and not catchin any smallies.......out of dale...