One of my favorite things about smallmouth bass fishing, especially on rivers, is enjoying the sites and sounds of the outdoors. Sometimes it gets rough out there when rain or thunderstorms hit, or temperatures hit the mid-90s with bluebird skies.

There are moments out there though, where you witness some of the most amazing things. Take a look at this video and be amazed.

This reminds me of a time when I was fishing with a friend in the Delaware River, north of the Belvidere, NJ launch. It was a perfect mid-week afternoon and he caught a smallie that ended up bleeding from its gill. Hopeful that it would be ok, we released the bass but it struggled to right itself in the water.

Within a few minutes, a bald eagle began circling, swooped down, and attempted to snag the injured bronzeback. That first attempt was a failure. The eagle then circled around one more time, dove down and grabbed the smallie, climbing up and landing in the nearby trees. It was one of those special moments that you’ll never see if you don’t spend time on the water.