Root River Smallies

[Guest]

Just to let Jim know there are other SE Mn people out there. Hey! I've been busy fishing. Heard great things about Root River Smallmouth but, from shore, I only found little ones. I was flipping tubes and jigs in fallen timber mostly. Also tried spinners through the channel. No keepers. Where are the hogs?

[Jim W]

Yeeehaaa! Hello Adrift! It's good to know someone out there who will fish for smallmouth!!!

Where abouts were you fishing? Was it the Main, Middle, or North branch of the Root River?

As we speak, not all fish are in the "typical" holding areas. Structure(as you mentioned)like timber(log jams) and root sytems tucked into the bank, are very good places to start. If your hitting these spots and ai'nt hitting anything try moving to the eddies directly near a falls or faster moving current.

I have recently noticed fish that are relating more to submerged boulders and depressions in the river channel. If you can find a stretch that has a lot of slab rock and boulders, I guarantee fish.

At times, smallies can be very particular, and at other times, hit anything that comes their way. Don't get too lazy either. You might have to try multiple presentations until you find the right one.

I like to always start off with a #9 or #11 floating Rapala, checking to see just how aggressive the fish are. If that doesn't work, I go to the bottom with Texas rigged plastic crayfish. Yellow spinners, especially the "bumble bee" Rooster tail, will always produce!

This year in particular, the smallie fishing has been, somewhat different than years past. This I believe a direct result of the early Spring flooding. This spring, after the floods, I noticed several spots onshore that had a large kill of crawfish. Did this affect the smallies feeding pattern? I would have to say yes!

To answer your question about "Hog" bass, as the old saying goes(especially in the root)"where there is small ones, there is big ones"!!! Keep trying and you will be blessed with a pig small mouth. October( if it isn't too cold to wade a stream) generally is hot smallmouth time! Let me know how you did!! Keep the rods a bend'in!!! Jim W.

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 09-14-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 09-14-2000).]

[Guest]

Thanks for the info Jim. I usually fish the main river between Whalen and Houston. Guess I need to be more patient and dilligent in my "fish hunting". I'll get back and give it a few more tries.