Back water action

[Jim W]

Sunday morning I met up with a couple friends on their way back from duck hunting near West Newton in the Mississippi backwaters. Our goal was to get on some Sandpike. After weeding through a mixed bag of smallmouth, crappie, sunfish and rock bass we finally managed to bring in a few.

I was impressed with the courtesy and fishing ethics displayed by 98% of the fisherman at West Newton. Everyone managed to control their wakes. I over heard fisherman offering to share their bait and even location of fish they were catching! We were passing one fine Gentleman, who was fishing with a kid and his wife, when we asked him if he was catching any sandpike, he said yes and followed with, "Pull on up, throw your anchor down and give it a shot"! My hats off to those who continue to share, show common courtesy and fishing ethics!!

Make sure, those of you with boats larger than duck boats, you practice caution when running the backwater channels! We witnessed more than one(the 2%left) try racing through a 1-2 feet of water, running aground! If you want to take a kid fishing, try West Newton on the Mississippi! Good luck and keep the rods a bendin', hopefully not on snags!! Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 10-20-2000).]

[SEwalleye]

I was just north of west newton at the wilcox landing, we had some good success on crappies-pretty nice-sized. great to take kids there to, because you can esily fish from shore!!!!By the way how was the duck hunting???

[Jim W]

The Sarge and I made it down to Pioneer to do some walleye/sauger hunting. I managed to land a couple decent saugers and that was about it. With the bite slow, Sarge and stategized and decided to hit the Zumbro river for some Smallmouth/sauger.

After climbing through some heavy brush, we made it down to what looked like a decent stretch of water. Sarge was using a 1/6 oz rooster tail and on his second cast, BAM a surprising 17-18 inch Zumbro river Brown trout!! We quickly admired it then released it!
Unfortunately, the shore we were fishing from made for an incredibly long cast to better water(NO WADERS ughh!). It was a wide section of the river with sand stretching 3/4 across with only a 1/4 of it looking fishable(The far side). However, I brandished my line with one of my old faithfuls, the #11 original floating Rapala. I brought my rod back and launched it as hard as I could. The rap landed just into the deeper("better water")when all of a sudden the water exploded with the fury of an 18-19 inch bull browner! After a dazzling arial display, I brought the fish in as quickly as I could. We took a quick snapshot then released it. Man did that fish have a deep/wide girth!! Once again, fishing for smallmouth in October has it's surprises!! Keep the rods bendin'!!! Jim W