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I am from just south of Rochester and I consider myself a die-hard trout fisherman. However reading all that stuff about smallies, it got me pumped. Deer Creek is only about 5 miles from my house- So I was wondering what types of bait you guys trick these smallies with?? Also when do you start hitting these streams- Bring on the warm temps and the cold water running between the legs!!!!! Thanks for the HELP!!

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Hey SEwalleye...my hometown is close to Deer Creek too...Grand Meadow. But anyway...i use mostly small crankbaits. Real small rapalas and sometimes the smallest shallow running shad raps you can buy. I also catch them on spinners just as you would use for trout. On calm hot summer evenings in July and August you can get some topwater action in big pools withouht current. Thats a blast...and if they are hitting its usually some bigger fish. Another bait i have used that works really well is the old Banjo Minnow that you always saw advertised on TV. Those things work really well and catch some nice fish.

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Oh...and you can catch them from the bass opener on through...but the best for me has been the dead heat of summer.

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Sewalleye,

Now your talkin'!!! Bronzebacks are my true love! Nothing matches the extended pull of those beautifully, vertical striped bass!

Time of year is critical when selecting your weapon of choice. Early season, from opener to late June, I rarely use anything other than a #9 or #11 silver/black original floating rap and/or the Meps # 3 crome or brass spinner.

These fish are feeding extremely hard after staging up. If your lucky, you might find some smallmouth that are still grouped up. If this is the case, LOOK OUT! These fish are extremely competetive and the largest fish in the group will not stand by and watch smaller fish take "his prey"! Look for areas with large boulders or slab rock adjacent to or just below a run. You will find them in the large slow pools as well.

Don't even think slow presentation in the Spring, you'll have a long day! Starting your day off with a spinner, gaging the smallmouth's feeding intensity, is a sure fire method. Once you have found feeding fish, switch to the larger rapala! You will not be let down!!!

Smallmouth are a transient fish! They are in constent movement, searching for prey and adequate shelter in holes, log jams and in/around large submerged boulders and rock. Only during the "dog-days" of summer will the Bronzies begin to "stay at home". [A Smallmouth had been tagged with a radio transmitter. This fish was recorded to have travel 12 miles of river in a 24 hour period!] So don't get too comfortable fishing the same spot.

When the humidity reaches that unbareable level and the mosquitoes and deer flies seem to be starving, it's time to slow things down.

I still begin every outing throwing a spinner or rap. You can find days where it is fast and furious, but if you want to catch those 18 inch + smallies, go with the plastics!!
My steadfast is the 3inch(very hard to find) crawfish Texas rigged with a 1/8 oz. bullet weight on a 1ot off-set hook.(6lb. berkeley). Work it slow near cover or slow eddy areas, picking it up ever so gently off of the bottom. My heart starts to beat hard just thinking about it!!
Poppers are effective,but not as consistent as the slow presentation of the crawfish! So keep in mind that if your noticing little action, switch up! Once you get that 18+ inch bronzie on, you will be hooked! Smallies definitely "keep your rod bendin'"!!!!
Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 02-01-2001).]

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Hey thanks guys- I now have somewhere to start. I am really pumped to give this a try, I can see myself getting hooked on catching those smallies. Hey james_walleye have you ever fished Bear Creek?? I did a long time ago and don't remember much about it. I live in Racine, so it is right in my backyard. What about Pine Lawn?? I have heard that some nice crappies can be caught there?? Do you of smallies being caught there?? Otherwise what do people catch there?? I had heard about the catching of walleyes in Deer Creek before, but never fished it. If I'm right they are there because the DNR stocked Pine Lawn with walleyes a long time ago. Well thanks again for the input- I can't wait to May!!

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SEwalleye,
check out this thread, you'll enjoy it I'm sure:
http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum28/HTML/000034.html

Towards the middle/end , is some info that's worth reading on bass.
grin.gif

------------------
Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!
;)

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You've really pressed Jim W.'s buttons now! He is a smallie addict!!! I can tell you that the crayfish is DEADLY!!! It really takes some getting used to though. I really had no confidence in it for a long time, until I realized the secret is to fish the thing like you would a crawler (oh by the way, sometimes nothing beats a crawler for the bronzies!) Another thing that we've found over the years is that smallmouth are much like walleye in that they can turn on and off on a dime. So you really need to focus when that window is open. Man, I can't wait to launch!!!!!!!!!

Hey, where/what the heck is pine lawn?

JA

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Pine Lawn is part of Deer Creek and is about 2 miles east of Grand Meadow. There is a park on both sides of the road there. I have caught a lot of crappies under the Hwy 16 bridge. I've tried ice fishing it but without success. During open water it can be great...and some of the crappies are darn nice. Before the damn was put in they used to catch northerns in that area...i know there are a few still there...i've seen them below the damn sunning themselves in the shallows...but never caught one. There are walleyes in one stretch of water that i know of. Yes the DNR put some in there but discontinued the stocking from what i was told because the electroshocking didnt produce many fish. But they are there...1 area in particular has some pretty biguns in there...up to 26" i've caught them. I should take the time to check the pools up and downstream from this spot because im sure there are more spots like it.

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That's only 10 minutes or so from home. Do you recommend giving it a shot above or below the dam? You don't have to give me the exact location, but were the walleyes in the creek below thw dam, in Pine lawn or up stream from Pine lawn? I would love to catch a few of them to add to the photo album! No need to eatem'!!!!!

I have seen a lot of saugers in the North Branch of the Root river, but never any walleyes. It's good to see this forum on fire boys!!!!! Jim W

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This is an FYI for all you smallie fisherman.
A bunch of other smallmouth fanatics who may or may not be familiar with this site are planning to meet at Sandy Point supper club Feb. 10 from 2-4 PM to talk about forming a SE MN Smallmouth Alliance chapter.
The group was formed as a result of a forum that the DNR hosted in November to consider regulation changes concerning the stretch of the Zumbro that runs from below the power dam 3 miles down to the green bridge. There was an "interest" meeting in December that Tim Holschlaag spoke at. Tim's authored a book or 2 on smallmouth fishing the streams in this area and also guides.
If you practice catch & release for smallmouth, I think you'd be interested in attending this meeting.
You can e-mail me at: [email protected]
for more information and if you plan on attending so we can let the folks at Sandy Point know how many to expect.

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It's good to see information other than e-mail correspondence. That sounds like a really good deal. will the alliance include the Root river? . It's great to see people finally caring for the bronzeback!!! Unfortunately that is the day I stay home wiht my infant son. Is there anyway to join with out attending? Or at least receiving minutes or a newsletter from the meeting? Thanks again Jim W

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SMALLIES ARE GREAT FUN! I'VE PULLED A FEW OUT OF THE MIDDLE BRANCH OF THE ROOT BUT I USUALLY HIT THE SOUTH BRANCH FOR TROUT. I'M GONNA CHECK SOME AREAS NEAR FILLMORE THIS YEAR AND I ALSO WANT TO TRY FARTHER DOWNSTREAM ON THE ROOT PAST LANESBOROUGH.
SOME SMALLMOUTH RIVERS I LIKE ARE CANNON,MISSISSIPPI(ST.CLOUD AND NORTH),AND THE OTTER TAIL. I NEED TO GET TO KNOW THE ZUMBRO BETTER. THE QUEST NEVER ENDS!
WET NETS!

------------------
cast,cast,cast,cast......

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I know that some of these guys (gals are invited too) including myself fish the Root, Deer, Bear, etc. and so would think that the interest would definitely extend beyond the Zumbro. Since we are in the formative stages, the opportunities are open.

I should clarify my statement in the earlier post about catch and release. I'm not sure this group will advocate strict catch and release of all species. I think the focus will be to advocate and work for good size, species and population management and may like to see c & r at least in waters under a lot of pressure.

I would think that forwarding the notes is possible, and there will certainly be opportunity to join after Feb. 10.

If anybody unable to make this meeting, feel free to email me with input and I will bring that to the meeting.

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Well Jim i'll tell ya what...this May we'll get together and i'll show you exactly where it is...and maybe in exchange you can show me where those big trout go into Deer Creek from Spring Valley creek to feed. I'd like to get a few photos of some big trout!! By the way i am from Grand Meadow originally...most of my family still is...you probably know my family...heck you may even know me.

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james_walleye,
I know where it is, just never knew it's name! Thanks a lot though! I 'm always willing to go fishing! So hooking up might not be such a bad idea. I just recently moved to Spring Valley(year ago), so I doubt I know you, but there is that possibility to get to know another fisherman!!!

Walleye in Deer Creek....Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

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For you guys that fish the Root...have you ever gotten intot the sauger while fishing smallies or trout? I have a friend who has gotten into them before by Chatfield. And when ya get into them they are 2-3 lbers. I would like to get into them saugers but i have no idea where to find them consisently down there. That is if there is any consistency in catching those big saugers. (If ya havent noticed as much as i like fishing smallies...i'd rather be catching walleyes and sauger)

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james_walleye,

Yes I have "gotten into" them saugers on the root. I can only say that I have caught one that was borderline 2lbs(17 incher). That fish came directly at the confluence of the North and Middle Branches of the Root river. I have caught numerous other saugers while fishing for smallies. Your best bet for them is during the early season. They seem to travel upstream(North Branch) with the Spring flooding and hunker down in some of the larger holes.
I can't say that I remember catching any sauger past mid-july on the North Branch. Your best be would be to fish the main branch. There you will find everything from gar to sauger.
FYI. All of the sauger I have caught out of the root have come on the plastic crawfish!!
Keep them rods a bendin'!!! Jim W

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