Smallmouth suggestions

[basguy31]

Does anyone have any suggestions for how and where to catch smallmouth on the Mighty Mississippi near Rice. I will be headed up there on saturday with a friend of mine. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Basguy31

[Kevin Turner]

Are you going up river? We have good luck drifting the channel and casting to shore with green tube jigs & white grubs. Cast behind every rock you see. I also throw white buzzers & spinners, but didn't do to well last week with them. Some good water below the dam for crank baits in the channel. Slip downstream and bounce them of the rocks.

[basguy31]

I think we were going to head downstream from Rice towards Sartell. Thanks for the advice. I'll let you know how we do.

[Royce Aardahl]

I fish the stretch from the sartell dam to wilson park and it's great for smallies but the water is crazy right now. just got a john boat with a 20 horse jet on it. took that baby right up under the sauk rapids bridge last week when the water level was way down. that was fun!!

[Toad]

Smalljaws are on a tear right now around Brainerd, down to Crow Wing State Park. River's up, fish have scattered out a bit, but they're quite active, feeding competitively along most blowdown objects or other overhanging cover along the riverbank.

We fished half-ounce orange rattling plugs along these edges a few days back, catching close to two dozen solid bass. Also popped several walleyes. River's up, it's muddy and flowing fast, but it doesn't mean the fish aren't biting! One other type of spot that produced for us were these little backcurrents off the main channel-- cuts that normally lie high-and-dry this time of year, and backsides of larger islands. Enjoy your fishing if you go!

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt

[Navigator]

Question for eyeguy...noticed you have a john boat with a 20hp jet...how big is your john and does that 20hp have the punch to put that boat on plane. I am looking at merc's 25hp/20 output jet for my crestliner john and need some input from a small jet drive owner.
Thanks,
Nav

[Royce Aardahl]

so far it's been great. I wiegh 200 and my fishing partner wieghs 230. it's not fast but it does plane out and according to my gps it's doing 19 mph. the boat is a Ficher 1648 AW. hope this helps.

[Royce Aardahl]

it is a merc, 1999 model I think. heading to the river in a bit to hunt the mighty smallmouth.

[Royce Aardahl]

fishing was good, 8 smallies 17 1/2 incher was the best. 2 shook the hooks that were bigger. dang!!

[Navigator]

eyeguy,
Thanks for the quick reply. One more question...whose motor are you running? Merc is the only company making a smaller jet that I am aware of. Nav