Can we keep the river...

[Kevin Turner]

Two very good friends of mine have voiced concern over my posting about the smallie fishing on the Mississippi River.

How about some feedback. Do you believe we can keep this river to ourselves? Better yet should we try?

The river can be a brutal enviornment and not for the casual angler.

So what do ya think?

[EBass]

They're mad that you're telling the sippi is hot now?

People still have to go out and work for them. And if they cast in the wrong spot or not using the right lure, then it doesn't matter I guess, heck I still haven't fished the sippi and I have a Jon boat - yup go figure.

Rivers aren't meant for the timid especially shallow rocky areas. Brutal is right. I hit a nice boulder yesterday.

[kwkfsh]

Kevin, I don't think you have much to worry about. A great percentage of anglers are afraid of the river and will never boat on it. Some will try it once and have problems with current at the launch, dinged props and other mishaps and will never be back. Some will also try it and not catch many or any fish and wonder what all the hubbub is about and never come back. Articles like the one in this weeks City Pages will also keep people away because of the negative slant to the article in regards to dead bodies, winos, and shady characters. I fished pool 2 Fri, Sat, and Sun. and caught an amazing amount of Walleyes, Smallmouths, and Whitebass. (Fri. evening produced about 20 Smallies in an hour and a half on topwaters with only 2 of the fish under 15"). It is truly amazing how few people fish pool 2 when it is truly one of the best fisheries in the state. I believe that the river is self limiting for a number of these reasons.

[EBass]

In reguards to the upper sippi, as long as they put them (smallies) back I don't care.
I agree with the last person about problems with low water. That's one of the reasons I haven't made it up there. However: with that being said. I go to other waters where smallies roam and not worry about my lower unit. Gotta love this state.

[Dennis Steele]

You may draw a few more guys to the river when talking about how wonderfull it is.I know that after posting about my river that it has seen a lot more traffic than before.The thing is your not going to keep it a secret forever.People will come soon enough.The lakes are getting crowded and people are looking for less crowded and less pressured areas to enjoy a day.Why not help them out and at the same time educate them in how to preserve the great fishery that it is.Thats just my take on it.
With that being said...don't give away your honey holes unless you tell me!

[scifisher]

The best way to fish he river is by canoe in my opinion. If most folks are fishing big boat rigs, then the river isn't going to take much pressure from posting how good it is. People like easy and even if the fishing is great, most will take easy. The river is not for the lazy.

[Aquaman01]

Okay - cats outta the bag. I'm gonna be running for the rest of my life for this, but all this talk about great fishing in the rivers is all a vast propaganda campaign to sell props!

Seriously, though - The River is tough going and most casual anglers prefer lakes. Most casual anglers' wives prefer lakes as well. That will keep traffic down. My only concern about resource depletion is that due to all the dams the river isn't an infinite, self regenerating arterial flow - it's more like a series of long skinny lakes. An old timer told me he used to catch muskies and sturgeon in Monticello.

Best we can do I suppose is educate. Oh yeah, and tell everybody that eating the fish will make ya sterile.

------------------
Aquaman
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"The bow is set to distant shore,
then loss is gained and gains once more.
When beach is reached and sails are torn,
the journey is it's own reward."

[This message has been edited by Aquaman01 (edited 08-18-2003).]

[HawgTide]

I fished from Becker to Monticello on Sunday and saw only 2 other boats. One was a river pro. I wouldn't crank my motor on the river in that area unless I had been there several times before with my depth finder. It is brutal on the boat itself just drifting with the motor up. We only caught about 10 smallies, but we always catch and release. I believe if everyone practices that, then there won't be any problems with a few more boats out there. Sales in props, canoes, and River Pro's will increase and help the economy .
Keep sharing the info! This forum is a wonderful way to make friends and provide an outlet for those of us who are stuck behind the PC.

[Mark Christianson]

I drive by the boat launch in Monticello, next to the hospital, a few days a week on my way home from work. Tonight, there was one trailer, and it said Skeeter on it. I don't think we have to worry too much about that boat going very far. I have yet to see more than 3 trailers at that launch on any given weeknight.
Don't think there is a whole lot to worry about as far as over-fishing. Lots of water up and down stream that the average guy cannot get to.

[Dean Schellinger]

Although more people seem to be finding out about what a great fishery the Mississippi is, I haven't seen a large increase in fishermen on the river. One reason I think is in the summertime the river is generally used for recreation boaters like jetskis and party barges which congregate in most of the deeper areas. So only the diehard fishermen can stand being on the water with all those other boats cruising by and disrupting their experience, and other more intolerant anglers just head north or south where the waters are lower, the fish are able to be caught, and no speedboats can go. So very few new river fishermen come back over and over. Kevin, i wouldnt worry about discussing last great place. My .02 cents. FT

[Royce Aardahl]

Share the info I say. I've learned over the years that if I share good spots or techniques I get good info back from others. What goes around comes around. Lots of people just won't fish the river cuz it's tougher on all equipment. Not just boats or props. Plenty smallmouth out there from what I have seen. I use to keep one once in a while to eat a few years back but it's all CPR now. They are just too much fun. One stretch that I fish is a good mile long and I havn't seen another boat on it all summer. <>< <><