river report

[Navigator]

The smallie fishing continues to be strong...today I was on a mission to use only plastics and try diferent areas of the river. Call it a fishing challenge, find the fish without trolling.

I fished from 9:00am until 1:00pm and found the smallies hanging on the channel edges in 4' to 9' of water. The presentation was cast...jig...cast...jig ect. Mainly I caught fish on Kick-N craws and Monster Doos with a jig head. The two biggest fish were at 19" & 20" with the bulk of the fish at 14" to 16". Fun day and I would highly recommend giving it a whirl, especially if you live in the area. Nav

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Jon Navratil
Navigator Guide Service
www.naviguides.com
Serving Central MN rivers & lakes

[Royce Aardahl]

What area, I hope to get out this weekend. Bow hunting in ND last weekend and here next weekend so gotta get out this weekend. It's really getting low here in Sauk Rapids.

[Royce Aardahl]

We put in north of Sartell this p.m. and did ok. About a dozen smallies the biggest being 16. Couple of eyes. All on minnows.

[NELS-BELLS]

I put in at the county park access north of Sartell on the west side on Sat. evening and caught and released 8 nice size smallies. (16"-19") All caught on topwater. It doesn't get much better than that!
Nels

[Kevin Turner]

I fished most of last week thru Mon AM. I can't remember having a better a trip. The fishing was fantastic, weather awsome, and got to meet great new friends.
Most of my fish came from the pushes in front of the riffels. I would cast a buzz bait across the current and peel it back to the boat as fast as possible. Also fished 4" tubes in the slower, deeper water, with some good results.

[Navigator]

Kevin,
Not to sound like a salesman, but try the new Kick-n craws available here...they work great!! I have been popping bigger fish on this type of plastic. Just an FYI....Nav

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Jon Navratil
Navigator Guide Service
www.naviguides.com
Serving Central MN rivers & lakes

[HawgTide]

Did anyone fish the river this weekend? Did the Bass stop biting or was it just me? 2 of us caught 17 on Friday (about 7 hours of fishing) and 7 on Saturday (5 hrs). Much slower than the previous week. Fished mostly between Becker and Monti. The first rain in two months and cooler temps is what I'm blaming.

[Royce Aardahl]

We fished a while Sunday evening and got 2. Got 14 a week earlier in the same spot.

[EBass]

Down here in the cites (North MPLS to be exact) a week ago I could find them on the mid river rock humps, I looked for the faster current. Granted most smallies are small in this section. I did manage some small bass and one that was just shy of 17".

Went out a week later (this past Sunday) and they moved back to shoreline eddys since the water rose. Best spot for us was 4 feet coming up to a foot. Some little creek was coming in and nice boulders all around. Tubes were the only thing I could muster a bite with. Got some small bass and a 16" walleye. Walleye was on a deeper break. Close to shore but it was 10'.

What's the water temp up there. I don't have a temp but it feels like mid to low 60's.

[HawgTide]

Water temps were low 70's on Friday and dropped to mid 60's by Saturday. I thought these smallies liked the cooler water? Maybe they just need a few days to adjust. I'll have to give them another chance this weekend.

[smallmouthking]

been to darn bus to answer until now. my son and i went out on sat. for about 3 1/2 hours doing fairly well. 19 fish including a 21" + s.m. my son got that weighed 5 lb. 7 oz. I went out yesterday for a few and managed 16 fish but put 3 over 20" in the boat, the smallest a 4 lb. 2 oz. and the largest went 4 lb. 7 oz. but unfortunately i lost an absolute monster, looked like around 6 lb's the smallies are definately bunching up

[smallmouthking]

how does one go about posting pictures, thanks ahead of time

[Kevin Turner]

SMKing, Congrats on the awsome day. I think if you contact rick, he will post your photos.

[HawgTide]

SMKing, wow, that's an awesome day of fishing. Care to share any more info? Like general area, lures, etc. I went out Tuesday evening and they were biting better than they had all weekend. Caught 4 in less than an hour. 2.5lbs was the largest.

[Kevin Turner]

Hawgtide, I think I know SMKing well enuff to answer for him. SMK has spent years on the river in a small prop jon boat. He knows just about every rock, ledge, drop off, stick up, etc....He is a very personable guy and knowledgable angler. That being said, he might be willing to share some of his insights on a one & one basis, but would be hesitant to post what has taken him years to learn for all to see. I'm kinda surprised he posted the info he did. How 'bout it SMK, am I right? My style of fishing on the other hand, requires very little skill or knowlegde, just chuck & wind 'er back in.

[This message has been edited by Kevin Turner (edited 09-18-2003).]

[smallmouthking]

Hi Hawgtide, Kevin does seem to know me well, lol. I hesitate writing in here at all especially when i can't answer your questions. I'm sure i would/am be labeled selfish and probably a few more less then pleasent things by others. It took many, many years, a lot of work and more hours on the river then i can count to get to where i'm at. And i did it all on my own not by following behind some guy or fishing a spot somone left. I'm sure you understand that if everyone here were to give up their favorite haunts, well they wouldn't be what they are. And hawgtide i realize that you are not asking for specifics, but the truth is i fish from St. cloud to Elk River and i am strictly artificial. That being said i can't even give you a general area because i am litteraly up and down the river, actually all the way down to the cities, which boasts an incredible smallmouth fishery. i can go to downtown mpls. and catch up to 200 s.m. per day and some giants to boot. So Hawgtide i hope you understand what i am saying and why.

[smallmouthking]

Hi Hawgtide, Kevin does seem to know me well. I hesitate writing in here at all, especially when i can't answer your questions. I am sure i am/will be labeled selfish and a few more less then pleasent things by some. But it has taken many, many years, alot of work, a journal and countless numbers of hours on the river to get to where i'm at. And i did it on my own not by following behind some guy or fishing a spot someone just left. Hawgtide i realize that you are not asking for specifics, but the truth of the matter is i'm fishing all the way from north of St. Cloud to Elk River ( strictly artificial ) so i am up and down the river, literally. I think everyone understands that if they gave away their favorite haunts well they just wouldn't be the same. There are certainly questions i would have no problem with answering in this forum, but I hope you understand what i'm saying and why.

[smallmouthking]

i aplogize for the double response, thought it got erased and had to start all over.

[HawgTide]

SMKing,
No problem. I would never ask someone to give up their honey holes. I'm just on here to learn more about smallies, maybe meet some people who are into bassin' as much as I am. I grew up in the south and had never fished for smallies before this year. I'm trying to find out how they react to the change in weather/temps/etc.
Good luck.

[EBass]

So how's the bite been with more rain and more cooler temps? Hows that wind treating everyone? It sure kicks my butt around.

I'm going to hit the sippi tonight for a couple hours. Either north MPLS or Anoka.

What's a good section that doesn't get much pressure? South of little falls but north of Anoka? I of course release everything. And when is it release only. 9/30?

[HawgTide]

It's release all smallies now. I think Sept 8 was the cutoff. I always release everything too, but if I had a State Record, it would be nice to have the option of keeping it.
The bite has slowed down for me, but I guess some people are still catching them, see above.
Hopefully this weekend will be a different story.

[Kevin Turner]

I talked with Pete of River Run Guide Service. Thurs, Fri, & Sat was some of his best fishing of the year. He had a trip on Sunday and boated only 15. But his client was from Maryland, and was taking photos of inchers, so when they boated two 19 inchers you can imagine how thrilled his client was. Man, have we got it good!

[EBass]

I grabbed my regs book and found that out. I was hoping for some recent reports since this last rain spell. I'll find out tonight I guess here in MPLS.

[EBass]

I mustered up some about 7 small bass here in north MPLS off of mid river rock piles mostly and some rocky shoreline. Senko, crayfish pattern wiggle warts and crayfish and minnow patterned baby 1 minus.

Biggest was about 13" - I know small but hey it's 2 miles from downtown. This is why I want to head north to get into some of the bigger brutes that I know are there.

Kevin, are you still getting them on buzz baits? To me I found some active bass on the tops and inactive ones near the deeper back of the rock piles. I let the current do the work and tink - tink.

[Kevin Turner]

Ebass, I haven't been fishing in the last 2 weeks. I'm stuck in MO. I hope to be in Monti the 1st weekend of Oct.

[EBass]

I hope it's warmer there than it is here! Chilly cold front just went through about noon.

I'll be above Coon Rapids dam this weekend sometime. I'll report on Monday on any results or lack there of.