Monticello/Otsego Smalliie Fishing Reports

[TunaCan]

Most of my fish get measured on a tape in the boat, but this one was measured on my fishing rod. I have a string of letters/numbers in the part between 18 and 21 inches so it is easy to know where the mark is (whatever letter or number it reaches) and then I use a tape measure at home to get the actual measurement. It is fairly accurate. The way I know a truly huge fish is by width of the tail - it is amazing how big the tail is on a 20" fish compared to a really nice 18" fish. Of the six fish I have measured at 20" from the river over many, many years and hundreds upon hundreds of fish (biggest was 20 3/4" measured on a tape and it was truly a beast to behold), all but one were caught in very late October or into November. The other one was caught in late September. Four were caught on really big suckers and the other two were on mega-tubes.

[mrklean]

great looking smallie there are some real pigs around that area

[eyeguy 54]

If we don't see it on an MSRD board we don't believe it. ;>) Just joshin ya Tuna. Nice Fishy!

[Stick in Mud]

Nice fish, Tuna...sure beats what I've caught this week!!!

[TunaCan]

The fish in my section of river officially called it quits for the season at 3:00 PM this afternoon. I caught 7 including a 19" beauty (on a tube) before they decided to completely shut off like a switch. Apparently their mouths were sore and need some healing over the long winter. They determined I had enough entertainment value for one fall and promised to be back again and ready for action next September.

Oh well, only five short months until I start catfishing.

[eyeguy 54]

they are so used to hooks down there I'm sure they can handle it if you catch em again. ;>)

[Presco]

Anyone with any reports? I am going to try and get up there tomorrow and wondering if anyone is having any luck.

I talked to the bait shop in Monticello this morning and they told me there was a fish kill after the plant shut down. Guys going down there were seeing tons of dead smallies, walleye, and cat fish washed up on shore. Too bad.

[Dylan33]

I was worried about a fish kill....hopefully things can recover.

It's amazing that no one is giving any reports...The fishing is either REALLY good, or really bad.

[Presco]

Dylan, I sent you an email.

[river rat316]

Nope, really bad, nice to meet you Presco,we ended up catching a few, but it might be my last trip of the season for smallies, real slow and real cold!

[Presco]

You too RiverRat. Saw you guys left, I picked up a couple up river a bit, but then started to feel the cold a bit so I left as well.

Got out this morning for a couple hours. Beautiful setting, no wind, a little snow, but the fish didn't cooperate. Picked up a few here and there, nothing big, very sluggish bite.

On another note, almost saw a Grand Slam today. My buddy caught a smallie, a nice pike (30"+), and a nice cat. I'll post pics a bit later.

[mrklean]

A buddy and his bro were up there last week and caught a handful of smallies with a couple nice ones mixed in

[RumRiverRat]

Is it a Tube and Grub or a Jerk Bait Bite?

[eyeguy 54]

Black Buzz Baits... ;>)

[Jcup]

Any reports/advice for a first timer? I'm thinking about giving it a try saturday morning. I have never fished a river before so I have been reading through the past posts to try and get an idea on what to do. Could I just throw some rapalas and be fine? Maybe a bonus northern or walleye?

[Dylan33]

Your best bet would probably be sucker minnows. If you want to cast, then I'd suggest going with tubes, senko style baits(if you can find slack/slow water) and maybe small jerk baits....but rapalas will produce also.

Walleye would be very few and far between, but they are in there.

Northerns are becoming more prevelant. But still kind of rare...I usually get one every 2-3 trips.

As far as where to fish...really anywhere from the powerplant down river even beyond Ellison park. So there is plenty of good water, be mobile and find some slower water to work. Waders would help. The river up there us fairly shallow everywhere with a few deep holes mixed in. If you cast from shore, there will be some places that you won't be able to cast into any water deeper than a foot or two.

This year has been slower than normal with the plant having been off line for the first half of the winter, and some reported fish kills.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

[tsande00]

What is the smallie fishing like in the spring/summer months? I had pretty good luck out there this fall and am hooked for life. Wondering if a guy sees much action in the warmer months too? Or is the benefit of the nuke plant negated from the already warm river water?

[Dylan33]

What is the smallie fishing like in the spring/summer months? I had pretty good luck out there this fall and am hooked for life. Wondering if a guy sees much action in the warmer months too? Or is the benefit of the nuke plant negated from the already warm river water?

That's a great question...i've never fished it in the summer. Monticello is more of a catfishing spot in the summer months from what i've heard.

I am no expert, but i think the bass spread out more in the summer...Monti to Elk River is all great for smallies in the summer months.

[eyeguy 54]

there's no smallies down there...

[trappingaddiction]

How do fathead minnows work from smallies on the river? Does anyone catch any cats this time of year? If so, does the same bait choices apply in the winter as the summer (cut sucker and chicken liver)?

[MSRiverdog]

Bring a spare prop or three.

[trappingaddiction]

I decided to give these winter smallies a shot yesterday for the first time. It was pretty slow out there, but I caught a couple around 2 lbs. in about an hour and a half yesterday as well as another nice one around 3 lbs. or so and fat as a football this morning. I will definitely have to get back to try for them again before the season closes, and hopefully get a few more! Here are just a couple pictures I took of them while I was out there.

[bassfshin24]

So are there places up by Monti that i can fish from shore without waders. I kinda want to head up there this saturday

[Dylan33]

You can do it without waders- i did for a few years. It works, but it is much easier if you can get in the water.

[Dylan33]

I'm going to get out there on Sunday. If anyone wants to meet up, email me. dylanstenglein@yahoo dot com

[bobbers_down]

I am headed to Brainerd for the festivities on Saturday, just convinced a buddy that we should take a little detour for some river fishing on the way home. This will be my first time fishing the area, hopefully we will find our way onto a few smallies.

[Dylan33]

So I was out for a few hours on Sunday. Did Okay. 5 smallies and 2 pike in a few hours- all on tubes or jigs...as well as my best Monti pike seen here 28"

[tsande00]

I can't wait to get back out there. I need to invest in some waders...too much hassle to bring the little boat every time. Never had any problems with the prop though in in between the power lines and the hospital. Go much farther either way and it's ROCKY and shallow.

[fish]

I just got into fly fishing last summer and had a blast. I really want to give it a go this winter. I fished at the otsego park every day last summer. Is this an area to fish in the winter? I hear that people fish up in monticello in winter by power plant but I have no idea how to get there. Any ideas would be helpful. Santa didnt bring me waders this year so I will need to be standing from shore. Not looking for a secret spot just some common areas. I would be willing to share my not so secret spot if you want to trade ideas.

[Juan Grande]

Fish,

You can just try out by the hospital/nursing home in Monti. You can actually park right in their parking lot and walk down to the river. It's kind of a pool or slack water area and is a good place to start. Definitely a "community" area as there will be quite a few guys there on nice days. You don't need waders to fish here. If I have this spot to myself I'll usually pull 4-5 fish out of here. You can start with tubes or jerkbaits, but if all else fails, just throw out a sucker under a bobber. Cast it out to the seem between slack water and the current.

You can also park at Montisippi Park and there are trails down to the river. Then you can walk along the rocks and fish quite a few spots in there.

Good luck.