Catching Smallies near Monti

[Presco]

Oh yea, me too! I was just pointing that other people's 19s aren't 6lbs.

[river rat316]

Hey Riverrat,

You dont believe this fish is 24"?

Not even close, might push into the 20" category, but not much above.

[river rat316]

19.75" probably just under 4lbs

18 and something 3.5lbs (or something like that was a while ago)

20" exactly but skinny and OLD just like almost all the 20" fish on the river that are at the end of their life cycle

19.25 and pushing 4

I have scaled one smallie at over 5 from the river, it was 5.1 to be exact, and it was a big fat full of spawn female that board measured, mouth closed tail pinched at 19.5". The Anoka and St Stephens tourneys that are a pretty good guage of the river system, with good anglers coming from all over, rarely have big fish over 4.5lbs. The big 20" smallies are old fish, they have shortened growth cycles, and are constantly fighting current, making them strong but skinny. There is not a state record smallie swimming in the Miss from Little Falls to Anoka, thats a fact. The stretch north of Little Falls to Brainerd, it might be there, but I highly doubt it there to!

[Alagnak]

Well said River Rat. The tape don't lie- fisherman do though!

[DTro]

Here's the IL state record at 22.6"

[DTro]

I think I tried to squeeze 20.5 on this one, but I'm pretty sure we settled on 20.25.

[fishface]

Here's a 25 inch wiskered smallmouth

[fishface]

Oh ya, and a 21 inch purple bass.

Ok it's only 18

[fishface]

One more,

A Golden Buglemouthed Bass

At least 24"

[Crm7290]

Dtro are you from illinois?

[DTro]

No, I just pulled that pic from another site for comparison puposes. A 24" smallie is rarely seen in MN

[DriftlessFisher]

Caught a 21", but idk how to post pics on here. Also a 21 inch largemouth.

[Dylan33]

Caught a 21", but idk how to post pics on here. Also a 21 inch largemouth.

a 21 inch largemouth from the mississippi river in Monticello? I'm not going to say I don't believe you....of wait...yes I am. I don't believe you.

[DriftlessFisher]

no, neither were from the mississippi. there are better spots around.

[OnAFly]

Fishface - I believe that last one was a golden bonefish.

Those things are a lot of fun.

[fishface]

Oh bleep...

They all tasted like bass

[Gordie]

Oh ya, and a 21 inch purple bass.

Ok it's only 18

bait

[Dylan33]

no, neither were from the mississippi. there are better spots around.

are there better spots? yes. But we are in the "Mississippi River North" forum, in a thread named "catching smallies near monti".

[DriftlessFisher]

Sorry, i am a dumb [PoorWordUsage].

[hockeybc69]

Lets see pics on a board with mouth closed and tail pinched.

Then I am a believer, and only then... LOL

[JayJ]

[PoorWordUsage] also. The chance to land a big s.m. are a hundred times better up in monti meaning what? I don't think you can compare those two sections of river in that way.

[eyeguy 54]

In the 30,000+ smallies the club I am in has caught over the last 6 years, we have not broke 22 inches yet. I hear of 22's and 23's and 24's but never see one measured in a pic on a board. I netted a 21 1/2 incher for one of my friends a few years ago, I'll see if I can find the pic.

[eyeguy 54]

Here is the 21 1/2 incher my friend caught on my birthday a few years ago. And the other is a 15 footer I rode for a while. LOL My personal best went 20 3/4's but I got it under a bobber fishing crappies before season so can't really count it.

[hockeybc69]

Not on a board with the mouth closed and tail pinched Royce. Doesnt count. LOL!!!!!

[Dylan33]

Was out in Monti today.....It was COLD! Wind was coming right down the river...brrr....I did manage about 8 smallies in the 2 hours I was out. The biggest I would estimate at about 18 inches, and pretty thick for that stretch of river. Good times!

[eyeguy 54]

Not on a board with the mouth closed and tail pinched Royce. Doesnt count. LOL!!!!!

I was wondering how long that would take. heehee

hockeybc69, hmmmmmmm, younger than me, probably uglier, who could this beee??....

[JayJ]

Things have changed on the river. Imo it is much harder to catch 20" + over the last say 5-6 years. I think it's the pressure and I think it's the reg's to a certain extent. These fish are getting hit pretty hard. Quite awhile back we had the river to ourselves so to speak. Up around the "04" or so mark you used to be able to use certain baits and consistently catch big fish. We have boated several 21" from my boat. And i am not the only one. There are fellow r.p guys as well as others, most dont say a word. I don't believe that a 20" is a washed up fish, old yes, lol. In over 20 yrs of record keeping a 20" fish was apx. 4 lbs. No 22" here nor have I ever seen one caught. I do know for a fact that there was one massive smallie in the monti area that was well over 22" but that was several years ago. I think The chances for a record diminish with every passing season..

[bassfishingnerd]

I am with JayJ on this post. The river has not been the same since the power plant shut down. The density of the fish is far less below the plant, and the numbers of the larger fish (17"+) is nowhere near what it was from 2004-2006.

[fishface]

For what ever it's worth (probly not much...) agree with the angler presure theory for moving fish, aspecialy the bigger ones.

So many things change and move the fish in my opinion, The big change I'v seen since the Plant shut down is a decrease in the tiny bass in the shallows. before they would scatter by the hundreds as I move along. Now just a few. But I think they'll be back.

I fish the River from shore and from a boat.

Since the mid 80's...

Sometimes every day when the bite is on.

From Little Falls to Mpls. If they aren't in one area. Move.

Areas get hot for a period of time then for one reason or other they cool off. Rivers are constantly changing.

I really haven't seen an over all change in average size.

The longest Bass I've caught was over 21"

It wasn't too memorable because it wieghed only 3.5 Lbs. (on a Normark Dig scale) exteamly skinny Big head!

Very strong and healthy though.

any way It's always been tough to trully break 19" and river fish are lite. Mille Lacs is where they turn into pigs.

But the River is So Cool!

[eyeguy 54]

Yes indeed the river is cool. I started hitting smallies hard 7 or so years ago. Goin for the 20. 8 so far is all and I bet I hit 19 7/8 10 times before that nice 20. :>) Dreamin about it now and hoping I can get out this summer.