little falls Little Falls Dam

[Coleman]

Hey guys, planning to head up to Little Falls to try for some smallies. Can the standard 17' fishing boat navigate below the dam? I haven't been up there before so I'm not sure how the conditions are. Are you better off fishing above or below? Are there any problem areas to be aware of when driving around? Any help would be great. Thanks. 

[eyeguy 54]

have you tried above the blanchard dam?  your boat would be fine there. nic access,  lots of water up there.  fished there a week ago.  

[ANYFISH2]

Hey guys, planning to head up to Little Falls to try for some smallies. Can the standard 17' fishing boat navigate below the dam? I haven't been up there before so I'm not sure how the conditions are. Are you better off fishing above or below? Are there any problem areas to be aware of when driving around? Any help would be great. Thanks. 

getting  below the LF dam is tricky to say the least.  Land at the county access at Lindberg State park, head north staying to the west side of the river until shortly before the bend to the east (and the end of the island on East of river), the at about a 45 degree angle to the east shore, then along the east shore to the "rapids" at the water treatment plant.  Then proceed to mid river to the island below the dam.  SLOW IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. Have a spotter LOTS of shallow rocks the whole way.  You will probably still bumb some boulders, and add some character marks to the prop but it is possible.

Your can fish both sides of the river from shore via city parks (Mill park and Maple Island park) if you choose.

You can also fish and navigate north of the dam as well. Two accesses in town. If going north on this stretch stay to the east shore after you go under the train tressel u till.just before you reach the islands at HWY 10.  Then pick a path go slow and watch for hazards, they come and go daily.

Or as eyegay mentioned  you have 10 miles of fishing from LF to Blanchard dam.

All of this water is good smaller water.

[Coleman]

Thanks very much for the info guys. Looking forward to giving it a whirl. I've got my last tournament in Detroit this weekend, then I'll have much more time to fish around the area. So I should be on the river almost every day on the coming weeks. Hoping the bite is good, which it should be this time of year. 

[ANYFISH2]

Smallmouth bit well this morning in LF.  Caught 20 most between 11am-12pm with a nice 17" average.  They are staging deep still as most came from 17-20' of water.

Here's the "biggest" from this morning a thin 19"

 

[eyeguy 54]

nice piggy

 

[ANYFISH2]

The migration of smallmouth to little falls seems a little slow this year.  

Water temps are still in the mid 60's, and many fish are still residing in the shallower water a few miles north of LF.  Here, in the shallower stretches, the evening top water bite is strong to say the least.  Pop-r's and and prop baits working well, jerk baits are getting fish too, but I am still learning how to use effectively, so could be limiting success.

My favorite way to fish this time of year is with live large minnows, the fish are scattered still in my normal haunts for this technique, finding fish tight to shore and In the main channel in 20+" of water.  Fishing is good right now, a little searching is in order still, but they should group up soon.  Then it will turn to fantastic.

An nice 19" from this morning...