Trout and Smallies

[Jim W]

Made it out last evening to a trout stream that needed a day to reach that perfect consistency. It was timed well. We didn't catch a lot(maybe 6-8 trout), but I managed to land an 18 inch pig browner!! I pulled a rap through a long, narrow and fast run just past a submerged boulder. When all of a sudden, slam bam boom, out came this beautiful browner! Needless t say, It wasn't happy to be hooked! This beaut. was returned to grow and battle another day!!!

[Jim W]

Decided to get out into the balmy weather last night and wade for trout. It became a beautiful and peaceful outing. I managed 3 10-11inchers, missing a large fish that caught me off guard on the surface. I was retreiving my rap that caught up on a floating leaf. I was reeling in quite hastily when all of a sudden smash! I couldn't tell if it was a large small mouth or trout! Smallmouth action has really began to pick up on the rivers!! Good time to catch some real(as "back-water Eddy" calls them) piggies!!!!!!

[Jim W]

Oh those beautiful "Brookies"!!! Saturday the Sarge and I hiked several miles of a brook trout stream in SE MN. Not only did we enjoy the natural splendor of the river valley, we enjoyed a dozen or so 9-12 inch brookies. The smaller stream with closed in banks and over-hanging plant life challenged our casting prowess. At times I felt almost intoxicated, tripping over rocks and roots and manuevering ever so delicateley on the grooved(by all-terrain vehicles) mud filled trail. At times feeling like a drunk figure skater.

FYI! Make sure you check out exact distances on maps before setting out for a day of fishing! We had planned to fish the brook trout stream until it fed into a larger stream that holds the tri-fector(brook,brown,rainbow). Needless to say, we never made it to the larger stream. In fact, I felt at times almost disoriented, after walking about an hour of muddied trails in the shadows of the luming hills and oaks. Never-the-less, we made it back to the truck immediately(after the fact) getting out the map! Sorry for the extra walk Sarge!

[Sarge]

Jim, you are right on about the precise casting that was needed to catch those fish, and the scenery was like something out of a primeval forest, you could become very lost in the many valleys and hills that come together in the S.E. MN paradise that we found ourselves in. But are you going to share your new seceret weapon in the pursuit of brookies?

[Jim W]

Stream/River smallies are on hard!!! Get out now for some line stretching, drag screaming action. It's an opportunity for a smallmouth of a lifetime. Concentrate on the larger/deeper pools adjacent to faster current or falls! Good luck, keep the rods a bendin!!!!

[Jim W]

The small mouth are scattered throughout the streams and rivers. With the super clean water and polarized shades you can really see where the fish are located and how they respond to your presentations. Start off throwing your favorite. If nothing, keep changing up until you get an agressive follow. This time of year the smallies are extremely competetive and you can coax several fish to fight over your bait. Once you have located one aggressive fish, others will follow. However, this was not the case last outing. For the most part, I would get a fish that seemed very interested that would follow almost to the point of taking. Yet, it would turn back. However, when other fish came into the picture, the at-first shy fish suddenly grabbed a hold of my bait. So making enogh of a show, bringing other fish into the area can be a very effective smally tactic!!! FYI- Catch and release for trout begins this SAturday the 16th. So if you think you can get your mounter, better get out now!!! Good luck! and Keep the rods a bend'in!!!!!!!!!! Jim W

[Jim W]

With fall upon us, and the change of color above, I find myself envisioning the strain of my drag and the gold medal leap of the champion bronzeback! The rollercoaster weather patterns and the call to duty, won't keep me from my passion, wading the root river system in fall for a trophy smallmouth!

I received a call from a friend who has been cursed by the Siren's call of the bronzeback! He has witnessed the fury of the 4-5lb stream/river smallmouth in it's grand environment, the root river valley! Now he finds himself returning this weekend to spend a day to create a new memory, fueling future desires to fight another day.

When I receive his call to take him smallmouth fishing, I hear a different tone and enthusiasm in his voice. It has the resonnance of a man possessed! Have I created a monster? Or have I shared something with a friend. Like smearing fish slime on your jeans. It "kind of" rubs off.

I hope T.P. that I can put you on some decent bronzies or at least enstilling a new memory. One that this short life can't forget! LET'S PARTY SMALLMOUTH!!!

If you have the chance, get out now to enjoy one of the most spectacular times of the year for fishing!!!! You don't even have to fish, just get out!!!! Keep the rod's a bendin' !!!!!! Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 09-29-2000).]

[Jim W]

Smallmouth fishing is very steady to excellent. The fish in the North branch are "podding up". If you can find a stretch where there is slab rock and boulders adjacent or in slow current, look out! Caught and released(as usual) 20+ smallies on Saturday with 1 bonus 14 inch browner! No pigs, but 4 were in the 2- 2 1/2 lb range. Once you find the pods, they will generally hit anything you throw at them! Since small mouth are highly competetive, the action is hot and furious. However, , the bite is short lived. Good luck and keep the rods a bendin'!!!!!! Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 10-02-2000).]

[uffdapete]

I made it out yesterday on a (still legal) stretch of the Root for the last 3 hours and caught and released 10 browns from 12-15" and 3 10-12" smallmouth. The reward of the evening was a 19" smallie - the best of the season for me in SE MN and also my best ever on the Root. All on Rapalas with pinched down barbs. I like to use barbless this time of year due the aggressiveness of the fish. Before using barbless, some of the fish just took even Rapalas so deep that removing the hooks tore them up too much.
This is one of the best fishing info websites I've seen so far. Thanks to the hosts and sponsors.

[Jim W]

uffdapete, thanks for giving us a report!! You picked a wonderful day to be out!! What branch of the root were you fishing? The rapala in small rivers and streams is my number one bait as well!! I usually start off with the rap! What worked the hottest on Saturday(for me) was the plastic crawfish texas rigged!! No pigs like you caught though. Did you release that 19 incher? That had to be a 4 lber!!?? Thanks again for writing! Keep up with the reports! I'm always glad to see others out there taking advantage of some of the best stream/river fishing in the country! Keep the rods a bendin'!! Jim W

[uffdapete]

I was below the confluence of the south and north branches. The 19 was released. I caught a 22 1/4" (a personal best) in the Zumbro 9 years ago that I kept and have regretted it ever since, realizing I had just removed a potential source of large smallmouth for years to come from a fragile fishery. All fish are released now except for an occasional meal of 2 or 3 saugers and/or smaller walleyes.

[Jim W]

I too have kept a pig smally regretting the possible impact it has had. Besides, since I kep that fish I have caught several larger than the "Mounter"! The 22 1/4 incher you caught was a jumbo indeed!! They are in there! Imagine all of the people that go North to catch trophy smallmouth when they can be found virtually in their back yards! SInce the Vike-Queens play Monday, I'm out there Sunday!!! Have you caught any walleye in the MAin or North Branch of the root? The largest sauger I caught was a 17 incher a couple of years ago. Definitely a mixed bag when fishing the Root!! Keep on the reports uffdapete, maybe we'll see you out there! Keep the rods a bendin'!!! Jim W

[Jim W]

Went out in the cold wind yesterday, targeting pig bronzies!! It didn't help when both of my hip-boots leak-burrrrrrrrr!!! Managed to pull out 3 smallmouth. One hovered the 3 lb range . The bite was similar to that of a tight lipped walldad! If you didn't stay in complete contact with the bottom and your bait, you wouldn't feel a thing. I was using plastic crawfish and crawlers. No go on the rap. Hopefully with the warmer air approaching, the bull bronzebacks will once again become aggressive! Good luck and keep the rods a bendin'!!!!!!! Hopefully not on snags!!!!! Jim W

[Jim W]

Caution to those of you fishing for late fall small mouth in area streams and rivers. Areas that have adjoining trout waters are going to be filled with trout. The lower river levels combined with colder water temperatures has brought the trout into bass water. Last evening I waded a favorite river for bronzies. All I caught were trout!(All trout were immediately returned)! In fact 1 measured 19 1/2 inches long. On the very next cast, a considerably larger trout boiled and followed my rap right to my feet. This fish made the 19 1/2er look small! I'm guessing in the 24 inch range! I know rules are rules, but for someone like myself who RARELY keeps a trout, an extended catch and release wouldn't be all that bad. Tell me what you think! I realize that the brown spawns in the fall, but why not immediately after the spawn or right up to. I know it varies stream to stream, but if I can catch trout on a NON designated trout stream, should the same rules apply?

[uffdapete]

There is a lot of debate within the DNR about allowing catch and release during a closed season. Enforcement is understandibly against it, and biologists and managers would like to at least try it. I don't think there is much enforcement can do, if you're in an undesignated trout stream, not intentionally fishing for trout (how does one define that?) but catching and releasing them anyhow. I think ethical fishermen need to lead the way on this one in discussion and practice. Personally I've caught and released a number of trout out of season in undesignated waters without intentionally fishing for them and have mixed feelings about that, just because I'm not sure how much stress that puts them under when they are trying to feed heavy before winter.

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[Jim W]

Thanks for your comments uffdapete!! I'm no biologist, but I know for a fact that the trout I caught and released last evening were no worse off, even following dramatic out of water displays!! Brown trout are more delicate than non-trout species, yet in cold Fall waters, a quick catch and release(I believe) does little or NO harm to them! We can catch a variety of fresh water fish that are on their spawning beds; crappies, bluegill, northern pike to name a few. Why are trout so special!?( A tad bit of "devils advocate").
Don't get me wrong out there, I by no means want to do harm to a wonderful fishery, but is the current Trout seasons really justifiable? What about Iowa's year-round season? Help me out here people! I think with the outrageous trout stamp fee increase I should have the opportunity to catch and keep a trout when I feel like it,especially on "nondesignated" trout waters!!
Those who know me and have fished with me, understand that I practice catch and release almost to a point of fault. Should I be the only one(am I)who keeps trout in a system, then when it comes time to catch a trophy of a lifetime be denied!!!??? Wow!! I'm getting worked up, better get back to work!!!! Keep the rods a bendin', hopefully not on snags!!!!! Jim W

[uffdapete]

I agree with having the opportunity to fish out of the traditional seasons and being able to maximize the license and stamps. I just didn't know how much it stressed them. It sure seems like they're fine when you release them, unless they take them real hard. Why a trout or any fish would take a Rapala hard is beyond me, but occasionally they do.
Hope to get out this Sunday afternoon for a while on the Root, so hopefully we'll connect sometime. I'd like to learn more about Texas rigging plastic crawfish. I've had fabulous success at times with Rebel's plastic craw crankbait, but it's not as consistent from day to day as a minnowbait. The Rebel also has worked well for me for smallies on Rainy Lake on the Canadian border at certain times of the year. There seems to be a period in mid-June up there when most of the game fish population just goes on a tear for crawfish.

Again, what a great website.

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