smallies again!!

[SEwalleye]

I'm still pondering the smallie fishing around here!! I am wondering about the 18" smallies you guys talk about. How common or uncommon maybe, are they?? Would you say an 18" smallie is like a 24" browner?? Just wondering. Thanks

[Jim W]

SEwalleye,

An 18 inch SE Mn smallmouth is more common than a 24inch browner by far. Of course when you spend as much time as I do on the water, you catch a lot more.

In the heat of the good bite, It is not uncommon to catch at least one 18 incher every time out. That is if everything comes together. Very common to catch 15-17 inchers. If you are out on the stream/river and are catching a lot of small fish, stick with it!!!!! It won't be much longer and you WILL nail a big bronzie!!! As mentioned before, smallmouth are highly competetive! So those bigger fish can't sit idle for too long. If you can get them early in the season while some of the LARGE females are still hanging in/around the spawning beds, good possibility of a 20 incher!!! Now we are talking! However, A 20 incher isn't as common as an 18, but they are definitely out there!!!!! Keep the rods a bendin'!!! Jim W

[Guest]

SEwalleye

The secret to your success of catching 18+ inch smallmouth is passing the word of catch and release of the fighting smallie. The 15 inch smallie you catch today can be that 18 inch smallie if you set it free!

Catch and eat walleye for your physical health, catch and release smallies for your mental health.

Fish On!

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Big_Lew

[james_walleye]

2 years ago i pulled up on my favorite smallie hole and found a couple people fishing from the bridge. They had a 5-gallon bucket with 4 smallies in it...i would say from 12-15". Didnt make me very happy...most likey i had caught and released a few a those at least once.

[Jim W]

Good points guys, catch and release is EXTREMELY important, but let's not get into the catch and release "run-on" that seems to keep happening all over fishingmn.com!

In all of the many years that I have smallmouth fished, I have kept ONE fish! It sure tasted good!!!!!!!!!! With the advent of smally fishing "catching on", people should be educated about catch and release. If bronzie fishing disappeared, I would have a hard time validating my existence!!

So like with any species, keep the "eaters"(smaller fish) and let the more mature fish go. If I was to eat a smallmouth out of SE MN again(doubtful) I would keep the 10-12 incher, letting everything larger go. However, until it is mandated by state law, people have the right to keep fish. Those people are the ones who don't go out enough to really have an impact on the fishery anyway. Be kind to all who fish!!! (of course,excluding poachers)
Keep the rods bendin'!!!! Jim W

[MnSportsman]

Jim,
You said it! I agree with ya wholeheartedly. There are indeed some fine smallies to be had around here.

SEwalleye... Go back & check over some of the posts over the last month or so, & you will find something in your area for extremely good fishing. I never mentioned any of the places that I have on here to anyone but close friends before ,& I wouldn't send anyone to the places I have mentioned w/out having had great success there myself. Get out & explore these waters,
you'll be surprised at what ya find!
[i'm laid up right now with a bad knee, so keep postin', Helps me to not feel so bad about not getting out there to that great
"Church"[<<as I call it! ]
still "Wishin'I was Fishin'!!!

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Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 02-14-2001).]

[Guest]

I'm definately looking forward to the open water season. With the location tips I've picked up from the other Rochester forum boards, I hope to greatly improve my fishing experience this year.

Has anyone seen smallies in that creek just west of the golf course in Dodge Center? How about in the Straight River in Owatonna?

Any and all tips will be greatly appreciated.

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Big_Lew

[This message has been edited by Big_Lew (edited 02-14-2001).]

[MnSportsman]

Big Lew, that stretch by Dodge Center.. if I'm not mistaken by your description, is the upper end of the branch of the Zumbro that flows thru Mantorville & thus onto the stretch I described between OxbowPark(N. of Byron) to Genoa [Described in OldSpotsNew Spots] That whole branch is good! It has some trout & smallies in it. Have fun!
< I wasn't kiddin' about fishing a lot of water in S.E. Mn... >
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Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 02-15-2001).]

[Guest]

Thanks for the info MnSportsman. Sorry to hear you're laid up. Hope you're on your feet in time for wading season. What would you say has been your favorite or most effective lure in the SE waters for smallies? Most of my catches are on small jigs with twister tails, but I generally end up with just the smaller fish.

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Big_Lew

[MnSportsman]

Lew,
I don't really have a "favorite"lure. I use all different kinds. That's the "fun of it" for me.Checking out the whole tacklebox. <,That's why we buy ém ,right? >
But, I usually use some of the same techniques for Smallies on the rivers as I do for trout. I use a N.Crawler,with no or little weight(just enuff to get it down to where I want it. [i sometimes add an ïnline-spinner blade above the bait for smallies tho'] The hook size I use also varies, sometimes as small as a #10-#12, sometimes up to #4-#6. Generally not larger than that. I bury it inside the Crawler when I can, for less hangups & "natural feel",But
with the larger hooks I feed it thru so most of the shank is inside then bring the tip of the hook back into the worm.[for trout, Hellgramites & other baits are a different
story/manner]<< too much to type/many ways
As far as "lures" go, as I said, I use all kinds. Rooster-tails,Floating & countdown Rapalas,Spinners,Plugs,Poppers,etc. I try em all, I guess. I don't necessarily have a favorite.
I guess what I'm tryin ta say is.. Experiment & try em all, if you find that a particular stretch of water & a particular lure works the same each time, then that's great. I personally find that since each day we get is different, different currents,pools,eddies, falls,etc., Then different tactics to produce "bites or rises" is the way to go, Hence my trying ëverything! I realize I didn't really answer your ? directly. Sorry for that. If I HAD to take one "lure" tho', It'd probably be a rap, or a rooster-tail. << [ & then I'd probably wish I'd picked something else ]
< ... LOL, kinda hard ta nail me down on this one , Eh? >
Good Luck !

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Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!

[This message has been edited by MnSportsman (edited 02-15-2001).]

[Guest]

MnSportsman,

You and I must think alike. I end up taking the whole tackle box, using a variety of lures and then keep thinking I should have stuck to first lure I started with. This year I think I'll try a smaller tackle box and force myself to work what I have better.

Thanks for your tips.

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Big_Lew

[Jim W]

Great exchange of info gentlemen!!

However, I'm starting to believe there is a conspiracy to drive me crazy with all of the smallmouth talk!! Since the season opens over 3 months from now!!!

Mn Sportsman has a good point. You do and will need to explore and experiment on your own, coming up with a presentation of choice. This brings me to a idea called the "comfort" theory.

All fisherman, novice or professional end up becoming really comfortable using a particular presentaion for species of choice. The hard part is getting away from your comfort zone/presentation when the bite is slow!!

Many times on the stream/river, I find myself fishing the next day or so immediately following a "killer" smallmouth bite, ending up with nothing except a few deer fly bites.
As I'm fishing, I keep telling myself,"you know you should really try something different right now", but I don't! I'm just way too familiar and COMFORTABLE with the past success of what is on the end of my line!! After getting home, I call a friend and ask him what he caught them on and much to my "amazement" it's exactly what I thought, but didn't giver' a go when I had the opportunity!!
So what does this really mean? Good question? No real good answer except to keep these key factors in mind when creating your "favorite lure of choice":

1. What do the smallmouth in your stream usually feed on? What is their prey?
2. Where do the smallmouth usually hunt and/or find there food/prey?
3. What kind of structure and habitat is most conducive for a happy smallmouth home(rental apartment-smallies are on the move)?
4. What other environmental factors play a role in a good smallmouth bite; water temp, water clarity, level of stream/river, weather(cold front bite vs. high pressure bite)?
5. After looking at these questions, presentations will be matched with your answers!!!
6. It is NEVER consistent(at least not for long) when fishing smallmouth in a small-medium size stream or river.

I'll try to save you some time and money!
#9-11 floating rapalas, #3 crome or copper bladed Meps, most sizes of rooster tails(my "favorite" rooster tail for bronzebacks is the yellow bumble bee!!) Pop-r's by rebel and last but definitely not least, the 3inch plastic crawfish-Texas rigged with a 1/8oz. bullet weight and a 1ot Owner off-set hook!

There will be days where each and every presentaion will be needed! On other days you will get a sore arm using only one of your "favorites"!!

BRING ON THE SMALLMOUTH!!!!! Keep the rods bendin'!!! Jim W

[Guest]

Quick reply to smallie fishing. There is one key thing you left out that Al Linder always strains to get across. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION! Once you find the right location(i.e. rocky shores,brush piles, ect.) you will most likely find yourself a nice hole of smallies. I know from experience out on the Zumbro River every single time that i go out and fish for my desired spiecies(the ol' bucket mouth a.k.a Largemouth Bass) i tend to also find many many Smallies lurking with them. When i troll the shorelines i find that the smallies are a little deeper but just as easy to catch. I am usually out there using a 6" plastic Zoom lizard in the junebug color(kinda a almost purple color) texas rigged with a bullet weight. The actuall weight veries with wind speed on the lake for maximum presentation. But slowly working one of these lizards has produced too many fish to count. But my advice is to try what YOU think will work. Cause i mean we have thrown almost everything in that river and caught something. So just give it all a try and get yourself familiar with what you know and i guarentee you that you will catch fish.

[uffdapete]

Am looking forward to trying the 3" plastic craw - Texas rigged. Have used a 4" Berkley motor oil worm Texas rigged before with some success.
I will add a few more favorites. The Rebel Crawdad at certain times of the year is fabulous. I've used that before on Rainy Lake in mid-June and caught good (numbers and size) walleyes, smallies and crappies. That lake lends itself to that bait probably due to the amount of rocks that host a large population of crayfish. Have also done well from June thru mid-August on the streams around here on that bait.
Another Rapala I've done well on is #9 chartreuse (floating).
My personal favorite is a 3" motor oil plastic grub on a 1/8 oz. black jighead.
The right motor oil is hard to find - Berkley's motor oil is okay, but the best I've found are at a tackle shop in Waterloo!
There's usually an independent manufacturer at the gun show in Wells too that has a good motor oil color.
I've done well with 2 & 3" Berkley Power grubs, but they're usually not as consistent as the above. Last summer I did well with 2 & 3" Berkley power tubes, but quit using the 2" as the smallies were taking them too deep. I might try refining that system this summer if I can find a 1/16 oz. tube jig with a larger hook.
The tackle shops must be smiling all the way to the bank reading these posts! But they have to put food on the table too right?
I'll forward the notes from the Smallmouth Alliance (as soon as I get them) to anybody who would like them. Just send your e-mail address to me @: [email protected]

[Jim W]

Born to fish,

I believe my #3 three emphasizes "location" when I mention habitat! Besides, I don't think Al linder has ever waded for a smallmouth in his life!! Thanks for your added information. One question however, never really heard of "trolling the shoreline" on the Zumbro river before for smallmouth bass? PLease let us know how this is accomplished, especially if it is successful! Keep the rods bendin' JimW

[MnSportsman]

Jim, It's your ? to him , but I'm sure he meant along the shores of "Lake" Zumbro.Lot's of nice fish in that reservior. If not, then I want to know more too!

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Good Luck & Watch your bobber!
MnSportsman
Proud to be a member in good standing, of the
"Church of the Divine Wilderness"!
;)

[Guest]

Successfull? I would have to say very successfull! Ok this is kinda how we went about trolling the shoreline for them. Either we would put on a Rattlin' Shad Rap or a big fat crankbait. Either or work just fine. Then you find the deeper shorelines(20-30 feet) I usually end up trolling the side right up-river from fishermens-inn. It seems to have the most rock cover for the fish. And either i troll for about a hour in the area(upstream then back down) or i sit in that spot and throw either a bobber with worm or anything really that you like to use for smallies and determain if they are holding that area. But usually the Rattlin Rap or crankbait does wonders. Now as i will guanrentee fish i do not guanrentee LOTS of fish this way. You will most likely catch the bigger ones that are in there if you troll for them. It has worked for me so i say give it a shot and see what you can produce for yourself! Good Luck!