Uffdapete and smallmouth!

[Jim W]

A tad bit late, but with the consistent and stable weather and extremely low water levels not much should change concerning the "bite".

Made it out for a few hours with Uffdapete on Friday evening, chasing some Root River smallmouth.

We managed many fish with few to get excited over! However, those few always make it worth while eh?
A lot of 1-3 year old fish. Water level's are approaching dangerous levels. I noticed stretches(fingers and branches) that no longer exist!! NO Gooood!

We caught smallmouth on everything from Original floating Rapalas to topwater in firetiger patterns(Thanks Wes for sharing that color....duh!!)

As evening wore thin, I scurried up a bank and "hung out" watching Wes cast his top-water. I noticed a surface and pointed it out. Wes made a bulls-eye and the nice smallmouth slammed his bait. Turned out to be a very nice 18 1/2-19 inch smallmouth!

SOrry didn't get you on that 20 incher Wes!lol

Things will only improve as we move into Autumn. Hope for some rain!

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[Down to Earth]

What size rapalas do you use when smallmouth fishing? Thanks.

Andy

[Jim W]

Down to Earth,

I usually use #9 and #11's when stream or river fishing for trout or smallmouth.
Rebel craw fish in the 3 inch crank bait is good and we also caught fish on the Rooster tail spinner in my favorite color, yellow bumble bee(1/8-1/6th oz).

Fish came out of wood, slack water and current areas. NO real specific pattern appeared..for me.

Forgot to mention, Uffda managed a keeper sauger as well! Very nice surprise!
Feel free to keep the questions coming.

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim

[uffdapete]

I can't say I was too disappointed with the one on the topwater - she even put on an arial display! Every time I get to release a bigger smallie like that it reminds me why fishing them is so much fun.

The sauger was a nice surprise. All and all a good afternoon and evening on a beautiful
river.

[penguin]

Jim and Uffdapete,
I also hit the Root and caught a few little ones (10 inches or so). Seemed to be very shallow. Still fighters though.
I started at the route 1 bridge and worked downstream. Ran into one other guy who said only the little ones could be found, and not many. Wondering if you guys went further out of town, or a different branch.
-Penguin

[Jim W]

penguin,

Did you fish at Fugels Mill? County 1? Not sure of route 1? I have caught some of my largest Root River smallies just downstream from the County 1 bridge. However, private and posted. A lot of the Root is private and posted.

I was not at Fugels.

Jim W

[penguin]

Jim W
County 1 is probably it. Went below the bridge where the left side is a cliff and the right side woods looks like people play paintball now (bunch of splats on the trees by where I was walking the water edge). It's past the turn to Maple Valley 1/4 - 1/2 mile...that sound right? Water seemed pretty brown. I may ask permission to wander by the golf course next. They were cool to let me bring my lab through the course to swim in the river on a few occasions.
-Penguin

[Jim W]

Penguin,

Just to clarify, there are three separate branches of the Root River that hold smallmouth.

The North (the one you were on) the Middle and Main(after Middle, North and South converge).

The South is managed for Trout Fishing!

All wonderful waters to wade! Please take care of these resources. I have spent many years fishing these branches and like them the way they are.

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

[This message has been edited by Jim W (edited 09-04-2003).]