Say I was planning a trip to your house, although it would likely never happen: tell me where we'd go for some fine smallmouth fishing. Why? JGW
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Say I was planning a trip to your house, although it would likely never happen: tell me where we'd go for some fine smallmouth fishing. Why? JGW
John,
Your almost here already.
The upper Mississippi. Granted it's not tthe prettiest smallie reive that we have here in eastern Minnesota, but it has fish that you wouldn't believe. I would say that a 14" is a small fish in this water. I've had many days where the average size is 18", with very good shots at 20"+ fish. These fish are used to living in a heavy current and they have broad shoulders to fight with.
Bring your bass gear with you, nothing smaller than a 7wt under any circumstances. Even with an 8 wt these fish will put a deep bend in your rod.
See you at Great Waters,
Kevin
Sorry the Russian is a "has been" river....used to be a GRAND smallie river. :wink: We would have to send you all the way to Oregon for "GOOD" smallie fishing. 8)
....lee s.
When toying with this thread I was thinking of Tim Hoschlag's "Small Mouth Fishing" book where he includes the 100 top smallmouth fishing rivers in the US. Seems like he has them in every state, and that isn't even scratching the surface. When I lived in Dubuque in the late 1960s I fly fished the Driftless rivers for smallies without even giving trout a thought. I don't even know if there trout in the rivers back then. Surely there must have been. Some of the most fun I've had here in the prairie was on the Minnesota, of all places, and our little creek here, Hawk Creek, both of which are on no one's maps whatsoever. Hoschlag told me one day that the substrate of the Minnesota in this area, which is just full of granite outcroppings, was before industrialized farming, prime smallie fishing. A flotilla of us who started out paddling the canoes for walleye ended up having a spectacular afternoon of smallie fishing on the Minnesota. It was fun and doesn't happen enough. JGW
We would go to an already over popular tributary of the Grand River where there is an area where you can catch dozens of 8" to 10" fish and other stretches where two or three fish an evening in the 15" to 20" range are possible.
The ST Croix!
Not because it's any better than the Mississippi, the Root or anywhere else in MN, but because, in my mind at least, the Croix is synonymous with small mouth.....hope to do it this year with or without you. :)
Connecticut river, because there are Smallies there!
jed
If I told ya I'd have to kill ya.
A medium sized river about 4 miles down the street from the house has loads of smallies and you'll never see another fisherman all day.
On my best day there I caught 83, but I was talking to a fella last week who fishes 20(?) miles down stream, he told me one day last summer he and his son caught over 300
My second choice would be the same as Jed's
The main branch of the Penobscot River in Maine may be the best smallmouth river in the country
I would have to agree with Namekagon. The Saint Croix would be my pick also.
Not because that is the best Smallie fishing around.
It's because you live to close to take you to my "Best" Smallie fishing. :roll:
white43, you'd get to fish the Umpqua River mainstem and also the S. Fork Umpqua for good smallmouth.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
MontanaMoose,
S. Fork Umpqua??? Where does this Fork come into the Umpqua? Is it very long? Where does it originate?
Do the Smallmouth migrate into it from the main river or is it stocked?
Thanks,
Doug :D
Doug,
Yes, and at the junction of the N. and S. forks, forming the mainstem...oh, about 20 minutes from the house.
Counting all the bends, I'll guess the S. Fork is prolly 40 miles to where one can't fish anymore....there are resident smallies plus more move in from the mainstem in a couple of months.
The S. Fork originates in the mountains to the N.E. of Canyonville if I'm not mistaken. I don't believe anyone would go to the trouble of stocking this drainage with smallies since it's becoming overrun with them. Pods of 1,000 have been sighted. Nice river. Needs fished by you.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
It sounds kinda SCARY! Like a bunch of Pihranas!!!!
I'll tie a rope to a tree and attach it to my waist, so if I fall in they won't GET ME!!!! :shock:
MontanaMoose, WHICH species of fish do you think is the best breeder, Brook Trout or Smallmouth?
Thanks for the information on the S. Fork!
Is it snowing where U R??
Doug :D
Good grief, it's snowing there? No, not snowing here..I wish it would though.
Careful which tree you tye yourself too...the man eating squirrels will just use it to drag you up into their nests to feed to their 12 lb. (at birth) cubs.
When you say best breeder between brooks and smallies, do you mean like technique?
:))
SQUIRRELS???? :shock:
WHICH FISH MAKES MORE BABIES????
Your not getting me in trouble!
Doug :oops:
My vote goes to the Penobscot, family has a camp ten minutes from there. We'll just say that it has been a while since I have even bothered to try and catch a trout in the state of Maine. Lots of fiesty fish, big and small.
Yes, I would take you personally or mark the best FF areas on a map.
What I would not do is publish an article in a magazine or on a web site.
Regards,
FK
It's a three hour drive but it has to be the Current River
Smallmouth I would guess...and you were born in trouble... :))
I have been wanting to try that for years on the Umpqua! When is the best time?Quote:
Originally Posted by MontanaMoose
Hey Alan, good hearing from you. Well, it can start anytime water temps have been up around 52degrees I think it is but I've caught them occasionally, (not worth the drive for you) when it's colder..like now even. I guess best would be starting end of April or beginning of May all the way to October...at times.
My favorite time is July when I can wet wade..I go early or late as standing in the sun gets brutal, big funny hat and all. Remind me in a pm in say a month and I'll let you know if I'm connecting yet. LMB's of course are another story. I fully expect to connect there at any time. March is a favorite. Hope some of this helps friend.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Thanks for your answer FINALLY!Quote:
Originally Posted by MontanaMoose
And I was born a good boy that WENT Bad.
Doug :cry:
My vote is also for the Penobscot.
I would definately head to the South fork of the New River here in NC.
Well Doug, I don't like to rush into things...ok, born good, turned bad... :)) Bad is bad ! Oh and hey, keep dat cheap suit of'n me ! :))
Cheerfully,
MontanaMoose
That's a OLD saying, do you know where it originated?
Was it the Mafia in the 20's?
Doug P.S. FO GETTA BOUT IT! :lol:
Cagney? Bogart? Robinson? Seems like it has to be from a movie. So you're there tomorrow, right?
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
:?: :shock: :!: :idea: :oops:
Not as good as it used to be, but still a terrific Smallie river the Susquehanna here in Pennsylvania.
Devils River just north of Del Rio, Texas. Only about 40 miles from the Mexican border. Fifteen years ago, Texas Parks and Wildlife stocked smallmouth in Lake Amistad on the border. The fish didn't particularly like the lake, but they ran up the Devils River and thrived. Average fish is 2-3 pounds! Lots of 5 pound fish. This river is considered by experts to be the most pristine water in the U.S.. 98% spring fed, the river fluctuates very little all year and and maintains temps from 60-70 degress year round. Very difficult access, but fishing pressure is almost non-existent. It is in the middle of the Sonoran desert, but what a fishery!!
That sounds like a dream come trueQuote:
Originally Posted by johnsonr1948
Same here Alan...where should we meet to check it out? Las Vegas?
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Mid Section of the Delaware River. The real good smaller ones ya gotta find yourself!! LOL Good Fishing!
Bob
Then we would start fishing for Stripers on Lake Meade and never leave... :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by MontanaMoose
Russ C,
I will have to agree with you on the New River. Havent fished sny of the NC sections but have spent quite a bit of time floating it well north of you in Va.
Will also have to add the James to this list,too. From Buchannan on down. Especially in the fall line at Richmond. Understand that the "locals" dont make that area too safe anymore to do any "rock hopping" these days.
And the Cowpasture--one of the headwaters of the James. Lot smaller stream but still holds a lot of smallmouth.
George
Yes, but it's all private property and I've heard that because of that access is fairly difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by fish4trout
That ruins my dreamQuote:
Originally Posted by Bill Blake
Rats, private property...mighta known !
Uh, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind Alan, but striper fishing would work well during the day !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
P.S. I have a new
secret smallie stream
I'll explore and report
on. Nope, can't name it..
too small.
Well, you can Kayak Devil's River but I understand that you have to be in pretty good shape and be well prepared for a long trip in an inhospitable environment.