Top 5 Smallmouth Fisheries

[Guest]

What are everyone's favorite smallmouth fisheries. I'm just curious to where everyone else likes to fish for smallies. Thanks.

Here are mine:
1)Lake of the Woods(Eastern end towards Lobstick)
2)Mississippi River(Southern MN)
3)Mille Lacs Lake
4)Rainy River(Baudette)
5)Rum River(Fall)

Heres a picture of some smallies a buddy and I caught last August on Lake of the Woods.

Good Fishing, Matt.

[DARK30]

I LIKE THE OTTER TAIL RIVER THE BEST. THEN THERES THE MISSISSIPPI NORTH OF ST.CLOUD TO LITTLE FALLS. THE ROOT RIVER SYSTEM IN S.E. MN. IS GOOD, ALTHOUGH ITS THE TROUT I'M NORMALLY AFTER.

I DON'T GET ON LAKES MUCH BUT GREEN LAKE AT SPICER MN. HAS BECOME A GREAT ONE.

I CAUGHT ONE DANDY SMALLIE LATE LAST SUMMER ON THE BLUE EARTH RIVER SOUTH OF MANKATO. THAT WAS UNEXPECTED AND I DON'T THINK THERE ARE MANY IN THERE.

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Guest]

Here's an Iowegian response...

*** Maquoketa River (Delhi to Hopkington) - has been protected as a total C&R stretch for many years with fish to 22". Beautiful scenery, too!
*** Woosley Lake, Ontario (between Beaverhouse Lake & Lac LaCroix in the "Three Mile" area)

DARK30,
My wife and I have a place just 1 1/2 miles north of the Ottertail River NE of Fergus Falls a few miles. Can I politely ask where you're seeing smallies in the OT River? It appears to be a rather well-kept secret.

FLB

[smallies24]

The best smallmouth fishing I've had has been in rivers. I like to fish various places on the St. Croix and Mississippi. Nothin' is more fun than a bronze back when he gets inot some good current.

[DARK30]

FRECKLED LB
MY "SECRET" SPOT ON THE OTTER TAIL IS BELOW THE ORWELL DAM. IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO ORWELL FISHING, I'D SAY GIVE IT A TRY! I USUALLY FISH IN MY WADERS AND THROW A SILVER/BLACK 2" SHAD RAP (IT COULD BE DANGEROUS CLOSE TO THE DAM). SHORE FISHING IS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. THERES SMALLMOUTH ALL THROUGH FERGUS FALLS, EVEN DOWNTOWN. ALL SMALLMOUTH MUST BE RELEASED IN THAT AREA TOO.

MY WIFES FOLKS ARE FROM FERGUS SO I COULDN'T HELP BUT FIND PLACES TO GO!

THIS YEAR I WANT TO "FLOAT" DOWN FROM ORWELL TO SEE WHAT I CAN FIND DOWNSTREAM.

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Guest]

I don't know if these are the top but some of my favorite places for smallies is Ole'Miss north of Monticello,St.Croix,Namakan and Mille Lacs.

[berfish]

Mine are:
1. Mennominie River- Wisconsin and Michigan border river.
2. St. Croix River- North of Taylors falls. No bigs boats though.
3. Mississippi River- North of St. Cloud
4. Boundry waters- Trout lake north of vermillion
5. Potato lake- By Detroit Lakes

[Grabs]

Dennis, I really wanna do some smallie fishin' this summer. I need to gear up for the smallies on Vermillion!!

[Guest]

Jim W, two of the fish were eaten and the other two are in the process of being mounted along with a 6 pounder. I agree, we released most of our fish but kept a few for shorelunch.
Good Fishing, Matt.

[guideman]

There are so many good ones, if I have to pick the top five these are the best in my opinion.
1. Lake of the Woods.
2. Vermilion.
3. Mille lacs.
4. Mississippi river.
5. Rainy Lake.
6. St. Croix river.
7. Women lake.
8. Rum river.
9. Ash river.
10. Lake Minnewaska.

All of these not only offer you numbers
of fish but a real opportunity to catch
a trophy size fish.

Sorry for picking 10.....I tend to get carried away when I talk about fishing for smallies.
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Terry Sjoberg
Ace guide service.
Beautiful Lake Vermilion.
aceguideservice.com

[This message has been edited by guideman (edited 03-05-2002).]

[LaVoi]

beerfish- where is Potato lake. I was looking on the DNR HSOforum and the closest one to Detroit Lakes was north of Park Rapids, is this the one you are talking about?? LaVoi

[smallies24]

There is a Potatoe Lake in Park Rapids with excellent smallmouth fishing. There are a couple of sunken islands and couple of bars which produce a lot of nice fish. It gets quite a bit of fishing preasure for walleyes and smallies, which makes it hard to fish at times. I've taken some nice bass out of there in the post spawn period.

[Guest]

What does a smallmouth taste like?

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/

[LaVoi]

D-man- we kept a couple smallies in Canada last year to try. In beer batter they tasted really good, but I strongly believe now that all smallies should be released. I had the best smallmouth fishing ever in Canada last summer, but they are not as prevalent in Minnesota so we need to protect those that we do have. Some lakes in Minnesota have put a "no kill" regulation on them. I hope more continue to do so. Just my two cents. Good fishin, LaVoi

[trophyhunter]

I'll second that on green lake. Also don't forget rainy lake.

[Jim W]

I see your holding 4 fish. I am assuming they were kept and eaten? I hope you understand that I and a lot of others are smallmouth fanatics, so don't take my ribbing personally please! Just want to have those "great" smallmouth fisheries around for my boy!

ANyway, DARK30 brings up a good one with Green Lake in SPicer. The smallmouth have become quite the deal there.

I have spent most of my adult life in pursuit of the Root River smallmouth in SE MN.
Dark, you have to come along sometime.

Let those smalies bend your rod!!!

Jim W

[Guest]

The states top smallmouth fishery is Pleasant lake in North Oaks until the police escourt you out. On a more legal and public note: I have fished many rivers and lakes and pound for pound Mille Lacs has been the best i have seen. My partner boated a 7 pounder a couple of weeks ago through the ice on Mille Lacs. The picture should be in the Outdoorsman Weekly. JIM W/ you'll have to come up to Mille for some SM topwater action.

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MILLE LACS AREA GUIDE SERVICE
651-271-5459 http://fishingminnesota.com/millelacsguide/

[Jim W]

D-man,
I'd be ALL over that!! Just give me the heads-up and I'll be on the road!!
Surface fishing smallmouth is indeed a hoot!!!

Jim W

[GullGuide]

Here are my top five in no particular order-
1) Mille Lacs
2) Green
3) Deer
4) Minnetonka
5) Mississippi, St Cloud to Brainerd

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>"////=<
Gull Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/gullguide
Brainerd-Mille Lacs-Willmar
Bemidji-Ottertail

[Guest]

Jim W,

Judging by your posts, you must be located somewhere in the Albert Lea area? I know it's tough for Minnesotans to "go south", but the Maquoketa River is not too far from you...maybe 180 miles or so? Unfortunately, it's about double that for me). The stretch I mentioned is in Delaware County just South of the town of Manchester (about 45 minutes east of Waterloo). You can get a little more info at the DNR web site at this link
http://www.state.ia.us/government/dnr/organiza/ppd/canoe/maquoket.pdf

I enjoy reading your river smallie fishing posts.

FLB

[Borch]

I'd rank them in this order. I am by no means a smallmouth fanatic but truely enjoy them on the end of my line.

1. Mille Lacs Put back a 21.5" last summer
2. Green Lake(spicer) Great Smallmouth Lake
3. Missippi St. Cloud to Monticello
4. Koronis(Paynesville)Oh Baby!!!!
5. Rice Lake. I've really caught some really nice smallies here the past two years.

The 21.5" on Mille Lacs is still there. Didn't even cross my mind to keep her. Then again I was fishing for eyes at the time pulling lures at night on the reef! A big smallie jumping in the moon light. Very nice!

[This message has been edited by Borch (edited 03-06-2002).]

[Sartell Angler]

I fish smallies a lot in the summer. I would rank them as follows, without any particular order:
1. Mississippi River, St.Cloud Area
2. Lac La Croix in the BWCA
3. St. Croix River
4. Mille Lacs
5. Sauk River is good too

I am normally strictly catch and release for smallies, but we did keep a few 'pounder fish while in the BWCA during the last two summers. We caught one after another last year on Shell Lake in the BWCA, right where Little Shell runs into Shell Lake. It was almost too easy. We'd just put a leech down and BAM, there it was. There was a total of 6 of us in 2 canoes and at one point, all 6 of us had on nice smallies. Great memories!!

Happy fishing, S.A.

[mpete54]

What about the St. Louis river in Duluth?

[Jim W]

Hey guys,
I am truly curious to know how many of these Smallmouth rivers you mentioned are wadeable?
All season? Of course, take away high water or Spring flooding if I have to.

I am always looking for and fishing new water and you guys have given me some great ideas. Thanks to all!!!

Jim W

[Jim W]

Freckled Lady,

Actually I am located in SPring Valley, MN, further East and SOuth. I am pretty much sitting on top of the head waters of several SE MN streams and rivers!

Thanks for the kind words and information. That is what this site is all about. Fisherman exchanging good info and decent, friendly words of encouragement!

Jim W