Dormant Smallies.

I was exchanging email with a pal and he made mention of a guide telling him that in the next couple weeks the smallies will go dormant. Can anyone explain what this guy might have been thinking…..-grin-
The Guide was from River Bottom Charter Service.
jc

Uuuuhhhhh, dormant? Maybe he meant hibernate? You know, like bears….lol

Funny thing… we catch all those “dormant” smallies throughout the winter. They’re not as active, they don’t jump… but fish gotta’ eat. There’s so many wive’s tales in fishing we could talk about a new one each day and never cover them all in a life time. Another of my favorite’s is how pike stop biting mid-summer because they lose all their teeth at the same time and their mouths are sore. Yeah, OK. Big pike are very thermally intolerant and move deep to seek relief from warm temps in shallow water… where all the pike fisherman continue to fish throughout the summer with poor results…. until the larger pike “miraculously” grow a new set of choppers and start biting shallow again… ironically, about the same time that the water temps start to drop each fall.

And as far as the next couple of weeks go… it might be a little “early” for the best of the shallow rip rap bite we usually see in November on ringworms and hair jigs. We’re targetting walleyes typically but some super nice smallies end up in the fray and we’re just that much happier for it.

A recent article in In-Fisherman talks about catching this reluctant biting smallmouth by the method of dragging tubes. I have done alittle of this, but am no expert. This technique is very popular on the reefs of Lake Erie.
On the river I would suggest dragging tubes or RC Tackle Craw Tubes. Kalins grubs on jigs also produce fish. You just let you line out, 25 yards or more and drag the tube on the bottom. This technique works well on flats that go from the bank out to the main river channel. For more reading on this the article is in the October-November 2002 In-Fisherman and is called Extreme Smallmouth and is by Steve Quinn.
You just have to change your tatics and slow down as the temperature drops.

If you are dragging tubes from the flats to the main river channel are you using 3oz weights? How are you managing boat control. What size line is recommended. would C-rigging be more efficient. What type of presentation are you going for, head down or gliding. What type if fish are you targeting from these flats towards the main channel. Is there supposed to be cover or are all these fish staging? What time of year are you catching these fish. Have you ever been bit dragging tubes from the flats towards the main channel?
I guess I am reluctant to believe in this technique as it relates to rivers. I am well versed in similar presentations in lake systems but am having a hard time trying to find places to duplicate this on the Big Muddy.
Jc

Pike losing there teeth…. What a stitch. Are they like shark where they grow back repeatedly while shedding the old ones? I had never heard this one. Funny Stuff.

It is my opinion (even though it contradicts cold blooded animal characteristics) is that the smallies are more aggressive in water from 40 – 60 and that 55 is just about my favorite time. I realize they must feed more often in warmer water but at the same time forage is much more abundant and I think the cold water temps just make them mean.
This is the exact reason I feel they eat chartreuse, they are just plain mean. –grin-
Jc

Pike lose their teeth, LOL. For some reason, I immediately thought of the Ruduloph the red-nosed reindeer cartoon where the “bumble” is de-toothed!!

Smallies going dormant? I don’t think they really slow down until the water hits the low 40’s. I think the smallies (and largmouths to a certain extent, and in certain instances) are very aggressive in water from 40-60 degrees. When the water is in this range, days are usually shortening in the fall, so bass instinctually “fatten” up for the hard water months, or lengthening in the spring, when bass are getting more active and trying to “energize” for the rigors of the spawn. Smallies are more of a “cold-water” species than largemouth, I think they are just more aggressive at this time. Another dormant issue, if they don’t bite in the cold water, how come bass are caught ice fishing. Were these fish “awakened” by the ice jig???? LOL

Jeremy,
I was just repeating the facts from that article. Those facts came from John Stears who guides around the Twin-Cities area.
A carolina rig wouldn’t be that bad, but since the smallies are not active, they don’t want a fast moving bait. They just want a bait scooted along the bottom. The article is pretty good, so if you have any more questions check it out for some good reading, when it is freezing this Sunday.

James,
you mentioned shallow rip-rap areas is where an occasional big fall smallie will show up. there is some great rip rap areas on the ‘Croix. what do you look for when going for the fall piggies on Pool 4? i’m fully geared on ringies and picked up some of fireflick’s hair jigs in the Spring.
fall has not been kind to me as far as smallies go. have only caught dink walldads and some cats.
thanks