Late fall wading for smallmouth, anyone?

Just wondering, as of late, if I am one of the few people who take advantage of wading for bronzebacks?

I have heard great reports for the upper Mississippi and it’s wonderful fall wading/fishing. Also, some on the Blue Earth River as well, who wade for smallmouth.

I can enjoy it by myself, but it sure is nice to exchange info with others. I’m ready and waiting to learn, fish and share info with others as well as exploring new waters!

So if you have shore fished the Mississippi, Blue Earth, Root, Cedar, or where ever, don’t be shy, hop on and let’s get the smally talk going!

It won’t be much longer and I’ll be ice fishing. So I need my fix of smallmouth before reality sets in!

Jim W

Hey Jim,

The fishing on the cedar down here in Iowa has been pretty productive the last couple of weeks. I’ve been catching good numbers of 12-15″ smallies the last few times out, as well as good numbers of smaller walleyes in the 13-17″ class. 1/8 ounce bucktail jigs and casting cranks has been working best for me. I am really looking forward to the next two or three weeks when the pigs really start to go on the fall feed.

Keith

Hey Keith,

SOunds like your on them!! What brand/style of cranks and bucktails do you throw at em’? Have you ever tried the Rebel crawfish crank? What about plastics? The more I hear about it, sounds like I am going to spend some time fishing the Cedar next year(or maybe yet this Fall!!!). Keep the info and smally talk coming!!!

Let them smallmouth bend your rod!!!

Jim W

Hey Jim W, I”m not Kieth but I do love fishing smallies&wallys on the Cedar. The rebel crawdad is one the top producers but ya gotta use the small shallow runners or your”e not gonna have em long. Other years when we had more water wiggle warts were hard to beat along with shadlings all in fire tiger type patterns. This year has been different, the best baits by far have been #5 shad raps and #4 risto raps both in natural patterns, silver or gold. Fall fishing seems to getting better every year in our neiborhood, some of our smalleys are running 16 inches, pretty good for an inland river where 12 inch fish are legal. On a side note, no one I fish with keeps bass from the cedar, we do however keep a walleye or two for supper on occasion. I dont fish the Cedar much any other time of year except fall and when I have given it a try in the summer I can”t get the smalleys or walleyes to go with any consistency. From Sept. 1 on till freeze up it”s a great river, no Mississippi, but great in its own right. B

I gotta agree with Keith. If I was asked where to go to catch Smallies, the Cedar would be the river of choice. I always fished it up until a few years ago and the bass would average about shoebox size. My favorite stretch was between Otranto and St. Ansgar Iowa. There are a couple of great places just below Austin too.

Now I think I’m getting excited!

Has anyonre spent time on the cedar river above the Mittchel dam to Halverson park? I have caught some real pigs on that strtetch of river when i used to live in IA. The big cedar is an awsome smallmouth fishery!

Dustin

Hey Jim,

I use Rebel crawfish cranks all the time. They are a great smallmouth bait. I won third in a smallmouth tournament in September and most of my fish came on the Rebel. I also like shad raps, risto raps, rattlin’ rapalas, model A bomber, whatever I find that works. I get most of my bucktails from a friend of mine that ties them up. For plastics I like throwing tubes, grubs, and texas riggin plastic craws . They all work great at certain times. How about you what do you like?

The Little Cedar also offers some good smallmouth fishing. If you can find some holes with deeper water.

I would have to agree that the rebel craw is “old reliable” for me. I have had the same one for 13 years and when the fish aren’t biting, out it comes. I have caught smallmouths, largemouths, walleyes, sunfish, bluegills, crappies, channels, flatheads, and a few fish that even a certified biologist probable couldn’t identify (give me a break, we’re talking Iowa here), all on that one crank. Don’t know what I’ll end up doing if I lose it someday.

I have had the good fortune to fish the Cedar from Austin all the way into southern Iowa. Up until this year I primarily targeted catfish, and still do from CR south. I had some excellent luck smallmouth fishing up near the border (in-laws live in Austin) on the Cedar and a few good days on the Maquoketa as well this year, and can probably consider myself an addict at this point.

Seems like us ‘Southerners’ should compare notes on Iowa waters more often.

Hey Keith,

Time of year, water clarity, prevelant sunshine, temps etc. all play into what works best for me. I like to bring a variety of bassin’ stuff, switching when things get slow on one. I have quite the routine I go through when fishing smallmouth. I probably switch too often. Start flashy for aggressvie fish then work my way into the slower presentations. When they are on, nothing beats a #9 original floating rap getting hammered! My favorite would have to be the 3 inch Texas rigged plastic crawfish!! 75% of my smallmouth 18 + have come on the crawfish! Whose to say those fish might have come on other presentations as well.

I’m curiuous about the water conditions of the Cedar, especially on her top half. The last couple of seasons has witnessed SE MN smally waters, taking longer to clear and staying cloudier than normal. I’m concerned about the depletion of CRP and such and it’s effects on these wonderful ecosystems!

Keep the info coming people!!

Jim W

Jim,

I think we are having the same problems with water clarity down here.I don’t know how many people I talked to this year that couldn’t believe how dirty the river was. I have never seen the Cedar as dirty as it was this year, especially for as low as the water was this year. I witnessed certain parts of the river unfishable because the water looked like choclate milk. I know there has been a decrease in CRP down here I wonder if that is what is making the water so dirty. Certainly there has to be other contributing factors as well.

Beautiful afternoon yesterday and I was finally able to get a 1/2 day off from work to enjoy it. I tried the main branch of the root and caught 7 trout but couldn’t come up with any smallies. Is it just getting too late for the smallmouth here in SE MN, was it just one of those days, or does it vary depending on the section of stream you pick? I’m new to fishing the root for smallmouth (I have always fished the zumbro in the past), but the reports on this forum have gotten my interest.

Hey Mark,

Good to hear from ya again! This time of year, you will often run into the transition period, where the temps drop, trout spawn and the smallmouth take a little time adjusting. However, this won’t last long and the smallmouth should be on like gangbusters any time now! Don’t get sucked into fishing “trouty” water! Fish the slower, larger runs and deeper rock lined holes. Or deep holes with a ton of rock and cover(dead falls, log jams). It’s very easy to stay on where you find active trout, but this isn’t where the smallies will be this time of year. Time to switch gears a little.

Where/what part of the “Main” Branch of the Root were you fishing? Try the two large holes just down stream from where Torkleson Creek dumps in to the Main. I’ve had very good success there this time of year! If you would like more spots, let me know!

Keep the rods bendin”, all year long!!!

Jim W

I was fishing near moen’s bridge. I thinks that’s the second bridge downstream from hwy 52. Since I have never canoed the root, I really didn’t know where there might be some nice pools. I basically just picked a spot and waded in. Thanks for the advice. Hopefully there is still some good weather left this year.

I cant believe all these posts on SMB in the Cedar…. back when I lived in Iowa the Cedar was just not too good…. I have a feeling the CRP plan did indeed make quite a difference… and the loss of it will make a difference too…… I only had luck on tributaries to the Cedar, like the Shellrock and any of the decent sized creeks…. its great to hear that things have changed for the better….. gives me hope for a lot of other rivers……. for one, I hope they are able to fix up the Minnesota river…. it could be a GREAT fishing river I think…. and in fact (come to think of it) it IS in many ways…. but I think it could be better still with improved water quality……

Good to hear from ya Rivereyes, been a while!

thanks…. its good to be back!….

The MN DNR stocked the Cedar river with smallmouth fingerlings in 98 and 2000. Maybe that is making a difference.

Well, I’m hoping to get into my waders again this weekend. If I can swing it, I will definitely fill everyone in. I am concerned about the smallmouth fishery in the North Branch of the Root River. Let’s just hope it’s paranoia!?

Good luck all!

Jim W

Hi Jim, I’ve been out four times in last two weeks. Mainly down around Whalan. Bass have been so-so but oh boy have the walleyes and sauger been active! Best bass around 2 1/2. Walleyes 17 and 18″. Sauger 14 to 17″. They really like my little jigs! I think I’ve kept four or five sauger for meals. Try to keep the “skinny” ones. Hate seeing those eggs. Hope to get out more after deer season. Hope weather holds a little longer. I’ll let you know how it goes. JLK

jeffleek,

Good to hear from ya again!! I’ve never really targeted them white-tips down there, but I might have to soon. The way my Fall has transpired has kept me from wading as much as I would like. However, it’s reports like your that keep me going!! Thanks and let me know how you do!!

Jim W

Made it down to the north branch for a couple hours on Sat. All I could manage was one 8 inch smallie. I should have been doing some work around the house, but the weather was too nice to waste on that. Just a great day to be out if you don’t mind hearing gun shots all around you. Hopefully I don’t look too much like a deer.

Hey MArk! Let’s cross our fingers for a continuation of this fine weather we have been enjoying. I’m sure the deer hunters won’t say that, but I ain’t deer hunting.lol!

Thanks for the info!!

Jim W

I was able to sneak out one last time yesterday. Another beautiful day, and I didn’t hear a single gun shot so I felt a little more comfortable. I also remembered to wear my orange vest this time. After reading the talk about crayfish, I dug through my tackle and managed to come up with a couple double tail mister twisters. I fished a section of the main branch that I had fished earlier with no success, but this time I managed to catch 3 smallies on the twisters. Nothing huge, but all were from 12 – 14 inches. Unfortunately I couldn’t Texas rig the twister tails on the jigs I had. I worked hard to get out quite a few snags, but they were gone within the first 45 minutes. I had to resort back to spinners and rapalas and never caught another one. I also tried single tail twisters, but didn’t have any luck with those either although the single twister tails I had were all 2 inches instead of 3.

I’ll have to stock up on crayfish for next fall. What size crayfish works the best around here?

Hey Mark,

Thanks for the report! I like the 3 inch crawfish (hard to find locally). They are much easier to do the Texas Rig thing! In fact, it is almost like they were made for each other. When rigged with a 1 ot off-set hook, the 3 incher lays very flat, complimenting the length of the 1 ot hook! However, you can use 4 inchers and simply bite off( for heavens sake don’t swallow it! lol) an inch or so. SOmetimes the bigger head and pinchers triggers larger fish!

Keep in mind, that when working crawfish, it is imperative to maintain contact with the bottom. This will help in decreasing snags and loss of gear! Bass will sometimes take them on the move and while they lay still! Once you figure that particular day’s bite, make the appropriate adjustments to your retrieve speed.

THanks again Mark! I’m looking forward to getting out on the Root next year with you!!

Keep the rods bendin’!!!

Jim W

Jim,

In an earlier post you said you were concerned about the smallmouth fishery on the north branch. What did you think was wrong? Did you ever decided if it was true or not?

MarkP,

No I haven’t had the opportunity to really delve into it. In fact, it looks more like next Spring before I can REALLY put some time into it. My concern is the smallmouth population in the North Branch! I have witnessed a noticeable decrease in decent to trophy size fish. In past years(as recent as last year), I had no problem catching a 17-18 inch smallmouth just about everytime out! This year I caught one all year!!!! Granted, I didn’t get out 3-5 times a week like last year, but It wasn’t much less!

I witnessed the DNR stocking the North Branch a couple years ago with fingerling(3-4 incher) smallmouth and small catfish. However, the last couple of Springs the North Branch has endured hurrendous flooding! I noticed large amounts of crawfish killed with stream scouring occuring! I imagine this coupled with other factors(yet to be determined) have impacted smallmouth populations! I’m hoping next Spring will bring to rest my worries!

Thanks for asking!

For those of you out there that fish the Root River system, take note! Observe your daily catch while practicing catch and release!

Jim W

Jim, what is your best late, late fall location for smallies in these smaller rivers such as the Root, Upper Iowa, etc? And preferred techniques? I like the small crawfish plastic you discussed earlier but just wondered how to go about it as I have not done alot of late November smallie fishing. Thanks.

Hello bigdog10!

If you know of a stretch of river that is typically slower, rock lined(not necessarily the whole run), has decent cover in and around a larger hole( generally a hole that reaches 6ft. +) it should harbor fish staging and adhering to wintering patterns!

The aforementioned holes need to keep the fish warm(er) throughout the winter. So depth, cover and few addtional factors play key roles in becoming a late, late fall smallmouth potential. A couple of those other factors is the shoreline and what to look for.

If a hole has some sand and mud along with rocklined shores, I bet there are some hungry bass in there. The shore plays a very important role. The sand and mud help warm the shallower water, increasing the production of food supply, like minnows, microbes, shrimp and crawfish as well. And with the little current in these holes, the warmer water can mix well with the cooler waters flowing through. By no means are these saunas, but the most subtle changes can effect the fish.

The depth is key too! I highly doubt(but not impossible) you will find smallies in the shallow/faster current in the late, late Fall! You probably will end up catching trout, at least in the Root River system. So look for the slow/meandering stretches of your favorite stream, while keying on structure laiden holes and runs.

Downed trees, submerged boulders, steep mud undercut banks are all favorite hiding places of the smallmouth. However, they won’t just be hiding, they will cruise the whole aforementioned stretch. Speaking of cruising, the smallmouth has been documented traveling many miles of river in a 24 hour period, in search of that perfect hold up for the long winter months ahead.

Another factor that plays a key role in success during “late, late Fall” smallmouth fishing, patience and their bite. This bite generally is a lot less aggressive and not as easy to distinguish from your bait bouncing the rocks. When drifting or placing(laying) plastics in the Fall, no slack is key when setting into a fish! However, I like to sometimes create slack in my line while my 3 inch crawfish drifts or sits. This assists two things. One, the bronzie( in SE MN I call them “greenies”) won’t feel me when he sniffs and picks the crawfish. Two, the additional slack permits me to observe my line twitch or move when the fish grabs hold! Reel in the slack, trying not to let him know your there, then SLAM!!! He’s on!!!

Remember patience is extremely important this time of year. If everthing falls into place, and you feel like you have found the right hole, fish it a little longer! In fact, talk yourself out of leaving the first time it comes to your mind!!!

Keep the rods bendin’!!!

Jim W

you been on the Root lately? Am thinking would be good to get out soon. Too cold now?