I am currently living in Platteville wisconsin(which is in the southwest corner) and this past fall i was able to do alittle lightweight tackle fishing on the platte and little platte river. These bodies of water are just big streams. But they do hold ample amounts of smallmouth between 6-12 inches. If anyone has any experience or suggestions about fishing such waters drop a line.
kevin
Hey Kevin, I don’t fish the Platte alot but I have tangled with a few smallies on the Grant which is very similar to the Platte. Normally I’m fishing for trout but have caught quite a few smallies on Rapalas and Rebel Wee Rs by accident. I know alot of people have had success with an oldie but a goodie, the ole Beetle Spin. What have you been using?
Natureboy – The waters I fish most frequently are also full of 5 to 13 inch bass with the occassional 17 to 19 inch smallmouth bass. I’ve used both medium light gear and ultralight gear. With the ultralight gear you may find that you have your greatest success using crappie tubes and twistertails on crappie jigs. With the medium light gear I used 1/8 oz jigs and the smallest twister tails I could find. I prefer the jigs with plastic over spinner baits because it allows me to swim the lure through the water and not just drag it by. You’re bound to get multiple suggestions, but this is what works for me.
I’ve been using a brown beetle spin as well as some small pop-rs. I also tried some inline trout spinners but they just didn’t produce the fish i wanted. I have heard live bait works well, but i just don’t think thats my style. I’ve thought about even throwing medium tackle with a crayfish plastic up in the deep holes where timber is present but haven’t gotten around to it.
Small water smallies sure are fun! My 4 favorite lures are, in no particular order, a 3″ grub, black or motor oil. A 4″ purple plastic worm, a crayfish colored crankbait, rebel crayfish or fat raps are good, and inline spinners, my favorites are panther martins, but the hooks aren’t the best on them. Mepps are good to, and ive been expirementing with the super bow spinners a little bit too. Original rapalas have there days to, ive caught a ton on beetle spins, just depends on the day I guess. My personal best is a 21″er out of a stream no more than 30′ wide, talk about a rush.
How early in the year can you catch fish?
If your talking stream smallmouth the first saturday in May is the opener in Wisconsin. They do bite earlier, alot of sucker fisherman report large catches of smallies in April, but you cannot legally fish for them until the opener in May.
If you ever get to iowa, we can fish year round. I have caught some beauty’s in the spring, but from mid summer to fall seems to be my most consistent bite. Good luck.
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