Zumbro River in Rochester

The Kids caught a couple smallies and said one was a small female that still had eggs. They caught them on white power grubs.

where at on the zumbro? i dont need the “secret spot” bt if you could give me a landmark that is by it that would be appreaceated. i fished up and down the zumbro river a few days ago with nothing but a carp.

Ben,
I’ve never tried it, but I’ve heard that if you walk the river near the golf course in town you may run into some smallies. I have caught smallies at the 37th Street Bridge, just below the Silver Lake Dam and also out on West River Road just past the old landfill.
Also below the Silver Lake Dam I have caught crappie and northern. There’s fishin to be done in town. Ya just need to stick with it.

Lew gave some good starting points there……..pretty much anywhere BELOW the silver lake dam will holed smallies. They should be going pretty hot and heavey here pretty quick. Just find the deeper water with some rocks and throw small craw colored cranks or a light jig w/ a white twister tail. You should also start catching oodles of small white bass in about a month……..nothing big, but still fun.

My personal biggest smallie from the “In Town Strech” is 18 1/2″ . If you’re looking for bigger variety of quality fish you have to hit the strech from the power dam to Zumbro Falls

Try rapalas on the stairs below Silver Lake dam (behind the rv campground) pay attention to the eddy and cast upstream and work against the eddy current. You might want to tie on a steel leader cause the toothie critters show up some days. For some other Smallie action try Tube jigs in any of the fast water that you see or try a Mepps in the head or tail of any fast water. Silver Lake can be hot for Large Mouth bass underneath any of the Oak trees (many branches have fallen in over the years) use spinner baits or slow twitch a floating rapala. Silver Lake also has that erosion control mat that has developed many undercuts but it is very unforgiving if you hang up on it.

thanks fr the pointer guys!!

I would like to point out that there is no “deep” water below the rocks that lie below the Silver Lake Dam. The deepest point may be about 5 feet and that is a very small hole. Everything else is two to three feet. Don’t use deep diving raps and expect to stay snag-free.

Was out tonight and just at darkness(well the street lights helped me see a little) Caught 10 smallies mostly 12 to 14 inches with the last fish being 19 (it was kind of skinny maybe 4 lbs). Was using B-Fish-N Tackle Ringworm Oystershell with a black 1/4 ounce jig. Just letting it drift through a small tailwater.

That’s a darn good report from a little river that runs right through Rochester!

Hey uglystick007,

Thanks for the report! I think many of us never give the water right in town much of a chance, but there is some quality fishing (and catching) to be had!

God Fishing,
Mike

Just goes to show you don’t always have to go far to catch good fish. Everyday people drive right by good fishing spots and don’t even realize it. Yep, the grass IS green on this side of the fence too. Thanks, Bill

Was out at dusk tonight fishing the Zumbro in Rochester. My son caught a 19.5″ Smallie on a 4″ dark green Storm Rattlin tube. He thought he had snagged another rock and then he had some fun. We only caught 2 fish but it sure was worth the effort.

Great Fish! Were you above or below the Broadway D@m (bridge)?