Croix for Smallies?

I’ve just joined this IDO site since it does seem to have an active group of people posting. Good thing compared to many other sites that post comments every other year!

Anyway, spend Saturday (8/14) on the Croix out of William O’Brien after reading a lot of how great that river is for Smallies. That was my first time on a river since I have always been a lake guy. Maybe that is why we struck out, but I’m hoping someone can comment on conditions there this weekend. We were told the water was up, but I dont know how that affects things.

We were doing gulp minnows, and leeches under slip bobbers, some rattlin rappalas that went close to bottom, and frogs in the muck of the backwater. I just cant believe we got nothing on such pretty water after four hours of working it. Thoughts? Thanks!

It’s fairly tough to catch Smallies from Williams O’brien on up to Taylors Falls stretch. The water is shallow in many spots and it requires some fairly long casting to catch fish or you need to camp on a prime spot for an hour or so. Shallow Shad Raps have been a good producer as well as smaller spinnerbaits. The smaller smallmouths are always in the currents behind structure. Carolina Rigs or drop shot rigs will do well too for more slack water or over sand/rock bars.

I think that stretch of river is littered with smallies but the river is not easy to navigate. The easiest way I know is to throw live crawlers on a plain hook and work the current breaks. I have caught a number that way over 18 inches. Even the smallest current breaks hold the fish. Rocks, logs, grassy shores.

I have had good luck with drop shot rigs in that area. A good back up has been a crawler harness drifted in the current.

shad raps, buzzbaits, walk the dog, hula poppers all casted to shore while trolling the edges of the river is how i do it it can be the differance in just color on any differant day just keep trying differant colors tell u find there hitting on you will have a good day

Thanks for the info everyone!