New Spot?

Jake, how’d that canoe trip go?

teacher pulled a fast one on us and changed our plans around a bit. today instead of taking the canoes we (all 30 of us) fished from shore by the 37th street bridge. we actually did o.k. for as many people we had and only fishing for about an hour. in total the whole class caught 12 smallies ranging in size between 10″-15″. i was not one of the ones in the class to catch one.

now friday has turned into the big canoe trip day. i think we are starting 37th and going to 75th. all let you all no how that adventure goes.

you wanted a report, here it is.

fished from essex park to 75th with 12 canoes and 28 people in them during the middle of the day friday. starting out i was VERY sceptical about this strech of river though i’ve never actually fished it. that changed in a hurry, like by the second cast when i caught a 12″ smallie. the fishing turned out to be quite good. I’m not sure of the final total but i think it was somewhere around 20-30 smallies sizes up to 16″ and a couple larger ones that got away. we also caught upwards of 50 white bass. most on the small size but they still fight pretty good on light tackle. the best producers by far were any kind of little rapalas. most of the nicer fish wer caught on these. spinners turned up a few with jigs falling in a distant third (though i don’t think many people used them other than me for a while). there are not an over abundace of holes to fish but the ones there were held a good number of fish. this was definatily a fun trip that i would recommend to anyone with a canoe.

I’m Back, With a Quick…Sorry….About the mean post that I see the” Web Gods” cleaned up for me….(THANX GUYS)..Anyway glad to see your trip went well there jake….now the trick is to rember those sweet holes you found in the canoe and hit them from shore ….you can fish them much more thorghly that way…..and target specific species…
There are some large walleyes in that strech not to mention the cats and A most Outstanding smallie fisherie Outstanding

Hey Guys, Great to see the interest in the Rochester area fishing. The Zumbro River is alot better fishery than most people think. Nate and I use to fish it alot years ago and its alot better now from what I’ve been hearing. Keep reporting as we all like to hear about whats going on. Thanks, Bill

Hi Jake, I’m hoping to put my waders on and head for the Zumbro River this Sunday. I have a couple of questions about your school outing? What was the footing like around the 37th Street bridge? Was it pretty rocky accessing the river? Which side did you fish on? Where at Essex Park did you access the river? Private or public land? I would like to do some scale sampling and am hoping the cool weather has turned on the smallies. Thanks for any information you can pass along.

Got out to the 37th St. Bridge yesterday afternoon and headed down stream about a mile. Had about a nine incher on the line, but he performed a quick release before I could lip him. Headed back to the bridge. About a half block below the bridge I caught, pictured and released a beautiful 2 lb, 14 and 1/2 smallie. Very healthy looking.

Muskeys and Smalliies below the damn at lake Zumbro

Seems like I hit A nerve again with my last post….So for you selfish ones out there that would like to keep this “spot” to yourselves…..Catch and release…the big one you release today Can be someone’s dream fish of tommorow…
Thankyou…thankyou very much!!!!…….

hey swany,
i heard that there was i meeting last week in mazzepa concering the plunge pool below the dam at lake zumbro. the dnr held the meeting to get the publics input on how they would feel if the plunge pool would be added to the strech of catch and release for smallies that extends down to zumbro falls. i wasn’t able to make it to the meeting but my understanding is that there was a lot of support for it.

this would be great for that fishery being that that’s the spot where all them big momma smallies hang out over the winter. it could do major damage if people keep a whole bunch of large smallies out of there. i now there area lot of people that do, too .

in my opinion this regualtion would only make this great fishery even greater. you’d no that every time that you went out fishing you’d have a chance of catcing a 4-5 pound gaint. there in there, i’ve seen ’em.

jake..your right!. There was and is a debate on the “plunge”pool…and I do think it should be Included in the “catch and relish part of the system as all of it down from there to Zumbro falls is…I’m A firm Beliver in catch and relish…but thats a personal decision…and would like to see it that way…I do fish sections that have “regulations” on them and appreciate the the efforts of the local clubs…I just like to be able to exersise the decsion…..To Keep or Not to keep….
SWany

I think catch and release is great and my personal wish is that the plunge pool be included in the special catch and release regulations section of the zumbro.

However, the general regs call for catch and release of all smallmouth caught anywhere after Sept 15th. The fact that the big ones winter in the plunge pool shouldn’t cause any extra concern. All smallmouth caught there after Sept 15th need to be released regardless of whether the plunge pool is included in the special regs. The fact that smallmouth congregate in wintering pools is the reason this reg was put in place as a general regulation I believe.