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.

Please excuse me, but where is the Cedar River?

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.

I went to another spot known mostly for small of size smallies and discovered that I could actually see a pair of smallies guarding their spawning bed. This pretty much confirms my theory that the streams just have not had enough time to warm up yet. We need another good week or two of the upper 70’s weather before we can exect the smallies turn their thoughts to food. (This is my guess, no basis of fact).

Fellow Smallie Hunters, we don’t have to wait for the regs to change to make a difference. 1. Make Catch and Release of all smallies your personal mission. 2. Take a moment to explain catch and release to fellow fishermen. 3. Be curtious to those who practice catch and eat, it is their right (assuming they are within the laws of the land). All new regs take time and as uffdapete mentioned, the DNR is often trying to best serve the needs of the many. As active anglers we can best help catch and release through assisting in the education of others. Fish On!

We had a nice turn out for our SEMSA meeting at Sandy Point on Saturday. The questionable weather forecast may have kept one or two people home. The gentlemen from the DNR went over the regulation change that goes into effect this next season, extending the catch and release area for smallmouth on the Zumbro River from the base of the Zumbro Dam Plunge Pool to Highway 63 at Zumbro Falls. The DNR has also selected specific stretches of the local streams for SEMSA members to take scale samples and maintain a fishing diary. At the next SEMSA meeting, the members will have an opportunity to look over the selected stretches and pick two or three that we will monitor for the upcoming season. There was an open discussion on the future of special regulations in South East Minnesota and implimentation procedures. All in all a very interesting meeting.

mark p, I too was at last nights meeting and agree with your analysis. I do not have extensive experience on that stretch of the Zumbro, but I have also heard people remark on the lack of quality smallies in the Zumbro. One theory not discussed last night, but mentioned by others to me is the current existance of muskies in the waters. I have serious doubts about the muskie are eating the smallies, but maybe the smallies be leaving to find less competion for forage? Fish On!

Big Lew

Fish On!