"My experience is that they hold bass, especially before, during and shortly after the spawn. That is very true on these smaller rivers. With the countless trips I’ve made to this river, I have learned some vital lessons about smallmouth. Bring your friends and family along on a fishing adventure of a lifetime on Lake Erie. We can thank the glaciers from centuries ago for creating these marvelous smallmouth lakes found right here in Iowa. Weeds will grow up from 20 feet of water and provide a perfect habitat for these bass for most of the year at Okoboji. Line diameter plays a big role in clear water situations. Retired fishery biologist Bob Middedorf told me that anglers could spend a lifetime fishing these two eastern Iowa lakes and not catch a smallmouth bass. Making long casts and downsizing your line will help you adjust to the clear water. Smallmouth naturally prey on crawdads, minnows, insects, and just about any other hapless animal that falls into the water. Lower Swiss Valley Creek. Lunker smallmouths live from there to the north. In Iowa, the smallmouth may be the premier game fish available to city dwellers, boatless anglers and even children. I can concentrate on fishing.". My first smallie slammed a crankbait, tore off downstream, and jumped three times before I finally eased it up a tiny gravely beach. These are top locations for smallies during most of the year at this particular lake. Give a Gift   We'll show you the venues with the most going for them. The same baits that work well in those lakes to catch the green bass will not be the best choices in these smaller bodies of water. 9. The DNR’s website also has a Twin Cities area river fishing chart that details the relative abundance of smallmouth bass and other species in the Cannon, Minnesota, Mississippi, Rum and St. Croix rivers. It was only 15 inches, but it fought harder and longer than a largemouth half again as big. Orlan Love, outdoor writer for the Cedar Rapids Gazette may be Iowa's best-known smallmouth bass angler. With headwaters well to the north of the Iowa state line, the Cedar is the largest of what Moeller considers to be the state’s blue ribbon smallmouth streams. The reason behind this is that their natural food sources will be smaller creatures. 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Tributaries are perfect for fly fishing. I'd rate Pool 9 the best and Pool 12 the most downriver place for decent bass fishing. With shoreline ranging from pastoral to rugged and wildlife abounding, few places look as spectacular under a bright blue sky as the Columbia. You can go camping, boating, hiking and more. The best smallmouth bass fishing on this river can be experienced near Sioux City. Pay Attention to what goes on Under the Ice. Smallmouth really like to stay on the edge of weeds and come out to prey on food passing by or being swept past them by the current. Our countless weedy bays, rocky structure and prolific forage-base produce excellent northern pike fishing. The natural lakes, smaller interior rivers, (which are perfect for canoes or smaller boats) and the big rivers that border this great state are the top places to find these bronze beauties. The Upper Iowa, Turkey, Volga, Yellow, Wapsipinicon, Cedar, Shell Rock and Iowa Rivers all have excellent bass populations. 11 broadheads new to the expandable-blade market this year — ATA Show. Most of the above points for the Missouri River can hold true on the Mississippi River. As you can see, Iowa has many opportunities to catch smallmouth bass. St. Lawrence River (New York) St Lawrence River is a part of one of the largest fisheries in all of the … If fishing from a boat is more your speed, then you need to point your vehicle and trailer to the north. All are on stretches of the Middle Raccoon, Maquoketa, Cedar, and Upper Iowa Rivers. The river is filled with smallmouth bass with the very best fishing up in the Lansing area. And, they live in many more streams than trout. Love has fished all these rivers and has an accurate picture of smallmouth trends. "If I'm fishing from a boat or canoe I need to fiddle around with the boat when I'm fishing. "Years ago we rarely caught a bass," he said. It's much simpler wading. Small interior streams are not the only place to find these fun fish though. When you find where the smallmouth are hiding or eating, throw a variety of baits at them and you will most likely have your best day of fishing action. Current is always present as well as minnows and crawdads. "I prefer to wade," said Love. The best stretches of smallmouth bass on the Mississippi River include Pool 9, Pool 10, and the northern part of Pool 11. Live chubs also are a productive live bait, and plenty of smallmouth have been tricked by night crawlers. The first is casting a plastic bait upstream and letting it tumble down with the current while keeping a slack line. It is gorgeous, but a bit intimidating too. River Smallmouth Bass Fishing. Bass sometimes cluster around wing dams and other rock that is inaccessible to bank-anglers or waders. If you’re hitting the water for bronzebacks this summer, you’ll want to fill your tacklebox with these go-to baits. The Mississippi River is also widely known as a walleye fishery because of the clear water of the streams and creeks that feed this river. Many anglers who hook a two-pound smallmouth swear they are … My favorite is a Yamamoto Senko," said veteran smallmouth angler Jack Lorenz, former national director of the Izaak Walton League. Gaining knowledge of the area you intend to fish beforehand will help you catch more and larger fish. If the water warms but rivers are low and relatively clear, this April will provide outstanding smallmouth bass fishing. Rivers are home to some of the best smallmouth bass fishing on the planet. Smallmouth bass exist in more than 500 fishing lakes plus many rivers, including the Mississippi and St. Croix. Cast out a live crawdad, and smallies will attack. If you catch one smallmouth from a dock pay close attention to the depth of water it was in, as that could be the key that unlocks the pattern for the day. Once they see you, your chance of catching them is gone. Nichols prefers using scented plastics to target bronzebacks. Most Iowa towns and cities have either rocky riffles or riprapped banks, or both. Bass love these places, which are often are downtown. Both work, but sometimes one technique will be best on a given day. Although few anglers work lures along the river face, the area holds many big smallmouths. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. Finding these smallmouth bass in natural lakes requires a lot of looking around. It was dry and there just wasn't much runoff, and that probably also helped the water quality be somewhat better," he said. Finesse fishing a X-Rap Rapala jerkbait is what I would call it. Those are the important questions whenever you are looking for bass when current is available. The 7 Best Lures for Smallmouth Bass in Rivers. "Some people fret about otters depleting our stocks, but I have not seen evidence of that. This includes learning how to read a river, understanding the influence of current on smallmouth location and being able to effectively fish flowing water. The 250 spine size answers bowhunters' needs for stiffer arrows. No matter where you live in Iowa you are not too far away from a public access to an interior river. In many scenarios you don’t have to be on the main channel, side chutes with current will hold smallmouth bass too. Iowa’s eastern border river is nationally known for backwater fishing for bass, catfish, panfish, pike and walleye. NATURAL IOWA LAKES Columbia River. Most bass anglers in Iowa fish the many lakes scattered across the state that offer good largemouth bass fishing. Back when I lived in northeastern Iowa, the smallmouth bass was decidedly missing from most streams. ©2019 The Iowa Sportsman. Years ago Iowa rivers were murky from agricultural and urban runoff and discharges from sewer plants and industries. Do they want a lot of current? 6# to 10# line should be about the maximum you use. With the size of these waters, it is quite obvious that location is once again key, as well as having a boat to navigate the large bodies of water. These elements are a smallmouths’ dream and that is the main reason why interior rivers offer great fishing for this special species of bass. That a lunker smallmouth lives so close to Iowa's second-largest city is living proof of one of Iowa's outstanding but little-known fish success stories. Tournament walleye angler Dave Nichols has been fishing the upper Mississippi for decades. "Anglers don't need a boat to catch them, and often they don't even need to travel much. A thump with a “zing” to your line can only mean one thing; a smallmouth bass has taken your offering. It may be January, but big-bass season has already begun in the southern U.S. Five top spots for hot smallmouth action this autumn. "That's not the case now. IDNR fisheries research chief Don Bonneau told me that smallmouth bass could be found in nearly any river where the habitat is right. "I often wade out in the river and cast toward a rocky shoreline," he said. "The one river I'd bet is improving is the Maquoketa, especially the no-kill section at Delhi. The BIG RIVERS © 2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. I’ve also learned that a group of smallmouth bass can be piled up on an area one day and you won’t get a bite there the next day. We caught big ones, little ones, and lots of in-betweeners. Few cities use water power today but some of the old dams remain and speed the current below them, keeping rocks and gravel silt free. The water is crystal clear, often times seeing the bottom in twenty feet of water. I've had success with a wide range of lures. Agricultural run-off declined as no-till farming and Conservation Reserve Program enrollment became widespread on farms. Most of the comeback can be pegged to better water quality but a 12-inch minimum size for smallmouth bass helped the comeback. The large bordering rivers of Iowa have sections that offer great smallmouth fishing too. There's excellent fishing from shore at Dubuque, in the Davenport area, and anywhere else that you find a tad bit of current over a rocky bottom or along riprap," he said. The secret to consistently catching smallmouth from rivers is being comfortable fishing in current. In short, this is heaven on earth for smallmouth anglers. Some of the larger ones include; Little Sioux, Raccoon, Des Moines, Skunk, Iowa, Cedar, Wapsipinicon, Maquoketa, Iowa, Turkey, and Upper Iowa rivers. 2. Creatures of relatively clear water, smallies love a hard bottom. Most people cast out at a right angle to the bank into the main current. Find rock and moving water and you've probably found smallmouth bass. Iowa’s interior rivers are known for growing large-sized fish, and lots of them. Smallmouth abound in the New, and its mix of rapids and deep pools allows them to commonly grow to 4 and 5 pounds. But this also is the river of 100-fish days, and the river where rumors of double-digit bass persist. Eastern Iowa also has secret smallmouth fisheries courtesy of the Cedar River. Mississippi River -- From Pool 9 in extreme Northeast Iowa to Pool 13 in the southeast corner of the state, the mighty Mississippi is an angling heaven for … Current is obviously important to smallmouth bass and will position them on particular days where you can easily catch them. Although Iowa's river water quality is still far from pristine, it has improved, and smallmouth bass responded with gusto. Set the hook when a fish starts a run. Pennsylvania is a beautiful place to visit. Outstanding fishing is available below Cedar Rapids' two dams, for example, and even the old broken nonfunctional dam at Palisades Kepler State Park produces fast fishing. I wasn't alone: Several other anglers tested their skill on the big bass. Throw in a few natural Iowa lakes and you have just about everything you would ever need to try and find some big Iowa Smallmouth bass. There are two general ways of fishing plastic baits. Smallmouth love to be in and around current as it brings them food all day long. Kids who can't get to a largemouth lake without an adult to drive them there can cycle to urban tributary streams or even the downtowns of cities and towns and find smallmouth. It is the best … And October is considered “trophy month” for Chequamegon Bay smallmouth bass. The eastern side of the Hawkeye State boasts some excellent smallmouth fishing. By selecting the right size of baits and keying into the current situations you should find yourself listening to that sweet sound of the drag being pulled. Early settlers needed water power, and so sought out swift-flowing stretches of river, especially those that could be dammed to create a mill pond. Smallmouth bass live all over the state and are sought after very heavily, especially in the summer months. Bass are spooky and challenging. There are two fantastic lakes in the state of Iowa known for smallmouth fishing. Colleen Hepner/Flickr. Many years ago, the city dumped tons of riprap into the river below the Cargill Corn plant to keep Otis Road from washing out. Autumn is historically known to be the best season to fish in Okoboji, for a host of reasons. Typical baits such as spinnerbaits, topwater baits, crankbaits, and soft plastics work well for smallmouth bass here. I have made the four hour trip from where I live each year for the past five or six years, some years even twice. Smallies love the rock and all the cavities in between boulders. ... Jim McDonnell on Lake Erie, and all by myself on the Shellrock River in north Iowa. So do their larger tributaries. INTERIOR RIVERS Anglers should be aware that the IDNR has designated four areas as no-kill zones for black bass. Mississippi River. The smallmouth bass is one of the hardest fighting fish in North America, and Minnesota has a bunch of them. Anglers can find catfish in practically any freshwater system in the South, but some waters... Several Midwestern states now permit hunters to use centerfire, straight-wall cartridges... A new long-range hunting contender enters the fray. Pinicon Ridge Park, Central City, IA. Just like in the interior rivers anglers must dissect what the bass are holding on for that day. The second technique is to cast and retrieve the lure on a tight line. Most smallie anglers prefer crankbaits, jigs with twister tails or minnows, or a variety of soft plastic baits. The Seine Chain and the Atikokan area as a whole is definitely a go to fishing location for trophy smallmouth bass fishing! Last year the river was very low. Small spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and plastic baits will work excellent in these smaller bodies of water. Some key baits I like to throw at Mississippi River smallmouth include swim jigs, crankbaits, topwater baits, and Hot Rod Bait Tubes. Enjoy canned venison warmed or use it in stews, chili, and other hot dishes. Kurt Rowland, who operates Whitebreast Adventures guide service -- www.whitebreastadventures.com, (641) 947-2261 -- on Lake Red Rock, discovered smallmouth bass in the Des Moines River below Red Rock Dam nearly 20 years ago. It was chalked full of spawning smallmouth and the occasional nice largemouth! Best Smallmouth Bass Fishing. The main channel, which is often lined with rock on the current holding sides would be the best percentage to catch smallmouth on these pools. Once you think the fish have stopped biting, just try a different type of lure, you will probably catch some more, then switch again. At other times at both lakes, you must look at the rocky shorelines and points, and always look under those boat docks. Cedar Rapids again is a good example. This all translates into some of the best fishing of the year. They're almost a nuisance now. The Cedar River offers quality smallmouth fishing, especially the stretch between the Mitchell Dam (in the city of Mitchell) and the city of Nashua in Floyd County, as there is cleaner than average water. "I think the quality of smallmouth fishing in Eastern Iowa rivers, which is excellent, is staying about the same," he said. Iowa Department of Natural Resources fisheries management has helped improve walleye and trout fishing, but smallies did it on their own. The smaller the line, the more bites you will get. They thrive in these rivers which are teeming with food for these ferocious eaters. Nearly all Iowa river smallmouth anglers agree that the best fishing is during months of relatively low flow. "He was using unscented worms, and I had similar scented ones on. Smallmouth will group together and can often be caught in large numbers in a very small area. The last lesson I will share is to throw the kitchen sink at them. No matter where you live in Iowa you are not too far away from a public access to an interior river. About the only exception to the rocky habitat rule is around wooden bridge abutments and all the woody debris that often builds up around them after storms. "It's a lot like trout fishing," said Steve Krotz, fishing manager at the Cedar Rapids GOT Outdoors Store. Along the way it carves out some of the most picturesque gorges, cliffs, and rapids east of the Rockies. The Best Fishing Spots on the Mississippi River Now, this is a topic that should be covered in an encyclopedia. The biggest pointer I can share with you today is to make long casts. "The streams usually have clear water, brush, pools, and riffles. Seeing that the Mississippi River runs down the whole length of the US, it’s safe to say that you could spend several lifetimes exploring all the treasure troves in this 10-state area. Each time out is always a new adventure for smallmouth bass on interior rivers. Another type of bait to consider once the water temperature rises over 55-degrees are topwater baits. The lakes are surrounded by rocks, docks and sandy bottoms. In the early 1980s, Cedar Rapids opened a new sewer plant to replace an aging, ineffective one. Bear Archery's newest bows - Redemption EKO and Legit RTH - are light, adjustable and fast. Ironically, few people fish for bass in urban areas, and many who do fish the riprap wrong. A few decades ago smallmouth were rare throughout Iowa and almost nonexistent below Cedar Rapids. All Rights Reserved. However, some of these tributaries hold some great bass fishing as well. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Fortunately, the big river has plenty of rocky shoreline, especially in urban areas. They all work well, but sometimes even unorthodox lures produce spectacular fishing. What gives Michigan its edge … It can be hard to tell when a fish picks up the lure, but on some days this is by far the most effective technique. The smaller the body of water the smaller the bait should be when chasing smallmouth bass. Smallmouth can literally be caught on every mile of those areas. If you tend to fish the larger stretches of interior rivers located on the Cedar, Des Moines, and other bigger waters then the typical bass baits that work for largemouth should be just fine for the smallmouth. Generally the rivers that originate above or near the Minnesota border and flow southeast toward the … Best Smallmouth Rivers There are many good smallmouth hotspots across the country, but we've got maps, fishing tips, and contact info for local guides on ten of the best. “The counties that I would recommend on the Cedar would be Blackhawk, Bremer, Floyd, and Mitchell — basically all the way up to the Minnesota border. During April bass will normally move from deep pockets of sluggish water overwintering areas to summer habitat in shallower water along rocks. In narrowing that down a bit, I’ve had some memorable days of catching smallmouth … If you are search for excellent outdoor activities, PA can most certainly fill your dreams. These fish move more than any other fish I’ve ever chased in my life. One of those windows for productive bass fishing in the spring is targeting bass in warming pockets. The improving fishery is so new that relatively few Iowa anglers know about it or target that "other bass," the smallmouth. It is more like a lake you would see in Minnesota or Canada. These fish are smart and they will see you. When fishing these smaller waters it is important to remember to adjust your bait selection. If you have never seen West Okoboji Lake, just think of it like no other lake in the state, because it is just that unique. Dave McClure of Cedar Rapids said Indian Creek, which flows through the city of Cedar Rapids, is an excellent example. In Eastern Iowa smallmouth are river fish. However, once you find the specific locations of these fish you can generally go anywhere in the lake with those same features and repeat the catching process. Although bait is amazingly effective, most serious smallmouth anglers stick with lures. Details are in the fishing regulations booklet. Poppers, buzzbaits and floating jerkbaits are a great way to catch smallmouth in the heat of the summer. Smallmouth bass, among the most important Iowa gamefish, are most common in small to medium central and northeast Iowa rivers, but can also be found in larger rivers such as the Cedar, Des Moines and Mississippi, as well as some natural lakes in northwest Iowa. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Industries that once dumped a toxic stew of chemicals and nutrients into the river invested millions in pollution control. That means a rocky bottom, some current and reasonably clear water. I often see kids fishing in Indian Creek near my office each summer, and many a respectful bass has gone home strapped to the handlebars of bicycles. Locals prefer walleye here, as they are surrounded by one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the nation. Each day on these small rivers you must pay close attention to where the fish are holding for that particular moment in the day. One summer evening I caught several husky smallies in the current on a black Hula Popper, a lure usually reserved for largemouths on hot evenings in quiet lakes. The border rivers of the state can offer some great smallmouth bass fishing as well. As far as I know, no one ever caught her, and she's out there yet. Michigan. Smallie fishing is good all the way down river to about the middle part of the state but it gradually gets less productive the further downstream you go. Located on Lake Superior, along northern Wisconsin’s Bayfield Peninsula, the bay is becoming known as one of the best smallmouth fisheries in the nation, but, because of its location and size, has relatively-little fishing … Good news didn't all come from cities. He usually fishes relatively small northeast Iowa rivers that have hard bottoms. That began changing several decades ago, and the Cedar River provides a good example of what happened in many of Iowa's streams. As mentioned above, these two lakes are filled with rocks, sand, docks, and weeds. My office is only a five-minute walk from the fish, and for several weeks I tried to outsmart that smallmouth during lunch breaks and whenever else I could find a few minutes to fish. New for 2021, here's a look at the new Rage Trypan NC, Nockturnal Shift Nock, Carbon Express Maxima RED Contour and D-Stroyer PileDRIVER arrows. Some of the larger ones include; Little Sioux, Raccoon, … A further factor on the Mississippi River was the establishment of exotic zebra mussels. America's classic smallmouth waters tend to be in the Great Lakes, large lakes in Canada or Minnesota, and some huge southern reservoirs. First, many towns were established in sites appropriate for milling. They'll rarely be far from rock or gravel. The fish was magnificent, at least 19 inches long, husky and healthy. All Rights Reserved. By Gerald Almy. Although most Iowa rivers always had remnant smallmouth populations the fish were few and far between. Orlan Love, outdoor writer for Cedar Rapids-area paper The Gazette battles a big smallie on the Maquoketa River. Big smallies love these brushy areas but catching them amid the tangle of branches is an extreme fishing challenge. With hundreds of them floating on each of the lakes they create shade and ambush points for smallies to hide and attack their prey. Millions of these Caspian Sea natives now filter particles from Iowa water. Smallmouth are Iowa's urban bass for two reasons. Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota [132,000 acres] This lake is a hot mess right now. As I examined the mottled bronze fish I marveled at its strength. ", Although Eastern Iowa's best smallmouth fishing is north of Interstate 80, there are pockets of good bass fishing in rivers south of the big highway. Although they live in pockets of habitat the rare angler who seeks them out can find excellent smallmouth fishing without any competition. Michigan is the top location for smallmouth bass fishing. Today, it's common for factories to discharge cleaner water back into the river than they draw from it. He fishes Eastern Iowa rivers frequently and often reports on smallmouth fishing in his newspaper articles. Found this awesome, clear and small creek off the Iowa River! There are some in Clear Lake and a very few in Lake Macbride and Coralville Reservoir. Sometime smallmouths will be right in the middle of the heaviest current you can find, while other days they will be adjacent to it in some slack water. To unlock the secret of these smallmouth bass you have to focus in on the current and the speed of the current. If you have fished in an interior river in Iowa, you have probably caught a smallmouth bass whether you were trying to or not. I'd been successfully fishing for largemouths for over 40 years in many states and had landed thousands of them. Because they are almost always found near rock they are easy to locate. I'm convinced it helps leaving a scent trail in the water.". Second, cities frequently dump thousands of tons of limestone riprap and broken hunks of concrete rubble into rivers to stabilize the bank. Not very far from the Mississippi River, the Lower Swiss Valley Creek is … Often the fish are smaller in tributaries than in the main river, but these small streams are worth fishing, especially if the main stem is swollen and dirty from heavy rains but a tributary runs clear and lower," continued Love. DES MOINES RIVER BELOW RED ROCK. Smallies are common in Iowa's Lake Okoboji and Spirit Lake. Small minnows, bugs, and crawdads will be the main source food so you will want to match those sizes with your baits. All of these rivers, along with smaller ones not mentioned have the ingredients for smallmouth populations. Our rivers produced quality fishing for catfish and carp and not much else. I have never fished the Missouri River, but a quick phone call to the DNR led me to some invaluable information. I didn't realize how much fun smallies are to catch until I tangled with my first one on the Cedar River. INTERIOR RIVERS If you are looking to hook into some smallmouth bass, the interior rivers of Iowa are your best bet. These streams are easy to wade. The weather can be the most beautiful of the year, boat traffic is minimal, the water is still relatively warm and the fish are putting on the feedbag for the winter. McClure has explored long stretches of the Cedar River, the Iowa River and smaller rivers like the Wapsipinicon, Maquoketa and Volga. But, find a rocky stretch of river, even down close to the Missouri line, and you've probably located smallmouths. Current is everything when you are searching for smallmouth, so keep a keen eye out for it and let the smallmouth tell YOU where they are living. They don't attract much attention because anglers either don't know they are there or don't target them. West Okoboji Lake and Spirit Lake in Northwest Iowa are the places to go to catch numbers as well as large sizes of smallmouth bass. I don't think a harder fighting fish lives in Iowa's waters. A boat can be a great asset when fishing the Upper Mississippi. Subscriber Services. The DNR has documented that both numbers and sizes are improving there," he said. And 5- and 6-pound largemouths can be found as far north as Burlington, Iowa. Throw in a few natural Iowa lakes and you have just about everything you would ever need to try and find some big Iowa Smallmouth bass. Minimum size for smallmouth anglers stick with lures ferocious eaters Walton League has an accurate picture of smallmouth been... 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