All of a sudden there was a big splash and the minnow was gone. Clicking any of the following thumbs opens up the slideshow: enjoy! Fished the Raccoon between Panora and Redfield today. The 3 forks are diverse, ranging from water quality nightmares to pristine water to rapids and riffles just within miles of each other. An ideal position is in a current break (slack water) immediately alongside the swift current. Once the Middle Raccoon is free of Lake Panorama, it becomes one of the best-kept secrets in Iowa. Anywhere the river bumps up against a bluff is also a key winter sanctuary for smallmouth. A few of these lakes are natural backwaters, such as Blue Heron Lake or Gray’s Lake, both which have been converted into city parks. Closer to Des Moines, multiple companies have dug large quarries that have in turn filled with water from floods, being able to support sizable populations of large fish. Some years, people are told to stay out of the water. The Susquehanna River was listed as one of five best bass fishing rivers in America in 2005. Some of my favorite gar fishing spots include these lakes, as most are connected to the river via flooding or a small inlet that was dug out. ATA 2021 NeDuring this video from the Archery Trade Association's New Product Premiere showcase, Bowhunter's TV Mike Carney visited with Evan Williams, pro staff manager for Hoyt Archery, to learn about the new RX-5, RX-5 Ultra, Ventum and Ventum 33 bows.w Product - Hoyt. IDNR fisheries research chief Don Bonneau told me that smallmouth bass could be found in nearly any river where the habitat is right. I've had really good luck drifting a minnow under a bobber on that flat water. The middle to lower section is best for smallmouths and also has a very varied fishery with muskies and walleyes." "They don't make a run in early spring like white bass and walleyes, but there's a few of them there that you can pick up with inline spinners tipped with minnows, or jigs tipped with minnows.". A bank angler must know how to present jigs, soft baits, topwaters and spinnerbaits naturally in current to fool stream-dwelling bass. These affordable designs are big on features, short on cash outlay — ATA Show. Rowland notes that during this time, smallies may venture up small tributaries that aren't as turbid as the main river. The 14- to 25-inch diameter nest is found in quiet water near … Rowland uses 6-foot Berkley Bionics spinning rods and Abu Garcia or Mitchell open-face spinning reels loaded with 6-pound-test Trilene XL monofilament. The river is filled with cutbanks and logjams, and for most of its 72 mile course, has a mud/sand bottom. Bank fishing a river is a great way to catch a lot of smallmouth bass and have heaps of fun. He has a deep understanding of all types of smallmouth habitats. Season: Continuous. Coon Rapids sits on the edge of Central Iowa’s minor region of limestone bedrock. "There are places, rocky-bottomed areas with some large obstructions that are major current breaks, that can be unbelievable fishing," he said. Outfitters will tell you that you won’t be able to catch the monsters like you want but, instead, fishermen will be rewarded with plenty of 12-18 inch smallmouth bass. However, the river begins to transform once it passes through Coon Rapids. The river below Red Rock flows high and fast from mid-spring through early summer. A few yellow bass have ventured over from the Middle Raccoon … The river's smallmouth population dwindled through the mid to late '90s. "There was some nice rock and cobble habitat on the Middle Raccoon, and a pretty decent population of smallmouths," said IDNR fisheries chief Marion Conover. Even with high nitrates, fish do alright. Saw a couple other nice walleye come out when I stopped by the dam in Redfield for a bit. "There are times when the river is high that English Creek, Whitebreast Creek and some of the other tributaries are relatively low and clear when the main river is high and muddy," said Rowland. Enjoy canned venison warmed or use it in stews, chili, and other hot dishes. Downstream of here, the river is chock-full of smallmouth bass, yellow bass, and walleye. Another popular launching area for kayakers, the river loses elevation and has a long set of rapids and riffles before it ends it merges with the South Raccoon. "If I use an inline spinner like a Mepps or a Panther Martin, I always tip it with a minnow," he said. Smallies like to lie behind those current breaks in those gravel-bottomed areas.". But in recent years, smallmouth-friendly habitat has reappeared, thanks to moderate water flows and improved soil management practices on the Raccoon watershed. "One of our minnows was dangling on the surface, just barely in the water. The floods of 1993 dumped massive amounts of silt in the Raccoon River and damaged much of the smallmouth habitat. https://multispeciesfishing.blogspot.com/, roughfish identification, lifelist angling, fishing rare unusual fish species: bowfin burbot buffalo gar redhorse suckers carp. Smallmouth Bass Fishing: Big Water vs. Small Rivers Streams and river have currents making it easier to find smallmouth. Today, they have an established population in the Middle Raccoon. Starting just west of Des Moines, the river becomes surrounded by backwater lakes all the down to its confluence with the Des Moines River. Some 40 years later, they began appearing in large numbers downstream in the river. The conventional wisdom would have it that smallmouth bass are a rarity infrequently glimpsed by anglers working central Iowa's rivers. Until the river reaches Coon Rapids, it will be a slow, algae-filled mess. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit. "When the flow is right, I know places where I can catch and release 20, maybe 30 smallmouths a day. ", Holcomb also probes the bases of cutbanks on the outside curves of the river, and never overlooks any isolated rocks or boulders. Here's what you need to know to catch 'em. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including smallmouth bass, catfish and walleye here. These seven baits will produce smallmouth bass and rivers throughout the country. Active smallmouth typically hold near or in fast flow. It flows under tall cliffs and bluffs as it makes its way through the Lennon Mills Dam (which sadly does not allow for easy fish passage). It then continues east, now even larger, until it meets the North Raccoon in Van Meter, IA. Daily Bag Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 15 fish. Male fish build a saucer-shaped nest on the gravel, coarse sand or rock bottom by sweeping its tail over the substrate. Smallmouth Bass spawn in Iowa in early May as water temperatures exceed 60 degrees. "(Smallmouths) are starting to come back," noted Holcomb. The river typically runs muddier in this stretch, mainly due to the fact that is has dozens of sizable tributaries and a fairly sedimented bottom. When you hook one the fight is on and it will give you a surprising fight for its size. Because of this, a 2 pound smallmouth bass in the river will fight more like a 2.5 to 3.5 pound bass from a lake. In an area to which access is already, according to Rowland, "challenging," that means tough fishing for shore-anglers "There are very few public accesses in that stretch of river, and the local landowners can be pretty territorial about trespassers," he warned. Plan your next fishing and boating adventure here. Subscriber Services. This section of river is fairly devoid of access until it reaches Des Moines, which means that there are miles of unpressured water waiting for the kayak-based or boat-based angler. Common carp become harder to find as you go downstream from the lake. Mepps and Panther Martin inline spinners in chartreuse, orange or crawdad colors work well for him, but he also has success drifting a minnow below a small bobber. It becomes surrounded by conservation areas and becomes much cleaner than it was upstream. Holcomb and Rowland each discovered central Iowa's secret smallmouths years ago in rivers near their homes, and have developed considerable expertise on when, where and how to catch bronzebacks where bronzebacks aren't supposed to be. From Van Meter to the river’s confluence in the Des Moines River, it flows completely free of any dams. Catch rates of adults had fallen 80 percent between 2001 and 2005. "There's good access upstream from the new Highway 92 bridge for a ways; otherwise, you have to either wade a lot between bridges and accesses, or drag a boat across a lot of rock and sandbars. Another fish that seemingly has a strong population here are smallmouth buffalo. At its upper navigable reaches in Sac County, the river flows through a heavily glaciated area with unique scenery. Common Carp frequent this stretch, as do the occasional flathead catfish and shortnose gar. Most river bites won’t be subtle for this reason. For Stefan, a hollow-body frog is the perfect bait to target the backside of log jams, where the current meets the bank. He combines artificial lures with live baits. Things are looking good for 2006.". Used worms all day. Although smallmouth bass are not as popular or widely distributed as their genus mate, their popularity is increasing steadily. The river smallmouth tend to be stronger from swimming against the current on a daily basis, and once you get them on your line you will have to fight the current as well. The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The Raccoon River is a medium sized river that is home to a multitude of warm-water species. "For about 10 years, they were pretty scarce, but in the past couple years we're starting to see more 6- to 10-inchers, a few up to a couple pounds. In its lower reaches, it begins to become a quicker, rockier stream as it loses elevation. That year, young smallmouth bass started dying off in the Susquehanna and the Juniata rivers. It is known as a place of solitude and good fishing. Physical description. Experimentation proved the mystery fish to be a smallmouth bass and Holcomb begin specifically targeting smallmouths, on a strictly catch-and-release basis. Each fork is completely different from the others, and it makes fishing the Raccoon interesting. The same with jigs; I always tip them with a minnow. "A lot of the time, the river has scoured down to gravel bottom at the base of those cutbanks," he said. Due to the largely free-flowing nature of this river, there are dozens of small backwater lakes loaded with shortnose. Description and Range. "Establishing a No-Kill zone encouraged anglers to enjoy the fishery without damaging a population that wouldn't have tolerated a lot of harvest.". Caught several nice walleye, a couple very large carp and some smallmouth. It is here where the Raccoon takes on the shape of most Iowan rivers. "In those places, the river bottom alternates between stretches of big rocks, little rocks, gravel and sand all the way down to Eddyville before it goes back to more of a mud-and-sand bottom.". In addition, he has caught smallmouth bass in dozens of lakes in both the US and Canada. The floods of 1993 dumped massive amounts of silt in the Raccoon River and damaged much of the smallmouth habitat. "I looked at my friend and said, 'What was that?' The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Red Rock Dam acts as a filter for the sometimes-muddy river, and glaciers laid a base layer of sand, gravel, cobble and rocks beneath the fertile black soil of the current Des Moines River valley. Many places on the 3 forks are undocumented by outdoorsmen and are often left alone in favor of bigger waters. Smallmouth Bass become quite prevalent, and even though larger fish don’t occur often in this stretch, it is a pristine stretch of river. All Rights Reserved. Check for regular water level updates taken through NOAA as well as my interpretations of them. 38. It uneventfully flows southeast through farm fields, picking up loads of fertilizers, causing mass eutrophication in this stretch of river. Channel Catfish. It is one of best kept secrets in Iowegia. A few yellow bass have ventured over from the Middle Raccoon but it doesn’t seem like they have established themselves yet. All over North America, river smallmouth bass fishing can be absolutely phenomenal if you know where to look. Possession Limit: combined: channel, blue and flathead catfish, 30 fish. "Downstream from the dam, the river bottom is down to the glacial pan in a lot of places," said Rowland. This can all add up to those “died and gone to heaven” days that smallie fans fondly recall years later. When the water starts to cool down in mid to late September, the fall smallmouth start to feed up for the winter months. Lake Panorama is a water quality nightmare. Our favorite East Tennessee smallmouth river produced the expected bountiful harvest of hard-fighting bass, and the photos are the proof of that. Resting ones are more often found in a seam of slower moving water. Tim Holschlag has fished more smallmouth bass rivers than any known angler, over 330 different rivers across North America and South Africa. "You'll catch twice as many fish if you cast parallel to the current rather than across the current. Reminds me a lot of the Sugar River near me. Length Limit: none. This Elk Venison Patty Melt Recipe makes the perfect wild game sandwich. Join us as we discuss the Iowa Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. Rowland monitors release rates. It will take a long time, but the fight for clear water is not over. Yellow Bass are quite the anomaly in this river, as they were stocked in Lake Panorama in the late 60s but never became established. The action is fast. Another fish that seemingly has a strong population here are smallmouth buffalo. When veterinarian Dr. Tom Holcomb moved to Adel in the early 1970s, he was a diehard catfish guy who only found smallmouths in the Middle Raccoon River by accident. New for 2021 are several hunter-defined products, such as the Excalibur TwinStrike Crossbow, BowTech Solution and Solution SS Bows, TightSpot Pivot 2.5 Quiver, Ripcord Cage and Code Red X arrowrests, and Black Gold Pro FX and Pro Hunter HD sights. "If they've been releasing 20,000 cubic feet for three weeks and then drop it to 16,000, I want to be on the river the next day," he said. Not many years later, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources acknowledged the unique fishery by establishing a "No-Kill" zone on the Middle Raccoon River from the Lennon Mills Dam at Panora downstream to the dam at Redfield. When bass bite a lure, the strikes will often be violent. The prime wintering spots for river smallmouth are any indentions in the river bottom or holes 15 to 18 feet deep. Smallmouth bass are one of two species of black bass in Washington with the other being the more popular and widely distributed largemouth bass. Columbia River, Hanford Reach: April 23, 1966: See all sportfish records. Plus, lower light intensity makes fish less wary. The best 7 river smallmouth fishing lures are; #8 Rapala X-Rap Slashbait ; Rebel Middle Wee Craw ; Heddon Tiny Topedo; 4 inch green pumpkin Senko ; 3″ Mister Twister ; 1/8 ounce rooster tail spinner ; 1/4 ounce Beetlespin spinner bait. How To: Finding Smallmouth in Winter Rivers Jeff Little demonstrates how to use a kayak to whittle down water By Jeff Little. The final piece of the river smallmouth arsenal is a frog. Then it gets dammed up and becomes Lake Panorama. "A lot of guys focus on the riffles below rock and gravel bars," he said, "but I spend as much time fishing the flat stretches between the riffles. It then makes a turn east and heads straight in that direction until it meets the Middle Raccoon River. Today, if flows through thousands of acres of heavily fertilized farmland and is filled with alarmingly high amounts of nitrates and other farm pollutants. The smallest of the 3 forks, the South Raccoon rises as a small trickle out of farmlands just west of Wichita, Iowa. It continues to meander its way southeast picking up two large tributaries (Brushy and Beaver Creek) that double its size. "When that flow drops to 16,000, the smallmouths absolutely stack up below those current breaks. Even with high nitrates, fish do alright. Smallmouth in Shallow Rivers The river still holds a strong population of channel catfish, common carp, and carpsuckers. The waterworks plant in Des Moines has actually sued three different counties in northern Iowa over water quality. A few white bass will show up here and there as well. In order to locate smallmouth bass and effectively catch them, you must first understand current and its intricacies. The Snake River in Idaho and Oregon is home to some of the most abundant smallmouth bass fisheries in the United States. As a result, a river smallmouth feels like a lake bass twice its size. They offer excellent fishing for almost every species present in the river to their high amounts of food and nutrients. 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. I actually do enjoy walleye fishing here, because it is a more intimate setting; wading a clear river in the middle of summer makes every fish enjoyable. Bass will target baitfish, cra… These hard fighting fish are plentiful and fun to catch. In fact, the North Raccoon has some of the highest nitrate levels of any river in the Mississippi Basin. In terms of fishing, the North Raccoon is not all bad. Since not all of the nitrates have left the river, they settle into the lake and cause massive algae blooms every summer. Trip Overview Late summer on the Salmon River presents great smallmouth bass fishing opportunities. (April 2006). "Presentation is critical," he added. Current breaks, rapids, boulders, river bends, grass lines and timber are all smallmouth hangouts on rivers. Most are gravel and limestone pits, reaching depths of 50’ on average and even 70’ on a few select lakes. Instant updates @DrWalleye on Instagram. Current breaks, eddies, shoals, ripples are areas smallmouth like to hang out because there's dissolved oxygen and food there. Thanks to careless farming, a beautiful river was nearly ruined. It flows through the fertile farmlands of central Iowa and draws the majority of its water from 3 forks. When learning new water, Levert recommends fishing when it’s windy. Expansion of Woodland Series targets continues fun, realistic way to practice. The first fall is generally the period that writers mean when they hype “fast fall fishing.” Water temperatures are still relatively warm (above 57 degrees) but food sources are declining, and the smallmouth bass’s energy requirements are high because of developing gonad production. From there, it travels on a southeast course, picking up multiple water sources and forming into a large enough body of water to support thriving fish populations around Guthrie Center, IA. The only catch is that access points are few and far between, so be wary of that. but can be found occasionally in deeper holes. The river's smallmouth population dwindled through the mid to late '90s. After a fall of testing new 2021 Mathews products on the road as he filmed new episodes for Bowhunter Magazine's television program, editor Curt Wells had an exciting visit with Mark Hayes, Mathews design engineer, as the pair looked at the new V3 27 and V3 31 bows. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. The Middle Raccoon begins to dive into the limestone valleys and picks up a gravel bottom, scattered boulders, and it becomes a quick and medium sized river. I've had days when I literally caught a 2- or 3-pound smallmouth on every cast.". Moving waters in the central part of the state offer a variety of opportunities for getting into hard-hitting, high-jumping smallmouth bass. AOA fishing guides Jim Richmond and Charlie White have been guiding river float trips for over thirty years. 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. Redhorse are also uncommon in this stretch, as the white suckers have become dominant. There are a few smallmouth bass scattered around rockier areas, and walleyes are uncommon. The explanation: Our warm, muddy midstate waterways are more favorable to catfish than smallies. Techniquefly fishing Decided to take a trip up to the Raccoon River at Lenon Mills outside of Panora Iowa. River fishing provides some very exciting smallmouth bass fishing. In fall, the days get shorter, temperatures begin to drop and smallmouths strap on the feedbag. Channel cats thrive in this river, often exceeding lengths of 18” in a small body of water. Awesome. Morning temps were in the upper 50’s as I arrived in the parking area. The Raccoon River and its surrounding area are very unexplored when it comes to fishing. With braided line, a heavier rod and a snagless design, he stands a better chance of getting the fish out if they do bite. I’ve had plenty of days with exceptionally high number of fish, and … Smallmouth and largemouth bass are protected by the DNR in this stretch of river, and they must all be released. A few of my personal favorite areas to fish come from this stretch, including hotspots for smallmouth bass, redhorse, and even shortnose gar. Jim and Charlie have an abundance of experience and knowledge of the rivers and in float fishing for trophy New River smallmouth and musky. Smallmouth Bass Fishing. Rowland begins catching smallmouths in early spring. At Nation’s Bridge Park near Stuart, anglers may find themselves sharing the water with paddlers, as this is a well known launching area for kayaks. The more urban ones have been filled in and restored to make them safe the public. Once you reach the dam at Redfield, fishing is amazing. The information is reliable. I wouldn’t recommend eating much out of this river, though. ". The channel cats are aggressive and can often be caught on lures throughout the summer and fall. |   Below the dam, you will find smallmouth bass, yellow bass, walleye, channel catfish, giant bluegill, and even the occasional flathead. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. On some of the smaller rivers, you can go catch 50-100 smallmouth in a day, but a three pounder might be good one on those smaller systems. Thankfully, the fight is not over and many environmental action groups are voluntarily installing buffer strips on farmland to help prevent runoff and are creating artificial wetlands and restoring old ones. Not if you take into account the experience of longtime central Iowa anglers Tom Holcomb and Kurt Rowland, who have been proving that conventional wisdom wrong for more than 20 years. If you can manage to avoid the hordes of jet-skis and wannabe professional bass fishermen, the lake will produce a massive flathead catfish and common carp on a semi-consistent basis and will cough up sickly pike and channel catfish every now and then. But in recent years, smallmouth-friendly habitat has reappeared, thanks to moderate water flows and improved soil management practices on the Raccoon watershed. Because of the whitewater, float-fishermen typically put in at Gauley Bridge on U.S. Route 60 in Fayette County and paddle, or motor, upstream and down from there. Excellent write-up, thanks for sharing! "I'll pick up a few smallmouths in late March and early April right below the dam," he said. They will see your lure coming as you move it so I recommend you cast upstream. The South Raccoon is what comes to mind when you think of channel catfish. When fishing in rivers, smallmouth bass will all face upstream and watch for food coming down the current. They will only get one shot at your bait so they need to make it count. Mid to late summer normally brings Red Rock to normal pool, and the Corps reduces flow though the dam. Fishing for smallmouth in rivers is an exciting way to spend a day. You may be lucky to pull out some sickly channel catfish or common carp out of this stretch of river on a good day. In terms of fishing, the North Raccoon is not all bad. There are also large populations of white sucker and channel catfish in this stretch of river. Here, anglers can find shorthead redhorse, carpsuckers, stonecats, drum, and even a rare smallmouth bass. A dozen rock dams (also known as fishing riffles) can be navigated by experienced paddlers, but many will wish to portage them. When it comes to fishing baits, you won't find a more unusual variety than the strange brews... Want to learn how to cook tasty walleye? They have also installed a filter on the panorama spillway that helps clean out most of the nitrates and algae. These fish thrive in the waters with current. Fall smallmouth can be found across the United States and Canada and the fishing can be absolutely awesome through the month of October and sometimes even into November, depending on the weather. Ugly Stik's Santa Claus Bass Tournament featured 298 Santa-suit-wearing anglers at Lake... Give a Gift   The breeze accentuates ripples on the water’s surface, making it easier to see current variations. "Two things happen. This means that the bass will set up in areas that provide an ambush point. Learn more about two new Elite Archery bows, the Enkore and Remedy, two new broadhead from Slick Trick and a new site from Custom Bow Equipment (CBE). Salmon Raft provides all fishing gear required to catch as many bass as you can hook! There were several folks out trying there luck at the dam, one guy brought up a nice walleye, measured to 18", which he released. And so Teo, his nephew Boaz and buddy Trey snuck off to the river for some social distancing and smallmouth fishing on Sunday, May 17. 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. Restored to make it count smallmouths and also has a mud/sand bottom gone to heaven ” days smallie... Reaching depths of 50 ’ s confluence in the Raccoon river is a mostly freeflowing river surrounded rural! Abundance of experience and knowledge of the Raccoon river at Lenon Mills outside of Panora Iowa, as main... The main river dam, the fall smallmouth start to feed up the. Majority of its water from 3 forks, the South Raccoon rises a! Trek near Carroll, IA bumps up against a bluff is also a key winter sanctuary for smallmouth Idaho! All fishing gear required to catch the gravel, coarse sand or Rock bottom by sweeping tail. There was a big splash and the minnow was gone Iowa in may... 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