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#1
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
I have another question about stream smallmouths. I'm fishing in a
canoe, floating down a small stream. What is the best way to present the lure? I'm going to assume the 2 best spots are the head and tails of deeper pools. Let's suppose for example I'm floating slowly along a pool and there's some faster moving water (ripples) ahead. I want to fish the pool just upstream from the ripples. Should I fish that spot by casting downstream? Or wait until I go throught the ripples and cast upstream? When you find a spot like this do you ever pull the canoe over? Anchor it? When you are just slowly drifting in a pool is it better to cast upstream, downstream or across? Thanks! Chuck. |
#2
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
I like to cast 90 degrees to the bank and retrieve across the current.
-- Bob Rickard www.secretweaponlures.com --------------------------=x O'))) "CR" wrote in message om... I have another question about stream smallmouths. I'm fishing in a canoe, floating down a small stream. What is the best way to present the lure? I'm going to assume the 2 best spots are the head and tails of deeper pools. Let's suppose for example I'm floating slowly along a pool and there's some faster moving water (ripples) ahead. I want to fish the pool just upstream from the ripples. Should I fish that spot by casting downstream? Or wait until I go throught the ripples and cast upstream? When you find a spot like this do you ever pull the canoe over? Anchor it? When you are just slowly drifting in a pool is it better to cast upstream, downstream or across? Thanks! Chuck. |
#4
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
It's true that Smallies like the obvious places behind rocks, but you just
cannot see everywhere under the water. Of course SM seem to always be looking upstream in the rapids. However, I have hooked many trophy (over 15") SM in places I would never imagine such as what appeared to be the calm before the rapids (mostly North Fork, Susquehanna River, PA). Fish all the obvious spots and you will hook many aggressive fish, but remember to keep casting in between the "good" spots. "Peter Charles" wrote in message ... On 19 Sep 2003 08:07:23 -0700, (CR) wrote: I have another question about stream smallmouths. I'm fishing in a canoe, floating down a small stream. What is the best way to present the lure? I'm going to assume the 2 best spots are the head and tails of deeper pools. Let's suppose for example I'm floating slowly along a pool and there's some faster moving water (ripples) ahead. I want to fish the pool just upstream from the ripples. Should I fish that spot by casting downstream? Or wait until I go throught the ripples and cast upstream? When you find a spot like this do you ever pull the canoe over? Anchor it? When you are just slowly drifting in a pool is it better to cast upstream, downstream or across? Thanks! Chuck. I wade fish for smallmouth in streams and rivers so the problems are the same as when fishing from a canoe. I'd suggest anchoring and working the best features. Smallies like the current but they also like protection from it. You can expect them to be located around boulders, rocky ledges, gravel bars, logs -- anything that enables them to hold near current yet not be in it. Don't overlook the shallows and slack water in fading light. When casting to boulders, cast in front as well as behind as in front of every boulder on each side, is an area of slack current that allows a fish to sit comfortably without effort. When there is a high sun, some wind, a bright overcast, or a surface chop, work deeper but when the sun and wind drops, they'll be quite prepared to lift out of their lies and take a surface or shallow presentation. If you have a decent current to work with, let it swing your lure/fly around, adding some action on the swing. I've found that when smallies are hanging deep, they need a presentation that puts the lure/fly almost in the faces -- they won't chase far. For me, slower, quieter presentations have always worked better than loud and fast ones. I'll move surface poppers at a slow rate, just enough to move water and create a wake. I've rarely taken a smallie when popping it loudly. Large fish will always sit in the best lies which at midday usually means the deepest spot, with the best cover, closest to the main current. Smaller fish will be arrayed around the better areas so if you work the riffles at midday, you're likely to pick up only dinks. This changes under low light as the bigger fish will feel confident to move out from their holding lies. HTH Peter Eastern Spey Clave, October 4th and 5th, 2003 http://www.easternclave.ca Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html |
#5
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 20:00:22 -0400, "Richard Liebert"
wrote: It's true that Smallies like the obvious places behind rocks, but you just cannot see everywhere under the water. Of course SM seem to always be looking upstream in the rapids. However, I have hooked many trophy (over 15") SM in places I would never imagine such as what appeared to be the calm before the rapids (mostly North Fork, Susquehanna River, PA). Fish all the obvious spots and you will hook many aggressive fish, but remember to keep casting in between the "good" spots. The slow, funnel shaped currents in front of riffles are great places to fish, especially if they are adjacent to deeper water. The flow of water directs food toward the fish, they don't have to expend much energy holding position, and they can quickly flee when threatened. My last trip to the Mattawa river was classic smallie fishing. I worked my way up and down the bank casting to likely spots. Wherever I casted over a featureless area of river I picked up nothing -- as soon as I casted over structure, I was into fish. Of course, if the bottom features are unknown, it makes things tougher. Peter turn mailhot into hotmail to reply Eastern Spey Clave, October 4th and 5th, 2003 http://www.easternclave.ca Visit The Streamer Page at http://www.mountaincable.net/~pcharl...ers/index.html |
#6
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
"CR" wrote...
I have another question about stream smallmouths. I'm fishing in a canoe, floating down a small stream. What is the best way to present the lure? I'm going to assume the 2 best spots are the head and tails of deeper pools. ** Yes. As others have already replied, these are classic locations and should not be ignored. Fish will hold within the pools for various reasons and, depending upon the current, may hold at various positions. Let's suppose for example I'm floating slowly along a pool and there's some faster moving water (ripples) ahead. I want to fish the pool just upstream from the ripples. Should I fish that spot by casting downstream? Or wait until I go throught the ripples and cast upstream? ** Both. The element of surprise is greatly reduced in small streams, so casting where you haven't already been detected is, IMO, the first approach to the spot. But don't limit yourself to fishing only the pools. Those ripples you speak of, which are called runs, can hold monster fish. Cast to the tail of the run and work the lure back. A soft plastic jerk skittered along the surface has netted me a few over 17". When you find a spot like this do you ever pull the canoe over? Anchor it? ** All the time. Sometimes it only takes a leg overboard to hold position, sometimes I drop a small (folding) river anchor and wade around. When you are just slowly drifting in a pool is it better to cast upstream, downstream or across? *** All of the above. I'll have two rods rigged when on the crick; one for surface presenations, one for bottom presentations. If they're bottom feeding then a 1/8 jig (or Slider) can present a grub, plastic minnow or craw dad. If they're looking up then the Baby Slug Go is put into action. The first approach should be to cast the top water to the preceding run (as mentioned above) to see if anybody's guarding the front door. Once you enter the pool pull over, and cast up into the run again, this time drifting the top water into the pool (to see if anyone's behind the front door). With it's slower rate of fall you may attract fish holding in slack water, looking up to feed. Repeat this process with the jig, bouncing it along the rocks into the pool, letting the current do most of the work for you, 'cause they may be looking down to feed. Work the slack, deep pool (the living room) from as many angles as your heart desires. You never know how they may be positioned in this location. Before you exit the pool cast to the exit run (back door) with the top water. Thanks! Chuck. Any time, Shawn |
#7
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
Peter Charles wrote in message
I wade fish for smallmouth in streams and rivers so the problems are the same as when fishing from a canoe. I'd suggest anchoring and working the best features. Smallies like the current but they also like protection from it. You can expect them to be located around boulders, rocky ledges, gravel bars, logs -- anything that enables them to hold near current yet not be in it. Don't overlook the shallows and slack water in fading light. Damn. I'm afraid I may need some waders. I'll bet if I had a pair of waders and a canoe I could really cover some ground. |
#8
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
Hi Chuck,
I think that casting from the canoe is fun but anchoring or parking and getting out wading could be effective. While you are moving in the canoe, you might want to cast downstream and across to structure so the fish has not already seen you coming. This is the way we fish stripers in clear rivers. I floated the lower Umpqua River one year in Oregon with a guide is a drift boat. It is one of the most famous smallmouth rivers on the west coast. It is a good size river so as we floated, we cast across the slow current to big rock structures that were mostly under water and the fish seemed to be hanging on them somewhere. I think they like to sit next to structure like rocks and down trees. I think smallmouth black bass are a top game fish especially in moving water. I know I have not done enough of it yet. -- Bill Kiene Kiene's Fly Shop Sacramento, CA www.kiene.com "CR" wrote in message om... I have another question about stream smallmouths. I'm fishing in a canoe, floating down a small stream. What is the best way to present the lure? I'm going to assume the 2 best spots are the head and tails of deeper pools. Let's suppose for example I'm floating slowly along a pool and there's some faster moving water (ripples) ahead. I want to fish the pool just upstream from the ripples. Should I fish that spot by casting downstream? Or wait until I go throught the ripples and cast upstream? When you find a spot like this do you ever pull the canoe over? Anchor it? When you are just slowly drifting in a pool is it better to cast upstream, downstream or across? Thanks! Chuck. |
#9
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
"Bill Kiene" wrote in message ...
Hi Chuck, I think that casting from the canoe is fun but anchoring or parking and getting out wading could be effective. While you are moving in the canoe, you might want to cast downstream and across to structure so the fish has not already seen you coming. This is the way we fish stripers in clear rivers. I went wading yesterday in a stream near my house. Wading definitely has it's advantages. The problem I found was running out of territory. I fished the good holes but the water is way down and there are a lot of really long shallow flats that I had to walk past to get to the next spot. I want to try floating in the canoe and getting out when I pass over a good spot and working it upstream. Instead of fishing 3 holes I could fish 20. |
#10
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Float fishing for smallmouth.
On 20 Sep 2003 06:55:31 -0700, (CR) wrote:
Damn. I'm afraid I may need some waders. I'll bet if I had a pair of waders and a canoe I could really cover some ground. That's another neat thing about fishing small rivers from a canoe. You can travel a lot of ground! While it all depends upon the speed of the flow and how many stops you make (if any)...you can cover over 20 miles in 6-8 hour's time by canoe. Like Bob said, you rarely can go wrong fishing cross-current. Try to position your canoe so it moves slower when you pass the better looking fishing areas and be opportunistic...bc often you only get 1 or 2 shots are certain areas! -- Dwayne E. Cooper, Atty at Law Indianapolis, IN Email: Web Page: http://www.cooperlegalservices.com Personal Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosierwebsites.com/OnTheWater Favorite Fishing Web Page: http://www.hoosiertradingpost.com/FishingTackle 1st Annual ROFB Classic Winner |
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