Smallmouth Bass

CZfool68

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For those of you that have never ventured behind enemy lines up North to fish here's why some of us risk it.

http://www.syracuse.com/outdoors/in...record_lake_erie_bass.html#incart_river_index

If you ever get a chance to fish Erie, Ontario, Champlain or the St Lawrence River in May I'd highly recommend it. Heck even the Finger Lakes have some awesome bass fishing. Light spinning tackle and huge smallies is about the most fun you can have clothed.
 
Fished Ontario and the Saint Lawrence. Great fishing.
But big smallies can be had in the south too.



That is true. I've fished Dale Hallow a couple times. Pickwick is high up on my list. Different styles of fishing and habitats though. I can catch 2-5 lb smallies mid summer in less than 10' of water in Yankee land using all sorts of methods. In the South it turns primarily into deep water fishing. But any good smallmouth fishing is fine with me. I've fished them in OR and CA too. I'd fish smallies in hell too if given the chance. :D
 
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It does not get a whole lot better than small mouth bass on a fly rod with popping bugs when the fish are in the shallows. There are plenty of smallmouth here in NC and in other southern states, but fishing a Canadian lake or river, I like the Winnipeg River, with a fly rod in June is a hoot with a hole in it. The shore lunches of fresh-caught walleyes are worth the trip by themselves.
 
Is the New a boat/canoe/kayak kind of river. Or is wading in and easy access to be had?
 
All of the above. You just have to know the water and access areas. Research and area reports are helpful. It's been years since I have been there, but I mostly waded. Also, there are some serious Musky in the river. NC and into Va.
 
Oh yeah! I lived next to a blown out dam on the Grand River in Michigan for twenty years...half way between Lansing and Grand Rapids. I caught so many smallmouth that it actually got boring. Well...not really. After so many years, you get a good feel for where they are, when they'll be there and what they hanker for. I eventually set my sights on walleye and still caught smallmouth...with an occasional Northern or small Muskie to boot
Interesting hobby. I miss having that river in the back yard.
 
regarding the New River...three things:
1. you can wade anytime, but i will wade from Mid-June to late September.
2. kayak is the way to go. i have converted from canoe to kayak.
3. fly fishing is my favorite, however a Heddon Teeny Torpedo with 6-lb test is how i started.
 
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