To anyone just coming out of the woods, "Are the smallies on the beds?"

I'd guess that they're close if not. The last week or so of cool water probably stalled the spawn a bit. The high 60's to low 70's in the next week should get it back on track.

I have some buddies coming out on Sat...I'll post once I talk to them.

I am heading in on friday!

quote CrookedPaddler1: "I am heading in on friday!
"

Where ya going?

I've never really figured this out. So, you can catch them easy up to the point they spawn? Then is it after that they are harder to catch? The last trip we only caught a few small ones, but I been on other trips where you had one on about every cast.

Saw a bunch of empty beds on Alpine, water temps were in the high 50's, when it wasn't raining we were catching them on leaches in 9 ft of water just off shore. Had a few go for top water stuff like hula poppers and jitterbugs.

They are very aggressive when the males are guarding the beds. Any top water bait that is moved over the top of the beds will elicit a strike. They are not necessarily eating as the are guarding the nest. This is pretty much a catch and release fishing event.

If you love smallies, like I do, you don't want to pull the males off the beds because they're not eating and it depletes their energy, plus they're there to protect their young and removing them, even if only for a couple minutes, removes that protection. Plus, spawning kills some females since they convert about 40% of their weight into eggs and catching the females further depletes them. So, don't fish the beds. They're easy enough to catch anyway. Fish early and fish late and you can catch plenty of them.

Everyone is entitled to there onions and I will respect yours. However, I choose to disagree with the fact that you shouldn't fish them while on their beds.

For starts it is a fantastic opportunity to sight fish and target specific fish. As fisherman, we are only fishing a very small percentage of the nests and even if a fisherman were to take only one or two during a trip, it would not have a significant impact on the fishery.

A second point that I would make, is that if it we were having a significant impact on the fishery, the DNR would close the smallmouth season during this portion of the life cycle. But they don't in fact the bass season in NE minnesota opens with the regular fishing opener and not later in the season as in other parts of the state.

A third point that I would make is that smallmouth bass are not native fish in the Boundary Waters Ecosystem. They were introduced in the 1920's and under today's "invasive species" environment, we would be trying to figure out a way to eliminate all of them from the lakes and streams as they are displacing native fish.

So, I will continue to target smallmouth for my couple of day trip each year. I will continue to practice catch and release. And when I am ready for my fish dinner, I will target northern pike and walleye.

quote CrookedPaddler1: "Everyone is entitled to there onions and I will respect yours. However, I choose to disagree with the fact that you shouldn't fish them while on their beds.


For starts it is a fantastic opportunity to sight fish and target specific fish. As fisherman, we are only fishing a very small percentage of the nests and even if a fisherman were to take only one or two during a trip, it would not have a significant impact on the fishery.


A second point that I would make, is that if it we were having a significant impact on the fishery, the DNR would close the smallmouth season during this portion of the life cycle. But they don't in fact the bass season in NE minnesota opens with the regular fishing opener and not later in the season as in other parts of the state.


A third point that I would make is that smallmouth bass are not native fish in the Boundary Waters Ecosystem. They were introduced in the 1920's and under today's "invasive species" environment, we would be trying to figure out a way to eliminate all of them from the lakes and streams as they are displacing native fish.


So, I will continue to target smallmouth for my couple of day trip each year. I will continue to practice catch and release. And when I am ready for my fish dinner, I will target northern pike and walleye.


"

Oh, lots of people disagree with me because it's a blast to catch so many bass. However, I average a hundred bass a day without fishing beds and most of those are on the surface. The keys are to rise before the Sun, fish light line, and fish long lines. I fish long, light surface lures (F13 Rapalas) and I cast a long, long ways, so I'm catching the fish that are spooked by boat-bangin', water-slappin', shadow castin' fishers. I only fish early and late, but one day, just to see how many bass I could catch, I fished from just can (4:15 a.m.) to can't (11:00 p.m.) for two straight days and caught 697 bass and those weren't bass on beds. My point is that you can catch a lot of bass without yanking them outta their love nests.

Yes, sight fishing is a blast, but you can do that too sans nests. I see lots of bass plucking bugs off the surface and I catch most of those bass.

Thanks for disagreeing so sweetly! I hope I returned the courtesy.

I think that one of the challenges at this time of the year is that the bass are on the beds. There are a few in deeper water getting ready to spawn, and i would think that the stress of catching them would have a more significant impact on their ability to spawn (but I don't know that). And once they have spawned, they again return to the deeper water to rest. So, in early June, the only real option in my mind is targeting them on the beds.

I do exclusively fly fishing, so I am much closer to the fish, resulting in a quicker catch and release. Once the spawn is over, I agree that working the rocky points and shorelines, weed edges and other likely holding places you can catch hundreds of fish in a day, with either fly or spinning gear. And I certainly spend time targeting them during those times as well.

Nothing on the beds as of yesterday.
It was 30 degrees last night with ice on the windshield this morning, so the lakes have a ways to go before they warm up enough for a bass spawn.
If the lakes don't warm fast enough, they won't spawn this year which doesn't generate any sympathy since a bass is nothing more than a rat with scales!!
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

So every 3 minutes for over 18 hours a day? Did you have lunch, bathroom breaks, paddling? How big was your net?

quote slugman: "So every 3 minutes for over 18 hours a day? Did you have lunch, bathroom breaks, paddling? How big was your net?"

I don't net. I use barbless, which makes for quicker releases. I wasn't bringing fish into the boat, which greatly slows catching. It helped that they were completely bonkers and feeding throughout the day. Plus, I was fishing a lake I know very well. I ate in the boat and yes, I peed and pooped, but I didn't have to return to camp for that because I was in Canada. I just wanted to see how many fish could be caught under ideal circumstances with a long, long day. I remember times when I cast and didn't catch a fish and I examined the lure to see if anything was wrong.

Pretty sure that #'s of smallies are not in danger of a great decline. They would be the species that I would be least worried about. As stated, they are invasive to that area and have migrated to nearly every lake.
Still looking forward to catching some nice ones next week wherever they may be lurking.

quote jakebait: "Pretty sure that #'s of smallies are not in danger of a great decline. They would be the species that I would be least worried about. As stated, they are invasive to that area and have migrated to nearly every lake.
Still looking forward to catching some nice ones next week wherever they may be lurking."

What can decline is quality of the catch. My dad is old and so the last few years, I flew him into resorts. The other fishers at the resorts thought the fishing was great, but my father and I found it lousy. The smallies were small. Tiny. Itsy-bitsy. We had grown accustomed to lakes where it's rare to catch a smallmouth under sixteen inches. I attribute the tiny fish to the pressure.

quote CrookedPaddler1: " So, in early June, the only real option in my mind is targeting them on the beds.
"

One of the best ways to catch smallies this time of year is mid to shallow cranks. I like to use a DT4 up to a Mann's Baby 1-Minus. You'll boat a lot of fish, and you don't have to exclusively fish the shoreline. There are a lot of immediate pre and post spawn fish cruising the 4-8' range depths during the time that we generically label "the spawn." Plus since most of the more aggressive fish are going to be pre-spawn fish, they'll be some footballs! Also a great pattern when wind won't allow sight fishing or if there's a cool off in the weather that pulls the fish into deeper water.

Ahhh, spawning smallies on crank baits.....I'm sure TGO's ears are ringing somewhere!!

quote missmolly: "The smallies were small. Tiny. Itsy-bitsy. We had grown accustomed to lakes where it's rare to catch a smallmouth under sixteen inches. I attribute the tiny fish to the pressure."

Fish grow smaller under high pressure?

I could make an argument to pull those smallies off the beds in order reduce their overall number's and boost the size structure of the population. ;) Now I'm just being rediculous.

I understand your point of view.

I can't count to 697 or whatever that number was. Wow, now I have a new story to read to my children at bedtime. I just love cyber fishing.

Did I write 697? I meant 6.97. One of the seven fish was missing the tip of its dorsal.

quote jakebait: "

quote missmolly: "The smallies were small. Tiny. Itsy-bitsy. We had grown accustomed to lakes where it's rare to catch a smallmouth under sixteen inches. I attribute the tiny fish to the pressure."

Fish grow smaller under high pressure?


I could make an argument to pull those smallies off the beds in order reduce their overall number's and boost the size structure of the population. ;) Now I'm just being rediculous.


I understand your point of view."

I think there is some validity to that argument. It is not uncommon for lakes to have stunted populations due to overpopulation. Many lakes in Wisconsin have no minimum length limit on walleye but only 1 fish over 14" may be kept. That reg makes me think the lake has a high number of cigars but few quality fish and would doubt fishing pressure is the culprit.

I'm not saying there's a single explanation to cover the decline in fishing quality for every body of water. Its probably a combination of fishing pressure, selective harvest of large fish, and habitat destruction. But I've never read any definitive literature that fishing on beds damages a fishery for smallies or largemouths.

Bass fishing is a billion dollar industry. If there were definitive evidence that fishing during the spawn damaged the fishery, I feel confident that it would be broadcast regularly on the weekly tv shows and multiple print magazines.

quote BnD: "I can't count to 697 or whatever that number was. "

I'm with you, my counting goes 0, 1, 2, a few, about a dozen, a couple dozen. I've never needed to count any higher.

For those who have counted fish up to a 100 or more, how have you kept track?

quote RAFA Ranger: "

quote BnD: "I can't count to 697 or whatever that number was. "

I'm with you, my counting goes 0, 1, 2, a few, about a dozen, a couple dozen. I've never needed to count any higher.


For those who have counted fish up to a 100 or more, how have you kept track?"

I make a notch in my canoe for each one caught. Too many fish will sink a ship.

Actually, I just count. I don't do it most days, but here and there. Remember that I'm fishing lakes north of Quetico. They don't get the pressure that the park lakes get. Some don't even have names.

quote The Great Outdoors:
If the lakes don't warm fast enough, they won't spawn this year which doesn't generate any sympathy since a bass is nothing more than a rat with scales!!
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!"

+1!

I imagine that many of the smallies people catch this time of year areoff of beds. No way to know if a 'blind cast' goes over a bed. The important thing is to release the fish.

I just went fishing in Sturgeon Bay and caught pigs. A bunch of fish over lbs, just shy of 5. The biggest was 22 inches. A fish that big takes about 20 years to get that size. Funny thing is, when you throw em back they go right back to the beds. Did we target beds? Yup. Some of the time. And it was a blast. Did I keep a single fish? Nope. And if I was hungry or wanted to show my kids how to fillet a fish, I would. Everyone has their own code I guess. Good to be American. But also good to keep all these species around for future generations

quote CrookedPaddler1: "I think that one of the challenges at this time of the year is that the bass are on the beds. There are a few in deeper water getting ready to spawn, and i would think that the stress of catching them would have a more significant impact on their ability to spawn (but I don't know that). And once they have spawned, they again return to the deeper water to rest. So, in early June, the only real option in my mind is targeting them on the beds.


I do exclusively fly fishing, so I am much closer to the fish, resulting in a quicker catch and release. Once the spawn is over, I agree that working the rocky points and shorelines, weed edges and other likely holding places you can catch hundreds of fish in a day, with either fly or spinning gear. And I certainly spend time targeting them during those times as well.

I would love to fly fish for smallies! I am going up for a week on Thursday. Is there a particular fly that you use that seems to work best for them?



"

quote CrookedPaddler1: "To anyone just coming out of the woods, "Are the smallies on the beds?""

CP1 may be on the water now, but I am interested in any updates as we are going in on Saturday. Hoping to work our way over to Small Arm Knife or wherever the smallies may be active. Thanks for any info...

Just got out of the woods! Best fishing I have had in years! The smallies are starting to move onto the beds. We caught lots of fish, all on topwater, but many were in deeper water yet. We fished Friday - Sunday and caught probably a couple of dozen smallies of 18" with the biggest a hair over 20! We were on a dark water lake with the water temps about 62 in the morning and warming to 65 during the day. All were caught on the fly rod!

That is encouraging...we leave Saturday and go in on Monday so hopefully will be as good for us! Any other updates out there?

quote GGrant: "That is encouraging...we leave Saturday and go in on Monday so hopefully will be as good for us! Any other updates out there?"

Males were were on some beds last week, and the females looked close to dropping the eggs. Some fish might have already spawned.

quote GGrant: "That is encouraging...we leave Saturday and go in on Monday so hopefully will be as good for us! Any other updates out there?"

quote CrookedPaddler1: "To anyone just coming out of the woods, "Are the smallies on the beds?""

I was in the Q 6/3 - 6/8 and the smallies were full of eggs and hitting every thing in site...pretty unreal fishing man. We did CPR and have some great pictures, my biggest was 5 1/2 lbs ....they knocked the paint off of several of my top waters. The walleye were not so lucky though...we ate them every night and now have bags and bags of MRE's. Yum Yum =)