[Woodsnwater58]

Well, deer season is more or less over and I've been thinking a little bit about the fishing I will be doing, God willing, this spring. I live closeby to a small stream that holds some decent bass, and last summer I had a lot of luck with soft plastics and live worms. .:thumb: Thinking about trying a couple new crankbaits or maybe even a spinnerbait or two this year. Anybody else do this kind of fishing? It's a blast!

 

[stealthycat]

I love it - treat yourself to a Crooked Creek trip :biggrin:

 

[Thenarwhal]

Wild, river smallmouths are absolutely my favorite fish. Pound for pound the baddest thing that swims in fresh water. If I could catch break any Arkansas fishing record it would be the smallmouth record, over seven pounds. When I was a kid I had a six plus pounder up to the boat before she broke my line and took my Rapala. I can still remember the details of the color pattern of that fish 30 years later.

 

[Woodsnwater58]

I dont guess I've ever caught a six or seven pounder but I've caught a few who thought they were! They fight like they're in hot springs on black Friday.

 

[Woodsnwater58]

Crooked creek sounds awesome, I've always wanted to check it out. It's a little drive from me but sounds well worth it.

 

[Kodiac]

Bomber makes a crank bait that is colored like a small Kentucky bass. It has worked great for me. I believe it's a Bomber A.

 

[B725]

I caught some nice ones up on spring river while trout fishing. First time for trout and my first ever small mouth. Once I figured them out I was no longer there for trout anymore

 

[Bucker10]

This is off topic a bit, but my bucket list trip is to Michigan smallmouth fishing. I've only caught two my whole life, but can't think of anything that would be more fun than catching 4-5 lb smallmouth

 

[Thenarwhal]

This is off topic a bit, but my bucket list trip is to Michigan smallmouth fishing. I've only caught two my whole life, but can't think of anything that would be more fun than catching 4-5 lb smallmouth

I've never personally been fishing in Michigan and it sounds like a lot of fun, but from the people I know who catch those northern smallies, they act like a different creature than the wild, river smallmouths we have. Those lake bass are thick, chunky fish which all look like they come off an assembly line. They fight by going deep and slugging it out. I'll never downplay a five-pound brownie, but if I'm going to catch one that size, I would personally rather have one of the wild, crazy fighting, tail walking, tackle busting creek fish we have around here.

I remember fishing with a bunch of guys in Colorado one day years ago. We fished for hours at a lake and caught nothing, then suddenly I hooked into something really powerful that stayed dug in on the bottom. I slugged it out on light tackle for several minutes and finally pulled up a three-pound smallmouth. She was shaped like a football and about that thick. It was an unusual and cool catch but almost disappointing. If that had been a Saline River or Crooked Creek brownie it would have jumped over the boat and broke the rod before spitting the bait at me and swimming off. Catching that fish was like a light switch for the feed. In the next 30 minutes we all caught our limits of trout and threw them back until we were sick of it. But that was the only smallmouth. I threw her back and I hope she's still swimming. That was 25 years ago so she's probably a state record by now.

 

[Bucker10]

I've caught plenary of kentuckys on the saline but only two true smallmouth.

I've always just wanted to catch a bunch of smallmouth in general. Maybe one day I'll get someone to make a trip farther north in Arkansas and get to try it.

 

[B725]

I'm telling ya, spring River is where it's at. Stand on those water falls and just drop a grub down. Don't even have to move it and they slam it. Just use a bigger pole than what I had

 

[Woodsnwater58]

Did the Buffalo a few years ago and it was a good easy float for the family + good fishing.

 

[Badbassn]

The kings river outside eureka springs is my favorite place to go

 

[dan42110]

Nothing like small mouth fishing! Originally from upstate NY! Small mouth fishing is where my heart is! Haven't been since I have lived in Texarkana! Would love you spend sometime ripping some small mouth lips!

 

[STERRNO]

This is off topic a bit, but my bucket list trip is to Michigan smallmouth fishing. I've only caught two my whole life, but can't think of anything that would be more fun than catching 4-5 lb smallmouth

I went a couple years ago and it was the best fishing trip ever. We fished Huron , St Claire , and Erie. If you ever get the chance GO !!

 

[Bucker10]

I went a couple years ago and it was the best fishing trip ever. We fished Huron , St Claire , and Erie. If you ever get the chance GO !!

I'd go next year if I could get some people to go

I love watching KVD fish Michigan.

I love throwing top water and a jerkbait so I can't imagine how much fun it would be

 

[sam]

I go to northern Minnesota every year the last full week of June to fish for smallmouth. We catch lots of 3 to 5 pound fish and ,yes, some of them do jump and tail walk. A lot go straight down too, but they all fight like demons whether they go up or down.

I love fish'n the creeks around Arkansas for them too. All four tributaries of the Little Red River above Greers Ferry have smallmouth in them, the Middle Fork probably has the highest percentage of smallmouth, followed by the Archie Fork. Both the South Fork and Devils Fork have a few, but both have more Kentucky's and largemouth than smallmouth. Richland Creek is great, but a long way from anywhere and the upper stretches are wilderness and rough. I've never fished it, but would love to try some of the upper stretches of the Ouachita, Caddo and some others in the Ouachita Mountains for them.

 

[SwampCat]

I caught a five pounder on the cossatot 35 years ago. Was wade fishing with my one year old son in one of those back packs. I am sure they would call DHS now for the potential of drowning your kid if you fell down. Upper little Missouri was also good back in those days. Upper ouachita was really good and Caddo decent. Spent a lot of fun hot summer days wading those rivers. I have caught smallmouth in Minnesota and Ontario up north - but the best smallmouth fishing I have ever had was in the snake river on the Idaho Washington border in Hell's canyon. True river fish - and lots of them. Some 75 fish days - a lot of three pounders and a few over four. Good times.

 

[Bigdeaddux]

River smallmouth are a blast. Kings, Buffalo, and Crooked Creek get pretty crowded with recreational paddlers. The more remote stretches of those waters are definitely worth the effort when the water gets right.

For anyone that truly likes big smallies in large numbers, go north, way north.

If you like solitude and a true wildernesses adventure with top shelf smallmouth action, I recommend spending a week or two in the Boundry Waters or Quantico in northern Minnesota and Canada. Canoe only (no motors allowed) with hundreds of lakes to choose from while catching fish that most have ever seen a lure in their life. I'll second what Sam said earlier, most of these big smallies go to the bottom and the fight is on. Mid to late June seems to be the magic time, spawn and post-spawn, stop at every tackle store on the way up and buy all the topwater baits you can afford.

 

[stealthycat]

Kings is next on my list - Buffalo is a hit/miss deal for me, Crooked Creek was good. Spring river I've caught some but no big ones.

This coming summer I'm taking my son to Chequamegon Bay WI I think - just fantastic smallmouth fishing. Everyone should go just once - get a cooler of big "pike" minnows and hold on !!