Nothing gets my heart pumping more than giant, river smallmouth bass. And nothing gets my heart racing like catching a bunch of them, especially on back-to-back casts! Sound to be good to be true? Well, not if you’re talking about the consolidated pods of river smallmouth bass in September, October and November.
Around the second week of September, smallmouth bass in rivers begin an annual migration to the select pools that they will spend the rest of the fall and winter in. This migration from summer habitat can often cover the span of tens of miles. River smallmouth vacate their summer feeding stations at this time of year to travel downstream to larger pools that offer greater depth and highly reduced current.
THE RIVERS
This fall migration happens in small to medium rivers all over southern Ontario. Some of the best rivers have outstanding steelhead runs, while others do not. Most of them also contain other resident fish species, from carp to muskie.
The rivers in question can have holes from three-feet deep in some of the smaller ones to over 20-feet deep in some of the bigger ones. Furthermore, in the middle of summer, water in certain sections of these river is often only a few inches deep. The primary forage in these rivers tends to be both abundant crayfish and minnow species. Smallmouth generally top out at 22-inches in these rivers, but fish up to 24-inches or seven-pounds are a possibility. Almost every year fish greater than 22-inches and six-pounds can be caught in late fall.
LOCATION
This story is from the Fall 2019 edition of Bob Izumi's Real Fishing.
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This story is from the Fall 2019 edition of Bob Izumi's Real Fishing.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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ONTARIO FISHING ADVENTURES
Last winter we did a special feature profiling several fantastic fishing resorts in various regions of Ontario. The article was so well received that we decided to do it again, with a new group of lodges. All of this year’s destinations provide top notch fishing for multiple species, they’re relatively unpressured and they are easily accessible by car. From high-end, full service resorts to more laid-back fishing camps, each of these locations offer a unique fishing experience. If you’re thinking about where to go for your next fishing getaway the following pages feature Bob Izumi's profiles of some the trips he made last year. Hopefully they will give you some ideas on where to look for a fishing trip that is sure to meet all of your expectations.
FISHING ALGOMA COUNTRY
Wil Wegman is an award-winning outdoor writer, seminar host and tournament angler from Bradford Ontario. In 2017 Wil was recognized for his dedication to the sport by being inducted into the Canadian Angler Hall of Fame. www.wilwegman.com
Tales from the Road
As you may know I like driving, so jumping in a vehicle and doing a road trip is appealing to me. For years I would routinely do 100,000 km per year or more on the road. So this Tales starts with me heading out again, back to Brennan Harbour Resort in Spanish, Ontario. Located in Algoma Country, this friendly resort is operated by James and Casey, who are a wonderful couple.
CHAIN PICKEREL ON STRIKE
I’ve never stalked a whitetail deer, but I imagine doing so is a bit like fishing for large chain pickerel. Success is found by locating those prime areas where the big ones live, and by working those areas thoroughly and patiently with exact techniques.
What's Cooking
Elk Tartare with Horseradish Crema
Tales From The Road
Since my last Tales article I’ve been averaging at least six days a week, sometimes seven, on the road. Road trips are, and have always been, a big part of my life. There’s just something about being on the go that I love. In fact, as I wrap up this column I’ll be hitting the road again and I can’t wait, even though I just got back a day ago. I think it’s ingrained in me so much that I don’t mind living out of a suitcase. I know it’s not for everybody, but I like it.
The MGM Fishing Trip
On the first Saturday of June 2020, a group of 20 extended family members will celebrate an amazing milestone. They will be participating in the 50th consecutive year of a family fishing trip begun by four founding members way back in 1971.
Hidden Gems
Every now and again we anglers are lucky enough to find lakes, ponds or creeks that feel so isolated from civilization that believing they are a reality is sometimes more difficult than finding them in the first place. Stumbling across, or being introduced to, a body of water with such enormous potential for catching fish is what any fishing enthusiast dreams of. Fortunately for myself, I have lucked out three times in one shot.
Black Crappie
The black crappie is a member of the sunfish family and features the same deep, laterally compressed body shape as other sunfishes.
Fly Tricks For Fall Trout
In the fall, fly fishing changes. Not only does the weather cool, the bug activity often quiets down as well. Different techniques are needed to adapt to the rivers where fish are often looking for different food. Searching techniques and paying attention to details can improve your success.
