Would You Rather Fish A Lake Or A River?

[HogFan5]

Yeah, what got me thinking was I am trying to learn this 40,000+ acre lake here in AR which I don't know much about versus a small lake (which is nothing more than a river channel with a dam on each end) that I know blind-folded.

Lake Ouachita?

[Big Jon]

I have been fishing lakes, but now that I am living in Colorado, I think I need to try out rivers, though I don't know anything about fishing rivers. They are the common places to fish here it seems.

[iabass8]

No slop in rivers? Must be something wrong with you lads, ill take a river over a lake any day

x2

[jhoffman]

I absolutely love fishing all the lakes in south jersey, most are small and shallow so its easy to find the fish. But.... ill never forget my summers as a teen going on weekend fishing trips to the juniata river out past harrisburg pa and getting 20-30 smallies a day. Especially that monster 4lb+ smallie i got on a jig !!

 

My goal this year is to chase some smallies out in pa again !!

 

You might wanna rethink that bud, the juniata and susquehanna both have taken a major land slide in fish numbers. Especially big fish. The lower sections actually have no kill regs now.

 

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/susq-impairment.htm

 

The Susquehanna River—one of the nation's longest and most important

rivers is in trouble. Scientists and anglers have for several years been

reporting unprecedented incidents of diseased and dying smallmouth bass

in the Lower Susquehanna. 

This nearly 100-mile stretch of river,

spanning from Sunbury to the Maryland border, has long been a

destination for anglers seeking the smallmouth. Unfortunately many

experts and anglers now speculate that current conditions in the Lower

Susquehanna may lead to the possible collapse of this once-renowned

fishery.

We believe the federal Clean Water Act is clear—when a

problem of this significance is found in our waters, it warrants listing

it as an impaired water body. Our organizations last fall joined the

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission in petitioning the Pennsylvania

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to include the Lower

Susquehanna on the state Impaired Waters List. Doing so would galvanize

state, federal, academic, and nonprofit resources to not only study the

problem but, importantly, to devise a detailed plan to fix it.

DEP

has not supported listing the River as impaired and has not included

the Lower Susquehanna in its final Impaired Waters List, which was

submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in January. This

issue is now in the hands of EPA.

In the meantime, DEP and other

state and federal agencies have committed to continue to study the

River, and we commend them for that. However, we call on DEP and the

other agencies to collectively commit to a clearly defined public

engagement process that provides updates on the study and the progress,

and to publicly share their data and findings throughout the process.

We

all benefit from a healthy River through livable communities with

strong local economies, protected human health, increased property

values and recreational opportunities. We all benefit from a healthy,

vital Susquehanna River.

HARRY CAMPBELL, Pennsylvania Executive Director, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

LIZ G. DEARDORFF, Director, American Rivers’ Clean Water Program - Pennsylvania

[Trailer]

Lake Ouachita?

Yep. Any time I go this year I'll be on it. I have my boat docked there so I just hop in and go. No launching. With that said, I'm committed to the lake, just need to learn it. It's huge and always wonder where to start.

[wnybassman]

I would give the slight edge to a lake. Reasoning, because holding a position in a river can be difficult.

 

 

I've never really tried to hold position in a river.  Drifting is much more effective, and you really get a workout by the end of the day making 600 repeated drifts in one day.   lol

[Big Bassman]

My choice is a lake/resevoir because I can catch much larger bass on a regular basis. 5-6# is a big river bass, while depending on the location of the lake it is not. I live on the Mississippi River so at least 1/2 + of my year is river fishing and I love it. However, I disagree with some who would say it is the same as lakes, I feel it is much different. I also love resevoir fishing simply because it is different than the river. I fish every week weather permits so I do fish alot. I am always in search of the really big one so naturally I want to put myself in the best place to accomplish it. Different strokes for different folks! All that being said, as long as I'm bass fishing no matter where, I'm really happy.

[reaction-strike]

I've never really tried to hold position in a river.  Drifting is much more effective, and you really get a workout by the end of the day making 600 repeated drifts in one day.   lol

 

Lol,  Yes, drifting is very effective. Goes something like this, cast, going to make another pass, put your vest on, sit down, start the motor, drive the boat, kill the motor, stand-up, take your vest off, cast, repeat...  I didn't mean running a trolling motor full blast in one spot ALL day, but there are times when you will want to hold a spot, perhaps a lay down. Positioning is key and it can become difficult. 

[jm37817]

I would have to pick small streams and creeks, bass are so predictable to fish in creeks year round. I love wading them for smallmouth and largmouth, some of the biggest bass I've caught have been out of creeks. The number one reason I favor this type of fishing is the fact that I can fish all day and not see one person. I get too frustrated fishing lakes because I don't fish them enough, I can't afford it. When fishing creeks, all you need is two or three lures and your set.

[Big Jon]

So the question I think I have is, if you don't have a boat, would you rather a lake or a river? You may be able to hit up more of the river if you're on foot, but I guess that depends on the size of it.

[flyfisher]

You might wanna rethink that bud, the juniata and susquehanna both have taken a major land slide in fish numbers. Especially big fish. The lower sections actually have no kill regs now.

 

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/susq-impairment.htm

I haven't fished the juniata but i would fish the susky any day that i can.  Yeah the numbers aren't the same as they were 15 years ago but in the 4-5 trips i make out there every year i always catch at least one 18"+ smallie.  One trip i caught 12 fish on the first day of my 4 day float and not one fish was under 16".  I love that river, just wish it was closer.

[thehooligan]

I haven't fished the juniata but i would fish the susky any day that i can.  Yeah the numbers aren't the same as they were 15 years ago but in the 4-5 trips i make out there every year i always catch at least one 18"+ smallie.  One trip i caught 12 fish on the first day of my 4 day float and not one fish was under 16".  I love that river, just wish it was closer.

 

I think i was 16 or 17 the last time i fished out there, that would be almost 14 years ago... But at that time we were just fishing grubs and the banjo minnows and getting 20+smallies a day. Right about when it was getting dark, i threw out an arkie jig and landed a 4lb+ smallie and ill definitely never forget that moment. 

 

I hope to get out there this year for the first time in a long long time....

[Oregon Native]

I miss the Columbia River but I like fishing all waters.

[Lucky Craft Man]

I would pick a lake. A Great Lake to be exact.

[Sam]

A river.

 

I love river fishing