Favorite Smallmouth bass rivers that you can share?

[gim]

On 9/3/2021 at 6:26 AM, TnRiver46 said:

If you just specifically mean the Midwest, the Missouri River is excellent I believe (not that ive fished it but my buddy did)

 

Its not as good as you think it is.  I have not personally fished it either, but its honestly better for other species like walleye/sauger than it is for smallmouth.  A few years ago they had an Elite event for the first time in Pierre, SD on Lake Oahe and the results were not great.  20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.  It must have been a success overall though, as they are going back there next year.

 

Fort Peck Lake in Montana (which is where it starts) is quite good though.  It has a variety of species to target and its cold and deep enough to support a healthy population of Lake Trout too.

[TnRiver46]

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Its not as good as you think it is.  I have not personally fished it either, but its honestly better for other species like walleye/sauger than it is for smallmouth.  A few years ago they had an Elite event for the first time in Pierre, SD on Lake Oahe and the results were not great.  20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.  It must have been a success overall though, as they are going back there next year.

 

Fort Peck Lake in Montana (which is where it starts) is quite good though.  It has a variety of species to target and its cold and deep enough to support a healthy population of Lake Trout too.

I think they recently broke the state record for smallmouth on oahe 

[bowhunter63]

When I lived up north the Miss at any wing dam. Here in the Ozarks any River we got. 

[pdxfisher]

Willamette right here in Portland. Columbia River and John Day River to the east (in the gorge), Umpqua River in Southern Oregon.  

[tracker01]

On 9/1/2021 at 1:40 PM, GaryH said:

If you want to drive Susquehanna and Juniata rivers in Pa.

What he said !

[ironbjorn]

On 9/3/2021 at 6:26 AM, TnRiver46 said:

If you just specifically mean the Midwest, the Missouri River is excellent I believe (not that ive fished it but my buddy did)

 

[TnRiver46]

16 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

 

Hahahaha yes like that!!!

 

he did have some pics though, late November 2018. 

[Rob St Croix]

Great Miami in SW Ohio 

[billmac]

On 9/7/2021 at 11:04 AM, gimruis said:

20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

[TnRiver46]

13 minutes ago, billmac said:

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

Everywhere except texas! Haha 

[billmac]

53 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Everywhere except texas! Haha 

Even Texas!  

[gim]

2 hours ago, billmac said:

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

I can recall the top smallmouth locations producing 25 pounds/day. The St Lawrence River and Mille Lacs come to mind.

[billmac]

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

I can recall the top smallmouth locations producing 25 pounds/day. The St Lawrence River and Mille Lacs come to mind.

Well yes, sometimes that happens, but that's more than pretty good.  That's extraordinary.

[Blue Raider Bob]

The Tennessee River! 42-1/2" Flathead caught on a medium light spinning outfit fishing a TRD Ned Rig for Smallies!

[PaulVE64]

North of the Border

 

 

French River,  ON

[Bluebasser86]

You're not that far from the Ozark rivers. I like the Elk river around Noel but there's lots of options. The Gasconade is popular and has much bigger fish, but I've never fished it. 

[OkiePapist]

I'm hearing great things about the Upper Illinois River in Oklahoma for smallies. Just learning myself about the SM, always focused on LM. 

[ironbjorn]

My favorite rivers are the glorified creeks that don't get any notoriety. The kinds of small rivers tucked away that nobody fishes. I've caught so many 3+ lb SMB out of those. 

[OldManLure]

Tennessee

Upper Potomac

French Broad

I plan to travel north more next year, and look forward to adding to, or revising, my list.

[JHTR20]

St John's river in Canada.  I fish it when I go spring bear hunting.  It is world class.  Lots of fish with little pressure.  Some very good ones.  May not rival what I see the St Lawerence put out on tournament coverage but I have only waded to fish it.

[Greyson]

Shenandoah River no question. Can catch over 70 smallmouth in a day some being bigger than 21 inches

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 11/15/2021 at 11:04 AM, Greyson said:

Shenandoah River no question. Can catch over 70 smallmouth in a day some being bigger than 21 inches

That sound too good to be true! Must be Smallie Heaven! You are blessed to have such a fishery. Only darkness would drive me off that River (that and my wife).

[Greyson]

43 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

That sound too good to be true! Must be Smallie Heaven! You are blessed to have such a fishery. Only darkness would drive me off that River (that and my wife).

Yeah. It’s amazing. Shenandoah river is amazing all times of the year. Never go home empty.

[Bdnoble84]

On 9/1/2021 at 4:28 PM, Scott F said:

Wisconsin River in…..Wisconsin.

Pretty broad, you going to the north end or more towards where it dumps into the mississippi. I grew up fishing a backwater of the lower wisconsin abou 40-50 miles upstream of Prairie Du Chien.

[Drew03cmc]

On 9/30/2021 at 6:48 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

You're not that far from the Ozark rivers. I like the Elk river around Noel but there's lots of options. The Gasconade is popular and has much bigger fish, but I've never fished it. 

The Elk is fun, but I prefer those to the east for the most part. Anywhere south of the Osage/Missouri down to the Arkansas River holds good smallies.