Brownies

[Catt]

I want to plan a trip for some smallmouth fishing, the wife will be coming and she doesn't fish.

Questions: where, when, & why?

[RoLo]

WHERE

LAKE ERIE

The attention has shifted from Bass Islands, OH in the western basin of Lake Erie

to Dunkirk Harbor, NY in the eastern basin of Lake Erie.

WHEN

MAY is generally the best month

but June is more comfortable and also an excellent month

WHY

From all that I've read, Lake Erie supports the world's greatest biomass of 2 to 4 pound smallmouth bass.

My wife & I fished Bass Islands, Lake Erie and have no reason to doubt that statement, the fishing in a word, "incredible".

      Randy VanDam caught the Ohio record smallie in 1993, it weighed 9lb 8oz!

Since that time there's been an ecosystem shift and the spotlight is now on the eastern basin, though all of Lake Erie is superb.

As soon as New York picked up the ball, the state record smallmouth bass was broken thrice in one year: 7¼, 7½ and 8¼.lbs.

In a tournament on Lake Erie, the winning stringer was an incredible 5-bronzeback stringer weighing 30.5 lbs (6.1 lb average).

      There's some sightseeing and wineries in the area. If you want more in the line of sightseeing for your wife,

you might consider the Thousand Islands, in the St. Lawrence River, which we fished extensively (albeit pike was always the target).

The St Lawrence River out of Cape Vincent and Clayton (to a lesser extent Alexandria Bay) is a very fine bronzeback fishery,

but not in the same league with Lake Erie. On the upside, the Thousands Islands is absolutely gorgeous and due to

the myriad of islands, you can get by with a smaller boat.

Roger

[jdw174]

I second the vote for Lake Erie, but you might try fishing around the Presque Isle Bay area in Erie, Pa.  I moved away from there 10 years ago, but for sheer numbers of smallies in the 2-4lb range and higher, I don't know of any place that can touch it.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

You could fish the susquehanna anywhere around Harrisburg, Pa. Tons of shopping for the wife and TONS of smallmouth for you to catch. There is also a BPS in Harrisburg for your evening ventures and you could make a trip to Cabela's about an hour north for some more bait monkey feeding!

Lots of sights and great restaurants in Hburg. This place is the definition of somewhere I wouldn't want to live, but its a great place to visit.

Wayne

[FIN-S-R]

CATT, I see your from Tx, If you want to hook up a smallie trip and not have to travel too far, Lake Murray is the spot (has had 20+ lb smallie stringers win tourneys). Lake Murray is just off I-35 30 or so miles into Oklahoma just S.E. of Ardmore. Its small enough to navigate easily w/o a guide or anything like that, and has a ton of 2-3-4lb smallies, not to mention many easy to catch smaller fish (to keep the wife intersted). A couple of years ago I started trying to figure these critters out in ernest, and I have managed to get on some pretty good real consistant stuff up here. Message me if you want more details, or we could even hook up sometime and I would be more than happy to show you. Also, Texoma is super for big smallies (5-7lbs), but they are quite a bit tougher to find and catch on artificials, but you can do real good loose lin'in live shad by the dam. Arbuckle up by sulpher, ok doesnt have the numbers, but the ones it does have are hawgs, also Lawtonka over by Lawton is real good for big fish, but it gets a pretty good pounding. Broken bow in S.E. Ok has a real healthy smallie pop, and it is probably the most scenic lake in the this region of the country, I'd give murray a #2 in this dept. As for other stuff to do in these areas, not much but hey Ft Worth/Dallas area is 1.5 hrs south and OKC (Bricktown) is 1.5 hrs north so there are options. The best time for catchin is probably middle may, you can catch probably 50-60 fish in a 6-8 hr trip on murray. The dead cold of winter seems to be prime for texoma and arbuckle, and the other lakes mentioned I dont have enough experience on to say. I hear Dan Barnett is the man on Texoma for smallie guided trips.

[Catt]

FIN-S-R

I didn't even think about Oklahoma, I have a nephew stationed at Tinker and he lives in Norman.

[FIN-S-R]

Most folks dont consider oklahoma when they think trophy smallmouth, or smallies at all, but the okie state record has been broke multiple times over the past few years and is now up to around 8 something lbs out of eufaula. i have talked to some guys that have fished the tennesee smallie part of the world and they have said the eastern oklahoma smallie fishin' is not too different from that. Oklahoma is the only place Ive ever fish for the brownies, but I am really addicted to it, and I love catchin largemouth as much as the next guy. Its just the brown bass fishin up here is fast action and light line'in, and I cant get enough!!

[roadwarrior]

Well, even though I fish the Tennessee River, I think if I were planning a Big Trip, I would choose Lake Erie. Numbers for sure (which is good for the wife) and you still have a chance at a trophy size smallmouth.

Fishing Dale Hollow or the Cumberland River in general could be very special, but the numbers are generally weak. Planning a trip on the Tennessee involves too many variables unless you live here or have a lot of flexibility. (Now through early March is the best time for big bass around here, but weather and water flow can be dicey).

So, for my money, I would focus on finding a great place to stay and an experienced guide on the Great Lakes. June in the northern states is a VERY pleasant month and would be a nice break from Texas about that time of year, too.

[Catt]

You guys aint listening the wife will not be fishing! That means I'll be losing money at the local shops

Wife hates cold so the trip will be in late spring to early fall

We send a week just south of Mansfield Ohio, we both like it, and so what larger city would you recommend near the lake.

We have been to Nashville Tennessee; it's that near Dale Hollow?

[MALTESE FALCON]

WELL, I LIVE ON LAKE ST. CLAIR (KVD'S FAVORITE LAKE) SO I'M PARTIAL. BUT YOU COULD ASK GMAN ALSO. HE WAS HERE LAST MAY AND IS NOW A ST. CLAIR FAN. FOR SHEAR NUMBERS OF 2-4# FISH AND FREQUENT 5-6#.

MEMORIAL DAY IS ALWAYS A GOOD BET FOR NUMBERS AND SIZE. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE CAUGHT TWENTY-SIX SMALLIES OVER SIX LB. MY PB IS 6-15 AND I HAD ONE TO THE BOAT IN JUNE THAT WAS AT LEAST 7.5#.(I LOST IT DUE TO BEING STUPID)

YOUR WIFE CAN SHOP AT ANY OF THE NUMEROUS MALLS OR IF SHE IS A SUN PERSON THERE ARE BEACHES TO RELAX AND READ. YOU CAN EVEN TAKE IN A TIGER GAME. THEY'RE WORTH THE ADMISSION NOW.

[roadwarrior]

Percy Priest is near Nashville, but Dale Hollow is too far to commute back and forth. I suggest talking with Jim Duckworth and Fred McClintock for specifics. Nationally, they are two of the top smallmouth fisherman and are very familiar with all fishing options in north central Tennessee. Fred is multi-species and would be my choice. http://www.trophyguideservice.com/

Still, I would think think Lake St. Clair would be a better option.

[RiskKid.]

RW is right that Dale Hollow is a bit far to commute from Nashville. It's about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive. But if you do decide on the music city it's an extremely beautiful lake, the wife might just enjoy one day on a boat for the scenery there, I would definitely go there one day if you do come here.

Look me up if you come here, maybe we could fish together one day.

[Catt]

Ok let's see

#1: Lake Erie but what city?

#2: Susquehanna and Harrisburg, Pa.

#3: Lake Murray and Ardmore, Oklahoma

#4: LAKE ST. CLAIR and what city?

#5: Dale Hollow and what city?

#6: Percy Priest and Nashville, Tennessee

I just looked at Fred McClintock's web site    Smallmouth, Striper, & Muskie

[roadwarrior]

I think walley and trout, too. He has held a couple of state records (striper at least once, maybe twice).

[RiskKid.]

Dale Hollow is not really near any metropolitan area, Nashville is the biggest city near it. Celina or Livingston are the closest towns and there is a pretty interesting Amish community near Celina.

I saw they are catching Muskie on the Collins River (I think) which is just south of Nashville. I saw that on one of the local outdoor shows recently.

[MALTESE FALCON]

I LIVE IN CHESTERFIELD TWP. BUT EVERYTHING IS AN EASY DRIVE FROM THIS AREA. I ALSO FORGOT TO MENTION THE CASINOS IN THE AREA IF THAT INTERESTS YOU AND YOUR WIFE.

IF YOU WANT OTHER SPECIES YOU REALLY WANT ST. CLAIR. WE HAVE WALLEYE, LARGEMOUTH, SMALLMOUTH, MUSKIES, PIKE, YOU NAME IT.

[liquidsoap]

Lake erie smallies....  Most smallmouth run anywhere from 3-6lbs in erie, 20lb tournament bags are not uncommon...

Generally the smallies hang out near the islands, on the reefs, shallow flats, rocky piles, and bays...

If you want to fish erie first piece of advice, DO NOT FISH CLEVELAND, there is not a healthy smallmouth population there...

The Islands, is a great place to start anything from Catawaba to North Bass island is a great bet...

Bays, both Put in bay and sandusky bay hold a excellent population of smallmouth.  If you ever got sick of the brownies, you can hit the marinas and boat docks and load up on the green ones too.

Reefs, potentiolly the best spot on lake erie and underated spot is Ruggles reef, located relativley near shore the Reef is right out of the Vermillion River.  Both Huge populations of smallmouth and walleye reside there...

Presque Island is another great place, its located on the east side of the state and I believe you need a PA license to fish it...

T-rigged tubes, tubes dropshoted, goby imatations, x-raps, and pretty much anything else will get you a smallie...

If you can get your hands on softcraws!  DO IT!  

Larger Cities, one more time do not stay In cleveland....

If I were you I would stay in Port Clinton there is a ton of hotels there, and its a laid back community..

Thats were most of the charters and such are run in ohio so you could go there if you like...

Theres also a ton of mom and pop shops and tons of stuff for you wife to do...

I would say go in the spring and avoid the bugs, there can be a ton on erie...

Other notable cities....

Huron, Sandusky, Vermillion, Lorain, and Toledo would be a great bet.....

If you stay in toledo you can also fish the maumee river, which is internationally known for its walleye run in the spring...  But the native smallmouth population in huge, and the rivers have a great top water smallie bite!

Where ever you go have a great time, and catch some bronzebacks!

[Catt]

Momma says she don't care how big the fish are in Ohio we be going to Graceland first and then Opryland.

Now I need info on how to catch em, my strengths are plastics, jigs, and spinner bait. HELP!

[RiskKid.]

Opryland = BPS....you're in luck for the shopping days...she'll love Opry Mills Mall and the BPS is in it...WIN-WIN. Smallies = jigs on Dale Hollow, I would suggest a day up there. Punisher Jigs with a chunk are the ticket there. Plastics , jigs and spinner baits will all work locally on Old Hickory, Percy Priest or Cheatham. There are all species on these lakes. There will be many options in the Nashville area.

[Catt]

We have been to the Opry Mills Mall and the BPS, heck I loved that mall

Dale Hollow & Percy Priest is bass fishing legends can't wait to wet in a hook em.

My have to look up riskkid and roadwarrior!

Sorry every one else but when on vacation mama rules

[MALTESE FALCON]

THAT'S FOR SURE, WHEN ON VACATION YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR WIFE HAPPY.

MAYBE NEXT YEAR YOU CAN VISIT ONE OF THE OTHER OPTIONS.

[Catt]

Every vacation mamma let's me bring my tackle and I'll slip off and get in a couple hours in. But next year she said we could plan a trip around me going fishing just no wilderness trips.

[RoLo]

But next year she said we could plan a trip around me going fishing just no wilderness trips.

Differently put, you're dead in the water ;D

Roger

[justfishin]

You are planning a smallmouth fishing trip and " You are taking your wife ". Let me refrase that, you are planning a smallmouth fishing trip and " You are taking your wife? " One more time " Why are you taking your wife ? ". Just pulling your chain for fun. It just reminded me of a friend that cannot go on a fishing trip unless his wife can attend. That is fine with me-if she fished or had another agenda. We took her once and she complained for three days, I am bored. How long are we going to be out here ? Is there a place to shop, take me in , I am hungry. We were nice and polite but, explained to our friend, in a very nice manner, that,that,thats all folks !!! , lol. Have fun.