Anybody think the smallmouth will make it?

[Waterwolves]

I live in Colorado. There is a reservoir here that the DOW stocked with smallmouth one year because they didn't have any rainbows. They only put about 25,000 fingerlings in. Not much at all. This was like 8-9 years ago. Anyway there have been a few smallmouth caught but not more then a couple a year.

My question is this: Does anybody think they will ever be prominent in the reservoir?

It seems like a few more are caught every year so I think the population is getting bigger.

Might be a tough question to anwser but

[smallieking]

how big is the lake and how deep is it.   smallmouth dont reproduce quickly at all and the bigger the lake is the lower the chance they will be dominantant anytime soon

[Waterwolves]

The Reservoir is called Elevenmile. It is roughly 3400 acres. I am not sure how deep it is but it is not super shallow. If I had to guess I would say the dam might be 100+ feet deep. Some of the bigger basin's are in the 50-70 foot range. The reservoir sits at 8600 feet too.

The reservoir also holds pike (some huge), huge rainbows, salmon, a few perch, and brown trout. A small rainbow is 14 inches here. Double digit rainbows are caught every year.

[Waterwolves]

here is a pic of the latest one caught. To bad he kept it but oh well.

[Grey Wolf]

Are you guys targeting the small mouth or are you fishing for other species ?

[Jig Man]

I don't know why they wouldn't make it.  They are scattered from TX to Canada.

We have smallmouth in our lakes in SWMO.  They have been there since the lakes were built over 40 years ago.  Smallmouth catches were rare until just a few years ago, then the populations exploded so that today we catch as many smallies as we do lmb and spots.

[Waterwolves]

Are you guys targeting the small mouth or are you fishing for other species ?

No I fish for these when I am there.

You would think throwing jerkbaits primarily that I would have lucked into a smallmouth if there was a good population there.

[Waterwolves]

I don't know why they wouldn't make it. They are scattered from TX to Canada.

We have smallmouth in our lakes in SWMO. They have been there since the lakes were built over 40 years ago. Smallmouth catches were rare until just a few years ago, then the populations exploded so that today we catch as many smallies as we do lmb and spots.

Why did the population of smallmouth explode? Does anybody know?

A buddy of mine went out looking for them and he said he saw a small pod of them about 5 and he got a few hits but no hook ups.

[Jig Man]

I don't know why they wouldn't make it. They are scattered from TX to Canada.

We have smallmouth in our lakes in SWMO. They have been there since the lakes were built over 40 years ago. Smallmouth catches were rare until just a few years ago, then the populations exploded so that today we catch as many smallies as we do lmb and spots.

Why did the population of smallmouth explode? Does anybody know?

A buddy of mine went out looking for them and he said he saw a small pod of them about 5 and he got a few hits but no hook ups.

On Table Rock lake about 5 years ago they had a big kill with largemouth viris.  That allowed spots and smallies to prosper.  

On Stockton lake no one seems to know but they sure are doing well.  

However, 30 miles from Stockton lake is Pomme de Terre lake which has very few smallmouth and is the same age as Stockton.

[NBR]

According to what I read many years ago the smallies in the very northern lakes were brought in by buckets carried on the logging railroads. I suspect a small number but the area has for years been a mecca for smallmouth anglers.

Some 40 years ago I was told a lake I fish often had no smallmouth. Today it is a great smallie fishery. It may take time but I believe there is a good chance they will establish a fishable population.

[Waterwolves]

You would think they would already be going pretty good by now. I am so pumped about this reservoir being full of smallies. Can you imagine a lake where you can catch a 15 pound rainbow (not common but they are in there), a 20+ pike, and a 5+ Smallmouth on the same day.

If they can catch on and grow to any size in there it will make Elevenmile the best lake in the state!!!!

[justfishin]

I suspect there are more smallies than you think in that lake. Rule of thumb and believe me its true, Smallmouth and Largemouth are two different fish. Oh, you can catch them together but, as I said, Smallies ain't Largies.

[bass wrangler569]

I suspect there are more smallies than you think in that lake. Rule of thumb and believe me its true, Smallmouth and Largemouth are two different fish. Oh, you can catch them together but, as I said, Smallies ain't Largies.

I'm inclined to agree with you. It sounds like trout and pike are the primary game fish species so there's a good chance that anglers aren't targeting smallies or using the appropriate tackle, which would account for the low numbers caught.