Smallies Recommendations

[NEpiker]

Normally we are in Canada well ahead of prespawn activity of smallies. We do pick up a few incidental to fishing for pike and walleye. I am thinking this might be a good year for smallies with the early ice out and warmer water temps. What do you guys think? What are some recommendations on best baits to use for smallies and where would you focus given the conditions this year? I will be on Lac Seul for 6 days beginning next Wednesday.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

Topwater is definitely the most fun. We will be on LOW starting the 8th. We always focus on the topwater bite unless it's not happening. If the topwater isn't on we will go to spinnerbaits, tubes, worms and maybe some hard baits.

[Terwalleye]

It can be crazy how many Smallies can be caught fihsing rocky points for walleyes with a jig. Nice thing about leeches or Gulp, they are so multi species.

[RapShad]

Nothing beats a silver or bronze Mepps #3 or 4. If they are still on their beds you can have some of the most fun you have ever had fishing. Catch and release though, I've seen amazing Smallie populations completely wrecked by taking Smallmouths while they are spawning.

[Terwalleye]

Originally Posted by RapShad

Nothing beats a silver or bronze Mepps #3 or 4. If they are still on their beds you can have some of the most fun you have ever had fishing. Catch and release though, I've seen amazing Smallie populations completely wrecked by taking Smallmouths while they are spawning.

Brings up A good question I have always wondered. I have seen countless pictures on Resort webistes of all their guests pics. Lots of them in the fish cleaning house. And there in the sink are a couple of small mouth. I just don't get it. Infinite walleye and perch. I am afraid if the minimuim length on Musky wan't 54" some guy would be filleting up a 45".

[RapShad]

I've never understood taking Smallies either. Walleye and Northerns are some of the best tasting fish on the planet and people will take a Smallie. Plus some of the lakes in NW Ontario have Smallies that have a parasite in them that completely ruins the meat. Moral of the story catch and release smallies. They're way too much fun to keep, plus kids absolutely love fishing for them.

[TroyMansfield]

in some parts in Northwest Ontario, the smallies are not natural to the waters, and the MNR have done studies showing that the smallies compete with the walleyes and have an impact on the walleye populations, and the MNR are promotoing outifitters and there guests to start keeping more of them, I agree not to take them while spawning, thats not proper, but I dont mind frying up smallies, the limit is 5 during the open season. Truth is that most people do catch and release on smallies, and I believe there has to be a harvest of some sort to keep it maintained and balanced. I dont target bass to get my limit, mostly for fun.

[Ten Horse Johnson]

I catch and release bass, but I can't fault someone who likes to eat them. Especially out of pristine Canadian waters with robust populations. Why is it OK to keep walleyes and pike but not smallmouth?

[@Lunker]

My fav's for smallies are occasionally a #5 Mepps (I hate treble hooks), but especially a jig and plastics.

RE the harvest of smallies...... I've never killed a bass of any species, nor will I allow it in my boat. and I LOVE fishing them. For some reason I just consider them more of a "sport" fish (and I'm not even sure what I mean by that). That's just me.

As far as encouraging harvest to reduce competition with walleyes? Give me a break !! With the majority of fishermen targeting walleyes, and all the hundreds of thousands harvested annually, we don't put a DENT in that population. And we expect to by harvesting a few bass?

Interesting though......I've heard comments from both sides. Some say they're delish, and others say they don't taste good.

I love fishing for smallmouths, actually it’s about 70-80 percent of the fishing on our Canadian trip. The population issues on s-mouth is a good question, I just hope it remains the same for several years. As for eating s-mouths (in my opinion) would be like taking a bologna sandwich to a fine steak house. But that is just me too each his own.