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The Quest for 20


Mike Clifford

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Yeah...I'd say you've paid your dues, Norm. I'm still fairly new at this. I've found that all the reading, tips etc. don't hold a candle to time on the river. I remember reading "seams" this and "seams" that. Didn't really mean much until one day I discovered seams for myself. Nothing sticks better than a self taught lesson.

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Jude, don't feel too bad because all rivers are not created equally. I have a feeling there are a few more 20's in Norm's river than the ones we fish a lot. Combine skill, experience with better opportunity and more 20's will come to the hand.

 

Put me down for 1 lake 20" this year. I'm hoping a float trip down the upper Wisconsin or Menominee Rivers later this month will put my 1st river 20" er to my hand. At least I know my odds are better than fishing my home rivers.

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Not carrying a camera is one of my superstitions , bad stuff happens if I do .

 

Didn't measure girth , didn't want to handle the fish too much . Maybe 4.5 lbs give or take .

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If i caught a fish that long in powerton id be screaming at the closest boat w/ a livewell! :D i have full faith that a fish that long that i will catch this fall will be over 6.5! :lol:

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At least I know my odds are better than fishing my home rivers.

 

Don't cut our rivers short Paul, the kish has a few your just yet to find one. My advice is keep hiking and fishing spots most people don't fish.

 

And that other river you and i have fished latley i know will hold some 20's easily you just need to find them,again hike in and fish the spots people are to lazy to walk to. Take that path i mentioned in another post,hike it and pass up the spots you and I fished and start way up river,you"ll find some big ones up there! Guarenteed! Theres miles of that river you haven't even tried, if i wasn't moving that would be my new go to river the rest of the summer and fall.

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I hesitate to say any smallie is over 5 lbs unless I at least put it on a DeLair and check the deLiar later .

 

All I can say was it was fat and healthy .

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I almost got my 1st river 20" on the Wisconsin River. I guess a 19.75" river smallouth will have to do as my personal best for now.

 

Kevin, I am going to continue to cut my local rivers short especially after my canoeing adventure on the Wisconsin River this past weekend. All rivers are not created equally and the section I fished completely blows away anything I've fished here in IL. Scenery, wildlife and the size and girth of the smallmouth. The rock river tribs we fish are not even in the same league.

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I almost got my 1st river 20" on the Wisconsin River. I guess a 19.75" river smallouth will have to do as my personal best for now.

 

Kevin, I am going to continue to cut my local rivers short especially after my canoeing adventure on the Wisconsin River this past weekend. All rivers are not created equally and the section I fished completely blows away anything I've fished here in IL. Scenery, wildlife and the size and girth of the smallmouth. The rock river tribs we fish are not even in the same league.

 

TRUE DAT!

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I'd love to show you guys a picture of the 19.75" but I can't. Unlike Norm simply not bringing a camera I have a different problem that seems to be very consistant. In the past 11 months I've been on 3 different canoe trips with 3 different people and have caught a smallmouth of 19.5" or better. In all 3 cases I've pulled out my camera, posed for a picture and at the end of the day only the pictures I took myself are on the camera. From this point forward, there will be a mandatory 5 minute photo taking training coarse before any canoe trip with me.

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Paul:

 

I feel your pain! Been there, done that! Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Those Wisconsin River fish are another breed. One of these days I am going to fish that river. For now, my goal is to get a four pound fish from the Rock River down near Prophetstown. I know there a few in there. After seeing the habitat we fished last weekend, I think a four pound smallie is doable! I will keep you posted.

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I think environment and perhaps genetic sub-species have the most effect on the ability of fish to get 20"and above. Add angling mortality for good measure. All of these fish are at least 18', all were caught "up north" in various locations. The other other fellow is my brother Jim, check out THAT fish !! [attachment

attachment=1063:july_5_07_009.jpg]=1062:july_

_07_011.jpg]

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They all look like big pig beasts to me. I think your brother Jim's is the biggest, a 20"+ smallmouth for sure.

 

Jonn, I thought you guys fished the upper Wisconsin river one time on your way up to Sylvania? We didn't really get a report on the Rock River camp out. Besides Rich's 20"+ drum, how did you guys do?

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I landed eight smallies with one going slightly over 16 inches. I lost five more smallies near the boat. Spinnerbaits and tubes seemed to be best. What is nice about smallie fishing down near my home town is that no one else is fishing for them on the actual river. I am going to get me a big one!!!

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Hey guys I am new to ISA, wading and smallies. I have been fishing the DuPage on many Sat mornings this summer. My second time out I caught one that had to be close to 20. It was my first cast using a super fluke. I did not have a camera with nor did I realize how big it was until I saw some of the mounts @ BassPro. :o Since than I have made sure to have a camera with but have not come close to it. A couple of weeks ago I almost landed my second largest 14-16" on a mepps aglia streamer but my poorly tied knot failed (improved clinch) before I grabbed it. :( I have changed to a polomar knot. I am hoping to get back out in a couple of weeks.

 

P.S. I did land my first smallie with my fly rod last weekend at KRSP. My son and I were by the concession stand under the bridge on the creek. I caught it on a popper. It was about 8"!

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