Paul Trybul

QUOTE (Ed B @ Dec 24 2008, 04:59 PM) Paul You're right about green bay,this spring I caught and released a 22'' smallie in Door county.I also heard a credible rerport of a 7# 11 oz smallie caught while I was there. Ed B A 22" smallmouth must be a real toad. 20.5" is the biggest I've ever personally witnessed. Those lake run fish have some shoulders and solid weight for their length from what I've seen. Yours must have been over 5 pounds and maybe even over 6. Fish like that are rare everywhere but its still nice to know you're fishing in an area that has that kind of potential. I know there are some shore fishing opportunities but from what I've read you need a good sized boat to maximize the Door County opportunities. There are some islands and reefs off of Door County that produce big smallies most of the summer too. Lake Michigan rules apply to some of the tribs up to the 1st dam. Is it still a 1st Saurday in May opening season for bass fishing the Green Bay area?

This time of year is tough on a hard core smallmouth chaser. I can’t help but look out the window at the snow and ice and think about what cool places I can chase smallmouths in 2009. The internet is a wonderful thing and there is so much information out there. Now that my brain is in planning mode I’ve been researching some interesting destinations for 2009. I know there are some big time destinations out there like Quetico, BWCA, Rainy Lake, Lake Erie, Lake St Clair, Lake Champlain, 1000 island area of the St Lawrence, Dale Hollow, and a few others. I am looking for something closer, say 6 hour drive or less from Northern , IL. I have a 12’ boat with a 20hp, a kayak, a canoe, and some good wading legs at my disposal. My research has led me to a handful of decent opportunities. I just wanted to start a discussion on it to see if anyone has any experiences on these destinations and would be willing to comment in a PM or open discussion. I know Illinois has some decent smallmouth fishing but my eye is heading north in search of scenery, solitude, and big bruiser smallmouth. Late Spring/Early Summer A lot of my research tells me the Green Bay area is a good place to be to get into a trophy smallmouth. This area would include the tributaries like the lower Menominee, Peshtigo, Oconto, and Fox Rivers, along with different bays and estuaries within green bay and Door County. Supposedly there was a huge year class from about a dozen years ago and these fish are mature now with many catches for fish over 20” and 5lbs. The late spring seems to be the time when they come out of the big lake and make their move into the shallows of the bays and tribs. Vilas County Lakes look very interesting as well for this time of year. I’ve researched about a ½ dozen lakes that have that nice northwoods feel with clear water, pine tree covered shores, loons, bald eagles, and big smallmouth cruising the rocky shallows. Unlike Sylvania an hour north, I can fish these lakes from the comfort of my boat. I would probably target the lakes that have special regulations. I’ve found quite a few that have 1 fish 18” minimum regs and all lakes are C&R for bass up to June 20th. Also it seems like no one fishes for bass here. Everyone is targeting the finicky walleye or musky. Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior. The 1 fish 22” minimum regulation on smallmouth bass should keep this fishery a trophy one for years to come. This is big water though I would probably need to hire a guide instead of risking death in my small boat. I also hear that if the winds are blowing the wrong direction the fishing can be shut down for several day ruining a planned trip. From what I read it looks like my best bet at catching a true trophy within 6 hours of Rockford, IL. Summer/Early Fall Lower Wisconsin River I was thinking about loading up my boat with camping gear and making a long weekend on the Lower Wisconsin somewhere below the Prairie Du Sac dam and the confluence of the Mississippi. Run the river most of the day fishing and exploring and then camping on one of the many sandbars. I hear the smallmouth fishing can be fantastic and the multi-species opportunities are just out of this world. Smallmouth & largemouth bass, pike, walleye, musky, panfish, sturgeon, catfish, white bass, paddlefish, and many other species are found here. The scenery is supposed to be outstanding as well. Drift less areas of SW Wisconsin, NE Iowa and SE Minnesota: Most of these rivers are too small and fragile to name. If I’m looking for scenery, solitude, and some good exercise, this looks like the place to be. I would be trading the trophy potential smallmouth fishing for numbers of fish in the classic riffle, pool, run habitat. There is also good trout fishing opportunities in the upper reaches of these rivers and the spring fed tributaries. There is not much information out there on this area but from what I’ve read some of these places are truly special. Canoe/Camping River Float trips: There are quite a few smaller Wisconsin rivers within a 6 hour drive that hold potential for good smallmouth fishing. I would look for areas of the river that are ideal for canoeing but too shallow for boat traffic. I would also want to have nice scenery and quality smallmouth fishing. My short list includes the Upper Menominee River, Upper Wisconsin River, Black River, Peshtigo River, Chippewa River, and St Croix Rivers. Again there is not a ton of information out there on these rivers. I have researched enough to know they all hold the potential of a great northwoods experience and outstanding smallmouth fishing. It would just be a matter of fishing the right area of the river under the right conditions. Exploring and finding your own new honey holes is half the fun and hopefully I’ll do some of that next summer. Anyone else dreaming and planning of 2009 smallmouth fishing destinations?

Attached is a drawing of a spot on one of my favorite rivers that has always intrigued me. Actually I can think of 3 spots on this river that have similar dynamics. They are widened out areas of the river that offer some of the deepest holes available. The widened out spots are sandy/silty and deep with good current and rock structure at the front and back of the pool. My initial thoughts are these spots are summer catfish/carp water but good wintering holes for smallmouth. After fishing this spot many times, I can only conclude that this is one of the more hit or miss spots in the river. I have caught some quality smallmouth here but never in good numbers. I have also found this spot to have good multi-species opportunities with bonus catches of walleye, pike, white bass, catfish, and rock bass. I have also fished it at different times of year and again it is hit or miss no matter when I fish it. Most of the fish I catch are in the 2-3 foot deep areas at the front or end of the hole where the river is narrower. I think this spot along with the others like it have a lot more potential than I am tapping into. I was wondering what time of year you would fish this spot the hardest and how would you fish it?

I own a fiberglass canoe that is starting to show its age. I've dragged it through one to many riffles and bounced it off of one too many midstream boulders. A few trips to the Wisconsin river this summer advanced the aging process. I went out and purchased some Bondo fiberglass repair material. After reading the directions it looks like applying this stuff is geared more towards a skilled trademan. Kind of like mudding drywall where you have to mix compunds and work fast before it hardens. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with canoe repairs and tips for working with fiberglass repair material.

Rich, I plan on being there.

I took my cheap buzzbait up north and yes it works on muskies. I couldn't catch any bass on it and the muskies weren't that big. It's still fun to catch fish on top. I added a 3" twister tail trailer to give it more bulk this time.

I heard for years how guys catch bass on buzzbaits. In what was probably the case of too many lures too little time, I never encorporated the buzzbait in my arsinal. After all it doesn't look like any of the natural foreage that swims in my rivers. Last year I saw some on sale for like $.99 so I picked up a black one. It sat there unused until about a week ago I tied it on. I tried it in an area I has already fished because I thought there should be more fish in the area but needed a reaction tactic to get them to bite. Nothing hit in that 15 minute try. Last night I had about an hour to kill so I grabbed that rod with the buzzbait on it and went to a local preserve. It was cloudy and much cooler than the day before and the river looked in good shape. About 5 minutes into using it this time I saw a big wake heading towards it with a nice strike followed by some heavy head shaking. It ended up being a 24" pike. A few cast later another pike. This thing was turning out to be quite the pike magnet but it was the smallmouth bass I really wanted. About 1/2 and hour went by with no action. Im sure you've all been there before. The action gets slow, your mind starts wandering about different things and you totally loose focus on the fishing. I'm not sure exactly what I was daydreaming about but it was interupted on a hit that just about ripped the rod right out of my hand. It was a nice chuncky smallmouth that was giving me a run for my money in some heavy current. It ended up being a nice 17.25" smallmouth and my first buzzbait bass. I had about 15 minutes left and I caught another smallmouth around 15" and had a few other blow-up and misses. I really wish I had the 3rd grip with a 2nd rod and a finess plastic. I think the buzzbait covering water waking them up followed with a finess plastic for the swing and misses would have been very effective. I found this to be a very entertaining way of fishing and wish I would have tried it sooner. I realize that like any topwater bite it can be hit or miss. I definately will make make it part of my arsenal for when its on! Since I bought a cheapie at $.99, it is already getting beat up. I was wondering what you guys think is the best buzzbait money can buy for targeting smallmouth.

You could always go with fireline or powerpro and you won't have to mess with all that stuff.

Steve, they must have changed the law since you tried this. I was reading through the Wisconsin fishing regulations and it is now illegal to possess live crayfish and angling equipment simultaneously on any inland water except the Mississippi River.

I got an e-mail from Karen too. She said they were going to try Stillman Creek & Sugar Creek today but the rest of the week is cancelled. I don't think we had anyone volunteering today anyway. You can't control the weather.

I am a little curious as to what some of the other species were? I would get suckers, chubs , and different minnow varieties.

Did we really expect any different from a mega operation? No wonder I have people burning down my e-mail in-box for participation in our upcoming Apple River Fishing outing. People want one last crack at what is but may no longer be a pristine fishery in Illinois. From what I've read it seem some like a matter of when not if one of those waste retention ponds will flow into the Apple watershed.

I used to fish a lot of live bait and enjoyed the multi-species action that comes with live bait fishing. The last year or 2 I've almost completely stayed away from it. I found new lures and techniques that work almost as good most days on the sight predator fish like pike, walleye, and bass. The new gulps have had a lot to do with my success without live bait especially with walleye. For the most part buying, carrying and keeping live bait alive is kind of a hassel. That and the techniques require to fish live bait result in a lot more snags and prevent you from covering a lot of water and fishing tight to the best structure. I do not want to discount the ability of live bait because day in and day out it is the most consistant way to catch fish. Especially if you have specific areas where you know the fish are there but they are just pressured or finicky. I do still break down and fish minnows during the cold water season. Early in the spring and into the fall the live bait to lure catch ratio can be 10:1 on most days. The difference is just too great to ignore. Also minnows are a lot eaier to keep alive when its cold. I can keep a minnow bucket in a cooler in the trunk of my car for up to a week sometimes and most of the minnows are still alive. I fish my live bait almost exclusively on jig heads of the lightest weight I can get away with based on the depth and current of my fishing situation. I rarely deep hook fish with the jig and minnow. At least not any more than I would with plastics.

I've never fished it but have talked to some people that have. The dynamics of the river where it flows through IL is more river basin. It runs too deep to wade in most areas with a softer sand bottom. The river is very winding with a lot of bends, a lot of down timber, and a lot of deep holes. The fishing is supposed to be diverse with not a lot of any one species. Some smallmouth, some walleye, some pike, some catfish both channels and flatheads, some crappie, and your assorted rough fish like carp, sucker, bullhead, and drum. I've heard there is some decent smallmouth water in some of the reaches into Wisconsin.

Thanks,you guys answered my question. Now that you've described it I think I've even seem one in action. I ocean fishing with my cousin in Florida over the winter. The seas were rough that day so we into the protected areas of a bay that was miles of 4-5 foot flats with weed growing up 1-2 feet from the bottom. My cousin was throwing a lure just as you descibed that was a subsurface lipless hardbait. He said he likes it because it worked just above the weeds and it worked good on snook and sea trout.

What makes the Sub Walk any different than a husky jerk or any other suspended hardbait like a LC pointer?

It took a few years but I wore some grooves into my Berkley Lightning rod with the metal guides using Bekley Fireline. Did I mention I fish alot?

I'm mainly a fireline user but the above situation is the 1 area where a flourocarbon could and has outfished a superline or braided line. The super clear high pressured lake or quarry will have some line shy bass. In river conditions I've never seen it make a difference for anythng other than trout. In the crystal clear lakes of Sylvania I haven't seen it make a difference. This is with many hours of field testing with a mono user in the same canoe. I think the superlines ability to cast a long distance to fish that haven't seen you yet, outweigh the fishes ability to see the line. You can always go with a flourocarbon leader if you are getting out fished badly by a mono user. The line twist thing also seems to be more of a factor in river fishing than lake fishing. As Gordon said there are just more dark forces at play. Fireline is a solid overall line that is very resistant to twisting and backlashing. The other superline that I have used and would recommend is powerpro. Both are expensive, loose their coating and will need to be reversed on the spool after extended use. I am still attending the school of "death before mono" with the rare exception of a flourocarbon leader. The benefits significantly outweigh the downsided in my book. When making the transition from mono to superlines there are a few other things to consider. #1 Learn the polymar knot because most other knots will slip. #2 You will still need a mono backing on your spool or the whole spool will slip. #3 You will want to use rods with premium guides or the superlines will wear grooves in the eyes of your rods. The ceramic fuji guides work well. #4 I like to fish rods with a softer action tip because the line doesn't give and your rod will need to. This is more important when fishing presentations like spinnerbaits and cranks on a tight line. Something has to give a little for the lure to get sucked into the fishes mouth. The superline isn't giving an inch so the rod tip needs to.

The suggested high visibility lines should all serve the purpose. Go with a 2-3 foot flourocarbon leader if the high vis lines are turning off the fish.

I use scented or salted plastics but I don't add any scent.

The spawn must be right around the corner for your area Jonn. Do they keep pushing upstream after the spawn? Very entertaining story, I hope you don't get rabies.

This has almost turned into a survey. Put me down for "I'll never buy another Shimano" and " death before mono" other than a flourocarbon leader occasionally. Fireline, powerpro, and diawa's have resulted in a lot less equipment malfunction for me.

Spawning is based mostly on water temp. Most of what I've read smallmouth spawn at around 60-65 degrees. They'll spawn in a little colder water up north and a little warmer down at their southern range. Some rivers just run warmer than others for whatever reason. It could be farther south and running south to north. It could be spring fed or run through open farmland or have warm discharges. I'm in Rockford IL and the Rock river flows north out of Wisconsin. Its in the upper 40's and some of the tribs have finally warmed into the low 50's. I would guess our bass are a good 3 weeks to a month to spawn. If someone is on a river with water temps in the upper 50's then the spawn is just around the corner. IL is a big state. The weather can be quite different from one end to the other.

I definately agree with that one!

Freddy, If you've done any research, you will see 100's of options for kayaking. It can be hard to weed through all of the models options sizes prices, ect. I did a bunch or research over the winter before selecting one. There were a few things I learned that I'll share with you may help with your decision. Short & Wide Kayaks: Advantages: Stable, turn fast, lightweight, cheaper Disadvantages: Slow, don't track well, don't hold a lot of gear They are good for smaller shallow rivers and shorter day trips. I found the short and wide kayak to be perfect for my fishing style but I will hate how slow it is paddling across a big lake or trying to paddle upstream in heavy current. Bottom line is you can't have it all. Longer and/or skinnier kayaks: Advantages: Faster, better tracking, more gear capacity Disadvantages: turn slow, heavier to carry, more expensive, not as stable Then there is the whole sit in versus sit on top kayaks. Sit on tops (SOT) were designed with the fisherman in mind. Sit on Top Kayak Advantages: Easy to get in and out of, safer, easier to move around for comfort or casting angle, easier to get at gear. Self bailing when you take on water. Sit up higher for sight fishing Disadvantages: Difficult to stay dry, average a few pounds heavier than their sit in counterparts of similar dimentions. Scupper holes with bad placement can be a source of weak spots if you go over shallow gravel and rocks a lot. Sit in Kayak Advantages: Can stay dry. A few pounds lighter, more gear capacity at a lower center of gravity for stability. Bigger selection at most stores. Disadvantages: Difficult to move around. Hard to get in and out of. Have to bail if you take on water. Difficult to get at gear. Not as safe. I went with a short, wide, stable sit on top because that most met my needs for the style of fishing I wanted to use it for.