Is there any reliable spots around that I could hook into a smallmouth from shore? Im sure this sounds really novice, but I can't remember the last smallie I hooked into and Im dying to catch one but with no boat in the cities it makes it even trickier. Spots, Presentation, Time of day anything would be helpful if you'd rather not post you can email too. Id like to try with my friend this sunday!

cplummer1983@yahoo.com

Thanks Again,
CP

Thanks

You wanna catch bass you gotta fish at night. Because we are all Kevin VanDam from bout 10:30pm-5am. I am not a bass fisherman but I catch a ton using chubs for walleyes around rocky points with sharp dropoffs. Good Luck.

Lac Lavon in apple valley has some good smallies. you have to come early though.

it's been many years, but the coon rapids dam on the west shoreline. small fish but they used to be in there.

you don't have to fish at night. Go down to the Mississippi in almost any area and you can find fish off a wingdam or a rockpile or around a current break. I catch plenty of them down by Minnehaha Creek, the Ford Dam, Hidden Falls Regional Park, etc - basically when the river is low you can walk the shore and cast lures or live bait if you want

St. Croix River. There's a few access points where you can do some wading and catch them with plastics or livebait. The osceola landing (MN side, so I guess it's not technically the osceola landing), franconia, and somerset landing (WI) are good starting points. Anywhere north of taylors falls can be good too.

I'd second the stretch from Taylor's Falls to Osceola for wading, its beautiful and good fishing

I'm with goblue, try Hidden Falls or Minnehaha. It's right in the middle of the cities. Get's busy at times though.

I have never had a trip to the rum and not had a smallie either.

We used to fish the Rum in the Anoka St Francis area a lot. Waders in the fall, shorts in the summer. It's a fun time for smallies, pike and walleyes, but primarily smallies. Slack water lines, eddys, pools, they will be easier to find as summer progresses and the water drops a bit. Find a couple deeper pools and you'll likely find some smallies.

Little cranks, inline spinners like the Mepps, floating Rapalas in a little Plano-type box and you're set. I like a 6' spinning Med or ML action rod.

I'll second the suggestions for wading the Croix...

cjac,
The rum north of Princeton is a great smallie and walleye hot spot as a kid my uncle would take me wading the river and we would catch fish on almost every cast.
Don't fish the mighty Miss much even though I only live 15 minutes from Hidden Falls, I should fish that more.
So much water so little time!

You could also take a trip SE and fish the zumbro river. Walking through that river will keep you cool on a hot day! Good smallie action with a better than average chance of catching some nice brown trout as well.

i waded the sippi By the coon rapids dam. There is alot of fish. Every once and while you will get a pike or sheephead. You need some old shoes the rocks are shape. I like to park off a west river road just north of 610

If you can find any park up and down the river and put on your wading shoes you can usually find fish. I took my boy and his friend out this week end and we caught 8 fish with my sons friend never fishing the river before.