August Smallmouth
by Mike Mladenik

There are several lakes and rivers in northeast Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula that are productive during the month of August. Many natural lakes are filled with boat traffic, which can make fishing tough especially on the weekend. If the only time you can get away is on the weekend you won’t find yourself alone on the water. However there are those places where the crowds are thin and the fish cooperate.

This yearn to avoid crowds has worked to my advantage over the years. I always say, "if you can catch fish in a crowd think of all the prime areas that are not seeing fishermen". That is why I never got into big water fishing. Trolling for big water walleyes may catch you a bunch of fish but you won’t find yourself alone. Along with catching fish anglers should also be able to relax.

Fishing a river like the Menominee River in late summer will give you the best of both worlds. Smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike and perch are all active during the late summer period. Not only will you be able to catch lots of fish but enjoy one of the most aesthetic areas in the Midwest. The river flows through a semi wilderness area where eagles, osprey, and deer are common sight with an occasional siting of a black bear. It is a unique experience to fish next to an eagle or osprey nest and catch fish at the same time and still be in the Midwest.

While all species may be active it is the smallmouth fishing that takes center stage. It seems like it gets better with each year. Last August we had seven days where we boated over 100 smallmouth. Besides the numbers big fish were also common. This is one place where you can expect to encounter 18 to 21 inch smallmouth each day. Last year I had many clients loose smallmouth in the 21 to 23 inch class. These river fish have big shoulders and have much more power than lake smallmouth. On the Menominee River catching 20 to 30 smallmouth bass is a slow day.

While the numbers of smallmouth in the river may be mind boggling with smallmouth being found almost anywhere, anglers still need to concentrate on location. If you are targeting both numbers and big fish you will need to fish specific areas in the river. The amount of current flowing through the river will also play an important role in determining where you choose to fish. Once stretch of river can be hot for a while and cool down as the conditions change.

The Menominee River has rock shelves that can be a small as fifty yards or as long as a half mile. These rock areas will average 3 to 6 feet in depth. On the upstream and downstream from the rock shelves will be deep water which can range from 8 to 20 feet. I have fished several rivers in the Midwest but have not experienced this exact type of structure anywhere else. There are hundreds of these areas throughout the river.

Under normal summer conditions most smallmouth action will occur right in the middle of the river. Anglers who target the shorelines will catch smallmouth but in lesser numbers. While fishing the mid river areas we will watch shoreline anglers drifting by not aware what they are missing. The mid river rocks are home to millions of crayfish which are the preferred forage of smallmouth and an occasional walleye. Once you locate rocks anchor on the upstream end of the shelf and keep sliding downstream until you locate fish. On some days you will need to move often while on other days you can fish in one or two places and catch smallmouth throughout the day.

Crankbaits are the most effective bait when searching for active smallmouth. With crayfish being the preferred forage crayfish imitation baits are tops. It is important to use a crankbait that bumps the bottom. If the crankbait doesn’t make contact with the bottom you won’t catch big smallmouth. The shallow running baits will get quick strikes from 12 to 16 inch fish. The big bruisers will hold tight to the bottom and you will need to put the bait in there strike zone. One crankbait that has proved deadly in this situation is a 1/4ounce mini-trap in crayfish patterns by Bill Lewis Lures.

Once you have caught all the active fish with crankbaits switch over to plastics and live bait. On many days these are the presentations that catch the largest fish. I like to rig up a skirted grub like an ISG Intimidator. Use a wide gap hook and light worm sinkers. You will need to experiment until you find the right worm weight. A quality rod like a Lamiglas IMS 661 is ideal when fishing grubs in the river. Nightcrawlers are also hard to beat. They can be rigged either on a plain hook or with a light jighead. Hold on when fishing crawlers because you will occasionally hook into a behemoth sturgeon.

If water levels rise which is common after heavy rains you will need to change your fishing accordingly. Smallmouth with either move to the deep holes or hold tight to shoreline cover. Smallmouth relating to shoreline cover are the easiest target. Under these conditions spinnerbaits are the bait of choice. Spinnerbaits can be worked tight to wood cover and the shoreline. Surface baits like the Bill Lewis Spitfire are also effective. Boat control is important and will depend on the current and the type of boat you have. You can either slip in the river using your outboard, electric trolling motor or anchor. On many occasions you may need to utilize all three methods.

This hot smallmouth action is consistent from August through September. In October my numbers go down a bit but giant smallmouth are very common. One day last October we boated 15 smallmouth over 5 pounds. If you want to get in on the action give me a call at 715-854-2055 or check out my website at www.mikemladenik.com