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[stitch]

I am originally from Iowa and head up there to fish quite a bit in the summer with my brothers who live in Des Moines. I would say the fishing is pretty great in the rivers up there. Not the numbers you will see in ozark streams, but if you find the right habitat in can be pretty great. I have caught several at 19" out of the Des Moines river, a 20" out of the raccoon, and a pair of 20" fish out of the wapsi. Good fishing in the upper IA, cedar, Iowa, and the Maquoketa.

Theyre definitely here, but it seems like we have a pretty good 20" cap. I've caught 20's from the DSM river, middle Raccoon thee south skunk and the Iowa. Its not real often you even hear of a stream smally over 20 inches in Iowa though it does happen here and there). A lot of nice ones are caught out of the Iowa Great Lakes.

[stitch]

Kinda funny that when you only fish a place once, and catch a big fish there, you think that's just the normal thing. I've only fished once in Iowa, on the Maquoketa River, for a couple of hours wading a short section, and caught a 19.5 incher. I thought that was pretty normal for that river, but maybe it wasn't!

Reminds me of the time I went up to Algonquin Park in Ontario, which is on the northern edge of smallmouth range. Fished one of the lakes there from a canoe, and caught a few smallies, including one that I guessed at 4 pounds, a nice fat fish. I just figured that was normal for northern lakes like that. Got back to the place where I'd rented the canoe that afternoon, and the guy asked me if I'd caught anything. "Yeah," I said, "caught one pretty nice fish about 4 pounds."

"You're kidding," the guy said, "if that fish was that big, it was probably a lake record, because the lake record is 4 pounds 2 ounces!"

I wouldnt say 19.5 is too out of the norm, but much over 20 really is.

[ness]

Back in the 40s, when I was just starting out, I pretty routinely caught 25 to 30-inch bronzebacks all over the Ozarks. We always ate them. Got struck my lightning fishing on the 'nade in about 1951 and I haven't caught one since.

[Guest]

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[Mitch f]

Great fish Andy!!

[Old plug]

21.25 if I recall right on Eagle Lake Ontario.

[Gavin]

Very nice both of you! Best in Missouri last year was with Mitch...19.75". I've never caught a 20" smallmouth in Missouri...but I have caught one that measure 21"....Maybe I'll get that 20" next year.

[Smallieguy87]

I've yet to break into 18+ inches but have caught a few at 17 or close to it. The one in my profile is pic came close to 17 caught out of mineral fork. I'm hoping to add an 18+ incher this year! I almost did last year but she managed to come unbuttoned from my jig :-/

[holleybob]

Years ago I caught a prespawn female that went 22 inches out of Rowley bay in Door county Wi on Lake Michigan. If memory serves she went 5.85 lbs. I had the only other guy in the bay motor over and take a photo of it but I've not sen it in years. No digital camera back then. All 35 mm.

Went back a week later and found hundreds of fish spawning in gin clear water at the back of the bay 5 ft deep with a sandy bottom and sporadic pencil grass. I caught 3-4 lb smallies till my thumbs bled. Never even started the big motor that day.

Likely my best day fishing in my lifetime.

[Smallieguy87]

I've seen door county Wi fishing videos and ever since then I've wanted to go there. Such a beautiful place and amazing smallmouth that must have been an amazing trip