On 9/3/2021 at 6:26 AM, TnRiver46 said:

If you just specifically mean the Midwest, the Missouri River is excellent I believe (not that ive fished it but my buddy did)

 

Its not as good as you think it is.  I have not personally fished it either, but its honestly better for other species like walleye/sauger than it is for smallmouth.  A few years ago they had an Elite event for the first time in Pierre, SD on Lake Oahe and the results were not great.  20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.  It must have been a success overall though, as they are going back there next year.

 

Fort Peck Lake in Montana (which is where it starts) is quite good though.  It has a variety of species to target and its cold and deep enough to support a healthy population of Lake Trout too.

8 minutes ago, gimruis said:

 

Its not as good as you think it is.  I have not personally fished it either, but its honestly better for other species like walleye/sauger than it is for smallmouth.  A few years ago they had an Elite event for the first time in Pierre, SD on Lake Oahe and the results were not great.  20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.  It must have been a success overall though, as they are going back there next year.

 

Fort Peck Lake in Montana (which is where it starts) is quite good though.  It has a variety of species to target and its cold and deep enough to support a healthy population of Lake Trout too.

I think they recently broke the state record for smallmouth on oahe 

When I lived up north the Miss at any wing dam. Here in the Ozarks any River we got. 

Willamette right here in Portland. Columbia River and John Day River to the east (in the gorge), Umpqua River in Southern Oregon.  

On 9/1/2021 at 1:40 PM, GaryH said:

If you want to drive Susquehanna and Juniata rivers in Pa.

What he said !

On 9/3/2021 at 6:26 AM, TnRiver46 said:

If you just specifically mean the Midwest, the Missouri River is excellent I believe (not that ive fished it but my buddy did)

 

16 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

 

Hahahaha yes like that!!!

 

he did have some pics though, late November 2018. 

Great Miami in SW Ohio 

On 9/7/2021 at 11:04 AM, gimruis said:

20 pounds/day was really good if I remember correctly.

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

13 minutes ago, billmac said:

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

Everywhere except texas! Haha 

53 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Everywhere except texas! Haha 

Even Texas!  

2 hours ago, billmac said:

 

Isn't 20 lbs / day really good pretty much anywhere?

I can recall the top smallmouth locations producing 25 pounds/day. The St Lawrence River and Mille Lacs come to mind.

2 hours ago, gimruis said:

I can recall the top smallmouth locations producing 25 pounds/day. The St Lawrence River and Mille Lacs come to mind.

Well yes, sometimes that happens, but that's more than pretty good.  That's extraordinary.

The Tennessee River! 42-1/2" Flathead caught on a medium light spinning outfit fishing a TRD Ned Rig for Smallies!

North of the Border

 

 

French River,  ON

You're not that far from the Ozark rivers. I like the Elk river around Noel but there's lots of options. The Gasconade is popular and has much bigger fish, but I've never fished it. 

I'm hearing great things about the Upper Illinois River in Oklahoma for smallies. Just learning myself about the SM, always focused on LM. 

My favorite rivers are the glorified creeks that don't get any notoriety. The kinds of small rivers tucked away that nobody fishes. I've caught so many 3+ lb SMB out of those. 

Tennessee

Upper Potomac

French Broad

I plan to travel north more next year, and look forward to adding to, or revising, my list.

St John's river in Canada.  I fish it when I go spring bear hunting.  It is world class.  Lots of fish with little pressure.  Some very good ones.  May not rival what I see the St Lawerence put out on tournament coverage but I have only waded to fish it.

Shenandoah River no question. Can catch over 70 smallmouth in a day some being bigger than 21 inches

On 11/15/2021 at 11:04 AM, Greyson said:

Shenandoah River no question. Can catch over 70 smallmouth in a day some being bigger than 21 inches

That sound too good to be true! Must be Smallie Heaven! You are blessed to have such a fishery. Only darkness would drive me off that River (that and my wife).

43 minutes ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

That sound too good to be true! Must be Smallie Heaven! You are blessed to have such a fishery. Only darkness would drive me off that River (that and my wife).

Yeah. It’s amazing. Shenandoah river is amazing all times of the year. Never go home empty.

On 9/1/2021 at 4:28 PM, Scott F said:

Wisconsin River in…..Wisconsin.

Pretty broad, you going to the north end or more towards where it dumps into the mississippi. I grew up fishing a backwater of the lower wisconsin abou 40-50 miles upstream of Prairie Du Chien.

On 9/30/2021 at 6:48 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

You're not that far from the Ozark rivers. I like the Elk river around Noel but there's lots of options. The Gasconade is popular and has much bigger fish, but I've never fished it. 

The Elk is fun, but I prefer those to the east for the most part. Anywhere south of the Osage/Missouri down to the Arkansas River holds good smallies.