# Why such hate for the smallmouth?



## Jim (May 25, 2007)

I keep on reading about how smallmouth take over a body of water and then eat the native fish. Some would agree that pound for pound the smallie is the toughest fighting fish. 

Columbia River: Washington
https://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/116271.html

Same thin has happened around my way at Lake Umbagog. But over here the trout guys and salmon guys say that every time they catch a bass, they kill it. :evil:


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## Captain Ahab (May 25, 2007)

I love SM Bass fishing, they are great fighters and nice aggressive fish. Just more proof that the the trout purists are morons. Take what God gives you when fishing and stop bitching. They have a fine game fish to catch and they complain about that?


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## Mattman (May 25, 2007)

I suspect there is little fact there.

Same thing happens around here with Muskie. There is acutally an organization called No More Muskies. They claim that Muskies ruin the Walleye fishing and population.

I watched a group complain about a local lake back 15 years ago when I lived in northern Minnesota. Now I'm seeing it in a few areas here in central Minnesota where I live. Meanwhile, back up north, the lake that was supposedly being killed off by the Muskie is producing some of the best Muskie AND Walleye fishing in the state.

I've also got an acquaintance in California who sent me a newpaper article about the (quote) dreaded Northern Pike (unquote).


A new or recently introduced species, or even one that's having a strong couple of years, easily gets targeted for the rest of the fisheries decline. It takes several years for a strong or poor hatch to show itself and too many people jump to other conclusions when it does finally show up.

Muskie, Walleye, Smallmouth, etc...they've all coexisted for centuries. I suspect, if we don't ruin it first, they will continue to do the same for centuries to come.


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## Captain Ahab (Sep 16, 2013)

BassAddict hates smallies - Ban Him!


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## MiPikeGuy (Sep 16, 2013)

I love catching smallies! A 20" 4lb smallie fights crazier than 40" 14lb Northern anyday


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## BassAddict (Sep 16, 2013)

Captain Ahab said:


> BassAddict hates smallies - Ban Him!



BassAddict loves smallies! 

GOT SMALLIE?


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## bigwave (Sep 16, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1262#p1262 said:


> Captain Ahab » 25 May 2007, 07:25[/url]"]I love SM Bass fishing, they are great fighters and nice aggressive fish. Just more proof that the the trout purists are morons. Take what God gives you when fishing and stop bitching. They have a fine game fish to catch and they complain about that?


This is just one more fine example why Capt. should be president of tinboats.......... :lol:


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## wihil (Sep 16, 2013)

Prefer Smally's to LM's here. Yah, I'm weird, but I find them much more entertaining than their large mouth cousins..


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## MiPikeGuy (Sep 16, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329502#p329502 said:


> wihil » 16 Sep 2013, 20:55[/url]"]Prefer Smally's to LM's here. Yah, I'm weird, but I find them much more entertaining than their large mouth cousins..


The only thing I like "better" about largies is that they're generally easier (at least for me) to catch on a topwater, a good explosion is always fun. Other than that smallie > largie


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## Captain Ahab (Sep 17, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329495#p329495 said:


> bigwave » Mon Sep 16, 2013 7:23 pm[/url]"]
> 
> 
> [url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1262#p1262 said:
> ...



I thought that I was?


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## lovedr79 (Sep 17, 2013)

i love smallies! they fight hard for their size! and they are aggressive.


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## Loggerhead Mike (Sep 17, 2013)

Kind of the opposite here. Spots are taking over


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## Zum (Sep 17, 2013)

Smallmouth were legally introduced over here in the 50"s(in 2/3 lakes),all our systems had native brook trout.
Between bucker biologists, poor natural habitat, acid rain, logging , the introduction of smallies and the illegally introduced chain pickerel,a lot of our water ways don't hold any trout. There is probably more reasons even than the ones I listed but any fish introduced into a new environment is going to compete with the native fishes. Smallies or pickerel can handle the heat better, more aggressive and just heartier,in my opinion.
I feel a little like a hypocrite because I love to catch smallmouth and chain pickerel but if they were never introduced here, pretty sure brook trout would have been on top of my list.


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## Captain Ahab (Sep 17, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329612#p329612 said:


> Zum » Tue Sep 17, 2013 1:11 pm[/url]"]Smallmouth were legally introduced over here in the 50"s(in 2/3 lakes),all our systems had native brook trout.
> Between bucker biologists, poor natural habitat, acid rain, logging , the introduction of smallies and the illegally introduced chain pickerel,a lot of our water ways don't hold any trout. There is probably more reasons even than the ones I listed but any fish introduced into a new environment is going to compete with the native fishes. Smallies or pickerel can handle the heat better, more aggressive and just heartier,in my opinion.
> I feel a little like a hypocrite because I love to catch smallmouth and chain pickerel but if they were never introduced here, pretty sure brook trout would have been on top of my list.



Brook Trout make great Smallie bait


(And even better striped bass bait!) :mrgreen:


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## MiPikeGuy (Sep 18, 2013)

Brook Trout aren't even fun to catch imo ... my friends always go on about how they're such good eating, they taste like mud to me


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## Jim (Sep 18, 2013)

Ahab decides to resurrect a thread from 2007......... :lol:


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## Zum (Sep 18, 2013)

I know Ahab is just being....well Ahab but....

On a little serious note,it doesn't matter if the fish fights good,looks good or tastes good,they were native.It probably took millions of years for the ecosystem to evolve.Buckets biologists and even people(educated scientists)with good intensions can mess it up in a few years?Lets say I liked catching those Asian carp, does that make it okay to introduce it into your nice smallmouth river?
People should be very careful when playing Mother Nature.

Anyways...I do still fish for all fish and yes smallmouth are my favorite...


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## bcbouy (Sep 18, 2013)

i'm a trout purist and Ahab can bite me. come up here and fish trout and you'll never go after the smallmouth garbage ever again.i guarantee it.


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## DocWatson (Sep 19, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329750#p329750 said:


> bcbouy » Wed Sep 18, 2013 6:24 pm[/url]"]i'm a trout purist and Ahab can bite me. come up here and fish trout and you'll never go after the smallmouth garbage ever again.i guarantee it.



Ever catch a 6 lb smallie on your fly rod ??? You'll think twice about that statement when you do !!! Guarantees are for fools and retail stores !!


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## Jonboat Jerry (Sep 19, 2013)

opcorn:


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## panFried (Sep 20, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329814#p329814 said:


> Jonboat Jerry » Today, 12:50[/url]"]opcorn:


Exactly Jerry! =D> Im not getting into this debate as I love both species... and there's nothing like catching either fish on fly rod or light weight spinning rod. Both ROCK in my opinion and I'm lucky to have many places/streams near me to fish for both.

Asian Crap, I mean Carp on the other hand suck, and our river ways are getting taken over.

[youtube]5PYq7-XNHwE[/youtube]


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## DocWatson (Sep 20, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329883#p329883 said:


> panFried » Fri Sep 20, 2013 12:17 am[/url]"]
> 
> 
> [url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329814#p329814 said:
> ...



My point EXACTLY panFried !!! Both species are fun and always worth catching. Hell, I'd take either one as a by-catch and be happy just to have the pull on my line and all the fight the fish has in it !!! 8)


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## Captain Ahab (Sep 21, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329750#p329750 said:


> bcbouy » Wed Sep 18, 2013 5:24 pm[/url]"]i'm a trout purist and Ahab can bite me. come up here and fish trout and you'll never go after the smallmouth garbage ever again.i guarantee it.





I love catching trout - Sea Trout AKA Weakfish!


I like catching all kinds of fish - heck i just like fishing, I trout fish on occasion 


Sorry but as far the biting thing - no thanks!


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## New River Rat (Sep 22, 2013)

I love my smallies, and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries say they do too, but the VDGIF precedes to dump unwanted (by a lot of anglers) muskie in the New River. I have caught *6 *stunted (5 @30"-34", 1 @40") muskie in 2013 and have caught a LOT more over the years. Muskie are not my target species, but are displacing the smallmouth that have always been an alpha fish species. I fish below Claytor Dam (hydro) and they care less about the flow/release that is vital to the habitat of the river. Claytor now has hydrilla issues, and the powers that be decided to eradicate the vegetation with both mechanical and chemical applications. As the dying growth breaks free and begins to decay, it is swept through the turbines of the power plant and deposited into the New River downstream. Decomposing vegetation depletes oxygen from the river, and a smallmouth needs as much O2 as about any game fish. So here's a grocery list of "hate for the smallmouth", just one persons view.


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