Small Rivers

This past summer I spent a fair amount of time on a small river near my home. By small river, I mean most places it is easy to cast across. More of a creek, in most parts of the country; although I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "creek" in Minnesota...

Small rivers like this are ideal places to learn about the nuances of reading current and finding fish. Around here these small rivers get very little fishing pressure, and generally hold good poulations of fish. I've found that generally the fish run a bit smaller; but that doesn't mean there aren't quality fish available.

The reason I find small rivers to be excellent learning opportunities is that the relatively small geography (or would that be hydrograhy?) allows you to quickly ascertain if you're in the right spot. Contrast that to fishing the Mississippi, where you could "read" the river and be within 25 feet of the right spot, but never know it because you don't get a single nibble. I guess the feedback is generally quicker on a small river. Most spots can be eliminated with just a few bait placements.

The experience gained learning to read the smaller rivers can then be used to help dissect larger spots on larger rivers. The knowledge is almost directly transferrable. If you learn where to place your bait in relation to an eddy on an outside bend on a smal river, you'll likely be close to the right spot on a large river.