Increased Population of Smallmouth Bass

Call this an unscientific survey, but from personal experience and in talking with others it appears as though the population of smallmouth bass has increased on the Chagrin and Grand Rivers. This year there have been reports of many small, smallmouth bass being caught. Personally I’ve caught more this year than any of the past four years. Talking with other fishermen they are saying the same thing.

This can only be a good thing for the coming years. Many of the fish are probably less than two years old, and being residents, have to rely on the aquatic life in the Chagrin and Grand rivers. Those who fish the rivers regularly know that a good size resident smallmouth is 13”-15”. While the rivers do have enough life to sustain a population of smallmouth bass it doesn’t compare to the Lake Erie food supply, but that’s OK. Those residents who survive will improve the fishing in the next couple of years. Catching a 13" hard fighting smallmouth on a fly rod is fine by me.

Another aspect of the increase in population is that many fishermen wondered what the affect the harsh winters of the last two years had on the fish. Seems to me it didn’t affect the smallmouth. In fact, one could argue that the smallmouth bass had a “human blizzard“ affect them. We’ve all heard about the increase in births nine months after a blizzard. 

Nice 8" smallmouth from the Chagrin.

(Click on image for larger view)

Go out and fool a fish!