what to do with river smally's?

[icesore]

Over the last couple year'sbeen catching a growing number of small mouth bass on the ogden. The Ogden is no green river where there is catch and kill on bass but, I've grown to enjoy the Ogden and it's browns and would hate it to be damaged. Are they breeding or are they blow outs? I've caught them from 6" to 18" so not sure what to think.
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[CRM801]

Have you caught them on the upper stretches of the river mostly? And can I ask what you're throwing on the river that the smallies would eat? Flies, spinners, worms?
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[catmaster23]

I wouldn't worry about the browns, they are a more ferocious predator than the smallies and I'm sure they keep them in check. Besides big browns and smallies in a river, what more could a guy ask for![cool] There are browns and smallies in the bear river below oneida and the browns definitly run the show, there are some decent smallies in the river but are few and far between.
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[kochanut]

^ what he said
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[icesore]

I've been catching them on rapalas, with a slow retrieve. Found them from the waterfall to the bridge by the dam. From nearly 18" to 6" in size. In the river I think the fight about as well as a plastic bag from walmart. In a warmer lake is where I prefer to do battle.
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[lundfun]

I like to catch smallies now and then, and they are good eating, especially when compared with largemouths, but I think they're becoming the scourge of our reservoirs. They eat about anything they can find, including trout fry, and most of them are not a lot bigger than the average perch was when I was a kid. Maybe we need to plant more tiger muskies to eat smallmouths.
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[Leaky33]

Count your blessings and eat up if you like fish. They are a wonderful fighting fish and great eating.
Lundfun
Scourge, ??????, give me a break!!!!! They are a wonderful fish for a baanced fishery that can support em. We should be so lucky to have em available. My best guess is your a slimmer fisherman with a closed mind. Maybe that's too judgmental, course and if it is I apologize. I guess I have a soft heart for these bass.[frown] Remember, I said balanced, They probably don't belong in lots of areas, but in my opinion, not that many. Ever consider the amount of trash fish fry they eat too depending what you consider trash fish?

P.S. Just for the record, I enjoy all the fish species, but generally speaking I go for trout in the cold weather and bass in the warm weather and would do more kitty fishing if I wasn't so lazy, Yep, I enjoy eating carp too.
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[icesore]

I ate big one and it was yummy. I love fishing for bass, also. I'am just a little that they are so bad on the green river and not anywhere else. like you say it might help the balance and weed out the smaller browns. Thanks for your insight.
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