Russian River Smallies

So nice today I couldn't take the yardwork any more went up to our place on the river, paddled about 2 miles up river and opened a beer and fished my way back. Saw lots of turtles and baby ducks. Drifted down the middle of the river casting to the banks fish were on the bite mostly small fish 9-12" saw a few larger fish making passes at my lure but the weren't hitting it. Finally figured that the bigger fish wanted a down stream retrieve. Hooked a few larger but the kept tossing the hook, damn those fish can fight. Almost at the end of the drift I came to the hole where Mooch and I had hooked up in the winter. Casting casting nothing then here comes 3 kayaks paddling right where I was fishing. I guess they stirred up the fish the next 5 casts I got 4 hook ups with big fish lost 2 landed 2. These fish are so much fun on 4lb test I didn't think I was ever going to land them they are so strong.

Nice!

Hey Mickfish! Nice smallie pics, I appreciate them. I'd always heard of them in the Russian, but never actually saw one. Where's this at? Do you know of some decent drifts?
I fished the Russian on foot yesterday, the 'yak never made it off the truck. I fished for shad at Healdsburg, Guerneville, and Monte Rio. Not red hot but I did hook fish at each place.

Way to go MIKE! If I ever had enough land to build a lake, I'd plant only two kinds of fish: small mouths and german browns  (I'd like to plant stripers too...but I'm afraid they may just take over the entire lake )

Juan I was right above you, our place is 1 mile above the Healdsburg Dam and I paddled up and drifted back. Alexander Valley to Healdsburg is good but long and crowded on the weekends.
Healdsburg to Steelhead Beach is one of the best and perfect length to fish. If you want to go I'm always up for it being 10 minutes away, got a trailer and a cabin thats free most of the time, even if I can't go I can help with a shuttle.

Nice Mike!

Yeah a few years ago I caught a 7-8 pound buck down by Old Summer Home Park in Forestville and the cast right before that , hooked into a nice 2-3 lb small mouth!  In the middle of November!  haha.. I couldnt believe the next cast was a steelhead!.

Im sure as you know, but those fresh water eels in the muck are the best bait we ever used!  Met a guy down near Palomor when I was a teen who let us in on it.

Those little lamprays work great Little crawdads even better but bait isn't legal on the Russian except in the winter.

Is that the Camp Rose area?  How close is it to Rio Lindo Academy?  They give passes/keys at Rio Lindo its a great launch/take out area

Nice Smallies!!!!

Yep the rocks just below Camp Rose I paddled up just pass Palomar, Rio Linda is up another mile or 2.