Wherever you live in the Midwest, I’m willing to bet a fortune there’s a major river system located a drive away that’s teeming with big smallmouths. If you’re willing to explore and find them, prepare yourself for some life-changing events and newfound fishing addictions. Most river fishing first-timers are unable to comprehend the vast numbers of trophy fish some river fisheries can hold and what they’ll encounter. During the spring (May mostly) and fall seasons (late September thru October) I’ve had brief afternoon trips in which 20 smallmouths were caught with a combined weights exceeding 100 pounds. On some days, partners and I have also caught and released more than 100 fish while floating and wading only a 1 mile stretch of water. For this to ever happen, conditions and timing have to be absolutely perfect.   While battling big fish out of larger pools, we commonly see a few other fish competing with it for the lure. If you’re fishing the right river and on the right spot at the right time, employing the right strategies, you’ll catch more big smallmouths in an hour than you might have in a full year of fishing (and for some, your