It also means the upper stream carries enough water to support smallies. In fact, the 30 miles from Onamia down to Milaca is where most of the Rum's smallmouths are concentrated. A shallow waterway with a scenic wooded corridor, the upper Rum has enough rocky substrates and wood cover to hold a lot of chunky 12- to 15-inchers. Highway 169 and numerous county roads offer a dozen access points between Milaca and Onamia. The stream is floatable by canoe if its flow gauge reads at least 600 cubic feet per second. To obtain real-time water levels for Minnesota rivers, go to www.waterdata.usgs.gov.

As summer wears on, the Rum's shallow riffles often make canoe fishing difficult, so it's wise to do your float trips early in the season. Lightweight jigs and spinners are great lures, and the Rum is also an excellent stream for fly-fishing. The best way to quickly learn the intricacies of stream smallmouthing is from the river experts at Moving Waters Fishing (612-781-3912). They offer comprehensive stream schools for both spin-fishing and fly-fishing.

In fact, in recent years, smallmouth numbers in the lower river seem to have increased, according to DNR surveys and angler reports. This is likely due to clearing water, plus an increasing catch-and-release ethic among anglers. Most smallies caught are under the Mississippi's 14-inch minimum size regulation, but serious bassers are also landing and releasing 18- and 19-inch lunkers.

The river's hundreds of wing dams and miles of riprapped banks are the prime places to find smallmouths, and a few lunkers will also be found in side channels around wood cover. Crankbaits are the most popular big-river lures, but jigs and 1/4-ounce spinnerbaits often do a better job when the fish are sluggish.

There are nearly 50 boat landings and a dozen marinas along the lower Mississippi, offering ample access. However, these marinas also mean weekend boating is intense, with plenty of large cruisers plowing up and down river. During the summer, morning and weekday fishing is the best way to avoid the pleasure boaters. The Lake City area is one good place to fish. Contact the Lake City Chamber of Commerce at www.lakecity.org or (651) 345-4123.

Nevertheless, last year's DNR survey found good numbers of both smallies and largemouths. Smallmouths of several year-classes - including fish over 17 inches - were represented, indicating consistent reproduction. Zumbro Lake is also home to a large array of other fish.

Two streams flowing into the lake enhance its productivity, and its miles of rocky shorelines and numerous points offers prime smallmouth habitat and good places for the angler to target. Spinnerbaits are popular with anglers for both of Zumbro Lake's bass species. But it's hard to beat the trusty tube jig when fish are finicky.

For local info, contact the Rochester Chamber of Commerce at www.rochestermnchamber.com.

In fact, Two Island's smallmouth numbers are nearly seven times as much as other area lakes. So targeting nearly any of the lake's numerous rock humps should pay off with fish on the line. One area where I do well is around the islands and shallow humps on the west side of the lake. Black and chartreuse combo-colored jigs and flies are especially good in the lake's slightly stained water. And if you get out on the water early enough in the morning, small topwater baits are great.

Just remember, all fish over 11 inches must be released in Two Island. There is a nice U.S. Forest Service Campground at the east end of the lake, which includes a boat landing. The nearest town is Grand Marais, www.grandmaraismn.com or (218) 387-2524.

While not nearly as big or famous as some northeast Minnesota bodies of water, 450-acre Man still offers surprising numbers of smallies. A recent assessment by the Walker office of the DNR turned up smallmouth numbers several times higher than average for lakes of this type. More than half the smallies were over 12 inches and some were nearly 4 pounds. This DNR survey and reports by experienced anglers clearly show that Man's smallmouth population is excellent for a lake this size and in this part of the state.

Though shoreline development on Man is moderate, water clarity still remains at 11 feet. Bulrushes are scattered around the lake, patches of submergent vegetation extend down to 18 feet deep and significant amounts of the bottom is prime smallmouth substrate - gravel or rubble. Working deep-diving crankbaits though 10- and 12-foot depths is a reliable summer technique.

Access to Man is via a short channel from Baby Lake. Seven-hundred-acre Baby is best known for its muskies, but it also supports moderate numbers of smallmouths. The nearest town is Hackensack, which can be reached at www.hackensackmn.net.