Kevin Short’s 5 favorite rivers

River guru Kevin Short shares the top five rivers he loves to fish.

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Bassmaster Elite Series angler Kevin Short is a well-known river specialist, cutting his teeth on the Arkansas River. For the latest installment of 5 favorites, we asked the Mayflower, Ark., Bassmaster Elite Series pro to run down his favorite rivers to fish.
Bassmaster Elite Series angler Kevin Short is a well-known river specialist, cutting his teeth on the Arkansas River. For the latest installment of 5 favorites, we asked the Mayflower, Ark., Bassmaster Elite Series pro to run down his favorite rivers to fish.
Short explains his selection process: “I’m thinking about places I would want to fish, or I see it on the tournament schedule and say, ‘Hey, I can catch them there. It’s going to be good.’”
Short explains his selection process: “I’m thinking about places I would want to fish, or I see it on the tournament schedule and say, ‘Hey, I can catch them there. It’s going to be good.’”
<b>St. Lawrence River</b> <br>“In no particular order, the St. Lawrence River. Big smallmouth. Absolutely breathtaking scenery.”
St. Lawrence River
“In no particular order, the St. Lawrence River. Big smallmouth. Absolutely breathtaking scenery.”
“You have a variety of options and depth there. You can catch them shallow, you can catch them deep. If you want to fish for largemouth, you’ve got that option too. It’s got everything.”
“You have a variety of options and depth there. You can catch them shallow, you can catch them deep. If you want to fish for largemouth, you’ve got that option too. It’s got everything.”
<b>Upper Mississippi River</b> <br>“The Upper Mississippi at LaCrosse, Wis., has got to be on my list. It is just absolutely packed with fish, largemouth and smallmouth.”
Upper Mississippi River
“The Upper Mississippi at LaCrosse, Wis., has got to be on my list. It is just absolutely packed with fish, largemouth and smallmouth.”
“You can catch them on a frog, on a jig … they’re a lot of different ways to catch them. Most of it is shallow fishing. There’s no reason to fish over 5, 6 foot deep. You can catch 50, 60, 100 fish a day.”
“You can catch them on a frog, on a jig … they’re a lot of different ways to catch them. Most of it is shallow fishing. There’s no reason to fish over 5, 6 foot deep. You can catch 50, 60, 100 fish a day.”
<b>California Delta</b> <br>“There again, it’s just slam full of fish. And it’s got big fish in it.”
California Delta
“There again, it’s just slam full of fish. And it’s got big fish in it.”
“It’s shallow fishing. Lots of grass, lots of vegetation, flipping, cranking, frog, and it’s all big, fat green largemouth. Beautiful fish.”
“It’s shallow fishing. Lots of grass, lots of vegetation, flipping, cranking, frog, and it’s all big, fat green largemouth. Beautiful fish.”
<b>Red River</b> <br>“I would have to have the Red River on my list. It’s mostly largemouth, mostly backwater fishing. Not saying you can’t catch them out on the main river, but the majority of the better fish are in the backwaters.’”
Red River
“I would have to have the Red River on my list. It’s mostly largemouth, mostly backwater fishing. Not saying you can’t catch them out on the main river, but the majority of the better fish are in the backwaters.’”
“There’s a lot of stumps to work with, a lot of wood, there’s some vegetation. It’s not a place where you’re going to catch a lot of numbers, but it’s a place where if you figure out where you need to be and what you need to be doing, you can catch some really good fish.”
“There’s a lot of stumps to work with, a lot of wood, there’s some vegetation. It’s not a place where you’re going to catch a lot of numbers, but it’s a place where if you figure out where you need to be and what you need to be doing, you can catch some really good fish.”
<b>Arkansas River</b> <br>“I’m partial to the Arkansas River. I gotta be a homer just because there’s more than one way to catch them in any given pool on the Arkansas River.”
Arkansas River
“I’m partial to the Arkansas River. I gotta be a homer just because there’s more than one way to catch them in any given pool on the Arkansas River.”
“It’s not all the same deal in every single pool. Each one fishes a little bit different. Border to border, there’s a lot of variety in the Arkansas River and there’s a lot of different ways depending on which pool you’re in.”
“It’s not all the same deal in every single pool. Each one fishes a little bit different. Border to border, there’s a lot of variety in the Arkansas River and there’s a lot of different ways depending on which pool you’re in.”