Favorite Smallmouth technique 2024
WI_Angler1989 reply :
Alright guys, when you go fishing for Smallies what's your absolute FAVORITE way to catch them???
I don't wanna know the "best" or what has worked recently, but what you personally like to do the most.
Me, I love me some tube fishing! I love the slow and steady retrieve and the feeling of a big fat Bronze back slamming my tube jig when it's sitting still. Nothing beats the thrill of a solid hooksets after coaxing a big bite! It's a great combo of patience and thrill at the same time for me.
Well, let hear 'em!
bowhunter63 reply :
My favorite way is working a craw around the rocks on the bottom,Bouncing it along and then they slam it.Sometimes they pick it up on the set.Love those Smallies
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 3:40 AM, bowhunter63 said:My favorite way is working a craw around the rocks on the bottom,Bouncing it along and then they slam it.Sometimes they pick it up on the set.Love those Smallies
Easily my second favorite plastic for smallmouth. It's hard to beat a craw in my WI rivers.
bowhunter63 reply :
Yea same here in Missouri,That old rebel crawdad crankbait probably caught as many as anything else.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 3:56 AM, bowhunter63 said:Yea same here in Missouri,That old rebel crawdad crankbait probably caught as many as anything else.
I've been wanting to try one of the rebel craws for years. May as well buy some now haha fight the winter blues a bit.
bowhunter63 reply :
I caught a lot of them on it when i lived up north.Great bait for sure.Still works great today.
WillBass24 reply :
Topwater is my favorite busy far. I love watching. Them explode on a little tiny torpedo
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:04 AM, WillBass24 said:Topwater is my favorite busy far. I love watching. Them explode on a little tiny torpedo
Sweet! Idk why but I've had very little success with topwater smallies. I hope to change that this year though!
A-Jay reply :
Right here ~ Morning, Noon & All Night.
A-Jay
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:34 AM, A-Jay said:
Right here ~ Morning, Noon & All Night.
A-Jay
Very nice, that's a walk the dog bait, right?
Neil McCauley reply :
Fly fishing with poppers in 1-2ft water early Spring. Nothing better than battling smallies on a fly rod.
A-Jay reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:37 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:Very nice, that's a walk the dog bait, right?
Yes - and it's the easiest walking bait I know of -
A-Jay
Will Wetline reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:37 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:Very nice, that's a walk the dog bait, right?
I believe that's a Duo Realis Pencil 110. You can walk it, pop it, make a ruckus with it to stir up smallies.
Smallieseeker reply :
I love throwing 3 to 5 inch paddle tail swimbaits. I can throw them all day with out a bite and still have confidence in them. Caught my PB smallie on a 3.5 inch swimbait.
Will Wetline reply :
Let's see . . . Top water's a blast, Duo's Spin Bait 80 has been extremely productive, but I'll say walking a nose-hooked, weightless Super Fluke Jr. a foot under the surface is my favorite because I can see the smallies zoom in to smash it!
heavyduty reply :
To me there is nothing like a smallie crushing a spinnerbait or exploding on buzzbait!
FryDog62 reply :
Tie:
1) On top of the water it's a Jitterbug
2) Below the surface its the stealthy targeted presentation of a 5 inch wacky-rigged Yamasenko
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 10:49 AM, FryDog62 said:Tie:
1) On top of the water it's a Jitterbug
2) Below the surface its the stealthy targeted presentation of a 5 inch wacky-rigged Yamasenko
I've had some awesome jitterbug bass too. Lots of good ones on a black right before sunset
Catch 22 reply :
Hard decision. I love a jig bite,usually 1/8 oz black .
FryDog62 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 10:52 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:I've had some awesome jitterbug bass too. Lots of good ones on a black right before sunset
It's a long forgotten about bait for many but still works awesome!! Black is my favorite color --
roadwarrior reply :
Jerkbait
Siebert Outdoors reply :
My favorite would be a jig.
With that said Jerkbait is probably my best producer due to being able to fish faster. A jerkbait and I have a love/hate relationship. I hate when I have to fish them but they flat out produce.
roadwarrior reply :
Although my favorite technique is the jerkbait, over the years my best producer has been the Gitzit (baby diaper yellow). Next would be the Fat Ika, followed by the Sworming Hornet. Next is a GYCB Kut Tail rigged on the ShakE2. Last year a Siebert Outdoor Grid Iron Jig (3/8 oz PBJ)/ Rage Tail Craw (PBJ) and most recently the Rage Tail Menace:
Felix77 reply :
My favorite is a drop shot with a finesse shad lure. When they hit that thing they hit it.
#2 is topwater
#3 is a spinnerbait with a Keitech trailer
Steveo-1969 reply :
My favorite technique for catching my river smallies is a finesse jig. My most productive is a t-rigged 4" YUM Dinger.
Jake the Cake reply :
1/8 oz Rooster Tail for Smallmouths in the river. Favorite colors have to be yellow, black, and white.
Mumbly reply :
Topwater gets my vote for favorite method. Certainly not the most effective at times but there is nothing (to me) like a smallie busting on a spook, popper or propbait. Super spook jr, pop'r and torpedo being my most used.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
Jerkbaits are my second most productive lure by a long shot. I like fishing then but it can get frustrating using then in river and snagging.
Fishing more Wacky rigged senkos is one of my main fishing goals next season. Dropshot is my other big one.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 11:28 PM, Jake the Cake said:1/8 oz Rooster Tail for Smallmouths in the river. Favorite colors have to be yellow, black, and white.
I'm a Mepps Aglia man, myself. That is EASILY my most productive lure ever. For all species. Partly because when I was young it was my go-to confidence bait, partly by how awesome it is haha. I've caught literally at least 1 of each kind of fish I've caught on it: smallie, largemouth, pike, muskie, walleye, rainbow, catfish, crappie, bluegill, northern snakehead....
it'd be my "only 1 lure forever" choice I see guys posting about.
Jake the Cake reply :
On 1/12/2016 at 12:55 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:I'm a Mepps Aglia man, myself. That is EASILY my most productive lure ever. For all species. Partly because when I was young it was my go-to confidence bait, partly by how awesome it is haha. I've caught literally at least 1 of each kind of fish I've caught on it: smallie, largemouth, pike, muskie, walleye, rainbow, catfish, crappie, bluegill, northern snakehead....
it'd be my "only 1 lure forever" choice I see guys posting about.
I do love some Mepps action! I've found here in MO that finesse seems to work better for me so that's why I go with the Rooster Tails. A bit smaller to entice even the finicky ones. If they're hitting hard I'll usually upgrade to a Mepps to see if I can weed out the dinks. Agreed though, anything in a river with a set of eyes seems to love a Mepps or Rooster Tail
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/12/2016 at 1:01 AM, Jake the Cake said:I do love some Mepps action! I've found here in MO that finesse seems to work better for me so that's why I go with the Rooster Tails. A bit smaller to entice even the finicky ones. If they're hitting hard I'll usually upgrade to a Mepps to see if I can weed out the dinks. Agreed though, anything in a river with a set of eyes seems to love a Mepps or Rooster Tail
That's a good point, I'm gonna have to give Rooster tails a try when the Aglia isn't working. I never thought about it as more finesse but willow vs big Colorado type blades....makes sense.
You gotta love the multi species ways of an online spinner! Throw it in a river and catch anything at any time
smallie.mike reply :
My favorite way to catch smallmouth is standing in waist deep current in a secluded river on a beautiful day when it's warm enough to wear a t shirt and cool enough to wear waders. At that point it doesn't even matter what I'm catching them on.
Hurricane reply :
Rapala DT6 in the red craw color..
SwimJiggin reply :
For river smallies I love cranking. I have some Bomber 8a's in purple firetiger that work great. In the morning when the light is low I target LMs, but when the sun gets higher and the breeze picks up I switch to a crank. I just love the way they crush it. I try the find the right casting angle to bring it right through Bronze St. USA.
ww2farmer reply :
My favorite way to catch them is FAR from my most productive way to catch them. Actually when I catch them this way, which is fairly often, it's often mixed in with largemouth. But flipping for them in heavy cover is pretty exciting. #1 they are not buried in the grass as often as largemouth, but when they are it's pretty much like poking a bear with a stick. Set the hook and they are mad, and they want you to know it RIGHT NOW. A 4+ lb smallmouth clearing the water higher than your head a rod and half's length away before you even know what's going on is quite the sight. While the fight is not as long as most of my smallmouth battles because of the heavy tackle used, the best description I can give of the battle is it's about like grabbing a full grown barn tomcat by the tail to give him a shot of antibiotics if he's acting sick , it'll be over fairly quickly if you can get the cat in the empty 100lb burlap grain bag to but some kind of tough material between your skin/eyes/throat and the cats claws and teeth , but even in the short amount of time it takes to get the cat under control and in the bag, your pretty sure you lost the fight and the cat spared you and not the other way around.
Crestliner2008 reply :
My favorite presentation, from post spawn through early fall, is the drop shot. Reason being is that it can (and will) produce more fish than any other presentation I've ever tried. Now I'm fishing a deep, clear water reservoir and am targeting off-shore structures. If I were fishing another body of water, I might very well be doing something different.
Spankey reply :
Finesse fishing various soft plastics by far is my favorite way to go at smallies but, way too often I get hung up throwing a spinnerbaits or crankbait longer or more often than I really want to.
Over the years. My larger smallies have come off plastics.
Buckeye Ron reply :
My favorite smallie technique is to use a guido bug type craw rigged weedless or a small crank bait if they're really active. Dropping a plastic craw into a brush pile or edge of a weed line is killer.
Hogsticker reply :
I don't think there is any denying that top water is most fun. Mine being a popper. The anticipation, the heightened sense of everything that surrounds you, watching it all happen, it's just a kick in the pants. Combining the best of both worlds in terms of what I enjoy using and the level of productivity it brings, a paddle tail swimbait on a swim jig or swarming hornet takes the cake for me.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
I've never topwater fished for smallies specifically, not many spots around her it's the brest choice, but it sounds like I'd better get on it! Pretty much most people say top haha. Better get me a couple spooks
EvanT123 reply :
Topwater is my favorite. I really like the gunfish or academy knock off. Just seeing the explosion and then feeling the pull. I love it.
Dragging a tube would be a close second. I like feeling something different and bamm fish on or sometimes stump or stick lol.
Bluebasser86 reply :
While I do love getting smallies to blow up on a fast moving spook, I look forward to that spring jerkbait bite way more than I do the topwater.
I only got after them a few times with jerkbaits this year, but it always produces some of my biggest smallies of the year. This year, it produced the 2 largest in fact.
roadwarrior reply :
Man, those are some beauties!
HoosierHawgs reply :
On 1/17/2016 at 3:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:While I do love getting smallies to blow up on a fast moving spook, I look forward to that spring jerkbait bite way more than I do the topwater.
I only got after them a few times with jerkbaits this year, but it always produces some of my biggest smallies of the year. This year, it produced the 2 largest in fact.
What's your spinning set up for jerkbaits?
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 1/18/2016 at 12:09 AM, HoosierHawgs said:What's your spinning set up for jerkbaits?
A 30 size President on a 6' 8" M/F Ethos and 8lb gamma copolymer
HoosierHawgs reply :
On 1/18/2016 at 12:34 AM, Bluebasser86 said:A 30 size President on a 6' 8" M/F Ethos and 8lb gamma copolymer
Cool, I thought that was an Ethos. Sounds about similar to what I would use. Thanks!
Dwight Hottle reply :
Jerkbaits are my favorite. Jeff's favorite too.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/18/2016 at 12:46 AM, Dwight Hottle said:Jerkbaits are my favorite. Jeff's favorite too.
Easy to see why, that's an awesome fish!
Drew03cmc reply :
I prefer a shaky head approach, 3.5-4" craws on an 1/8oz head in rivers. I don't have lake smallie experience.
Will Wetline reply :
On sunny, breezy afternoons in the early spring I like to throw jerkbaits for smallies. This big mama weighed 5.8 lbs. and ate a Pointer 100.
Zippyduck Krimm reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:04 AM, WillBass24 said:Topwater is my favorite busy far. I love watching. Them explode on a little tiny torpedo
all day until one hits it
Mosster47 reply :
Torpedos are the most fun to fish.
They hit a craw color lipless like a train regardless of size.
The most successful is a Gitzit during the spring.
scaleface reply :
All my smallmouth fishing is done in a river and anything that resembles a crawdad hopped off the bottom does the trick . The old Renegade craws from Wal Mart worked real well but any craw will do plus jigs , tubes and hula grubs .
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/19/2016 at 11:53 PM, scaleface said:All my smallmouth fishing is done in a river and anything that resembles a crawdad hopped off the bottom does the trick . The old Renegade craws from Wal Mart worked real well but any craw will do plus jigs , tubes and hula grubs .
Same. If im not using a 2.5"-3.5" tube im using a craw. I love Yum craw daddys, and cabin creek express craws.
papajoe222 reply :
Although I love tubes, I have to say that my favorite is a home tied hair jig. Just started tying my own because they work so well in cold water and moving water. There's just something about catching fish on something I made that makes it more enjoyable.
Redskin94 reply :
For me its buzz baits. Last year it was my top producer for big smallmouth.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 1/21/2016 at 1:08 AM, Redskin94 said:For me its buzz baits. Last year it was my top producer for big smallmouth.
Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!
Redskin94 reply :
On 1/21/2016 at 1:19 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!
I love it. Really good luck around swift water . Last float of the year I caught around 40 with the biggest being right at 19in.
heavyduty reply :
On 1/21/2016 at 1:19 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!
A few tips for the buzzbait:
If throwing towards the bank, hit the bank or right at it. I've seen folks throw towards the bank and are 2-3' short, no hits. It makes a difference!
Throwing to logs, etc- throw well beyond and bring it to the log. Once at the log, kill it for a second or do a quick half spin of the reel to make the blade lift/kick water. Will usually cause the reaction strike with the change in cadence.
Cadence- don't just throw and reel the same speed, Change it up, fast, slow, stop and let it sink a few inches. The change in retrieve drives them crazy. I try to think of a buzzbait as a creature that fell in the water, can't swim well, and is trying to get away from a predator.
UPSmallie reply :
I'm new to targeting bronzebacks but caught my pr on a 5.5 inch smelt swimbait targeting Atlantic Salmon.
Sam reply :
Small one-inch white grub on a 1/62nd jig head on 6-pound or less) test thrown into the rocks and letting the current bring it back.
Vicious strikes.
Second best is a black and blue Bitsy Jig thrown all over the place on 8-pound (6 if you can get away with it) fluorocarbon line.
everythingthatswims reply :
I catch most of mine on a t-rigged finesse worm or 4" senko with a 1/16 or 1/8oz bullet weight, but my favorite way is to catch them on an s-waver or a small flipping jig. The big smallies in the river I fish act like largemouth, they don't mess with crayfish, gizzard Shad in the 5-8" range are their preferred food.
Fishinthefish reply :
Biospawn vile craws, t-rigged
Mass Bassin' reply :
JERKBAITS!!!
Mothercanucker reply :
Cranking is fun but drop shotting on a medium light rod and thine line is the absolute best for hard fought battles. Plus I rarely lose fish with a nosehooked smallie from a dropshot hook compared to a mouth full of trebles.
Up north fishing reply :
3 1/2" senkos for shallower water and a 1/8 Oz bitsy bug with a yum grub for deeper water but I mostly fish in rivers.
THE_Vue's reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 4:34 AM, A-Jay said:
Right here ~ Morning, Noon & All Night.
A-Jay
I was just about to say this lure to. Especially over there beds in the shallow. Omg crazy fun
kybasspro reply :
On 1/11/2016 at 3:56 AM, bowhunter63 said:Yea same here in Missouri,That old rebel crawdad crankbait probably caught as many as anything else.
I did not know rebels actually worked, I thought they were just a cheap brand
bowhunter63 reply :
Give one try,They really work good in the rivers.Bang em around rocks and Smallies tear em up.
Puggz reply :
Any form of topwater has to be my favorite for any species.
2nd would be deep drop shotting on my 7'6" ML Aetos w/6lb test.
gimruis reply :
I too like topwater fishing for them but they're not always in an aggressive mood to strike. A tube is a pretty good all-purpose smallmouth lure and it can be fished shallow, deep, slow, fast, weedless, etc.
paleus reply :
The Ned rig has been my most productive for river smallies by far. My favorite is what works. I've also caught a bunch on rooster tails and small jerkbaits. I got some Pop-Rs to try this upcoming season.
lmbfisherman reply :
My two favourite ways to catch sallies. Cranks and a split shot rig with a 6 or 7" worm.
DaileyLimit reply :
I have the most fun with a huddlebug and trying to make it look as real as possible.
RHuff reply :
AC Shiners all the way to the bank
Turkey sandwich reply :
I've probably boated more smallies with grubs or tubes than anything else... And they're still a lot of fun on light tackle. Still, nothing beats a 3+lb smallie exploding on a Skitter Pop, Pop-R, or X-Pop once it starts to cool off or clouds roll in on a summer evening. I love the same explosion on a spook, but it's so much more fun on lighter tackle with a smaller popper. That said, I also get really excited whenever I hook a solid fish with a new technique or presentation.
DevinFishing29 reply :
Favorite has to be spook on top. There is nothing like a big smallie exploding on a spook.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 2/27/2016 at 5:01 AM, DevinFishing29 said:Favorite has to be spook on top. There is nothing like a big smallie exploding on a spook.
So I've heard! And seen on YouTube (NDYakAngler). I picked one up and can't wait to use it asap!
On 2/25/2016 at 6:05 PM, Turkey sandwich said:I've probably boated more smallies with grubs or tubes than anything else... And they're still a lot of fun on light tackle. Still, nothing beats a 3+lb smallie exploding on a Skitter Pop, Pop-R, or X-Pop once it starts to cool off or clouds roll in on a summer evening. I love the same explosion on a spook, but it's so much more fun on lighter tackle with a smaller popper. That said, I also get really excited whenever I hook a solid fish with a new technique or presentation.
I agree, tubes and grubs on light line is hard to beat. Sadly I haven't got a lot of experience with smallies on topwater but hope to change that next year. Whenever. Happened to catch one on top it was a blast.
Mumbly reply :
On 2/27/2016 at 5:16 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:So I've heard! And seen on YouTube (NDYakAngler). I picked one up and can't wait to use it asap!
I agree, tubes and grubs on light line is hard to beat. Sadly I haven't got a lot of experience with smallies on topwater but hope to change that next year. Whenever. Happened to catch one on top it was a blast.
Tough to beat NDYakAngler's video's!!
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 2/27/2016 at 2:32 PM, Mumbly said:Tough to beat NDYakAngler's video's!!
They're the cure to my winter blues!! hahaha
Turkey sandwich reply :
On 2/27/2016 at 5:16 AM, WI_Angler1989 said:So I've heard! And seen on YouTube (NDYakAngler). I picked one up and can't wait to use it asap!
I agree, tubes and grubs on light line is hard to beat. Sadly I haven't got a lot of experience with smallies on topwater but hope to change that next year. Whenever. Happened to catch one on top it was a blast.
Clear water and overcast conditions in late spring - fall will get you bit. Using walking baits like a spook as a search bait on lakes can be a blast. Smallies will smash them, even if suspended well below the surface. On rivers, topwater is a great way to search runs with no visible eddies/cover for active fish. You'd be surprised what you'll find sitting around the one boulder in a 400 yard run of river in 6'-10' of water you'd never even know was there unless you ran directly over it. Even despite lower hook up rates, topwater presentations can be a day changer because they'll find you some of the most active fish on any stretch of water.
ol'crickety reply :
F13 Rapala.
Josh Smith reply :
For largemouth, it seems jigs and topwater work best for me.
However, when it comes to river smallies, I have my best results with the baitball squarebill.
I hate to admit that as I'm not sure the baitball isn't a gimmick, but it seems to work best in the rivers I fish at.
Josh
Frenchman83 reply :
Not to beat a dead horse but NDYakAngler has some great videos. I am just getting into smallmouth but for large mouth I like jig n craw and spinnerbaits.
WI_Angler1989 reply :
On 2/28/2016 at 10:20 PM, Frenchman83 said:Not to beat a dead horse but NDYakAngler has some great videos. I am just getting into smallmouth but for large mouth I like jig n craw and spinnerbaits.
Beat away!......well that sounds wrong. Anyway, yeah his vids are great! Makes me wish I could fish his waters.
Spinners and jigs work great for smallies too. I prefer smaller sizes and inline spinners as well.
byram bassturd reply :
Most fun? Topwater. Most effective? Jerkbait or DS.
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