Smallmouth fishing 101

[tjsker]

I'm heading for Canada next week and need some basic techniques for catching smallmouth. I've always fished for walleye and never really tried to catch smallies.

FWIW - I'll be fishing in LOW.

[lost sailor]

finding the bass is the first step. many of the places that have navigation bouys are good smallmouth spots. we've had best luck on spots that have lots of softball to basketball size rock structure. the most productive bait for us has been a leech on a plain red gamaktsu hook with 1 splitshot about 18" above the hook. if you see mayflies hatching try surface baits , either a popper or floating rapala worked on the surface.

i wish i was going with you, good luck!

skip

[Box]

In the bounardy waters, a hook and leech is killer :) But that seems to also lots of small fish.

For my little lake with lots of smallies, I have had GREAT luck with Rapala Long Cast Minnows. These also have got us some nice walleyes, and this isn't really a walleye lake. Also, you will find most smallie guys will be using tubes. For some reason, smallies love tubes. I also have had great luck with the Senko (sinko?) rubber worms, with NO weight.

Either on very shallow water in early morning or dusk, or along the sharp drops near shallow flats. Also, once you hook one, if there is another person in the boat, have them toss their baits right next to yours and I bet you get a double! The school follows the hooked bass right to the boat, no kidding. Pretty cool, and shows why smallies are vulnerable to overharvest.

oh yeah, I have also found that once you spook smallies off the shallows, they won't bite. So make long casts and keep the boat away if you are fishing shallow.

Have fun!
-Box
http://www.walleyecentral.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=103808

[tjsker]

Thanks, my wife will be happy I can use the same equipment in my tackle box without having to buy more stuff.

[Chuck from IL]

Smallmouth fishing is my passion, and I go to Canada at least 2 weeks a year, Tennessee River system for a week a year, and Lake Erie for a week each year. I'd rather fish for smallies more than any other species, and usually only fish for walleye when I'm tired. :) I routinely fish Lake of the Woods, Rainy, Kabby, Winnepeg River, etc. which are essentially all the same water systems--and are excellent smallmouth fisheries.

My all around favorite lure for that water system is the #3 copper colored mepps, without any bucktail on the trebel hook. It is great for when smallies are in shallower water, which is where they are in late spring and early summer unless affected by cold fronts. Cast it out and reel back to the boat slow enough so you can occassionally see the blade flash as it spins in the water. You can swim it over the tops of early weed growth, guide it around and thru rocks, and let it fall into deeper water on drop-off edges.

For deeper smallies (like post spawn), try a 3" or 4" green pumpkin tube jig, rigged with a 3/16 to 1/4 oz swimming style jig head. Cast it out in shallow water, and retrieve it so you occassionally feel it hit the bottom, swimming it back to the boat. It is great for following sloping shorelines back to the boat, but can also be cast up to a steep bank and allowed to sink until it touches bottom, giving it an occassional jerk as you bring it back to the boat.

Deep smallies are also suckers for #7 to #9 shad raps. Cast it out, give it a gentle jerk to bring it down quickly, and slowly retreive it back to the boat. They work great if there aren't many weeds, but can be very frustrating in the weeds. My favorite colors for Lake of the Woods are Crawdad(old color), shad, firetiger and silver-blue in that order. Walleye seem to like these also, so don't be supprised to get lots of nice ones that are on the banks.

In the early morning or late in the evening when it is calm, try some top water smallies for some real excitement. There is nothing better than this in my opinion, for sure. Cast around the large boulders, rubble piles, etc. and don't be afraid to cast into deeper water since it is not uncommom to call them up from 20 feet of water when the bite is on. My favorite top water lure is the Rebel Super Pop-R in Baby Bass, or Black-Silver colors. My next favorite top water lure is a Storm Chugger in 2-3/4 inches and in shad, fire tiger and frog colors. Both types of popper lures can be cast, allowed to sit, twitched for a pop or two, retrieved for a couple feet, allowed to sit for a couple of seconds, twitched for a pop or two.... over and over again. Don't set the hook until you feel them on the line. I also occassionally use a 1/4 oz Tiny Torpedo, when the smallies prefer a more subtle bite. Cast it out, allow it to sit, barely crank the handle to get the blades to barely spin, allow it to sit, ...on over and over again. There can be some real heart-stopping action in topwater smallie fishing!

Sometimes a 3" or 4" twister tail on a 1/8 to 3/16 oz jig head works good, especially after a severe cold front. Smallies prefer a smaller bait at these times, and often need to be triggered to bite. Cast it out and bounce it back to the boat by allowing it to gently touch the bottom, popping it back off the bottom by twitching the rod tip, over and over again. Chartruse, root beer, green pumpkin and white are good colors for summer. In the fall try oranges, hot pinks and bright yellows.

Lastly, if you find smallies in or near the weeds, a small 1/8 to 3/16 oz spinner bait works good. I use the Stanley baby wedge, but any of the smaller spinner baits found at Walmart will do. I also put a small twister tail on the hook for a trailer, usually in yellow or white, to slow the bait down a bit and add a little bulk. The neat thing about a spinnerbait is you can usually run it over or even thru the weeds, without it getting fouled or hung up.

Of course, be prepare for Mr. Northern, Mr. Musky and even Mr. Walleye to hit any of these baits. I remember one summer at Morisson, we were hammering the walleye on top water! Only real problem we had that year was with keeping the northern off the hooks.

Have fun!
Chuck

[karpbuster]

The first great smallie fishing I have ever done was up near LOTW, but anyways it is a little farther north and you have to fly in. Anyways, we caught bunches early and late on tiny torpedos (need a strong heart) clear or silver. During the day we tried everything but the winner was an 1/8 ounce black jig (marabou tail like a crappie jig). Anyways that was a blast, I caught a Master Angler (released) smallie, and we caught tons of fish.

Have a great time and post your pictures when you get back.

karpbuster

[Nimstug]

Chuck,

Great post, Chuck.

Would you mind sending me an e-mail? I'm also from Illinois and am going to Rainey in August.

nimstug at yahoo dot com.

Thanks

Nimstug

When I Grow Up, I Want to be a Little Boy

[GR8WTHUNTER]

white or chartruse and white spinner bait with gold blade is a good bait that teh pike will hit as well. Throw it out and reel it in, Varry speed to find what they want.

Throw Rogues and husky jerks into the rocks. Work them by twitching your rod while cranking or sweep your rod 2-4 feet and reel back while paused.

Throw shad raps into the shallow and walk them slowly down the structure.

1/4 or 3/8 oz jig (wide gap hook) with a skirted 4 inch double twister tail grub. Throw them against cliff faces and sharper rock banks tight to the structure. Let them fall free. Watch your line for hits. Reel it back in with light twitches. Or cast them out and let sink. Pull them with your rod slowly a foot or two at a time with pauses between the pulls. Feel the bottom the whole way back.

Ever try a senko? Easy to fish. Hook in the middle, throw out and let sink, or hook texas style, throw out and let sink. After you hit the bottom, slap your reel handle 4 or 5 times, getting about a half crank each time then let sink again.

Top water is a blast. Pop-R's, spook JR's and spitting image are my best producers.

Nothing beats a bunch of helgramites

Have a great time

[north_alabama_unlog]

Best all-around for me on shield lakes is a nightcrawler on a size 6 or 8 hook, either free-lined or on a slip float. Substitute a leech and the results are about as good.

Rapala Husky Jerks are my favorite artificial. Mepps-style spinners, and "beetle spin"-type lures work well too. Floating and sinking rapalas work well, as do jig/grub combos.

Done best on gradual breaking rocky shores, around islands, and near narrows. Look for areas that offer spawning habitat, access to deep water, and a variety of structure/depth options, and the fish will be around somewhere.

Good luck.