Crestliner2008

If there are slow tapering points, with the depths you are talking about, I'd be drop shotting, using the Senko as previously mentioned here and if the bottom is not too snaggy, try a blade bait.

This "Fall" (more like winter) has been exceptionally cold here in the northeast. We've had snow showers two days running now and our river temp is down to the mid to low 50's already! However, 2 years ago we were boating on this same river on Jan. 2nd.! So who knows about the weather? I never hang up my rods until the ponds ice over. The fishing at that time can be just plain fantastic. Some days we've had to break through skim ice on the launches in order to get out! You wading is not a great idea however! Hypothermia can set in fast unless you have foot warmers and good insulation. Take precautions as well.....wading staff and a life vest are cheap insurance. Be safe!

Use to catch tons of whites on nightcrawler halves in the CT river years ago. Now their populations are dwindling, unfortunately. The Quabbin Reservoir and parts of the river still hold them. I've caught some nice whites on drop shots and Senkos!

Outstanding catch!

For many years I've use the Fleck spinnerbaits, both the tandem models and their "drop" baits. They've been making spinnerbaits for over 40 years and have not changed their design significantly. Not a "trendy" bait, but certainly one that catches a lot of fish and that most "pros" have in their tackle boxes.

Some fine looking "pigs" there! Congrats!

This would really depend on what I am doing at any given time. For all around use, I'd say my most productive set-up would probably be a med-light 7' spinning rod. Add a light (not ultra-lite) spinning reel, loaded with 6# test fluorocarbon line. This can used for drop shotting, light jigging and smaller 3" - 4" Senko fishing. Next would be a medium action 7' rod (yes, I do like this length of rod for most smallie applications!). Any medium sized spinning reel loaded with a 8# test fluoro. This can be a great hard/soft jerk bait rod combo. And will do for heavier jigs and larger Senkos. A second medium action rig can also be loaded with 6# - 10# Fireline or Powerpro and makes a great slip bobber rig, as well as for topwaters (if you lead it with a length of mono). Lastly I carry a med-heavy baitcaster for my crankbaiting, heavy jigs, spoons and blade baits. One rig can't do it all. But the first one I cited will get you by in most instances. I don't like talking about "brands". Everyone has their own pet brands. Some of us can only afford a particular series. Suffice the generalizations I've made above as solid. Get the best you can afford within those specifications and you'll be "good to ride the river".

Hmmm....you're finding lily pads this time of the year? Surprising, as it was 23 degrees at my house this morning, here in western MA. Not that far from you. Not sure just how I'd address that situation. They must be dying off by now. Which decreases the O2. I'd focus on the outer edges of the pads; where they meet deeper water. And try throwing spinnerbaits to cover a lot of water and find out where they are holding. I've just never targetted pad beds this time of the year. Maybe I'm missing something?

I agree - mostly. The above mentioned presentations work well as stated, as well as others. However it is indeed rare (even at night) when you can't catch something on plastics. The other presentations are just more efficient, during those times.

I'll jump in! Two of my most productive presentations (on rivers), when the water gets down to the low 50's & less, are blade baits and a wacky rigged Senko on a heavy drop shot. But it only works if you can find them bunched up in key areas. It's all about location, location and location! Works for me!

The water temperature has little to do with trolling speed. Depth and speed control accomplishes only one thing. To keep your lure "ticking" the bottom contours and staying in the strike zone of the target species. To that end, you would go faster the shallower you are and slower the deeper you are; in order to maintain this critical bottom contact when trolling. Obviously, other factors come into play here as well, such as line diameter, the amount of line let out, the size/style of the lure you are presenting, etc.. I don't care how cold it is. Maintaining bottom contact is paramount. Randomly "S" trolling open water is not only less effective, but it is can reduce your catch ratio considerably. Bass are normally a bottom feeding/living species. Rarely do they suspend. And when they do, it is not for long periods of time and usually within close proximity to structure (defined as bottom contours....NOT trees!) Yeah, I know when the water cools you're suppose to slow down. But you are not looking for a "bite" here, if you elect to troll. You are looking for a reaction strike. Two quite different animals. You cannot move your lure fast enough for a bass not to catch it (within reason of course), regardless of the season, if he is triggered to do so. So don't worry about that as much as keeping your lure on/near structure. My apologies for rambling on.

I replace all trebles on my spoons with one size larger single hooks. And I've been thinking about doing the same for hard jerks. If a smallie (or largemouth for that matter) hits an X-Rap, it really hits it usually! I do not see the advantage of the treble over a single hook in this case. If using trebles were any advantage, why wouldn't the pros be drop shotting with treble hooks?

I agree! I just signed up for the lottery.

I don't give up on anything when it comes to fishing. I'd try the deeper holes with stable water. I'd be moving around with a heavy weighted drop shot rig and a 4" Senko wacky rigged on it. Lift and drop. Shorten the hook-to-sinker lead to about 4"-6". That will, at least, make them an offer they can't refuse! If there are any there to be had. Use some MegaStrike on those Senkos too. I do that whenever the water temps go below 60 degrees. But that's just me!

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner! The last day is this coming Saturday, Oct. 16th.. We went up there today and it was a truly beautiful day up there. Unfortunately, the bass fishing was slow, with only one 3 pound smallie. With water temps still around 60 degrees, this puts them in a transitional stage between summer and fall. Tough fishing as most bass are suspended in the water column right now. If the water cools another 3 or 4 degrees, the fishing could heat up fast! Hope you have a chance to make it up there!

Welcome to the forum! I live in the western end of the state, so you decide to venture out this way, maybe I can be of assistance. My main focus is on small mouth bass, but I also target largemouths, crappie and pike. You can learn an awful lot by checking out the articles listed at the top of the home page of this site as well. Good Luck!

I used gulp minnows - 3" & 4" - and the 5" leech, quite frequently this season. Every time out as a matter of fact (32 times this year so far). I fish it strictly on the drop shot rig however. Each and every time, I end up changing back over to my ole' reliable Roboworm. And inevitably my catch ratio goes up dramatically. I keep trying the gulp, because my kids got me several bags this past Xmas! But my Robos just keep on ticking! Now I'm fishing deeper, off-shore structures for smallies, so that may be a factor....although I can't, for the life of me, figure out why? With all the hype, I just expected a lot more.

When the water temps cool rapidly like this, smallies have a tendency - in a river system - to migrate down toward the deeper water of the dams, if there are any dams. Without that impediment to the flow, I'd look for quieter waters near wing dams or current breaks. Smallies will settle in there - in small pods - until the water temps stabilize somewhat, before starting to forage freely again. This is the time for hard and soft jerks and the venerable curly tailed grub on a plain jig head!

Water temps are dropping quickly this time of the year and the smallies have a tendency to move from their deeper summer time haunts to shallower areas populated by the largest supply of bait. During your pre-fish, look for points that extend out along a feeder stream. If no streams, then I'd target those humps which come to withing 10' of the surface. Fish shallow and work your way deeper. Stay on the down wind side of the hump, casting up to it. The smallies will be facing into the wind, catching struggling bait as it drifts over these humps, into the deeper water. This would be my approach; however, water clarity, frontal weather conditions and forage base has a lot to do with making those kinds of decisions, once you get on the water.

Back in the 60's, Al and Ron Lindner, along with Bill Binkleman layed out their F + L + P = Success formula (Fish + Location + Presentation) formula. This became the corner stone of the In'Fisherman concept. They defined structure and lake types as well as the "Calendar Periods" for each, way back then. No one has ever refuted this vast knowledge base. It has been amended and added to, but never challenged. It's been confirmed too many times for that. The In'Fisherman has well defined lake/reservoir types which you might want to do a Google search on. There are many publications and books on the subject as well. One clarification to what has been said above, structure should only be defined as the bottom contours within any given water system. Anything else that exists there, are just breaks on those breaklines - or "cover" if you will. Knowledge of this kind will help any angler tremendously, in achieving his/her goals.

As mentioned by WRB, get Perry's book, "Spoonplugging". I want to just reemphasize his suggestion. If you study this book, your life as a successful fisherman, will be transformed - for the better! This book will teach you what "trolling" for bass is all about. From A - Z. If you read it cover to cover, you will catch more bass....and not just by trolling. It should be required reading by anyone starting out in the sport. I read this book back in the 60's. Trust me....it's a winner.

Live bait.....? What's that?

Great post on winter bass location. Absolutely correct in every sense. Please do NOT forget blade baits at this time of the year. If you do, you'll not be tapping into a great opportunity.

Outstanding interview Glenn. Great job with Mike out there. Thanks for sharing.

Thinking that you may want some information with regards to where on any body of water in southern NH, not which body of water specifically, I'll tell you what I know. Use your electronics. Find bait fish - smelt, perch or bluegill - on deep (30' - 50') shelves or drop offs. You find a few good size bait balls and you're going to tie into some dandy smallies. The big girls are out there. They are rarely up shallow this time of the year - unless that's the only place the bait is. And that doesn't usually occur until after a few hard frosts. Once you find them, if you encounter weeds (and in some bodies of water you will find weeds this deep), use the drop shot, with a Robo worm nose hooked and/or wacky rigged (some days they prefer one over the other). If the ledge or drop off is solid, use a heavy tube or weighted wacky rigged Senko. You can also wacky rig a 5" Senko on the drop shot, using a heavier weight; like a 1/2 oz.. Hope this is what you're looking for.