Mottfia

I've also heard that area is tough but not impossible I'm sure. You should definately focus on places with current. The fish in these areas have to feed more actively to gain energy because they are always fighting the current. I'm partial to fishing lures that attract agressive bass. Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are good for these fish. I'm from the south and things are sure to be different up there but I've fished the Alabama River all my life and a bass is a bass. Hope this helps.

Hey guys, I'm in no way, shape, or form a smallmouth fisherman. I fish too far south to encounter such a species but I've read up on these fish some. Through out my readings, I have began to think that SmallMouths act in a similar way to Spotted Bass ( the dominent fish in my region). I was wondering if yall smallmouth fishermen had any proven techniques that would work on both. I fish primarily a lock and dam river system but I travel quite a bit over the state of Alabama to large lakes such as Martin and Lay. So any multitude of ideas and tips would be great. I'm really look to experiment and find new fish in new ways. Thanks for your attention.

It really depends on how you and your buddies are fishing. If yall are fishing pretty slow then I'd say throw something that has a slightly different feel to it but can be worked about the same as your buddy. A good example would be if you buddy is throwing a worm then you can throw a worm of a different color or a craw worm. If your fishing fast then you should fish about like your buddies and hit the gaps that he'll miss. You should also be willing to try a few different things. Since you've got your own boat, you can read up on different techniques and styles so that you can find fish that your friends didn't even know about. Good luck and keep at it.

Congrats. I bet that was a beautiful fish to catch. Can't wait to here about the next PB you catch. Good Luck

Also if your fishing low visibility water, stained to muddy, then a buzzbait will work throughout the day. I've read articles about Gary Klein and Rick Clunn doing this in the middle of the day with success and had to give it a try. I can say without a doubt that it is money in Fall.

You can say the same for the heart of Dixie. So how can I get my hands on Muddy's Guide for Trolling Motors??? lol 8-)

When your week long fishing trip that you've been planning for a year finally gets here, the biggest cold front of the year comes with you.

I agree with Gary. A big Largehead will hold it ground against just about anything for that location...atleast until they realize that it would waste too much energy to stay there. I fish the Alabama River and Spotted Bass tend to be the dominant fish. A group of them have no problem running a largemouth out of a spot if they think they can feed easier there. But here it has a lot to do with the current.

I'll have to say that its got alot to do with the mood of the fish more so then the fish going after a new type of bait because its different. The more fishing pressure that is put on to a lake can cause a bass to be more responsive to something new but for the most part if its in his strike zone then he'll kill it. One good example of this is illustrated by the areas I fish. During tournaments in summer I'm normally spot jumping down the river with two other boats. I've seen them on practice days catching fish on places that I fish regularly. I know that one of them is a finesse type fisherman and the other is a slow jigger or crawling crawworms. I'm a fast power fisherman with spinnerbaits and jigs. I can say that those fish honestly don't care if its a senko or a jig that is throw in front of them, so long as its in the strike zone.

I remember my first tournament like it was yesterday. I was 14 and My dad and I were fishing out of Swift Creek ( in the Pratteville, Al area). There were 27 boats and we were teh last to blast off. We caught fish all day . My dad whipped my tail the whole day. He had caught a 14 pound stringer nearly by himself. 1 pm came around a my dad missed a good one on a tree that held a 2 pounder earlier that day. While he was doing that I had gotten tired of getting beaten by my old man and sat down for a snack. He makes a few more casts before I started talking some trash about how it takes a real man to catch that fish. He just grins at me and tells me to see if I'm man enough for it. I threw my spinnerbait in the perfect spot (which to this day I swear was luck) and some how got that fish's attention and caught her. She ended up being the big fish of the tournament and we finished First with 17lbs 4oz. I've been hooked ever since.

Yea man. I've even been lucky enough to have dreams that foreshadowed good finishes in tournaments. Some even with great detail...like places that I would catch fish. Its freaky man.