Where To Pitch Soft Plastics Crawdads For Smallies?

[TidePride37]

I know that smallies love crawdads, but i'm just now getting into smallmouth fishing. Where should i throw it? With what type of weight? And what depth should i fish during the summer?

[flyeaglesfly5186]

I'd say it all depends on the surface activity. The other day I was out on the river and the fish were very active on the surface. So I was just throwing out a 3in craw texas rigged weightless on a 3/0 worm hook. I threw it out above the active section I was near and let it drift the current. The fish were attacking it almost every pass. But the day before in the same spot there was no surface activity and I had the same type of craw on a true weighted texas rig and was fishing the same spot letting it drift the current but on the bottom and they were hitting that. Really it all depends on the day and the action you can see.

I'm sure other people here will have a more scientific explanation, but this philosphy works for me.

Side note: I also threw just about every other topwater lure I had that day and they were biting on those as well. It was a very active topwater day that day. Everythig from a hard craw to a 4in minnow was getting some sort of look from the smallies.

[Crestliner2008]

An eighth or quarter ounce shakey head with a Beaver style bait is pretty productive just about anywhere. I usually use these on shallow, rocky points. A 1/4 oz. football head with a Hula Grub is good too.