Want To Go Smallie Fishing For The First Time

[JSPOONE]

im looking to get into smallie fishing.. what kind of baits/lures should i look into? rod set up..

and does any1 know of any smallie fishing in northern va

[roadwarrior]

If you already have a spinning rod for light lures and a medium baitcasting rig

for bigger lures, you are set! As far as lures, these are a few suggestions: Fat

Ika, Rage Tail Craw and Baby Craw, Single Tail Grub, Twin Tail Menace, Hair Jig,

Shadalicious or Hollow Belly, Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad, Keitech

Swing Impact Fat, LC Pointer, Sammy and Spook.

[JSPOONE]

any color suggestions?

[moguy1973]

Anything shad or baitfish colored, anything crawfish colored, whites, darks, pumpkins, greens, browns, tans...

[retiredbosn]

Shenendoah River, curly tail grub 4"1/8 ounce jig head. Smoke with purple flake, you'll catch several

[Curved]

Shenandoah River is my home river. The North Fork is clean, so that's where I fish. Yesterday's dinner below. Released 3 others. Caught them in 2 hours with the Powerbait Twitchtail Minnow. Used the clear gold/black back color. Its one of the easier baits to fish. BB splitshot 6" up the line. Cast it as far as you can into a deep spot. Let it sink to the bottom and wait a while. Leave plenty of slack in the line, and a floating line is nice so you can see it. If a fish picks it up, the line will start moving away. Reel her in. If nothing picks it up after 15 seconds, reel it or jerk it a few feet and let it sit again. I've been using a #4 Gamakatsu octopus hook, but they didn't have a #2 Gamakatsu Dropshot hook at Walmart, and that's what I'd prefer. My rod/reel is a 5'6" light rod w/ 10 size reel. Nanofil main line with 3' flourocarbon leader.

[JSPOONE]

So the Shenandoah River is the closest place to chantilly to fish for smallies? im guessing

[retiredbosn]

Idk you asked northern VA. Get a map or Google, find the neatest river or creek and post a question about it.

[Curved]

I haven't gone to any of the creeks and runs in Fairfax county, but there should be some with SMB. The Potomac River has them in most of the watershed. I'd try Bull Run. Just be careful to check with VA DGIF that the water is clean if you plan to eat anything.

[ww2farmer]

In many parts of the country, I think it's against the law, or it should be, to go fishing for smallmouth and NOT use tubes. Everyone else's suggestions are great and all, but a 3.5" thin profile tube in green pumpkin, or watermelon with either an 1/8, 1/4, or 3/8 oz (depending on how deep/shallow, or how much current your fishing) is one bait that will, I say with 100% confidence in this, catch you a smallmouth if there are smallmouth where you are fishing.

[JSPOONE]

alright all sounds like good advice to head into the right direction to get into smallie fishing. now i just need to find a place i can go

[Jake...]

if you find a spot, come back and let me know!

[Stingray23]

In many parts of the country, I think it's against the law, or it should be, to go fishing for smallmouth and NOT use tubes. Everyone else's suggestions are great and all, but a 3.5" thin profile tube in green pumpkin, or watermelon with either an 1/8, 1/4, or 3/8 oz (depending on how deep/shallow, or how much current your fishing) is one bait that will, I say with 100% confidence in this, catch you a smallmouth if there are smallmouth where you are fishing.

agree 100% Tubes rock and roll!