Favorite Winter Smallmouth Lures?

[bassman78]

I've been bass fishing as long as I can remember and haven't started smallmouth fishing til this past spring. I'm in the military and have spent most of my time in the south nailing largemouth. Well, now I'm addicted to Smallmouth, lol. I was lucky enough to take orders up to Buffalo, NY and get to fish the Niagara and Lake Ontario. I'm curious if anyone has any tips on winter smallmouth up here. I've located what I think would be good spots for winter smallies on the Niagara bar. Sloping shelf from 25 to 40 ft in about 100 ft distance. I'm thinking of throwing an Erie darter on a 1/2 oz jighead, and 4'' Goby on same jighead and just slowly dragging it down that slope and in and around that 40ft plataeu. Any tips,advice, feedback would be greatly appreciated. Oh and if you have a Droid phone I highly recommend the "Cabela's Recon Fish" app. Saves you money on buying an expensive gps fishfinder. Thats how i was able to locate all of these possible spots on the lake. Wet lines and bent rods gents.

[tytay89]

Don't over look a swimbait, 4 inch big hammer are my favorite

And navionics app is the best thing that has ever happend, game changer here is a toad from Friday my buddy and I were out in the storms man the wind was not a friend but we were able to pick off a few here's a 4+ lber caught in the hammer

[bassman78]

Ya I've heard about jigging or slow rolling a swim bait deep. I have a couple packs in the mail from BPS. Gonna give those a shot next time I get out too. That's a nice smallie man. Ill have to check that app out too. Can't hurt to have two. What was the depth and temp you got them at? The eater I fish slopes from shore about a 3/4 mile out to 40 ft then down to 100, I font this k they'd b that deep so I was gone a try that 25-40ft range. Im new to big water like this. Mainly fished small lakes and rivers.

[wnybassman]

I have no experience winter fishing on the bar, but have had good success during the summer and fall. Water temp is key there during those times, and I imagine during the winter would be even more critical, too. If the water coming down the river is colder than the water of Ontario, they probably won't be stacked on the bar, and if they are, it may only be for short feeding bursts, then back off to warmer waters. I'm guessing the river water would be colder seeing Erie freezes (most years) and Ontario doesn't.

If the fish moved off the bar and dispersed into the lake further, good luck with that. Smallmouth fishing has been much tougher the last 6 or 8 years compared to years ago, and that is during much better times of the year when they should be easier to find.

If I were to try though, I'd be dragging a tube, or darter, or dropshot. I use the term dragging loosely though, because it is more of a lift and drop drifting along with the current while maintaining bottom contact. Spoons and blades would be good too, but not all that easy with the current.

Be safe out there if you go.

[Crestliner2008]

With the water being as cold as it is right now up here, I'd suggest you try a blade bait. I like the 3/4 oz. size myself as I want it down on the bottom fast, although that's really dependent on the depth you locate the bass at. Retrieve is just barely ripping it off the bottom - until you just start to feel the vibes - then drop her back down and repeat. If there is a smallie in the area, you will get hit.

This time of the year especially, I take 3 presentations with me: First the blade bait, second would be hard jerkbaits (i.e. 128 size Pointer types) fished really slow, with long pauses. Finally, I have a tube rod ready to go, fished in similar fashion to the blades. JMO.

[bassman78]

I assumed the water at the bar would be some of the warmest around because of the power authority dumping warmer water into the lower Niagara. That's what I've heard at least. No way I'm chasing smallies all over lake Ontario in winter in my bass boat, lol. Bar is about as far as I'll go this time of the year. I tried blade baits last winter and killed lake trout the few times I went out. Jigged them just as you said. Like I said I have a bass boat and need a pretty calm day to be on Ontario. No complaints about the lake trout, but would like to get some bass this winter. Well I'll try the goby, tube, darter, and swimbait and let you guys know. Thaks for the help

[paul mueller]

My 2 favorites are a 4inch swimbait from reins called a fat rockvibe shad and a punisher lures hair jig. I've caught a ton of big smallies in 40 degree water with these baits

[Hanover_Yakker]

Don't be afraid to try the float-n-fly technique, but hair jigs by themselves, jerkbaits with long pauses (we're talking 30-45 seconds), small profile tubes (2"), small profile craws (2-3") and a SSSLLLLOOOWWW rolled spinnerbait if the water is murky/stained.

[Bjreg3]

Dragging an Erie darter along the bottom or using a finesse craw from Confidence baits are my two favorites. These seem to produce for me. I am preparing for spring, though and use these two almost all year. When it warms up, a zoom minnow is my first choice, followed by a Rapala or lipless crank bait.