River Smallmouth

[Jj0816]

My friends recently took me to the Ohio river and as they pulled out smallies left and right I struggled to catch anything but snags. What would some good lures and tactics to use? I only have experience fishing for smallies in small creeks and lakes. Thank you in advance.

[38 Super Fan]

Sounds like you need to be asking this to these friends of yours.

[roadwarrior]

Here are a few ideas:

 

Baby Rage Craw, T-rigged with 1/4 oz bullet weight.

MegaStrike MegaBug

Smithwick Rogue

Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad

NorthStar Original Swim Jig/ Rage Tail Menace or Shellcracker

[Jj0816]

Sounds like you need to be asking this to these friends of yours.

They use simple Venom Tubes as I do but I have nooooo luck.

[aquaholic]

i have been destroying river smallies around here with small in line spinners.

[lmbfisherman]

They use simple Venom Tubes as I do but I have nooooo luck.

They could be fishing the hot spots where the fish are and you aren't?  Meaning they are targeting the prime spots and you're being left in the dust. Honestly though it could be a lot of different things, your presentation...what jig you're using, colors, etc...

[smalljaw67]

Smithwick floating rogue, look for the ARB 1200 series, spinnerbaits, in-line spinners, and fluke type baits. Those I mentioned will keep you on fish and if the bite slows down tubes and jigs are great but if you aren't use to reading the river flow you will get snagged a lot. Don't throw a tube or jig into fast water or shallow riffles, that is asking to be snagged, if the bite slows and you need to present a lure on the bottom that is slow moving, then use as light of a weight as you can, 1/8oz is a good starting point, you use those types of lures in slck or slow moving water, most of the time when the fish are neutral or negative they will move to slow moving or slack water. Good luck.

[smallieking]

I fish the ohio at the start in Pittsburgh. its super tough there. the only thing Ive had luck on were small jigs trailered by a micro craw. try a strike king bitsy bug. and in the summer mornings ive had good days around bridge pilings using a crankbait. a rapala dt4 in red crawdad works for me. that is if I can keep the walleye off of it

[wademaster1]

Rapala Shad Rap divers have done me well lately.....spinnerbaits too.....I love the grubs with jigheads too but you'll snag more, it seems....

[Downeaster2010]

Aquaholic is dead on when fishing rivers.  Never fish a river for smallmouths with a Mepps inline spinner in Yellow.

[Crestliner2008]

River smallies with certainly hit a wide variety of artificials and live bait alike. Your first objective should be locating where they hang and then focus on boat control, to allow you to present your lure or bait to them, as effectively as possible. You take care of these two things and your success rate will literally explode!

 

If you do not already familiar with the boat control technique known as "slipping a river", then by all means, google it and Dan Gapan as well. Once you get this technique of boat control down (and it's not hard either!), you'll be well on your way. Gapan's book entitled, "Big River Fishing" has been (and is) invaluable to me, by unlocking the many mysteries of approaching river systems.

[don53]

+2 on inline spinners

[ClackerBuzz]

They could be fishing the hot spots where the fish are and you aren't?  Meaning they are targeting the prime spots and you're being left in the dust. Honestly though it could be a lot of different things, your presentation...what jig you're using, colors, etc...

x2.  they were using the right presentation. watch their rod action next time. note if they were dead sticking, hopping, dragging w/ pauses.  and if you can't read their cards just ask. even the most cold hearted friend will give you a tip after he gets a good 30 min laugh on ya.

[retiredbosn]

just ask. even the most cold hearted friend will give you a tip after he gets a good 30 min laugh on ya.

You have obviously never fished with my uncle.