River Smallmouth

[Bass2124]

I have been fishing a river in the north for the last month.  I am relatively new to bass fishing and for the last few years have been fishing lakes to get my fix.  This year I have been fishing the river and have had quite of bit of succes except for catching them on top water.  I have tried hula poppers, Pop-r's, frogs, and other weightless plastics with no luck.  I love top water and am wondering if there is a technique that needs to be explored for better results.

[Flywatersmallie]

There sure is.... buzzbaits and the Heddon Tiny Torpedo. These are both river smallie staples on the rivers up here (I am in WI and primarily a river smallmouth fisherman)

[Snakehead Whisperer]

x2 on the buzzbaits and torpedos. Try working them across the current in swifter moving water. 

 

Less is more with the popper. Gurgle up a little water then let it drift. 

[Scott F]

Are you wading, floating or bank fishing?

[mod479]

Dont only focus on top. Try a lightly weighted (1/16-3/16oz)  2.5" -3.5" tube in a natural color drifted downstream in current. Give it an occasional pop with the rod tip, or just drag it along bottom and let it skim over rocks like a crayfish. I like green pumpkin, melon, black, and white for colors.  Torpedos and buzzers can be a blast when theyre on a topwater bite, they will wear the red off the hook of a black cavitron on the right day

[mod479]

If you have strong current, you will obviously use more weight, but I dont know your rivers conditions. 3/16 is where I usually start, wont snag up too bad if you keep it movin'. If you're donating lots of tackle, drop down weight, or rig one up texas style with an internal weight and a straight shank worm hook 1/0-3/0. Will still get wedged in rocks, but wont have an exposed hook to get stuck on everything it touches.

[everythingthatswims]

I like using zara puppies for smallmouth, you will catch just about everything else on them too. If the water is clear, you can get bit in the heat of the day on top if you find some good shady areas and pitch the bait way back up under the trees.

[OntarioFishingGuy]

Dont only focus on top. Try a lightly weighted (1/16-3/16oz)  2.5" -3.5" tube in a natural color drifted downstream in current. Give it an occasional pop with the rod tip, or just drag it along bottom and let it skim over rocks like a crayfish. I like green pumpkin, melon, black, and white for colors.  Torpedos and buzzers can be a blast when theyre on a topwater bite, they will wear the red off the hook of a black cavitron on the right day

Exactly.

[Driftb]

I have a lot of fun with topwater too, and I try it periodically throughout the day.  If I get bit in a few casts, I will stick with it longer.  The Upper Delaware river that I am usually fishing gets to be gin clear in the summer, and If it is overcast or cloudy I feel more optimistic.  In the bright sun, it is an unusual day that I catch fish all day on top although yesterday was one of those days. I think my favorite topwater for smallies has to be a Heddon Spittin Image, and a close second is a Sebile Bonga minnow.  They are both short, fat, fairly heavy short, fat, walk the dog type lures with a super loud rattle that you can hear from 80' away.  Some days its a Sammy, and I also like the BPS Slim Dog. I will walk it for 5 or 10 seconds, then pause for another 5 seconds, then walk again.  I make sure that every hook is sicky sharp too, so if a fish just touches it with his nose or back, he usually gets hooked.  Yesterday I had a response from a fish on more than 50% of my casts. Early in the day or late is when I will usually concentrate on topwater, and it isn't unusual for topwater to account for the biggest fish of the day. 

 

Funny that I see a lot of guys like buzz baits in rivers for smallies.  I love fishing a buzz, and I will fish it all day if it is getting a little attention from the fish.  I do well with a buzz in the lakes, but in the Delaware river it is a very tough sell.  Maybe it's the water clarity and lack of weeds. I have had a few days when they would catch fish, but there has always been something much better in the boat. 

 

Yesterday you couldn't keep the fish off a green pumpkin Berkely Havoc Beat Shad swimbait on a 1/8 oz  2/0 jig head.  They were also all over a Zulu shad on a 1/16 oz  t-rigged weighted 3/0 hook.

 

  Of course when the water temp is at 75, they are very agressive, but amazingly my buddy threw a Lucky Craft Pointer 65 for maybe 1/2 hour with barely  a touch.

[Bass2124]

Finally caught a few using my fly rod with a popper.  The past few days though it has been very muddy and I can't get anythig to rise and it hit my popper.  Muddy River=No fish in my early experiences.

[Driftb]

Fly fishing for smallies can be really good in good conditions.  In poor conditions, it usually really sucks.  If it's muddy, tie on a 1/2 oz white or chart spinnerbait with gold blades.  When the water is high, throw tight to the banks.  Usually slow rolling will do the trick, but sometimes they want a faster retrieve.  I have had some of my best days in high muddy water.  It seems to bring out the big girls!