dakota1126 Posted July 21, 2015 Posted July 21, 2015 This past weekend I went and bought myself a pretty nice kayak. Went the next day to try it out in a small river that runs through a city next to my town. I fish here quite regularly...and so does everyone else. I have always bank fished it and had decent luck catching some small perch and some 1/2 pound smallies. When my friend and I floated down in our kayaks, we found a couple holes where we spotted smallies in the 2-3 pound range. The only problem is that they seem so pressured and skittish that they ignore anything thrown their way. Recent pollution of this river has killed the crawfish population. The few baitfish that I have seen were kind of a smoke minnow color. I caught some smaller ones on a 3 inch ghost minnow colored jerkbait but I couldn't get the bigger ones to even think about it.The water depth is from 1-4 feet where we saw the bigger fish. Thought about just trying a fat juicy nightcrawler next time. If anybody has experience with these kinds of fish and has any tips or suggestions please feel free to share! Any and all advice is appreciated! Thank y'all and tight lines! Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted July 21, 2015 Super User Posted July 21, 2015 Drift a weightless senko 1 Quote
JeziHogg Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 Dropshot a twitchtail minnow in the same baitfish pattern or try a spybait. 1 Quote
steverowbotham Posted July 22, 2015 Posted July 22, 2015 River smallies love craws. I would back off where you cant see them and throw a tube at them. Light fluorocarbon will increase bites too 3 Quote
*Hank Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 River smallies love craws. I would back off where you cant see them and throw a tube at them. Light fluorocarbon will increase bites too I agree! Quote
Super User lmbfisherman Posted July 31, 2015 Super User Posted July 31, 2015 River smallies love craws. I would back off where you cant see them and throw a tube at them. Light fluorocarbon will increase bites too Thumbs up to this advice. Quote
Turkey sandwich Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Finesse "go to" lures for smallies: 3-4" grub, weightless or drop shot Senko, tubes, and suspending jerk baits you can keep shallow. For the tubes and grubs, stick with though test jig heads you can. On extreme occasions, I've fished 1/32 oz jigs on 2.5" grubs. Keep the colors natural. OR... get on the water when you have some stain and visibility is impaired. Light weighted Colorado blade spinner baits in dark colors (slow rolled), and small jigs (with a rattle) and craw trailer can both be high percentage. Also, smallies get curious when they hear noise on top. A little stain in the water, and a popper like a pop-R or Skitterpop can be money. Quote
Turkey sandwich Posted July 31, 2015 Posted July 31, 2015 Stick with the lightest* jig heads you can. Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted August 1, 2015 Global Moderator Posted August 1, 2015 Ned rig 1 Quote
Super User FryDog62 Posted August 17, 2015 Super User Posted August 17, 2015 Drop shot a live leech, or Uncle Josh Pork leech... Quote
Super User gardnerjigman Posted August 18, 2015 Super User Posted August 18, 2015 3rd for the ned. Smallie magnet. Quote
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