Favorite Smallmouth technique

[Zippyduck Krimm]

On 1/10/2016 at 3:04 PM, WillBass24 said:

Topwater is my favorite busy far. I love watching. Them explode on a little tiny torpedo 

all day until one hits it

[Airman4754]

Torpedos are the most fun to fish. 

They hit a craw color lipless like a train regardless of size. 

The most successful is a Gitzit during the spring. 

[scaleface]

All my smallmouth fishing is done in a river and anything that resembles a crawdad hopped off the bottom does the trick . The old Renegade craws from Wal Mart worked real well but any craw will do plus jigs , tubes and hula grubs .

[WI_Angler1989]

2 hours ago, scaleface said:

All my smallmouth fishing is done in a river and anything that resembles a crawdad hopped off the bottom does the trick . The old Renegade craws from Wal Mart worked real well but any craw will do plus jigs , tubes and hula grubs .

Same. If im not using a 2.5"-3.5" tube im using a craw. I love Yum craw daddys, and cabin creek express craws.

[papajoe222]

Although I love tubes, I have to say that my favorite is a home tied hair jig.  Just started tying my own because they work so well in cold water and moving water. There's just something about catching fish on something I made that makes it more enjoyable.

[Redskin94]

For me its buzz baits. Last year it was my top producer for big smallmouth. 

[WI_Angler1989]

10 minutes ago, Redskin94 said:

For me its buzz baits. Last year it was my top producer for big smallmouth. 

Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!

[Redskin94]

4 hours ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!

I love it. Really good luck around swift water . Last float of the year I caught around 40 with the biggest being right at 19in. 

[heavyduty]

5 hours ago, WI_Angler1989 said:

Never caught one on a buzz bait but I bet it's a blast!

A few tips for the buzzbait:

If throwing towards the bank, hit the bank or right at it. I've seen folks throw towards the bank and are 2-3' short, no hits. It makes a difference!

Throwing to logs, etc- throw well beyond and bring it to the log. Once at the log, kill it for a second or do a quick half spin of the reel to make the blade lift/kick water. Will usually cause the reaction strike with the change in cadence.

Cadence- don't just throw and reel the same speed, Change it up, fast, slow, stop and let it sink a few inches. The change in retrieve drives them crazy. I try to think of a buzzbait as a creature that fell in the water, can't swim well, and is trying to get away from a predator.

[UPSmallie]

I'm new to targeting bronzebacks but caught my pr on a 5.5 inch smelt swimbait targeting Atlantic Salmon.

[Sam]

Small one-inch white grub on a 1/62nd jig head on 6-pound  or less) test thrown into the rocks and letting the current bring it back.

Vicious strikes.

Second best is a black and blue Bitsy Jig thrown all over the place on 8-pound (6 if you can get away with it) fluorocarbon line.

[everythingthatswims]

I catch most of mine on a t-rigged finesse worm or 4" senko with a 1/16 or 1/8oz bullet weight, but my favorite way is to catch them on an s-waver or a small flipping jig. The big smallies in the river I fish act like largemouth, they don't mess with crayfish, gizzard Shad in the 5-8" range are their preferred food. 

[Fishinthefish]

Biospawn vile craws, t-rigged

[Mass Bassin']

JERKBAITS!!!

[Mothercanucker]

Cranking is fun but drop shotting on a medium light rod and thine line is the absolute best for hard fought battles. Plus I rarely lose fish with a nosehooked smallie from a dropshot hook compared to a mouth full of trebles.

[Up north fishing]

3 1/2" senkos for shallower water and a 1/8 Oz bitsy bug with a yum grub for deeper water but I mostly fish in rivers.

[THE_Vue's]

On 1/10/2016 at 2:34 PM, A-Jay said:

Right here ~ Morning, Noon & All Night.

A-Jay

I was just about to say this lure to. Especially over there beds in the shallow.  Omg crazy fun

[kybasspro]

On 1/10/2016 at 2:56 PM, bowhunter63 said:

Yea same here in Missouri,That old rebel crawdad crankbait probably caught as many as anything else.

I did not know rebels actually worked, I thought they were just a cheap brand

[bowhunter63]

Give one try,They really work good in the rivers.Bang em around rocks and Smallies tear em up.

[Puggz]

Any form of topwater has to be my favorite for any species. 

2nd would be deep drop shotting on my 7'6" ML Aetos w/6lb test.

[gim]

I too like topwater fishing for them but they're not always in an aggressive mood to strike.  A tube is a pretty good all-purpose smallmouth lure and it can be fished shallow, deep, slow, fast, weedless, etc.

[paleus]

The Ned rig has been my most productive for river smallies by far. My favorite is what works. I've also caught a bunch on rooster tails and small jerkbaits. I got some Pop-Rs to try this upcoming season.

[lmbfisherman]

My two favourite ways to catch sallies.  Cranks and a split shot rig with a 6 or 7" worm.

[DaileyLimit]

I have the most fun with a huddlebug and trying to make it look as real as possible.

[RHuff]

AC Shiners all the way to the bank