NateCatchesFish Posted March 28, 2018 Posted March 28, 2018 Hey everyone. I am going to be taking a trip to New River this weekend. Never been there also never strictly targeted smallmouth bass before. If anyone has any info on where to fish, baits to throw, how to fish, water clarity, current, literally anything relating to New River would be helpful. Thanks everyone. Tight lines! Quote
All about da bass Posted March 28, 2018 Posted March 28, 2018 If you use electronics, cruise around in current and just find big rocks or boulders and throw some sort of craw in there. They like to hide behind these rocks as ambush points. If craws don't work, try some sort of bait fish approach like an underspin or a spinner bait. Good luck, hope this helps. Quote
NateCatchesFish Posted March 28, 2018 Author Posted March 28, 2018 2 minutes ago, All about da bass said: If you use electronics, cruise around in current and just find big rocks or boulders and throw some sort of craw in there. They like to hide behind these rocks as ambush points. If craws don't work, try some sort of bait fish approach like an underspin or a spinner bait. Good luck, hope this helps. Sure does thanks! Ill give it a try. I'm new to smallmouth fishing so anything helps! Quote
Super User everythingthatswims Posted March 28, 2018 Super User Posted March 28, 2018 Depends on water temps but I would assume it's pretty cold. I would be draggin a ned (because even a big smallmouth will eat a tiny bait) and probably cranking a shad rap if I wanted to cover water. Hard to beat those two in cold water. I bet if you find one you will have found several. Good luck! Quote
NateCatchesFish Posted March 28, 2018 Author Posted March 28, 2018 15 minutes ago, everythingthatswims said: Depends on water temps but I would assume it's pretty cold. I would be draggin a ned (because even a big smallmouth will eat a tiny bait) and probably cranking a shad rap if I wanted to cover water. Hard to beat those two in cold water. I bet if you find one you will have found several. Good luck! Thanks appreciate it! Its supposed to warm up here in the next week so hopefully the water warms up. Already planning on having a Ned Rig tied on. 1 Quote
Dan B. Posted March 29, 2018 Posted March 29, 2018 Water temp and clarity will play a big role as to where the smallmouth are. Many are probably still in deeper, slower pools where they spent the winter. However, the big girls are often the first to move. Look for large current breaks, because they won't want to be in the current. Fish the downriver end (facing/casting upriver) of large laydowns, islands, boulders, and ledges that create large eddys. Don't necessarily focus on the water right below the current break. Often the tail end of the eddy is best this time of year. The Ned and Shad Rap are good choices, but assuming the water is fairly clear, I've had the most success covering water this time of year with a 4" watermelon red-flake Swim'n Caffeine Shad rigged on a 3/0 or 4/0 1/8 ounce belly-weighted Gamakatsu swimbait hook (Zoom makes a similar swimbait that is probably the closest alternative and might be easier to find). Something about the subtle slow roll of that swimbait on a belly-weighted hook is irresistible to bigger smallies looking for an easy meal after a cold hungry winter. A few years ago fishing the prespawn on the Upper Potomac, that bait never failed to produce an 18-20" smallie. You won't necessarily catch numbers this way, but you'll have a chance for a citation, especially on the New. Quote
NateCatchesFish Posted March 29, 2018 Author Posted March 29, 2018 2 minutes ago, Dan B. said: Water temp and clarity will play a big role as to where the smallmouth are. Many are probably still in deeper, slower pools where they spent the winter. However, the big girls are often the first to move. Look for large current breaks, because they won't want to be in the current. Fish the downriver end (facing/casting upriver) of large laydowns, islands, boulders, and ledges that create large eddys. Don't necessarily focus on the water right below the current break. Often the tail end of the eddy is best this time of year. The Ned and Shad Rap are good choices, but assuming the water is fairly clear, I've had the most success covering water this time of year with a 4" watermelon red-flake Swim'n Caffeine Shad rigged on a 3/0 or 4/0 1/8 ounce belly-weighted Gamakatsu swimbait hook (Zoom makes a similar swimbait that is probably the closest alternative and might be easier to find). Something about the subtle slow roll of that swimbait on a belly-weighted hook is irresistible to bigger smallies looking for an easy meal after a cold hungry winter. A few years ago fishing the prespawn on the Upper Potomac, that bait never failed to produce an 18-20" smallie. You won't necessarily catch numbers this way, but you'll have a chance for a citation, especially on the New. Awesome! Thanks for all the info! I'm actually going up there for a tournament so the bigger the better! This is some great advice for someone new to targetting smallies! I really appreciate it! I'll have to pick some of those up and give it a shot! I love fishing swimbaits especially underspins so I'll keep this in mind! Appreciate it once again! Quote
All about da bass Posted April 27, 2018 Posted April 27, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 10:49 AM, bostonsox2904 said: Howd you do on the New this weekend? Lol, he goawn!!!! Quote
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