How should I fish this spot? (smallmouth)

[IndyQ]

Creek off of a main river has good flow of varying depths before a very shallow area, about 1' (when water is low) which abuts a big ledge and drop off before the creek makes a big bend. When it bends, it drops off to about 15-20' of water. Have heard that the smallmouth will get down low in that water in this spot but unsure of a good presentation, maybe a drop shot w/ a 1/2oz sinker? Hooked up on a couple smallies maybe 30 yards upstream so I know they're in there, just want to nail a tank!

[rejesterd]

Oh, that sounds like a great spot.  Definitely try bumping a heavy tube up the ledge.  And if you can get the angle right, a crankbait would also be good I think.

 

Dropshotting in heavy current is tough, but it can certainly be done.  Just use a really long leader between the hook and the weight.

[Scott F]

If it were me, I wouldn't waste any time trying to fish the very deep hole. Inactive fish may use that hole but when they want to feed, they will leave that spot and be found close by. During the summer, when the water is warm, they will look for the fast, moving water that has more oxygen. Keep checking the place you caught them and other close by areas with places they can be near the fast water and have a place to stay out of the current.

[J Francho]

You likely found a wintering location.  I fish a steam with similar features, though the deep holes on a bend are prime northern pike locations.

[TnRiver46]

Drag a Shakey head down in there. Deep River holes are my favorite 20" smallmouth spots. Especially when the current is slack 

[IndyQ]

Dang, all sound like great ideas. Will probably throw a shaky head and a tube down there just to see what happens but there are some nearby spots with 5-8' of depth with some structure. First season going after smallies, been a LM guy my whole life but these river/creek fish are just too fun--they basically spend their lives on a treadmill!

[BuzzHudson19c]

Lipless crank down the edge of the drop off is where I'd start (if I am picturing this correctly). Otherwise plastics upstream and let them run into the pool.

[scaleface]

There should be a lot of current in that 1 foot deep spot . I would fish it then the hole . Cast up stream . A Strike King Rocket Shad has  worked great for me in the current , then some type of soft plastic crawfish imitator  in the  deep water below the  ripple  like tubes, hula grubs , Baby Brus hHog , Salt Craws...

[Chuck Popeeye Moser]

Watch the leaf flow. or topwater bubble line.  That flow is pushing bait fish with it.  The fish lay in wait.  . That comes from years of fishing inshore flats saltwater.

 

[frogflogger]

drift any version of a ned rig and try a topwater - most of my over 20" river smallies have come on topwater

[Black Hawk Basser]

I would fish all of the "skinny" water near and around the hole, square bill in any fast water, xraps or husky jerks where it's more slack(they spin out in lots of current).  My vote for the deeper water would be a tube on a jig head.

[Turkey sandwich]

Scott F and Francho are pretty spot on.  That doesn't mean that the spot won't be worthwhile during the rest of the year.  It's going to be a great wintering hole and a great spot for fish to hold up during the heat of the afternoon, but on it's own, the hole itself is unlikely to hold aggressive fish - they're there for a rest.  You way get takes drifting slow finesse baits or weighting a dropshot, but committing to dead sticking these areas can be a lot more frustration than reward.  The better idea, in my opinion, is to fish the seems created where the differing currents meet and adjacent flats and ambush points close by, ESPECIALLY around dawn and dusk.  

 

Not a great picture, but this smallies went 19" and destroyed a deerhair popper in flat, slower current between fast water and a weed line.  These are the types of high percentage ambush points you'll find large, aggressive fish from now into the fall. 

[FryDog62]

I would try the heavy tube or shakey head theory, but if that fails - out of curiosity I might drop a leech on a heavy sinker down there just to see if anyone is home...

[CrankFate]

On 7/9/2018 at 10:57 AM, IndyQ said:

Creek off of a main river has good flow of varying depths before a very shallow area, about 1' (when water is low) which abuts a big ledge and drop off before the creek makes a big bend. When it bends, it drops off to about 15-20' of water. Have heard that the smallmouth will get down low in that water in this spot but unsure of a good presentation, maybe a drop shot w/ a 1/2oz sinker? Hooked up on a couple smallies maybe 30 yards upstream so I know they're in there, just want to nail a tank!

I knew two spots in separate states that were similar to this as a kid. Fished both of them several times. Except at these two spots, in the creek, you could see the small mouths, nice ones, sun bathing right in the middle of the creek over deep water, the perfect distance away to get a long cast just far enough beyond them to get a good presentation. No matter what I did or how many times I tried, I never got one. And I never saw anyone else get one. I even tried snagging them, but they’d just move just enough to not get hit. Both places were the same thing every summer. I never caught one. At one of these spots the locals called them “shad” because they never hit any lures or baits at this spot. But they were clearly small mouths. Some people would tell me they eat and then come to the spot to sit in the sun afterwards (and that I should do the same thing because that’s why they were there and not fishing). Wish I could help with your spot, but nope. I have seen tons of small mouths and only caught a couple ever.

[Bdnoble84]

You would be well served to burn a spinnerbait accross the faster current in the skinnier water as well. Many a big smallmouth has crushed my spinnerbait after repeated casts ripped accross. You do it enough times, they will get ticked and bite.

[IndyQ]

Hit a spot about 75yds upstream as the downstream spots are just about inaccessible from shore right now--brush has gotten impenetrably thick, will have to hit the downstream spots from the other side of the creek which I'll have to either swim to or use my kayak. Followed everyone's advice and hit an ambush spot just past some quick water...PB of 15.5" on my third cast! Just started smallie fishing so I'm working up to the tanks, I suppose. 

[JWall14]

Nice dude!! That’s a solid fish!

[Boomstick]

If there is still a decent amount of current there, a drop shot might be difficult. However, a Carolina rig does sound like it might be effective there.