What bait/lure do you have the most luck with for SMALLMOUTH?

[Will Wetline]

30 minutes ago, haggard said:

 

 

What jig heads are those? I haven't seen that profile before.

 

 

 

Those are mushroom shaped jig heads, commonly used for Ned rigging. I mold my own from the Midwest Finesse jig mold and use 88% bismuth/12% tin since Massachusetts does not permit lead under 1 oz. Siebert Outdoors offers them with the same, excellent Owner 5313 hooks. I would go with them if Maine has gone lead free and Mr. Siebert will make you a batch using the above mentioned alloy. Don't hesitate to PM me if you have more questions.

 

One more thing - I use 3/32 oz. on 6 lb. line 95% of the time.

 

 

 

 

[WI_Angler1989]

One of my biggest goals this coming season is to fish the situations as they come. To take my "favorite" presentations, small tubes, craws, grubs, Aglias... and branch out to what the day calls for and the fish want. Not what I like or enjoy. 

 

Sure, there are the times when the go-to's are all I would even need. Theres a reason I have my favorites after all: they work. And can work AMAZINGLY. Typically I have memories of great days where it's been insane attatched to my favorite lures! Smallie after Smallie caught, making whatever lure did the deed feel pretty validated lol. 

 

Obviously I can get married to a presentation because of those wonderful outings. I need to grow and learn to fit the technique and presentation to the situation on the water THAT day. Not have my favorite on the forefront; not get stuck wanting them to hit topwater; not using my best color, despite clarity because "it worked last time". 

 

[ww2farmer]

Last season the smallmouth told me that they liked they ned rig. Each year here they seem to like something else.

[Arobb2012]

The rivers I fish are pressured and get alot of canoe rental traffic. It's been finesse fishing mostly. Ned rigs, small swimbaits and a 90 whopper plopper. I have had luck on poppers and walking topwaters but they like the wp the most.

[Jleebesaw]

Last year I had a lot of luck with typical dropshot rigs and tubes. I fish the st lawrence so gobey colors work great.

        On a small lake I fished often, I was hammering them with a super spook junior. I used the baby bass color and bone color. Both colors worked awsome. This was in the fall. I'm fairly new to going fishing regularly so I don't have a ton of experiance, but I wasnt expecting to catch so many smallies in shallow water on topwater lures. It was so fun.

[RyneB]

drop shot, evergreen shower blows, poppers, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits.

 

But if I only had to choose one, it would be a tube. Wouldnt even think twice.

[bayvalle]

Swimming Kietech or twister tails on a 1/4 oz jig. Dragging tubes on tube jigs.

[bowhunter63]

Baby Rage craw or Swim jig with a menace trailer

 

[BigTerp]

In my local river (Upper Potomac) I always have either a 2.75" Mizmo Teaser Tube rigged on a 1/8 oz internal tube jig head, or a 1/16 oz ned rig with a TRD tied on one of my two rods. I'm not shy to try other presentations, and frequently do, but the above far outproduces anything else for me.

[Munkin]

On ‎2‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 9:28 AM, BigTerp said:

In my local river (Upper Potomac) I always have either a 2.75" Mizmo Teaser Tube rigged on a 1/8 oz internal tube jig head.

You and everybody else fishing the UP. The SM see so many tubes they can now identify the brand.

 

Allen

[The Short Fisherman]

dropshot with a finesse worm style bait

[BigTerp]

10 hours ago, Munkin said:

You and everybody else fishing the UP. The SM see so many tubes they can now identify the brand.

 

Allen

And they still out produce anything for me, in both numbers and size. The ned rig has been a close second though the last few years. I find the smallmouth in the UP shy away from larger profile baits. 3-1/2" tubes, pointer 100 size, spinnerbaits, etc. I get to fish the Susquehanna occasionally, and that's a whole different world. Although the larger baits produce well up there, we still tore them up last spring on 2.75" tubes.

[Trevlee]

Swimbaits, Jerkbaits, Squarebill crankbaits. In that order for that past couple years. 

[rayrock99]

3.5 tubes, jertbait, ned rig, swimbaits

[billmac]

Mr. Twister Meeney Spin. 1/4 oz. Yellow

[Ksam1234]

1. Jerkbaits 2. Spinnerbaits 3. Squarebills or lipless cranks , those 3 kill it. And if I have to slow down I use a tube or a senko

[kroberts9]

I have a few favorites that I always gravitate to for the SMB's

 

1:spybait (g-fix 80 in the ghost minnow color)

2:dropshot (nose hooked minnow baits)

3:jerkbait (ito vision 110 &110+1)

4:top water (whopper plopper loon and bone)

5:neko rig / ned rig

6:tubes

 

these are in no particular order, it all depends on the day and conditions.

 

[Dangerfield]

1. Z-Man 4" Swimmerz in Shiner
2. Shallow diving squarebill
3. Lucky Craft Pointer
4. Micro jig with a SB, craw or creature
5. SK Rage Swimmer 2.75" on a Owner Ultra Round Head 2/0

Just read about this thing called a Fat Ika, I'm giving those some quality time this season.

 

[flat]

For river fishing, a Texas rigged 4 or 4.5" tube for pitching, a skitter pop or chug bug for top water, a 100 series bandit for cranking, and a 1/4 oz. cleo for schooling/busting or top water wise fish.

[NYWayfarer]

Ned rig, tubes and dropshot Roboworms are my go to favorites.

[GeekOutdoors]

On 2/17/2019 at 6:59 AM, Will Wetline said:

I'm a light line, clear water smallie guy whose favorite baits have changed over the years.

I've done a lot of business with GYCB 5" Hula Grubs, Gitzit 3 1/2" tubes, wacky rigged 4' and 5" Senkos and the original Duo Realis Spin Bait 80. I'd feel confident with any one of these on my line.

 

About three years ago after reading all the accounts of the Ned rig, I thought it would be great on my home water - and it is now my #1 go-to presentation.

 

Love those heads, what are they ?

 

Edit : was already asked but still mines are called mushroomz by zman but are more cylindrical than yours.

 

[GeekOutdoors]

I so much use a tube I forbade myself to use one this season unless its a tournament ! I wanna get efficient with other baits/presentations.

 

[Will Wetline]

7 hours ago, GeekFisher said:

Love those heads, what are they ?

 

Edit : was already asked but still mines are called mushroomz by zman but are more cylindrical than yours.

 

I cast them from Do-it's Midwest Finesse mold with the Owner 5313 hook, size 1.

 

https://www.barlowstackle.com/Do-It-Midwest-Finesse-Jig-Mold-with-Wire-Keeper-P3414.aspx

 

 

[GeekOutdoors]

4 hours ago, Will Wetline said:

I cast them from Do-it's Midwest Finesse mold with the Owner 5313 hook, size 1.

 

https://www.barlowstackle.com/Do-It-Midwest-Finesse-Jig-Mold-with-Wire-Keeper-P3414.aspx

 

 

Would like to find them readily available !

PS: I'm in Canada.

[haggard]

Lately it's been this 4 inch paddletail in green/white on a jig head, on a ML/XF spinning rod. Nothing but smallies.

 

When the head of the soft plastic gets worn down, snip off a quarter inch at the top and thread it back on the jig head and keep fishing.

 

Smallies love it.