Targeting Trophy Smallmouth

[Heron]

Does there exist any specific, bait, lure, or technique that is used to target only the larger, trophy sized smallmouth? 

 

Thx

[Scott F]

if there was, why would anybody use anything else? It's ALWAYS about location. The secret to catching trophy fish, is finding them.

[Heron]

Thanks Scott, I appreciate it

[redmeansdistortion]

You live by trophy smallmouth water, Lake St Clair.  I've caught countless 5lb+ smallies out of that lake.  I have yet to pull a 5lb largemouth out of there and I've been fishing it for more than 30 years.  

[Dwight Hottle]

First of all what is your definition of a trophy smallmouth? Secondly you could consider using larger bait sizes to eliminate most smaller fish. Many fisherman feel that larger live bait will produce bigger fish. Just remember that a large fish will eat a smaller bait also. As already mentioned larger fish are more readily obtainable from the best locations known to produce trophy size fish. 

[Heron]

Agreed....Location has always been the key factor.  And as mentioned, Larger baits could attract the larger fish, but depending on waters, season, and conditions of the day, its certainly not always the case.

 

Thanks fellas,

 

[TnRiver46]

I would just do whatever @A-Jay does 

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I would just do whatever @A-Jay does 

 Thanks, but while I've had some recent success,  BR member  @Dwight Hottle has caught (and documented)  more brown bass over 5, 6 and 7 lbs, than any angler I have first hand knowledge of.   

And we're talking hundreds here . . .  .

One could do well by making note of his posts.

 

As for my own exploits, I'm not really doing a whole lot different than most bassheads.

I just have to be in the right place and at the right time.

Clearly the hard part.

And while anglers are looking for a bait that catches trophies, I looking to find out what the trophies are eating.

Feeding them what they are looking for has proven fairly effective for me.

btw - elephants like peanuts.

Just say'in.

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

Good point @A-Jay, I think when @Dwight Hottle buys a jerkbait, the 6 lb smallmouth are already biting at it in the parking lot of bass pro before he gets it to the car 

[gim]

In terms of weight, they should be at their heaviest during pre-spawn and in the fall.

[slonezp]

Live bait in trophy waters. Same way they fish for giant largemouth on okeechobee 

[Zippyduck Krimm]

I have caught 6+ lbers on cranks, jerks, 4" crosstail shad, spinnerbaits, wacky rigs, ned rigs, hair jigs, mop jigs, keitechs, roostertails, and flukes.

 

Just have to be where they live and throwing something they will react to. Isn't this why most bassmen have a deck full of rods.

[soflabasser]

I am surprised nobody here mentioned creek chubs for trophy smallmouth bass. I got an old smallmouth bass fishing book that has a whole chapter on trophy smallmouth bass fishing and it specifically says live creek chubs and other similar sized live bait is the one best ways to catch them. Big golden shiners is one of the best baits for trophy largemouth bass in Florida. 

[TnRiver46]

19 hours ago, soflabasser said:

I am surprised nobody here mentioned creek chubs for trophy smallmouth bass. I got an old smallmouth bass fishing book that has a whole chapter on trophy smallmouth bass fishing and it specifically says live creek chubs and other similar sized live bait is the one best ways to catch them. Big golden shiners is one of the best baits for trophy largemouth bass in Florida. 

Chubs are good but stone rollers are better

[soflabasser]

5 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Chubs are good but stone rollers are better

Do stone rollers stay alive longer on the hook than creek chubs or they just prefer them much more in your area? In Florida wild golden shiners are better than tank raised shiners.

[TnRiver46]

14 hours ago, soflabasser said:

Do stone rollers stay alive longer on the hook than creek chubs or they just prefer them much more in your area? In Florida wild golden shiners are better than tank raised shiners.

It’s seems both will stay alive in bucket for a very long time but on the hook they always get eaten. It just seems the big brown bass really like to eat the stone rollers more 

[soflabasser]

9 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

It’s seems both will stay alive in bucket for a very long time but on the hook they always get eaten. It just seems the big brown bass really like to eat the stone rollers more 

Good to know! I will consider using stone rollers if they are available the next time I fish up north along with creek chubs. I hear gobies make great bait for big smallmouth bass as well but not all states allow you to use them.

[MickD]

I just saw a TV program where Al Lindner, I think it was, talked about waters that should have trophy smb.  He said big water, lakes with good spawning areas, lots of deep water minnow forage like tullabees, smelt, etc, with mulitple "basins."