Smallmouth tackle arsenal

[OkobojiEagle]

How does your smallmouth rod/reel arsenal differ than what you use fishing largemouth?

 

I don't target largemouth, but I think after plenty of time on these inter-nets that my rod/reel choices are significantly different than those that do.  I carry 5 rods/reels in the boat:  7' 6" ML spinning/ 8lb PE line; 7' M spinning/ 10lb PE line; 6' 6" MH spinning/ 14lb PE line; 6' 10" M casting (6.8:1 retrieve)/ 20lb PE line & 7' MH casting (5.1:1 retrieve)/ 20lb PE line.  These cover every technique and bait I throw at my smallmouth.  (Fishing from shore or canoe finds me bringing only the 7' M spinning rod.)

 

oe

[A-Jay]

May not be the case every where, but the green bass in this neck of the woods are often found much closer to or even IN some fairly gnarly cover; where the brown bass may relate to it or be around it, they are rarely right in it.

That said, the gear used to present baits, set the hook and then extricate the green bass from the 'slop', is usually a bit heavier than the gear listed above.

If & when green bass can be located in an open water or 'lighter cover' situation, (more in line with how & where brown bass are often taken from), that gear could be good. 

A-Jay

 

[gim]

Ya, I agree.  Most of the green bass I target here are more cover-related whereas the brownies tend to be present in more open-water type environments.  Although when I'm fishing rivers here, they do associate with fallen timber and other types of woody cover which can complicate things.

[roadwarrior]

I catch most of my "green bass" in and around cover, bronze backs in current and on structure.

 

 

 

[OkobojiEagle]

Tackle wouldn't HAVE TO differ... but I bet it does.  How.  Do you use the same rod/reel but throw lighter baits, or do you use different tackle?  Do you have tackle you use exclusively for smallies?  I don't own tackle that would be suitable for "punching" or "frog fishing".

 

The surprise catch of a large catfish, musky or northern can be challenging/exhilarating with lighter gear, but most of us don't target these fish with "smallmouth gear".  Species discussion seldom is part of new rod/reel threads... should it be?

 

oe

[TnRiver46]

Smallmouth and largemouth are found everywhere together on the TN river. The classic last year was a great example, same gear for each species

[WI_Angler1989]

It doesn't differ for me at all anymore. I used to get my gear for just fishing in general: Largemouth, pike, smallies. I progressively started "downsizing" lures and rods (i.e. medium heavy fast, to medium light extra fast) to better suit ligjter aized baits and, let's be honest, light power is a fun with big smallies. 

[Mbirdsley]

Not a whole lot really.  Except I lengthen my leaders in ultra clear northern Michigan waters.  They still bite tubes, jigs, cranks, worms and other bass gear.  Only thing maybe is you can lighten up use lighter line and rods.  They still relate to cover it’s just more water cover, pts, breaks.  They are very common in rivers up here.   Where as large mouth wanted to bury them selves in cover and are not as common in the rivers 

[Spankey]

19 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Tackle wouldn't HAVE TO differ... but I bet it does.  How.  Do you use the same rod/reel but throw lighter baits, or do you use different tackle?  Do you have tackle you use exclusively for smallies?  I don't own tackle that would be suitable for "punching" or "frog fishing".

 

The surprise catch of a large catfish, musky or northern can be challenging/exhilarating with lighter gear, but most of us don't target these fish with "smallmouth gear".  Species discussion seldom is part of new rod/reel threads... should it be?

 

oe

Fighting a 40” Musky on a 6’9” ML X-fast rod with 6-8# test is something. But as thrilling as it is, I really hate to exhaust a fish only to get my crankbait or spinnerbait back. This has only happened twice to me. I’m pretty sure the fish were alright. I was told back when I was a kid not to touch or hold Musky with your bare hands. So I never have. 24”-30” Musky can be handled half decent on 8#. Sometimes they make it easy on themselves by chomping and cut through your line. 
 

I am no Musky expert. Caught a hand ful smallie fishing. Lost a slightly bigger handful Smallie fishing. I never really fished for them. My catches were accidental. Along with a few nice sized channel and flathead catfish. 

[gim]

12 minutes ago, Spankey said:

I was told back when I was a kid not to touch or hold Musky with your bare hands. So I never have.

 

That's an odd piece of advice.  Just handle them like you would any other toothy predator and avoid the mouth.  Get em back as soon as you can and avoid netting one unless you actually have a muskie net.

[Spankey]

1 minute ago, gimruis said:

 

That's an odd piece of advice.  Just handle them like you would any other toothy predator and avoid the mouth.  Get em back as soon as you can and avoid netting one unless you actually have a muskie net.

Have never netted one. Don’t truly have a Musky net. Guess I have been under the impression their slime layer is sensitive or more sensitive. Lip gripper has been working fine. Have never let one hit my boat carpet. Not many bass either to be honest. 

[Jermination]

20 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Smallmouth and largemouth are found everywhere together on the TN river. The classic last year was a great example, same gear for each species

i use the same stuff and catch plenty of each. My stuff changes lake to lake more so than species to species. I caught this smallmouth on a 7'6h 3/4 oz football jig, 15lb fluoro and the largemouth on a 3/4 oz trap 7'1 mh 15lb fluoro

[Vilas15]

I dont really fish largemouth but i can tell I have a different arsenal than most who do. I have no use for the 7' MH/F casting rod that everyone says is universal. I dont fish in heavy cover at all so ive got a M/F casting rod plus a ceanking rod. Otherwise i fish everything on spinning gear ML or M. All my gear does double duty for smallies or walleye and both tend to require baits less than 1/2 oz.

[J5877]

My favorite type of fishing is top water and jerkbait so I like to throw floating minnows and poppers. That usually works for large mouth I’m gonna try the same thing for small mouth this year. I use a medium fast action tip 6’10” rod. 

[CHIP-MAINE]

i use the same gear day to day for smallies and large. even same lures. they both seem to love #4&5  mepps