Where’d the Smallmouth go?

[EliHarris___]

So I’ve been fishing the same stretch of the Huron river and slaying Smallmouth on the Whopperplopper. As a matter of fact, I caught a 22” Smallmouth on the 110. I was catching at least 5 15+” smallmouth a day, Hadn’t been skunked in 2 months. but the last several times I haven’t got a single one! As a matter of fact I haven’t even seen one. I changed Tactics too but still no bass. Where could they all have gone? I’m very perplexed  

[roadwarrior]

GREAT FISH!

 

[JoeInCT]

That’s fishing. In CT we’ve had such little rain that my favorite local stretch of the Quinebaug River is almost unfishable. We need rain badly. 

[A-Jay]

You must have caught them all ~ 

I hate it when that happens

A-Jay

[slonezp]

Is there a deeper stretch you can fish?

 

[EliHarris___]

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

Is there a deeper stretch you can fish?

 

Unfortunately not in this area, but that’s probably what it is. I mean it’s not that far of a drive to deeper spots so I’ll try that out

[Spankey]

Same thing happen last season? Just curious. Baitfish and fish bait still in that area. 

[MGF]

My river is very low and very clear right now. I'm catching fish on small (ish) subtle presentations. I threw a plopper last weekend and caught one small bass and had one pike blow up on it. Most of the fish came on a NED or a Zoom finesse worm on a split shot rig. Oh my wife got a couple on a floating Rapala minnow...quiet stuff.

[NHBull]

I don't fish rivers, but those who do in my area are skipping overlays and roots do to variable conditions

[NYWayfarer]

5 hours ago, MGF said:

My river is very low and very clear right now. I'm catching fish on small (ish) subtle presentations. I threw a plopper last weekend and caught one small bass and had one pike blow up on it. Most of the fish came on a NED or a Zoom finesse worm on a split shot rig. Oh my wife got a couple on a floating Rapala minnow...quiet stuff.

Same here as well.

 

Find the rocks and current breaks. Match the hatch and drift baits past those areas and you should catch fish. My Ploppers and Poppers are hit and miss right now. Mostly miss. 

[Fishin' Fool]

I know alot about smallies growing up near Lk St Clair. So here's the deal in the peak of the summer they will seeking out current and cooler water. Look for this and you should find them. As the water temps cool you may find them back where they were before.

[bagofdonuts]

try the riffles. down here when the creeks get low and warm the fish will all be in the current seams or right in the riffle.

also, if there is a canyon section or narrowing where more current is pushing thru. they also get more interested in bugs in the summer. you'd be shocked by how many fish you can catch high sticking a nymph in fast shallow water in the summer. with spinning rig i would try something i could do that with, perhaps a marabou jig. 

[Tatsu Dave]

We are still catching them but using finesse presentations with smaller plastics fished slower and deeper. Yesterday I caught a nice one pulling a stickbait behind the boat as we changed position about 100 yds. I know who pulls a stickbait behind the boat with almost no action to speak of? I notice senkos and true centers as well as snake o's  have a very tiny but seductive tail wiggle that mimics a baitfish barely finning along, combine that with rainbow trout color and things can happen. Change up and fish shallow in early morning and deeper as the sun gets bright, and even try something they haven't seen.........Good Fishing and tight lines.   Dave