Late summer/early fall River Smallies

[Birdman2136]

Hey all, made sure to do a google search and search of the forums first before posting and didn’t find what I was looking for. 
 

Anyways typically I haven’t fished the river this late into the season, but since some of my fall obligations have changed I will be.

 

I spend quite a bit of time on the river and typically approach the fish with spooks/ploppers, cranks, grubs, paddletails, and of course a tube or jig.

 

I’m wondering what type presentations people like most for fall and any other advice people may have. 
 

My plan is to fish aggressive these next two weeks. 

[TnRiver46]

Just use a tube or finesse worm year round. Might not make a long magazine article but it works 

[roadwarrior]

Those lures are fine. I'll suggest a couple more:  Rage Tail Menace, BPS Tender Tube #71 and

the Alabama Rig.

 

[PaulVE64]

We've had alot of rain lately which I think stages the fish in two places.

 

I fish any slack water with reaction baits and topwater 

Any aggressively feading bass are in the seams and there I'm throwing senkos, jigs, chatterbaits, spinnerbaits, etc.

 

Oh and a tiny Rebel Craw is so much fun on light gear.

 

A few days ago I caught a 29"  pike in less than 3 ft of water in the middle of a set of rapids on a 3/16 oz baby diaper tube. Was expecting a smallie and I havent known pike to love that much current. His tail was bloody.

[Birdman2136]

Thanks guys. 
 

We are lacking on rain right now. Sounds like I’m on the right track currently. 

[MGF]

All the baits mentioned and then some. My river is fairly small and the water has been really low...and often is in the fall. When the water is this low the fish are easy to find...they're in the "holes". A hole is anything with more than about 1 1/2 ft of water.

 

For the last couple of weeks our top bait has been a NED rig. In the past we've done real well on floating and suspending jerk baits as well as the count down Rapala.

[Sphynx]

Fall is baitfish time, so any lure or presentation that imitate shad are my go to, swim baits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, flukes/jerkbait, for topwater I like buzz baits and whopper plopper for moving options, cigar style and poppers for something a bit slower. If things are really tough and the fairy wand has to come out, it'll sport a Ned rig or a drop shot with a baitfish imitation. 

[Bird]

Our river has a fair amount of current so I choose baits that can cover some water. 

 

White spinnerbait has always been very productive as is Zoom flukes. 

 

If I can spend time in a good hole then creature bait in watermelon red and Zoom lizard in cotton candy chartreuse. 

 

Inline spinners for non stop action. 

[Sodaksam]

On the Mississippi in Northern MN I use DT-10’s almost exclusively, especially when the current is really moving.