Targeting smallies Friday and need help

[Luke Barnes]

Friday I'm going to a lake that I have fished for Smallmouth once before and caught my very first one! But that was back in March. I used a craw squarebill and banged it off rocks and trees to catch all my fish. But now its mid October and that is the one and only time ive caught or even targeted them. I will be on the bank in a cove with a riprap bank on one side, grass bank on one side and rocky trees and stumps on the other bank. 

 

My main question is what should I be throwing? Today was 88/65 Friday will be 65/47 temp wise. I figure they will be in fall transition and feeding like crazy, but I dont know what on. Chasing shad, shiners, or minnows. Snatching every craw they see. No idea. It's Lake Skiatook in Oklahoma if that helps. 

[Ppennin986]

Not sure what you have in your bag of tricks but I’d try some top water baits 

[Bluebasser86]

A white spinnerbait with double, gold willowleaf blades (half ounce war eagle), has been doing well for smallmouth for me in Kansas. I like to put a chartreuse twin tail spinnerbait trailer on it for contrast and don't forget the trailer hook because smallmouth love to headbutt a spinnerbait without ever opening their mouths.

 

A rattle trap is another bait that is good for them in the fall when they're chasing shad around.

[Luke Barnes]

4 hours ago, Ppennin986 said:

Not sure what you have in your bag of tricks but I’d try some top water baits 

Just about everything. Im a gear addict and the only thing I dont have is large swimbaits. Which isnt really for Smallmouth anyways. 

 

I would think spinnerbait but its supposed to be bluebird skies and 5 mph winds and always thought they were a cloudy windy day lure. But again I'm a l argemouth guy and this is only my second time targeting smallmouth. 

 

I know it depends on the exact water what they are feeding on. I figured rocks equal craws, but coves and creeks equal shad and shiners this time of year I figured too. 

[Bluebasser86]

This fish hit the spinnerbait I described above on a post cold front day, while there was the second day of a 2 day tournament going on, and it was flat calm and sunny. A baby shad shy of 4 pounds. They would not touch a finesse bait for us. Everyone else struggled (5lbs was second place in the tournament, 10 was first), while we "worked", to put over 30 fish in the boat on moving baits, mostly that spinnerbait and a rattle trap.

[ATA]

8 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Friday I'm going to a lake that I have fished for Smallmouth once before and caught my very first one! But that was back in March. I used a craw squarebill and banged it off rocks and trees to catch all my fish. But now its mid October and that is the one and only time ive caught or even targeted them. I will be on the bank in a cove with a riprap bank on one side, grass bank on one side and rocky trees and stumps on the other bank. 

 

My main question is what should I be throwing? Today was 88/65 Friday will be 65/47 temp wise. I figure they will be in fall transition and feeding like crazy, but I dont know what on. Chasing shad, shiners, or minnows. Snatching every craw they see. No idea. It's Lake Skiatook in Oklahoma if that helps. 

Junebug Ned rig worked for me always, if it become crazy and no bite, just mojo rig live night crawlers

[MickD]

If you have, or can get, a black maribou jig, give it a try.  They don't cast a mile, but if you can get one into the area of a smallie, it most likely will get hit.

 

[Dwight Hottle]

First thing I would throw is the same bait you used in the spring. What works in the spring always worked for me in the fall. All the above suggestions are good as well. 

[Luke Barnes]

5 hours ago, ATA said:

Junebug Ned rig worked for me always, if it become crazy and no bite, just mojo rig live night crawlers

Ive got tons of different ned baits but junebug is one color I dont have! Black and blue swirl is probably closest. 

1 hour ago, Dwight Hottle said:

First thing I would throw is the same bait you used in the spring. What works in the spring always worked for me in the fall. All the above suggestions are good as well. 

I thought about that, but I wasnt sure if they would be feeding on craws or baitfish. A squarebill is getting tied on for sure. But I'm taking your advice and tying the craw one on first. Can always switch. 

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

This fish hit the spinnerbait I described above on a post cold front day, while there was the second day of a 2 day tournament going on, and it was flat calm and sunny. A baby shad shy of 4 pounds. They would not touch a finesse bait for us. Everyone else struggled (5lbs was second place in the tournament, 10 was first), while we "worked", to put over 30 fish in the boat on moving baits, mostly that spinnerbait and a rattle trap.

Ive got a white and chart Thunder Cricket with a French pearl white Power Swimmer trailer tied on right now. Would a spinnerbait be better suited? 

[Scott F]

Your success catching a smallmouth will be more dependent on you finding them this time of year than which lure you throw. Any of the lures mentioned and probably dozens of others will all get them, but none of them will if you are fishing the wrong depth or location. 

[Luke Barnes]

22 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Your success catching a smallmouth will be more dependent on you finding them this time of year than which lure you throw. Any of the lures mentioned and probably dozens of others will all get them, but none of them will if you are fishing the wrong depth or location. 

Very true. I'm kind of worried about that. No electronics and from the bank so if they arent somewhere in the cove I'm at, no lure will work. 

[ATA]

1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said:

Ive got tons of different ned baits but junebug is one color I dont have! Black and blue swirl is probably closest. 

I cut a junebug Senko on chartreuse ned head

 

 

 

[Luke Barnes]

17 minutes ago, ATA said:

I cut a junebug Senko on chartreuse ned head

 

 

 

I do have SK Ochos in junebug and I think I may have Yum Swimmin Dingers in junebug. Will have to give it a try!!

[Spankey]

If you feel good about cranking, stick with it. Pull some baits you have the utmost confidence in. Try to be able to cover a depth range you feel comfortable with and have at it. Probably on right or wrong answer. I’d be fishing my strengths not a weakness or something New now. 
 

I know in my case that I’m not sure how many more time I’m going to be able to get out. I’m fishing for 6 pounder. I have to take that approach. If he doesn’t come on Sunday that’s ok. If it doesn’t happen in what I have left in the season that fine also. I’m fishing baits that have working during the season and baits that have produced for me in this fall season in the past. 
 

Most importantly have fun and good luck. 

[NYWayfarer]

If the bite is tough with all the other suggestions break out the dropshot. 

[FryDog62]

I’d switch between 3 lures and see what works:

 

•White Spinnerbait

•1/2 oz chatterbait color of your choice

•Glacier colored 5 inch Caffeine Shad on a 3/32 oz 4/0 Owner Twistlock Light - twitch/twitch and sink for 5 seconds, repeat as needed.

[Cdn Angler]

To me the main variable would be water clarity. If clear I'd go topwater, spybait, jerkbait, wacky worm, ned, small swimbaits etc. 

 

If murky: spinnerbait, crank, also topwater (always), bigger/brighter swimbait etc. 

 

If they are blowing up bait, topwater seems to get it done, more so than LMB even. 

[Luke Barnes]

I'm really excited that I may be able to fish topwater all day. I have a SK Pad Perch in Sexy shad tied on my frog rod and can always bribf out the super spook Jr and Choppo. I know i will have to do alot of on site planning depending on wind, water color, activity. But I should have everything to cover any situation. I hope....

[Kdizzle]

Play the hits.  Drop Shot, Tube, Ned, Jerkbaits.  Smallies are easier to figure out than you sometimes hear.

[PaulVE64]

Texas rigged senko into the stumps.

Fluke or jerkbait if you have any pools.

Squarebill and tubes into the rocks.

 

Spinnerbait sounds right but i have no faith in them myself. I like the spook for topwater.