River Smallmouth fishing tips and tricks, VA.

[RdmaoRVA]

I'll be hitting the Rapidan/Rappahannock in Virginia with a buddy in the next week or two and don't have any real experience targeting smallies. Ideally looking for the best tips on what to throw and where to throw it especially this time of year, as I have no idea what the fish are up too. I'd love to have a whopper plopper tied on but need some insight about if it is the right time. Beyond that my thoughts are having tubes on hand, and plenty of ned rigs. I've also reads that squarebills and spinnerbaits along with paddle tails can work great but will ideally have two setups ready to go for the trip and try not to change it up too much.

[Brad Reams]

I've never fished there, however I've fished the James, New, Doah rivers. 

 

depending on water clarity, I'd stick with natural colors if clear, senkos, grubs, lizards, in green pumpkin or watermelon. 

If stained then chartreuse or purple, plastics, spinnerbaits.

 

the NED rig is a good smallie lure, however I find that it does get snagged in rocks. 

 

good luck, looking forward to your follow up report. 

[TnRiver46]

Fishing the rapids/shoals with ned rigs has proven to be a waste of money for me! You might could use weedless heads and get away with it but they hang like crazy in fast water and you can’t really go get them back if it’s really fast current. Top waters and tubes/worms are what I always come back to river fishing 

[ooga0341]

I like hopping tubes around rocks in the riffle and eddies. Buzzbaits are fun too, but have never used a whopper plopper.

[FryDog62]

I recommend a VMC Rugby Head in rivers if there are boulders. Not perfect but pretty good avoiding snags. Can use any plastic that works - Craw, Hula Grub, Ned, etc...

[RdmaoRVA]

Fishing Report: Water Temp was between 56 and 60, air Temp 43 and 70. Water was pretty stained brown, couple feet of visibility. We tried spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, tubes, plopper, tiny torpedo, jigged and ned rigged soft plastics, skirted jigs. The chosen baits that caught fish were jerkbaits (most productive/success with more than 1 color) and a white tube plus a lone fish on the tiny torpedo.

[Nitrofreak]

Small skirted jigs work well for SMB, drop shot is something that works best around current brakes, I use Missile Baits Bomb Shot’s, (Fishalicious color mostly) and Berkley’s Flat Worms 99 percent of the time, if you fish that in current just make sure you utilize shorter casts and shorten your distance between the hook and weight otherwise you will get a bow in the line and the only thing in the strike zone will be your weight, another one I had not seen mentioned was the double fluke rig, I hope you have a safe and fun trip !!

 

 

[Brad Reams]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:37 PM, RdmaoRVA said:

Fishing Report: Water Temp was between 56 and 60, air Temp 43 and 70. Water was pretty stained brown, couple feet of visibility. We tried spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, tubes, plopper, tiny torpedo, jigged and ned rigged soft plastics, skirted jigs. The chosen baits that caught fish were jerkbaits (most productive/success with more than 1 color) and a white tube plus a lone fish on the tiny torpedo.

bummer, but thanks for the follow up. 

I've had very little success when the water is stained, on float trips. 

 

Tiny torpedo is a good one for river fishing, a crippled killer is a similar slightly better bait. 

glad you had some luck on Jerkbaits. I'll use the small ones when the fishing is tough, and flukes if the fishing is good.   

 

2 hours ago, Nitrofreak said:

Small skirted jigs work well for SMB, drop shot is something that works best around current brakes, I use Missile Baits Bomb Shot’s, (Fishalicious color mostly) and Berkley’s Flat Worms 99 percent of the time, if you fish that in current just make sure you utilize shorter casts and shorten your distance between the hook and weight otherwise you will get a bow in the line and the only thing in the strike zone will be your weight, another one I had not seen mentioned was the double fluke rig, I hope you have a safe and fun trip !!

 

 

the double fluke only works in my dreams, so far. ?

Great looking action, even tried it in saltwater, and lakes, but never had any luck on it.  

[Nitrofreak]

On 4/27/2021 at 10:00 PM, Brad Reams said:

bummer, but thanks for the follow up. 

I've had very little success when the water is stained, on float trips. 

 

Tiny torpedo is a good one for river fishing, a crippled killer is a similar slightly better bait. 

glad you had some luck on Jerkbaits. I'll use the small ones when the fishing is tough, and flukes if the fishing is good.   

 

the double fluke only works in my dreams, so far. ?

Great looking action, even tried it in saltwater, and lakes, but never had any luck on it.  

Work on getting it in very skinny water where they have the advantage of pinning their prey, if they do not beach themselves trying to get it then bring it out just barely under the surface with really small twitches to keep it in the strike zone as long as possible before the current grabs it, unless they are in a very aggressive mood then the speed really won’t matter as much, not sure if you have tried this but if not I hope this helps, good luck and be safe !!!