Please help me catch a smallie in my local river.

[TheBasslayer]

Hello! I do not know how to catch river smallies consistantly, although I have some ideas, like 4 inch senkos, ned rigs, and small jerkbaits like the one I caught my first Sauger on. My PB smallie is like 0.75, and I hope to catch a bigger one soon. I caught that on a 3.8 Keitech on a Gamakatsu Alien Head jig, so is there and suggestions for lures? Thanks. My birthday is 5 days away, so if I get a gift card, I can get some smallie lures.

[Spankey]

I have no idea what river you are talking about. But without knowing anything other than there are Smallies there about all I feel I would need to catch them is Berkley Power Grubs, Berkley 4” Power Worms, Berkley Power Tubes, 1/4 oz. Rat-L-Trap, Rapala Shad Rap and SK or Booyah Micro Spinnerbait. All would fit in a ZipLock bag. 
 

Happy Birthday ? 

[TheBasslayer]

Just now, Spankey said:

I have no idea what river you are talking about. But without knowing anything other than there are Smallies there about all I feel I would need to catch them is Berkley Power Grubs, Berkley 4” Power Worms, Berkley Power Tubes, 1/4 oz. Rat-L-Trap, Rapala Shad Rap and SK or Booyah Micro Spinnerbait. All would fit in a ZipLock bag. 

It is called the Kalamazoo River

[Spankey]

My whole world doesn’t revolve around PowerBait soft plastics. But I can only recommend them as a starting point. And they will work. The three I’ve mentioned worked what seems like 30 years ago for me and still today. 
 

Rat-L-Trap......what can I say. They make things happen. They have kept me from getting skunked many days. 
 

Have fun with it. Keep it simple. 

[PaulVE64]

River Smallies

 

Look for rock shelves near current seams and also look for deeper pools with a shallow nearby that has some kind of protection from birds.

 

 

[Scott F]

Are you fishing from the bank, floating in a canoe or kayak or wading?

[JWall14]

I’m in Chicago but the Kalamazoo is good enough for me to mark put in spots, so your not on a bad river by any means. Honestly now can be tough especially after rain. I almost leave my rivers in the spring because it can be so tough. Ned rigs, tubes, wacky worms, flukes, 2.8 swimbait. I would start out with Ned/tube it doesn’t really matter which. If your getting plants all the plants ime switch to a Ned it comes the rough the grass better. If the Kal has good plant growth already (like mine do), target lay downs/places without grass. 

[TheBasslayer]

46 minutes ago, Scott F said:

Are you fishing from the bank, floating in a canoe or kayak or wading?

Bank fishing, although I can wade with my waders if I have time.

[TnRiver46]

Purchase some zoom dead ringers and you will thank me later 

[TheBasslayer]

28 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Purchase some zoom dead ringers and you will thank me later 

Will try it with my birthday money. Thank you everyone! I will give someone a checkmark if I get a big one.

[billmac]

If there are rapids, tie on a Mepps or a beetle spin, get out in the water and hit the calm areas behind rocks or trees.  The deeper areas just below the rapids will holder larger fish.  Bank fishing is tough unless you've got room to move.  Smallies tend to be aggressive so don't spend a lot of time in one spot.

 

The inline spinner will catch numbers.  If you use a 1/4 oz beetle or meeney spin, you'll catch bigger fish and it's not as snag-able.

 

[youngpky]

I've always had luck with ned rig and wacky rig at the local streams around here. Drop it off the ledge and they are usually some holding right underneath. Good Luck!

[billmac]

If you do decide to venture into rapids or swifter water, ditch the waders and just get wet.  You have much more range of motion and if you slip and fall waders can be dangerous.

[Spankey]

I was looking for some help yesterday on the river also. Had it planned in my head how I was primarily going to approach it in my head. Tubes, small t-rigs and craws. Got out early at the end of overnight rain. Wind picked up early. Was a struggle finding that Smallie bite. Did manage three white perch on Shad Raps. Had to fish a bit heavier SR than I wanted because of the wind. Should have taken the time to throw a Rat-L-Trap. I thought I was on to something with Shad Raps. Season is very very early for me. Good luck, hang in there. 

[TheBasslayer]

1 minute ago, Spankey said:

I was looking for some help yesterday on the river also. Had it planned in my head how I was primarily going to approach it in my head. Tubes, small t-rigs and craws. Got out early at the end of overnight rain. Wind picked up early. Was a struggle finding that Smallie bite. Did manage three white perch on Shad Raps. Had to fish a bit heavier SR than I wanted because of the wind. Should have taken the time to throw a Rat-L-Trap. I thought I was on to something with Shad Raps. Season is very very early for me. Good luck, hang in there. 

I just had my birthday party at my Mom's house, and I cannot wait to use all of my birthday money to buy lures! I can buy a ton, especially since I got lots of birthday money! And also the season seems to also be early for me since I am in Michigan.

[Spankey]

4 hours ago, TheBasslayer said:

I just had my birthday party at my Mom's house, and I cannot wait to use all of my birthday money to buy lures! I can buy a ton, especially since I got lots of birthday money! And also the season seems to also be early for me since I am in Michigan.

I don’t want to come off like too much of a father figure but put half that money in the bank and buy some lures with some of it. This bass fishing is pretty addictive and hate to see you buy stuff you don’t need. 
 

If river Smallie fishing has got you going, check and do a search for river Smallie baits. Or you post a topic for river Smallie baits and lures. I’m pretty sure a few guy including myself can throw some Smallie bait at you that don’t break the bank. But are very productive. 
 

You should try to work yourself up to getting a nice ML - fast spinning rig setup for plastics.  6’ 6”” to 7’ and a decent BC setup Medium power for Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and light jigs. You should be able to find one rod at first to do everything you need it to do. Maybe a moderate fast tip. 
 

Take your time. Get some fish under your belt. Sort of let the fish tell you what direction to go. 

[TheBasslayer]

Ok. I have a 6'6 medium baitcaster, so I'm good with that. I'll probably use half of my 133 bucks to get the beginning med light combo, although my medium Ugly Stik Elite is more like a Med light, so for now I should be fine. I just need a reel.

[MickD]

If I go to the river to fish smallies I use the same lures you mention in your first post, especially the Kietech.  You might add a surface lure, but what you are using should work fine.  Are you sure there are decent smallies there?  Focus on the deeper areas on the outside turns, where current meets still water, in the current shelter of rocks, weed edges, depending on what is there.

I just noticed Mepps being mentioned-good suggestion for river smallies.

 

[PaulVE64]

the rig

6'0" MLfast StC Triumph + Daiwa BG 2500 with 15# hi vis and a 5ft leader of 20# mono

 

the lures

white or greenpumpkin or junebug TUBES

shad coloured squarebill cranks

bone or black whopper plopper

jigs - I make my own, more than I need 

 

go often and good luck

 

[Spankey]

On 4/26/2021 at 9:05 AM, Spankey said:

I was looking for some help yesterday on the river also. Had it planned in my head how I was primarily going to approach it in my head. Tubes, small t-rigs and craws. Got out early at the end of overnight rain. Wind picked up early. Was a struggle finding that Smallie bite. Did manage three white perch on Shad Raps. Had to fish a bit heavier SR than I wanted because of the wind. Should have taken the time to throw a Rat-L-Trap. I thought I was on to something with Shad Raps. Season is very very early for me. Good luck, hang in there. 

Pulled off my first Smallie of the year last night. No prize only 11” on a Rapala jerkbait. Could not fish tubes and grubs the way I wanted to because of the wind. Caught a few more white perch on Shad Raps. Generally I don’t find these white perch where I’m fishing. Close by but not in the current where I’m at. Good to catch that first one. Mindset gets better. Been hammering the heck out of some trout the last month. I’ll scale that fishing back now. Good luck. 

[TheBasslayer]

1 hour ago, Spankey said:

Pulled off my first Smallie of the year last night. No prize only 11” on a Rapala jerkbait. Could not fish tubes and grubs the way I wanted to because of the wind. Caught a few more white perch on Shad Raps. Generally I don’t find these white perch where I’m fishing. Close by but not in the current where I’m at. Good to catch that first one. Mindset gets better. Been hammering the heck out of some trout the last month. I’ll scale that fishing back now. Good luck. 

I love my rapala jerkbaits! I caught my PB Lagemouth on an Olive Green 4 inch Shadow Rap in the middle of summer! I just casted it into this culvert and I got it! I also used a big X-Rap to catch my first pike, and a small X-Rap to catch my 1st Sauger! I might try my X-Rap for some Smallmouths, and I'll try some of the baits that were listed in this thread! Still haven't gone fishing because of school

[Spankey]

I’m a Rapala junkie. My first lure was a floater diver back in the early 70’s. I don’t have every lure Rapala produced but I have to say every Rapala I brought in my lifetime I think I caught fish on. I fish other brands of hardbaits but I believe could fish Rapala hardbaits exclusively and get by doing so. But that’s no fun. Good fishing. 

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, Spankey said:

Pulled off my first Smallie of the year last night. No prize only 11” on a Rapala jerkbait. Could not fish tubes and grubs the way I wanted to because of the wind. Caught a few more white perch on Shad Raps. Generally I don’t find these white perch where I’m fishing. Close by but not in the current where I’m at. Good to catch that first one. Mindset gets better. Been hammering the heck out of some trout the last month. I’ll scale that fishing back now. Good luck. 

 Nice!!! Your fellow smallmouth junkies are glad to have you back in the saddle 

[TheBasslayer]

Well I got some tubes made by a guy locally at my local tackle shop, so I should be fine for now. I will buy some more of the lures that you guys suggested later when I go again soon.