I'm an addict

[bassnleo]

.......a river smallmouth addict!

 

It's been some time since I've been terribly active on these forums. Back when I was, I was deep in the federation and club tournament scene. Gone every weekend. Came within 3 ounces of qualifying for the national federation championship in 2009, then in 2010..... I flamed out. Following our 2010 state championship and doing poorly after a stellar practice on a lake I know very well, I was so mad.....

It was about a month later that I realized that it was time for a break. A step back. A reevaluation. I shouldn't end up mad over a hobby I enjoy so much. 

I took a break from the tournament scene. 

About 8 years ago I began to jump back in to a few. Won some, lost some, the usual. What I realized is that my absolute favorite waters to target are free flowing shallow rivers and smallmouth bass. So now that's what I do. Even run a tournament circuit on one river and regularly attend one on another 3 hours away. My wife often joins in as well. I'm enjoying it once again, at my own choosing. 

I like to consider myself experienced, but no expert by any means. 

Let's talk some river smallmouth! 

 

BTW, I wrote a Tube Fishing 101 post which is still pinned under the Best Of Bass Resource thread. I still add to that! Love me some tubes! 

 

 

 

[ironbjorn]

All at once everyone: "Hi bassnleo!"

[Dwight Hottle]

Welcome back. I always figured you were a good stick. 

[Skunkmaster-k]

Hi Bassnleo

[Sphynx]

I treasure any opportunity I get to chase smallmouth in the river, I am firmly convinced that this class of fish is the hardest fighting, most aggressive, acrobatic and fun to catch fish in a freshwater environment, haven't got a long history with the tube like some of you guys, but I have been trying to make it a point to fish one more often this year and it's paying dividends especially on days where they won't touch anything else, soon as coach says I can come out of the penalty box for a beer bug violation I think it will be time to go get reacquainted with the brutish bronzebacks on my favorite river point, I think I'll make it a point to wander over and read the tube thread you mentioned!

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, Sphynx said:

I treasure any opportunity I get to chase smallmouth in the river, I am firmly convinced that this class of fish is the hardest fighting, most aggressive, acrobatic and fun to catch fish in a freshwater environment, haven't got a long history with the tube like some of you guys, but I have been trying to make it a point to fish one more often this year and it's paying dividends especially on days where they won't touch anything else, soon as coach says I can come out of the penalty box for a beer bug violation I think it will be time to go get reacquainted with the brutish bronzebacks on my favorite river point, I think I'll make it a point to wander over and read the tube thread you mentioned!

Smallies are wonderful but there’s some freshwater fish that will put them to shame. Gar, channel cats, striped bass, wipers, and of course the silly carp 

 

The tube I use 99 percent of the time is strike king bitsy tube with a 1/8 round ball jighead inside 

[Tatsu Dave]

On 8/13/2021 at 10:08 PM, bassnleo said:

.......a river smallmouth addict!

Yes I admit it.......a hopeless SM addict that is only focused on big ones. Can usually tell right away which has hit my lure. Gotta head for my meeting now...........

[Spankey]

Great post. I’m an addict. I’m obsessed. I love fishing river Smallies and put it at my life list near the top. 
 

If this is my only bad habit in life I don’t have any bad habits. 

[gunsinger]

No smallies in south MS that I am aware of so I have to settle for being addicted to LMB fishing.

[Spankey]

1 minute ago, gunsinger said:

No smallies in south MS that I am aware of so I have to settle for being addicted to LMB fishing.

Good stuff?

[JLBBass]

Love my smallies! NEVER fish for smallies without at least 1 tube rod ready!.........Usually 2 or 3 ready!

Favorite is the 2.5" IGS Mini Intimidator

[Tatsu Dave]

6 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Smallies are wonderful but there’s some freshwater fish that will put them to shame. Gar, channel cats, striped bass, wipers, and of course the silly carp 

Have had quite a bit of experience with channel cats, carp, and stripers in heavy current (tailrace) the channels were gear killers and hook straightener's. Stripers hit like a train and did a lot of head shaking down deep. Used steel hooks and heavy line to bring em' boat side. Carp I dislike too much to give any credit too. The king pound for pound was the hybrid striper/white perch, football shaped and the hardest fighting. Picture a white perch about 10-15lbs in a strong current. Don't know where SM come in but the places I fish have both and you can tell a big SM on the first run. Miss that Conowingo tailrace when the sirens would start and gizzard shad would fill the tailrace like a fish buffet.  

[dovii]

On 8/13/2021 at 10:08 PM, bassnleo said:

.......a river smallmouth addict!

 

It's been some time since I've been terribly active on these forums. Back when I was, I was deep in the federation and club tournament scene. Gone every weekend. Came within 3 ounces of qualifying for the national federation championship in 2009, then in 2010..... I flamed out. Following our 2010 state championship and doing poorly after a stellar practice on a lake I know very well, I was so mad.....

It was about a month later that I realized that it was time for a break. A step back. A reevaluation. I shouldn't end up mad over a hobby I enjoy so much. 

I took a break from the tournament scene. 

About 8 years ago I began to jump back in to a few. Won some, lost some, the usual. What I realized is that my absolute favorite waters to target are free flowing shallow rivers and smallmouth bass. So now that's what I do. Even run a tournament circuit on one river and regularly attend one on another 3 hours away. My wife often joins in as well. I'm enjoying it once again, at my own choosing. 

I like to consider myself experienced, but no expert by any means. 

Let's talk some river smallmouth! 

 

BTW, I wrote a Tube Fishing 101 post which is still pinned under the Best Of Bass Resource thread. I still add to that! Love me some tubes! 

 

 

 

 

Is tube same as ned rig? I could not find the post you are referring to.

[J Francho]

21 minutes ago, dovii said:

 

Is tube same as ned rig? I could not find the post you are referring to.

A tube is quite a bit different from a ned rig.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

27 minutes ago, dovii said:

 

Is tube same as ned rig? I could not find the post you are referring to.

It’s better! Costs less and doesn’t melt 

[Spankey]

There are a lot of good tubes out there. A Case Tube in Roadkill Camo is at the top of my list. 

[billmac]

I've fished river smallies my whole life, mostly wading and in canoes.  I could catch 30 a day, but there is seldom any size to them.

 

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, billmac said:

I've fished river smallies my whole life, mostly wading and in canoes.  I could catch 30 a day, but there is seldom any size to them.

 

Well…… why not? Just curious. River smallies routinely reach 20” from NY to NC

[billmac]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Well…… why not? Just curious. River smallies routinely reach 20” from NY to NC

It's a good question, but I really don't know.  I grew up on the St. Regis river, a tributary of the St. Lawrence.  You could fish all day and catch dozens of bass, but you'd be hard pressed to come up with 3 keepers.  The Little Salmon river is a half hour away, about a third of the width of the St. Regis.  You might also catch a third as many fish, but they would mostly be keepers.

[TnRiver46]

6 minutes ago, billmac said:

It's a good question, but I really don't know.  I grew up on the St. Regis river, a tributary of the St. Lawrence.  You could fish all day and catch dozens of bass, but you'd be hard pressed to come up with 3 keepers.  The Little Salmon river is a half hour away, about a third of the width of the St. Regis.  You might also catch a third as many fish, but they would mostly be keepers.

Gotcha. I’d be fishing the one all those river flow into! (St Lawrence)

[Spankey]

36 minutes ago, billmac said:

I've fished river smallies my whole life, mostly wading and in canoes.  I could catch 30 a day, but there is seldom any size to them.

 

Over the years I’ve picked off some dandy’s in the river. My situation is presently like yours. I’m dealing with it. 
 

But a 15” river Smallie will outfight his 3lb. Cousin. 

2 hours ago, Spankey said:

There are a lot of good tubes out there. A Case Tube in Roadkill Camo is at the top of my list. 

One of my friends just texted me and he thinks Case is down and out or not producing now. 
 

They put out a great product. Good Smallie stuff for river rats. Their hellgies are good stuff also. 

[billmac]

30 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Gotcha. I’d be fishing the one all those river flow into! (St Lawrence)

I'm working on getting my 30+ year old bass boat a little more reliable, and then I'm going to try to get out there more often.  I just watched 3 days of the college anglers pulling in giants every day.

[Blue Raider Bob]

New to the forum and love the talk of Smallmouth Bass in Rivers. I would really like more info on the Tube fishing you guys are talking about. I fish the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers in middle Tennessee especially below Nickajack Dam at the Guntersville headwaters. Can you guys point me to some info you have printed?

[Spankey]

I’m not new to tube fishing been doing it a long time. I’ve been trying to pick up different rigging styles and am finding stuff on you tube. 
 

Smaller tubes and rigging them is pretty simple. Someone like BPS has everything. I’ve been fishing the larger magnum tubes more often on the lake for Greenies. More of a pitching or punching them approach. Has been working some on inactive fish.

 

There should be some decent info from Case, Strike King and BPS out there. 

16 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

New to the forum and love the talk of Smallmouth Bass in Rivers. I would really like more info on the Tube fishing you guys are talking about. I fish the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers in middle Tennessee especially below Nickajack Dam at the Guntersville headwaters. Can you guys point me to some info you have printed?