Small Mouth Tips

[Peter E.]

hey ya'll I was fishing Little River this weekend and I was wondering how to get the most out of my small mouth fishing. I know how to read water (like look for current breaks, eddies, lay downs and so on) but I have never fished for small mouth. The water I am fishing is like the name says a small river and there is no way you could use motor boat in there. so keep in mind this is wade/float fishing here. ui could use all the advuce ya'll can give and be grateful for it.

Peter

[Deuceu72]

Do the same(for the most part) that you would do for a lm. Tubes,jigs, worms all should do just fine for the bronzebacks...........

[Biglouie]

I've always had good luck using Mepps inline spinners for river smallmouths.  Black/orane blade.

[paparock]

Spider Jigs or Hula Grubs or by any other name are very good!!!

[CJ]

I don't know the water temps where you are fishing but I would try the new Rapala X-Rap XR8.I would only use this as an outlet.Plastics are probally #1 for smallies(3 1/2 tubes).

[Nicky Greece]

  Im not the most experienced Smallie fisherman, but here in KY, the creek Smallmouth always seem to go for a Rooster Tail in white.

[Neubie]

I don't own a boat so just about all of my fishing is by foot so hope some of these help.

Depending on the temp. Top water, like the Heddon Torpedo. In line spinners Mepps/Panther Martin/Blue Fox #2's or #3's. Rapala Jointed(small) and just about any LM tackle.

[Peter E.]

When I down size from large mouth baits to small mouth how much should I do this? I still like to use the larger lures that I can for the fish in hopes of taking the larger fish. Also in this ultra clear water would ya'll suggest that I go with a flourocarbon on my reels? Is the bite in the spring for small mouth as heavy on crawfish as it is with spotted bass (red-eye)? What weight jigs? Like I said I have never fished for small mouth, so what differences are there if any? Do these fish feed on insects more readily than say, spotted bass? In the rocks  that hang my deep divers that I use do ya'll have any tips for keeping them from getting hung? I like a deep diver because it runs true in the currents. Well thanks for the advice already given trust me it has been well received.

Peter

[Vermonster]

I was always partial to live crawfish or live grass frogs.... Like candy to them.....    So, I guess immitation lures of those may be good......

[stonewall]

Crawfish imitations will be your best bet. Bitsy bug jigs in Green, Brown or black with blue small chunk. Also tubes work well in the same colors. Depending on the presence of baitfish you maybe able to use 1/4 oz. rattle traps, crawfish cranks, and smaller spinner baits. I have always done well with brown and orange skirts. If the water is clear I would use a 4-5 ft. leader of fluro and fish spinners and cranks real fast (ie don't let them get a look at it). For the redeye small bandit cranks work really well. I have alot of experience in doing this b/c for years it was all I could do on foot and limited travel time. ]

Good Luck

[djmax22]

Peter,

I fish in a river similar to the one you described for smallies. I suggest if it is a slow moving current I throw a Zoom trickworm weightless T-riged, Watermelon Candy or Pumpkinseed. Another softplastic i throw is a a Hula Grub made by chompers with a small jig head weight attached. I have never had to deviate from these two baits for river smallies. They simply tear it up. Good luck.

[roadwarrior]

Hula grub, 3 1/2" Gitzit, Fat Ika, floating and suspending jerkbaits (Rattlin' Rogue, Husky Jerk, Pointer 100 or 78, Rapala X-Rap), Zara Spook and Lucky Craft Sammy.

You do not need to downsize unless you are trying to catch little fish.

[Peter E.]

Sweet, thanks boys, I got a trip planned in the next three weeks, and I will try it ALL! Hey if ya'll get the chance try a bandit mistake, now that is dangerous!

Peter

[phisher_d]

Along with what everyone else has said, don't forget hair jigs, especially if the water is cold...

Good luck

[Peter E.]

Why hair Jigs? Does that make that big of a difference, does the style of jig change from that of a lm jig? I saw some with like, spinners, and such, so are things like that an issue?

Thanks,

Peter

[stonewall]

hair jigs have a smaller profile and have a little more breathability or movement in cold water, compared to other silicon/rubber jigs.

[snowpawn]

yep, i was gonna say hair jigs, especially on flats. i live by the susquehanna, and everyone swears by helgamites too. i haven't tried them yet, but that's definately the prefered live bait. i also have had luck trolling a 3" original rapala in the current, but not casting it. if all else fails, that may be worth a try, but burn it, and as long a cast as you can get. oh, black and either white or silver work best for me.... well this was late summer and fall, may not work so good now.

[phisher_d]

Peter,

Like stonewall said... Hair jigs are a subtle bait and they have an awesome pulsating, breathing action that a silicon/rubber jig doesn't really duplicate.  Don't get me wrong, there is difinitely a place for silicon/rubber jigs, but for cold water smallies a hair jig works best for me.  If the smallies are really sluggish, you can even deadstick the hair jig on bottom and the river current will give it action without you even doing anything to it.    

[cgs2004]

I caught a bunch of River smallmouth this past weekend on the Gasgonade River in Missouri.  I threw craw cranks and hula grubs but only caught fish on a #4 Mepps in-line spinner, black/orange.

[Peter E.]

What type of hair should I use on those hair jigs? Deer hair? I may tie a few to save some money! Besides it makes it more fun to tie 'em, and then catch 'em. What weight jig head and style works best or am I only limited by my imagination? Do any of ya'll use deep divers? I find them to be extremely effective and I was wondering If ya'll have any tips for keeping them from getting hung up? Now that would be helpful.

Peter

[stonewall]

Although it is hard to find I have had some bear hair jigs that worked great. I used bleach and Q-tips to add some orange to them. I have also used deer hair.

[RoLo]

If I'm not mistaken Pete, all natural hair is hollow (squirrel, deer, bear, fox) and therein lies the magic.

There's also a synthetic hair called "craft hair", used in the toy industry for doll hair.

I believe craft hair is solid hair though and I cannot recommend it (though it's used extensively in TN).

The choice of hair jigs is very limited today, in the wake of the new-age plastics.

Nonetheless, hair and marabou are inimitable materials. Having tried most of the hair jigs available,

I think you'd be hard pressed to beat "Cabela's Hand-Tied Bucktail Jig" (without rattles).

To each his own, but I like White/Red (011) and Chartreuse (096) in 1/8oz & 1/4oz (current-dependent).

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/common/search/search-results1.jsp?hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=hair+jig&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=hair+jig&noImage=0

Roger

[stonewall]

Punisher jigs from celina Tn. makes some good ones.

[RoLo]

Punisher Jigs use craft hair, not natural hair.

The original Hoss Fly was natural hair, but has been renamed

"Aspirin Head Jig" and now it too consists of craft hair. Avoid!

http://www.punisherjigs.com/categories.asp?cID=15&c=0

Roger