Tackle for River fishing

[J. M. Richardson]

I was curious to know what everyone uses for river fishing here. I've never fished rivers before (there are plenty of lakes and ponds in Wisconsin to fish). This weekend, though, I'm going to be heading out to the Skunk River in central Iowa (Ames, Ares). It's still been on and off cold here (today is 50 - yesterday was 30). Water temps probably in the high 40s/low 50s

What would you throw from the bank?

Thanks, Justin  

[roadwarrior]

Soft platics weedless bouncing along the bottom or single tail grubs

on a jig head with a steady retrieve. Cast upstream so that the bait

moves toward you. Take along a lot of plastic and hooks, you're going to lose them.

Good luck!

8-)

[J. M. Richardson]

Thanks for the tips, and I've got plenty of plastics to go around. I was hoping to try out my new Rapala Husky Jerk and some jigs too, since I am new to Jerkbaits and want to figure them out before I fish a tournament at the end of the month

[roadwarrior]

Okay, but you're going to lose some or at least that's my experience.

:

[moby bass]

Yep, don't take anything you're not willing to or can't afford to lose.

The river I fish has so many snags in it sometimes I think it's not worth the effort.  I fish mostly jigs with grubs, sluggos, plastic worms and such. For the northerns, when it warms up, buzzbaits work great and they rarely snag.

[CRFisher]

I've resorted to using only braid.  30lb braid can handle most of what you might get snagged on, except for rocks (or in my neck of the woods - shopping carriages and tires).  

A lot depends on whether it's a fast or slow moving river.  Slow moving rivers or in coves can pretty much be fished like a lake, faster water is a bit different.  Structure is still important, they'll hide behind something to protect them from the current waiting for their food to be swept to them.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I have had very good luck with a Devil Horse top water lure in my local river system.

[Mottfia]

RW, is dead on.Plastics are great baits, definitely from bank fishing. I'd also suggest a spinnerbait too. Slow rolling it around creek mouths it deadly in cold water rivers. Just fast enough to make the blades spin.

Mottfia

[Crestliner2008]

I've lost more darn hard jerkbaits trying to fish them from the shore, when I have only a limited time to fish. Too expensive for me to consider anymore. I'd go with 1/8 oz. plain ball head jigs and 3" - 4" curly tailed grubs (white, chartreuse, smoke & green pumpkin). One of those colors will work. Yep, you'll lose a lot too, but they are cheap and VERY effective!

[bass wrangler569]

Okay, but you're going to lose some or at least that's my experience.

:

RWs right, fishing from the bank you're probably going to lose a lot of jerkbaits.  Like others said, use tubes and curly tail grubs.

[fatbass]

Don't waste your cranks- they will hang up. Topwaters are good for river stuff but I personally feel its too early for that bite.

If you really want to crank, you can get away with Shad Raps #5 an 7 by taking the front hook off. It doesn't noticeably effect the bait. But they won't get hung up as bad.

Stay with plastics. Use just enough weight to maintain contact.  Too much weight means more snags.  

[sammy1]

throw a fluke. you can fish it real slow with occasional jeks. or if the are active you can work it near the surface. riggeg wedless on a 5 ought hook you wont snag and will allow you to fish all kinds of cover. if the fish arent shallow you can still throw it with a weighted hook.

[ToledoEF]

For the walleye run here we use a nice rig so you dont get hung up so often. I use 10 lb main line to a 1/2 oz (give or take some weight depending on current) 1/2 oz inline sinker (a swivel end on both sides)

to 8 lb leader line  (regular mono is fine) then we use floating jig heads with a single tail grub (think mister twister) With this set up you dont loose as many sinkers just a few jig heads.