Lure questions for smallmouths...

[arthurspooner13]

Living in Michigan, i'm finally going to take advantage of some of the fantastic smallmouth waters we have been blessed with this summer.

I've got a couple of questions regards lures...

What style/brand of tubes would you recommend - and what size? Being primarily a largemouth fisherman, often times when i throw a tube it's when flipping and most of the flipping tubes on the market are more bulky. Would you go to something smaller for smallmouth? Also, what type of rigs would you recommend? Carolina-rig? Texas-rig? etc? Would i be at a big disadvantage throwing them on a texas-rig? I'm most comfortable/confident with a texas-rig is why i ask.

Also, i have a couple of question with cranks...

Would you guys recommend jerkbaits(like KVD's wild shiner) or lipless cranks? Which one would you consider the most productive for smallies, or which one would you choose if you could only bring one.

Thanks a ton...

[roadwarrior]

Soft plastics and jerkbaits:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1204046109

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1202759373/0

Good luck!

8-)

[arthurspooner13]

Would many of the river presentations also be considered the best presentations for lakes?

I'm going to be fishing lakes.

Two in particular, with much different structure:

The first lake i will mainly be focusing on fishing rocks, from the shoreline points. So i'll be casting up towards shore into a couple of feet of water and it drops down to 8-12 ft.

The second lake probably doesn't sound much like your classic smallmouth lake. It is shallow and weedy(also holds an abundance of walleye, pike, and largemouth). It's a very large lake but only has an average depth of about 7 ft. It holds a good number of smallies and a lot of decent size fish are taken regularly from my understanding.

Like i said in my previous post, i rarely fish for smallmouth so i'm pretty new to this.

Would i be going about it the wrong way if for the first lake(rocky pts) i started with a tube, and for the second lake(shallow weeds) i fished a jerkbait?

Also, what about spinnerbaits? Being primarily a largemouth fisherman, the spinnerbait is my go-to-bait and the bait i'm most comfortable/confident with. Would there by any succes with throwing these?

[roadwarrior]

Jerkbaits are a good option in both lakes. I prefer the Lucky Craft Pointer 100, but I also fish Rapala Husky Jerks (blue & silver) and the X-Rap (white).  My #1 suggestion for soft plastics in the GYCB Fat Ika, followed by GYCB 5" Single Tail Grub and the Single Tail Hula Grub.

For big smallmouth, try a 3/4 oz Ledgebuster Single Willow Blade around deep structure, humps, drops and points. This is the only spinnerbait I use to target brown fish.

Good luck!

8-)

[arthurspooner13]

Awesome - thanks a lot.

[smallieking]

just keep all your presentations simple and natural   remember that smallies love craws   so try using craw presentations alot  too

[arthurspooner13]

just keep all your presentations simple and natural remember that smallies love craws so try using craw presentations alot too

Now, as far as the retrieve, would method would you recommend beginning with?

For tubes, for example, would dragging it slowly be the best presentation?

And for cranks, is bottom bouncing it off rocks a good presentation? Also, how fast of a retrieve? I've heard some say that you want to burn it while i've heard others say a slower retrieve.

As for jerkbaits, is the pump-and-pause the best method? Or would simply retrieving it work best?

And one last thing... Is Fluorocarbon the recommended line while fishing tubes and cranks/jerks for smallies?

[brianbjk]

tubes are my fav to throw for smallies i prefer chompers tubes 3 1/2 in. on hard bottoms i'll rig it on a chompers stand-up tube jig, and when vegetation is thick i'll tex rig it.  as far as hard baits i like jerk baits for clear water and cranks and lipless cranks for for stained/dirty water.  also topwaters like a spook jr work good.   good luck

[brianbjk]

as far as retrieves go for tubes on the stand up jig i will hop subtly or simply drag it, let the fish tell u how they want it.  when i t-rig it i'll fish it a little more eraticlly to imitate an injured shad.  when fishing the jerkbait the best advice i can give u is watch a kevin van dam video either the 3 dvd set from bass pros or the season 1 of "the bass pros" he is amazing with a jerkbait, plus he is also from michigan and that is where he is fishing on those videos.  

[BaitBall]

When I fish a lake that holds both Large and Smallmouth, I like to throw something like the 4" Senko. Especially in shallow water like you are explaining. Both species will hit it and you never know what your going to catch. It is weedless, snagless and can be dead sticked or twitched faster.  In water up to 8 feet, you won't even need a weight.  I do this providing I know where the fish are.

I would never attempt covering water or learning a new lake with this bait.  For covering water in a new area, I would swim a grub or senko with a lead head.

I love that Lucky Craft bait too but It tends to produce better in low light conditions for me so I might start with that bait in morning or end up with that bait at dusk.  I think the ones in my tackle box are a version 1000 pointer. These plugs are $15, grrrrrrrr

If your water is not clear, maybe this would bait work all day. I have clear water here and the fish won't touch it after sun up.

[Tin]

Drop-shot, shakey heads, and tubes for clear water.

And as a spinnerbait fisherman pick up some chartruese spinnerbaits will 2 chartruese willow blades. They should be banned in smallmouth waters.  8-)

[Josey Wales]

My outlook on smallies.

First things first on tube selection. Keep it natural. There are TONS of companies out there who make tubes, but you have to find what works best.

what tubes work best for me?

[ftp]http://www.combat-bassfishing.com/[/ftp]

Met this guy at a fishing show, and I really believe in his product.

Tubes are obviously #1

Get some tube heads with rattles. Whether it be the Mark Zona models or the ones offered from northland tackle, they are good to have. Owner makes the phantom tube weight that works well too. The Stand up jigs are good too, but if they are the chompers stand ups ya need to shave em a tiny bit. On the retrieves, its a matter of what they want... hop em, rip em, drag em.... on the stand up set up try popping em.

Roadwarriors suggestion on ledgebusters is right on, these are great on smallies. especially on the deeper Lakes. they also have a longer arm that holds the blade, and although it changes the way they run, ive added willow blades to make it a gaudy large version of the quad shad.

Crankbaits for me its simple.. Big-O... its what they hit for me out here. I know there are more expensive better running and better designed cranks, but for some reason I just keep coming back to it.

Now if you go for em at night there are 2 lures I use for em 85% of the time.

1. Zara Spook

2. Zorro Aggrevator... (THEY HATE THE AGGREVATOR)

btw... what MI lakes you plan on fishin for smallies?

good fishing.

[arthurspooner13]

btw... what MI lakes you plan on fishin for smallies?

good fishing.

For sure i'll be headed to Burt/Mullet - i'm not sure i'm going to have time to fish both but i'll defently be on one of them for the day.

Houghton Lake(the shallow weedy lake i was referring to) and if i have time i might try out Higgins lake which is its neighbor. Two totally different lakes and i hate fishing deep water so if i only can fish one i'll be on Houghton.

Belleville(i'll probably be here on a few occasions) and possibly Ford lakes.

And i might just try Erie... I know Erie would hands down be the best option, but i really am not a fan of huge waters at all. And I know that some of the lakes i named are among the largest inland lakes in Michigan, but at least i can still see shorline all around me. Big lakes just freak me out a little - get "sea sick."

Have you ever fished any of these?

Is there any other smaller inland lakes that you would recommend for smallies in southeast Michigan? I'm actually from Metro Detroit.

And BTW, thanks a ton to everyone who has replied. I've defently taken notes and will put it to use.

[Josey Wales]

Those are all great options.

I live in White Lake, so I guess its metro detroit in a way.

In my opinion I would rank our Michigan inland lake smallmouth waters in the Lower Penninsula as follows. (granted its what ive fished as well... if I havent fished it try not to hold it against me)

#1 St. Clair ( yes I consider it inland and not a great lake)

#2 Burt and Mullet

#3 Lake Angelus (although its private, I bet ive pulled 15 4-5+ pounders out of here in the last 2 years.) Plus its like 2 and a half minutes from the Bass Pro here.

#4 Houghton Lake

#5 Gun Lake.. lots of pressure, but there are some biguns in there.

#6 Higgins

There are other lakes that have smallies, but not in significant numbers that I have fished... FLetchers is great for Largemouths, and there are some smallies in there but not alot.

Pontiac Lake has some smallmouth, but not very big yet.

Also I hate to say this, but ive never fished Kent, so I cant tell ya on that one. ( I plan of fishing it this year.)

Good fishing

[CRSMALLJAW15]

any tube watermelon red flake

carolina rigged brush hog w/r

rattle trap silver/black

senkos 5" weightless

arrons magic leeches on a drop shot

all have caught smallies 3+ and of course a bunch smaller for me

[MNGeorge]

2.  Zorro Aggrevator... (THEY HATE THE AGGREVATOR)

What is this bait?  I've never heard of it and can't find anything on the web about it.

Thanks.

[MNGeorge]

Never mind, I found it after spelling aggravator correctly.  Thanks.