Smallmouth fishing in rivers: Cranks or soft baits

[Bassman2144]

I'm a new person to smallmouth, however I'm going to start hitting the rivers heavy this summer for smallmouth.  The question I have is what does everyone prefer to use as bait in the rivers.  Lake fishing I like to use soft baits like Gulp and plow jockeys.  I also like to use crank baits, what does everyone use?

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

Well, one consideration is lost lures. I fish some soft plastics weedless and still lose most of them! I think you will find soft plastics to be very effective. I had some luck last weekend throwing a GYCB Single-Tail Grub on a 1/8 oz jig jead. Other plastics to consider are 3 1/2" tubes, Hula Grubs, lizards, Fat Ika and Senkos.

The only class of hard baits I actually use is jerkbaits.

Good luck!

8-)

[fishizzle]

soft plastics are great

I use jigs-

jerkbaits Rapala slashbait--rip it

spinnerbaits Willowleaf--burn it

Senko all sizes- drop shot, wacky deadstick

tubes- spiraling down then dragged

Search lots more info on this site--good luck

[smallieking]

hey welcome   i use both  soft baits alot more than hard but considering which one is basically all seasonally   for example  on rivers here  the prespawn which is colder weather smallies are just coming out of hibernation and are very active and hungry   i like to use a fast moving reaction bait like a jerkbait  x raps are great and the old rebels are ok too.  well then there is the spawn  soft is teh only way to go  if u can sight fish  tubes and larger profile baits but when u cant see very well a carolina rig or fluke is a great bait to use   i like crankbaits during the post spawn   then summer really depends on the conditions then fall is mostly soft baits and jigs    just wondering where u are from?

[Bassman2144]

I am from the good ol' state of Michigan.  I live near the capital in a town of Grand Ledge Michigan.  I bought a small jon boat to fish the rivers and was looking to do some small mouth bass fishing

[the captain]

Well I don't fish rivers for smallies but I fish abig crick and prespawn generally spinnerbaits work well, Spawn tubes and other large things worked slow, then the rest of the summer I use senkos mainly, then I use any kind of plastics till I find what they like. I rarely use crankbaits at all mainly because I don't have much luck with them in the winter I use Jigs and some tubes T-rigged worked real slow every now and then I'll tie on a crankbait and play around a little but that usually don't last to long. I would actually rather use jerk-baits over cranks too. So I'd go with soft baits.

[HesterIsGod]

Every lure i use for largemouth i use for smallies. I just go a little smaller and usually adjust my technique to a little faster and erratic

[kevin07]

I fish a big creek in Pa i mostly use texas rigged creature baits and and tubes, i hammer em

[smallieking]

yea im from PA so the baits that work good here can work terrible over there   just keep it simple natural colors and you will be able to figure it out and start making patterns based on your experiences

[HesterIsGod]

I fish a big creek in Pa i mostly use texas rigged creature baits and and tubes, i hammer em

Welcome to BR, Kevin

[Bronzeback117]

I live in Michigan also. Last year was the first year I tried wacky rigging senkos in the rivers. I tore em up. So def give that a try. Also, I like to use 3" gulp craws and rebel crawfish.

[Chode2235]

I fish small rivers for smallmouth all summer, and really only use hard baits.  I love the jointed and original rapalas.  Gold color, up where I am works wonderfullly.

I like the rapalas in the river because they can be scattered out over a variety of structure.  The hard minnow baits can cover a lot of water, and give you great flexibility in your presentation.  They also work well for drifting and floating.  I found while using jigs or other soft bottom hugging baits that I drifted to fast to really fish them.

Granted soft baits have their place, especially when the fish are more negative, but in the summer I throw jointed rapalas pretty much exclusively.  

p.s.  the rebel crawfish work great too.

[AKFerzy7]

bandit 100s in craw pattern work well

[jrhennecke]

Most of the river smallies I've caught out here have been on crankbaits.  A Bomber Flat A in brown craw.

[brushcutter]

I use both. Jerk baits, bomber a's, rocket shads, poor boys goby on a stand up head, Here lately I have had good luck with storm swim baits. Especially the chartruse shad 3".

[brittlab]

I just started wading rivers and creeks for smallies last year and the rebel teeny craws were very productive as were the rapala jointed floaters. I hope to try out more plastics and tubes this season.

[WV_Eagle]

I have most success with softs...especially tubes and craws.  Also has some success last year drifting Berkeley Gulp minnows and gobies.

Less success with hard baits...but it may well be me and my presentation.

[skeeter55]

I fish or smallies in Missouri and Arkansas. I have found crankbaits work best in fast water and tube baits for slower water. I have caught them on sinko baits.

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

8-)

[Josey Wales]

GOD I LOVE SMALLIES!

Try a Big-O in the craw pattern... there are 2 out now, one is a brown and the other a red...  2 1/4 inch I believe.

If you have time on your hands sandblast one and due a greenish blue craw...

works for me, and I hope this helps.

Tubes are always good, but better in lakes I think.

[Bassnbrett101]

I hammer the rivers around Pittsburgh Pa and i would have to say without a doubt that the best two baits you can use are jerkbaits and tube jigs

[MNGeorge]

The upper Mississippi where we fish runs fairly dirty most of the early season.  During that time we use tubes, spinnerbaits, buzz baits and crankbaits.  We use rattles in the tubes.  Crankbaits are mostly lipless models in some kind of Chrome color pattern.  Spinnerbaits are single colorado blade or tandem willowleaf blades in white or chartreuse.  Buzzbaits are Persuader double buzzers in white or chartreuse.  ;D

[Phishin Fillip]

In the rappahannock river i use a lot of double tail hula grubs texas style.  They are my go to bait because they dont get lost too easy if rigged with a 4/0 offset hook.  They do, however, get their tails bitten off pretty often by smaller smallmouth and bluegill.  If you are wading as long as you arent fishing a particular deep spot in a river you shouldnt have a problem going up to whatever bait you are using and getting it unstuck.  I will definitely start using some cranks and things that aren't quite as safe.  I'll be fishing the New this spring and the Rappahannock this summer and I'll be back to the New in the fall.

[Tokyo Tony]

So basically, if I read this thread right, you can use pretty much anything - I think that is the case, depending on the conditions ;D

I will say, the few times I've fished for river smallies, that minnow baits worked head and shoulders better than plastics.  I've had a couple days where we'd go through stretches below rapids that literally every cast you'd get bit with any kind of jerkbait, but couldn't sniff a strike on a plastic worm or grub.  Sometimes they're just looking to eat some sushi  ;D

Amen Josey Wales, I LOVE SMALLIES TOO!!!

[Bassnbrett101]

for river fishig all you need are 3 1/2 inch tube in green pumpkin on a jig head and lucky craft jerkbaits.  if you have those two things and your fishing for smallmouth you will do well