Power & Finesse Balance While Smallmouth Fishing

[A-Rob]

I don't know about you guys, but I tend to have a fast paced style of fishing. I like lures that cover water, get reaction strikes. This would include a spinnerbait, a fast moving x-rap or crankbait, or stroking a tube. I have been trying to incorporate a more precise, finesse skill set to my game. This would include shaky head fishing, and drop-shotting. So this would lead me to my questions...

1. What is your favorite power technique for smallies?

2. What finesse style do you fish to offset your power       fishing?

Thanks guys, your ideas will make me better.

[roadwarrior]

1. Jerkbaits, hands down! I like Pointer 100 &

128. For a smaller presentation, X-Rap (XR08).

My "secret weapon" is the Sworming Hornet

with a 3 1/2" LFT Live Magic Shad trailer.

2. Finesse:

My #1 lure on lakes is the Fat Ika, weightless,

in water less than 12'. For deeper water,

Mizmo 3.5" Small Jaws tube.

Other options are the Swim Senko, GYCB 5" Single Tail Grub,

Slug-Go and Kut Tail on a Evolution Shake2 jig head. Although

I have had some luck on hair jigs, they are not among my

"go to" favorites.

Now for the disclaimer: Live bait outfish artificials at least

10:1. I mostly fish shiners on the Tennessee river.

[A-Rob]

I like those ideas.

thanks!

[jacobhookem]

1. Smaller suspending crankbaits; Ireel it down to its max depth then twitch it and let it suspend. This is good when the bass are suspended.

2. Light weight drop shot; i have caught tons of fish all year long dropshoting with a 12 inch leader and 1/8 ounce weight. I would recomend smaller roboworms or poor boy's erie darters(i like to cut them in half long ways it is a little more of a finesse presentation)

Good Luck

[Md]

1. Power fishing= Rapala HJ-14 in glass colors/ white and chartreuse spinnerbait with double willow blades

2. Finesse= Dropshot with Roboworms/ Booyah Pro Boo Bug jigs in green pumpkin with Berkley Chigger Craw trailer

[A-Rob]

1. Power fishing= Rapala HJ-14 in glass colors/ white and chartreuse spinnerbait with double willow blades

2. Finesse= Dropshot with Roboworms/ Booyah Pro Boo Bug jigs in green pumpkin with Berkley Chigger Craw trailer

Nice, I messed around with a booyah boo bug with a yum trailer as I love throwing the jig & pig for some bucketmouths. I didn't stick with it long enough to figure out if it was legit. Now I know, I will start chuckin' it again.

[A-Rob]

1. Smaller suspending crankbaits; Ireel it down to its max depth then twitch it and let it suspend. This is good when the bass are suspended.

2. Light weight drop shot; i have caught tons of fish all year long dropshoting with a 12 inch leader and 1/8 ounce weight. I would recomend smaller roboworms or poor boy's erie darters(i like to cut them in half long ways it is a little more of a finesse presentation)

Good Luck

Thanks bro, sounds like the consensus is I need to shake the dust off my drop-shot skills.

[Tin]

No point in finesse or fishing slow for smallies. They're aggressive and vicious by nature. Even when I use a drop-shot, grub, or shakey head I'm fishing it fast. Drop it, move it a foot or two, burn it back in. A lot of the hits come when burning them back in to. Patiently finesse fishing for smallies is a waste of time imo.

[tnbassfisher]

All depends on where I'm fishing, but I have to lures that I am confident in, and happen to be my two favorites for smallmouth fishing overall.

1. Lakes, Rivers, Larger Creeks-Senko

2. Smaller Creeks, which is what I mostly fish.- Zoom 4" or 6" Lizard

[A-Rob]

No point in finesse or fishing slow for smallies. They're aggressive and vicious by nature. Even when I use a drop-shot, grub, or shakey head I'm fishing it fast. Drop it, move it a foot or two, burn it back in. A lot of the hits come when burning them back in to. Patiently finesse fishing for smallies is a waste of time imo.

I agree/disagree with you. There are times when slowing down works. I have had a lot of success fishing cover such as moored boats in a bay on my lake where you can burn a bait by it or pulling the bait out too soon and not get a bite, but a nicely placed lightly weighted plastic will grab it every time, commonly on the slow fall. I will see my line swimming before I flip the bail.  In open water then ya, I will stick with the erratic fast pace fishing. Dragging tubes is another slower tactic that works great for smallies up north.

[lousyfisher]

does jerkbaits work well in the winter?

[A-Rob]

depends. Whats your winter temps like? Smallies tend to hide out pretty good in the winter where I'm from. But if I were to fish for winter bass, most likely it will be largemouth and most likely I will be throwing a jerkbait, snapping it and pausing it for 1 minute then snapping it again. Its super slow fishing, I prefer summer fishing haha. Good luck bro.....oh ya and use live bait that will work better if you want to accelerate things