Smallmouth And Bait Size

[A-Jay]

This little guy regurgitated his last meal boat side.

Looks like Yellow perch was on special ~

(photo lost during recent upgrade)

A-Jay

[Bluebasser86]

The 5lb smallmouth I caught Monday had the tail of probably a 7-9 inch crappie sticking out of it's throat. I'm not sure how it even managed to get it into it's mouth. I guess it shouldn't be surprising to me, I've seen enough 12 inch smallmouth try to eat a full sized Spook to know they'll hit a bait about half their size.

[Dwight Hottle]

I caught a 5" smallie yesterday on a 6" jerk bait. Smallie will attack just about any size bait including 10-12" muskie baits.

[Crestliner2008]

I have to add, that I agree with the above - except - when you are fishing finesse presentations. Then, a 3" or 4" worm, on a drop shot rig, can make a big difference. If I'm using reaction type baits, then bigger is usually better.

[stratosjoe]

I've had them smash a 1 oz double willow spinnerbait with a pork trailer on KY lake on the main point mouths or ledges.

[Nashua Nev]

4 inch all black brokentail jitterbugs at night and 4 inch saltwater all black poprs during the early morning.

[roadwarrior]

Found a 4 pounder floating on the river last weekend. Scooped her up and removed

a giant blue gill that was stuck in her mouth. She appeared to be fine as she swam

away.

[flippin and pitchin]

My buddy got a 4-4 yesterday on a Shell Cracker wake bait. That is a big bait. I caught one

on a Super Spook that was shorter than the bait. Smallies are savage little beasts.

[Big Al23]

Unlike a largemouth, a smallie will attack a lure because it invaded its domain and because it's a natural response no matter the size as these guys above have said. The only time I've seen smallies ignore a bait is when they are on the beds but they still will hit the lure to keep it away from the bed, sometimes with the tail.

[Chris W]

I caught a 6.5lb smallmouth at pickwick several years ago that hit a spinnerbait the only problem was he had about a 1.5lb striper still in his mouth there was about 1/4 of it still all of the way out. After I brought him in he spit the rest of it up. I still cannot figure out why he was hitting my spinnerbait when he could not eat it.

[J Francho]

I've caught smallmouth of various sizes on 6" swimbaits.

[A-Jay]

On 10/13/2011 at 12:00 PM, J Francho said:

I've caught smallmouth of various sizes on 6" swimbaits.

I have not ventured into the 6" range for bass yet, but the 5" baits have been very good to me.

I throw the 6" baits for the long green toothy girls.

A-Jay

[NBR]

Many years ago I was fishing on the Chippawa Flowage. In the lodge bar's fish tank there was about a 10" bass, a 6" shiner and about a 4" bullhead. The next day after fishing the shiner's tail was sticking out of the basses mouth. The bartender said the bass would digest the shiner then go to work on the bull head. He said after the bass took the bull head he would replace both the shiner and the bull head and the cycle would start all over. Always with the shiner first.

[A-Jay]

 

Elephants Love Peanuts ~

A-Jay

[Turkey sandwich]

Man, it's funny how predators work.  My first smallmouth of the year came on a size 22 red zebra midge nymphing for brown trout.  Similarly, I've had 17" browns demolish 6" streamers.  Odds are good if a bait 1) matches the predator's food source and activity level or 2) really, really irritates the crap out of the predator, that predator is going to make sure the bait knows not to do it again.  

[rejesterd]

I agree with Crestliner2008.  As soon as I moved from 3/8 oz to 3/4 oz spinnerbaits, I started getting a lot more bites.  And when I downsized from larger finesse worms, I started getting a lot more bites.  The only exception is color.  For the waterway I fish all season (for the last 20 years or so), there is a certain color that they will hit no matter how big or small the bait is.  This weekend I'm actually about to try a new spinnerbait in that color just to see what happens.

[MickD]

I agree with most of the posts above, but will comment that there are times when smb are very choosy, (cold water, recently spooked, just plain choosy), and in those cases smaller (and slower) is better.  (Think Ned or slowly dragging tubes).

 

One time some friends were killing them and we were finding it slow. I finally noticed they were using smaller tubes, so I cut the tail about half off mine, and instantly was catching fish.  (Early summer, post spawn, about 8-10 feet deep in the typical trough near a sea wall).  This was a slow, even, dragging of the tubes, no hopping or twitching.

 

If the fish are active, they will hit anything/any size, so I usually start bigger/faster and change as necessary.

[8pt172]

A tiny 1/8 oz Black marabou jig will entice the BIGGEST SMB in the lake.  Caught many 5+ and lost a couple TRUE GIANTS 7+ at the boat, thanks to the tiny hooks.  But when the water is in the low to mid 40's, its the only bait i can get consistently bit on.

 

I always cut the bottom 3rd off my tubes that are 3.5" or bigger.  Just seem to bet better hook sets with the baits a little deeper in their mouths.  In the Spring, the 2.5" tubes are definitely my size of choice.  Match the color with the bottom is the key for me.

[MickD]

Just caught my PB smb Sunday (6# 7oz) on a New Money Ned, the little one.  Around here the green/red flake is usually as good as it gets in any soft bait.