What Is Your Favorite Technique For Smallmouth?

[smalljaw67]

What is everyones favorite technique to catch smallmouth? I have 2 that are very close, burnning a spinnerbait just under the surface but not quite waking it and fishing a jerkbait. The spinnerbait deal is so exciting in clear water and the hits you get are ultra violent, there really is nothing like burnning that bait and seeing it coming toward you and then in an instant you see a swirl, the bait disappears and the rod feels as if the fish is trying to rip free from your hands! But then you have the jerkbait, you make a cast to a point and you crank the bait down to depth and give it that first little jerk and then stop, you wait for 5 or 6 seconds and give it 2 or 3 jerks in a row and stop, and as you are about to repeat the process the line gets tightr and the rod doubles and the fight is on! And on the days when the water warms up you make the cast and beging the jerk-jerk-jerk- quick pause and repeat, you're working a fast cadence with a shallow running, floating style jerkbait, the bait is moving left and right, up and down at an ever maddening pace and then it happens, just as you start again after the quick pause a giant smallie comes literally out of nowhere and grabs the long slender offering and tries its best to free itself from being reeled in by you, the angler but to no avail! Like I said, it is hard to choose as both ways are super exciting.

[Will Wetline]

That's just a too-tough question!

They slam spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, tap-tap a hula grub, imperceptibly inhale a slowly swum tube, suck down a popper, whack a crank . . . nah, I'm not gonna make a choice. I will note that some of these baits have a particular time in the season when it's their prime time.

Other than that I'll say, " I love smallies!."

[Zoff]

I fish Smallies down the Staunton from Leesville Dam down to my place just outside of Altavista... Virginia that is. I have had the best of luck on Storm's 3" Kickin' Shad Blue Gill and Blue Steel Shad. Kinda work it like a jerk bait.

[A-Jay]

I have to agree with you.

Burning a spinnerbait is really tough to beat ~ because the strike is just so darn violent.

The all white double willow bladed bait is my weapon of choice here.

But a wide open top water bite does come is at a very close second.

The swish - swish - swish side to side glide of a big Zara Spook followed by that inevitable explosion as a big fat brown bass climbs all over it - well that's a heart stopper.

A-Jay

[Bluebasser86]

I love the way they try to break my wrist when I'm fishing a jerkbait. I really enjoy finesse fishing too though and the tap-tap when one picks up a shakeyhead really gets me going too!

[Dwight Hottle]

Jerkbaits prespawn on lake erie. Doesn't get any sweeter than that for me.

[drew4779]

There must be something wrong with me? Nothing is better than tubes on St. Clair. There's just something about setting that hook that's indescribable. A jerk bait is my #2.

[Crestliner2008]

My favorite technique is drop shotting - IF I'm fishing a lake. River fishing is a different scenario. There I prefer tubes. Then again, a lot is dependent on the time of the year too. Like Will said above, they'll turn on to different things at different times.

[A-Jay]

Jerkbaits prespawn on lake erie. Doesn't get any sweeter than that for me.

And you are clearly a jerkbait NINJA -

Teach me Master - for I am willing to learn . . . . . .

A-Jay

[Stingray23]

my favorites for smallmouth are a weightless 5.5" zoom fluke fished at a quick pace, jig/swimming a tube, and I also like lipless cranks

[nastynate]

Wow this is a tough one. These are my go to baits over the course of the season.

Heddon bullfrog torpedo - cast and retrieve

Zoom super fluke disco violet or green - weightless rig sporadic retrieve with occasional sink (floro line)

GYM 5'' sinko green pumpkin w/green and purple - split shot weightless rig or wacky (floro line)

Right bite baits salty tube 3 1/2 green pumpkin purple - 1/8 bite me jig head work bottom or drag bottom (floro line)

Mizmo 4'' big boy tube - blue craw same as above

Strike king 1.5 or rapala crankin rap - ( mono line)

This is whats been producing smallmouth for me up to date but this year im trying to expand my lures and tactics.

spinner baits , LC pointers , shakey heads , Jigs, baby rage craw, big grubs, ect......

[NBR]

While this may vary slightly with season when I leave the launch I'll have bait casters with a stick worm, a suspending jerk bait, a surface bait and a spinner bait. A spinning rig with a small jig and a grub. In summer I'll replace one of the originals with a C-rig,

[Dwight Hottle]

And you are clearly a jerkbait NINJA -

Teach me Master - for I am willing to learn . . . . . .

A-Jay

My wife says the reason I like jerkbaits soooo much is because I am the ultimate jerk.

[elkriverangler]

smalljaw67, You should have been a writer, just reading your post got me all pumped up.

I fish almost exclusively for Smallmouth on the River I live on here in WV (Elk). My favorite methods have been the Topwater bite with Floating Rapalas and Rebel Pop R's. When the Topwater bite is not on I love that little Tap you get with a Wacky Rigged Senko.

These have been my top producers by far in the past but I am going to try some Jerkbaits this season. I picked up some X Raps and X Rap Shads I am looking forward to trying out. I have only fished soft Jerkbaits (Flukes) in the past.

[dag623]

Funny to see u guys describe spinnerbait bites being so violent. Having fished largemouth waters exclusively until recently, I could only describe the smallie hit on it just as u... Violent! Started a tourney last yr throwing c-rigged sticks, followed by jerkbait, which had been the top two producers of the yr, but nothing that day. Threw the spinner on, and first cast... WHAP, rod nearly flew from my hands! Brought that one in, and followed it up with 2 more, and one lost. All three were over 3 lbs, one at 4. I still remember comparing those hits to those of a largemouth, and realized there was no comparing the 2. I will gladly take a well full of largemouth to weigh in, but when it comes to the sport of it, there is no contest, bronzeback takes the title in my book ;-)...

[alyswim]

I have to agree the smallmouths are a blast to reel in and feel their fight! It is a great feeling pulling those creatures into the boat!

[Wild Bill [NY]]

May not always be the most productive method, but the Spook getting crushed is just mind-blowing.

[ww2farmer]

I have caught them doing just about every thing, but the things I catch the most on and rely on to catch them are flat out boaring. Drop shotting.........snooze, dragging a tube..........wake me up when we get there........................shaky heads or flick shake.......check my pulse........bed fishing..................well, ok, that ones kind of fun. But my all time favorite way to catch them is flipping heavy weeds...............yes!!! Every year a catch a bunch doing it, and you know it when it's a smallie, it's like grabbing a cat by the tail.

[aclark609]

Jerkin', Jiggin', and Topwater.

[Jacob34]

My fav is the maniac salt stick in changeable craw w/ orange texas rigged fishing it down off the rock piles, or a lucky craft pointer 78 in the smallmouth color and brown or rainbow trout.

[BRONZEBACK_ADDICT]

Spinnerbaits in the weeds...cast past a pocket and wait for it to be crushed when it gets there!!! And boy do they pretzel it!!!

Can't wait for this ice to melt!

[bowhunter63]

I fish alot of small rivers and streams.A 4 inch curly tail worm or a jig.Rebels Crawdad crankbait is a really good producer.Plus i love topwater so i guess all of em.

[angler3]

There are so many awesome techniques for smallies but I would have to say the most exciting is catching them a topwater. It is also one of the best techniques to fool a real trophy. I love my lucky craft sammys. It is very cool to see a fish explode on a topwater.

[SuskyDude]

I catch the bulk of my fish on tubejigs.

But topwater, however, is the most fun. When the river is low, warm, and clear the smallies flock to the riffles, and I'm there waiting for them with a popper in hand.

[BradH]

It's hard to pick a favorite but I love banging cranks off of rocks. Shallow to deep, I can't get enough. I like to find a nice rocky vertical cliff where the channel swings up against it and work it from top to bottom using shallow squarebills and progressing to deep cranks. I also get a surprise walleye, sauger, pike or drum when doing this to keep it interesting.