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Swing and a Miss (Video Included) |
Wade Bourne: It's a typical scenario in bass fishing. A bass explodes on a topwater lure, but it misses! The angler may or may not have set the hook, but if he did, there was nothing there. In either case he is left disappointed and wondering what to do next.
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Smallmouth Stream Fishing |
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Many anglers prefer the simple tactics and beautiful scenery of streamfishing. Perhaps nothing in this sport is more enjoyable than floating a small creek or river and fishing with live bait for a mixed bag of fish: largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass: rock bass; bluegill; walleyes; catfish.
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Casting Upstream for Smallmouth |
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Streamfishing offers some of the greatest rewards in this sport. Many streams are loaded with fish that rarely receive any fishing pressure. The scenery is beautiful. Streamfishing is quiet and relaxing. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to do it. You just need a little basic tackle and knowledge of how to present your lures to the fish.
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Zoning in on Summertime Smallmouth |
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During summer, smallmouth oftentimes suspend in the middle of a lake on no visible cover. In large impoundments, the wide expanse of water that goes unbroken in all directions can seem like a vast desert. To catch big smallmouth, fish offshore on underwater structure. Try fishing breaklines extending from 7- to 20-feet deep plunging into a main river channel. Locate a vertical drop where the smallmouth have easy access from extremely-deep water into shallow water.
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Early spring supercharges the smallmouth aquatic environment, making for good times when it comes to catching the gamiest bass of them all. Here are two proven tips for catching smallmouth in the springtime. Cast a 1/8-ounce jighead impaled with a grub. Raise your rod to the 10 ‘o clock position, then make eight or 10 quick turns of the reel handle to cause the grub to look like a minnow swimming off the bottom. Then, stop reeling, and the grub will swim toward the bottom instead of falling vertically. When you see slack in the line, the grub has hit the bottom. Then, reel eight or 10 more times, and stop the grub again.
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One of the most-deadly strategies to catch trophy smallmouth is fishing live bait in tailrace areas. To live-bait rig for smallmouth, tie a No. 4, pattern 84 Eagle Claw hook to the end of 8-pound-test line. Because the line will be in contact with the rocks along the bottom most of the time you’re fishing, use abrasion-resistant line to prevent the line from breaking.
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Small Line, Big Baits for Smallmouth |
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Trolling deep-diving crankbaits across rocky points may be one of the most-effective techniques anglers can use to catch big smallmouths. Bump the bait across the bottom, and crash it into underwater rocks to gain the attention and often the strike of a big smallmouth. Alternatively, try these proven techniques. Cast out light line and ultralight baits to catch big smallmouth in deep water. Fish a 4-inch worm and a 1/4-ounce jig on light spinning tackle along sheer rock bluffs. If you fish parallel to the bluffs and let your lure fall straight down beside the rocks, you’ll offer the smallmouth a meal it can’t resist.
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Seasonal Transition Tactics for Smallmouth |
The changing seasons are mood swingers for smallmouth, meaning you must be adaptable to trying different techniques and lures. Here are some pointers for the changing seasons.
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Prospecting for Smallmouth |
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If you’re hoping to catch smallmouth in the summer, you need to know the type of structure and cover on which the fish are holding, and the way the smallmouth want the bait presented. Try these tactics to locate the fish and identify a pattern. Fish a fast-falling bait like a 1/2-ounce jig in the summer months when most lakes are relatively clear. To increase the speed of the jig on the fall, feed line to the jig when you cast it out to allow the bait to fall vertically. If the smallmouth doesn’t take the bait on the fall, hop the jig up off the bottom about 3 feet. Let the bait fall back on a slack line, watching your line as the bait falls for any interruption in the drop of the lure.
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During the winter months, you’ll most often find big smallmouth on humps, ridges and ledges out close to the river channel. In some areas, the smallmouth may relate more to creeks than to the main river, depending on the history of the lake. At this time of the year, expect to catch the smallmouth in 18 to 20 feet of water, but always consider the clarity and the temperature of the water. A small, 1/4-ounce, black-and-blue or brown jig with a small pork trailer behind is productive for wintertime smallmouth.
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Smallmouth fishing at night is best around a full moon, particularly in April or May in shallow water. Throw crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, buzzbaits and three-bladed buzzbaits in about 4 to 6 feet of water. Also fish points of islands where water’s running over a point. When there’s not a current, fish flats. In other situations, try these helpful tips.
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Muscle beds are havens for smallmouth, which search out this obscure cover in search of crawfish. If you luck up on a shellbed, try these tips.
* Fish a soft-plastic lizard or crawfish when the smallmouth are suspended over the shellbed. Fish lizards on Carolina rigs – each with a 5-foot leader and a 3/4-ounce weight. Use a 7-foot rod with a 12-pound-test main line. The slower you fish a Carolina rig, the more smallmouth you’ll catch.
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To catch more and bigger smallmouth in the middle of a lake after the spawn, fish with different baits than what everyone else uses.
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Smallmouth Bass Bait Tips |
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Smallmouth and jerkbaits are synonymous terms with anglers. The smallmouth is undeniably the most aggressive of the bass and its predator instinct is easily triggered by the jerking action of this “reaction bait.”
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Catching White Bass with Grub (Video Included) |
Doug Markham's Outdoors South: Learn how to catch those white bass with grub.
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