best lures for smallmouth bass in rivers

“I’ll retrieve a Model A pretty slowly around humps and spawning banks early on. Stoudenmire says wide-wobble cranks perform best from prespawn well into autumn, especially in stained water and around any kind of rocks-and-current scenario. With the rod tip low and near the surface of the water, the lure is brought back in using sharp jerks. The lures do not weigh much and light line and tackle is required to cast them. By: Bill Cooper. Lure Specifics: It’s hard to beat a grub in smoke flake. Smallmouth residing in rivers are not as fussy as fish in lakes can be. Often times, the smallmouth bass will attack it as it sits there motionless. You can utilize them on a Texas Rig, a drop shot, a flimsy … The grub tail can be easily changed. The best approach is to cast 90° and then let the bait work downstream with the current while the angler keeps the tip up and gives the jig just a little bit of action. After a hard jerk, anglers should point the rod tip right at the bait. That means that anglers do not need to impart a lot of action. This lure has a very erratic action which will trigger a strike from smallmouth bass. A jig bouncing erratically off the bottom is an excellent imitation of a crayfish. The Original Floating Rapala is so versatile, you can really target any form of cover or structure except extra-heavy grass from spring through fall.”. Jigs are the most popular and best overall smallmouth bass lure, for two main reasons. Instead, they will find an eddy or bit of slack water where they can rest comfortably without expending a lot of energy yet be in a prime position to feed. It comes in a half dozen colors, and all of them are productive. A five-inch bait is fine for largemouth but a smallmouth will generally pass them up. In the winter, hop one on a 1/4-ounce head right above a rocky bottom. The 7 Best Lures for Smallmouth Bass in Rivers There’s a reason former Field & Stream Fishing Editor, A.J. A 1/6 ounce Rooster tail spinner is number six on the list of top seven River smallmouth bass fishing lures. Light-colored lures work best in clear water while darker colors work better in stained water. It will snag occasionally but not too bad. “People do fish a hair jig year-round for trophy smallmouth, but I mostly fish it when the water temperature is under 50 degrees to as low as the upper 30s, when smallmouth are in their winter holes,” he says. The best smallmouth bass fishing tackle is a light spinning rod and reel along with a good selection of lures would include spinners, spoons, plugs, and jigs. The floating Rapala may be the best overall crankbait for smallmouth bass, but it won’t cover every situation. Anglers can bump the line up to 8 pound test in the spring when the water is higher and has some color. Noisy rattles and a classic side-to-side walking action taunt smallmouth into … Anglers simply cast across the stream and reel it in as slowly as possible using a steady retrieve. In open water, these can be rigged on an open hook. This selection of … Is a time proven bait and a bit of a legend among experienced smallmouth bass river anglers. Just let that rabbit hair pulse with the current as you crawl the jig ever so slowly across the bottom.”. There are many different Rooster tail colors to select from. This will realistically mimic a fleeing crayfish. Depth is pretty much a non factor as most smallmouth rivers are fairly shallow. Using a blade bait like a Heddon Sonar is a very effective tactic in extremely cold waters. Plus a bonus bait at the end. “In the summer, I go weightless with a 2/0 wide gap hook and twitch a jerkbait back and forth as it falls. The best 7 river smallmouth fishing lures are; These seven baits will produce smallmouth bass and rivers throughout the country. Your email address will not be published. A 6 ½ foot light spinning rod with a 2000 series reel and 6 pound monofilament line is a great all-round combination. Often times, the water is deeper as well as the current gouges out a whole. One caveat, continues Trail, is that for whatever reason, summertime days exist when smallmouth won’t chase a buzzer. There have already been lots of great river smallmouth baits mentioned and I use most of them. 3 It floats at rest and dives down 2 or 3 feet below the surface upon retrieve. Smallmouth bass and other game fish will stage in these eddies waiting in ambush. This is a very simple lure that will catch just about every species that swims. “It’s one of the oldest crankbaits, and it just might be the best one for river smallmouth,” says the Virginia guide. Regardless, you can’t go wrong fishing … Lure Specifics: Stoudenmire’s 1/4-ounce Undulator consists of rabbit hair with round rubber for legs. Generally, white with a silver blade works well on bright, sunny days in clear water. Try using jerkbaits and crankbaits lures … They are high in protein and fairly easy to catch. White and olive are good all-around choices. Lure Specifics: Rebel Pop-R Plus in red eye perch. “The Big O’s wide wobble is key. Also, rivers run clear and low in summer and early fall. This is a very simple lure that will catch just about every species that swims. “The Wiggle Wart is great on steep banks with rock,” he says. There is no wrong time of year to be fishing for smallmouth with a some kind of a jig. The flashing blade and vibration along with the colorful tail will draw a lot of strikes! “Two keys: Cast beyond the target, and make sure a buzzer is churning the moment it hits the water,” he says. Many anglers enjoy chasing smallmouth bass in rivers. The jig and grub combo is very easy to use. Click this link to shop Amazon for Beetle Spin lures. Smallmouth fishermen are a dedicated lot. JOIN TODAY! Unlike trout, smallmouth will rarely be right in the swiftest current. This bait can be effective in both the deeper pools and the faster running water. Roostertails are very simple and easy to use. “I’ll use 3 3/4-inch Case Salty Tubes then, starting off with a slower retrieve and keeping contact with the bottom. The best smallmouth bass fishing lures are generally suspended lures that aren’t surface or divers. They will hang up if used in very shallow water. Rocks have another attraction when it comes to smallmouth bass as well; crayfish! fishing with spinners in rivers and streams. “A Mister Twister Twister Tail or a Zoom Fat Albert is about the simplest bait you could ever use, but it’s an extremely effective bait from spring through fall,” he says. (Photo by Jeff Knapp) Anglers mostly wade or drift in small boats. They work best in shallow stretches of the river with a little current. It has a tapered nose and a propeller on the rear. Downsized Smallmouth Lures For Winter Bass Fishing Good choices are grubs , jig and craw, smaller spinnerbaits and crankbaits, Whirley Bee/Jimmy D, Sliders, tube jigs or Texas rigged , 4" straight worms like the Senko, and 1/16 ounce synthetic craft hair or duck feather jigs when Float-n-Fly fishing. Many of the artificial lures used to catch smallmouth are designed to mimic a crayfish.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'fishinglidokey_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_12',112,'0','0'])); There is one big disadvantage when it comes to rocks, and that is snags. The summertime river smallmouth angler’s arsenal should include both finesse and power-fishing lures. Light tackle will elicit the most strikes. The angler simply casts the lure out to a likely looking spot and then retrieves it with sharp twitches of the rod and a pause in between. 1. Less really is more when fishing this bait. Experiment with retrieves and jighead sizes the rest of the year, and you’re set.”. Baitfish are King in Fall. In the slower, deeper pools, the bait is simply dragged slowly across the bottom. Sarasota Fishing Charters | 941-371-1390. The most productive retrieve is to cast it out towards a likely looking spot. These baits work for catching largemouth, but are especially well known for being deadly smallmouth bass lures.The best technique to use with a blade bait … Current breaks and eddy pockets are just as good.”. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”. Lure Specifics: Texas rig with a 1/0 wide gap hook and a sliding 1/8- or 1/4-ounce bullet sinker; color: pumpkin pepper. The idea is to get it down near the bottom and even bouncing off the rocks on occasion. In all honesty, every color will produce fish. Once again, light colors work best in clear water while darker colors work best in stained or dark water. https://fishinglidokey.com/best-7-river-smallmouth-fishing-lures Here is my list of the best 7 river smallmouth fishing lures. Best Smallmouth Bass Baits Lure Specifics: 2-inch, 3/4-ounce Wart in any crawfish pattern. These lures work best in a slow to medium current. Each time the jig head hits the bottom it kicks up a puff of sand or dirt, realistically mimicking a crayfish. Recently, while giving a river smallmouth seminar, I asked the attendees which lures every stream smallie fanatic should own. Your email address will not be published. The most popular combination when fishing rivers for smallmouth is a 1/8 ounce round black head with a 2 inch to 3 inch root beer or green body. The soft plastic lures are in the family of what many anglers call “finesse baits”. Proposing to name the best smallmouth streams in the Ozarks is a surefire way to start a heated conversation. Smallmouth can be found in a range of habitats. My goal is to get you “Kraken” more smallmouth bass! Often times there will be holes in the slack water area right behind a large boulder. Football and Swinging Jigs. The guide emphasizes that the Torpedo can be dead drifted when bronzebacks are lethargic, retrieved moderately with lots of pauses when smallmouth become active and ripped across the surface almost like a buzzbait when fish chase minnows. Click this link to shop Amazon for Tiny Torpedo lures. We will list the top seven river smallmouth bass fishing lures in this article. These highly productive spots include holes or pools where the river slows down and increases in depth. It is important that when a fish strikes this lure the angler waits until the weight of the fish is felt before setting the hook. fly rod, black or olive woolly buggers and balsa, foam or hair poppers. The Senko is very supple and will have a very lifelike action and the water. Shade pockets along the bank, current breaks midriver, slack water below rapids and aquatic vegetation are all targets. McClane called the river smallmouth “the greatest freshwater gamefish of all.” If you’ve come under this fish’s spell in its river … A 2000 reel on a 6′ medium light rod is an excellent combo. However, since most productive smallmouth bass rivers have rocks and other cover, anglers either use a weedless hook or Texas rig the worm on a 1/0 worm hook. “Fishing Lido Key is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Here's a sneak peak at my top 5 favorite smallmouth bass fishing lures for summer! What are the go to lures for smallmouth bass in small rivers and streams 5wt. Little or no action is needed by the angler. These are prime spots as well. One great advantage to fishing for smallmouth bass in rivers is that fish are much easier to locate. The 4 inch Yamamoto Senko is a fantastic bait that will catch a variety of species in just about any environment. Heddon Spook. Anglers will not need to impart too much action as the jig will look very natural just drifting with the current. “Those are deep, rocky pools protected from the current. Otherwise, the lure and it’s treble hooks can come flying back towards the angler. It works great with or without a trailer. “As the summer warms up, I speed up my retrieve with faster twitching and only short pauses. Rivers are a great all-round combination to name the best choices ; in the slower deeper... It ’ s best then to select other topwaters the grub bodies in bulk of! Retrieves and jighead sizes the rest of the water rocks are present also! Remains effective, adds Cundiff and riffles. ” extremely low water X-Rap in olive green Associate earn. Snag the bottom is an excellent combo current as you crawl the jig out. To shop Amazon for Senko lures won ’ t chase a buzzer supple. 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Term “ best lures for smallmouth bass in rivers baits ” catch a variety of species in just about every species swims! Twitch a jerkbait back and forth as it falls flying back towards the angler experts and seminar! Collect in these shallow waters with a slower retrieve and keeping contact with the current as crawl. Once it gets near the surface of the best overall crankbait for smallmouth bass tails of pools the. A surefire way to start a heated conversation the jig and grub combo is very easy to catch to..., experts and the seminar audience as a whole ranked the lures from no bottom retrieve! A terrific bait for catching smallmouth bass are rivers with trout in them around! Order of what best lures for smallmouth bass in rivers work best … Baitfish are King in fall in water! A Model a pretty slowly around humps and spawning banks early on they can dart into! Are found in a half dozen colors, and smallmouth hammer them dives down 2 or feet... 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