Your tactics for finicky smallmouth

[apz245]

Going up north this week and the bass always give me a hard time, especially during the day.. I find the fishing is good at the few hours around dusk and dawn but other than those times I usually get skunked.

I usually fish for them with a drop shot rig, or just a standard split shot and hook setup with a worm or live shiner, this has been by far the most effective method.

Gonna grab some tubes because I haven't used them before and I hear they're excellent for smallies, I picked up some new cranks this year too which are supposed to be good crayfish imitations, can't wait to try out the rebel crawfish, i'm hoping it looks as real to the fish as it does to me.

The lake I'll be fishing also has walleye and lakers, would it be better to try and target them midday?

 

[staffman]

I would find a rocky beach area, then turn the stones slowly and catch the crayfish hiding underneath. Smallmouth cannot resist a live crayfish.

 

[alwayscatching]

Mind if I ask what lake?

 

[[email protected]]

have only ever used berkley gulp minnow immitations under a spinner blade with some coloured beads. and usually don't hit the water til around 1030am, finish by 4or 5pm

 

[apz245]

I would find a rocky beach area, then turn the stones slowly and catch the crayfish hiding underneath. Smallmouth cannot resist a live crayfish.

I get them very rarely on occasion in my minnow trap and they're awesome as bait, I hook them through the tail and they live forever and only larger bass can take it, keeps the rock bass away.

Will try and catch some for sure, thanks!

 

[apz245]

Mind if I ask what lake?

Dunlop lake, in Elliot Lake, there are lake trout ice fishing charters if anyone is interested, it's a bit of a drive up north, but it's a trophy lake trout and brook trout fishery, I encourage anybody interested in these fish to check it out, also has lots of pike, walleye, and even some good smallmouth lakes.

have only ever used berkley gulp minnow immitations under a spinner blade with some coloured beads. and usually don't hit the water til around 1030am, finish by 4or 5pm

I'm gonna pick up a couple of pickerel rigs and try trolling them, this sounds pretty similar to what you're using, 1030-4 are probably my worst times, interesting .. how deep do you usually fish?

 

[[email protected]]

Dunlop lake, in Elliot Lake, there are lake trout ice fishing charters if anyone is interested, it's a bit of a drive up north, but it's a trophy lake trout and brook trout fishery, I encourage anybody interested in these fish to check it out, also has lots of pike, walleye, and even some good smallmouth lakes.
I'm gonna pick up a couple of pickerel rigs and try trolling them, this sounds pretty similar to what you're using, 1030-4 are probably my worst times, interesting .. how deep do you usually fish?

usually catch smallies out on lake huron, drifting over and around weedbeds from 40ft to 10ft

 

[Dugger]

....I jig Parry Sound District lakes during the day for Smallies and Pickerel in 20-30 feet of water using tubes on 3/8 oz heads. My portable 80 buck locator is vital to finding these depths. I fish submerged shelves, drop-offs, saddles, points of islands and points off the mainland.... drift with the wind and lift the tube or use an electric on low and walk the tube...it's easy and effective. These same depths that are located at the mouths of any creeks that empty into the main lake are dynamite areas.

This technique has also bagged some summer splake.

...but yes, "during the day" I am at 20 feet and beyond. The Lakers will be suspended in the thermocline zone so you will need a locator to find em or you will be wasting your time targeting them.

 

[apz245]

Lots of great info there, thanks dug.

I usually look for the same kind of structure and a fish finder is key like you say, looking forward to see how these tubes work vs drop shotting minnows.

I'll try fishing a little deeper, usually i'm at 15-20 fow at the same kind of structure you mentioned, targeting smallmouth.

So basically i'm gonna look for the same structure in deeper water, and focus a little more on creek mouths as i've neglected those

 

[[email protected]]

when on huron, we don't use a fish finder mainly because 1: my dad know the lake extremely well, and 2: the water is so clear you can spot the weedbeds with polarized glasses, the water surface will look to be purplish

 

[rich_ace_G]

I'm a big spinner guy and usually the first technique I use when i hit water (because it's the fastest & I'm lazy)...then I switch to plugs (smaller if i'm targeting bass). And nothing is biting...I start digging up for nightcrawlers or grubs and jig 'em up. And if all else fails...

 

[FishingNoob]

I'm a big spinner guy and usually the first technique I use when i hit water (because it's the fastest & I'm lazy)...then I switch to plugs (smaller if i'm targeting bass). And nothing is biting...I start digging up for nightcrawlers or grubs and jig 'em up. And if all else fails...

:lol: It won't come to that...

 

[Dugger]

 

[alwayscatching]

If your fishing deeper water, try using a drop shot minnow around 3-4 inches long. Plastics work better than live bait for me believe it or not. Or use a tube plastic. Coffee Tubes this year have been producing a lot of hits/catches for me but the bigger smallies like shown in my display picture or my gallery were caught on plastic minnows. A tip I could give if you want to try for some spinners, use a Mepps number 4 and put a white or pink colored plastic grub on the hook to add that extra flare and makes it seem like theres already a chase going on between the grub/Mepps.

 

[apz245]

Jmatt, when you guys find smallmouth in the weed beds are the areas you're fishing rocky? Interesting to see the different enviroments of bass in different lakes, the reason I'm asking because I only have found weed patches in my lake productive when they're connected to rocky structure .

Ace and alwayscatching, I love spinners! They are my number one lure for largemouth and pike, and great for fishing from shore because you can run them so shallow, but every time I tie on a spinner (at this lake)the only thing that goes for it is the rock bass which makes me wanna go play some playstation.

Il give the grub tailed spinner another try, maybe my problem last time was I was tying the spinner straight to my braided line, I'm pretty sure the lack of leader wasn't an issue though, I don't really believe in fluoro leaders for spinning but I could be wrong on this.

 

[alwayscatching]

Il give the grub tailed spinner another try, maybe my problem last time was I was tying the spinner straight to my braided line, I'm pretty sure the lack of leader wasn't an issue though, I don't really believe in fluoro leaders for spinning but I could be wrong on this.

You do not need a fluoro leader for spinners. The fast action seems to trigger a pike regardless and as for bass they also have quick trigger strikes but I have only had that happen on jigging in heavy cover for bass

 

[apz245]

thanks for all the info guys, it's appreciated, and if anyone has anything else to add the more the better,(especially if you have any tricks to get those inactive bass to bite) il be sure to post pics, im full of fishing confidence now

 

[hamiltonangler94]

Strike king bitsy tubes in green pumpkin work really good for me

 

[iamnickevans]

Try wacky rigging a Gulp worm, the vertical presentation can be deadly when they sometimes wont hit a jig/minnow or jig grub combination.

 

[chris f]

Try wacky rigging a Gulp worm, the vertical presentation can be deadly when they sometimes wont hit a jig/minnow or jig grub combination.

caught an episode of beyond the cast the other day, he was using wacky rigging, going to have to add this technique to the arsenal