SMB Psychology 101

[JohnF]

So I’m trying to think like a smallmouth (bass, that is). Specifically one who lives in a rocky bottomed shallow creek with no cover or depth and next to no shade.

 

When would I feed most aggressively? When would I be looking up and when down for food? If there is an abundance of natural forage (craws & minnows) would I be more likely to go after something completely different or something that resembled the natural forage? Am I most likely to be sucked in by a reaction type bait or a still or slow moving bait? Do I react best to live bait, and if so, what? Do I school with other smb’s or look for a nice private spot as my kingdom?

 

Now lets look at it from the pov of a human fisherperson.

 

Is there a best time of day for small creek smb’s? Is there an only better time? Is there an absolutely pointless time? When to go topwater like a twitched minnow or a buzzbait? When to go bottom like a wacky worm or bounced tube or jig? Is there any rhyme or reason to a smallmouth’s thinking in these water conditions or is it just luck of the draw? Do I fish in the shadow of trees and banks or in direct sunlight?

 

I’ve spent the last 4 years trying to figger this out and I’m still getting surprised constantly. It shouldn’t be rocket science. There aren’t that many options for the bass in my creek. When I fish with some of you in your own stompin’ grounds you seem to know where to look, when to look and what to use. Now, after 4 years of diligent effort I have yet to get a clue. I have a pretty good idea where to find bass and where to find pike but that's about it. The 18 incher I pulled out of 12” of water at noon on a hot sunny day kinda shredded much of the paradigm I’ve constructed.

 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

JF

[daryl0815]

Smallies are strange creatures, definitely hard to predict what they want, I think that they are opportunistic though.

 

I have done well in creeks and rivers using old school rapalas, twitched on the surface, or stop and go retreive, but having said that, my biggest smallie ever (23" 5.5lbs) came on a float, hook and a worm, using a 13' noodle rod, fishing for trout in a little trout creek I know of!

[JohnF]

Smallies are strange creatures, definitely hard to predict what they want, I think that they are opportunistic though.

 

I have done well in creeks and rivers using old school rapalas, twitched on the surface, or stop and go retreive, but having said that, my biggest smallie ever (23" 5.5lbs) came on a float, hook and a worm, using a 13' noodle rod, fishing for trout in a little trout creek I know of!

 

My buddy Rob uses nothing but the old original grey floating Rapala minnow twitched slowly on the surface. It works for him. I'm too impatient to work that slow. The other day he lost his last Rap and had to load on a #9 size minnow in some other pattern. He just knew it wouldn't work and of course it didn't, twitched slowly on the surface. I suggested he try walking the dog. Once I explained it to him he tried it and guess what - strike on the first cast. Then he got a succession of hits and hooks. Of course he immediately went out and stocked up on the old faithful grey #5 Raps and will forget the walk the dog style completely.

 

JF

[daryl0815]

thats the same colour I have had luck on too, the only trouble is casting them any distance! Walking the dog definitely works too, but I find sometimes it scares fish away, hell even landing a small rapala too close to one will spook it.

 

Have you tried fly fishing for them? I have found it very productive, and you can land a deer hair popper right on top of a waiting smallie without spooking it.

[ohhenrygsr]

STARE AT THIS FOR WHILE

[OhioFisherman]

"Smallies are strange creatures, definitely hard to predict what they want, I think that they are opportunistic though." LOL what he said!

 

The first deeper water after a riffle? waiting on lunch? in a bend, current can wash out the bank leaving an overhang, ambush point, cover. Any obstruction, big rock, log in the water, smallies will tolerate more current than L/M but it doesn`t mean they love it.

 

Largemouth can be unpredictable too also, fished a river one day after a heavy rain, like a 6 foot storm sewer draining into the river, water flowing out of it fast enough that you couldn`t have stood with in 10 feet of it, and largemouth all around the darn thing , so much for the current arguement? Food getting washed in?

[JohnF]

The first deeper water after a riffle? waiting on lunch? in a bend, current can wash out the bank leaving an overhang, ambush point, cover. Any obstruction, big rock, log in the water, smallies will tolerate more current than L/M but it doesn`t mean they love it.

 

I'm always on the watchfor those things, particularly the deep water after a riffle. There are a number of such places in my usual haunts yet none of them have been particularly productive, even when the lower end of the pool holds fish. I also cast ahead behind rocks but without much luck. But then that's what I mean about predictability.

 

As for the crabby graphic - I'm sure crayfish are popular forage given the numbers I'm seeing. I could trap a few live or use the stinky plastic ones I bought. I've had some luck with those.

 

JF

[g_clot]

I recall reading that 2/3 of their diet is crawfish. As Henry suggests, maybe watching/understanding their habits might prove invaluable for smallie fishing.

[ironstone74]

I'm puzzled by the Smallies this year also John. I fish the Grand quite often and my usual spots aren't producing like they did last year. I cruised down with a canoe and anchored along the way and still only boated one small one. I did see 2 decent sized fish as I drifted over them, one behind a medium size rock, and the second on a rocky section 2 1/2' deep.

 

The derby is this weekend, I'm hoping for a Eureka moment to finally figure them out!!!

 

Paul

[JohnF]

I'm puzzled by the Smallies this year also John. I fish the Grand quite often and my usual spots aren't producing like they did last year. I cruised down with a canoe and anchored along the way and still only boated one small one. I did see 2 decent sized fish as I drifted over them, one behind a medium size rock, and the second on a rocky section 2 1/2' deep.

 

The derby is this weekend, I'm hoping for a Eureka moment to finally figure them out!!!

 

Paul

 

The best I've come up with is to fish where they never were with bait that never worked.

 

JF

[ctranter]

The bass, like the human, has a constant internal struggle between one's ID, the natural drives and desires, and the SUPEREGO, the desire for a bass to be socially accepted in bass society. In turn, the bass must negotiated these drives with the EGO. The bass also has a drive to eat his father, and mate with his mother

 

That being said, I have found that bass have very fragile self esteems: Throw something that's flashy into their territory and they usually get pissed and attack with passive aggressive rage.

[JohnF]

The bass, like the human, has a constant internal struggle between one's ID, the natural drives and desires, and the SUPEREGO, the desire for a bass to be socially accepted in bass society. In turn, the bass must negotiated these drives with the EGO. The bass also has a drive to eat his father, and mate with his mother

 

That being said, I have found that bass have very fragile self esteems: Throw something that's flashy into their territory and they usually get pissed and attack with passive aggressive rage.

 

Do bass also believe that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar?

 

JF

[ctranter]

hehe, touche

[JohnF]

hehe, touche

 

I wuz only asking cuz there have been times when the bass might have spotted me with a stogie hanging outa my face and I'd hate for them to think I'd put anything but a cigar between my lips.

 

JF

[ctranter]

LOL! You went there!

 

Speaking of phallic, I don't think my 7" rod will suffice...

[JohnF]

LOL! You went there!

 

Speaking of phallic, I don't think my 7" rod will suffice...

 

I'm told tip sensitivity is the main thing.

 

JF

[bigreddog]

I'm told tip sensitivity is the main thing.

 

JF

A sensitive tip could lead to premature hookset.

[ironstone74]

Nice!!! This thread went downhill fast