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Best bait ideas for Smallies?


thefireman

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Hey guys was just wondering what people are using for smallies? I tend to use X-raps, jig heads, and normal hook (wacky style) Was hoping that you guys who fish bass alot would have some good ideas on some other presentations? All suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks

Edited by thefireman
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A difficult question to answer, it depends on the water you are fishing. Open waters of Lake Erie or other open waters? Tubes with a tube jig hook insert, not much junk in the water, drop shot, a gobie type soft plastic is big down here.

 

I have caught smallies on a wide range of lures, soft plastics like grubs, tubes, lizards, worms, I just usually down size from what I use for large mouth. 3 1/2 inch tube, 4 inch worm or lizard.

 

Crank baits, spinnerbaits, surface lures, jig and pig,I like small hair jigs with pork for smallies, roadrunners, it`s just a question of location and what you can present that they will hit.

 

I have also caught them regularly using a jig like a fuzzy grub or foxie jig tipped with a fairly good sized golden or silver shiner. Also on craws, worms, leeches.

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For the past three years I have used 6' YUM Dingers (senkos)wacky rigged when able, Texas rigged when required, and tubes jigs.

What I suppose you never really know is could you have been catching more with something else?

What the responses thus far do tell me is that you people catch smallies on just about everything.

Jim

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Tubes, hands down.

 

I agree...

 

2 1/2 inch salted Phenix smoke coloured tubes...bass think they are candythumbsup_anim.gif

 

Swim them...crawl them on bottom...or under a slip float...

 

I'm off to Lindsay today to buy some for a friend's birthday...Gonefishing.gif

Edited by Beans
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My go-to for the last 3 years has been a 4" Senko in Watermelon/Green, although lately I have been having luck with Black/Orange.

 

When fishing the Grand waterway I find that I can go all day with a Jig and Twister tail and do well.

 

Other than that I usually have a spare rod that I cycle through different lures, but have not found any that I have become dependent on.

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Yikes

 

This question and thread could go on forever - smallies are NOT that particular in the expansive, though they can be in specific situations.

 

This year, since it has been so hot, I've been fishing from the bottom up - any bottom baits ranging from jigs to tubes to dropshots have been effective. I find the senko has dropped off a bit, but you can put a 4" senko on a 1/4 ounce jig head and go to town.

 

Berkley Gulp - particularly emerald shiner minnows and leeches are top of the line.

 

Just don't cheap out on your lures and you should find fish.

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I'll counter Bill the Bass Man and say that smallies can be very particular. On the lakes that I fish, a single presentation rarely works every outing. Granted, I target larger fish, and will sacrifice numbers to size on any given day. If I am unfamiliar with a lake, I will almost always start with a tube on one rod and a spinnerbait on the other.

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Thanks! You guys are going to cost me a fortune!! haha Great ideas, I have been fishing alot of those mentioned, but I guess I just keep trying new ones! I have been catching the smallies just not the ones I want. Trying to target the big ones! Well another day of trying for me, better than work anyway you slice it! Thanks again all

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Top water weedless SCUM FROG in the thickest nastiest mess I can find or in the thickest shady tree lined banks

Really? I have never caught smallies on this set up in those areas. Largies yes, smaliies no.

 

I always have a carankbait on one rod and a senko on the other. Followed closely by a drop shotted slammer, a tube, a jerkbait a spinnerbait, and finally a grub. All work depending on the lake.

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Cant's go wrong with slammers and tubes. X-raps to find them, tubes or slammers to catch them.

 

I too have caught one on a scum frog, but I was as surprised as the fish was.

 

For smallies that are deep (20ft+) try a jigging spoon. I like BPS Tungsten jigging spoons in 1/2 oz.

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pardon my ignorance but what is a slammer?

I looked on the bass pro site and all that popped up looked like something you would troll for marlin...

 

also my best smallie baits this year have been upsized poppers and wakebaits.

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I hate to say it but live crayfish have totally outfished EVERYTHING else I have ever seen thrown at smallies nothing else has ever come close to being a "guaranteed bait" in my experience.... I hate to say it because unless you catch the crayfish right then and there you can no longer use them if you have to move them one inch across land....

 

I have been forced to find out that live leeches work okay, followed distantly by live gulp leeches. The live gulp crayfish are just too big for the bass I go after, they will look at them but generally aren't interested for some reason.

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pardon my ignorance but what is a slammer?

I looked on the bass pro site and all that popped up looked like something you would troll for marlin...

 

also my best smallie baits this year have been upsized poppers and wakebaits.

 

 

a slammer is a goby / minnow shaped plastic mainly used for drop shot and shaky head, made by strike zone

 

 

as for my go to smallie baits

 

#1 Xrap / jerk bait

#2 spinner bait

#3 football jig / tube

#4 Popper / spook

#5 Dropshot minnow

Edited by fish-meister
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