Mid depth smallies...?

[BillM]

I use them as well in white with great results.I find them a lot hardier than the others.1/2 oz size.

 

Yup, the only thing I find is that the reflective finish is easily chipped off the head itself. I'm going to start putting a few coats of clear nail polish on them to see if that helps.

[Rustic-Fisher]

There was no offence being made your way.

 

I can tell you about a day I spent on the lake and only took two rods. Both with spinnerbaits. One of my best days. Fished from 8 -15 fow. Zigzaged.in and out.Sometimes we make it so complicated. The past two days I had a top water,worm and spinner bait on three rods. That was it. No box to retry different baits. All worked for me.

 

As for spinner baits,I was a Stanley man,but have since gone with BOOYA. Thats why I always say,BOOYA,when they hit.

Agreed keep it simple . Remember those pigs we hooked 8' from shore while we fished from the shore at that back lake we hit. Doesn't get much simpler LOL

[aplumma]

Senko wacky rigged with no weight or if it is a faster presentation it is a cotton cordell big O white med dive.

 

 

 

Art

[d_paluch]

Saturday on Simcoe most fish were caught within 4-6feet. Caught a few in a foot or 2 deeper but most action was shallow as we were mainly sight fishing.

 

Fishing the deeper water has always been something I've struggled with. I love when threads like this pop up on here because the wealth of experience and knowledge makes for a good read.

 

The presentation of choice for this weekend was baby bass coloured wacky rigged senkos and baby bass coloured caffeine shads.

 

Next weekend the spinner baits and crankbaits are coming out in full force lol

[BillM]

I started fishing crank baits quit a bit last year for both smallies and largies off deeper weed/rock edges. I'm trying to get out of the rut of always throwing the same patterns (ie topwater because it's so addictive, lol)

[manitoubass2]

Spinnerbaits are deadly, i use black with silver Colorado and willow leaf blades. Strike king pit belly spinners are deady(i too fish current). Another tactic I've learned is like crappie fishing when there suspended. Small or large plastic, dropped to where you mark them, then lift and drop. Not really a jig but slower, they bite on the fall Jerk baits work too and i also love rapala dt 10's in golden shiner or crawfish patterns

[OhioFisherman]

Tubes aren't just a deep water lure, lighten the weight and they work fine in water 5 to 12 feet deep.

 

Small hair jig, 1/8 - 1/4 ounce and pork or plastic for a trailer.

 

 

Small crankbaits, my favorite was the Storm Wee Steelie wart, but there are others that work.

 

Roadrunner style baits

 

http://www.basstacklemaster.com/Sworming-Hornet-Fish-Head-Spin-p/shfhs.htm

 

A better hook than the standard roadrunner, you can also by a ponyhead mold and make your own.

 

A Heddon sonar or other style blade bait, they vibrate like crazy and trigger strikes, you have to adjust your retrieve speed to the water depth, not just a jigging lure.

 

Ball head or Mushroom head style jigs, throw on a 4 inch worm, lizard, or 3 inch grub.

 

Carolina rigged soft plastics.

 

Float n Fly, they work for smallies too.

 

 

[Steve]

i was catching smallies on opener, in water 6' to 12', on luckycraft jerk baits.

[misfish]

Agreed keep it simple . Remember those pigs we hooked 8' from shore while we fished from the shore at that back lake we hit. Doesn't get much simpler LOL

 

That was crazy. Now if I could only remember how to get back there.

[mike rousseau]

Thanks for all the replies everyone...

 

Looks like I have a few things to try...

[BillM]

 

That was crazy. Now if I could only remember how to get back there.

 

Back lakes, you could toss marshmellows at those fish and they'd bite. :)

[Ainsley]

Was crushing them on Saturday and Sunday on a luckycraft pointer 100 in ghost minnow and aurora black.

Was trying my fav baits and nothing: keitech swimbaits, terminator t1 spinnerbaits, bomber crankbaits, and tube jigs.

[singingdog]

Your original question covers lots of behaviour/presentation territory, and should bring up lots of questions that will lead you to understand smallies better. Before I threw something at them, I would ask myself a few questions:

1. Where in that depth range are the fish?

2. What "mood" are they in?

3. What kind of water (clarity, productivity) are you fishing?

 

Aggressive smallies, no matter what depth they are holding, will rise a long way to hit. BIG spinnerbaits, burned super fast, is a great way to find them and catch them if they are aggressive. In that case, you don't really need to worry about the depth of the fish.

 

Finicky smallies, holding tight to the bottom, or stubbornly holding at 8' in 12 FOW are a whole different story, especially in current. If they are on the bottom, that is easier then if they are suspended. Maintaining bottom contact gives you constant feedback. Trying to present at 8' in 12' of water is much, much tougher.

 

I am surprised that no one has mentioned lipless cranks. They are one of the most versatile, and most effective smallie lures in my box. You can burn them for aggressive fish, count them down to pretty much any depth, or fish them right off the bottom like a jig. I catch lots of big smallies in 25 FOW with lipless cranks.

[Garnet]

This is a good point Aggressive vs Finicky.

 

They aren't necessarily finicky when you go to dropshot our tude.

 

Yesterday they just weren't looking up burned spinner baits, snapping jerks , buzzing cranks nothing. Pull out the dropshot and they had it most times before it hit the bottom. Put they didn't seem to want exacter movement on drop shot just hold in 1 place.

 

That article we all read about finicky hard to catch smallies is mostly crap. "Smallies are killers and the bigger they are the more aggressive they are".

[Shloim]

I use a lot of 4" gulp minnows on darter jig heads and jerk baits are usually good too... I try to keep it simple

[mike rousseau]

This is a good point Aggressive vs Finicky.

 

They aren't necessarily finicky when you go to dropshot our tude.

 

Yesterday they just weren't looking up burned spinner baits, snapping jerks , buzzing cranks nothing. Pull out the dropshot and they had it most times before it hit the bottom. Put they didn't seem to want exacter movement on drop shot just hold in 1 place.

 

".

 

Same here yesterday

 

Shallow bite was crap... Tried 20-30 feet deep with tube and drop shot... Drop shot produced so my partner switched over but brown instead of the smoke I had on... He was gettin bites 2-3 to my 1... I switched to brown and it was game on...

 

Tons of light bites and dropped fish tho...

 

They can be fussy little buggers...