Fishin smallies

[Headhunter]

Hey folks,

I have a trip coming up where I am told, I will find smallies. I don't really fish for them, so I don't have a great deal of experience targeting them. The place we are heading is said to be clear water, with temps in the low 60's. There are tons of bays, reefs etc nearby, so we should have structure to fish.

Hoping you good folks could make some suggestions as to lures you would toss at them. I have a few top water baits and an assortment of lures to chose from, but I am wondering what you folks who target them would recommend given the clear water and cooler conditions.

All suggestions are appreciated!

HH

[AKRISONER]

first thing if its calm, top water...they will get you a long way to determining where the fish are at.

 

Once that bite dies down when the light gets higher, chatterbaits tailed with a swimbait tail. if you need to slow it down you can throw a straight swimbait paddletails...i like x zones or even bass pro tournament series will do. Throw them with a J-will swimbait head.

 

Then if you need to slow it down mid day, drop shotting gulp alive, jackall crosstail shads off of the sharp edges will get em.

 

For a jig bit to throw around sholes i use owner stand up jigs with either psycho dads or OSP crayfish...anything with floating claws works.

 

Pop pop and let it rest, the smallies eat em up.

Edited July 10, 2017 by AKRISONER

[manitoubass2]

You can really do no wrong

 

I usually start searching for a few quick bites on white spinnerbaits it black

 

The above suggestions are great too

 

Just keep changing things up when the bite dies off

 

Also, don't be afraid to troll/cast the shoreline structure

Edited July 10, 2017 by manitoubass2

[msp]

spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, tubes and topwater ( pop-r )

[buick14]

^ agreed

 

I'd throw dropshot in there also, and even some little mepps inlines if it's windy

[OhioFisherman]

If I was going smallie fishing I would have some tubes with me, by altering the weight you use you can fish them shallow or deep, and you control their action, fast or slow, a versatile bait. We used them spring (pre spawn cold water) here and summer and fall. A darker color for a crawfish look and a light color for a baitfish look.

 

What the others have mentioned will work, some times it can be as simple as a jig and grub.

[grimsbylander]

I was going to give you a big write up but thought, heck it'll be easier if I just tag along

 

Honestly, any plastics, tubes, etc will work great. But because you mentioned cold and clear water, make sure you fish natural colors and use light line. I'd be using 6lb or 8 max flouro leader on 10lb braid. The plastic colors should be smokes, green pumpkin, deep reds/brown or black. I don't know how deep the fish will be but if you throw a spinnerbait, any color as long as it's white. Also, I'd not go without a few jerkbaits to rip back to the boat...just make sure you've got a tube handy when it gets there.

[manitoubass2]

Can't believe I forgot tubes lol

 

They produce, big time

[dheitzner]

I've had success in clear water using a jerk bait to call them in and tossing a dropshot or senko to followers. Unbelievably effective 1-2 punch for bronze backs.

[Acountdeleted]

Spinnerbaits, topwater, sankos and crayfish coloured cranks. Or you can pick any one of those and do just fine.

[Old Ironmaker]

The best advise I can give is to use a 3 foot length of Fluorocarbon as a leader, especially in clear water. Tubes, if they don't work change the colour of the tube. I start with a pumpkinseed colour. They love leeches, so any black rubber simply on a hook with some split shot a foot up (California split shottin')up to 8 feet depths or a black jig with an imitation Leech to get deeper. Use a Sharpie to blacken the eyes.

 

A good selection of Jerk Baits as last resort, for some it is the first thing thrown. Vary your retrieve cadence. A crab imitation . crankbait is another good choice

 

Bright day, bright colours, blue on chrome works for me in a rattle bait, overcast dark hues.

[SirCranksalot]

Senko worms wacky rigged.

[Headhunter]

Thanks everyone! I have most of what you guys have mentioned, so I am developing a plan of attach. Underlining theme seems to be light line and floro leader.

We'll have a bunch of "kids" with us, so my thinking is setting the kids up for any that follow up to the boat (jigs w/ worms, minnows) and me tossing baits to draw them in.

Thanks again everyone!

HH

[limeyangler]

Thanks everyone! I have most of what you guys have mentioned, so I am developing a plan of attach. Underlining theme seems to be light line and floro leader.

We'll have a bunch of "kids" with us, so my thinking is setting the kids up for any that follow up to the boat (jigs w/ worms, minnows) and me tossing baits to draw them in.

Thanks again everyone!

HH

 

 

Don't overlook what you are setting the kids up with, if you have live bait with you tossing a minnow on a jig at the shore or anywhere you think the bass are. Like AKRISONER said..."pop pop let it rest". Also a nightcrawler under a slip bobber can be absolutely deadly. Mepps type spinners also good. The water still sounds cold for this time of year which is similar to here, I have not found the smallies to be in their usual haunts at all. The most consistent pattern I have found is shallow, Like Manitoubass said, cast at shore, especially if there are small boulders present, and I mean right up on shore almost.

[4x4bassin]

Agree with all comments above . I fish a remote cold/clear lake for lake tout and smallmouth and have discovered that the smallies in this lake

are somewhat palegic and feed off shore . They are tough to find but once you find them its game on . Another thing that I have experienced in

clear lakes is to fish about 30 mins after the sun goes down . The smallmouth come into the shallows to feed under the cloak of darkness in

these clear water lakes . Top water all the way here . Good luck

[Old Ironmaker]

HH, if you set the kids up with live bait under a bobber have them twitch it every minute or so.

[AKRISONER]

im guessing there are pike in this lake...i wouldnt run anything under 15lb fluro.

 

i fish clear water smallies and they never seem to mind.

 

I mind losing lures though.

[Headhunter]

Agree with all comments above . I fish a remote cold/clear lake for lake tout and smallmouth and have discovered that the smallies in this lake

are somewhat palegic and feed off shore . They are tough to find but once you find them its game on . Another thing that I have experienced in

clear lakes is to fish about 30 mins after the sun goes down . The smallmouth come into the shallows to feed under the cloak of darkness in

these clear water lakes . Top water all the way here . Good luck

Thanks for this!

 

HH, if you set the kids up with live bait under a bobber have them twitch it every minute or so.

That's the plan OI!

 

im guessing there are pike in this lake...i wouldnt run anything under 15lb fluro.

 

i fish clear water smallies and they never seem to mind.

 

I mind losing lures though.

Pike and Musky I am told. Loading up one rod with full floro, well because I can!

Again, many thanks to all who took the time to respond, all are much appreciated!

HH

[Pigeontroller]

Jerkbaits! If the water is cool, a neutral buoyancy jerkbait like a Rapala Xrap, twitch, long pause.....twitch!

 

XR10 size, clear water use natural colours!

Edited July 11, 2017 by Pigeontroller

[GBW]

Well everyone has you covered and sounds like you have a good game plan ahead. So my 0.05$ is just this. Have fun!

Oh and pink bubble gum on a hook does work if you run out of live bait for the kids and your in a pinch cause the fishing is hot. Oh and the kids will be happy you stocked up on hubba bubba too

[captpierre]

Well everyone has you covered and sounds like you have a good game plan ahead. So my 0.05$ is just this. Have fun!

Oh and pink bubble gum on a hook does work if you run out of live bait for the kids and your in a pinch cause the fishing is hot. Oh and the kids will be happy you stocked up on hubba bubba too

Inflation. Used to be $ .02.

[GBW]

Inflation. Used to be $ .02.

but the penny is gone so my hand was forced...

[Old Ironmaker]

Put all the suggestions here together and someone can do an informative seminar. M2B2 can hold his hands apart to show how big the Bass were, from eye to eye!!!

[manitoubass2]

Put all the suggestions here together and someone can do an informative seminar. M2B2 can hold his hands apart to show how big the Bass were, from eye to eye!!!

32"s lol

 

Weight 2.8lbs

 

???

Edited July 13, 2017 by manitoubass2

[Old Ironmaker]

32" from eye to eye, must be a Great White. You have them in LOW now?