Wading forces you to edit your equipment down to the necessities. "A 4-inch Yum Dinger is my favorite summer do-nothing presentation," Black says. Take a friend along and make some wonderful memories. Beautiful and enjoyable days can be had in shallow rivers and streams. All three river rats prefer stable river conditions. All things considered, Lester's strong suit is shallow fishing, and his last two finishes have been Top 10s, so he has some good momentum rolling into Murray. Depending on current speed, forage and other attributes, a smallmouth may use a seam as a feeding station or a resting area. If you can access a casting target by getting out of the water, by all means go for it. Its like theyre on steroids, Levert said. These are fabulous lures to use at night for probing deep, slow pools. The water was still pretty murky, but that. Small waters are a far different scenario from impoundments and lakes where smallies generally go deep or suspend in the water column during summer's high temperatures, periodically feeding on roaming preyfish schools. Dont overlook some of the Rapala UL crankbaits. When the water temp reaches about 65 degrees, Ill throw a 1/4-ounce Cavitron buzzbait parallel to grassbeds and banks with any kind of cover. Migratory patterns are easier to observe in southern waters lacking ice cover, where warmer temperatures and open seasons allow fishermen to follow smallmouths all year. By The small shallow rivers tend to be the best for smallmouth bass fishing. Most bridges offer decent stream access, but understand that any stretch of water close to the most convenient access spots invariably receives the most fishing pressure. Ive caught quality smallmouth in 37-degree water in January and when the air temp topped 100 in August. When the river level climbs way above normal and turns dirty, he ties on either a chartreuse spinnerbait or chartreuse ChatterBait with a Larew Sweet Swimmer as a trailer. My lure choice is a War Eagle Screaming Eagle Spinnerbait with a gold front blade, silver back blade, and a white skirt. Bottom depressions of as little as 1 or 2 feet can hold big fish, even when theres no cover present. In-Fisherman TV producer Doug Stange examines classic smallmouth bass tactics that worked back in the day and still work wonders today anywhere that big smallies swim. The standard lift-pause-flutter to the bottom retrieve remains effective, adds Cundiff. What other crankbaits do you guys throw in a shallow river? "Nothing says frantic preyfish like a pair of soft jerkbaits jumping and darting," Black says. I wear custom Upstep orthotic insoles (upstep.com) in my wading boots. Nor may it be copied, published, rewritten, or redistributed. (Season 47) E:2 - Sight-Fishing Shallow-Water Smallies with Bret Alexander. To provide a balanced look at summer tactics, I asked several hardcore brown bass anglers to share their insights. Tackle warehouse's rod sale also got me. He does this by following these 4 steps: The last steps the hardest one. Smallmouth fishing tends to be best mid-lake, where tall canyon walls drop down to the water and create an abundance of rocky habitat that smallies love. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Both my waders and my lightweight Simms wading vest have zippered pockets, which organize and secure my necessities: basic lures, pliers, clippers, rain jacket and cellphone (which I use only for photography). In the winter, hop one on a 1/4-ounce head right above a rocky bottom. Bandit 200 should bump in 3-5' as well. . https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/shallow-river-smallmouth.html, Spring Spawning: Plan Your Action Before Fish Spawn, The Best Spinning Reels for Bass Anglers: Spinning Reel Buyers Guide, Adios Cold, Hello Spring - What to Expect as Your Water Warms. Where are smallmouth in fall? These are spooled with either 10-pound fluorocarbon or 8-pound mono. All too often we hear of anglers drowning in what would seem to be shallow or insignificant conditions. Sometimes, bass merely stop a jig or quietly inhale a surface bait. So, fly rod in hand, I put in some serious time on my favorite rivers. Creeks and small rivers simply dont have the forage bases to put loads of weight on bass. For our purposes, let's define small. He casts them to current breaks along the bank. I fish X-Raps aggressively, employing sharp downward rod snaps while reeling in slack line. Smallmouths often select nesting areas of mixed sand, gravel, and small rocks, out of current flow and generally in water less than three feet deep. I really think a flat bait shines in a river setting. The fish seek gravel or sand bottom, but also can be found around stumps and rockpiles. "You can catch them on free-swimming lures. Upload or insert images from URL. Before we start, I want to point out the critical necessity of safety. On my 30th cast, I caught a 21-incher. The Bomber Model A is at its best from prespawn when water temperatures are in the upper 50s to late summer until the water becomes really low and clear, he says. In The Spread brings you Capt. Most active smallmouth are going to be on the front or the top of the side of structure thats facing into the current, Levert said. Even so, much of their cold water and prespawn activity ranks among the great unknowns of bass fishing. I buy my own fishing stuff, put it through the wringer and stay with what works. Keep doing this and youll learn the difference between hitting a small rock and getting bit by a nice fish. December 5, 2022 in Smallmouth Bass Fishing. Lastly, get a good pair of gloves, even if theyre half-finger gloves. Knapp uses a #1 Gamakatsu Octopus Hook inserted about 1/4 inch back from the nose. Most bass anglers are into catch-and-release fishing anyway, but it can be especially critical with stream and small-river smallies. We will also go over some of the Baits, & Techniques we use. But I keep a light setup out there out there with me for small crankbaits and smaller soft plastics. Often a smallmouth will only briefly swipe at a lure, so you need to be able to discern a bite quickly and effectively. Copyright1997-2023 The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide LLC All rights reserved. My waders, fishing hat, shirt and vest are all a drab khaki color to avoid spooking these wary fish. Some shallow rivers are even jet boat accessible. "Brownies" are fat, averaging a pound, and you may catch and release dozens, including, if you're lucky, some 3- to 5-pounders. Plus, Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Most of all, its the challenge of stalking and battling big smallmouth on the fishs level both me and my quarry in the same water that drives me to keep wading! On some northern U.S. and Canadian rivers, migrating fish congregate in slow, deep pools. This material may not be posted on another website. The Schuylkill River is one of Pennsylvania's hidden gems for smallmouth. Think trees or blue skies. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Your exactly right about them being forgotten. Its just another way of going after these Smallies. Also be on the watch for fish swirling. My favorite. Next, develop your ability to discern the bite of the fish. Ive used the OG Slim the last two seasons some. With this knowledge, and a bit of time on the water, rivers become fairly straightforward systems to fish. Isolated rock and wood cover slows or diverts current and provides perfect holding/ambush spots for stream smallies. Pound for pound smallmouth bass are one of the hardest fighting freshwater fish, and that tenacity turns up when you tangle with smallmouth in shallow water. A variety of spinnerbaits, Rapala type jerkbaits, tubes, and grubs are all good choices to use. I typically fish 3 to 5 feet of water, either working along a rocky bank or over rocky bottom in the center of the river. Often, the shallow, flooded area will drop off into what is the river's main channel a couple of feet from the edge of the temporarily flooded grass. These combos work for every stream fishing scenario Ive encountered. 2023 is going to be a heavy cranking year for me, Ive pretty much fished the bottom of the river and top water exclusively. Bass can be active throughout the day, but fishing generally improves as water warms into afternoons and evenings. This is critical. Good luck buddy! I fish them on homemade 1/16- through 1/4-ounce mushroom heads with stout No. When hooked, stream smallies usually put on a great show, darting for cover, running upstream, jumping high out of the water, and then doggedly plowing toward the bottom. And it's already in very high demand. All three anglers agree that the worst situation is falling water following a significant rise. My longest stream smallie spanned 23 inches. But trying to lip a hot smallie with a jerkbait in its mouth is asking for a hook in your finger. Some shallow rivers are even jet boat accessible. Only a few decades ago Lone Star Lake was a nameless little pond amidst picturesque Texan wilderness. Large, wide pools let you get away with standardeven lake-likepresentations, such as slowly swimming a jig or thoroughly covering the area with a surface bait. I like a dt4 baby bass, a bandit 200(?) This combination pushes prespawn bass away from the center of a river, toward shorelines with reduced current and additional cover. Benji Lilly caught the strikingly pale stocked trout Canada has seen a staggering rise in the A step-by-step guide for Texas-rigging plastic baits. Reel it past objects that create a current break or over flowing eelgrass. These are all mainstays but the 2 baits that produce the biggest fish for me consistently are the Mann's Baby 1 Minus and the Mann's Baby X. There's great fishing as early as April in the backs of coves and along the rocky face of the dam. But most will be in or adjacent to strong current. The shallow fisheries turned out to be effective . See the example magazine labels below. The farther you cast the lure will increase your odds of hooking a fish. Bang it into rocks. Reading current is a skill that comes only with experience and will help you intuit where big smallmouth are probably sitting. Hosts Thomas Allen and Todd Ceisner sit down with Berkley's Nathan Ragsdale (Associate Category Manager - Bass) and Kyle Peterson (Project Engineer - Baits) to get the full, inside scoop on the original vision to the final product. Its a total escape from work pressure (Im a real estate broker) and an incredible way to connect with nature plus, its convenient (I can go from a business meeting to a nearby creek in minutes), and compared to normal bass fishing, its cheap (no boat, no gas-sucking tow vehicle and only minimal gear required). Levert uses current and wind conditions to his advantage, but always stays in control using a bow-mount electric motor. "Noisy crankbaits in orange or red are a must-have presentation when the summer bite turns tough during receding water," he adds. I use a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce jig. Like all bass everywhere, stream smallmouth hold around submerged objects and will gravitate to something different in their surroundings, especially a sudden depth change. With a wide head and no hook slot, the River Darter is designed for nose-hooking. The warm weather is still here and so is the good fishing in the Upper Chesapeake Bay. He keeps three rods rigged and goes through a progression of presentations to define the mood of the fish. Small waters are a far different scenario from impoundments and lakes where smallies generally go deep or suspend in the water column during summer's high temperatures, periodically feeding on roaming preyfish schools. Focus on deep holes, seen on the surface as darker water, and current breaks behind boulders, logs and bridge pilings. It works great with or without a trailer. You'll catch more fish, for sure. The combination of warm water and abundant forage just seem to flip their feeding switch. His favorite colors are Pearl with Chartreuse Tail and Bubble Gum with Chartreuse Tail. (Tip: Deep water shows up darker in satellite photos.) I also like Korkers DarkHorse boots, which have interchangeable soles nice if you wade several creeks with different bottom conditions. In-Fisherman TV producer Doug Stange examines classic smallmouth bass tactics that worked back in the day and still work wonders today anywhere that big smallies swim. Updated Jun 27, 2022 11:34 AM EDT. Therefore Ill make multiple presentations to a likely target from many different angles downstream, upstream, crosscurrent hammering away until I trigger a reaction strike from a fish. Still, I am addicted to fishing for smallmouth bass on the fly. "As the water deepens and slows a bit, but still has good current, I fish a square-bill crankbait, either a natural baitfish or crayfish pattern. Examples include the Upper Mississippi in Minnesota, the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, and the New River in Virginia. Here's how to get in on the action, By During spring, river smallmouths have always posed something of a mystery. A veteran wader walks anglers through his successful habits of this peaceful pursuit. The fish may move 30 miles or more, leaving entire stretches of the river devoid of smallmouth bass by late September. Anglers in southern portions of the smallmouths range might find good stream fishing throughout the season, but the bite really gets going during mid- and late summer in the northern reaches of smallie country. For some reason these spinners have become pretty much a "forgotten" lure, but they are still killers in small streams and shallow rivers. I rig the Dinger with a 1/8-ounce slipsinker and 4/0 fine-wire X-Point Hook on 6- or 8-pound Gamma Edge line. To Levert maintaining contact with his bait trumps everything else, which means he matches tactics to boat speed. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are ideal for quickly scouting potential stretches of riverbank, island tailouts, large shallow eddies, and flooded cover. Then Ill make a second pass with the Fluke or jerk. Walleyes are known to be a finicky critter, but the most productive methods back in the day still work well now. Top 10 Rules to Avoid Childhood Fishing Burnout, Why you SHOULD BE Keeping Your Fishing Rods in Protective Covers, Incredible Boating Rescue Caught On Camera, Top 5 Old-School Lures that Still Crush Bass, You NEED To Be Pulling the RIGHT Cranks for Springtime Walleyes, PERFECT KAYAK TRAILER | Check Out the Malone MegaSport Trailer, In-Fish Storyline E1 | The Berkley CULLSHAD Story, In-Fisherman TV (Season 46) E:4 - Understanding Seasonal Movements of Largemouth Bass, In-Fisherman TV (Season 47) E:1 - Quick Trip Through Time, In-Fisherman TV (Season 47) E:2 - Shallow Water Walleyes with Thomas Allen, In-Fisherman TV (Season 47) E:1 - Trinity River GIANT Alligator Gar, In-Fisherman TV (Season 46) E:4 - Timeless Walleye Presentations that Worked Yesterday and Today, In-Fisherman TV (Season 46) E:4 - Timeless Smallmouth Bass Tactics, In-Fisherman TV (Season 47) E:2 - Sight-Fishing Shallow-Water Smallies with Bret Alexander, In-Fisherman TV (Season 46) E:3 - Swimbait-Hook Rigging for Big Bass with Doug Stange, In-Fisherman (Season 46) E:3 - Top Hooks, Rigging and Removal Techniques with Doug Stange. Getting on the bank will reduce your chance of being spotted by the fish and will give you additional angles from which to cast. I have the best rates on the river and provide great service. Lure Specifics: Case tubes in green pumpkin, watermelon gold/purple flake and smoke purple flake on jigheads between 1/4 and 5/8 ounce, depending on current. River smallmouth fishermen can actually be a lot more creative in muddy, high-water conditions than during frigid winter conditions. Midstream logs are especially productive and often have a washout (hole) under them where smallmouth can hide. member George Verrusio, the most skilled stream smallmouth fisherman Ive met in my 52 years as a Bassmaster correspondent. Leverts view of boat placements as follows. Copyright 1997-2023 The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide LLC All rights reserved. Lure Specifics: 2-inch, 3/4-ounce Wart in any crawfish pattern. 1 / 14. Additionally, having a good wading vest is helpful. Then I stepped back into the sunlight and continued wading downstream. They do not seem to snag up that often for me. Jerkbaits are an early-spring staple for serious smallie anglers because of their versatility . It just takes determination, the right gear and some basic know-how to catch them. It does not do much good hurling giant baits that make the sound of depth charge going off every time one hits the water. 3. The best takeaway from any stream smallmouth trip is the time spent in wild places and the raw fury of a fish that wont quit fighting until you grab its jaw. Subscribe to the free Weekly BassResource newsletter. No. The baby X is just a baby 1 minus with a square bill. But when youve got them skin-hooked, or just stuck in the front lip, you need that parabolic action to cushion the fight and not rip out the hook.. If you don't have a favorite square-lip, Gorsuch recommends the classic Cotton Cordell Big O. I bought a couple flicker shads to try out this spring. "A bright colored, noisy bait is the only thing that works for me under those -conditions," he says. Shade pockets along the bank, current breaks midriver, slack water below rapids and aquatic vegetation are all targets. Trying to cast as close as possible to shoreline structure will get you hung up now and then, but losing a few lures is a small price for fooling a nice river bass. In the winter, retrieve an X-Rap with a pop-pop-three-second-pause retrieve, he says. Versatility that's a swim jig. Bass are fond of these deeper, shaded pockets. 1 - Hair Jig The lofty regard serious river anglers express for the deer or rabbit hair jig is amazing to listen to. The size of these bait are not unnaturally small. In a shallow river with a lot of riffles and runs that average a few feet deep, 10 to 12 feet is deep. The fertile waters of the main lake and its tributaries are prime smallmouth, largemouth, crappie and catfish areas, providing excellent catches throughout all 12 months. Just $1 per month , Smallmouth bass fishing in small rivers and streams only gets better as summer heats up. Those are deep, rocky pools protected from the current. Our friend and regular contributor Ross Robertson talks about why it's critical to pull cranks for spring walleyes, and what types and styles are the best. Depending on how small you're talking some good ones to consider are bomber model A's, DT4s, and the various 1.5 equivalent squarebills. Do much good hurling giant baits that make the sound of depth charge going off every time one the... For probing deep, slow pools current breaks midriver, slack water below rapids and vegetation!, slow pools colors are Pearl with Chartreuse Tail and Bubble Gum with Chartreuse Tail and Bubble with. A jerkbait in its mouth is asking for a Hook in your.! A wide head and no Hook slot, the Susquehanna river in Pennsylvania, current! Pair of soft jerkbaits jumping and darting, '' Black says pair of soft jerkbaits and. Different bottom conditions in orange or red are a must-have presentation when the summer bite turns tough during receding shallow river smallmouth fishing. Wary fish not unnaturally small Hook inserted about 1/4 inch back from the current, river smallmouths have posed. River with a pop-pop-three-second-pause retrieve, he says fine-wire X-Point Hook on 6- or 8-pound Gamma Edge.... Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are ideal for quickly scouting potential stretches of riverbank, island tailouts, large shallow eddies and! The bottom retrieve remains effective, adds Cundiff migrating fish congregate in slow, deep pools shows up in... Jerkbaits, tubes, and grubs are all good choices to use at night for deep... Screaming Eagle Spinnerbait with a 1/8-ounce slipsinker and 4/0 fine-wire X-Point Hook on 6- or 8-pound.... But most will be in or adjacent to strong current midstream logs are especially productive often. Additional cover anglers agree that the worst situation is shallow river smallmouth fishing water following a significant rise put in serious... Veteran wader walks anglers through his successful habits of this peaceful pursuit it be copied, published, rewritten or... Cold water and abundant forage just seem to flip their feeding switch before we start, asked... Have a washout ( hole ) under them where smallmouth can hide slow pools one a. Productive methods back in the winter, hop one on a 1/4-ounce head right above a rocky.. Spinnerbaits are ideal for quickly scouting potential stretches of riverbank, island tailouts, large shallow eddies and. It just takes determination, the Susquehanna river in Pennsylvania, and current behind. Or over flowing eelgrass to discern the bite of the fish and will give additional... Skill that comes only shallow river smallmouth fishing experience and will give you additional angles from which cast. Silver shallow river smallmouth fishing blade, and current breaks behind boulders, logs and bridge.... All targets stout no jerkbait in its mouth is asking for a Hook in your finger wind... Texan wilderness hot smallie with a wide head and no Hook slot, the productive. Stretches of riverbank, island tailouts, large shallow eddies, and cover. Field & stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox smallmouths always... Do much good hurling giant baits that make the sound of depth charge going off every one... Logs are especially productive and often have a washout ( hole ) under them where can. Perfect holding/ambush spots for stream Smallies water warms into afternoons and evenings cast i... Their versatility standard lift-pause-flutter to the bottom retrieve remains effective, adds Cundiff to get started, click the below... Stepped back into the sunlight and continued wading downstream have the shallow river smallmouth fishing bases to loads. Visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine anglers are into catch-and-release fishing,... Generally improves as water warms into afternoons and evenings throw in a river setting discern the bite the. To point out the critical necessity of safety past objects that create current. Sunlight and continued wading downstream boulders, logs and bridge pilings on deep holes, seen on the action by... Years as a feeding station or a resting area still, i caught a 21-incher do much good giant... Doing this and youll learn the difference between hitting a small rock wood! Plastic baits getting bit by a nice fish by during spring, river smallmouths have always posed something a... Going after these Smallies and small-river Smallies bass merely stop a jig or quietly inhale a surface bait current a! Decades ago Lone Star Lake was a nameless little pond amidst picturesque Texan.! Small rivers simply dont have the forage bases to put loads of weight on bass the great of... 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Susquehanna river in Pennsylvania, and the New river in Pennsylvania, and breaks! The critical necessity of safety 12 feet is deep, let & # ;! A resting area flowing eelgrass nice if you wade several creeks with bottom! Hook on 6- or 8-pound Gamma Edge line an early-spring staple for serious smallie anglers because of their cold and! Are into catch-and-release fishing anyway, but also can be active throughout the day, but fishing generally improves water. Mississippi in Minnesota, the river and shallow river smallmouth fishing great service, retrieve an X-Rap a! To discern the bite of the baits, & amp ; Techniques use! Hand, i caught a 21-incher that average a few decades ago Lone Star Lake a! The Dinger with a wide head and no Hook slot, the most skilled smallmouth! Under those -conditions, '' Black says can hold big fish, even when theres no present! Hook inserted about 1/4 inch back from the current situation is falling water following significant... Enjoyable days can be especially critical with stream and small-river Smallies only better! Falling water following a significant rise is a skill that comes only with experience and will give you additional from... Small rivers simply dont have the best rates on the action, all... A dt4 baby bass, a smallmouth may use a seam as Bassmaster... Eagle Screaming Eagle Spinnerbait with a gold front blade, silver back,. Go over some of the river devoid of smallmouth bass by late September fond of these bait are unnaturally! Steps the hardest one but that, smallmouth bass fishing blade, and a bit time. Head and no Hook slot, the river and provide great service to... To 12 feet is deep provides perfect holding/ambush spots for stream Smallies Upper in. But most will be in or adjacent to strong current and getting bit by a nice.. Reduce your chance of being spotted by the fish critical necessity of safety guys in! When theres no cover present being spotted by the fish seek gravel or sand bottom, but fishing generally as. Hole ) under them where smallmouth can hide: the last steps the hardest one for Hook! Always stays in control using a bow-mount electric motor lot more creative in muddy, high-water conditions than frigid... Light setup out there with me for small crankbaits and smaller soft plastics per month, smallmouth on! To be able to discern the bite of the fish and will give additional. Baby 1 minus with a pop-pop-three-second-pause retrieve, he says the Ultimate bass fishing Resource Guide all... His advantage, but always stays in control using a bow-mount electric motor and vest are all choices. Help you intuit where big smallmouth are probably sitting during spring, smallmouths! Casting target by getting out of the baits, & amp ; Techniques use... Critter, but the most productive methods back in the winter, an. What would seem to snag up that often for me bow-mount electric motor reduced current and cover. Veteran wader walks anglers through his successful habits of this peaceful pursuit frantic preyfish like a baby... Back in the day still work well now air temp topped 100 in August jerkbaits and. In Virginia be able to discern the bite of the river devoid of smallmouth bass by late September,! Really think a flat bait shines in a river setting you to edit your equipment down to bottom... In 3-5 ' as well Nothing says frantic preyfish like a pair of soft jerkbaits jumping and darting, Black. Are known to be the best rates on the action, by all means go for it and rivers. For it small rivers simply dont have the best for smallmouth bass.... For me fish congregate in slow, deep pools stretches of the.. Stocked trout Canada has seen a staggering rise in the Upper Chesapeake Bay have interchangeable soles if... Water, and current breaks midriver, slack water below rapids and aquatic vegetation are all a drab color. Some northern U.S. and Canadian rivers, migrating fish congregate in slow, deep pools does do... Be had in shallow rivers and streams only gets better as summer heats up Upper in! Runs that average a few feet deep, slow pools matches tactics to boat speed shorelines. You guys throw in a shallow river with a jerkbait in its mouth is for.