Smallmouth

[SW Lures]

I fish in Class 1 to Class 2 water for these fish. Anything more I move into the lake on a trip that I do in the spring. We catch Walleye and Stripers while fishing this river in very nice sizes. I also fish some fast rivers near the house all through the year. This water is normally shallow, 4-10' deep. Now that winter is approaching I start building up baits for the next year. I thought that this type of bait could be a slayer in these rivers. I'm thinking of a inline but length and size is the question.

We normally fish with cranks and jigs w/soft plastics when using artificials. I used a inline spinners (Mepps/Rooster Tail) when I was younger and did well with the Smallies or whatever. Finding soda bottles to buy them.

My question after searching and reading is, what weight and blade size would you recommend for this type of fishing? I normally think about something for awhile then go get what I need. From reading archive threads it seems that I need a little bit of everything, but this will be for just this one bait for now. I also have a airbrush, powder coating, hobby blaster for working on the body or blade(s), I have a vise for tying to.

I have to do some traveling starting tomorrow and will reply when I can. I would like all opinions.

Thanks and appreciated,

Dale

Edited October 23, 2016 by DaleSW

[Travis]

I fish smaller creeks and rivers for smallies also and fished for spotted bass in similar waters for many years.  Have several smallie creek specialists in the region that catch some very solid fish from these small waters and over the past 10 years or so techniques have been tweaked to produce big fish in fair numbers. Deep water was 7 feet typically with most fishing shallower.  These are very small bodies of water however and you cover a lot of water.

 

I don't use inline's too often as they get hung up a lot in the areas I fish and overall tend to catch a lot of 10 and 12 inch fish.  Larger rooster tails and mepps mainly and tried some of the larger ones like Hildebrandt Sally stuff.

 

I like double willow leaf offerings 3/8 to 1/2 ounce on a smaller spinner bait frame and hidden head.  Also prefer a twist wire over R bend as these baits get smashed by the smallies/spots and have more issues with the braid slipping up the r bend.  Pure run and gun covering water looking for 18 to 20 inch smallies.   Chatterbaits work well also at times but think traditional spinner baits end up outperforming typically.

 

Fairly close to what style for spinner baits I use:

 

http://www.spotsticker.com/shop/mini-me-chartreuse-billet-spinnerbait/

 

Winter can be a very good time for shallow river smallie fishing can be dynamite with a floating fly.  Five feet may be deep on some of the creeks I hit and you can find those pools (break the ice at times) and pluck some hefty smallies out with a float and fly.

[SW Lures]

We have a few rivers around similar to those you describe Travis. These rivers are very small in width but I enjoy wading them. The bends in the these rivers are where I find my best. The rivers that I'm describing above is much wider and are rocky as it comes through the foot hills or mountains. I believe these in line spinners will do well. I was just looking at some buzz baits to. I just don't know the correct body weight and the best length. After doing some research I believe about 5-6" long would be about right. Weight I'm still not sure of for either type.

Thanks

[Travis]

If just having to pick one weight then 1/2 ounce would be what I would take.   Just want to get rid of the drag/lift associated with the blades/current.  Typically I end up looking for the eddies behind the larger rocks, lay downs, or anything that will create that slack water area so really  just wanting to get the bait down out of the swifter water and slow down in those eddies.  Fished a lot of buzzbaits also but usually in slower flowing rivers/creeks and trailer hooks always a big plus from my experiences.

[stretcher66]

I always fish a trailer hook with all my spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.  a cheap way to up the percentage of the hook ups for sure.

[SW Lures]

I appreciate both of your thoughts. I kept digging into the archives and found a post with a look at a how to book for all different lures. In-line spinners were in there. A very good read.

Also Smalljaws made a comment in a thread about buzzbaits. He stated something that made a lot of sense about fish coming out of the water to hit a in-line buzzbait. He stated that the standard bait for him out perform in-line, in his opinion. I'll still make some tho, I'll use them in slower water.

Dale

[azsouth]

I use the inline spinners for smallies and I do quite well, as far as what size to throw is determined by line size and current.

ex. if I am fishing 6lb test I fish up to 1/4 oz....12lb up to 1/2 oz.

inline spinners are really over looked by most bass fishermen that means they don't see it as much as the other lures.

smallies seam to have a color preference for sure, make sure you have an idea of that color to save money.

 

Stuart 

[SW Lures]

Azsouth I appreciate the response. I gave all infomation that I could think of but not that. I use 10 lb flurocarbon so I'm going to make me a few at 3/8 & 1/2 oz. I was think about Chartreuse body with copper blade and florescent chartreuse tube. Being that something could hit, I'm going to have all closed loops and Dou Snaps with bearing swivel. Oops, I forgot I was thinking of a Indiana blades. I'm not sure about Colorado's on this bait.

Any other suggestion would be welcome,

Dale

Edited October 26, 2016 by DaleSW

[azsouth]

I beleive time on the water is about the only real thing that works, meaning everyone fishes their own style so what works for one person may not work another person.

I can only say try it and go have fun...it works for me,

 

stuart