Bait Choices For Small And Largemouth Bass?

[TSmith]

I have been on the river starting at the park bridge and going up stream at least 3 times this week. Fishing and kayaking and I have caught more bluegill and perch than I know what to do with(ok its just a saying) Cause I release everything. Iv caught about 40 total soooo Im thinking about changing it up a little bit and trying from some bass fishing. Any advice would be great. (lures, color, time of day, location) Im looking for large and smallmouth but I need more advice on the smallies.

Thanks

[Gavin]

In the summer I usually start with a buzzbait or a walk the dog type bait and work my way down the water column till I get bit...If no hits on top...I'll switch to a Zoom Fluke, wide wobbling shallow crankbait, or a spinnerbait...no hits on that...I fish the bottom with a 4" Hula Grub, 4" curlytail grub, jig chunk trailer, or a 3-4" tube. Repeat the process a couple times a day so you dont miss the topwater action when it occurs.

In colors....top & middle of the water column...I like minnow like colors, white, chartruese, black for starters...On the bottom...I like darker colors that might resemble crayfish in clear water(browns, olives, etc). If the water is stained I go with highly visable colors..White, Chart, Black, Yellow, Fluor Orange etc. Good luck.

[Daveinozark]

I'm impressed by the bluegill numbers. sounds like a large population there. Are they big or small? I've actually heard that keeping them reduces numbers and increases size quality. I ate a gill out of there a few weeks ago breaded and fried, it was delicious

I take the kids to the park for bluegills along the park, are you going with worms?

for bass, try a small tube. Real in slowly, they want to see some action now it seems. I also go with a 4inch brown worm or green creature bait. Never had much luck with topwater tho

[TSmith]

I'm impressed by the bluegill numbers. sounds like a large population there. Are they big or small? I've actually heard that keeping them reduces numbers and increases size quality. I ate a gill out of there a few weeks ago breaded and fried, it was delicious

I take the kids to the park for bluegills along the park, are you going with worms?

for bass, try a small tube. Real in slowly, they want to see some action now it seems. I also go with a 4inch brown worm or green creature bait. Never had much luck with topwater tho

Yeah I was fishing with worms and in one day I caught 20. Granted only about 10 of those were keepers, but it was still a lot of action. The closer you can throw your bobber to the folidge the better your results will be. I threw under trees that would close to the bank and caught a bunch of good ones.

[OzarksRiverman]

My favorite lure for the Finley is the Bomber Fat A crankbait, I've had the best luck with it too. You catch some Perch with it, but I've caught a lot of Bass on it. My favorite color is just try to match the creek gravel color, and a orangish bottom/belly.

[Finescalejunkie]

The best luck I have had is with the Zoom 6in worm in Pumpkin Seed with a twin tail.

[OzarkFishman]

Like others have stated, small plastics and jigs work well. I usually don't throw a plastic over 4 1/2 inches. You will be amazed what you can catch on an 1/16 leadhead paired with a one-inch creature bait. If you are taking a kid, or are like me and just a kid at heart, then pair the small creature bait with a bobber and pitch it next to some cover. Let it sit and then twitch it back and cast again.

OzarkFishman

[TSmith]

Like others have stated, small plastics and jigs work well. I usually don't throw a plastic over 4 1/2 inches. You will be amazed what you can catch on an 1/16 leadhead paired with a one-inch creature bait. If you are taking a kid, or are like me and just a kid at heart, then pair the small creature bait with a bobber and pitch it next to some cover. Let it sit and then twitch it back and cast again.

OzarkFishman

Sounds like a plan. Im hopefully going tomorrow and we will see how it goes. Im gona try the small plastics and the one inch plastic with a bobber actually doesn't sound to bad either. I had been using a rooster tail and a very small topwater cricket popper and was just catching perch and bluegill. Only once did I catch a largemouth. (if you call an 8 incher a largemouth anything) But thanks for all the tips. Ill let you know if I catch anything.

[OzarkFishman]

Hopefully you will get into some Ozark bass and smallmouth. Good luck.

OzarkFishman