Members karnivore Posted January 31, 2012 Members Posted January 31, 2012 Hello All... Wanted to get your input on tackle selection. I live in SWMO and am putting together my gear for this year. I want to fish the streams in the area, and am admittedly pretty new to fishing for smallmouth, and especially new to fishing from watercraft.... So...what would you recommend? Any info would be appreciated...hooks, plastics, lures, whatever you think I should get! Chief Grey Bear gave me some great advice last week...it was kind of like trying to drink from a firehose! Whole lotta great info from him. (Thanks Chief!) I think I remember enough to get started, but thought I'd throw this out there and have something in writing from other knowledgeable fellas. Thanks guys!
MOsmallies Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 If you're somewhat new to smallmouth stream fishing from a canoe or kayak I would start by throwing some moving lures and trying to elicit a reaction bite. In the warm months Smallmouth tend to be aggressive so moving baits can be very effective. Also, being new to canoeing/kayaking can make it difficult to fish slow moving lures until you get comfortable with boat control. Don't discount slow moving soft plastics or jigs though, as you can always get out and wade the good looking holes. Here are some suggestions for fast moving lures to trick those smallies in the warmer months... - 1/8 or 1/4 oz. Buzzbaits (White, White/Chartreuse, or Black) - Heddon Tiny Torpedo (Shad colored or black) - Pop-Rs (Anything with a white belly) - Zara Spook Jr. or LC Sammy 85 or 100 (Shad colors) - 1/8, 3/16, or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits (White or White/Chartreuse) - Crankbaits such as a Wiggle Wart, Strike King KVD 1.5, or Rebel Craw (Any shad or craw color) - Zoom Super Flukes (Pearl or Albino) - Rapala X-Rap (Olive Green) Here are some ideas for slow moving baits to really pick apart good looking holes... - 4" or 5" Chompers Hula Grubs on 1/8 oz. Stand-up jigheads (Any shade of brown or green) - 3 1/2" Tubes with a 1/8 oz. egg sinker pushed into the cavity and tex-posed with a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG Hook (Any shade of brown or green) - 1/8 oz jig and craw combo (Black, Green or Brown) - 4" to 6" finesse worms Texas rigged with a 1/16 oz. bullet weight (Any shade of brown or green) - 4" senkos tex-posed weightless with a 2/0 EWG hook (Any shade of brown, green, or smoke) - Zoom Baby Brush Hog (Any shade of brown or green) These should be a good place to start and allow you to cover all water columns. Good luck! Paul MOsmallies
Members sitting fishing Posted January 31, 2012 Members Posted January 31, 2012 If you're somewhat new to smallmouth stream fishing from a canoe or kayak I would start by throwing some moving lures and trying to elicit a reaction bite. In the warm months Smallmouth tend to be aggressive so moving baits can be very effective. Also, being new to canoeing/kayaking can make it difficult to fish slow moving lures until you get comfortable with boat control. Don't discount slow moving soft plastics or jigs though, as you can always get out and wade the good looking holes. Here are some suggestions for fast moving lures to trick those smallies in the warmer months... - 1/8 or 1/4 oz. Buzzbaits (White, White/Chartreuse, or Black) - Heddon Tiny Torpedo (Shad colored or black) - Pop-Rs (Anything with a white belly) - Zara Spook Jr. or LC Sammy 85 or 100 (Shad colors) - 1/8, 3/16, or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits (White or White/Chartreuse) - Crankbaits such as a Wiggle Wart, Strike King KVD 1.5, or Rebel Craw (Any shad or craw color) - Zoom Super Flukes (Pearl or Albino) - Rapala X-Rap (Olive Green) Here are some ideas for slow moving baits to really pick apart good looking holes... - 4" or 5" Chompers Hula Grubs on 1/8 oz. Stand-up jigheads (Any shade of brown or green) - 3 1/2" Tubes with a 1/8 oz. egg sinker pushed into the cavity and tex-posed with a 2/0 or 3/0 EWG Hook (Any shade of brown or green) - 1/8 oz jig and craw combo (Black, Green or Brown) - 4" to 6" finesse worms Texas rigged with a 1/16 oz. bullet weight (Any shade of brown or green) - 4" senkos tex-posed weightless with a 2/0 EWG hook (Any shade of brown, green, or smoke) - Zoom Baby Brush Hog (Any shade of brown or green) These should be a good place to start and allow you to cover all water columns. Good luck! Paul MOsmallies make a list of the hard baits you want then pick them off on ebay one at a time the fish don't care if they are new and you will save a ton plus get the chance to pick up some of the ones no longer being made
eric1978 Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 You're bound to get an avalanche of advice with a post like this, and if you take all the advice you'll go broke following it. Pick three lures you like...one topwater, one mid-column, and one to work the bottom. Go from there. If you start out trying to fill a tackle box before you hit the water, you'll inevitably never use most of what's in there and waste a ton of money. So I say start off with a small collection and let your box slowly evolve. PS...If you've done any largemouth fishing you're already 90% there. Good luck!
Greasy B Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 I would defiantly follow the keep it simple route. I have boxes and boxes of lures that never see day light. Depending on the season I typically rely on the same two or three bait to find and catch smallmouth, one deep one mid column and one top. His father touches the Claw in spite of Kevin's warnings and breaks two legs just as a thunderstorm tears the house apart. Kevin runs away with the Claw. He becomes captain of the Greasy Bastard, a small ship carrying rubber goods between England and Burma. Michael Palin, Terry Jones, 1974
Addicted to Creeks Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 i personally love 3" Power grubs in white and 3" Storm swimbaits, usually the first two things ill throw looking for smallies Fish always lose by being "got in and dressed." It is best to weigh them while they are in the water. The only really large one I ever caught got away with my leader when I first struck him. He weighed ten pounds. —Charles Dudley Warner
mic Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 i personally love 3" Power grubs in white and 3" Storm swimbaits, usually the first two things ill throw looking for smallies I'm so new to smallmouth, I have all of two trips under my belt. However, I took this advice for power grubs and had good luck. If you are doing any small water fishing, I had great luck with a pearl metal flake tub jig.
MOsmallies Posted January 31, 2012 Posted January 31, 2012 You're bound to get an avalanche of advice with a post like this, and if you take all the advice you'll go broke following it. Pick three lures you like...one topwater, one mid-column, and one to work the bottom. Go from there. If you start out trying to fill a tackle box before you hit the water, you'll inevitably never use most of what's in there and waste a ton of money. So I say start off with a small collection and let your box slowly evolve. PS...If you've done any largemouth fishing you're already 90% there. Good luck! Eric makes a good point. I gave you quite a few options that all do similar things. It probably would be beneficial to only focus on one topwater, one mid-column bait, and one bottom bouncing bait. If I had to narrow down what I suggested for a Smallmouth newbie, I would pick... Topwater - Heddon Tiny Torpedo (Shad colored or black) Mid-Column - Zoom Super Flukes (Pearl or Albino) rigged weightless on a 3/0 EWG hook Bottom Bouncing - 4" to 6" finesse worms Texas rigged with a 1/16 oz. bullet weight (Any shade of brown or green) or the tube
Members karnivore Posted January 31, 2012 Author Members Posted January 31, 2012 Thanks guys! That's what I'm looking for! The 3 lures for the different columns makes a lot of sense. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed! Starting simple and working up from there is great...and great for my wallet!
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