Catching Smallies On Crankbaits

[Mitch f]

I think he's a wine cooler kind of guy.

Or maybe Manhattans

[Flysmallie]

Or maybe Manhattans

almost choked on a donut.

[Al Agnew]

Hey, fishing wouldn't be nearly as interesting if we didn't talk about all the nuances of lures and tackle. All we could say on here would be, "Hey, I'm going fishing tomorrow. Hope the fish are biting on the one lure I own."

On the other hand...you CAN drive yourself nuts worrying about all the nuances. Even though I keep my lure selection reasonable--three crankbaits in two or three color schemes, for instance--I could still spend all day switching lures to see if by some chance the fish are biting better on something besides what I'm catching them on, not to mention worrying that they were REALLY biting better on something I didn't have. Guys who get into the fine details of lures, like whether or not the fish are hitting green pumpkin tubes with black flakes or green pumpkin tubes with red flakes, gotta be stressed out most of the time.

Which is why I don't usually even try crankbaits in clear water. MAYBE at some point they might be wanting crankbaits, but by eliminating crankbaits from consideration under those conditions, I'm simplifying my life. Of course, if I'm fishing clear water and not catching much of anything on my "pet" clear water lures, I might start trying other stuff, including cranks. But in that case it's pretty likely that they won't work, either, because the fish are just inactive for whatever reason.

[Mitch f]

It's just really hard to catch a bigger fish in clear water. Yes, I could throw really small crankbaits in super clear water and catch smaller fish, but that's not what I'm after. Although jerkbaits are better at clear water than crankbaits, it's still difficult to catch big fish with them in very clear water.

Another topic I've always wondered about seems to always come up when I fish with Zipstick. I've fished with him a lot over the last 7-8 years and he seems to elude to the fact that the different species of fish seem to bite at different times. He will catch all largemouth from 9-10am then the smallmouth start biting at 1:00, or some variation of that. In my mind I've always wondered if it was just the location on the river where the largemouth spot was, or where the smallmouth spot was, not that the largemouth turned off and the smallmouth started. But he believes they turn on at different times.

[Chief Grey Bear]

It's just really hard to catch a bigger fish in clear water. Yes, I could throw really small crankbaits in super clear water and catch smaller fish, but that's not what I'm after. Although jerkbaits are better at clear water than crankbaits, it's still difficult to catch big fish with them in very clear water.

I don't know that anyone targets smaller fish, it is just the nature of the beast. There are just not many bigger fish is smaller creeks. Depending on what you are calling big. 18+? doubtful. 15's, 16's? You bet. And you can catch them on smaller cranks. Done it a million times.

[Guest]

Rebel Super Teeny R in baby bass will flat out catch smallmouth in clear water.

Most of these baits are 35years old and have a square bill.

The walmart version has a round lip, haven't tried them.

My dad had a bunch when I was a kid, only got 1 left from the 70's

Ive found them on Ebay but 99% don't run right, bc they have to hunt at low speed

I burn them as fast as the reel handle can spin.

Its a dinky bait that's difficult to throw on a medium action rod, but can be done on 6lb test.

This is the time of year that any size of bass will hit them.

Ive caught 5lb largemouths in the past, but I was lucky back then.

[LittleRedFisherman]

I'm very much love to use soft plastics. My last trip to the Eleven Point last week I started out using senkos and tubes, and did catch a nice 15 incher right off, but my buddy who is somewhat of smallmouth rookie if you will, started throwing the rebel craw. He was nailing them right off the banks in the shade, before long, I had one tied on my spinning rod doing to same, so I actually have a new found respect for cranks in my tackle box for smallies.

[Al Agnew]

It's just really hard to catch a bigger fish in clear water. Yes, I could throw really small crankbaits in super clear water and catch smaller fish, but that's not what I'm after. Although jerkbaits are better at clear water than crankbaits, it's still difficult to catch big fish with them in very clear water.

Another topic I've always wondered about seems to always come up when I fish with Zipstick. I've fished with him a lot over the last 7-8 years and he seems to elude to the fact that the different species of fish seem to bite at different times. He will catch all largemouth from 9-10am then the smallmouth start biting at 1:00, or some variation of that. In my mind I've always wondered if it was just the location on the river where the largemouth spot was, or where the smallmouth spot was, not that the largemouth turned off and the smallmouth started. But he believes they turn on at different times.

Mitch, I think you're approaching this mainly from your experiences on the Meramec and similar rivers. And I agree with you, on those streams, which are often stained to murky, when the water gets real clear the big fish don't seem to bite very well. They are obviously still there, but they apparently get more and more wary and choosy about what they bite on. Probably do a lot more night feeding.

On the other hand, in waters that are usually quite clear, you can still catch the bigger fish in them as long as you're a little stealthy. And you don't have to downsize, either, unless you ARE using crankbaits or spinnerbaits. I've caught a whole lot of 18 inch plus smallmouth on big topwaters in super clear water, as well as on buzzbaits and my homemade twin spin. Now when those streams get murky after a rain, sometimes the big fish angling gets better yet, but I've learned not to look upon the clear water as a handicap.

[Mitch f]

Yes you're right, I rarely if ever fish smaller streams anymore and have only fished out of a canoe once or twice in the last 10 years and that was with you and Andy.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Well, get your butt out there on them smaller streams! And get them girls out there with you. You guy's will have a blast!!!!