Clear Water Tactics

[Justin92297]

I will be wading a few different accesses this weekend on the upper black. I'm very excited for this trip but have been having trouble narrowing down what to bring. Most of my smallmouth expierence is on the Meramac and big rivers which do not have as clear of water. If you don't mind telling me, what are some of the better lures to use on this part of the river?

[Smalliebigs]

dude thats sweet I love the Black like my family. go to the Lesterville bridge, there is a gravel road there that goes by Parks bluff campgroundhang a right before you go into the campground and go left and you will cross the river on a one lane bridge. You can wade down from there pretty far. Earlier this year I was snorkling the brush piles above Parks Bluff and saw some really nice fish. They will either be cruising and feeding or very deep in the wood. I would have a good walk the dawg bait tied on and a finesse soft plastic texas rigged. If one of those isnt producing switch to the other.

A lot of times this time of year a nedrig type bait thrown as close as you can get to the brush piles and just left there....do not move it if possible....very little movement is the key.....they will come get it on the drop usually. It may be hard to do this technique where there is thick current as it will run your bait out of there....this technique is also only effective after water temps have reached a certain temp but, when the water temps are right it's stupid deadly

[Justin92297]

Awesome that is just what I needed. Thanks a lot! I will be sure to report back when I get back

[Al Agnew]

Add a smallish buzzbait to Smalliebigs' recommendations. Personally, in very clear water I throw the walk the dog lure first, my homemade twin spin second, buzzbait third, and for "finesse" baits a 3 inch tube in a color that matches the bottom as closely as possible (on upper Black River that will be some kind tan or brown color), and an unweighted 4 inch Senko in the same kind of color.

Be very stealthy, make long casts, and make a lot of casts. One of the things that makes the buzzbait good is that you can fish it fast, so you can comb the water with it. Don't hesitate to cast it just about ANYWHERE that's deep enough to cover a fish's back. As several of us have noted, smallies on upper Black, if active, can be cruising around out in the open in shallow pools and flats far from any cover, which is kinda counterintuitive to what you'd expect fish to be doing in such clear water.

[cnr]

Don't hesitate to cast it just about ANYWHERE that's deep enough to cover a fish's back. As several of us have noted, smallies on upper Black, if active, can be cruising around out in the open in shallow pools and flats far from any cover, which is kinda counterintuitive to what you'd expect fish to be doing in such clear water.

I agree. I have seen the same behavior on other clear water streams like the Mineral Fork and Crooked Creek. When the water is clear and cover is minimal the fish can be anywhere. It's surprising how many times they can be laying in the shallow water side of a run with nothing but gravel bottom all around. A.B.C. Always Be Casting. Be careful with your wading, don't be crunching around in the gravel pushing a wake of water when you move around

[Gavin]

They ate the heck out of road kill colored case Jack's Worms and Ned's when where down there a couple months ago. Both fished on an 1/8 oz head with a single wire weed guard.

Not much cover on that river so fish everywhere with the right depth and current speed. Caught plenty off of clean gravel bottoms that appeared to have no cover to hold a fish.