surefire baits for smallies?

[Clay Goforth]

In agreement with ^^^. I have thought, for a long time, that the bait is only as good as the person fishing it. Which, if there is a bait that you are comfortable confident with, you are more likely to catch more fish that way. I love the hula grub. I have a lot of experience fishing the hula grub. I am confident in how to fish it in multiple scenarios. Therefore, it is my "go to," because I believe in it and my ability to use it. It may not be any better than a baby brush hog, or a carolina rigged lizard, or a chomper spider grub, but because I know how to use it and have confidence in it, it works for me.

[Hog Wally]

Today Mitch's craw out fished every thing that 4 of us threw except that the big fish was on a spinnerbait.

[Smallieguy87]

Any 4 inch single tail grub in green pumpkin on an 1/8oz head never fails to catch fish. Hula grubs work great for me as well. I normally will use a chompers 4 inch in dark melon pepper or green pumpkin and i usually rig them 1/8 up to 1/4 if there's heavy current. I just recently started wacky rigging and have found it works well for numbers as does the much talked about NED. My biggest smallies always seem to come from a 3.5 inch tube jig in some sort of green pumpkin or brownish color or the hula grubs mentioned above. I also just picked up some walk the dog style baits after speaking with AL and i have to say those things are a blast to catch fish. I haven't got a big one on them yet but i know its capable as is all the baits mentioned in this thread given they are used at the right place and the right time with a smidge of skill and good luck.

[ARangler]

Something that I think know one has mentioned is the zoom horny toad. That's a bait that I throw often in the hotter months of the year in crooked creek and the buffalo and skip it under trees into the shade and tear the fish up on it. Out performs a buzzbait for me when the water is low and clear. It's a lot more subtle presentation.

[Coosa]

I have been fishing the zoom horn toad and the ribbet frogs at the mdc lake close to my house for the last week. They been gobbling them up!

[Alex Heitman]

Best bait = tube

[Mitch f]

Today Mitch's craw out fished every thing that 4 of us threw except that the big fish was on a spinnerbait.

Thanks for the report, I appreciate it.

I've given out several and no one has ever pmed me or followed up to let me know how they did with them, so no more free ones except to you, Scott, and Paul

[Alex Heitman]

Mitch I tried your craws earlier in the year and loved them on Table Rock. They look great in the water. I only managed a few on them but they were locked on another type of bait that I was using. Next time I'm down there I'm going to try them on a swing head in some deeper water and will let you know.

[Mitch f]

Mitch I tried your craws earlier in the year and loved them on Table Rock. They look great in the water. I only managed a few on them but they were locked on another type of bait that I was using. Next time I'm down there I'm going to try them on a swing head in some deeper water and will let you know.

I actually wasn't referring to you Alex, glad you liked them

[fishinwrench]

Thanks for the report, I appreciate it.

I've given out several and no one has ever pmed me or followed up to let me know how they did with them, so no more free ones except to you, Scott, and Paul

Well just so ya know, I 100% flyfish for river Smallies so I haven't used them in moving water but the HDcraw ain't quite big enough for lake O work. I caught a bunch of dinks on them.

The jig heads are the bomb for hula grubbin'. I use them all the time and cherish them. I'm down right stingy with them too.