Too Big for River Smallies?

[Parkerhollow]

That's where my hesitation was coming from Al.  I'm sure sunfish this size get eaten by smallies occasionally but I'm guessing it's on the larger end of the optimum bait size scale mainly due to the overall shape not necessarily the length. 

Trying to find the line between big enough to keep the little ones off the line but not too big to be such a low percentage lure that it's counter productive.  

Which begs the question, what % of a small mouths diet do sunfish comprise?

thanks again for all the replies, sorry for the delayed response I was out of pocket for a bit.

[joeD]

I would guess pretty much zero.  

But , it's obvious you're enamored with this lure. So, throw it.  

[Gavin]

Dunno, Have caught them on Swim Jigs with 5" paddle tail shads as a trailer. Not the best for numbers or when it is slow, but does select for size somewhat when the bite is on. 

[top_dollar]

 

Just because you CAN catch river smallies on something doesn't necessarily mean it's a good option.  I personally don't like that profile on a lure that big. In my opinion, it's likely that almost any time, a more optimum size lure will catch more, with as good or better chance of big ones. But I could be wrong. If I tried it, I'd do it on a day when the water was murky and you were already catching fish. It's usually pointless to try a new lure when you can't catch anything on your usual stuff.

My ultimate conundrum.....when im catching fish on my usual junk, i dont think to try other stuff cuz im catching fish.  Then when my stuff doesnt work, i think outside the box with stuff i have zero confidence in, fish it for a few casts and quit.  Hence i end up fishing with the same 3 lures 99% percent of the time.  

[Mitch f]

 

My ultimate conundrum.....when im catching fish on my usual junk, i dont think to try other stuff cuz im catching fish.  Then when my stuff doesnt work, i think outside the box with stuff i have zero confidence in, fish it for a few casts and quit.  Hence i end up fishing with the same 3 lures 99% percent of the time.  

Very true!!

[Al Agnew]

Yep, I can only remember two or three times in my whole fishing life that I "found" a new good lure because I tried it when my usual stuff wasn't working.

Here's something to make you think a bit.  One time I was wading a small stream that had some big smallmouth in it, using a 2 3/4th inch Rapala at the time.  I hooked a 4 inch green sunfish on the Rapala, and was just messing around with it, reeling it in slowly, hoping it would get itself off, when this huge smallmouth came charging out from under a log right at the sunfish.  I thought it was going to engulf the little fish; it was certainly big enough to do so.  But instead, it came up, and delicately tried to take the Rapala away.  I saw it clamp down on the waving Rapala, and was so excited that I set the hook as hard as I could...and broke the line.  I watched as the smallmouth shook its head, trying to get itself unhooked from that Rapala...and it succeeded.  The sunfish swam away with my lure!

[Guest]

Deleted.

[Al Agnew]

Only time I go bigger than what I consider optimum size is in very murky water, or very high water that's still clear enough to fish.

[Guest]

Deleted.

 

 

 

[Gavin]

Like that float! Have always done lower, but that looks easier at that level. Had some awesome topwater last summer. Cast straight down and get an eat almost every time.