techniques

Tips

Prespawn Smallies

Targeting prespawn Smallmouth on a river can be the best time of the year depending on the weather and water levels. If conditions are right you can expect to catch really big fish in March and April along with the first week in May. You must first know where the smallies are wintering at. As soon as the temps start warming the water to around 40 degrees plus this can trigger the smallies into feeding that starts in March here in Pennsylvania. If the rivers are high and muddy this will slow the action until the water comes down and clears a little. If there is debris floating in the water I don't fish slight stain to the water is best but you don't really want chocolate milk colored water.
First thing you want to find is slow moving current in slack water that is pretty deep say 5-10 feet with shallow water not far and some faster water also close by. Start in the deeper water bringing your lure up into the shallow water then start shallow and go deep into the slower current, letting the bait drift from spot to spot on or near the bottom. I use a few different baits this time of year my most effective bait has been a tube the second is any minnow type jerkbait and the third a hair jig I mostly use 1/8 or 1/16 oz baits. As far as colors of the bait I like green and brown along with orange. Other baits can also work but these three have worked the best for me. Again make sure you try to find a spot that can support bass in the winter start there and work into the shallows any given day they can be deep or shallow.

Rivers and Streams

These are some of the baits that I use to catch smallmouth bass. I've been using these lures for a lot of years to catch fish wether it is in rivers or in streams these lures work. There are many other lures that I catch smallmouth on but these are my top baits and where I use them in the water.

River Techniques
By Ron (Pete) Cartwright

The Tube

Bait Types
Tubes are versatile enough to mimic different types of bait. This depends largely on how they’re used. Bait types imitated by tubes include:
1. Crayfish
2. Suckers or other bottom feeders
3. Minnows
4. Insects
Weights, Rigs and Hooks
Weight is the main thing in determining how a bait looks. I use a weighted tube hook inserted in a hollow bait. Here are the hook weights I use and how baits on those hooks look to Smallmouth Bass.
1. Hook only - Insect
2. 1/16 oz. - Insect
3. 1/8 oz. - Crayfish or Minnow
4. ¼ oz. - Crayfish or Sucker
5. 3/16 oz. - Crayfish or Sucker
Tubes can be used almost anywhere. They can be rigged weedless, but I do this only in extremely thick cover. Weedless rigs decrease your chance of hookups. A lot of times no weight is needed, especially if fish are surface feeding.
I like hooks that bend easily. They save a lot of cash on snags.
Color and Tube Type
Color is also important when fishing rivers and streams. I stay with colors that match naturally occurring bait. Here are the colors that consistently catch fish.
1. Pumpkin Seed
2. Green Pumpkin Seed
3. Green Pumpkin Seed with Gold Fleck or Copper
I use a Berkley 3in. Power Tube. This tube is good because the plastic is thinner than most tubes out there. However, the main reason I use this tube is because of the scent.
Fishing the Tube
Use a few different retrieves.
1. Drift
2. Jig
3. Straight In
4. Stop and Go
5. Slowest retrieve you can turn
6. Retrieve fast and slow. Mix up your speeds.
7. When you get out of snags, leave your bait sit a few seconds.
Fan cast an area until you can get some action using those different retrieves.
Rods
Rod control is important in working tubes. Most people that start using a tube will snag up a lot and this will even happen to experts. Patience is KEY. You must use baits repeatedly, until you can distinguish between rocks and bites. Rod sensitivity is also important. The better you can feel your bait, the better you can work it.
For tubes I use a G Loomis Bronzeback, 7ft. 4in., light power, fast action. When I’m retrieving, I keep my rod about 11 o’clock, moving it up and down whenever I bump the bottom. Stick with this technique and you’ll get good at bumping your bait off things in the current.
Where to Cast
The places I like to hit look calm but they are just current breaks. You can pretty much cast a tube anywhere. There are a few places that they excel in moving water.
Standing above a long Current break and casting down into it bringing it back slow bumping it off the bottom or swimming it in
Below a Riffle with a Lip (KEY SPOT)
In a deep Pool let it sit after it hits the bottom for a few before you move it
In calm water jig it
Bridge Pillars the bass can be in front along the sides of the pillar or behind it but you can bet there in there.
Cast close to any Major Structure
Flats that have slow Moving Water cast Up River
Body Fish it use your body as structure and while facing downstream cast in front of your self standing there for at least 20 min with not much movement.
Fast Moving water cast in there you can get them in there
Pockets of deeper water on a flat deeper might only be 6 inches knee deep to waist deep
Any Eddy behind Rocks are great
Any rock Hump in the middle of the river (KEY SPOT)
These spots are Hot spots for just about every Lure but with the Tube you can use it as a Minnow or a Crayfish Depending on your retrieve so you are not limited and you can also catch Walleyes, Sauger, Trout, and even a Pike when using the Tube.
Jig Size    Line Size
1/16oz    4 lb
1/8 to 1/4 oz    6-8 lb

Senko’s

When to fish the Senko
I think Senko’s work best in tough conditions, I like the Senko for these conditions. When the bite is slow I switch to a Senko seems like it’s the right speed for bass to zero in on when there neutral to inactive. This is a slow way of fishing you must be patient when fishing this way.
How to Fish the Senko
In a river or stream fish it as slow as possible in current just bouncing around in the current. I’ll cast to a spot that has held fish in the past many times 15 to 20 times there.

In lake's or reservoirs I use the 5 inch senko when I know there are fish and there are tough to get a follow. Throw them and let them sink, or jig them, but dragging them can get alot of fish.
These baits seem to work best when the water is 50 degrees or warmer but I’ve got a few when the water is in the 40’s but nothing consistent.
Where to Fish the Senko
Anywhere you think fish are at is a good place to throw it. In my fishing experience’s they work just about any spot.
Size

5" For Lakes and Reservoirs
4” I like for most Rivers
3” I like for most smaller streams
2” You can use on smaller streams if 3” or 4” is not working
Colors
Black
Cinnamon Brown
Green pumpkin seed with Different color Fleck
Water Mellon
Hooks
Gamakatsu Senko hook
Sizes 4 and 6
Rod
GLoomis Bronzeback 7’4” Medium fast action 8-12lb test
You can get a lot of leverage with this rod and it has the backbone to handle a big Smallie
Reel
Shimano Stradic 4000 8-12lb test
Line
Seagaur Invis-ex
8lb test on 1 spool
10lb on the other

Rooster Tails

These Lures can by used in small streams as well as mid-size rivers to catch a lot of fish. The Tail is a Great Bait My friends and I have caught many fish using an 1/8 ounce Rooster Tail for 3 Years this was the only thing I used. One thing is for sure when using it you can catch almost any game fish that’s in there.
Colors
Black (the best)
Brown
White
Yellow
Green
Silver and Red
Orange
How to fish the Tail
ANYWHERE
My favorite place to cast is in current and run it in a fan around the hole.
Small pockets of calm water. Eddies and other slack water is a great place to fish the tail. Riffles is another hot spot at times this lure is best used on overcast days.
Sizes
1/8
1/4

Rapala (Floating)

Where and How to Fish
My favorite spots for Rapala's are small pockets of calm water on streams and Rivers. I like to throw them and let them sit there for eight to ten seconds and then move it with a few twitches. Most of the time the Bass will torpedo towards the lure. You can see the fish going after the lure. If that isn’t the case wind the lure slowly towards you with a stop and go retrieve.
I'm sure that the lure when it hits the water mimics a struggling bait fish or an insect.
Different size lures should be used to find out what works best, F7 seems to be the best at any given moment. I’m sure in smaller waters and heavy pressure a smaller bait will work.
Colors
Black and Gold
Black and Silver
Size
F7
F5

Crankbaits

Where to Use
I like Crank baits in a few different places and situations on a River.
Deeper Holes
Shallow Flats
Muddy Conditions
How to Use
Use the crank with a steady motion and stop and go motion thrown in on the retrieve.
Cast and start crankin.
I’ve found on the Local River that this excels in Muddy rising water it has to have a rattle in the lure. Also spray the Lure with Yum Crawfish Spray.