Favorite river smallmouth lures.

[billyex99]

Now that the rivers are finally getting back down, what is your go to bait for smallies? I currently use a fluke, super fluke, or floating rapala. Now that I'm retired I'm looking to spend more time on Tippy and want to try something new.

[bigr]

If I'm only targeting smallies i like the mepps #2 or 3 aglia with a silver blade. a grey and white squirrel tail. The best tactic i know is using a big sucker or chub and let it do the work in those holes. More trouble hauling around but aways worth the extra effort. Fished yesterday evening in a swollen creek running into the Wabash and had a ball. Good luck, nothing else fights like a smallie.

[Raquettedacker]

Bomber model A crank bait with a crayfish pattern in firetiger color....

[MC_angler]

square bill cranks in crayfish patterns, chartreuse

small 1/8th to 3/8th ounce willow leaf spinnerbaits in white and chartreuse

buzzbaits in black or chartreuse

senkos in various colors

3 or 4 inch grub on a 1/8th oz jighead. brown, pumpkin, etc

[rivereddy]

Now you're talkin....

down deep  -   Simple twister tail jigs  2.5-3.5 " /   1/16,  1/8, 3/16 oz  / ball or horsehead / junebug/ off white/ punkinseed

up top walk the dog  -   Zara Puppy (we don't need no stinkin' sammie) spook

up top making noise  -  1/4 oz spinner baits with willow leaf, Indiana blades   black, red,  brown/orange

mid column  -  suspending 4 " husky rapala

creepin deep  -   4 1/2 " creature bait w/ size 1/0 weedless hook

don't laugh  -  a very small Johnson silver minnow with a small twister tail that can be skipped under anything.....

fish on,

All in one pocket sized box

rivereddy

[Captain1978]

Tubes always seem to produce for me....Always..... Last night I was on the Mohawk. I used a lot of different lures. Deep,shallow, in the middle. Only caught fish on the tube....A bunch of small Smallies. One of almost decent size. I may have caught some bigger ones if I stuck with a different lure in deeper water. But none the less, even other times out the tube is my go to.

[bldfrt]

Jig and chartreuse or brown twist tail but I mostly fish for them where it only gets about neck deep so I don't have to consider much water column. Theres a lake I'll troll with short fat fire tiger crank baits that run about 4-6' once in a while. Smallmouths are great fun

[Boomer]

If using a flyrod I love a weighted or bead head woolybugger.

[trophytaker1]

rebel crawdad bait

[natahka72]

Wee wart in crawdad.

[Raquettedacker]

White Mister Twister Tail and jig..   

[Boomer]

For spinning I like a Rapala that is four or five inches long, floater and jointed if at all possible.  I can work it on top, as a jerk bait, just under the surface or a little deeper.

[BIGDADYG]

well now , best bait flat out hands down has to be soft shell crawdad, on a slip weight with a #2 hook,  best lure mepps aglia #2 gold squirrel tail

[iceon]

In the Tippy
Rebel Crawdad has boated alot of fish.
Rapala Shad Rap X Rap black and silver

[dsqui]

wow i cant believe noone mentioned a yamamoto twin tail grub