smallmouth bass tips please.

[BoutTime]

Also, I think that I need to clarify with some bit of agreement with you and canoeist on the hook rash argument...small fish incapable of ingesting the lure probably won't leave many teeth marks at all.  More than likely, hook rash would result from the fish fighting and the treble scratching.  I guess it's possible that some of the teeth could be pressing on the bait too, but I'm not sure that without much pressure on the body of the lure it's probably unlikely that would result in teeth marks to any great extent.  I'm just making the case that bass "can" leave teeth marks on crankbaits, jerkbaits and even topwater plugs...and agree that not all marks are necessarily due to teeth.  

That said, it's still indicative of fish activity, so the tip of using the beat up lures is still valid.  

10-4 FB.

The best mini crank Ive got has hardly any paint left on it, it kinda looks like a light bulb with hooks now. LOL   I think the rattles on that one are just more appealing to fish than the other 2 I have of the exact same lure.

[bassandbucks2]

I don't usually fish for smallmouths but I do a lot of largemouth fishing and i can definetly attest to largemouths "sandpaper mouths" beating up a lure. I keep track of every bass I catch and what I caught it on, and I have a single red eye shad that after the first 100 LM bass I caught on it loked like you ran over it with a sander. All those fish came ripping it out of vegetation so there was no rock wear. That same lure is up to about 225 bass and looks like crap, but it is still the one I start out with in the spring.

[northernmaddness]

grey jig head and black mister twister works the best for me on the river

[Clam Sr.]

I've had great luck in the past with a drop shot, standout or octopus hook size 1 or 1/0 depending on the bait, 18" leader, finesse drop shot weight and 4" to 6" plastics. Green, brown, and purple seem to work the best.

When the reaction bite is going hard, you can't beat an X-Rap, Lucky Craft Pointer, or a Husky Jerk fished with a stop and go retrieve. Sometimes the longer the stop, the better the reaction.

[oatkasut]

on Lake Ontario, crayfish or softshells or a minnow  around rocks or shoals. I usually drift  'til I run into them and then anchor using the drop shot rig and live bait  in water from 5-40 ft.

[Fat Boy]

When the reaction bite is going hard, you can't beat an X-Rap, Lucky Craft Pointer, or a Husky Jerk fished with a stop and go retrieve. Sometimes the longer the stop, the better the reaction.

Absolutely...along with a spinnerbait, these patterns are my favorite time to fish for smallies when those bites are on.  I'll throw in my 4th jerk bait, the super rattlin' rogue by Smithwick...But I'd say the past few years the Pointer has become the first I tie on when it's colder out, and when it warms up I bring out the others (just to save the pointers for tougher days).

[ebour]

Got out today, water was 45 degrees. Didn't catch anything, but only one other guy caught something. Forgot the xrap was on my other pole so I didn't have it.