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Smallmouth Bass
#1
[cool][size 1] Hey everyone, I am looking for some of your favorite methods for catching smallies. My son and I have become addicted to catching and lots of releasing of smallies but sometimes you get the finicky one that one take even the best presentation that you have to offer. I would appreciate and comments and suggestions that you can offer. Thank You.[sly] [/size]
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#2
[cool]Smallies don't get to be biggies by being dummies. They are a bit more selective and generally hit smaller lures on lighter lines than largemouth.

In most waters, smallies feed on one of two things...crawdads or minnows. Their favorite by far is 'dads...especially the young ones and softshells. So, if you are trying to come up with a lure color for them, don't go to the bright oranges and greens of commercial crankbaits and plastics. Start with smoke sparkle and add a couple of touches of light green or brown with a permanent marker. Try to capture a specimen of the local bugs by turning over rocks and lifting out clumps of weeds. You know how to get 'em. Take a good look at the colors, and you will usually find the live ones are pretty drab, and not the typical "crawdad" colors.

The translucent appearance of smoke sparkle is a good simulator for small crawdads. You can use small tubes or twisters in 1 1/2" to 3"...with 2" being a good bet in most cases. I do well with the small "slider jig" bodies, with the little paddle tails.

Use LIGHT heads...like 1/32 to 1/16 oz. When retrieving, crawl them over the bottom slowly, like a real mudbug. Once in a while do a shivver lift off the bottom, to simulate a bug taking off and then settling to the bottom again. A lot of hits will come as you do the lift. Just as many will come when the jig is settling, so watch your line.

The Senko lures have become very popular with both LMB and SMB fans. You can't fish them wrong. They do not need weight and they sink well on their own...with a sexy side to side motion that fish find very attractive. There have been lots of stories of guys catching big bass on them while they are laying on the bottom perfectly still (the Senkos).

When the smallies are active and chasing food, several different kinds of spinners work on them. I have caught them on everything from silver steelhead spinners to big spinner baits fished for largies. In the middle, use Roostertails...in white, black, brown and other colors. Some of the Panther Martin inline spinners are deadly on smallies too.

When they are really aggressive, especially in the spring and fall, they will hit topwater...like Pop-Rs, propellor shads, floating Rapalas, etc. If you throw the topwater, move it slow and let it set between movements. Again, they will sometimes blow up on the lure after it has been motionless for several seconds. Other times they want a lot of motion. Vary the presentation until they vote for what you are doing.

Now, go read one of the thousand books that has been written on smallmouth and keep experimenting. The fish don't read the same books.
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#3
[cool] Hey thanks there TubeDad. If it wasn't for your tremendous bank of expertise, I don't know what kind of fisherman I would be today.
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#4
[cool]If you will remind me to remember not to forget, I have a bunch of those small plastics and some heads I can send over...along with some new colors on baitbugs and roadrunners. Now that you guys are getting focused, I can target my "downloads" better.

By the way, I have a BFT ProStaff longsleeved shirt I got from the administrators here. Only problem is, it is only a SMALL X-Large...for those in the country of manufacture. Since I am a TRUE XXL, I look like a scarecrow when I try to wear it. Know anyone who might want it?

By the way, where are you guys finding the smallies? Are they in the local lakes or the ones up north?

And, just for the record, you're a good student.
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#5
[cool] Hey there TubeDad,

I can wear an XL and Sean can wear a L even though he prefers that CA oversized look. Anyway, the smally action is mostly in Bishop but I've heard of some other hardbottom lakes within about 2hrs drive from here. That's the closest we can get. Bishop is about 4 hrs from here so that should make a better drive for us if there is any truth to what I heard. Thanks and we'll talk to you later.
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#6
[cool]Used to be some good smallies in Cachuma, but it definitely takes a boat to fish that lake for anything other than trout. I used to do well on the largies in there with plastic worms along the shoreline, and smallies on some of the same worms...or spinners cast for trout during the cooler months. Don't know what the current biomass of Cachuma is. I know is has suffered some ups and downs with the drought. I have heard there is still some decent action on big trout.

I seem to recall that Cachuma is one of those "no body contact" lakes that does not allow float tubing. But, they do have rental boats. I'd like to get up there myself, for old times sake. Maybe see if they still have all those goldfish in the lake. Those things used to surprise a few folks when they took baits meant for troutskis.

Are you scheduled to go north any more before the end of the year? Let me know and I will get a "Care Package" together. Otherwise, we can put something together during the "Family Flotilla" gathering.
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#7
[cool] WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO BISHOP REAL SOON BECAUSE OF SCHOOL STARTING. BUT WE ARE MAYBE PLANNING TO HIT BIG BEAR BEFORE IT GETS TOO COLD. THEY HAVE REPORTED SOME NICE BOWS UP THERE AND SMALLIES AS WELL.
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#8
[cool]Hey, don't overlook Perris, out by Riverside. PM Taipan, who lives out there and he can show you the ropes on Perris. Good bass and sunfish.

Also, think Silverwood. Some big stripers in there.
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#9
[cool] HEY THANKS TUBEDAD. I'LL GIVE HIM A HOLLER AND LET YOU KNOW THE RESULTS AS THEY ARE TALLIED UP.
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#10
I got one of those BFT pro staff shirts from Southernman. It's a really nice shirt with lots of embrodery. I haven't worn it out fishing yet because the college work hasn't had a end in site or atleast a break. The smalls around here take just about anything from minnow jigs to the most basic tubes and curly tails. The best time I've found to use the curly tails are during the spawn. The minnows are my favorite choice all summer and into fall when the ruff fish had gotten big enough for the smalls to chase. Lately we've have some killer boils that last all evening and into the night. Who needs stripers when I can chase smallies doing the same. The only down fall is that you can't tip the jigs with a worm or piece of shinner because the shinners tear it up before it hits the bottom.

The best place to target smalls is near rocks and that means a lot of snags so bring extra jigs and expect to lose them. Another good place to look is any place that has under water structure and shallow flats that has good cover for food. You can find smalls every where near the shore line but if your looking for some of those bigger fish these are the best places to look. The dam is the number on over looked place but don't be discuraged because you see people fishing it. Most of the time they are waiting for a trout in deeper water then the smalls like. The other is the inlet and at times the smalls and trout will be stacked up waiting for a easy meal to come by. If you not familiar with a lake, look around and see where the bass boats are, mainly because the cover more ground and tend to work those area's that they've caught some nice smalls. It's best to beat them to those spots but if you know what they are taking them you can really make some friends or piss them off when your slamming those fish and their not.

Good luck
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