lineman711

Only luck I've had with frogs is by fishing them really fast.

Try a straight shank hook with those Senkos and see if it helps.

Holston, in Smyth county.

My biggest flaw when it comes to all fishing is that I am probably the world's worst trout fisherman. I just can't get any luck at all. When it comes to bass fishing, I really struggle on lakes, don't know why, I guess from a serious lack of experience, but I never have a 'good' day on a lake. Jigs and tubes...I catch my fair number of bass on them, especially tubes, but I still don't have the technique down to where it's second nature. Last, and most costly, I go through lures like crazy. My favorite spots run right through thick wooded areas and there's always a ton of limbs in the river. I always, and I mean always, manage to snag a few that won't let go.

Finally caught one worth taking a picture of yesterday evening. Had a great day, caught 10 bass and, oddly enough, a nice rainbow, and a few redeyes. The one pictured was caught on a black and red Zoom lizard, Texas rigged, and the rest on a 200 series Bandit. This is the only pic that is light enough to see, thought I'd share. Doesn't compete with most of the ones posted on here, but in our little river it's not a bad catch.

I'm on my 7 days off from work and been excited about fishing since my last 7 off. It's been barely raining, chilly, and very cloudy all week. Been fishing every evening and have only caught 2 so far. Threw everything I have with no success. Only luck so far has been off a black and blue jig and a black Little Lucy. Today is the same crappy weather but going after them again. I'm out of ideas and just looking for some tips in the bad weather. Water is shallow, 3-4' deep, with a few deep holes going close to 15-20'. Not muddy yet but murky. Fairly slow moving and around 50 degrees.

Sounds like you fish similar water to what I do. I'm always buying and trying new baits, some of them good, some not so good. Throughout ten+ years of heavy fishing I've found a few favorites that always produce in my area. Craw colored 3" tube, weightless. A favorite of my wife, seems hard to fish wrong and produces good year round. Junebug or black colored Senko. Rigged T style on a 4/0 EWG. Very good for deeper holes and/or slow moving water. Rapala original floating. F7 or F9 size. My all time top crankbait. Consistent year round and in all but the deepest water. Bandit bomber style cranks. I like the 200 series in rootbeer color. Fished slow from upstream or burned across. Seems to target bigger fish. For extra murky water I use Crawfish/orange belly or craw chartreuse brown. Hardly get snags with the big lip. White or light colored 4" grubs on a 1/4 oz. jighead. Fish slow, bouncing off the bottom. My all time favorite lure ever is this: Called a little Lucy. Not widely known, but catches fish all the time. I've caught my PB on this small lure and keep at least 10 of them with me wherever I fish. Black works best. Always use a swivel and sinkers is depth permits. Nightcrawlers and live minnows are great if available.

Bronzer... I fish all around Smyth County, mostly around Saltville in the Holston. I occasionally make it up to the New River. I try to fish South Holston lake every now and then, but never do that good there. Hungry Mother is another one that I've had little success on. Laurel Bed Lake is pretty good certain times of the year, if you have a boat or canoe.

Bronzer, what areas of SW VA are you fishing?

I've always fished soft plastics in water like you described but lately I've tried a Bandit 300 series in Rootbeer color and have been amazed at the number of smallies it has landed for me.

I personally don't like using swivels, for some weird reason I feel more confident without them. That being said, my father, who routinely outfishes me 9/10 times, almost always uses them. Also, this years best smallmouth came from a lure that was attached by a swivel. So....Swivels = Less Fish??? I'd say no.

With all lines, I find myself using the Trilene knot and Improved Clinch more than anything else. Simple, yes I know, but they've always worked for me.

Have you guys ever heard of a Little Lucy? I've only seen them sold in Southwest VA, but they could be in stores elsewhere. I've been using them a lot lately, and think that they're the best over-looked bait for river smallmouths. I take a lot of younger kids fishing and this is what I always tie on for them. Much easier to use and harder to hang up than most baits that work well. While most start beginners out on live bait, I find that that can lead to a large number of gut hooked fish that may or may not survive. Lately, I've been using the Little Lucy myself and have found that it works on large bass very well, whereas most think it's a lure for small bass and redeyes. Just a heads up to some of you river guys, do yourself a favor and gives these a shot. Black is my top producer and at about $1.20 they're easily affordable.

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I'm a river fisherman, smallmouth are the target usually. Where I fish the rivers are pretty small, I'm usually wading or in a canoe. 2 biggest last year were both caught in the same day, in September, on a floating Rapala F9 (i think that's the right #) 4 lb 8 oz. and 5 lbs 6 oz. I'd say my average was 1.5 lbs or so. I seem to do best in the fall, but I fish year round as much as I can.