MassBass

What about trolling for lake smallmouth. Trolling is a good way to cover water and find bites. Banned for bass in tournaments, but believe me trolling crankbaits and rattlebaits for sm can be a crucial tool. The modern bass boat isn't made for trolling but it can be very convenient in various other small craft. I remember years ago In-Fisherman had an article called 'the 10 commandments of smallmouth fishing'. I can't recall all the points, but the last one was live bait. It said sometimes the bite can be so tough- 'break out the live bait or go home and mow the lawn!'

If you look at the elevation changes of the land around the stream you can estimate the rapidity of the water. Its a good homework assignment but nothing will replace your eyes on the water.

Whats up guys- reporting in. April was a tough month for me. Took some stingy skunks on the Charles. Went to a lake in NH with a bud and got skunked for bass. Nevertheless, I have been exploring new water. Today I broke the zeros on the Charles with a small mixed bag, one LM one SM. Got em on an original Terminator with a huge silver colorado blade. Both came off the same spot. Went to a livetarget swimbait a bit later in the day to go for a big bite. Had something blow up on it as I was pulling it out of the water; not a huge fish but would have been a keeper. Then I hung the swimbait and snapped off.

The smallmouth spawn is your chance for the biggest bass in the lake. The big dark bruisers that spend all their time in the depths, or suspended in the main lake; they must go shallow to spawn.

South of Boston?

Are you throwing it with the treble on the belly?

In lines are my summer and fall go-to in rivers and moving water. SM, LM, and even big pike will go for a 1/4 oz. Spinner. I like panther martins but I will fish any brand, as long as its shiny and flashy.

The spinnerbait binder is a very versatile organization system. It can house most any single hook lure and plastic in a light, convenient, and malleable bag. My Plano guide series bait binder has been through many battles and is quite worn; the bags are ripping open. Does anyone have good recommendations for spinnerbait binders? What would you stock in a spinnerbait binder if you were going to build a new one?

Weather is all over the place...snow? What will all this cold rain water do?

I see big baits like glides and Hudds as just another tool that has its time and place. You don't have to go all in everything or nothing and get skunked for months just to eventually get a pb. Last year I started throwing big glides and I was amazed at the drawing/pulling power of the bait. You can really lure a fish out of cover to come bite the bait. Ill admit I am fairly new to big baits. I have a big ole Hudd but I don't fish it much. I will not quit rattlebaits and spinnerbaits to only throw big baits, but obviously big baits have an important niche for LM (and SM). My goal to get better with big baits is to better recognize when and where to throw them, not to only be throwing them.

Anyone get out for the overcast/rain day today? I took a skunk throwing a chatterbait and jointed rapala.

Awesome catch.

I have been spending some time in ME and you can count me in the Androscoggin river smallie clique.

I don't know if the chatterbait is considered an early season bait, but it has been clutch for me for year after year now.

Hey guys I have a positive report. I Hit a river in Cambridge. This was Saturday. This was my first time fishing this river. I had the hot tip about the big Hudd in the back of my mind as I walked down there. I tried some casts at the first spot, my new line wasn't giving me issues. Headed upriver, walking then stopping to cast hither and thither. Eventually I knew I was at a good spot. It was immediately downriver from a bridge and the wind and sun was hitting it. There was some bubbles on the surface (always love that). Rolled the vibrating jig through there and she loaded on. Was buzzing pretty good from this one. Fished the rest of the afternoon without any more bites, hit the same spot on the way back but it was cold and shady by then..

Looking to get a line wet fri and or sat. I know early season is a gamble, you can get skunked but you can also get the biggest bass of the year. Lake Cochituate dosen't give her secrets out easily.

Lots of good suggestions in this thread. My new lure last year was the bagely balsa prop bait, it has a prop on both ends. Color is baby bass. The props have a real nice 'zing' sound to them. The river smallies were hitting it like junkies going after free drugs. Also caught a small striper on it out of season which was a bit of a surprise. Another upside of fishing prop baits is that it won't fatigue your wrist like walking the dog every day. My go to retrieve is rip-pause rip-pause.

Thats a good color for stained water. I would put a white grub trailer on that.

nice catch. I don't think its a 4 though. Solid 3 1/2 is my guess. The picture is what matters. Maybe pack a scale next time you are throwing that tiny torpedo.

This is the Charles River basin where the river is wide. The current is going from left to right in that image. Thanks for the note on the muddy river area. This will be my home river this spring and summer. The contour map is of course invaluable information, but a lot of river fishing is reading the water and the daily and hourly conditions. The contour map doesn't show you small seams, riffles and pools that take an observant river rat to catch. As WRB noted the map doesn't show bits of cover that could be very important; if they are in or out of direct current. That being said I will be looking at fishing the river on the opposite bank of the muddy river. I like the area on the far left of the image where the narrower stretch of the river opens into the basin. This probably means a change in current and flow, and could be a major ambush point for bass and stripers. I am also interested in what looks like a big square pool after that shallow bar. That could be a hangout for largemouth and pike. However the basin could be rather slow current wise and fish more like a lake/pond. Its covered in ice now but Ill let you guys know if I have some success in the dirty water this season.

I would really suffer without rattlebaits, topwater, and crankbaits. I prefer to cover water and powerfish smallies, even though the trend these days is kind of counter to that.

I like smallmouth because to me sm are a big water fish. Vast lakes, mighty rivers; these are the haunts of the smallmouth. I prefer to fish big water when I have the opportunity.

Oftentimes in small rivers the initial presentation into a key pool has to be perfect. If the initial presentation goes afoul the fish will spook or get shy/wise. For example if your first cast into the pool is a hack lob that hauls in a branch, be prepared to move on and then come back later for a better presentation.

I originally got the swimfish for a chatterbait trailer, but the 7.5 in. seems too big for most conventional sized chatterbaits. Now I have the 7 in. Monkey grub (this is a BIG grub) rigged up on a saltwater jighead, and im sure it could have a time and place. Basically I bought a size bigger of swimfish than that size I had previous success with as trailer bait. Thank you for mentioning.

I made a semi-impulse order from my favorite soft plastic co. Lunker City. Some of the lures (i think) are kind of big for LM and SM. Im sure I am wrong, and if rigged and presented properly would pull hawgs. Im looking for advice on fishing the 7.5 in. Swimfish and the 7 in. Monkey grub. I might as well throw the 9 in slug-go into the discussion as well, it is a striper lure for me but I know they can catch big bass to. Trailer on a jig, texas rig, line choice, invasive weed species, etc. I would like to hear it all.