smashingsmallies

After all the recommendations from you guys, I've finally started to fish cranks regularly and I think I'm getting addicted. I will throw 3-5 presentations per hole and the feeling of the crank bangin' on the bottom/rocks and then dead weight, fish on, is something else. Thanks for the info guys. My catch rate has increased due to the cranks AND the gumption to fish different presentations (twisters, straight worms, tubes, topwater etc...) on each hole. Even if I catch fish on a certain bait, when they stop, I ALWAYS pick up another rod or put another bait on and get the stragglers. This river/creek fishing just does it for me and I can't wait to get out there again-having problems with the elbow(s) so I can't go back to back days-trying to let it heal. Thanks again, fish on, John.

Smallites LOVE rocks-lot's of craws. Bottom of eddy, seam of eddy, middle of eddy, top of eddy. Be versatile. Topwater, cranks, tubes, straight worms, plastic craws and my favorite, 5'' twisters on a football head jig--can fish it straightline like a minnow, pop it or drop it to the bottom and work it like a craw. I don't know about others on here, but I don't get too many smallies off wood-mainly largemouth. Besides the eddies, don't forget cut banks and any type of water depth change from shallow to deeper...even if it's only a 6" drop. Behind rocks, bottom of a run to the top of a run. DO NOT fish a hole with one bait and then move on. If you don't get anything on what your fishing, grab another rod or bait and hit it again--I had to do this on Sunday and it worked. Keep asking questions and you'll get a boat load of info on here from the guys--they've helped me greatly. Hope this helps, Fish on, John.

If you only use two baits you are short-changing yourself on your catch rates alot. You may catch fish on craws and tubes but you won't catch fish regularaly, which will lead to frustratrion. Think topwater, think cranks, think football jig heads with twisters (my favorite by far), think straight worms... It's best to have a selection of different baits to work. You will get alot of suggestions on this site and alot of different kinds of bait names thrown at ya-just keep it simple at first and then expand. I just went out on Sunday, small creek, dirty water, and I got 15 smallies, all 2 lbs or less, unfortunately, and I got them on 4 different presentations, topwater, crankin, twisters and a 4" plastic worm--I had to keep changing to get the strikes. You will also get alot of info on here about the water you are fishing--know where the fish hold and attack. Hope this helps a little--I've gotten loads of info from the guys on this site so just read what they've got to say and go from there. Fish on, John.

I've got a question I hope you all can help me out with here. I've got 3 kinds of buzzbaits and every time I tie one on and retrieve it, the bait works to the side instead of a straightline back to me. I've bent the wires and tried to get it to straighten out, with the exception to the titanium wire, which can't really be bent without it snapping back into place. I've also varied my retrieve, super fast to super slow and I still get a crooked return. Because of this, I don't feel comfortable with it being a natural look and it's frustrating. ANY IDEAS OR TIPS WOULD RELIEVE THE STRESS I FEEL ABOUT THIS. I'm sure it's an easy fix, but I'm apparently a little slow. Fish on, John.

Hmmmm...I've got one and I've never used it. All the rain we've had means probably a week before I can fish my favorite and I will try it for sure. Thanks, I'll get back to ya on the result(s). ;D Fish on, John.

Ern, sound advice again, easy to see what your describing. What your saying makes sense and I appreciate it. I am fishing generally shallower water, small creeks alot, and I found the same problem with the faster water "pushing" the bait and the bait not getting down. Makes more sense to quarter or work down now. Thanks for the info---Fish on, John.

I've refined my jig fishing a little. After taking suggestions to use the football jig heads, I tried it right away and I LOVE it! I will now fish the football head jig ALL THE TIME over my regular 1/8th oz long shank hooks. To eliminate the exposed hook with the regular jig heads, I've DRASTICALLY reduced my "snag-ups". Now I can properly work that twister body both in the straightline retrieve, and now, I can, at all times, drop that jig down to the bottom and work it like a crawdad without getting the hook snagged, and I can work the jig head over the rocks. Something so simple, yet immediately improved my fishing. I WILL FISH THE FOOTBALL JIG HEAD EVERY TIME I FISH A TWISTER and I highly recommend others try it if you haven't. Thanks for the tip on this site. Fish on, John.

When working the buzzbait, there is alot of constant commotion of the bait on the surface...is the popper worked the same way, or slower, pop, twitch--again, small rivers and creeks? Thanks, John.

Being from Minnesota, I have the following most important information that you absolutely need to follow!!! DO NOT!, I say again, DO NOT FORGET MOSQUITO/BUG SPRAY OR YOU ARE SCREWED!!! The Skeeters are by the billions and the deer flies and horse flies will bite the crap out of you all day and all night. Good luck with the fishing and like you've been told, the BWCA offers abnormally large quantities of fish--have fun and make sure you take pictures and post them on here!!! Fish on, John .

Hey Ern, I was curious about the jitterbug--one of my absolute favorites on a lake--I even use the bigger muskie size jitterbugs and the bass I got on it were always nice bass. I was wondering if it would produce in a river/creek. Bigger better, or smaller? Good god I'm pumped to go tomorrow! Thanks for your help too iceintheveins, greatly appreciated. And one more question for the popper throwers in creeks/rivers...do you work it fast or pop, sit etc...? Fish on, John.

Ditto on the curly tails...4-6" are hot--I will use 6" for deeper holes 5ft plus...hope you get some. Fish on. John.

Not takin' ya smart in your answer-I use the rocket science statement alot ;D I was just wonderin' if up or down was best--I like the tip about staying in the fast current, thanks. I haven't used topwater hardly at all on the creeks and rivers and I just wanted to make sure I was fishing it right. I haven't been out in two weeks 'cuz I screwed my elbow up in the kayak--HOWEVER...I'm goin' out with a fellow member on this site on Sunday-gonna hit the Big Darby and hopefully slay the smallies. Thanks again for the help. Fish on. John.

Upstream, downstream, cross stream? A little help?

Betcha' he still jumped! ;D

For those who throw the buzz bait, can you tell me exactly how you fish it. Slow water, fast water, the rapid area, shallow 1-2' or deep. Is it always upstream, cross stream, down stream? For those who throw the poppers-same thing, up, down, cross etc...? I figured the smaller poppers were for fly rods suskydude, but I figured you might have stumbled on something so I had to ask. Fish on. John.

Hey Hotrod-I'm not sure if you literally mean a "curly tail worm" or if your talking about the "twisters" mentioned here. I call them twisters after the Mr Twister. I don't remember the last time I used a "Mr Twister" but I use jig bodies like it, and yes, when your talking 5" twisters, I'm sure you could classify it as a curly tail worm. I personally rig them on an 1/8 oz jig head--oh yeah, and MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING A LONG SHANK HOOK or you will not be happy with the amount of fish you lose. I thread the body on the hook, open hook, and I go from there--fish it like a minnow or a crawdad, vary your retrieves until you figure out what they want. As for the curly tail worm, I'm sure you could do the same thing with it, probably a heavier weight, depending on current and depth of course, and pop it or straight line it back, I just haven't done that yet, although I've thrown 6" twisters and half the body was the tail. Hope you get some fish--I HIGHLY recommend puttin' it in your arsenal. Fish on. John.

Suskydude-are you talking the small poppers like 1" or the bigger plug types? Does anyone throw those small poppers and how do you cast such a light bait?

Good info guys, good info. I make it a habit to write down the info received and now I have a tired arm. Thanks again. Fish on. John.

That craw is as natural as it gets-or at least as I've seen! Where does one find the hudd bug and the crank? Thanks for the reply and pic-looks good. Fish on. John.

It's that time of the year again where the baitfish and crawdads are more than abundent. So, since the fish production has slowed down considerably for me due to this, I'm interested in your choice of baits. I would like to know what is your choice of lure-crankbait and plastics when it concerns the most natural looking crawdad crank/plastic and most natural looking baitfish crank? Same for the plastics--the most natural looking crawdad and baitfish. Action of the lure to be natural is a must. I understand waters vary, colors vary etc...I'm just looking for a few lures that give me the best chance of at least giving them something that looks like the real deal. Thanks ahead of time for your input. Fish on. John.

Thanks! And that's my handy "stretchathon" ruler on the side of my boat

O.K., frustration is setting in-im gonna have to get back at this later this weekend. John.

Hopefully this works out this time--thanks for the help guys--I'm not sure on the weights of the fish-the big one was over 24" and I got one that was 25 3/4"--of course, didn't save the picture. Fish on. John.

Again, I apologize, is there anyone out there who may be able to lend a hand with this picture posting. I've got m photo's on photo bucket but I can't seem to find the "url" as in the example in the directions. Thanks, John.

I do throw 3 and 4 inchers as well, I just like the bigger presentation, sometimes I'll throw 6 inch twisters at them, although that means I go from 1/8 oz to 1/4 oz in anything deeper than 3 ft. I'm one of those big bait big fish guys, although I've caught plenty big on small bait. As for colors, I generally always use brown, green brown, pumpkin, watermelon, salt n pepper, white, and black can be devastating---and the colors often depend on the creek/river or even hole to hole. I just throw alot of color at them till I narrow it down--dark colors seem to work better for me.