Spankey

Tomorrow morning the point I'll be fishing will get topwater first. I like fishing a skitter pops and the x rap pops. Finally come across this one color pattern that I've been hot to find and finally did, so I know how I'm starting. Right into some trap fishing and a few cottons. Most likely leave that spot and drift fish a few piece of river bank. Not sure what will be thrown. Might be on structure, maybe not. I'll have to find the smallies for sure.

Love your post man. I switch to the lake when the river gets too bad to fish. I’m always pumped also. Tomorrow morning at sunrise gonna give it heck. Hope it it goes well. Be safe. Have fun.

I have a hand held like Catt. Works great. I’m a one man gang so I’m not moving around too fast at night. Hand on the wheel and the light on the other. I was gonna install a Gobee light but a few guys were telling me here in PA it’s not legal to run like that??????? Who knows, need to ask water way dude if I see one. But been wanting to do the Gobee for a while. Can install in combination with my bow light.

I fish out of a 19 ft. Tracker Pro Team w/ 90 H.P. Love it. I have no complaints. I’m in my own little world when I’m out. By myself 98% of the time. Some days I wish it were a hair longer and a bit wider for when I go “Ike” when I’m out. Wish I were as young as Ike.

Pretty sweet.

1/4 oz. to 3/4 oz. but not for bass. I have bass days that do not fare out that well and I switch up for other fish. Pikes, Musky and Pickerel will chase those. Gold, silver, red & white, yellow & red, green and black. Will all get hit.

Bandit Crankbaits I’m a huge fan. Got into them when they first came out and have fished them since. It’s a shame they stopped making some of the vintage patterns. Buy a few patterns you feel good about and fish them. They’ll produce. I do not see where the targeting SM would be any different than with a Rapala, Strike King or Bomber though. They also have fantastic Smallie patterns. Have fun. Good luck.

Sounds good. Great to have a plan. But in my years of experience the plan usually goes out the window and the smallies tell me what they are gonna hit. I’ve had some of the best plans rolling around in my head only to have the opposite side of the spectrum be what they were after. You might get on a spot were you throw what they want, you found what they are after and you might not be in too much of a rush to move off of it. Especially if it’s a nice point with different types of drop offs and structure. Heck in that one area you might pull off some topwater, cranking and fishing some soft plastics in one spot. Stay in a stealth mode and don’t spook them. Maybe even back off the spot for awhile and move back into it. Have fun.

I use the 4” & 5” versions. I’m geared a little smaller because of being a river rat for smallies. Light Texas Rigging and Shotting them. There are a lot of good out-tail worms out there. I’ve used a few brands that I really like them but I really like the GY Brand because I can get just the basic black, gp, pumpkinseed, watermelon etc. Others have a special color twist to them. Not that that’s a bad thing. Sometimes basic is better.

So do I for sure. From day one quite a few have been very productive. But there are a couple in the Ike Series that I find even more productive.

Very, very nice. I'm a Rapala junkie as well. I fish a lot of mine though. I never collected a complete series like that. Very impressive.

Great post. The majority of my fishing is spin fishing and I agree 110% about the bail roller. Being a river rat that increases line twist. I would look at your bail roller(s). Excellent advise. I'll second "Junger" on the Mustad products I like them. But some lures are just harder on your line. OP great post.

If you don’t mind me asking what is that silverish light grey line you are using.

Nice, there will be more for sure. Good luck.

A reaction type bait for sure. When you can throw one and you don’t make one full revolution on the reel handle after it hits the water and a bass crushes it. Pretty reactionary. I’ve found the Rat-L-Trap very productive in my fishing. I don’t fish it as hard and often as past years. But if I’m getting skunked and tell myself I’m not leaving until I lip a bass. The Rat-L-Trap has come through. River Smallies crush them.

I fish in a lot of different gears when I’m out. Sometimes it takes me a few casts or short period of time to get as slow as I should be fishing. Height of the summer have fished Carolina rigged in 20-25 ft of water to catch bass and keep from getting skunked. I don’t know diddly about C-rigging. Very rare for me to fish this way. Tried it for heck of it. Cooler water @ 25’, most likely. Better oxygen level for bass? I don’t know. Great post.

I really only need three while I’m out but through an addiction I have many patterns of the Rat-L-Traps. Chrome w/ black back Chrome w/ blue back Gold w/ black back I didn’t get them delivered yet but did order some of the Strike King Red Eyed shads from Cabela’s. I’ve read a lot about them on here. Seem to be the brand of choice here. I ordered some of the more productive patterns to compare to Lewis Brand. Price was right and deal was real. Worth the comparison.

Great post. I do that with fishing slow soft plastics on spinning gear. Most of my BC fishing is reactionary strike fishing. Good post.

I agree with Scott. I won’t fish the river under fast treacherous conditions. I’ll switch gears and lake fish. But when levels are up and stained I prefer to fish shoreline cover. They seem to relate to wood cover. Dark crankbaits and Rat-L-Traps seem to have always work will. Black, olive and purple cranks.

Generally that will keep me off the river. I play it safe. I switch gears and lake fish. Sure lake is affected but not at treacherous.

I agree 100% on the standards. I own one Falcon Rod and happen to like it. I find it hard to find them so I can’t go on and on about them. I recently went on that ultimate search for just that right crankbait rod. I had a power in mind and a certain length. And the action/tip was going to be of my liking and have just the right feel. I can’t buy a rod sight untouched. After pondering and touching I settled on a Abu Garcia Veritas. I feel good about this rod. I feel good about the whole setup. I put my reel on virtually ever rod I considered. I hope my results with it are as good as the warm fuzzy feeling. They will.

I’m sort of in the same boat you’re in. The beginning of the season can be tough. I don’t know why they seem no existent than they just arrive. I’ve been doing this a long time and can't ever figure them out. I’m fishing s section similar to you. Managed a walleye and two white perch so far. I’m fishing various grubs slow. Throwing a rat-l-trap some. My first Smallie of the year has come off a trap more than once. Hang in there. My next time out I’m going to fish some Mepps spinners slowly.

I’m sort of new to frogging, but here I’m still waiting for grass and pads. Going to fish frogs harder this season then last.

I fished a lot of very productive worms fishing river smallies over the years. Admittedly not as large as the size most of you guys throw. My range is generally 4”, 4 1/2” and 5”. But they become obsoleted and discontinued. I guess it a business that has to change to stay in business. There are a few Mann’s, Mr Twister and Lucky I’d give a left ******** to get a few bags of. I do know of an old mom and pop shop not far from home that may just still have some of them hanging.

I’m sort of new to frog fishing. Well have been trying to go at it right for the last couple of season. I’ve only thrown the Booyah Pad Crushers also. The Lunker brand do look good. At that price there no harm or real big cost associated with trying them. Is is there an advantage to fishing ones with legs vs. skirted material legs? Realism?