Spankey

Fishing History tells me I have to be on certain parts of the river at fall. Later Sunrise and falling temps are easy enough to deal with. Big early fall rains can ruin some of my river plans, then to be able to fish I switch gears and head to the lake. I generally pull the plug at the end of October.

I’m with you MO, can’t wait until fall. My largest river smallies have all been fall bass. If it gonna happen for me this season it will be Sept. / Oct. I’ll continue to practice right now.

Not much during the season. I use the winter to replenish items and if I’m thinking about trying something new or new to me I pick it up over the winter. But not to say that I’ve never had some type of soft plastic baits that I had to order that I got low on in season.

Maybe smaller versions of spinnerbaits. Booyah, Strike King have micro styles. Try In-line Mepps spinners. Stick with it. Don’t get overly Frustrated.

The Aberdeen style hook make night and day difference in hook removal. Longer shank gives and makes easy contact for needle nose pliers. The Aberdeen style works perfect for crickets, worms, butter worms, meal worms and small minnows.

My two grandsons are alway ready to bass fish with me. But During that tough bite, dog day’s and extended heat waves as like we are currently in they love fishing for panfish. Crickets on Aberdeen hooks under a float. Weight with light splitshots. They get pretty competitive about it.

Good luck with your new purchases. Hope it brings you a nice one. Have fun with it. That DT 06 in original Bluegill is one of my most productive patterns. Try to continue to throw it. The newer live image BG is not very productive. At least for me. The original pattern I've modified a few different ways. I hung one in my dogwood tree all winter to fade it some. Catches fish and fade is pretty realistic. On one I painted an off-white light pink stripe down the side. A local lake I fish, bluegill are fed on heavily. A long with gizzard shad. Rapala, Strike King and Bandit shad patterns produce well.

I'm with you MO on that first light. I launch while still in darkness and make my way up to a few points I want to start on as sun is coming up. Like all you guys I've caught bass at all different hours but just feel this is the best opportunity for me. Might sound corny but being out there at that first light seem to give me a bit of a connection with the man upstairs. Not like I don't need a little of that.

This is the dilemma I'm in right now but just the opposite in my bait choice. I'm pretty much a river rat and my fishing history tells me a nice smallie is gonna come off a crankbait in these dogdays but it's not happening. Been a real struggle as of lately with my hardbaits. I love to fish soft plastics don't get me wrong but the smallies have been dink and runts. Maybe I should stick to the soft plastic finesse approach for a few outings and throw a trap in and around heavy structure. Light T-rig finesse worms, tubes and grubs have been saving the days. Just looking for a few respectable fish to get my mind back right.

Over the years I have to believe that my bass fishing has been very productive and I’ve caught some nice bass, respectable bass and fish bigger than a lot of locals believe even existed here. I am NOT in an area that could be even close to a bass meca, but this is home for me. I really believe my worse habit has to be fishing a certain bait too long. Not letting the fish tell me what they want. I’m in the dog days right now. Hitting it in the AM. Will try to pick up what the fish might tell me.

No, I’m having a terrible season for the most part. But I’m not gonna cry about it. I Just continue to fish hard. But I think I told you guys awhile back that I retired in the beginning of June. Was suppose to be the end of May but I got Covid real bad had (3 shots prior), committed to finishing open repairs for the people I worked for. I chalk up most of my short falls due to testing the waters around me in spots that I never fished before. Not getting skunked but continuously a bit of a learning curve. Heat wave is not helping much either.

That is not true. Most of the ones I’ve been catching are bank to a quick drop.

I have never done that to my soft plastics. Pretty much get fished the way they come out of the bag. I would not question what you are doing. Keep doing it if you think it is helping. I myself have been know to hang some crankbaits for a period of time on a tree branch, truck rear view mirror or the shed door latch to get them to fade slightly. Bluegill patterns for the most part. Call me crazy but I like a faded lighter version of a bluegill.

Good luck with the rod. Can’t give a review on it. I recently retired and two guys I did a lot of work for over the years got me the VTS73MXF. I’m anxiously waiting to use mine. I’m thinking more of a dedicated Senko type, craw and bug rod. I don’t have the correct reel in mind yet. Leaning toward the NASCI (I use a few now), but might step it up to a Ultegra or Vanford. Just hard finding decent reel on a local scale in my area. Do want the correct balance. SC Fanboy so I know I’ll like it and get it to work the way I want it to. Good luck and have fun with it.

The Shimme Stik is a good bait. The BPS Stick O’s are great also. Pick up a pack of 3” and 4” that you like in case you have to scale down.

I don't think there is a given to your question. The river I mostly fish is not real deep in the full scheme of rivers across the the country but does have drop offs. These drop offs can be gradual or quick off of the bank or creek mouths. Holes around bridge pilings, or just natural deeper holes associated with the river. Smallies seem to set in them at any given time. These bigger smallies will move toward their desired food source. But I do think there is something to smaller smallies relating to the bank or just off of it. I like having DT's and Shad Raps to get to these depths.

I’m a river smallie addict. Fishing the river my whole life for the most part. I’ve seen the river transform from less than spectacular to spectacular and start to regress and maybe rebounding again now. I river fish suburbia so like others mentioned I have things that influence it. The areas I fish has scattered rock, current, lay downs, blowdown, creek mouths, drainage pipes, docks, Lilly pads, coon tail, gravel, mud/silt bottoms, bridge piling, rip rap, creek mouths, broken concrete and cinder block, log jams. It is what it is. I’m certainly not fishing the Smallmouth Capital of the world. But smallies are there. I’ve thrown out the window along time ago as to where or what structure they will be on. Or the most ideal spot. Over the years I’ve caught some nice smallies in areas that were silty and resemble area more conducive for greenies to be. For me, so much for rhyme and reason. My PB river smallie came from under a corrugated storm drainage pipe that runs under a section of rail road tracks. Water flow out of that pipe is weather dependent.

This is not my post but I find the Abu Winch Series to be great sticks. Especially for the price. I crankbait fish with a few. I'm a St. Croix fan boy for the most part but I don’t find them making rods with soft enough tips for my liking when it comes to crankbait fishing. They probably have something but I can’t touch anything locally. I fish a couple of old Premiere Series crankbait rods but they are long long discontinued.

The DT’s are an all time favorite. I max out with the DT 10. River is but so deep in my case. I’ve heard the horror stories of broken lips, can’t say I’ve experienced it. I fish rocks and all’s been well for many years. But if you catch alot of grass and you start slapping them around on the water surface to remove it I guess a bill will break. If you think your old bill has a crack don’t use it.

No real favorites. Just a lot of different versions that I prefer to use during the season. Right now (not presently at this moment) RoboWorms are working out well for me with some river smallies. But I could fish a PowerWorm, Yammi or even a Mr. Twister and probably would do as well. I’m just gonna stick with them for now. Change up later.

Guys I have stuff at home to do. I’ll be busy. House is not falling apart but have to dedicate some time to things. I’ll have fishing into the mix that is for certain. Cripes I can be on the river at 5:00a fish to 9:30a and be home by 10:10a. Don’t unhook anything leave everything in place and go on down the next day. I’m sure it is gonna be strange for awhile. Heck I’m pretty easy going in the workforce having a demanding job working in heavy industrial equipment repair. On the job today is not what it was 35+ years ago. I’ve always had a line drawn in the sand that’s been I don’t owe you (co.) anything and you don’t owe me anything (except my pay from the week prior. If the situation would have been like when I started in the stuff 30 years ago, I’d have stayed to the end. I’ve gotten to the point that I’ve been dissatisfied with a few things. Can only make so many waves. I’m like by too many people to really show that side. I refuse to put gas in my truck at the tune of $5.00 to go to work for them.

I’m going out a bit early. You never know how long you are meant to be on gods green earth. And I don’t want to die working. Rather die fishing.

Guys how y’all doing? Have not been on the site much as of lately. Have been doing the trout thing. I think Saturday I’ll pull the plug on it. Time to get my mind right and switch to Mr. River Bass. Can’t kick, not too bad of a season. But didn’t catch a fish of the season trout yet. Maybe this afternoon. Maybe on the weekend. Been fishing a handful of stocked streams near home. I don’t have to travel too far to be on some trout. I fish a variety of baits. Flies, minnows and worms have been most productive. Generally Panther Martins and Rooster Tails are go to’s, very few on them. Been getting our share of rain but it has not been too hard on the streams. Been clearing up rather quickly. I’ll be retiring next Friday. I’m done. I’ve had it. Can’t wait to fish when I want to instead of when time tells me to fish. I’ve always said when I retire I’d take the fly fishing a bit more serious. Looking forward to that. Hope to start on that in the fall.

Cannot beat this combination in PA on days where the weather is cooperating. Pretty much have to be out of the woods by noon. Stream side the rest of the day. On the water Flies will eat you alive in spots. Just be prepared to handle them and your days will great. Blooming Dogwoods.

Have not been on this site much the last few weeks. PA Trout fishing in the afternoons into the evenings on my way home from work. We’ve been getting our share of rain around here. Creeks have been high and off color. When it gets cleared up we get another heavy rain. Fish are spread out pretty well. I don’t put a lot of time in around bridges or community holes. I don’t follow the stocking truck around. (Not to say I’ve never stocked a trout though). Get off the beaten path away from others. Venture out to some wild or native trouts if there are some close. Take a fly rod to those stocked trout. I could go on a rant about a few things with the PA Fish Commission but I won’t. The last few seasons have not been the norm. Hate to blame Covid but I think it has not helped. They will blame their short coming on manpower and Covid. Their stocking process in some parts have a lot to be desired. If we get big rains and small flash floods once a week that will push those fish to places they are to lazy to stock.