Spankey

How deep is your Smallie river? How deep is some of the deeper areas you fish in that river?

The lake or river I fish are pretty good size and length. Yes I cover and go back over productive spots that have yielded nice fish from one outing to the next. But not always back to back trips. A lot of time out, when I’m done fishing for that day, I take 30-45 min. Scoping spots for my next time out. Do a real slow drive by. Make some mental notes. Shore and bottom structure. Sort of starting my game plan for the next time out. Spots are really not new, have been on them before, just refresh my mind some. A lot of times if it looks like river Smallies should be on a spot. They generally are. Not to say you don’t need to work for them or they are in deeper water off a point. This seem to hold true in summer. Food source is generally there.

Pop-R types, Spooks, smaller props

I’d like to know more about the T-rig you are throwing.

One of my kids (adult) got me a “Bass Live Matter” tee shirt. I’ve worn it. Get some crazy looks in it. But it’s true to me. And she knows that how I feel about my bass fishing. But there are those risks associated with catch and release fishing. I’d like to think I handle all my situations better than anyone on here when it comes to fish release. But I’m not and it is not true. But I’m good. But not to say there could never be a problem arise. I’m not looking for it to happen, but if it does it will go on the grill or someone’s grill and not thrown up on the rocks or dock.

Saturday I could not hang. Maybe the most oppressive day I ever tried to fish. Lasted from 5:30-7:30a. Caught a nice 13” Smallie within my first few casts on a pop-r type and had a few other short strikes. He was the nicest of the day. Spent the majority of my time just lite T-rigging and split shoting various 4 1/2” & 5” worms, all tail styles were working. Pretty simple type of fishing actually. Caught quite a few dinks and runts. All nice and healthy looking. Generally I’m ready to throw crankbaits until my wrists get sore. Didn’t go that direction. Mid 80 water temps. Thought fish may not have wanted to waste energy chasing them but I’m probably wrong in my thinking. They always seem ready to crush a Shad Rap. Did have some real heavy hitters move through late day and night. Some flash flooding. River and lake needed a fresh splash of H2O. Will stop by after work to see how fishable it is. Thought the river would have gotten big time wrecked but I don’t believe it got too bad. Temps are moderating out East some. I bit refreshing.

Seem like everyone has a smart phone these days. Catch, photo and release. Pretty quick and simple. But to keep yourself from getting stressed out over it, there are tool bags in every faucet of everything. Hunting just as well. Simple minded morons. Shake your head and chalk it up to “I’ve seen it all now” Sorry you had to come across it.

Something I don’t not really see. Not many panfish or carp over the years either. But to your thoughts it would tick me off also. Try not to dwell on it.

Most likely any bait you’d be throwing at your Smallies can be done with a spinning reel. Can’t imagine you having to fish over 3/8 oz., crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Topwater and plastics. But I do fish a high percentage of my crankbaits with a casting setup. Jerkbaits, Shad Raps and Topwater I don’t. Plastics I do not. Buy a decent medium power setup with a moderate or moderate fast tip. You’ll use it. You’ll grow to like it.

I only fish plain lead (pretty dull not very shiny) or black jig heads. I've never felt the need to match soft plastic body color. I don't feel my choice of jig head color as cost or gained me any fish. But if a guy wants to do the color match I say go for it. There have been times where I've done the chartreuse head and a chartreuse grub or green pumpkin head with GP baby brush hog but I think a plain lead would have been ok. I don't think the smallies really care.

I'm glad for you. You are a diehard for these smallies. You'll eventually wean yourself away from the livebait totally in time. You'll get frustrated many of times in the future but you'll fish your way through it because of your desire to fish. And maintain a confidence level. Keep it simple and basic with your lures and lure colors at first. A lot of good/great time proven lures out there for catching smallies. They were never discontinued. The bait/lure market is saturated with stuff these days. Catch anglers or catch fish? Have fun, make it fun.

Sorry for your loss. I feel for you. I lost “Jack” many many moons ago. I’m still not over it. The day after I retire I will have another. Have a lot of grand dogs in my life now days. They are like family.

They could very well still be in there. Found a more suitable place to stay in there. I could very well be wrong on this and please correct me on it. When a river floods out? Greater current is on the top. I can only imagine fish such as bass would stay toward the bottom to avoid the quicker Topwater flow. I would think they would take to the bottom of the water column. But I’m probably wrong in my thinking.

Great post ?

I fish in Zekos. I’m happy with them. I fish with them only. Not used as a street shoe. My degree of algae my not compare to your amount either. But they are made well and drain and are featherweight.

Very well said. I second that.

Mo, I agree. And some spools seem to clip easier than others. I'm old school and the fat wide rubber bands do the trick.

Mike I’d probably like that but have no idea how you do that.

I’m casting a line at 5:30 am or sooner. Up on the trailer at 8:30 am during current conditions.

I’m very glad for you. I’m going through the same thing up here in Pennsy. Seeing a bit of a ray of sunshine here also. I’m back on the river some myself. In my case I’m a river rat ? and really is the only place I want to be. The river is my comfort zone. Good luck. Be safe.

I would follow this advise. Lite T rig or split shot rig. Don’t hesitate to go even slightly smaller. 4 1/2” or 5”. You don’t need to buy every worm at the tackle shop but fish some straight tails, ribbon tails and cut tails in 2 or 3 more popular basic colors.

I generally would never buy a rod untouched first. I’ve had guys/shops order me in 3 and than take the one I want. Nasci 3000 looking to be tough to find from where I’d buy it from. No biggie. Not a life or death purchase.

A lot of slim pickens (no pickens) out there on the reel and rod front. Supply chain in disarray. Maybe.

The Rapala freak and junkie I am I’ve not tried it yet. I’ve been kicking it around for seasons. I sort of max out with the 8 & 9 Shad Raps. I’ve been throwing them for awhile now. They have yielded me some bigger fish. But 5’s, 6 and 7’s have been productive for years. The Shad Rap is probably my favorite bait of all time. I’ve been kicking it as a big swimbait or wake bait type but have not bit yet to buy it. Don’t feel it about the bait. Great post! Good luck with it.

Majority of the time I’m fishing on the light side. ML and Med. rods. Different actions for what I’m throwing. Heavier and deeper running crankbaits and frog throwing I fish heavier but this is not the majority of time as to how I fish.