Bass-Addict

So circle hooks make it easier to set the hook w a bobber? How is this?

Thinking back I’m pretty sure I tried that and he spit the minnow out as well. Is it just difficult to do?

So the slip bobber isn’t going to do me much good if I’m casting literally 10 feet in front of me? I set up shop on the rocky beach literally right on top of the hole. So when it goes under reel super hard for a few seconds then lift? How do I know when to lift?

I was thinking this was the reason for the whole slip design, but the guy at the place I get bait said it was to stop your bobber. That didn’t make sense to me, I would’ve thought the idea was that the line pulls through the bobber so the bobber doesn’t slow it down, hence the “slip.” I recently discovered that most of the fish at my spot, a 3-5 ft hole at the end of a current, are hugging the bottom. I had only been catching 5-6 free-lining live shiners before they stopped hitting completely. I finally tried rigging it with a traditional red and white bobber and split shot and boom the bite turned right back on. When I went to set the hook, however it seemed to either spit the fish right out or I was pulling it out. I’m assuming the bobber slows it down considerably in the water and the fish spits it out before I can set the hook. Is this the purpose of thill slip bobbers? I had some with me but could not figure out how to rig it, tried watching a YouTube video and I couldn’t find a demo for the kind I had. This is what I’m working with, is there a setup/version that works better for what I’m trying to do? I tried simply using a splitshot but I get snagged. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/thill-pro-series-slip-floats-weighted

A couple of my spots on the river I almost always catch one big one at each. I can’t help but wonder if it’s the same ones? Is it possible there is only one big smallmouth in each hole or are there usually at least a few? One I can tell is the same for sure by the way it fights and his striping.

Nice fish, but they look deceivingly big how you are holding them. Or are they really that big??

I’ll tell you why, because I’m the same way - moving water is more exciting and scenic than a flat stagnant lake or pond and rivers are naturally occurring and wild.

Just checked it, it was loaded! Prob 40 creek chubs and a few bass minnows. No snakes! I’m goin fishin! All stocked up for tomorrow and thurs.

Some of them even eat men ?

His comparison is invalid because a smallies natural habitat is not even a lake, they thrive in rivers.

Yeah that would be a scare for sure! Luckily my money spot is a deep hole in a creek down a cliff, so I just tie a rope to my trap and toss it in. I will have quite a bit of distance between me and whatever is in there! That being said I hope there isn’t one, that will still present the problem of having to get it out lol. But the “oh s$#t” factor is diminished. Speaking of “oh sh#%t” moments, I had a pretty big one the other day. Was checking out a hole on a creek by a waterfall someone recommended as a good fishing spot and I saw a throw net in the water. Started to pull it out and saw something move, thought it might’ve been a snake and then a tail thrashed and I saw a 30” gar w his bill trapped in it! I would’ve cut him loose if I’d had my knife but I wasn’t going near those teeth!

I just set a trap a couple days ago in a tiny creek by me. I know it’s full, can I leave it another day or do I need to go get them so they don’t die or the trap doesn’t rust? It’s one of the Gees 40 silver ones and it was kinda pricy so I’d rather not ruin it as I just bought it. My foot is injured and I’m on crutches so I’d rather wait until Iplan to fish to go get them, rainy here today.

Although I realize largemouth can be a challenge as well I would attribute this almost entirely to covid lockdown and the insane number of people fishing

How big?

Well obviously NE Ohio is a bad example being right on one of the best smallmouth lakes in the country. Smallmouth are a riverine species, their primary habitat are streams and rivers. That they are adaptable and have sizable representation in large lakes as well is incidental. A big part of the allure of smallmouth fishing is the natural beauty and fresh flowing water quality of rivers, many of which are spring fed vs the vast, flat emptiness of manmade lakes/reservoirs and putrid stagnant farm ponds (yes I realize there are equally crystalline lakes and dumpy polluted rivers.)

What part?

Why are you describing lake fishing smallmouth? Most smallmouth fishermen mostly fish rivers which doesn’t involve fish finders or 20 fow at all, so that is not an accurate representation. Smallmouth fishing involves significantly more finesse and action than Largemouth fishing.

Thanks brother! Yeah I am interested in transitioning into artificials, much more strategy and variety. River LMB bigger there?

I wouldn’t say hard, just more difficult than largemouth

You’d be a great wing man!

I don’t know why, something about largemouth is very boring and generic to me. Maybe it’s because they’re everywhere, every body of water has them. Even the most stagnant, manmade cesspool has them thriving in it. I think this is where the term ditch pickle comes from. That’s not to say I don’t still like catching them more than any other species, I just greatly prefer smallmouth. For starters, smallmouth are much prettier, especially river smallies. The glistening green and slender, proportionate body leaping through the rapids is much more appealing to me than even the most frenetic top water explosion, although that is pretty amazing as well. Something about stalking smallmouth down a wild scenic river and finding them in their discrete hiding places and tricking them into biting is very primally satisfying. I realize largemouth use structure and cover too but not nearly as stealthily as smallmouth. I think above all smallmouth are just harder to find and hook, so perhaps the challenge and elusiveness plays a big role. I think my fellow bronze back lovers all agree the smallmouth is the smarter, better looking cousin ?

It’s funny since I started fishing heavily I see people throw this word around left and right to refer to any river that isn’t the Mississippi. By definition a creek is a very shallow (1-10”) stream that feeds into a river. There are deep holes and they go up when it rains obviously but they are not rivers. Yet I regularly see people refer to relatively sizable rivers as “creeks” in the fishing community and it is puzzling to me. I suppose it is good to be able to use it to distinguish big rivers from small but I just wonder how accurate it is?

I set a trap a couple days ago in a tiny creek by me. I know it’s full, can I leave it another day or do I need to go get them so they don’t die or the trap doesn’t rust? It’s one of the Gees 40 silver ones and it was kinda pricy so I’d rather not ruin it as I just bought it. My foot is injured and I’m on crutches so I’d rather wait until I plan to fish to go get them, rainy here today.

Why do you think these don’t produce size? Doesn’t it fit the bill for perfect conditions? Current break, depth etc.

Ah ya duh should’ve been my first guess