OldManLure

I know it’s fall when on the river it seems nearly every cast lands on a leaf or one grabs my line on the retrieve. It may be the only time of the year I curse on the water.

For your clearest conditions, Rapala Skitter Prop topwater, spinnerbaits with willow blades and a shallow crank like a Rapala Flat Rap. Bonus choice would be a fluke. For your chocolate milk conditions, Rapala Skitter Prop topwater, spinnerbait with Colorado blade and bladed jig. Bonus would be a lipless with rattles like a Rattlin’ Rapala. I know it is more than 3-5, but I couldn’t help myself.

Your St Croix or Ugly Stik in baitcaster; your Ugly Stik or BPS in spinning. Jerk or crank.

After a few minutes of thought… If faced with the issue my first solution would be: with a straight edge, I’d draw pencil lines on the lid over top of all the dividers. I’d then open the lid and on the underside run a bead of hot glue on every pencil line. After drying, the glue will form a gasket. You can then wipe away the pencil lines. I should have mentioned using a glue gun and glue sticks.

In order…Skitter Prop, Flat Rap, spinnerbait, fluke, tube.

Original Rapala minnow fished like a jerkbait…actually, more like a twitch bait.

Like an Oh Maniac….

Several years ago I purchased a small fish finder from Hawkeye Electronics. The transducer drops over the side and is suspended by a float. The display unit is 1/2 again larger than my I-phone. I bought it solely for my kayaks to ‘map’ structure in the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. It has been hands down the best $150 I’ve spent for fishing. I have been able to find holes, ledges, humps, boulders and other structure that would have otherwise remained hidden. I’ve even found cover that will remain at least until the next high water event. I didn’t mind at all transferring the information to a notepad of handdrawn maps until I ‘learned’ their locations. I fish about 13 different stretches that total around 65 river miles. I still take the unit with me, especially to those stretches I fish less frequently. And I’m still finding new spots.

The main difference is their action. When jerked, snapped or twitched, the XRap has a much more erratic action. This bait can be a fish magnet. The Husky Jerk doesn’t slash as much when jerked or twitched, and has a tighter wobble on a steady retrieve. The Husky Jerk seems to me to suspend better, but I tend to rely on shorter pauses with the XRap so it may not be a fair comparison. The Husky Jerk’s less erratic action makes it my choice for colder water, and on occasions I think the fish are looking for something whose action is more predictable and requires less effort to chase down.

weighted Fluke; jig, including bladed; crankbait; and blade bait.

Smallmouth tend to hug structure or cover in muddy water. Target the slower water along the bank or behind/around current breaks. Putting bait around cover like laydowns or weedbeds can be productive. My best results have been with Colorado bladed spinnerbaits. Rattle traps, and buzzbaits have caught a few. I’ve also managed to catch a few with topwater prop baits. I rely on a steady, often slower than usual retrieve. Use colors that contrast with the water. If darker colors don’t attract a bite, I’ll go to the other extreme with white, chartreuse, etc. I don’t use live bait, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work in the same areas as artificials.

Have you checked out the Steady Stick for Oldtown’s? I installed a stand assist bar on my Lure kayhack. At 71, having that 3rd point of contact makes a world of difference.

I agree with @Susky River Rat, and the water I’d focus on is the White River. It is known to have a healthy population of bass. You have the equipment for it. Focus on it. Learn it. Learn how the fish live in it. IMO, nothing compares to river fishing for smallmouth.

Will there be a test?

For a fish that hasn’t surrendered, a net can be a very effective hook remover.

My rule is to stay as far away from the bank as I can while still comfortably and accurately cast to it. This distance will change with conditions (wind, overhanging trees, etc) and the bait I’m throwing.

Instead of rating action as Fast, Moderate, Slow and all those in-betweens ratings, rod action should be Very Early, Early, On Time, a Little Late, Late, and Very Late to better reflect when the rod’s power is more fully utilized.

The effects of lead on animals and the ecosystem they inhabit are well known and understood. That lead is still allowed to be manufactured for use in outdoor sports borders on criminal.

Right on!

I fish rivers, and carry 4 rigged rods in my kayak. I always start with a topwater before moving down the water column with a shallow crank, and then a deeper crank including those I’ll bounce off submerged rocks or plow the bottom. Spinnerbaits are always a choice and then there is jigs/tubes/flukes. If the river’s flow rate is slow, I’ll throw a lure at least 15 minutes, and no more than 30. Swipes or hits might extend this period during which I’ll play with different retrieves. Sometimes, depending on conditions, I’ll change colors before changing type of lure. If I start with a lighter color, I’ll change to a darker version or vice-versa. Second colors never get thrown more than 15 minutes without a bite. When the flow rate is brisk, rather than time I’ll fish a particular stretch, usually around 100yds or so, before making a change in color or lure. Often, after either my time ‘limit’ or completing a stretch, I’ll paddle back upriver and fish the same stretch with a new lure. Only when a color change has produced will I go through the effort of paddling against current to fish a change in color. I feel like within the first hour I usually have an idea of what mood the fish are in; I always have a good idea of mine.

This ^. No rod I’ve purchased has been as stiff after several trips as it was the first time using it. The rod broke me in, not the other way around.

The X Rap is a killer lure. Its beauty is that it can be fished a number of ways that produce…steady retrieve, stop and go, twitches, jerks. It suspends on the pause, and its feathered rear treble is a real tease. Though I’m targeting river smallies, it has caught quite a few walleye and several muskie. It is, in my opinion, a must have lure.

When ‘heavy’ and ‘kayak’ appear in the same sentence, one of them is out of place.

Probably. Especially if their instructions include recommendation/option for mounting on the steering console. Probably. Especially if their instructions include recommendation/option for mounting on the steering console. Potentially. Especially if their instructions include recommendation/option for mounting on the steering console.

https://www.lakegastonguide.com/category/fishing-report/