steelheader316

Hello all and Happy New Year! I am finalizing my smallmouth quiver after getting a Dobyns Champion XP 764 Crankbait casting rod. I need two more rods to complete my lineup. The first will be a dedicated jerkbait spinning rod. I like longer rods and based upon Dwight’s posts, a 7’2”-7’6” MH (moderate-moderate-fast) spinning rod with braid to UG leader is my jerkbait weapon of choice. I have looked around and researched for a while, and I have narrowed it down to either a 7’3” MH Shimano Zodias or the 7’2” MH Shimano Expride. Which of these two would you recommend for jerkbaits? For bottom contact, I am pretty set on a G.Loomis 872s, but that purchase will be next year, so will the Zodias or the Expride work better for bottom contact until the Loomis purchase? I hope for some opinions on which rod is better for jerkbaits, while knowing I’ll be using it for tubes, football jigs, grubs, etc for a while. if you all think I’m off base or have other rod suggestions, I’d love to hear that too. Thank you! - Jacob

Thank you, Dwight. I figured as much, but I was hoping you would opine on that. Probably more enjoyable to fish as well. I’d imagine a cold water, prespawn bite can be quite subtle, especially from a bigger fish?

Thank you all for the advice. My anticipated fishery is huge water from the bank for now (Dworshak and the Snake River), so the ability to launch a jerkbait is very important. Although, I had my own preferences, I think part of being a good fisherman is being able to follow advice, especially from those with more experience and success. Therefore, I have settled on a either a Falcon Marsh or Falcon Lowrider. Both rods are 7’3” MH (3/8-3/4 oz, moderate action) but one is higher quality graphite and more expensive. I can envision a scenario where the added sensitivity will help detect a March giant’s bite. I will fill a 2500 Stradic FK with 15lb 832 braid to an 8-10lb mono leader (Maxima Ultragreen) to throw 110s, 110 plus ones, and Pointers 78-100, maybe a 128 depending how the rod feels. I believe this outfit will allow me to cast farther from shore, manipulate the bait either very subtly early or more erratically late and be able to successfully play what I hope will someday be a 6lb plus bronzeback. I wanted to fish a casting reel and rod, but the spinning setup will be more versatile, longer casting for smaller baits, and easier to cast very thin braid. Thoughts on Falcon rods or this setup in particular? I appreciate everyone’s responses and acknowledge there are many ways to skin a cat. this site is great!

Thank you, Dwight. I appreciate the feedback. Thank you, sir. I appreciate the input.

Thank you, sir. My preferences aren’t as important to me as fishing effectively. I appreciate your input!

Good evening, I have scoured this website as well as several others seeking to find a good jerkbait setup, casting preferably. This will primarily be used to hunt trophy class northwest smallmouth prespawn. Like many others here, I pay careful attention to what Dwight Hottle and A-Jay have to say on any and all smallmouth topics. As I understand it, both prefer braid to mono leaders on casting setups, with A-Jay preferring faster Alpha Slasher and Dwight an unnamed moderate casting rod, rated a little heavier to an oz. My question: I am not a fan of braid at all. I will use it for bottom contact and plastics for the sensitivity factor, but I prefer mono. I also have trust issues with fluorocarbon, as Seaguar Red Lable 8lb wasn’t super impressive. I like Maxima UG and Crystal Ivory, both of which have proven their worth over three decades of river steelhead fishing. My thought would be to use a 6’8”-7’ 8-14lb basting rod with straight 8lb Ultragreen for 110s and Pointer 100s. The big smallmouth forage primarily on Kokanee where I fish, and a 4-5 inch bait is not big at all. I am new to this technique, other than rapala cd-3s in streams for trout, so any and all suggestions would be appreciated. If braid/leader is optimal for colder jerkbaiting, I will do it, but I’d prefer straight Maxima. Thoughts? What do you

Thank you, sir! You should come out.. it’s a really cool area. Big trees, big water, big smallies.

That’s awesome! Have you ever fished Dworshak or the northwest for smallies?

Dworshak. Had a guided trip this spring with my son, no biggies, but I learned quite a bit. I’m bank bound, but I should be able to effectively fish it preseason and late fall when the big girls come shallow. There are some giants in Pend O’reille as well, but that’s out of my neighborhood. You fish Erie, yes?

Thank you very much for this advice. I love it, since I know from pulling plugs for steelhead there are “swimmers” and then there are time-wasting lures. Unfortunately, I do not have a boat to do this, but when I do, I will follow this advice. Your point is well taken regarding the sensitive balance these lures may have with the weight of stock hooks. I will seriously consider this before changing, if I do. Thank you sir! I appreciate your perspective. I am very OCD about sharpening hooks with an extra-fine EZ-Lap diamond sharpener (one of the best fishing tools there is, IMO), so sharpness will always be there when I’m fishing. After the stock hooks wear, I will look at your suggestion to replace. This place is awesome! Everyone is very helpful, and I really appreciate it. These baits look awesome with the pint and sparkle finish. I was pleasantly surprised considering what they looked like on TW’s website. I’m really excited for the sparkle blue/black June Bug-sequel colored ones. I have a feeling they might be effective in the murky cold water of North Idaho’s pre spawn trophy period.

Thank you for your perspective. The main fishery these baits will be used has legitimate 9lb smallmouth in it. Though I would never expect a fish like that, it could happen on any cast, so I want to be as prepared as possible. The stock hooks on the Normans look decent, so now I’m in a quandary.

Thank you, Dwight. I appreciate it!

I just received a TW care package in the mail including some Norman Deep Little Ns. I had never seen this bait in person and was surprised as I thought it would be smaller. Having acquired some KVD 2x triple grip trebles in 6,4, and 2 sizes, I am considering replacing the trebles on the Deep Little Ns. They appear to be size 4. Any issues going bigger with a size 2 kvd treble? The bigger size seems to fit the bait better, but I do not want to compromise action. any guidance would be appreciated. Thank you!

This is awesome! Such great advice in my opinion.

This is a good point as well. Other than locating fish, confidence may be the most important factor.

I’ve never head of that. That’s a pretty cool theory. This is what I was trying to convey but may not have articulated it. It’s exactly that certain steelhead plugs wiggle and hunt slightly differently than others. I know of a single steelhead plug (a guide’s) that has accounted for over 300 fish. Steelhead aren’t usually easy to come by so it’s impressive. I think: action, sound, color, scent (in that order). Hot n Tot was an extremely popular backtrolling lure for west coast steelhead in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. They would still work as well as ever, I’m sure.

This is more a curiosity post. I have done a lot of backtrolling for steelhead in rivers. There is a phenomenon that I have seen many times in many situations. I have experienced it myself many times over. This phenomenon is the “magic” crankbait or “swimmer.” Wiggle warts, Mag warts, maglips, hot shots, and tadpollies are mainstays of this technique. The interesting thing is this: there can be 10 identical plugs (crankbaits): same type, brand, and color, and yet in that 10, there may be one plug that will out fish the others, often by staggering margins. The other “identical” plugs may hook a fish here and there, but the “swimmer” if the one that sees action. Some plugs will have hooked so many steelhead (which have sharp teeth) that most of the paint is gone, and it doesn’t matter, it still gets bit. I am firmly convinced that when you have one of these “swimmers,” color matters almost not at all; steelhead will continue to crush it season after season. I have read (and happen to agree) the theory that small manufacturing differences and “defects” during mass production cause slight, imperceptible variations in each lure, thus causing to emit tiny variations in each lure’s vibrations, and that the closer a lure’s vibration is to an organic creature, the more effective the bait. I am curious for you bass addicts out there whether any of you have a specific “magic” crank bait that you hesitate to throw or throw on heavier tackle because it simply flat out gets bit again and again, more than any of your other cranks. Given the technique of backtrolling, it’s possible to go decades without losing a plug to rocks and other snags, whereas in bass fishing it’s not that way, so maybe it’s a moot or silly question, since there’s no sample size large enough with a single bass crank bait, because we lose them so much more frequently. But it’s late, and I was curious. Cheers

Thank you all!

I’d be throwing 8lb maxima Chrystal Ivory. I like the stretch and Maxima has great knot strength and some stretch to play big fish. For cranks.

Thank you sir. I appreciate the advice!

Thank you all!

Hello Bassresource, My name is Jacob, and I live in northern Idaho. I am forty-two, and fishing is my life's passion. I fell in love with fishing by catching mostly fingerling-sized smallmouth on the Snake River with my late Dad at around age 5. At age eight, I caught my first steelhead, and that event changed my life more than almost anything else, short of fatherhood and family/friend events and milestones. Since 1999, I have spent probably 95 percent of my fishing time and treasure chasing steelhead, with the occasional white sturgeon, stream trout, and random bass trip thrown in. Although steelhead will always be my favorite, I never stopped loving bronzebacks. They are easily my second favorite fish. This spring, my son and I went on the first freshwater guided trip of my life. We fished Dworshak reservoir, so I could see what techniques (and more importantly), what type of water (depth, temp, structure) the professionals sought out for potential trophy, pre-spawn smallmouth. Since 2019, I know of at least four smallmouth in the 9lb range caught and released in this fishery, including the new catch and release state record last winter (all 23.75"; Smallmouth bass state record falls once more | Idaho Fish and Game. I am hoping to land a 6lb plus fish someday and am directing my fishing goals to that pursuit. Thanks to primarily lurking here, and other research, the techniques and water types we fished on our guided trip largely lined up with what I thought we might do. More importantly, that trip lit the smoldering ember of a long-dormant love of smallmouth into a flame. I am currently shore bound, so chasing a 6lb trophy smallmouth will be challenging, but I think my bank steelhead experience will help, as far as mindset, as one bite per day (or none) is pretty standard for river steelhead from the bank. I think fishing hard for one or two bites from a potential trophy is my kind of fishing, though action is always good too. I also understand that even on Erie, St, Clair, Tenn River, or Dworshak, 6lb plus smallmouth do not come easy and need to be earned. I look forward to the challenge of chasing these magnificent fish. This online community is so very knowledgeable and helpful, and I am very excited to be a part of it. I hope to learn enough to contribute. Thank you, Jacob

Hello everyone, My name is Jacob, and I am a long-time lurker on this forum. I live in N Idaho and while steelhead fishing is my passion, I love smallmouth and am getting back into the game. I fish Dworshak and the Snake River, two huge bodies of water, with corresponding big smallies. I have read a lot from this forum by the excellent posters here and look forward to learning more. My initial question for all of you concerns two Dobyns casting rods: the Champion XP 704 cb and Champion XP 705 cb, both graphite. I am looking to throw wiggle warts, LC 1.5s (square bills and DDs), LC 2.0 dds, and Pointer 100s and other jerkbaits. So 3/8 to 5/8 oz cranks and jerks, with the warts to 1.5s seeing most action. I have narrowed down the search to the XP 704 cb and XP 705 cb. Which rod would be better in your opinion? I like the idea of the 704 for 3/8-1/2 oz cranks, but I am concerned it would be a little underpowered for Pointer 100s and 2.0 dd cranks. Perhaps in the future, I'll get both but I'm also saving for a dedicated bottom contact spinning rod in the NRX plus class, so one, all-around crank/jerk casting rod is what i'm looking for at this time, even if it's not perfect for both applications. On Dwoshak especially, the chance is there for a 7lb plus smallmouth, and those big bass like crankbaits (and other baits). Anyway, glad to be a part of this community and looking forward to learning more and hopefully contributing in the future as I get more experience. I love fishing and want to learn as much as possible in my quest for a trophy smallmouth. Thank you.