Looking for lure suggestions and techniques for catching Smallies in the Spring River in Arkansas -- a shallow, spring-fed, cold, extremely clear river. Thanks!

cranksssssssssssssss

For fall I usually go with a smaller swim jig or an 1/8th oz hair jig. just try to move them both slow and wait for the bite. Use light line!!

Hair jig in the 1/8oz to 3/16oz variety will work when the fish aren't active, as for moving baits, going into the cold water season try suspending jerkbaits, the rapala X-Rap  XR-8 is glass ghost, clown, or silver will work great, if you have more expensive taste then the lucky craft pointer 78 will be more your style. You also have to include tubes, for that type of water I would go with either a 2.75" or 3" tube with anywhere from a 1/16 oz to 3/16oz jig head.

Jerkbaits, Rage Tail Baby Craw, MegaSgrike Tube Craw, NorthStar Original Swim Jig/ Rage Tail Menace and

Sworming Hornet/ LFT Live Magic Shad.

Thanks RW. How would you suggest fishing the Baby Craw -- weightless, weighted swim hook, other? Thanks.

On a football jig!

JDJ,

People say I know more about Ozarks smallie fishing than anyone so here goes. If the water has lost it's green algae color and has turned gin clear with 6 or more feet of vis., and if the minnows are still gathered on the surface just behind big rootwads, I have good news.  Fish a regular watermelon fluke(old style 4" model) on a 1/8 oz. shaky head hooked weedless.  Drop this lure into the densest, darkest wads and you;ll be amazed what happens. Next, if the water temps are above 48, and no doubt they are down there, find the smallest walking lure, prob. 1/4 oz. zara,, paint it a dull tan, and  learn to walk that bait very slowly.  The only great topwater for me when the temps get cool and water has lost its algae. That bait looks just the same color as many leaves drifting down river, but the bass really eat it, although they tend to roll on it slowly the cooler the water gets.  I also agree with the 1/8 oz.brown finesse jig with a small brown or green pumpkin trailer. The location of bass usually means one of two things in our Ozarks streams.  They are either on rocky deeper bluff  areas or piled up in deeper wood. Note the prevailing pattern as you fish. Current flow will also help position the fish.  As the water cools into the lower 50's and esp. the 40's, smallies will shun the heavier current unless there is a substantial current block for them to nestle in like behind a large boulder pile or in a rootwad. So concentrate on the bluff holes with good rock formation and do try to get your casts close to the banks. Consider shade as your friend in clear water, esp. the edges of it. This time of the year the rivers get lots of shadewhich will help you  catch fish in clear water. It may take well over an inch of rain to discolor the Spring R., but the old notion of the after being too dirty to be "in shape" as the old timers called it is just bunk. Try to hit the river when it is off colored. If the vis. is 15-30 in. throw a 3/8 oz. double willow spinnerbait or your favorite rattle jig, or even a wiggle wart with some orange/brown in it and have a blast. I do prefer the water to be dropping less than 4 in. per day when it gets dirty, but just go when you can as long as it's not dangerous to be fishing.