My last 2 trips revealed that the river smallmouth I fish for are going into fall transition, they won't hit a spinnerbait or topwater but we found them very much eating shallow cranks but last week that stopped as well. Anyway, I noticed that we were getting the fish on Sub Warts and Baby 1 Minus baits in the shallow water before a ledge, the water drops off into 3' of water instantly and then the rushing water slows as the bottom tapers into a 5' pool. Well naturally we fished the pools with jigs and plastics and not a single bite so I decided to probe the drop off, if fish are eating they will go there as food gets trapped in the rolling action of the water going over the ledge. I didn't have a bait that got to 3' but I did have a few Manns Baby X baits which on 10lb line hits 2', maybe a few inches more if you burn it but I gave it a shot and it was then that I remembered why I got these 2 years prior. I made a dozen casts into the rolling water below the ledge and pulled out 7 smallmouth, afterward I came home and ordered a few more as no local shops, including Cabelas or Bass Pro Shops carries them and that is why I made this post. Why doesn't this bait get any attention? It isn't glamorous and it cost a lot less that the Spro Baby Fat John 50 but it is incredibly effective, I know the lip looks kind of crude but it makes the bait bounce wildly off of rock and that there is a major point. The only drawback I can see is the lip angle causes it to trip over rock but it runs only slightly nose down and it leaves the hooks exposed to grab on brush so to me it is only a rock bait. That said, it is a killer on rip rap, the original reason I got it as my Bomber Square A baits and Xcalibur XCS square bills run a little too deep for a specific body of water I fish but it was the first time I used it for river smallmouth and I could not be happier, gray ghost and bluegill work in both stained and clear water. These are made in America and are fairly inexpensive, they can be had for five bucks and some change and are well worth it, so if you need something that runs in the 2' to 2,5' depth check them out, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Cool ~

 

Do they come more than 1 size, I could only find 1/4 ounce ?

 

A-Jay

Cool ~

 

Do they come more than 1 size, I could only find 1/4 ounce ?

 

A-Jay

 

That is it, it is the same bait as a baby 1 minus only it has a square lip and it goes down to 2' to 2.5' instead of 1' like the 1 minus.  I think it being the same bait as the baby 1 minus is what makes it so good, something about that size that appeals to better than average fish.

The bluegill color is dynamite. Entices a lot of bites on my home lake.