So I have been fishing the local river by me for a little while now, and have started taking advantage of the many logs in this river. So far, my gig has been to drift pass the logs and cast right underneath of them with a drop shot. Don't get me wrong, it works quite well, I was just wondering if there is a more effective way to fish these logs. Thank you and any help is appreciated!

Come up from behind with a lighter tube and let the current take it underneath. Always go with the current, smallies will face upstream waiting for food to swim past.

Come up from behind with a lighter tube and let the current take it underneath. Always go with the current, smallies will face upstream waiting for food to swim past.

Thank you sounds logical and like it will work. Will try and thank you!

Bottom contact baits like tubes, jigs, etc. always seem to work better for me in current in streams and small rivers. A floating jerkbait can be hard to beat anywhere else as long as the water is warm enough.

All in all, there is no right or wrong way to approach your situation. I would try every way and see what works at any given time.

Bottom contact baits like tubes, jigs, etc. always seem to work better for me in current in streams and small rivers. A floating jerkbait can be hard to beat anywhere else as long as the water is warm enough.

All in all, there is no right or wrong way to approach your situation. I would try every way and see what works at any given time.

All right thanks for the comment!

All of the above are great suggestions, I'd like to add a weightless 4" senko or yum dinger rigged tejas style to the list. Pick a color and skip cast 'em upstream past the log then drift 'em back to you.

Throwing in there with a small creature style bait can be effective as well. 

Try a Fat Ika tossed up stream of the log jam and let it tumble on into it.

I have very little luck around wood cover in our local river. It's all about deeper current breaks, rocks and steep banks. 

I have caught smallmouth on every soft plastic and jig I have tried. Like everybody else , cast upstream . Hula jigs are also good for big fish .

Try natural gliding a Fuzz-E-Grub dressed with a live worm          

(if that doesn't work, they're probably not catchable)

 

Roger

The very first thing I'd be working on is to do everything I can to NOT alert the fish to my presence.

 

That's half the battle right there. 

 

A-Jay

I used to wade the Huron River in several Metro Parks near me.The DNR had a smallie stocking program in that system that was pretty good for a while. I would wade upstream and cast ahead as I went. I could almost guarantee a fish behind anything that was sticking up out of the water. The currant moved the bait just fast enough to make it a move it or loose it deal for the fish on ambush mode. That was many years ago (pre boat) and I was using a white Dixie Dancer sb with silver colo's at the time.

I love jigs the best.  Next comes tubes and then maybe the drop shot 

3/16 oz Bitsy bug jig with rage craw trailer...

Don't forget about the spinnerbait. Cast up stream and bring it to the log. Maybe a pause right before but definitely let the spinnerbait drop after coming over the log.