What baits are you guys tossing for winter river smallmouth?  I'm talking water temps 34-40 degrees. 

My go to the last few years has been an Erie Darter jr rigged on a weedless flick it jig, but rigged like you would with a normal jig head. Some others are hair jigs, a 3" senko on a 1/16oz jig head, and a baby craw papi on a 1/16oz jig head. I've also been experimenting with a float n fly. 

The last 2 winters here were ridiculously cold so I didn't do much winter fishing but this year there has been open water in our river so far for the most part. 

Sounds like you are onto something.  I was gonna suggest a hair jig, possibly on a float-n-fly. Living in Pittsburgh, most of the fishing I end up doing is usually river fishing, so I feel your pain. So much of what we are exposed to, as learning fishermen, are keyed toward being in a bass boat, on a lake somewhere in the southern states.

Black bear hair jig.

 

Allen

Blade baits for me. Dependable producers in cold water. When it gets a tad warmer than that, I'll add jerkbaits and a drop shot.

I haven't been able to do much winter fishing lately, frozen rivers and all, but I've heard good things about the Northstar Custom Baits hairy craw jig. I know, funny name. But it's a hair, rubber hybrid skirt on a football jig that works great. Haven't gotten to try mine out in winter, but it was awesome last fall!

Those water temps I like a hair jig, a Stingray grub, and a jerkbait.  The one hair jig I like to throw is a 3/32oz walleye painted black and tied with black marabou with a little black Krystal flash, that little hair jig will really get them to bite at certain times.

Rage Tail Menace T-rigged, unpegged.

 

On 2/23/2016 at 2:37 PM, roadwarrior said:

Rage Tail Menace T-rigged, unpegged.

 

Do you fish it like a craw or like a grub?

Swim it like a grub.

 

Super speed craw on 3/16 t-rig, drop shot with a shad shaped worm, keitech 3.8 on a 3/16 rugby jig head, rapala x-rap in rainbow trout 

On 2/16/2016 at 11:53 AM, Crestliner2008 said:

Blade baits for me. Dependable producers in cold water. When it gets a tad warmer than that, I'll add jerkbaits and a drop shot.

Agree.. Just can't stand when the blade bait gets tangled in your line.on retrieve. .

In the temps mentioned ,give me a hand full of 1/16 to 1/8 hair jigs ,mostly black,and leave me alone.