I don't know if its just the area in which I live, but nothing has produced more river smallmouth strikes than the AC Shiner with silver, black back. The 300 series acts as a shallow diving crankbait and the 450 series acts as a floating jerkbait. I have fished these things in the Potomac River, the New River, and the Greenbrier Rivers in West Virginia, as well as the Slab Fork Creek and Pinnacle Creek. I have gone out wade fishing and caught over 100 small mouths of a day. Last year alone there was Smallmouth Bass of 3, 4, and 5lb + caught on the 300 series alone. I have to say this is hands down, the most lethal, deadly lure I have used in river fishing. In fact, I'm going to take the 300 series and give it go lake fishing for Largemouth this year just to see if I get any bites. 

Does anyone else have any experiences with these baits? I don't know what it is about them, but they absolutely produce bigger smallmouth bites than any other lure I have ever tried, and it's not even a comparison. 

Video on how they are made. Never had one but that may change shortly!

 

Haven't tried this brand, but have been using Rapala's for over 40 years. Great lures.

I think a floating jerkbait (any brand) is one of the most effective baits ever made.

In North Carolina the '60s, my dad would say all you need for bass was a split shot 2' above a rapala.  Silver with either a black or silver back were his favorites.  I'd just sit there in amazement watching him catch those largemouth on that rig.  Of course I did the same thing when he worked a Jitterbug...  I'm sure you'll continue to load the boat with bass no matter which species you're targeting.  Good fishing

I would have thought all of us would have cut our teeth on a version of that. Will always be productive. Always can tie that on at a slow day to try to make something happen. I still have my versions from the early 70's when I was a kid. Old school........I mean that in a good way.

Fish in those rivers eat a lot of shiners and little creek chubs, that bait does a great job looking like those

True story, I've caught a ton of that silver looking one. I lost it a few years back and haven't replaced it tho. Have been leaning more on crankbaits and plastics. I'll definitely have to pick one up again.