When you fish for one Big Bite All Day . . . .  And you get it.

So Sweet !

A-Jay

I don't get a lot of chances to contribute to this thread.

 

A 10 minute span on Thursday produced a couple of sizable big water specimens for this guy.  They both hit my jerk bait like a brick too - the lure just completely stops when you pull up on the next snap and the rod bends over significantly.

 

 

There you go @gim !

Nice Brown Bass and on jerkbaits no less.

Never would have guessed.

How about some State vs State action ?

You can do it . . . .

Congrats

A-Jay

I've been targeting big water smallmouth three times in the past 9 days and I've noticed some things.  When the sun is out, and the water is relatively calm, a more discreet/finesse approach produces fish better than a louder, erratic presentation.  Two times it was cloudy/rainy/choppy out and a faster, more aggressive presentation produced fish.  Yesterday it was calm and sunny for a few hours and the only bites I could get were slow on a plastic.  Then the wind picked up around 10am and a nice chop began on the water, which produced a more aggressive bite.

 

I could see some fish yesterday morning in shallow water and I knew if I could see them, they could see me too.  I would mark where I saw them on my GPS and then come back later to that spot, from distance, and make long casts.  That produced a couple fish.

 

My biggest fish have also come on the bigger presentations.  I've had to resort to using a small tube or a ned rig at times to get a bite, fished painfully slow.  Rarely does that produce a sizable fish.  When I am able to switch back to a bigger profile lure, like a jerk bait, crank bait, or bladed jig, the odds of piling into a toad go up.

 

Those are just my observations in recent memory.  Hope it helps.

I went smallmouth fishing on the big lake again yesterday with my Father.  It's now getting to the early stages of spawning.  Fishing was tougher, as many of these fish I was catching in the prior trips had not reached that stage yet.

 

I am probably done with this for the foreseeable future.  Targeting them while they are trying to reproduce is not my thing, and targeting them during the midsummer months in deeper water is also not my thing.

 

A big bug hatch has also started out there which may have played a role.  These bug hatches start around 60 degrees and continue for months.  Epic amounts of midges, lake flies, and mayflies come from the bottom of the lake and emerge at the surface.

 

My Father did catch a pretty nice fish, his biggest this season thus far.  It had red eyes too.  I'll be targeting largemouth and muskies (when that opens on June 7) for the foreseeable future.

 

 

4 hours ago, gim said:

targeting them during the midsummer months in deeper water is also not my thing

The drop shot is calling your name! 😂

Nice fish gim Sr. I wish the SMB were predictable where I live, they didn’t receive the memo on what they should do when it’s sunny vs cloudy 

8 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Nice fish gim Sr. I wish the SMB were predictable where I live, they didn’t receive the memo on what they should do when it’s sunny vs cloudy 

River smallies are always the best but lake smallies are fun.

On 5/30/2025 at 8:57 AM, gim said:

I am probably done with this for the foreseeable future.  Targeting them while they are trying to reproduce is not my thing, and targeting them during the midsummer months in deeper water is also not my thing.

Same.

Not how I want to fish.

On 5/30/2025 at 9:57 AM, gim said:

I am probably done with this for the foreseeable future.  Targeting them while they are trying to reproduce is not my thing, and targeting them during the midsummer months in deeper water is also not my thing.

 

 

14 hours ago, Further North said:

Same.
Not how I want to fish.

 

Same ~

Just biding my time until about the 1st or 2nd week of August.

Then the hunt begins again in earnest. 

Such a good time when it's right.

A-Jay

11 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

 

Same ~

Just biding my time until about the 1st or 2nd week of August.

Then the hunt begins again in earnest. 

Such a good time when it's right.

A-Jay

We have river fish to chase all summer, so it's good here.

16 minutes ago, Further North said:

We have river fish to chase all summer, so it's good here.

Sounds like fun ~

We have goby eaters here to chase all summer.

But that's all I'd be doing - chasing.

A-Jay

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

But that's all I'd be doing - chasing.

 

On 12/28/2018 at 10:25 PM, A-Jay said:

A-Jay ~

CHAPTER VI – MORE ON TACKLE – RODS, REELS & LINE.   

 When I use Mono leader it's big game, Braid main lines are Suffix 832 green and fluorocarbon line & leader is Seaguar InvisX or Tatsu - And I use this as well as AsbrazX for leader around line shedding cover like zebra mussels. I buy reel fillers spools for leaders and bulk spools for mainlines in Everything (braid & Flouro) 

 

 I like spinning & casting for jerkbaits ~   both sticks are medium / fast and on the 'shorter end.  6' 9"-10" is the magic spot for me on both - for line 10-15lb braid on spinning gear (suffix 832) and a 10-12lb big game (green) mono leader about 10-12 ft.

All 10-12 flouro on casting gear.  

 

Swingheads, casting & football jigs, most Texas-rigged plastics, swimjigs and 4"-5" swimbaits.   - 1/2 - 3/4 oz - I like 7' 2"-3"  MH casting gear - both fast & X fast work OK but I like Fast better.  15-20 lb fluorocarbon 

 

Squarebills, Mid-depth cranks, vibrating jigs, spinnerbaits - all on 12-17 lb flouro with a 7'4" MH KVD composite Cranking stick.

 

Lipless (RES) Same line as above on a 7' KVD MH Cranking stick - I like the shorter rod to rip the RES out of the grass - 

 

Top water - very close to the Jerkbait stuff above - except I will ALWAYS USE BRAID MAIN LINE and a mono leader. regardless of spinning or casting.  I'm ALWAYS looking for casting distance and the braid ensures good hookups.  Popper & walkers are both easier to work with braid too.  For throwing some of the heavier walkers 3/4 oz - I will use a 7' M Fast spinning rod (but it's pretty stout (an older Quantum Tour rods that may be close to some brands MH blanks - 

 

DROP SHOT rods - I have 3 different ones (length & actions) that I use in specific situations. 

I use only braid & flouro leaders for all drop shots presentations. (all my spinning gear is braid now that I think about it - tried flouro mainline last season - disaster for me -  major line twist.)

-First one is for my 'light' stuff - 8lb braid / 4-8 lb leader and light weights - 7 ft ML fast stick.

-Second is for mid-range - perhaps longer casts - 10 lb braid 6-10lb leader and D/S weights to 3/8's  Deeper or windier stuff - 7"1" M Fast stick 

-Third is for deeper and a little bit bigger D/S baits & weights - think 5" caffeine shad and 1/2 - 3/4 oz D/S weights -  Deep & or Stiff winds - 7-4" M Fast stick -  

 

*** My 2 favorite D/S rods are Fenwick EliteTech Smallmouth rods - the Green (Older) ones - with the fat cork grips.  

 I am slowing moving away from the 'tiny' D/S hooks too - starting using some models that were a little bigger & seemed to keep the bigger smallies pinned better - but they need to be used on a rod that will drive them and most ML wands are a little too whippy - more to follow once I get a handle on that.  Also, my nose-hooking days are just about over too.  I am really liking using a straight shank hook and rigging it along & out the top (back) of all shad and even craws.  

 

So there ya go - get back to me with what I've omitted and or all questions. 

 

12poundbass ~ Absolutely perfect! This answered everything, thank you!

 

A couple of questions I have are about weeds. Typically at what depth do weeds quit growing (I know it's kinda hard to say for sure because of water clarity)? And how much do weeds factor in to a good area and a not so good area?

 

A-Jay ~ Good & Good Question ~ 

 CHAPTER VII  WEEDS

 

 Here are my thoughts on weeds - they are a necessary evil because they hold bait & crayfish and BECAUSE they also hold the food for bait - and crayfish - and I think crayfish actually eat some weeds too.  Might be dreaming that though . . .

 Either way unlike green bass, that will often be right IN the weeds - most of my brown bass hunting takes place around, near, over, under and in-between 'the weeds.'  So Although I have pitched into 'weeds' to catch smallies - most of the time I'm probing around them.  Sometimes I need to be closer than others and often that's depended on light levels - activity levels of the fish, what the weather's been doing lately (barometer crashing) & finally water temp & direction - rising, falling or steady (it's always doing one of them).  

 As for depth, you're right depending on any number of things - basically the clearer the water - the deeper you'll find them.  

 I like to fish the 'edges of weeds'.  

 The very bottom of a deep weed line - especially a sandy bottom, can be killer if the winds right.  Often I'll need to get very close or even go into the weed (coontail for instance). 

 Boat position is key as I need to drop whatever into the first few feet of weed, get it to the bottom and work it out onto the sand - usually 8 - 20 ft deep we're talking here.  Bass will take it when it comes out into the open. 

 Another sneaky deal is to switch that around 180 degrees.  Sit back over the weeds. Cast into open water - work the bait back along the bottom and pull it right into the bottom of the weed line - bass with stalk it and eat it often right before or right after it goes into the weeds  ~ I guess 'before it gets away'.

 And finally something worked parallel to that same weedline - doesn't always have to be deep but sometimes it's best - but unless the 'line' is long & straight or you can see it clearly - it's hard to work anything with trebles along there without getting a bunch of salad every cast.  But if you can or if they are willing to pop out of the weeds and strike as bait goes by -   Swim jig w/ craw or paddle tail, vibrating jig, a standard jig & craw, Just about any Texas-rigged plastic, a plain old grub on a jig head - when there's too much weed action.   And any mid-depth crank if the opportunity presents itself.   (dig it into the bottom the whole way - it's like magic - even on super calm days) (That one’s top secret  think spro rock crawler) - I think you get the point.    

 

 So you're going to show up to your lake and see 'weeds' of various type at various depths and ask yourself - now what ? 

Well, there's no hard & fast answer - you have to fish it to find out.  But some of the info I passed here already in regards to structure & cover STILL ALL APPLIES just have to figure out what depth the bait & the fish are using that day 

 But here's the Great part of all of this - SMALLMOUTH are HOMERS.  When you find a place/area that has fish in April & May & then In June & Then in July & August, Then September and then October & November - unless there is catastrophic change of some kind (and sometimes there is) those (class) of brown bass can be there like clockwork EVERY YEAR at the same time.  Just waiting for you

 And when they are not - it's usually because something changed - like this past season with the Super Crazy Late Ice Out.  Jacked everything up.  But I will often stick to my guns and fish THE BEST PLACES REPEATEDLY - often starting much earlier than I "think" - just so when they do show up - I don't miss them.  I do that a ton early season and again in the late summer & early fall.  That's how I get on almost all of the Biggest smallies I catch - often means many long fishless hours days & even a couple of weeks in some places - but the reward is worth it for me - many 5's - 6's & even that 7lb smallie - I 'hunt' them down my friend - and you can too - it might not be something 'the family's' gonna enjoy a ton.   Guess you may have to pick your spots.

 

What else you got ??? Bring it, I'm on a roll !!! 

 

12POUNDBASS ~ Great info there. I'm glad I asked about the weeds, you gave some good tips, and some good ideas, also the tip 'SMB are homers' that one right there could be absolutely priceless! Oh and the Spro Rock Crawler is on this list for sure. 

 

Ok you said bring it on, so who am I to not oblige? You mentioned barometric pressure, and weather, lets go down this road. I haven't reached that section of Spoonpluging yet. IME after a nasty cold front rolls in the fish are very shy. What's your experience and how do you approach chasing after the brown ones after a front has moved in?

 

A-Jay ~

  CHAPTER XIII     WEATHER ~

Sponplugging has quite a bit of good info - especially considering when it was written.

Pursuit of giant bass by Bill Murphy -  - even though it is centered around giant green bass helped with the mindset of 'hunting' down trophies - brought some of that with me from my days chasing stripers up & down the east coast as well.  (much of what I do now 'feels' like that). 

 Something to think about.

 OK, so weather changes then – Since retiring, I can fish mostly when I want to - I usually do not go when 'the conditions' are super bad.  But when you go when you can go is the deal, there are some 'generalities' that I keep in mind. 

  First, some supplemental info - 11 years ago (2007) when I retired, moved from the coast to the north woods, I was in a similar position you are now - just getting back into a situation (ability & opportunity) to fish for smb again.  I always loved it from the first one I caught in Massachusetts in 1970 something - yup I'm that old.  Anyway, the reason I went there is that I had to go back and read stuff & study maps and read more stuff and study more maps and all that was 'helpful'.   But what was more important, at least for me, was to get out there and fish.  

 So what does this have to do with weather & fronts and how brown bass move & perhaps where do they go ?   As I stated previously, my preference is to fish for fish that are looking to eat.  So where the general consensus is 'bass shut down' during abrupt weather changes; especially cold fronts -  IME I have to agree to a large extent.  What I cannot say for sure as to why, but fishing on the day of & for some time after a front passes, it's often tough sledding.  No way around it.  For brown bass, that often means they are 'tighter' to deep cover or suspending over deep water - However, the more IMPORTANT factor there for me is THEY ARE NOT LOOKING TO FEED !  So although I may be 'fishing for them' - that's about where it usually ends - cause there ain't a whole lot of catching going on.  

  If there are any 'bite windows' at all - they are usually Very brief and the numbers & size of fish rarely are "the best days ever". 

    So it pays big dividends to be a Weather watcher and have some knowledge of how wind & waves can affect the waters you fish and I'll tell you why.  There's often a very nice (wide open) feeding window at some point 'PRECEEDING' a cold front or weather change.  

  So being on the water then is good !  When it actually occurs is somewhat tricky to pin down - here are a few of my personal moves.

  The Bigger the 'front' is expected to be or Longer it is expected to take to pass - the earlier I like to get out on the water.  Meaning a 'big' front may mean that the smb might start looking to feed TWO full days ahead of it.  Smaller ones may mean only one day ahead of it is the time.  And this doesn't necessarily mean bass are jumping in the boat, may simply mean the 'normal' feeding areas & windows may have more & or bigger bass at them and might start a little earlier or last a little longer.  

  This is not something that is "written" in many articles or periodicals on the subject, but it's real.  And I know that MANY bassheads never get on this and miss out on it entirely - especially up here - cause I'm the only one out there.   

    Often in advance of a front - there may be wind & clouds - as long as it's safe I'm fishing- especially if the sun is peaking through half the time too.  

 "Warming" winds in advance of a front in the spring & fall can often trigger a bite.  Here that usually means something from the South or even South Westerly.   Summer may be one time when 'cooler' wind & some clouds at the lake can be a 'good bite day' especially if it continues for a couple of days.  Initially the start of it can trigger a bite but unlike other seasons - the bite can sometimes get better as it continues - as bait has to 'reposition' because of the wind or current, this makes them vulnerable to the bass - (something I learned chasing stripers - happens every 6 hours at every tide change and the fish take advantage of it to feed).

     So while many anglers will 'seek out' the leeward sheltered areas when the winds up a bit - and there's no doubt it's easier to fish - I have ALL BUT ABANDONED that in the warmer months - If I can fish it safely & effectively (which can be a bear at times - Talons help here) - and I think there's bait and or active bass in a spot - I'm fishing it. And if I find bait balled up on a windy bank - but the bass are not there - Yet; I will sit on them for a while or at the very least come back to them during 'a bite window' and see if they've moved in on them.  They almost always do at some point.  

  I do tend to look for warmer sheltered stuff early season (but I'm sure I already mentioned that somewhere along the way). 

  So if one were to look back at my videos - and take note of what time of day, and specifically - what the weather was doing while I'm catching brown bass - you may note a trend.  Usually some sun, some wind- rarely other anglers on the water - and it’s Not Raining!!!!   Topwater and drop shot bites for me are a calm water deal usually - so times when that happens I look to fish those presentations when I can.  Other than that - some wind & sun are where it's at.  If a front coming even better.  When it's sun & wind for several days - even better.  If it suddenly cools in the summer - with sun & wind - even better.   Be a Weather watcher and know the forecast 3-5 days in advance - that's how to better predict when & where to fish.  As a retired USCG Boatswain's Mate Chief, it’s a way of life. (Always had to know the weather, my & other's lives depended on it). 

Is this making sense - ??? 

btw - there's a ton of 'stuff' in this PM 

 

12poundbass ~

You aren't kidding there's ton of 'stuff' in this one. Bill Murphy's book it on my to get list. I chatted with Team9nine and he said the two books an angler needs is Spoonpluging and Bill Murphy's book. 

 

It's good to know that the feeding window before a front can be open a couple days before. I knew that just before a front or storm could be good, I just thought it was hours not days, so that's a huge help. My best day ever came on a mid October day, a front started rolling in windy, overcast, and a real light rain. Danielle and I only caught 7 or so but the smallest was just under 3 lbs and the biggest was my PB at 5-7 I believe it was. Don't worry I learned more than just that. 

 

Ok let's talk about bait location, wind, and current. You mentioned bait balls getting pinned up against a windy point. Does the bait try to seek shelter so they don't get pinned up against a windy point or am I giving them to much credit? 

Example: you have a wind out of the SW do you look for the bait on the north or east side of the point/ledge? Same with current (I don't fish rivers/impoundments)? I've read that bass will hang out on the non current side and ambush bait and other fish as they go by. 

 

Another question. The one lake (connected together) I know has SMB in it and I'm going to target frequently in 2019 has an inlet and a small damed outlet, will there be a current because of the inlet and outlet? If so would the current be enough to be a factor?

 

A-Jay ~

CHAPTER IX     BAIT & MORE ON WEATHER  (WIND) & WATER CLARITY

 

 I think the bait's number one deal is 'survival'.  They are trying to live and not get eaten. 

 Along with that is 'food', they need to eat too - can't say for sure as to why smaller bait ends up on windy banks, and at the inside turns of points - but it does. 

 

  And just to clarify, there are TWO types (sizes) of bait to discuss here.  First is the basses food like Perch for instance - then there's the 'bait' the perch may be looking to eat, which is rarely anything that the adult bass are eating but it plays a pretty big role.  It's this 'smaller bait' could be little minnows, bugs, whatever, it this stuff that can be largely affected by wind & current; as it lacks the ability to overcome it and is often as the mercy, if you will, of the conditions.  The whole food chain thing - 

    So whatever the perch or smaller prey fish are looking to eat, can totally be affected by the current in the lake caused by the wind.   Watch the submerged weeds in some places that are exposed to the wind - they can & will tell you if there is any 'wind current - as they ALL will be bent over to go with the flow.  Bass will use this to their feeding advantage.   Often sitting just inside whatever current break or eddy there is - bass's bait will get there too but usually tighter to whatever cover there is.  Some day’s bass will seek out the windward side of the structure / cover - other times they will be on the back side or leeward side out of the wind & current.  May depend on what they are looking to eat & where it's stationed.     

     Once I get a few I'll usually fish that side first and only check the 'other side' once a bite stops on a spot before moving on.  It has been my experience that brown bass in lakes will not sit in strong current for very long - and may completely relocate or shut down until something changes.  So prolonged days of heavy winds I'm rarely on the water (regardless of season) and usually give that lake a few days - to calm down (or clear up if the water gets turbid).    

 

When I am out there in the 'wind', after I've hunted most of the places & deals previously mentioned with little to nothing to show for it - I will often start looking for bass on smaller isolated cover; one boulder, a weed clump, perhaps some shallow or mid-depth wood - and it's almost always a jig & craw deal.  Toss it in there bounce it a few times, let it sit for a second or two - a couple more throws and then I'm off to the 'next one'.  I will search this stuff out while having a sandwich mid-day in July mostly (dropping waypoints as I go) - when there's no bite to speak of - It's a good time for Recon . . . SI & the 360 have proven invaluable for this. 

  

   Wind doesn't seem to affect much when bass are looking to feed on crayfish, only that it can make it a better bite.  If the bass are looking to hunt these buggers in 'shallow' clear water - say less than 8 feet or so, some wind on the water can obscure the surface visibility just enough that the smallies may be a little more willing to go in & feed.  Might mean they stay a little longer in the morning or go in mid-day or go in a little earlier in the late afternoon.  

 Either way, that's ANOTHER example of the bite being better with Some Wind. 

  

 

    In the end, the way I approach all this is, I do not really have to know what the bass's food is looking for, nor do I have to know exactly how or why the wind affects an area as it does - I just need to know that it does and try to use it to help determine when, how & where to look for brown bass.  

   I say it that way because much of what has been written here has been realized by my experience & bass catches.  We each may perceive what we hear & read differently.  So how I 'spell it out' appears in my mind one way, but to another basshead, it might be something different.  Once we get out on the water and start 'doing own our thing' (which is exactly what all this stuff is) and start getting on fish our own way, and are able to occasionally repeat success, then we can articulate as to why, how, when & where with our own version of 'Brown Bass Tools': which will make perfect sense to you. 

  

   What about water clarity?  Dirty or colored water ?- Colored water - perhaps a slight green tint can be very good.   Muddy, rain infused dirty water - especially cold / rising water - usually very bad - no bite at all - seems like the bass do not want to be in it at all and will relocate to be in clearer - probably easier to breath - water.  If the smallies live in a lake that's always tannic or has 'low' visibility - they are probably more adapted to it and it's no big deal.  But when routinely super clear lakes get muddied up - it's often no good until it clears or at the very least, I can find some cleaner water. 

 Some general water clarity 'guidelines' are; the dirtier the water - the closer to the bottom I am fishing.  The cleaner the water, the faster I am presenting my baits.  Seasons & water temps drive these choices as well.  But in colored water, I'm fishing baits on the bottom - still can be moving baits, but on the bottom; the cooler or colder the water, the more and or longer I may pause a bait.  Swing heads, crankbaits, deep jerkbaits, vibrating jig, swim jig, paddle tails, even a lipless or blade bait can be the deal.

 

***Old School Crankbait Tip for colored or even cold water; OVER Weight your bait so IT SINKS.  Suspending baits are good and floating cranks catch fish, but there are times when smallies will love & choke, a mid-sized crank that will sit on the bottom at rest - you can even work it like a jig over a clean(er) bottom.  Not even close to a new deal - Rapala made the Countdown (sinking) minnow like 50 years ago - but somehow - they seemed to really lose favor with bass anglers - don't know why - they catch the heck out of the bass.  I even do it with jerkbaits - Just don't talk about - Imagine paying all this money for a super suspending Megabass 110 only to really want it to sink like a rock !  Yup- Guilty as charged.  A couple of different ways to do it - Suspend strips (the little lead strips made by Storm) - or sometimes even just bigger trebles will do it - I've even used both on one bait - try it you might like it. 

 When this works - a swinghead will too.  A craw, a rage bug or a 3.5 - 5inch paddle tail swimbait are all great swinghead trailers for this. 

 

How am I doing ?  

 

12poundbass ~ You are the man! You're on such a roll you read my mind and added in water clarity which I was going to ask next. I'm going to go back through and read all these again for the third and some the fourth time and see what else I can come up with as far as questions go. 

 

I imagine once I actually get out on the water and start applying this information and tips I'll have a ton of questions. One thing I did catch I asked on the very first PM that went unanswered was the tube. I had to chuckle because it was so easy for you to overlook, you were like a kid in a candy store who had free reign of the merchandise when I asked about SMB! So I'm guessing you use SK coffee tubes? What size tube do you typically use, same with the tube head? When and where is the best time to use them and what presentation is best ?

 

 

A-Jay ~

CHAPTER X       TUBES

 

Where do I start?  Such a simple & super versatile bait.  One that's been catching fat brown bass for a long time.  A bait that has perhaps fallen a little out of favor recently, something I've been guilty of the past two seasons myself.  Looking backing, that was probably a mistake.  A TUBE really is perhaps The One Brown Bass bait that I should almost always have tied on.  

  There's been a lot written about it and with good reason frankly: there's a lot to say.  

 It's common knowledge in many brown bass angling circles, just how many different ways & places a tube can be presented effectively, and how easy it is to fish.  Some may say that there is no wrong way to fish it.  Long before the 'stick bait' came along, the tube way was same deal for me:  Just whacking'em !  

 Rather than attempting to name each & every tube deal, I'm going to cover a few of my favorite & most productive.   

  First - a tube for me is almost always a hard(er) or at least semi-clean(er) bottom deal.  

  While a couple of inches of eelgrass is OK (and sometimes exactly what the doctor ordered) anything more than that, I'm usually presenting something else that will fish through (or over) any bottom cover a bit more effectively.

  And while Texas rigs are good & Tex-pose is popular - by & large, I prefer to fish tubes on the plain old tried & true, lead head, open jig.   I fish the standard 3.5 inch size the most but will do 4" and even 2.75 inch is some instances.  The SK Coffee tubes have been great.  And before that - and still, quite a bit now - the Provider Tackle 3.5 inch "Performance Series" tubes are one of my all-time favorites.  Great colors for clear water and super durable.  As for jig head weights - 3/8's get most of my fish but lighter & heavier have their place when fishing shallow & deep.  

 What a tube 'imitates' is anybody's guess - crayfish, little bottom bait - now the goby.  May not matter.  Pick one and go with it.  This one's easy to have confidence in. 

   What may not be a surprise, I fishing tubes in places & at times when brown bass are relating to the bottom.  For me - the clearer the water (better vis) the better.  Tubes can & do work when fished with a variety of "retrieves" - hop it, drag it, pop-it; whatever.  When the brown bass are looking to eat, these will all get bit.  

  I usually fish 1/2 oz & less on Medium spinning gear - 10-15 lb braid mainline and a 8-10lb  Fluorocarbon leader (AbrazX). Heavier than 1/2 oz, I'll either pump up my spinning gear (rod & line) or go to casting gear that will present, hook & land a spirited Smallie.  3/4 oz heads are reserved for deep (more than 20-25 ft) and or big wind & waves.  This size can & does get "thrown" on the jump by bass more than the lighter heads - so that's something to be aware of. 

  My standard 'way' to fish tubes is the same regardless of depth - I fish them like a jerkbait.

Meaning there's a couple of twitches & a pause.  How many twitches & how long a pause can be dictated by the water temp and the mood of the fish.  As mentioned previously, I believe smallies like to chase - so I like to offer them that opportunity - if they're willing.  I might keep a tube moving along with a series of twitches where the bait travels 2-3 inches, pauses for a split second and then moves another 2-3 inches - I may continue this for 4-5 feet and then pause . . . . . . for like 10 seconds . . . . . . and then do it again. One may need to 'practice' this in shallow water where you can watch your bait.  There's a tendency to 'move' it too far on each twitch, which seems to nullify its effectiveness.  So it's a good Idea to check first - it requires a small movement, especially with braid.  Using Fluorocarbon can make it a little easier to get the small movements, but I lose so much hook setting power on the long casts I like to make, that I don't use it; Zona swears by the Flouro for this - I can't do it.  So I stick mostly to the braid.

 So that's just an example of ONE way - there's no limit to the number of different ways to fish it - just like the jerkbait.  

 

  Of course, the old stand-by of 'drag & stop' can be all one needs to do to get a savage take. 

There's also what's often referred to as "Snapping a Tube", where a heavier head is used and the bait is literally 'snapped' 3-5 feet off the bottom and then allowed to fall back on a slack line.  The tube will spiral back down to the bottom - which is where the vast majority of the strikes will come from.  Can be deadly but will also twist the heck out of your line - I'll often use a small swivel between my braid & leader to help with that when doing this.

  

 I'm throwing tubes up & down drops - all around and up on top of humps, off the tip and both sides of points, along the bottom of deep weedlines and across a promising deepwater flat.  There's also a few times where I found some fat brown bass cruising up shallow and I'll use an 1/8 oz head and fish the tube like a stick bait (before I knew what a stick bait was).  So I'm dead sticking it more than I'm moving it.  This is in 2-5 feet of super clear water - fish can be very skittish and easily spooked.  So I'm well back from the fish, making as long a cast as I can and sort of letting the fish 'swim into the bait'.   I try to not to move the bait too far, too fast because the 'strike zone' is right there.   So the less I do with it- the longer it's there in their face.   Less is more in this instance.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

A-Jay

 

WOW those are some nice footballs. I just read this whole thread, what a massive amount of information. Thank you! I will try applying these techniques in my neck of the woods.

  Past several seasons, routinely right around this time, 

the bigger Brown Bass start thinking about coming in shallow again,

and I start getting the 'the itch'.

 

I've mentioned this a few times already throughout this thread.

 But pumping out an updated version every year helps get the juices flowing even more. 

https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/211811-brown-bass-tools-~-questions-answers/page/10/#findComment-3094040

Each season has proven to be a little different as far as weed die off, amount of shallow bait,

and numbers of big brown bass that invade the places I looking for them.

So I go early and as often as I can to increase my odds.

Last season we had 'company', so I pretty much missed the best part of this bite.

Fortunately, this particular late summer season,

I'm in a much better position to be on the water quite a bit more.

And to say I'm pumped up, is an understatement.

Especially after what for me, was a somewhat underwhelming pre spawn bite. 

Crazy destructive ice storm we had here was mostly to blame for that deal. 

 

 Either way, my gear is primed and ready.

I've already made my first RECON trip out onto the better areas of Lake Menderchuck

and found a mostly positive habitat with very little in the way of "well that's not good' stuff.

 

 First light topwater is my favorite presentation this time of year

as super early morning air temps are quite fisherman friendly.

Unlike the pre-spawn scene, where I'm often wearing a snow suit. 

Lingering cloud cover/fog can be a good thing.

 

A south or south west wind - Sun or clouds, is often even better.

I'll chunk & wind in that stuff until one or both of my arms fall off. 

 I have a few favorite horizontal moving baits when it's nice and shloppy;

A wiggle wagon moved just fast enough to tick the tops of submerged vegetation

and spinnerbait burned along up high in the water column are often major players. 

 

 

 If & when the opportunity presents itself, meaning when the conditions seem right,

I have a couple of old/new deals I'm seeking to deploy

in an effort to broaden my big brown bass potential.

I will however, be reserving the right to retain this info

until such time that it's determined not to be a Crash & Burn Scenario. 

Had more of those than I'd like to admit.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

https://youtu.be/E8UfnBPoH-M?feature=shared

 

 

 

We don’t have anywhere near the size of smallmouth that you do and they have been hard to find lately.  However yesterday with a mile high sky and southwest wind we found them on the tip of a rocky peninsula in 4-10 feet of water.  We caught close to 20 up to 4.5# on swim baits and Ned rigs.  I had been considering bluffs and bluff ends thinking that with surface temperatures in the upper 80s they might be close to the thermocline 30’.

31 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

We don’t have anywhere near the size of smallmouth that you do and they have been hard to find lately.  However yesterday with a mile high sky and southwest wind we found them on the tip of a rocky peninsula in 4-10 feet of water.  We caught close to 20 up to 4.5# on swim baits and Ned rigs.  I had been considering bluffs and bluff ends thinking that with surface temperatures in the upper 80s they might be close to the thermocline 30’.

Big water mid summer smallmouth have been my nemesis for a long time.

So much so that I reserve most recent efforts to only a few trips

and they are always super early first light or late last light deals.

However,  20 up to 4 lbs - That right there sounds like a good time to me ~

 

And if you have some healthy, shallow water habitat, 

I'd encourage you to sneak in there at first light and poke around a little. 

IME, presence of the right bait can trump hot water almost every time, especially late summer.

They don't have to stay in there long, but they have to eat. 

Be careful though, you might get your arm broke.

A-Jay

Since the start of this month I've been fishing my favorite big brown bass flat religiously.

The water's clean, weeds are taking their time dropping back, and there have been only sporadic bait sightings.

And that might be just wishful thinking on my part. When it's right, there are numbers of 4-6 inch yellow perch following every cast to the boat, and bigger schools of assorted bait are plainly visible all over the place. Despite that, the 'bycatch' that I am in contact with is VERY HEALTHY.

So I'm hoping that bodes well for what's to come. 

Nothing remains constant forever, and investing heavily in this venture over the past few summers has yielded positive results.

So it hasn't been the best case just yet

And I have to admit I am both anxious and somewhat nervous.

I'm planning to stick with it, because that's what's needed

to catch the type of dense smallmouth that reside in Lake Menderchuck. 

The calendar says we should be close, but who knows? 

We might still be four weeks away, and our stay might only extend a week.

The mutants don't stay in there long.

Once the bait leaves, they bail, and if it never shows up, well, let's not even go there . 

As a seasoned angler, I find it beneficial to pace myself. 

Burning out before the full-on blitz is a real thing. 

I've come close to doing it in the spring a few times. 

Standard ops after or between every trip include 

Re-rigging tackle, prepping the action camera equipment,

keeping the boat & truck topped off with gas, having food on hand for on-the-water dining, etc.

Yard work & lawn maintenance often suffer a bit, and my dogs forget who I am.

OK, I made that last part up, mostly. 

The song is reminiscent of the opening theme for Hank Parker's television series. 

Plus, I hate skipping workout days, but I will.

At this point, getting an opportunity to hold a trophy is one of the driving forces of that deal.

Ultimately, I can only achieve this if I'm in the water.

Fish hard.

A-Jay

 

I went smallmouth fishing today on the big water for about 5 hours. A jerk bait was the lure of choice, and I could not get bit on anything else. The water temp was down to 56 and I had to implement longer pauses in between snaps to get bit. The biggest smallmouth I caught was a 19 incher.

 

Rarely do I encounter northern pike on this lake; but today I musta stumbled into a snake pit because I caught three of them in 7 casts on a rock pile.

 

I am done targeting brown bass for the season now. I went 5 times (4 in the spring, 1 in the fall). By far my most productive presentation was a jerk bait.

 

 

 

I am hoping for at least one more shot at them.  If not, this might be it for me for 2025 ~

A-Jay

Seems like the "fall" bite for these brown bass is getting shorter and shorter.  The weather and the water temps stay so warm through September and then all of the sudden in October it changes quickly, and then season is over.

 

Spring seems to have a longer, more sustained, more consistent time period to target them these days.

2025 Lake Menderchuck Year In Review ~ 

I did not get to put as many brown bass in the boat this season as in years past, but I got a few.

However, I feel like I made up for that in other ways.

https://youtu.be/_wG4qJB7pxc?si=VSUelDrWSuKC2Sy6

 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

               New to me Bottom Presentations 

When it comes to presenting soft plastic bait on or near the bottom for brown bass, I have used only a few different offerings.

I like to cover water and do prefer something that I can fish effectively through light cover (think early season emergent weed growth or sparse eelgrass). These are all used on MF St. Croix Avid casting gear & 15 lb FC line.

First and foremost, a Rage Bug on a swing head has been stupid good for me for a while now. For some reason it’s always been more of a numbers presentation for me.  Just don’t get the bigger bites on it.

But I am not complaining.

Then there are tubes, and if a 4-inch swimbait on a jig head fits into this deal, then that’s a pretty decent producer for me as well.

Most all of what’s been mentioned so far has its own dedicated write-up somewhere in this thread,

and with good reason.

So I’ve been taking a long hard look at my bottom bait game and began asking myself, “What’s next?”

I didn’t feel like I needed a totally new deal, perhaps more a modification of what I’ve already got going on. Additionally, and if I’m being honest, I need to have something else to get excited about.  Something that will get that jerkbait out of my hand.  Which is a pretty tall order.

After some poking around in the tackle room and tweaking a few things here and there.  This is what I came up with.

A Paul Crews Hand Poured Goby swimbait on a swing head and

An HD Tackle Hi-Def Craw on a (slightly modified) Greenfish Tackle Creeper jighead.

 

My first exposure to this goby bait was as a trailer on a wiggle wagon. 

Dubbed it “The Thunder Goby,” and it was stupid good for a while in the early going,

and it's still a huge confidence bait.

For my swinghead needs, I went with the same two heads I’ve been using.  One’s a streamlined lead deal, and the other is a football-shaped tungsten head.  The all-important hook of choice is the straight shank Gamakatsu Heavy Cover Hook 4/0 – seems really close to JH hook, which I love. 

Needed to be a top hook open/exposed rig with a little attitude.  Expecting good things right here.

The goby bait comes with realistic pectoral fins, which I remove when using it as a trailer.  Not sure which way this one’s going to go.  But for starters, we’ll be fishing the whole enchilada and modifying as needed. 

Now for that craw bait, and I’m a little extra pumped about this one.

I’ve actually been sitting on a few packs of these Hi-Def Craws for a couple of years now. I just never really took the time to figure out how I wanted to fish them.  Might not be the most durable deals,

but they look very fishy. 

After rooting around in my jighead collection, I came across that Greenfish Tackle Creeper head.  Had these for way longer than I’d care to admit.  Just as a reference, I was turned on to them by Gene Jensen.  If you know who he is, then you know.  GJ is a total Rock star when it comes to all things bass and has been for at least a minute or two. Anyway, the head shape makes it a bit of a glider through whatever I want to fish, and the line tie location supports that.  The hook is stout, real close to too stout for my needs, but it’s too late to turn back now. 

Besides, these baits almost seem custom-made for this jighead hook lengthwise, so Boom, we’re going with it. 

And there they are.

If nothing else, I’ll have to slow down quite a bit and pick apart targets I might not have. 

Something I’ve been guilty of to some degree.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

Worm on jighead is to me what Jerkbait is to you. Put a dead ringer or trick worm on there, I bet they would eat it up. And if we’re talking bottom fishing, surely you’re gonna toss some jigs???

My problem is probably a lot like yours, there’s not enough time to use all the baits

11 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Worm on jighead is to me what Jerkbait is to you. Put a dead ringer or trick worm on there, I bet they would eat it up. And if we’re talking bottom fishing, surely you’re gonna toss some jigs???

My problem is probably a lot like yours, there’s not enough time to use all the baits

hard to beat a green pumpkin hula stick on a 3/16 berkley fusion shakey head, year round lol