Thanks!

Mini King or anything of a similar size 
 

https://www.strikeking.com/en/shop/wire-baits/mk
 

 

43 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

Mini King or anything of a similar size 
 

https://www.strikeking.com/en/shop/wire-baits/mk
 

 

Isn’t that too small for the bigger smallies?

The term River is broad.  My rule of thumb is the heaviest I can throw and keep it in the upper two to four feet of the water column.  

Mepps is top notch for an in-line spinner. I always bought the small Booyah spinners for creek smallies 

15 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Isn’t that too small for the bigger smallies?

 

No, big bass are caught on small baits all the time but you're not wrong either in thinking a bigger bait usually gets a bigger bite. If you're burning them, even most 1/2 oz spinnerbait will be at the surface in 3-4 FOW, depending on blade configuration. Go with a full sized bait and start off with a 1/4 oz if you're worried about snagging or dredging the bottom in skinny water. I'd have no "magic" bait to recommend in this case but I've recently started using War Eagle spinnerbaits and I really like them. Take a look at their products.  

 

 

5 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

 

No, big bass are caught on small baits all the time but you're not wrong either in thinking a bigger bait usually gets a bigger bite. If you're burning them, even most 1/2 oz spinnerbait will be at the surface in 3-4 FOW, depending on blade configuration. Go with a full sized bait and start off with a 1/4 oz if you're worried about snagging or dredging the bottom in skinny water. I'd have no "magic" bait to recommend in this case but I've recently started using War Eagle spinnerbaits and I really like them. Take a look at their products.  

 

 

Yup got a white War Eagle finesse with the Colorado front and turtle back, 1/4 oz in my Cabela’s cart. Is white generally regarded as the best all around color for smallies?

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Yup got a white War Eagle finesse with the Colorado front and turtle back, 1/4 oz in my Cabela’s cart. Is white generally regarded as the best all around color for smallies?

Ive caught them on everything but I’m starting to thin out my spinnerbait collection and focus on 2 colors; white and chartreuse. There’s some days they’ll go absolutely nuts for chartreuse or a firetiger-ish pattern. I don’t think it’s a smallie specific thing, I just believe that especially for spinnerbaits, color doesn’t really matter. 

18 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

Ive caught them on everything but I’m starting to thin out my spinnerbait collection and focus on 2 colors; white and chartreuse. There’s some days they’ll go absolutely nuts for chartreuse or a firetiger-ish pattern. I don’t think it’s a smallie specific thing, I just believe that especially for spinnerbaits, color doesn’t really matter. 

Do I want double willow or single willow with Colorado front for rivers/creeks?

3/8 oz ~ small enough for small bass and big enough for big bass.

12 minutes ago, Bubba 460 said:

3/8 oz ~ small enough for small bass and big enough for big bass.

Do I want double willow or single willow with Colorado front for rivers/creeks?

1 minute ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Do I want double willow or single willow with Colorado front for rivers/creeks?

 

 

I don't think it generally matters that much in a river with a spinnerbait. Mostly you'll be targeting pools, eddies or in front of or behind rocks, logs and structures. Sometimes they come an just look at it and sometimes they smash it. Colorado blade will give you a slower presentation but sometimes you want the speed of the Willow blades. All depends on the situations. So for starters get a willow/Colorado combo, that will work as good as any ~IMHO.   

59 minutes ago, Bubba 460 said:

 

 

I don't think it generally matters that much in a river with a spinnerbait. Mostly you'll be targeting pools, eddies or in front of or behind rocks, logs and structures. Sometimes they come an just look at it and sometimes they smash it. Colorado blade will give you a slower presentation but sometimes you want the speed of the Willow blades. All depends on the situations. So for starters get a willow/Colorado combo, that will work as good as any ~IMHO.   

I heard someone say once that they preferred double willow for creeks/rivers since the water was more clear. What exactly is the logic there?

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Do I want double willow or single willow with Colorado front for rivers/creeks?

Like Bubba already mentioned, doesn’t really matter but I like double willows because the bait is less likely to rise when I’m fishing it fast. I’m usually fishing in a large river system so I’m throwing in pretty deep spots where keeping the bait closer to the bottom is the ticket sometimes. 

13 minutes ago, Finessegenics said:

Like Bubba already mentioned, doesn’t really matter but I like double willows because the bait is less likely to rise when I’m fishing it fast. I’m usually fishing in a large river system so I’m throwing in pretty deep spots where keeping the bait closer to the bottom is the ticket sometimes. 

Gotcha, so for 3-10 ft of water willow/Colorado is best?

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I heard someone say once that they preferred double willow for creeks/rivers since the water was more clear. What exactly is the logic there?

 

Gold colored blades for stained water, silver blades for clear water. Willow blades are betters for a faster retrieves (or burning it) and possibly getting a reaction strike. Personality I usually try to make my spinnerbait look "injured" by reeling then snapping the rod tip to make the blades clack against each other then stop for a split second then go again ~ repeat.  A bait looking to be in distress will draw more strikes I believe.  

Ive always had the best luck with double willow. Chartreus blades are dynamite. I tend to stick with sz 3.5 and 4 because they track better when burning across current due to less torque. 3/8 and 1/4. But i fish smaller steams

1 hour ago, Bdnoble84 said:

Ive always had the best luck with double willow. Chartreus blades are dynamite. I tend to stick with sz 3.5 and 4 because they track better when burning across current due to less torque. 3/8 and 1/4. But i fish smaller steams

So you think 3/16 is way too small?

No, not at all. Honestly, i should throw one more.

1 hour ago, Bdnoble84 said:

No, not at all. Honestly, i should throw one more.

I have gotten into the habit of overpowerfishing, meaning i reflexively cast bigger baits for the size of water i am fishing based on a few successes with decent smallmouth and northern, but my catch rate has dipped significantly. My biggest smallmouth ever came on this bait. As well as an 8lb northern. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/strike-king-red-eyed-spinnerbait?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop|BPS|TopPerformers|Fishing&gclid=CjwKCAjwy42FBhB2EiwAJY0yQoUmqsmvyju66tj-zIAoR5iFcCgEMw4_qDHHAGAhSS0cAm1OVyhZbhoCCFgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

8 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

I have gotten into the habit of overpowerfishing, meaning i reflexively cast bigger baits for the size of water i am fishing based on a few successes with decent smallmouth and northern, but my catch rate has dipped significantly. My biggest smallmouth ever came on this bait. As well as an 8lb northern. https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/strike-king-red-eyed-spinnerbait?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop|BPS|TopPerformers|Fishing&gclid=CjwKCAjwy42FBhB2EiwAJY0yQoUmqsmvyju66tj-zIAoR5iFcCgEMw4_qDHHAGAhSS0cAm1OVyhZbhoCCFgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

What size were you using of that 

4 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Gotcha, so for 3-10 ft of , ater willow/Colorado is best?

 

There's no set rule. Double willow will work shallow, mid depth and deep. Same for indiana blades or colorado blades. It's just easier, for me, to fish a double willow deeper because the bait tends to rise less (especially when it has small blades). Don't overthink this, just order something affordable for you. Is this going to be your first time using artificials?

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What size were you using of that 

3/16 model. 

3/8oz Trophy Bass Company Ozark Flash with an HD Swimmer for a trailer

11 hours ago, Finessegenics said:

 

There's no set rule. Double willow will work shallow, mid depth and deep. Same for indiana blades or colorado blades. It's just easier, for me, to fish a double willow deeper because the bait tends to rise less (especially when it has small blades). Don't overthink this, just order something affordable for you. Is this going to be your first time using artificials?

I’ve thrown lures before, just never consistently as I’ve had much more success with live.  When I first started smallmouth fishing, I used ned rigs, rooster tails, soft plastic craws, and tube jigs but just wasn’t getting the results I wanted.

 

Now I’m ready to commit to it. I still intend to use live but this will give me a lot more flexibility for being able to fish spur of the moment. Additionally, there are times when live bait is just not ideal, like when I was out this weekend and the water was still high and fast. My minnow presentation was just horrible, they were floating on their side quickly downstream and dying after one cast. Burning a spinnerbait or swim bait through the current would’ve been much more effective. Still managed to get one on the nest though!

 

https://ibb.co/fMRCTJm