Shenandoah South Fork ? Soft Plastics???

[krshome]

Hello all, First post!! I have been fishing the Shenandoah South Fork from Port Republic Down stream (that going north) In VA for the last 20+ years and have been killing it with a fly rod and hard baits. I have never used a soft plastic bait in that time, but i want too. I would like try/learn something new. I have been reading up on all the different rigs and plastics available, but I'm kinda lost on what are best for smaller mountain valley rivers. If anyone has any tip on what plastics to buy >>>> this is the most important>>>> (colors, lure size, type of hooks and size of hook) i would love to hear. I'm mainly targeting smallmouth bass. I do not use a bait caster, only spinning gear and fish from a kayak. The river has it all, slow, fast, riffles, rapids, deeps, shallows, structure, docks, rocks, holes, open water, grassy areas and ledges. I probably forgot something there. Other questions are can I use a dropshot, wacky, neko or NED on a river? I know Carolina, Texas, Shaky and Tube will work but still know nothing on color size and hooks on any of this. I have been reading but everything is different based on geographical location, so if you know my ares please help me!!! Thanks all and hoping to jump in to some of the conversations here over this long cold winter.

[TOXIC]

If I only took one bait, it would be a 3in curl tail grub in smoke color on a 1/32 oz jighead.  Spinning gear with 6lb test.  I have fished the exact area you are talking about and have caught hundreds of smallmouth.  Second would be a Ned rig but I have never fished one there. I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work.  I’m partial to Yamamoto plastics but there are a lot of options. 

[Scott804]

1 hour ago, TOXIC said:

If I only took one bait, it would be a 3in curl tail grub in smoke color on a 1/32 oz jighead.  Spinning gear with 6lb test.  I have fished the exact area you are talking about and have caught hundreds of smallmouth.  Second would be a Ned rig but I have never fished one there. I can’t imagine it wouldn’t work.  I’m partial to Yamamoto plastics but there are a lot of options. 

2x. 

 

I caught some pretty good ones on a small jerkbait there last summer, too. But if you really just want to have fun fishing for smallmouth there (or any river that size... if you ever get the chance to fish the Rapidan in late Spring/Early Summer I recommend that one too... had a 136 fish day there this summer, wore me out so bad LOL) the curly tail grub is king. Ned rig is also a great one for these rivers, I find it gets a little better size for whatever reason. 

[CountryboyinDC]

I know the South Fork, but rarely fish that far south.  It's a lot like the Luray-Bentonville-Front Royal sections I do fish, though, IMHO.  Ned rig is not my favorite, but in deep pools with little current they have produced.  I prefer th Nikko helgrammite over the TRD worm, though for that particular scenario.  You can get them from Don at Front Royal Canoe.  Grubs mentioned are good, I put them on a 1 or 1/0 worm hook with a 1/16 oz bullet sinker rather than a jighead.  I just find they get snagged less.  My favorite soft plastic has been the Keitech Fat Impact 3.3 in Tennessee Shad on a 3/0 1/8 oz keel-weighted swim bait hook.  A 4" Senko is my desparation bait.  As you probably know from experience, the bait is far less important than whether you're fishing where /when the fish are biting.

[Bird]

I just live over the mountain from the south fork, fort valley.

I treat it just like the north fork, white baits.

 

Pearl super flukes, white swimbaits on underspins and craw immitations, zoom speed craws work as well.

 

And last but not least, zoom lizard in cotton candy chartreuse, not sure why but it does.

[Choporoz]

 Fluke in various whites is money.  3, 4, and 5' senkos, usually green pumpkin, but junebug also.  Rage Menace is killer in any color.  Jigs in holes.

For small plastics, I love Owner Ultra ball heads.  Snags less than anything else I've tried in current.

 

I've tried dropshot in Shenandoah,  but it is mostly frustrating due to current. 

[roadwarrior]

5 hours ago, Choporoz said:

 Rage Menace is killer in any color.  

 

Start with Smokey Shad color.

[PaulVE64]

Soft plastics

2.8" Keitech fat impact swimbait 

Nikko Hellgrammite

2.5" - 3" Tube

small Fluke

3" - 4" Yum dinger

Pit Boss Jr

Yamamoto Hula Grub

 

 

[Steveo-1969]

All great suggestions so far! Don’t overlook a 4” Berkley Powerbait Power Worm. I’ll Texas rig on a 2/0 worm hook or fish it on a jig head.

[drakesndrum]

Zoom Super Flukes in pearl.

4-5" senko style worms wacky-rigged, any shade of green-pumpkin.

3-4" Rage Bugs fished on River Rock crawler jigs.

3.25"-4" Rage Swimmers on jig heads, KVD Magic color.

3.75" River Rock Striker on jig head.

 

When the water gets into the 40s, I switch to almost exclusively Zman Scented Jerk Shads, 4 or 5", on a crawler jig. 

 

Link to the crawler jigs, River Rock is a Virginia local and makes good stuff.

https://river-rock-custom-baits.myshopify.com/collections/hats/products/crawler-head-jig

[floatfish]

I fish that area multiple times each year.  Senkos, curly tail grubs, plastic hellgramites, small swimbaits, ned baits etc. all work.  You can fish on small jig heads or texas rig.  I often fish senkos wacky style on a #2 circle hook. Location and confidence in your bait are the keys.  I hope to see you on the river this season.

[krshome]

Awesome stuff here guys thanks. I stopped a Dicks on my lunch break and picked up what i could find outa the recommendations. Only thing i have notice are some of these lures seem much bigger than what i normally use on smallmouth so would a 3/0 hook be about the max size hook to use on sm? 

On 12/27/2022 at 5:46 AM, drakesndrum said:

Zoom Super Flukes in pearl.

4-5" senko style worms wacky-rigged, any shade of green-pumpkin.

3-4" Rage Bugs fished on River Rock crawler jigs.

3.25"-4" Rage Swimmers on jig heads, KVD Magic color.

3.75" River Rock Striker on jig head.

 

When the water gets into the 40s, I switch to almost exclusively Zman Scented Jerk Shads, 4 or 5", on a crawler jig. 

 

Link to the crawler jigs, River Rock is a Virginia local and makes good stuff.

https://river-rock-custom-baits.myshopify.com/collections/hats/products/crawler-head-jig

Drakesndrum, What size River Rock jig heads are you using. Thanks

[drakesndrum]

31 minutes ago, krshome said:

Awesome stuff here guys thanks. I stopped a Dicks on my lunch break and picked up what i could find outa the recommendations. Only thing i have notice are some of these lures seem much bigger than what i normally use on smallmouth so would a 3/0 hook be about the max size hook to use on sm? 

Drakesndrum, What size River Rock jig heads are you using. Thanks

1/16-1/4oz depending on current and water depth.  I usually start with 3/16oz as a rule then adjust.