Florida Boy Smallmouth Fishing

[Capt Steve]

Since I grew up in Florida, Smallmouth bass fishing was never on my radar. Now that I’ve retired I’ve had some interest in going somewhere to spend a few days trying to catch SM bass. 
I know it’s a lot different gear and water so I’m not expecting great things in just a few days but I do enjoy traveling and seeing new places so just fishing new water for different fish would be a success. 
I'm thinking maybe TN, AL, KY etc. Somewhere I can drive to hauling my boat in 10-12 hours. 
When I was younger and reading everything I could get my hands on about fishing, it seems like lots of SM guys anglers used jigs on spinning gear. But nowadays I notice many appear to use crank baits, spinnerbaits, top water and pretty much everything you’d throw for LM. 
 

Any thoughts on where and when would be a good place for me to start?

Thanks 

[Captain Phil]

Steve, whatever you do fish Lake Erie at least once in your life.  It is an amazing Small Mouth fishery. It's out of your range, but you won't regret it.   Definitely put it on your bucket list. 

[Scott F]

Lake Erie is great but you need a boat capable of handling rough water. It’s too bad you can’t make it up to the Northwoods where smallmouth are plentiful and not heavily pressured like the impoundments around the Tennessee valley. 

[roadwarrior]

How 'bout Pickwick in October? You don't need to pull your boat, I can take

care of that.  It's probably a two day drive each way, so you should plan on

fishing at least three days. Flying is a better option and you really don't need

to bring anything.  Fishing generally picks up around the middle of the month .

The week of the 16th might be something to target.

 

I will send you a PM and you can call to talk about it.

 

-Kent  a.k.a. roadwarrior

[TnRiver46]

In TN and AL you catch smallies with any tackle, crankbaits top waters chatterbaits etc . 
 

 

[PaulVE64]

Hope you hook into a 4# smallie. But, it may ruin you.

[Susky River Rat]

Neds, tubes, spinners cranks and top water. I do use mainly spinning gear. As @PaulVE64 said catch a 4lb smallie add some current you’ll be ruined 

[ol'crickety]

Three things:

 

1. Kent is the King of Kindness.

 

2. Some day, leave the boat and fly to Lakes Ontario or Erie or the St. Lawrence and fish with hired guides or maybe a Bass Resource member.

 

3. If you ever want to catch 100 smallmouth in a day with many three and four-pounders in the mix and you're able to portage a canoe through the woods, I'll give you the skinny. 

 

On 8/13/2023 at 8:25 AM, Capt Steve said:

But nowadays I notice many appear to use crank baits, spinnerbaits, top water and pretty much everything you’d throw for LM.

 

P. S. - A Mepps brass bladed bare-hooked spinner is an amazing smallmouth lure. I've had two 200+-smallmouth days in my life and both were on the Mepps in northwestern Ontario, but they work just as well as Maine. It's an oldie, but a greatie! I keep a little steel wool handy to polish them, both body and blade. They oxidize so quickly. 

[MickD]

Do not go smallie fishing without neds, Canada Craw, Goby Bryant , and Blue Craw.  Z Man Finesse TRD with Owner Block Head jigs.  Whatever jig you use, it needs a wire keeper-you just cannot get the lure onto a lead barb. 

[Susky River Rat]

@MickD I put a dab of quick dry model glue on my TRD to the jig head it doesn’t melt them either 

[MN Fisher]

There's a reason my 'fishing tool' box has a bottle of Gap Filling CA glue in it.

[MickD]

With the right jig head you don't have to add anything.  Just put the ned on and fish.  For almost forever.

[Susky River Rat]

@MN Fisher that’s the exact stuff I use.

@MickD the rocks of the susky love to rip Ned’s off the wire keeper. 

[MickD]

Have to admit, never have seen anything on the bottom that could take an ORIGINAL FINESSE TRD off the wire keeper of a good jig.  

[MN Fisher]

^ Mick - I've had fish pull a Z-Man Finesse TRD  off the keepers of both Z-Man Ned Heads and Owner Block Heads...which both have 'good' wire keepers...that's why the glue.

[gimruis]

Where’s @Team9nine on this subject? He’s a freaking record holder with Zman elaztech. Wonder if he used any glue on his…

[MickD]

The issue is what works.  If you need glue, use it.  If you don't need it, don't use it.  

[TnRiver46]

Or just throw a buzzbait 

[N Florida Mike]

On 8/13/2023 at 1:35 PM, TnRiver46 said:

In TN and AL you catch smallies with any tackle, crankbaits top waters chatterbaits etc . 
 

 

Not spinnerbaits ??

[TnRiver46]

8 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

Not spinnerbaits ??

Even those!

[12poundbass]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

Even those!

Oldest trick in the book putting a different lure in the fishes mouth for a picture! ?

[Captain Phil]

13 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Oldest trick in the book putting a different lure in the fishes mouth for a picture! ?

 

This is funny.  Reminds me of when we used to tie strange lures on our lines before going to a tournament weigh-in.   Some anglers would check our baits to see what we caught fish on.  We sold more Mepps spinners that way. ?

[Aaron Stelmach]

On 8/13/2023 at 8:25 AM, Capt Steve said:

Since I grew up in Florida, Smallmouth bass fishing was never on my radar. Now that I’ve retired I’ve had some interest in going somewhere to spend a few days trying to catch SM bass. 
I know it’s a lot different gear and water so I’m not expecting great things in just a few days but I do enjoy traveling and seeing new places so just fishing new water for different fish would be a success. 
I'm thinking maybe TN, AL, KY etc. Somewhere I can drive to hauling my boat in 10-12 hours. 
When I was younger and reading everything I could get my hands on about fishing, it seems like lots of SM guys anglers used jigs on spinning gear. But nowadays I notice many appear to use crank baits, spinnerbaits, top water and pretty much everything you’d throw for LM. 
 

Any thoughts on where and when would be a good place for me to start?

Thanks 

If you can do the drive and have a passport Niagara has a great fishery for smalllmouth… You can see niagara falls and either fish the Niagara river or lake erie which both hold trophy smallmouth.

 

For baits I will always recommend a dropshot. Pick up a pack of berkley flatworms in green pumpkin and a couple packs of keitech 3.5 inch swing impact in white,  smallmouth magic and chartreuse… 

[Capt Steve]

Thanks to everyone for your feedback. Especially Roadwarrior Kent for your generous offer.  Even though I can’t make it this October I feel like I’ve made a new friend and I’ll be trying my best to make it happen next Spring or whenever you can help me. 

[Alex from GA]

If all you want to do is catch a smallmouth and not care about size, Elkhorn Creek near Frankfort, KY is fool proof.  I've been there twice, once wading and the next time I fished in my kayak.  All I caught were smallmouth plus a sauger and a gar.  My largest was caught in the Savannah River in GA, 20 1/4".  T/R finesse worm for all of them.