Hi gents,

 

Anyone throw tiny beavers for smallies?  I’m thinking baby rage bugs, baby rodents, etc and Texas rigging them. Last year was great for me with the regular size for largemouth. I’m sure if your put one in front of a hungry smallmouth it would eat it. But as a ‘keep one tied on’ bait is it worth it?  I’m looking ahead to spring and in my head I see smallmouth more as roamers (outside of the spawn).  When I’m throwing beavers at largemouth it’s because I’m throwing to cover. I’m sure as a trailer or on a swing head they are effective. I’m thinking outside of that. 
 

rick

On 1/12/2024 at 6:46 PM, casts_by_fly said:

Anyone throw tiny beavers for smallies?

Like these? Then yes.

Z-Man TRD Bugz 6pk | Tackle Warehouse

My inclination is to think that it would be good on a free rig, suspended on rocky inclines near drop-offs.

 

I have caught spotted bass in highland reservoirs this way. Obviously this is very different than fishing for, say, river smallies.

I have used smallie beavers, baby rage bugs, and plenty of the smaller z-man bugs and craws with great success on the river that I fish for smallies. I usually have current where I am so a very lightly weighted Texas rig 1/8-3/8 depending on current and where I want the bait to target in the current. I have also used a ned lock z head, strike king swing head stand alone jig heads that you put your own hook on also. All viable options, I hope this helps you out.

Rage Tail Baby Craw, T-rigged

2 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

I was thinking more like the bigger ‘tiny’ beavers in the 3” range. The trd bugs are great but they are definitely a ned/finesse bait for me. They are TINY!

The small 3.5" Big Bite"Yo Mamma's" are great too. Available in bulk packs at a very reasonable price.

55 minutes ago, casts_by_fly said:

The trd bugs are great but they are definitely a ned/finesse bait for me. They are TINY!

They are, but every species in the lake besides carp will eat them or try to. And they're super durable. Notice the tarnish on the jig head of the rigged bait. That's because it's been on there for a year, and I haven't needed to dig into the rest of the pack because they just can't destroy it, even after a million pecks by gills and eats by bass, pickerel, crappie, and perch.

 

If you decide to give it a whirl, try out the Sprayed Grass color. It's been the clear winner for me. It doesn't show up well in the picture I took, but its subtle pink/purple speckle-flash seems to really get their interest. If you'd like to try something other than a typical mushroom head Ned hook, check out the Decoy shown in the pic. You'll be able to swim this bait through grass and lily pads when rigged on it. Very weedless and sleeker than a 1/6oz bullet weight, so it cuts right through, and the bait will still stand up on bottom on the pause. Just something else to try on your new spinning rig. It's also a great trailer for a 1/16oz Bitsy Bug.

 

I fish them on a football head and drag them around like a tube.

1 minute ago, Columbia Craw said:

I fish them on a football head and drag them around like a tube.

what small football heads are you using?  I don’t fish football heads much since so many of our lakes have black algal slime on the bottom but I do have a couple places. 

 

 

1/4 ounce with 2/0 hook from Susquehanna Tackle

 

1 hour ago, PhishLI said:

They are, but every species in the lake besides carp will eat them or try to.

Carp will eat em too. I've caught several. Biggest was over 13#, on 6# XT. When you see them rooting around on bottom in the shallows, toss one into the mud cloud and prepare to go for a ride. 

That's actually a good smallmouth pattern at times. Smallies will follow those carp around and pick off crawfish they root up.

Just now, T-Billy said:

Carp will eat em too.

I stand corrected! Maybe I'll give it a shot.

On 1/13/2024 at 9:17 AM, casts_by_fly said:

what small football heads are you using?  I don’t fish football heads much since so many of our lakes have black algal slime on the bottom but I do have a couple places. 

 

 

 

You can try these, the trd bugz are tiny ...

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Ned_Rig_Weedless_Football_Heads_4pk/descpage-6DNRF.html

 

scott

I’ve fished small beavers like the baby rodent for smallmouth all the time. I either put them on a small football jig with a finesse skirt or on a shakey head. The shakey head is definitely the killer of the two though. Seems to get big ones too. 

Here are some decent ones, their dragging heads and jigs are great too.

https://confidencebaits.3dcartstores.com/Reapers_c_15.html

 

I love the TRD bugz as a trailer on the back of a 1/16-1/8 Bitsy bug jig with a trimmed up skirt. I usually add a drop of super glue gel to keep the bugz attached.

On 1/13/2024 at 1:14 PM, softwateronly said:

 

You can try these, the trd bugz are tiny ...

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Ned_Rig_Weedless_Football_Heads_4pk/descpage-6DNRF.html

 

scott

I love those heads.I wish they made a 1/16 oz version also.

39 minutes ago, aceman387 said:

I love the TRD bugz as a trailer on the back of a 1/16-1/8 Bitsy bug jig with a trimmed up skirt. I usually add a drop of super glue gel to keep the bugz attached.

I love those heads.I wish they made a 1/16 oz version also.

here's the closest I know of,

https://www.katsuichi.co.jp/decoy/decoy-list/jigheads/for-light-game/561-sv-57

https://www.digitaka.com/item/149/55/78/4989540828748

 

I grabbed these to use with a 1.8g stick weight down shot rig.  

https://www.digitaka.com/item/149/55/75/4989540828854

https://www.digitaka.com/item/149/55/79/4989540821558

 

scott

Missile baits baby d bomb, baby rage bug.  Trd bugs on a bitsy bug jig work great for me.

Don’t make me buy stuff !!!!

22 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Don’t make me buy stuff !!!!

Would a picture of a spinnerbait help?

Yes ! 

Not really a beaver, but the tiny Crazy Flapper get ate up in the Shenandoah.  I can't get a LMB to touch any size, but the little ones bouncing down the river on an Owner Ultrahead will get bit.

A smaller beaver as trailer on an 1/8oz Bitsy Bug is money.

 

Something I came up with a couple months ago? These are 2.75" and seem to catch everything that swims in Maryland. Waiting on the following catches: snakehead, pike, brook trout, and a carp as all other freshwater fish in the state have been caught on one of these. Caught over 50 fish in 2 hours back in October on one in a local creek.

 

Allen

I've used and caught on a Baby D Bomb