A short synopsis before the details. 

 

1. Stroke

2. Retirement

3. Move to the swamp

4. Family

5. I can't catch smallmouth

 

I had my life planned out. It took a turn. My retirement years were supposed to be spent in the swamps of North Carolina. My mother-in-law was diagnosed with dementia and I will not leave the Western part of the state until.... I don't know at this  point. Family is most important. 

 

There's a lake up this way(western part of North Carolina)with Smallmouth.  I have tried to catch said Brown fish with limited success.  I have read many things here, talked to a good number of people, and fished where they are; I caught a fine mess of largemouth everytime. lol

 

This year I simply decided to fish. I quit caring about species. Late February through mid March I caught a few largemouth and no smallmouth.  I couldn't go again until mid April. It was crazy windy but my wife and I had rented a lake front cabin so out we go. I threw a crankbait a good chunk of the 4 hours we were out. I fished in protected pockets the best I could.  The wind blew my tin rig around a bit and I fished what I could with a crankbait. 

 

We hit a small bite window and caught three smallmouth in an hour. They were not lake Menderchunk type behemoths but I was durn happy. 

 

The next morning my goal was to get my wife on some fish. We spent a few hours on the main channel with nothing. I backed off a bit and had her throwing(as best as she could) at the end of laydowns in towards the channel.  One nice smallmouth, one nice largemouth.  She's hooked so to speak.

We now go at night. We just fish. The ratio has been 10-1 smallmouth.  No special baits or techniques.  Maybe a bit deeper(not much though) and fish a little slower. I thought the joy would be finally catching some Brown fish. It is, a little. But listening to Tresa hollar"got one" or seeing her smile.... A funny thing happened...

 

Excellent. 

Good for you.

 

You didn’t mention baits.  When we fish for smallmouth we find Ned rigs and Jewell Pee Wee jigs to be very effective.

Brad as long time lover of the brown bass species I'm extremely happy to see you score. Congrats.

15 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

Good for you.

 

You didn’t mention baits.  When we fish for smallmouth we find Ned rigs and Jewell Pee Wee jigs to be very effective.

Wife: ned rig and smallie beaver.

 

Me: mostly the same baits I would fish with for largemouth. The last night trip (pictured) I caught 5 total all on an 8" plastic eel, Black/Pearl. 

Im a southern largemouth guy who now lives up against the Canadian border.

Spending years fishing I did a ton of research, asked questions, and ended up getting skunked a bit at first.

 

 

Then I stopped over thinking it, and started doing what I always do with largemouth just downsized.

For me, Wacky senko, Ned rig, drop shot and small swimbaits ( okashira/keitech) have been my go to.

 

Landed 25 fish this morning, few mid three's and one 4.5lb

Just go out and do what you know how to do with a little smaller baits and you will smash em!