What is everyone's favorite fall lures for river smallies?I have been pounding topwater and noticed that over the last couple weeks the bite has cooled off numbers wise but everything hitting it is a bigger fish. And at what water temp does topwater become less effective? I have been having good success on a bladed jig but outside that I haven't gotten them to hit much else 

I don't fish rivers much anymore but I would think a 3" soft swimbait would catch fish left and right.

 

There's really no other bait more natural looking, that I can think of.

 

If you need some additional flash or vibration throw an underspin on it.

 

That or a ned rig and I can about guarantee you will catch numbers.

 

As far as temp for topwater? The first number that pops in my head is 50.

Ned rig, fluke type minnow, spy bait

weighted Fluke;  jig, including bladed; crankbait;  and blade bait.

A 3-4” natural hued paddle tail on a jig head is a real simple way to hammer fall smallies 

A worm! Same as all the other seasons

 

granted two of the biggest I’ve ever caught were with rattle trap . But I’m always throwing a worm if I’m bass fishing 

Hard to go wrong with a tube or smaller jig on river bass of any species. 

Can’t go wrong with a Spinnerbait or a Small jig 

6th sense divine swimbait in white has served me well 

My normal answer would be jerkbaits, but my secret answer is jigs. There's nothing like a jig bite. 

Fluke works well for me

From now to May I will be using Jewell Pee Wee jigs with Yamamoto 4” twin tail grubs, Zman Zinkerzs rigged shaky, and TRDs Ned rigged.

@Jig Man I like those Yamamoto twin-tails though I buy the 5” model. 20 in a bag is a killer deal on those also. 

2 hours ago, F14A-B said:

@Jig Man I like those Yamamoto twin-tails though I buy the 5” model. 20 in a bag is a killer deal on those also. 

 

You can also drag the hula grub around as well.

 

 

 

Hula grub, helgramite, black maribou jig, and occasionally a swamp crawler 

Storm Subwart

A jerkbait’s my usual go-to fall bait, but the way this year’s panned out, I might have to rethink it.  Maybe jig or A-rig …. ????

Out here at this time of year the smallmouth are deep 25-35'. For me its a drop shot, Ned on a 1/4 or 1/3oz head, Carolina rig and wobblehead with a creature bait. Just need stuff that gets down quick and can stay down deep. Brands and colors do not seem to matter too much. I use either a minnow-y color or a crayfish-y color (like green pumpkin).

On 10/15/2025 at 6:53 PM, JonB2 said:

A 3-4” natural hued paddle tail on a jig head is a real simple way to hammer fall smallies 

single curly tail 3" jig on a darter head or finesse jig 

15 minutes ago, Goggle Eyes said:

single curly tail 3" jig on a darter head or finesse jig 

Smoke is my favorite color in the above combo.

FM

jighead and grub. im old school. 

I’m pretty much old school also on the river. Worms, tubes, grubs, DT’s, Shad Raps, Bombers and Bandits. Basically the same things I use in the spring and summer.  
I’ll step my sizes up slightly. For the most part I’m not a big fan of patterns in blue but through the years blue has been a good fall producer in clear fall water.  
But don’t overlook spinnerbaits or in-line type spinners. Count downs or jerkbaits. 
If you are feeling good about a bait, throw it.