In my glacial lake of 5000+ surface acres, I choose baits that are from 2 1/2" to 4" and boat smallmouth from 13" to 20". Primary forage species are perch, various minnows and crawfish. Why are some of you fishing baits larger than 4"? Pre-selecting for only larger fish? Are your forage species larger than 4"? Do you just like the feel of big*ss baits? When responding please include the type and size of water you're fishing. Thanks

oe

I fish mainly the St Lawrence river watershed. It's huge and mostly clear. I use larger baits when the season begins. Here, it's in the middle of June. The first couple of weeks, larger baits ( 4 to 6 inches) work very well for larger fish. Smaller prey is not prevalent. When summer comes around I go back to smaller baits, even for larger fish. Smallmouth here feed on gobies, juvenile perch and rainbow minnows (small). Spy baits, marabout jigs, and Ned rigs work well. I only use larger baits for surface baits and suspending baits. At that level, 4 inch is the prefered size for me ...and the fish.

Reel... when using the +4" baits what size smallies are you catching? Does the smallmouth size reduce when you reduce bait size in the summer?

3400 acre lake. Sometimes I only want to target the big Gizzard shad eaters so I throw big baits. Our shad grow to 18+ inches. Sometimes I want to catch a pile of Spots so I throw tiny baits.

When I've done well with larger baits for smallies, it is strictly a match the hatch type situation. I'm mostly shore fishing lake michigan, and a vast majority of the time I'm in the 2.5-3.5" presentations. Small gobies, craws, shiners and perch seem to dominate most of the time. But early spring seems to put big prespawn smallies and schools of bigger shiners/alewives in the same water, and the big girls most certainly take advantage. A 7" big wig hair jig and a 5" damiki armor shad swam just off the bottom were my ticket this year during that window. It feels like it's currently over, but might just be on hiatus. I'll keep it nearby and a watchful eye on the birds to tell me if it's back on.

scott

51 minutes ago, OkobojiEagle said:

Reel... when using the +4" baits what size smallies are you catching? Does the smallmouth size reduce when you reduce bait size in the summer?

Days after season opening are magic where I fish. Nobody is supposed to have fished for the bass intentionnaly for almost 7 months. The fish are close to bedding spots (post spawn most of the time) and hungry. I'm talking of fish between 5 and 7 pounds. During the summer, catching bigger fish is more difficult. Some go deep but the average size is still good ( 3 to 5 pounds) with a sprinkling of really big ones in shallow spots. For me. during that time, the biggest ones come on the smallest baits.

I fish a River majority of the time I throw smaller baits and the catch good size small mouths.

Going to big baits it’s a whole different ball game.

1. Throwing big baits can wear you out.

2. When I’m throwing big bait I don’t expect very many bites.

3. The fish in the picture is a small mouth and was caught on a tube. It measured 22.5”

My 3 biggest smallies have come on 3 different baits

A 3/4 oz spinnerbait

A vision 110 jerkbait

And a ned rig.

I can make very little correlation between fish size vs bait size.

IME, showing them something close to what they are presently looking to eat has been effective.

YMMV

A-Jay

The lake I target smallmouth at is 132,000 square acres. It resembles Great Lakes water in terms of clarity and potential waves/wind.

I primarily fish it pre-spawn in May and then again in October. I do not fish out there in midsummer.

I catch fish out there up to 21 inches/6 pounds. I would say that a perch colored jerk bait is the top producer. Second would be a tube (2.5 - 3 inch variety). I have also caught fish on a ned rig but that tends to catch smaller versions, on average. On a choppy day, I have also caught some fish on a bladed jig.

Hey GIM, Is that a cardboard cut out that you just stick a big smallie on and shoot a pic? There is absolutely NO change in facial expression. It's scary man!

My closest lake is 8000+ acres, like your lake it is a glacial lake with clear waters - I would say the smallies I have caught on it have come on baits in the 2 inch to 4 inch range - my three largest smallies (18.5in, 19in, 19in) have been caught on - 1. a mini chatter bait with a bug trailer - 2. a Megabass Griffon - 3. a 3.5 inch RAID EGU Chunk --- a Nishine Lures Baby Albino (Spy Bait) and the small LLama Tubes have also been good producers for smallies

I honestly feel 3-4” sizes are perfect for smallies, big or small. My biggest smallie ever came on an 1/8oz bitsy bug with a 3” craw trailer. I think you can target big fish with bigger baits, but 3-4” is hard to beat overall imo.

The lake that I fish most of the time is 26,000 acres. Because of the lack of forage it takes 10 years for a smallmouth to reach 15”. In it Ned rigs and small swim baits are the dominant smallmouth lures. A 5# smallie is a monster in this lake.

Depends on which bait. Paddle tail swimmer? 2.5 inch. Worm? 4-6 inch. Crankbait? I’ve never measured one. Etc etc