I often go fishing on a small river- about 40-50' feet wide. The river is only about 4-5 feet deep, but in some holes it can get as deep as 15 or 20. I wade in and use a powerbait 3" power grub and I often catch 12-14" smallmouth. I was wondering if anyone had tips on other ways to fish in small rivers or other lures that could be used.

I fished the Gasconade River in Central Missouri and was very successful on anything that imitated a crawdad. I think being on a small river, there's most likely alot of rocks which attract crawdads and in return are the main forage for the fish. I used crawdad colored spinnerbaits and would all the way across the river, then retrieve normally as the lure arc's a little bit from the current.  Make sure to key on eddies and riffles, thats where most of the bass will hold.

I fish the Juniata in PA. I like twitching an original floating rapala(blue or silver florescent chartreuse) either 2 1/2"or 3". And if there is topwater bite I'll throw a tiny torpedo all day if I can.

when i fish a small river are a big creek i allways go ultra light and i have had vary vary good luck using

the senko slims by yamamoto the small mouth i fished for just torm them up day in day out and i just casted it up stream and reel in the slack i have been using the slims for 2 years now and when the fishing is slow i can allways depend on them to atleast catch 3 are 4 dinks in a short amount of time

       Jack

I use a 3/8 oz jig with a pumkin colored craw, works great on smallies in the river

2.75" RoadKill Camo colored tube, 1/16oz tube head.

ahh i love river fishing

we put our jon boats in and float 9.6 miles (thanks to my gps) and will easily catch 50-60 largemouth per boat.  last year all we threw were 5 in senko, tiki worm, or anything llike that.  i like the bass pro worm, but this year we have decided to venture out a little.  got some tricks in the bag.  even some worminator frogs.  we don't have small mouth in this river so i don't know about them but to me there is nothing like fishing the rivers.  we are the only ones that seem to fish this river.  last year we saw one canoe with two kids in it.  thats it.  but the rocks are a little rough on the ole aluminum, but to catch fish you have to pay the price. ;D