I have been out a dozen times for smallies since beginning of April. Last night I caught my biggest so far, about 13 inches. I caught 6 so far. I can't even buy a bite on anything but a Rapala jointed shad rap, perch color. You know when they hit, they aint hittin soft, they're poundin' the crap out of my shad rap. Is anyone else using these, and what else are you using to catch smallies.

Are you in a lake or river?

I'd suggest trying tubes.  Get some 3.5-4 in tubes in a dark color like grn. pumpkin - rig with a 1/8 oz. insert head w/ a weed/rock guard.  Work slowly along the bottom.  That will catch all size fish, but bigguns like the tube.  Also some dark senko style baits 4-5", and buzzbaits when it heats up.

I am fishing in a crick, it's about 30 yards wide. I tried a black tube a while back, but not any green pumpkin. In the middle of the summer I use them Kinami Flash. The 4 inch ones work best, in the natural shad color and junebug colors. It is starting to warm up up here, so I figured they will start hitting them soon.

That's cool....In my experience with those smaller flows,  You'll catch a whole bunch of 8-12 inch smallies which are the majority, but there are some big fish around to be caught.  You just need to find the best big fish habitat and youll eventually get a good one.  Fishing bigger baits will probably help too...like if your catching a bunch of dinks on a 4" kinami, switch up to a 6'' senko or whatever and you may get some better quality.  

:)Hey dude!!

Glad to see you're wettin' some line... I haven't gotten out as of yet, heck I just got my license a couple of weeks ago...

Have you tried any roostertails yet?? JK!!

Tux

I havn't tried roostertails, JK . But I did go out last night and land 3 smallies and 3 rockbass. The biggest smallie was 15 or 16. The other two were 6 or 8. Caught two of them on a rapala shad rap, the other on a junebug color senko, wich is also what I caught the rockbass on. I am going back down tonight to go after some more smallies. And just to let you know Tux, I only have one roostertail ;D, one I found when retrieving a lure off of a log one time.  

Hey roostertail is better than none dude !! ;D It's always there if you need it...lol

Let me know when this frog leg fry and fishing outing is gonna happen !!

Hook a few for me..

You are right they are rockin. We went the other day and had 119. Most were pretty good ones anywhere from 14-20 inches to boot. Green pumpkin tubes and 1/2oz white spinnerbaits were the ticket the other day. Spinnerbaits were the main bait all day it seemed. It gets like that on the Susquehanna at times. The fish were at the tops and right along the edge of the breaks just waiting to ambush anything it seemed. My buddy also had a few on a Senko. I did not let up very much on the SB. If it isn't broke, don't fix it.

Wow!

That's some amazing fishing.

Yes RW, it was great. It happens on the Susky like that. The moon and stars have to be aligned just right,LOL. We got lucky and were just there when it was happening. That river can be spinnerbait orientated at times. I use tubes for most of my fishing for smallies but, when the shad are on a roll its hard to beat a white spinnerbait. Its a lot of fun. They about take the rod out of your hands when its like that. That ice cold beer tasted a little better than usual after that day!

P.S.-- 1/2oz white, 3 1/2 Indiana gold blades, at least for that day,lol, you know how that goes. ;D

Been down the river a few times myself, I am using the same thing.  F7 "Perch" Rapala.  They are nailin' it.  Pike have been nibblin' on em too if you get in the right spot.

Don't tell CB that!!! He'll get to dancing again ;D!! It might be tricky doing that in the crick on slippery rocks !! ;D

BTW, he's got some moves, I can vouch for that !!

I didn't read all the replies but on the James River and New Rivers in VA they seem to love a 2" Mister Twister pumpkinseed grub. I try all sorts of stuff but I keep the grub on one rod so it'll be handy because it has been my best producer yet.

You are right, grubs can be the ticket for smallies a lot of times. My favorite for the grub type bait is a 5" in the Bluegill color. Its a smoke with black,blue and gold flakes in it. A great producer around here and if you are having one of those days when you cannot buy a bite, a pearl white grub always seems to boat a few.