Hey RW Im going above Wilson tomorrow.  Do you still fish the fat ika when smallmouth are deep this time of year? if so how and where??

I have really been itching to fish my new fat ikas but  I just dont know how to fish them this time of year when smallmouth are supposed to be 20+ feet deep.

do you still fish the water close below the dam this time of year?  below wheeler its only about 10-15 feet deep.  are smallmouth that shallow this time of year.

Natural

I don't fish the Fat Ika deep and I never use a weight. Twelve feet is about the maximim for me. Also, I don't fish the lure in swift water, it loses its unique action and looks a lot like a turd floating down the river.

The fishing below Wilson is what most people think of when we talk about trophy smallmouth at Pickwick! This is PRIMETIME below the dam. I fish live shiners on a split shot rig below Pickwick Dam.

8-)

I do fish the Ika deep and unweighted. It's the only soft plastic I've found that can be fished 20' down, or farher,  with no weight, as long as it's reverse rigged. I do this almost every trip to Table Rock, and catch smallies doing it.

But, if you add current to the equation, I'd have to guess that RW is right. ( thanks for the visual) I've never tried the Ika deep, in current. Maybe one of the belly weighted hooks would work for this application.

Cheers,

GK

I can see no problem fishing the Ika in current? One of my favorite summertime presentations is casting them upstream along bridge abutments and letting the current carry them down alongside. Can't imagine why current would have an ill effect, unless you are trying to retrieve it cross-current? I drift the Ika down the current in a lot of similar situations and I've caught a lot of river smallmouth this way. But I am unfamiliar with your waters.

RW, how  deep is the water below Pickwick?  how far below the dam are you fishing?  I have caught smallmouth below wheeler but the water there is only about 12-15 feet deep.  I didnt think smallmouth would be that far up with the water cold.  water was 50 +-  a little today.  I tried to fish off some main lake points in deep water but had no luck at all.  dang that wind was rough today.  had to fight it allllll day

The smallmouth are in the middle of spawn right now. They should be found on and near gravel beds which are often relatively shallow.

8-)  

Wow I have a lot to learn.  I thought the water temp of 50 was too cold for smallmouth to spawn.   what is your water temp on pickwick??  I will start to search for gravel beds.  what about submerged islands?? or humps?

I would love to get down below wilson but Im just not as familar with the water there and the rocks are a little scary looking in water that swift if your not familar with it.

what about submerged islands?? or humps?

;D  

It's ALWAYS about structure!

8-)