I live near a lake that is used by the local power plant. The discharge is always a popular spot for those with cabin fever around this time of year. The lake has a fair to good stock of smallmouth. The banks are all rocky. Not pebbles, but rather rocks in the baseball to bowling ball range. I am mostly a largemouth basser, so I wondering if I could get some tips on catching smallies in this type of situation? I was thinking probably a small jig, spinnerbait, and maybe a 3inch tube. Am I anywhere in the ballpark with these? Any other suggestions? By the way the water temps are most likely in the 50's to 60's at the discharge. The whole lake stays unfrozen, with the other water probably in the 40's to 50's i think.

If I were fortunate enough to have a spot like that (I'm jealous) I would start out with a jerkbait like an X-Rap or a Lucky Craft pointer and experiment with different retrieves and lenghts of pauses.  If I didn't have much luck with that or if the fish were smaller than I wanted, I might go a little deeper with either a suspending crankbait or a deeper diving jerkbait.  If that didn't produce I'd try hair jigs, and if that didn't produce, I'd try several different techniques like a blade bait, spinnerbait, chatterbait, or any number of soft plastics.

But I think a jerkbait is a really good starting point...

A single tail Hula Grub, regular grubs and Fat Ika are other options.

8-)

its tough to fish with hard baits in current   but with the warm water everything will be in the area, craws, minnows, etc   i would use a 1/4 ounce jig with a pork trailer and just let the current take it just so its bumpin the bottom  if that doesnt work try a tube and/or senko on a lighter jighead or trig imitating a minnow   and just let the current take it down then just jerk it a little bit on the way back in  good luck  i love fishing discharges anytime of the year

try drifting a float and fly, or a gitzit under a slip bobber. Down size a little. That's a nice spot to have this time of year. Good fishing.

I agree with Tokyo_Tony and Roadwarrier; I'd use either the hard jerks or reversed BIG Ika to entice cold water smallies.

One more thing. Get a thermometer so you can see what the water temperature actually is. This will teach you alot and can point you in the right direction.

The water temp. is very important, unless the water is quite a bit warmer at the discharge those fish would be wintering down river where the water is slower. Winter bass don't move much and congrigate in a small area where they won't have to exert any energy. If there is bass near the discharge look for eddy's where the water is moving back upstream and try dead sticking tubes, small grubs, and 4" senkos and finesse worms. Try split shotting and carolina rigging these baits also.. I'm jealous we have a foot and a half of ice and all we catch now is walleye, perch, and pike but at least they taste good.

definitly ikas and maby some bronzeback spinnerbaits by hildabrant also check out the new stike king king shad crankbait

You can catch those smallmouth with a variety of techniques, but I would start with a grub.

More importantly I would focus on where to fish. If there is a bunch of rocky banks, I would focus on the ones that have rocks that are more ROUND as opposed to jagged. Once I find the banks I want to fish I would look for any IRREGULARITIES and fish them first and hardest.

I'd use a small hula grub or a suspending jerkbait.

Senkos here

Susp jerkbait

Shakey head with Zoom strait tail trick worm

Match the color of the soft pastics to the bottom color as a start

You are lucky to be able to fish there in the winter

Have fun you are on the right track

3 inch grubs and 4 inch tubes during dishchargejerkbaits around eddys