I want to know in a river with a strong channel were I should look. The temp is 47 F and the river still a little high. Would the bridges be best? I am going to try wading out a little in the Delaware and move around alot. There is a slag wall near by I was fishing with a Rat L Trap but had no luck. I am very teachable and open minded Thanx Guys

if the river is high i am assuming that there is a decent amount of current.  look anywhere u can find a current break, rocks, eddys,logs etc. throw a tube or soft plastic up river and let the current bring the tube past the current break. just keep in contact with your lure.  i don't usually look for smallies until the water hits 50 degrees or higher. but the main thing is to throw your lure up current because fish will be facing up current waiting in the current break to ambush any prey being brought by the current.  good luck hope this helps a little

Great thank you so I should just use soft baits then? What about sanko or wacky rigs. Should I use a T rig or C rig? Maybe no weight

Anything that breaks the current, especially rocks, bridge pilings, and logs, will hold bass. I like to work an inline spinner through those areas, as well as tubes and grubs. Don't forget to try buzzbaits as well.

The water only being 47 is still cold.Look in deep holes that are in the river channel.Drag a 6' piece of 3/8 diam chain,tied to some strong anchor line.That will slow you down.Fish a tube very slowly,dragging it along the bottom.Once the water gets in the 50's Fish all rocks,logs,and any current break with a 1/2 oz spinnerbait,experiment with colors and retreives for your area.Don't waste your time time throwing plastics,cover lots of water.Not only will you catch more fish,you'll get the bigger fish.There's a time and place for plastics,and it ain't at feeding time,when they are really starting to eat , getting ready for the spawn....good luck

Ok Thank Youu all But I don't have a boat. I'll give it a shot and see if I get a bit. It will be reaching the 50's soon though. Thats when the fish wake up then?

the hands down best piece of structure on a faster river is an overhanging rock breaking current with the overhang part facing down stream    smallies will hide under them    ledges are also good peices of structure for river smallmouths

Is that b/c it breaks the current off of the fish?

The easiest bait to use is a GYCB Single Tail Grub rigged on a 1/8 oz Gamakatsu jig head. I suggest white with silver flakes or smoke. The recommended equipment is spinning tackle and #6 line. Two other soft plastics I also recommend are the GYCB Hula Grub and Mizmo 3 1/2" tube (Kent's Classic or squash green).

8-)

Who carries these baits? Is the jig going to be weedless rig?

any bait will work for overhang rocks.  when a bait falls down the smallie react    its an reaction      just make sure you are using pretty strong line because the big smallies will pull and get back into the rocks

Good answer RW.

Hey!

I (we) have missed you. Hope you can hang-out around here a little more often.

-Kent

Thanks alot guys I'll give it a shot