Our stream's temps dropped 3 degrees in 24 hours, and the bite was cut by 2/3. From 41 to 38 degrees the bite just gets tougher. Super slow with the jigs from 6-12 feet deep. Caught a total of 27 smallies over the two days. I didn't take pictures today, but I will submit this pic as my best stream smallie of the winter season so far.

Nice brown fish!!!!!

Gotta Love those Hair Jigs.

"Do you have hair on you jigs yet" :o

That's a beauty!

very nice catch.

WTG Nick.

wow!

nice smallie!! what kinda hair jigs?

That 40-45 degree water smallmouth hair jig bite is fun

beautiful fish!

Aluma,

I tie my own hair. 1/8 oz. preferably tiny football head, 2/0 hook, a secret Mr. Mitch weedguard, and usually brown maribou for hair. Mitch is my buddy, and he molds a very supple double strand weedguard head. We use a small split tail trailer.

I also use a special 1/8 oz. Alabama poured Mr. Hulan style with a 3/0 hook. One of the biggest mistakes I think smallie anglers make is to use about 3x the amount of hair needed. Smaller, more compact is better in my clear waters. I throw it on a small baitcaster with 8lb. flouro. I throw this little jig  in winter, and often nothing else. Have lots of converts.

Nice fish, and that reminds me, I need to bring a jig setup with me today when I hit the river so I can get some hair jigs wet! Great winter catchin'!

Gorgeous.

NIce!

Beeeeeeeeutiful fish makes me drool on my keyboard

wtg!! beautiful smallie!

One of these days I'm going to start tying my own jigs

Wow beautiful smallie! What river?

;D

Rory,

Due to the evergrowing number of boats on our streams, I get pretty tight lipped about which specific river location, but all of the ones in MO from the Current, the Piney's Gasconade, Meramec, Niangua, James, Osage, and 11 Point all  have a good winter fishery if one is willing to locate the bass and get the timning factor down. I've been learning the winter fisheries for 30 years and the bite is very consistent. Go give it a twirl.