As a result, the ideal tackle box will have several different baits and lures to handle all possible scenarios. Twitch it again and wait. We’ll tell you everything we learned about them: the pros, the cons, and what role each of them plays in your fishing kit. The upper end also features more mud banks and stump fields than the lower and mid-lake areas. A five-inch bait is fine for largemouth but a smallmouth will generally pass them up. Planning to pursue smallmouth in your local lake? It’s high-quality ABS plastic, but it’s still not as tough as steel. The best smallmouth bass lures are all the usual suspects that you probably already have in your tacklebox, some will need to be downsized however. It’s also very light, so it won’t cast far enough to satisfy serious anglers. If you can’t find one that matches your local baitfish, you’re not looking hard enough. How Mike McClelland Turns Cold Water Fish Into a Hot Bite! They’re very aggressive at this time of year, so you can use any kind of lure you like. In clear water the best colors to use are natural patterns that are slightly transparent. The Sougayilang Spoons are a set of gold, highly reflective lures that are designed specifically to catch a fish’s attention in a school, or in wide-open water. Medium diving crankbaits work well here, as do jigs and spinners. The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately 104 miles (167 km) long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. When spring breaks, smallmouth will be in shallow water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. If you’re not an experienced bass angler, you probably have a few questions about fishing for smallmouth. The Strike King Mini was made specifically to teach kids how to fish with a spinner. The Rapala X-Rap is a high-quality, shallow-running jerkbait. MontgomeryCountyFishing. Four-inch plastic worms are another great choice. On the other hand, we all feel a special kind of pain when we spend all day fishing without a bite. The Kachawoo Propeller Spinnerbait isn’t the most durable bait on our list. At .437 ounces, this lure is beefy enough to cast 50 yards or more. The Spring Smallmouth Movement In natural lakes, smallmouths winter in moderately deep basins, along the base of main lake points, rock humps and ledges, or out in deep flats that vary between 20 to 50 feet (all depending upon the lake). The hooks are extremely sharp, but they’re engineered from stainless steel, which makes them ill-suited for saltwater fishing. Not all colors come in all sizes, and as always the pricing has some variation depending on what you choose. Each one of these should find a spot in your tackle box. Surface lures can be fun if you want to see the fish jump. Ice fishing is one way to get at them, but that’s beyond the scope of this guide. Drop-Shots. Topwater Plug The Heddon Tiny Torpedo. The extra current and constant exercise give river smallmouth more strength than their lake-bound counterparts. All rights reserved. Follow along to learn more about our top 5 best smallmouth fishing lures to catch more smallmouth bass at your favorite smallmouth fishery. Pack of 5pcs. (2) - ULTRA SHARP Size #10 Fishing Hooks, Set and Never Let GO! Crankbaits, jigs, and other soft plastic presentations work. This lure is available in six sizes, as well as 111 colors. Sure I’d heard the stories of this world famous lure, but it had never caught me a fish. Rigged them Texas-style or with multiple exposed hooks if snags aren’t a problem. Joe is an avid fisherman who since retiring has more time to focus on getting outdoors! This lure is available in four different colors and has 3D eyes. It’s available in three weights and comes in ten colors. It’s available in ten different colors, and the nickel hooks are corrosion-resistant and extremely sharp. The best smallmouth bass lures will control size, and they’ll often create a jigging action because smallies prefer to roam more often, which leads them to moving bodies of water like tributaries, rivers, and streams. As a jig, you can drag it across the bottom, or you can use it as a spinner. The Rapala Deep Husky Jerk Lure is a deep diver where jerk lures are concerned, but for smallmouth bass fishing the 7 to 16-foot depth is somewhere in the middle. The more lures I try each year the more lures I like for river smallmouth. The current will cause them to move erratically, which is the best way to catch a bass’ attention. If you want to go a bit lower in the water column—bridging the gap between surface and shallow—try thin minnow plugs such as the Rapala Floating Minnow. Juniata River smallmouth fishing. The Johnson Thinfisher is a tried and true blade bait that will get smallies biting in a hurry. Length:5.5cm / 2.16''; Weight: 11g / 0.39oz, Diving: Sinking,8# High Carbon Steel Treble Hooks, Versatile lead-free 3/8 oz bass fishing jigs, Ideal jigs for flipping, skipping, or fished as a swim jig, Equipped with 5/0 Owner hooks, the sharpest hooks second to none, Exceptionally weedless lures with a durable paint finish. Best Cold Water Bass Lures Patience and slow retrieves are essential for winter bass fishing. These guys will shred fish year-round and can be combined with almost any fishing style. from $8.97, 2 new May 17, 2015 - Learn about the multitude of options you have to catch smallmouth bass with artificial lures. Slow might not even be the right word, we are talking about casting a lure out and retrieving it for five or more minutes sometimes. from $5.99, 8 new Smallies are no problem for this lure. Thick monofilament and large lures might have worked in the spring, but now it’s time for 4- to 6- pound line, light rods, and down-sized baits. from $11.50, 1 new from $5.99, 8 new This lure is available in 20 colors, to match most common baitfish. Instead, we’ve chosen to focus on proper techniques and some of the most common bass fishing questions. These bonus fish will make a better meal than any bronzeback would. The Rapala X-Rap Jerkbait is designed for depths of 3 to 8 feet. Lures For Spring River Smallies Options for search baits in spring include spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, crankbaits and throwing a tube or other weighted soft plastic jig in a particularly fishy looking location. One of the most exciting lures to fish for river Smallmouth Bass is the Zoom Super fluke style soft plastic jerkbait. High Quality, Chip Resistant Metal Flake Finish on all Blades and Heads, Suspending jerk bait with long-distance cast ability, Versatile -- twitch, jerk, pause, rip, burn and standard retrieves, Coffin shaped bill allows maximum darting action and side flash with Minimal rod movement, Lunges downward when jerked for added depth, The adrenaline-pumping X-rap slashbait has Xtreme attitude with its hard-cutting, aggressive darting action, The integrated long-casting system partners with an irresistible rattle and classic rapala action, It suspends and comes to a roll at rest to trigger the bite, Slender, Low Profile Crankbait Design, Small Lipped, Slow Sinking Top Water Lure, Optimal Depth 0-2 feet, and real-life like profile, Multiple BB Inner Chamber design maintains balance through the water, prevents rolling and mimics real life baitfish, Each Sky Dog lure comes with 2 sharp treble hooks with brightly colored skirts, Propeller spinnerbait is both for Freshwater and Saltwater Buzz Bait Fishing, Hard Plastic Spinner are designed for bass fishing and trout fishing, This spinner baits is deadly on Bass, Trout, Walleye, Northern Pike and Salmon, Trout Bait Popper noise wakes up any fish within hearing distance, ♥♡♥Topwater Bass Lures Frog Kit Heddon Popper Fishing Saltwater For Shark Frogs Snakehead Bait Lure Top Water Set Blanks Small Assortment Spook Baits Topwater Lures Fishing Bass Grill Frog Rod Old Town Best Pdl For Baits Kayak San Leon Oldtown Menu, ♥♡♥Fishing Lures For Freshwater Bass Saltwater Kit Trout Set Crappie Fish Frogs Catfish Lakes Tackle Kits Gift Topwater Rapala Frog Cheap Spinnerbaits Jigs Worms Rattle Florida Trolling Gulp Shrimp Redfish Metal Squid Ice Kids Yo-Zuri Box Panther Martin Spoons And Salmon Blue Fox Lot Sets Under Gil Crappies. The 7 Best Lures for Smallmouth Bass in Rivers 1. Smallies don’t stay put throughout the year. The nickel hook is suitable for all water and is sharp and tough. There’s also an internal weight, which rattles around and creates noise and vibrations. They’re not magic – even the best lure in the world won’t catch a fish where there are none to be found – but they can give you the edge you need to bring in the lunker you’ve been dreaming about. Jigs are effective lures for river anglers early in the season. You shouldn’t have a problem with smallies, but if a big largemouth grabs your lure instead, be prepared to lose it. When the sun bears down relentlessly, few types of fishing offer more soothing relief than casting to river smallmouth. from $6.49, 16 new Bronzebacks often feed on top when water temps are high—chasing damsel and dragonflies, nabbing grasshoppers, sipping in large mayflies, and slashing at baitfish. The swimming action is realistic enough to get the job done. Still, they’re a good value for the price. The floating Rapala may be the best overall crankbait for smallmouth bass, but it won’t cover every situation. At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that I use networking with other anglers, research, and personal experience to assemble this list. The Surge in Gun and Ammo Sales Has Created a Boom in Wildlife Conservation Funding . When spring breaks, smallmouth will be in shallow water, around 10 to 20 feet deep. It also comes in three sizes, although the smaller 4-inch size is more than enough for catching smallies. Dead fish are disqualified. Grubs work best of all. When smallmouth are hovering on or near the river bed, few lures can top a soft plastics rigged with enough weight to crawl over the rocks and ledges. You can use these on a drop shot rig, you can use them on ledges, you can use them to mimic injured baitfish, and overall they are an exceptionally versatile bait to use. I'll admit, the fluke is an off and on bait. In fairness, I didn’t use it very often because I simply didn’t like the look of it. The KEENET is equally well suited for day and night fishing. The BiCO Original Bass Jig was designed specifically for skipping across the bottom in deep water. Since most of their prey stays near the bottom, a weighted jig or deep diving crankbait is the best way to get their attention at this time of year. It may take well over an inch of rain to discolor the Spring R., but the old notion of the after being too dirty to be "in shape" as the old timers called it is just bunk. Weight: approx 0.53oz/pc, Length approx 4in including the hook and feather.