The Best Lures To Use Are: Crankbaits – Cotton Cordell Big O Crankbait and Bomber Fat Free Shad Spinnerbaits – Booyah Blade Jigs – Strike King Bitsy Bug and Luck “E” Strike Smallmouth Hair Jerkbaits – The Flit 120.
What colors do smallmouth bass like?
Their vision is strongest in the areas of medium-red to green It fails rapidly moving into the blues and purples, as it does towards the far reds. If our picture of bass color vision is accurate, then color is meaningful to bass in some cases but not others.
Will smallmouth hit
topwater lures
?
Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat, smallmouth bass can be caught on big topwater plugs In fact, big topwater lures are often the most effective way to catch bigger smallies.
What is the
best time
to catch smallmouth bass?
Smallmouth fishing is generally better in the early spring than largemouth fishing might be, since smallmouths tend to be more active in
cold water
. Begin looking for them when the water temperature is in the mid-40s. Fish the first deep water associated with a large gravel or mud flat.
What is a smallmouth bass favorite food?
Smallmouth are not picky feeders. They’ll go for insects, bait fish and crustaceans. Crayfish or crawfish (as they’re called in the southern United States), are their top prey and will always land a good sized bass if they’re the right size.
How do you target smallmouth bass?
A football jig is a tried and
true bait
for catching smallmouth Pair the jigs rubber skit with a crawfish plastic trailer or grub to provide lifelike action. Drag the jig around boulders and other rock areas that are holding fish. Another productive bait for smallmouth bass fishing is a tube or a grub on its own.
Do smallmouths eat chatterbait?
ChatterBaits for Smallmouth Bass Fishing This versatile lure can be used in many different fishing situations because of its action and its variety in sizes and colors. The bladed swim jig can be fished as a spinnerbait, crankbait or jig to match even the toughest smallmouth bass fishing conditions.
What colors can bass not see?
Outside of red and green, many dark colors appear quite similar to bass, which are unable to make highly selective decisions based on those dark colors like blue and black. Likewise, bass cannot readily distinguish between very bright colors, like chartreuse and white.
What colors can fish not see?
The majority of fish have developed eyes that will detect the type of colors typical of their environment. For example, inshore fish have good color vision, whereas offshore pelagic fish have limited color vision and detect only a few if any colors other than black and white.
What size lures for smallmouth bass?
The 4 inch size Senko is the best choice for most anglers fishing for smallmouth bass. It is available in the 5 inch size for anglers targeting larger fish. Natural colors are very productive, with green pumpkin being an excellent choice in just about every fishing condition or situation.
What time of year is best for topwater bass fishing?
Topwater fishing is one of the best ways to catch bass during late fall, early spring, and late spring when they are in their spawning areas. Topwater baits will often entice a reaction strike from the bass during this time, creating some of the most memorable fishing moments.
What time of day are smallmouth most active?
During the day, smallmouth bass are most active first thing in the morning from dawn until mid-morning and in the late afternoon from 3 hours prior to sunrise until dusk These reduced light periods afford bass a tactical advantage over prey like shad and crayfish which don’t see as well during these time windows.
Where do smallmouth bass hang out?
Smallmouth bass live in many habitats ranging from cool waters of rivers and streams to deep reservoirs and
crystal-clear natural lakes
You can find smallmouth bass in waterways either above or below the Mason-Dixon Line.
Do bass remember being caught?
Species such as northern pike and bluegill are known as poor learners and often will strike again only minutes after being caught and released. Other fish, such as largemouth bass, channel catfish, stripers and carp, have better memories “The channel catfish has a very strong memory,” Hill said.
Are spinnerbaits good for smallmouth bass?
While a spinnerbait is a handy tool for largemouth, VanDam agrees that it can be just as effective when looking for smallmouth.
What lure catches the most bass?
- Stick Bait. The legendary Stick Bait is the most popular and fundamental Bass lure ever
- Curl Tail Grub
- Spinnerbait
- Square Bill Crankbait
- Skirted Bass Jig
- Lipless Crankbait
- Finesse Worm
- Tube Bait.
Do smallmouth bass eat worms?
Consequently, smallmouths take worms on shallow structure, deep structure, and suspended in between. Smallmouths eat worms in rivers, in lakes, in reservoirs, and in the Great Lakes But any ol’ worm won’t do.
What temperature do smallmouth bass start biting?
Although the smallmouth bass is considered to be a warm water fish, its ideal temperature range is lower than that of the largemouth bass. Smallmouth tend to favor waters between 67 to 71 degrees. When water temperatures dip below 50 degrees , feeding slows and the fish aren’t eager to bite.
What color worm is best for bass?
The best colors for worms are natural colors: green pumpkin, watermelon, junebug, black and blue With these colors you will be able to catch bass year round in any body of water that holds bass.
What color lures to use on sunny days?
As a general rule, silver is a great color to use on bright, sunny days , where as on darker, cloudy days, gold would be best. Also, consider the water clarity you are fishing. If the water you are fishing in is clear, then silver would work best.
Do smallmouths eat bluegill?
A: Bass – both largemouth and smallmouth – make excellent predator fish These strong, scrappy guys keep your bluegill population in check.
Do smallmouth bites at night?
According to Stephen Headrick — the “Smallmouth Guru” — darkness is what the night bite is all about, not cooler water The darkness brings these brutes out from their daytime deep water haunts in search of food. It’s really just that simple, according to Headrick.
How do you find smallmouth bass in a river?
Look for current where active fish hangout to feed like eddies and current breaks where the water is flowing Another spot smallmouth bass like to be is raises in the river floor like gravel bars where fish will hold. And finally, rocky banks are a good spot to hang out and catch big smallmouth bass.
Do smallmouths eat perch?
What do smallmouth bass eat? Smallmouth bass are much more limited in the size of food they can eat because they have much smaller mouths than largemouth bass. Smallmouth bass eat yellow perch , young bluegills, minnows, shiners, suckers, aquatic insects, but their favorite food are crayfish.
How do you catch smallmouth bass?
One of the most popular techniques for catching smallmouth bass in lakes is to cast or troll a hard plastic lure Preferred areas include rocky shorelines and shallow points that extend into deep water. Casting or trolling a spinner bait in these areas works well too. Jigs work best when fishing deeper water.
Are smallmouth bass bottom feeders?
They are known to follow behind northern hog suckers. A bottom feeder , the hog sucker grubs among stones, often dislodging small crayfish, insect nymphs, and other prey. Positioned just downstream of the sucker, the smallmouth eats any prey that is swept by.
How old is a 5 lb smallmouth?
A 15-inch bass might be an average four-year-old, a fast growing three-year-old or a slow growing five-year-old. A big bass, say five pounds, might be anywhere between six and 16 years old.
Where can I find big smallmouth?
- Look for Moving Water. Big smallmouth are lazier than smaller ones and like to be where they can get an easy meal
- Big Baits. You’ve probably heard the saying “big baits, big fish.” Well, it’s true
- Find Unpressured Fish
- Don’t Be Afraid of the Weather.
Are smallmouth bass good to eat?
Even though most people catch and release smallmouth bass for the sport, you can absolutely eat them If you’re looking for a healthy and tasty fish dinner, smallmouth is a great option.
What color bass likes most?
The most fundamental rule is to fish brightly colored baits in dingy or muddy water and light, subtle colors in clear water. The logic here is that a bass’ visibility is hampered by silt, and colors like chartreuse, yellow and orange are easier to see than bone, pumpkinseed and smoke.
Do Chatterbaits work in rivers?
In the hands of a confident angler who knows how to work them, chatterbaits are a truly effective option Especially when the lake or river you’re fishing gets a lot of pressure, that extra action and vibration can be just the ticket to impressive hits, even after the area you’re fishing has been worked-over by others.
Are Chatterbaits good in rivers?
So if you’re fishing a lake or a river after a heavy thunderstorm, chances are that chatterbait will perform better than other lure types due to their vibrating blade In any situations where water visibility is low, it’s usually best to use a relatively slow retrieval speed with chatterbaits.
What color lures for murky water?
Use a Bright Color My experience leads me to white or chartreuse as the best lure color for muddy water. Those are the colors that I reach for when it’s apparent that fish are not going to be using their vision as the primary means of finding my lure.
Do bass like red worms?
All Fish Love Them I’ve caught a wide variety of fish using worms, including walleye, trout, bass, bluegill and catfish. I’ve found, though, that nightcrawlers work best for walleye and bass, while smaller worms, red worms and leaf worms, are great for for panfish like bluegill and perch.
Should I fish in the rain?
Because the surface is broken up by the raindrops, and the clouds are obscuring the sun – rainy days are some of the best times to fish topwater baits … All day long. Fish are more willing to roam and actively pursue bait – which makes them much more likely to demolish a topwater as it skitters across the surface.
Does wd40 help catch fish?
WD-40 addresses the myth on its website, saying: “While WD-40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using it to attract fish”.
What attracts fish the most?
Attractants: salt, fish slime, fish guts, fish extracts, human saliva Possible attractants: milk products like cheese, coffee, garlic. Repellents: human skin oils, nicotine, bug sprays, sun screens, scented and perfumed soaps, any petroleum distillates like gasoline, marine grease, oil, diesel….
What is the rule of thumb for colors of lures?
Color is one of the most important factors in lure selection. A good rule of thumb is when the water is dirty you want to throw darker colors, and when the water is clear you want to throw more neutral colors Typically, for worms and jigs, black and blue, green pumpkin, or redbug will cover just about any situation.
Sources
https://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/smallmouth-seasonal-habits.html