I make a pinpoint cast to shoot my lure underneath overhanging tree limbs where it lands with a splash at the river’s edge. I let the lure float in place for a couple of seconds before retrieving, zig-zagging lure across the surface. About three feet into the retrieve, a moss-colored smallmouth bass strikes the lure so quickly all I see is the hole left in the water. I set the hook and the fish rockets into the air. Then, dives and bucks followed by more jumping. Each leap is a spasm of shaking and twisting to free the hook.
Even after the fish is tired, it continues to make short, powerful runs, refusing to give up. I swing the smallie into my kayak and it kicks and squirms before I can lift the foot-long fish for a look. Green and brown with the famous red eye, every smallmouth is unique in its pattern but similar in personality. I gently lower the fish into the water where it unceremoniously splashes water in my face before scooting off to the river depths.
Smallmouth bass don’t get as much attention as their largemouth cousins. Smallies are smaller, harder to find and easier to catch. But they fight harder and live in beautiful places. No one ever called a smallmouth bass a “ditch pickle.” We think the strong-willed scrappy fish deserve the spotlight.
Native Sons: 13 Smallmouth Hotspots in Their Home Range
Preferring cool, clear water, smallmouth bass are found in lakes and rivers all over the temperate world. But the fish are native to Central North America. Smallmouth bass call their home waters the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes to Hudson Bay, the Mississippi River Basins and the Atlantic and Gulf slope from Virginia to Central Texas.
For this homecoming, we highlight some of the best places to target smallmouth bass in their native range. From northern lakes to southern rivers and southern lakes to northern rivers, local anglers take you on a smallmouth tour. Some destinations are famous and others are off the radar. We go to the source on where and when to fish, what to use and how to catch more and bigger smallmouth bass.
1 Kentville, Nova Scotia
Chris Arnold | Old Town and Scotty Fishing Products pro staff, Bending Branches ambassador
For over 30 years, I’ve targeted smallmouth bass on local lakes and rivers. Summer afternoons and evenings offer spectacular topwater action. Dragonflies are landing on grass at the water’s edge. Bass jump out of the water to snatch a dragonfly from the air.
Conditions
Early spring pre-spawn is the best time of year. The second best is midsummer afternoons and sunset. In the fall, smallmouth put on the feedbag and action turns crazy. Overcast skies are best; smallmouth seek structure or deep water when the sky is clear. When the weather is challenging, I pay close attention to the fish finder for structure and changes in depth. Even though most people avoid it, I like to fish on the windy side of the water.
Find the Fish
Smallmouth bass relate to the current. The fish are either near or in the strongest current. I also find smallmouth off grass points, in the stumps, on natural or man-made structures and under cover.
Tactics
A Reaction Innovations Little Dipper paddle tail on an unweighted EWG worm hook is deadly. I fish the lure across or just below the surface. I can even let it sink like a Senko.
2 Lake St. Clair, Ontario
Nate Conley | Jackson Kayak Team, 2022 Hobie BOS Santee Cooper Champion
Conditions
Fall is the best time for trophy smallmouth. Look for cloudy skies with a slight chop on the water. The best strategy is covering water from 10 to 15 feet deep. If the wind is strong and the lake too rough, tuck away into a bay like Mitchell’s Bay and fish grass edges and sand transitions.
Find the Fish
The bottom of Lake St. Clair is relatively featureless so every clump of grass, cluster of rocks, bottom composition change or the slightest depth change can hold fish. When I first started fishing St. Clair, I used to drift and drag drop shots, Ned rigs and tubes. Now, I use my side-scan fish finder to search the bottom for any anomaly.
Tactics
Drag a drop shot or Ned rig over rocks and bottom composition changes. When the fish are suspended or chasing bait, I throw an Alabama rig. I use forward facing sonar to send the Alabama rig past the smallmouth bass and retrieve it just over their heads. I pace my retrieve so the lure swims at the same depth where I am marking the fish. Every three turns of the reel handle I give the lure a short pause.
Tackle
Rod: 6’10” St. Croix Legend Xtreme medium-light, extra fast
Reel: Daiwa KAGE 2500
Line: 10-lb PowerPro Hi Vis
Leader: 10-lb Sunline Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon
Lures: Z-Man Ned in green pumpkin and goby, Berkley Flatworm drop shot. To entice aggressively feeding fish, go with a jerkbait, spybait or an Alabama rig. JVM Custom Lures in chartreuse and purple or white. Three-inch Megabass Spark Shad in shad and minnow patterns with the middle bait’s tail dipped in chartreuse dye.
Kayak
Jackson Kayak Knarr FD is big and stable for rough, open lakes.
Expert Tip
Lowrance HDS Live with Active Target side scan and forward facing sonar is a huge asset when searching open water. Side-scan is key to locating the subtle drops, bottom transition changes, grass and rock clusters.
3 Clearwater, Minnesota
Mike Thompson | Outdoor Photographer: @MT’sOutdoorImages
Clearwater Outfitters, on the Upper Mississippi River, shuttles us upstream. All we have to do is float down the river and catch fish.
Conditions
Summer is the best season for topwater action. As long as the water is high and I avoid thunderstorms and flooding, I fish the river for smallmouth. When the water is too high or too low, I choose to fish another day.
Find the Fish
During the summer, I look for undercut banks, downed trees, rocks, shade or a cool, deep hole. Moderate current is ideal. Once I pattern the fish, I can expect to repeat the tactic through the stretch of river.
Tactics
I like to target visible cover and current changes. I make pinpoint casts with a topwater. When I miss a fish, I follow up with a finesse jig and plastic craw.
Tackle
Rod: 6’6” medium-light action Ace custom spinning rod
Reel: 2500 Stradic
Line: 15-lb Sufix braided line
Leader: 12-lb fluorocarbon
Lures:
- Yellow or white Strike King buzzbaits
- Bone Whopper Plopper
- Natural crawfish color finesse jigs
Kayak
The Crescent Kayaks UltraLite is designed for river fishing. A pronounced keel provides good tracking and stability. The boat turns quickly with a shallow draft to float through shallow water.
Expert Tip
On the river, I don’t use a fish finder. I use a map app on my smartphone to track my progress down river.
Smallmouth Story
Way back in the early 2000s, my friend Jim and I fished a river in Southeastern Minnesota. We had a great time, caught tons of smallmouth and braved the rapids. We underestimated how much time we would need to reach the pull-out. This was before Androids, Apples and Google. Luckily, I had a headlamp and we searched in the dark for the landing. As I was shining my light on the shore, the grass rustled. All of a sudden, a glowing UFO exploded from the reeds and flew at my head while making terrible noises. I froze in fear, but at the last second protected my face with the paddle blade. The creature hit the blade and fell into the water. The UFO was a wood duck and it was knocked out. Jim held the duck until it regained consciousness and swam away. I still get a good laugh out of that story.
4 La Crosse, Wisconsin
Jeremiah Burish | Tournament angler and Explore La Crosse representative
On the Upper Mississippi River, I find sand points or sand flats with nearby drop-offs where smallmouth push baitfish. This is an electrifying sight as schools of smallmouth force baitfish to the surface like a fireworks show. As quickly as I can, I throw a walking bait, popper, fluke or swimbait into the explosion and hold on.
Conditions
At the beginning of fall, smallmouth migrate out of the backwaters toward the main channel where they congregate around giant schools of baitfish. I often catch 50 to 100 fish in one area. The smallmouth are aggressive and feeding heavily before winter. Even better, as the temperature drops, boat traffic dies. Ideal conditions include low water levels and sunny days. Baitfish move shallow for warmth and the bass chase the little fish into the air for a quick snack.
Challenging conditions, such as cool temperatures and overcast skies, keep baitfish spread out in deeper water. Smallmouth don’t feed as aggressively and finding the fish is much more difficult. I fish the same sand points, flats and wing dams, but I focus on adjacent deep water using finesse techniques like a Ned rig or a Carolina rig to taunt the fish until they can’t resist my lure.
Tactics
One of the first lures I tie on is a Rattlin’ Chug Bug or Evergreen Shower Blows. These two lures offer a versatile retrieve to dial in the action. I work them fast with big pops to make a lot of commotion on the water. Or I slow the pace and make small twitches for a walk-the-dog retrieve. And I always add pauses to entice a hesitant smallie lurking just beneath the surface. I swap out hooks for heftier feathered or bladed trebles.
Tackle
Rod: 6’ 8” ALX ZOLO Twitch medium-light, fast action topwater rod; 7’ ALX ZOLO Trickster light power, fast action spinning for finesse fishing
Reel: For topwater, Lew’s Custom Lite 7.5:1 gear ratio
Line: 30-lb P-Line TCB 8-strand Teflon coated
Leader: 8-lb P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon on my finesse reel
Lures:
- Evergreen Shower Blows 77 in bone color
- Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait
- Lifted Jigs Ned EWG with a 10,000 Fish Sukoshi Bug
Kayak
The Bonafide SS127 is an ideal kayak for any fishing on the Mississippi River. It is very comfortable with a high, supportive seat but is still incredibly stable for standup fishing. Pairing the SS127 with an electric motor, like the Newport Vessels 180 rigged on a Dakota Lithium battery, makes for the ultimate fishing kayak. It is fast, lightweight and provides hands-free fishing with foot-controlled steering.
Smallmouth Story
My greatest day smallmouth fishing on the Mississippi River was very unexpected. I had just installed the Newport Vessel NK-180 electric motor and went to test it out. I launched and was heading to a shallow backwater area to throw some frogs for largemouth. On my way through a channel, I saw some fish breaking the surface chasing baitfish. I quickly made a cast with a topwater lure. Action was fast and furious; I boated about 20 smallies in just 30 minutes. My best five fish combined measurement was 93.25 inches with two smallmouth over 19 inches and all five over 18 inches. I was having so much fun with the topwater, I was able to capture video of the fish hitting on every cast. When the smallmouth stopped chasing the topwater lure, I switched to a swim jig and fired up the school of fish. I swapped back over to topwater and continued to catch smallmouth.
5 Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire
Torrence Davis | Jackson Kayak, MotorGuide team member
I launch out of Alton Bay and fish the rocks and drop-offs around Barndoor Island.
Conditions
Best time of year is spring prespawn. The water is super clear and the fish move shallow to feed. All day I sight cast to active smallmouth. Clear blue skies encourage the fish to feed, and sunlight makes them easier to see in the clear water. The biggest challenge is finding the depth where the smallies are holding. When I hook a fish, I continue to explore the same depth profile. One day, I find smallmouth in 12 feet and the next they are in 20.
Find the Fish
Smallmouth love rocks. In New Hampshire, granite is everywhere. When I find rocks, I find smallmouth.
Tactics
Slowly work a football jig around the rocks. To improve my hook-up ratio, I don’t use a weed guard. The football shape reduces snags.
Tackle
Reel: Daiwa Tatula CT100
Line: Berkley x9 30-lb moss green braid
Lures: Beast Coast O.W. Sniper in green pumpkin with a Strike King Menace Grub green pumpkin, red flake trailer.
Kayak
Blue Sky Boatworks 360 Angler is 48 inches wide and super stable. I’m six feet, three inches and 330 pounds. This kayak will never flip. In rough conditions, the kayak keeps me safe. And, I can stand and sight cast with confidence.
Expert Tip
I couldn’t fish without my trolling motor and dual Power-Pole Micro anchors. No matter how strong the current and wind, I push a button and two stakeout poles hold me in position.
Smallmouth Story
The first time my friend and I hit Winnipesaukee in early spring, we had high expectations. The fall before, we had found a great spot and couldn’t wait to explore it prespawn. My first cast resulted in a smallmouth chasing my purple Coffee Tube to the surface. Once we dialed in the color, green pumpkin, it was nonstop hooksets. We caught 30 smallies before we stopped. Now we return to ‘Saukee every other weekend. The place never lets us down.
6 Oneida Lake, New York
Justin Hausner | President and founder of New York Kayak Bass Fishing, Jackson Kayak Team
Oneida Lake is large and open with great places to fish at every turn. Weather can change quickly, but there are hidden coves and banks to escape the conditions. The best fishing is just outside the grass lines.
Conditions
Smallmouth are most active in spring or early fall. Overcast skies and light winds are best for focusing on a specific depth or weedline. When it’s windy, positioning the kayak is difficult.
Find the Fish
I use my fish finder to search for weedlines and rock piles. Oneida is full of these structures.
Tactics
My favorite tactic is popping a light jig along a depth change or weedline. Work the lure nice and slow, pop and then drag until a fish strikes.
Tackle
Rod: 7’2″ Douglas LRS SC724XF with extra-fast action and medium power
Reel: Okuma Komodo baitcasting
Line: 15-lb braided line
Leader: 8-lb fluorocarbon sinks faster than monofilament
Lures:
- NetBait Magic Craw with green pumpkin and blue flake
- Freedom Tackle Finesse Jig and 2” NetBait Paca Chunk
Kayak
Jackson Kayak Knarr FD for covering open water and sneaking into sheltered coves and creek mouths.
Expert Tip
A light and waterproof NOCQUA 20-amp-hour battery system powers my fish finder, GoPro cameras, lights and cell phone.
Smallmouth Story
The perfect day starts with watching the sunrise over a slightly rippled lake with just enough wind to keep the bugs away. While the sun is low, I start with topwater lures. Later in the day, I use the fish finder to find weedlines and productive depth contours. Popping a jig is therapeutic, like meditating, as I work to find the perfect timing and rhythm to entice the fish.
7 Wabash River, Indiana
Kyle Hammond | Host of Indiana Kayak Fishing Journal on YouTube
The Wabash is the state river of Indiana. It crosses the whole state and every tributary holds smallmouth. Tippecanoe River and Sugar Creek are the best for trophy smallmouth. I’ve caught many smallmouth over 20 inches from Wabash tributaries.
Conditions
I catch smallmouth all year long using a variety of tactics, but my favorite time is summer when topwater lures rule the water. The best conditions are low, warm, off-color water. Clear and shallow water makes the fish wary. When conditions are challenging, stay quiet and make a long cast.
Find the Fish
When the water is hot, smallmouth bass like to hold in strong current. On the Wabash tributaries, the current is almost always associated with shallow water, which makes smallies even easier to catch with topwater lures.
Tactics
Run a topwater through shallow water. The hardest part of topwater fishing is not immediately setting the hook when you see or hear a strike. I delay the hookset until I feel the weight of the fish on the line.
Tackle
Rod: 7’ medium power, fast action St. Croix Premier
Reel: 1000 series Shimano Sedona
Line: 20-lb braided line
Leader: 24” of 12-pound monofilament in clear water
Lures: Whopper Plopper 75 and Zara Spook. The Whopper Plopper is a simple cast-and-retrieve lure. The Zara Spook requires a walk-the-dog technique achieved by jerking the rod tip while turning the reel handle. I prefer dark colors for cloudy days, early morning and late evening fishing. Bright colors seem to work better during the middle of the day.
Kayak
Old Town Predator MX has a shallow draft to pass through inches of water. This is perfect during low water summer conditions. The MX is stable, so I can stand and make long accurate casts and quickly cover water.
Expert Tip
Never leave home without polarized glasses. The glasses cut through glare on the water so I can see the best places to cast. High-impact, polycarbonate sunglasses protect my eyes from the sun and flying fish hooks.
Smallmouth Story
My wife and I had a spectacular day on a new stream landing a bunch of nice fish up to 18 inches. I was fly fishing and my wife was absolutely crushing me with a Whopper Plopper. When we were nearing the end of the day, I hooked a small fish on the fly rod. As I was fighting the little fish, a huge smallmouth chased it to the surface. My wife acted quickly and landed her Whopper Plopper within inches of my fish. The giant bass quickly switched targets and exploded on the Whopper Plopper. After a great battle, my wife brought the fish to the net. It measured 20 inches.
8 Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania
Adam Milstead | Native Watercraft Team
Susquehanna River between Sunbury Dam and Three Mile Island. I have caught my biggest smallmouth on the Susquehanna. The Susky is an extremely scenic river nestled between mountains. Small historic towns dot the riverbank and locals are always friendly. The river is made of both shale and river rock with scattered boulders generating large eddies and current breaks. The Susquehanna River is nearly a mile wide at some points and averages three feet deep. The opportunity to catch a big shallow water smallmouth is possible on nearly every stretch of the river.
Conditions
From late June to early October, a typical day starts with a cool morning and a layer of fog on the water. The fog eventually burns off to a bluebird sky and a warm 70- to 80-degree air temperature. Smallmouth are visual hunters. Sunny skies help the fish see their prey. Warm temperatures get winged insects moving. When I hear cicadas singing or see mayfly, stonefly or damselfly hatches, I know the emergent metamorphosis will attract baitfish and predators.
Find the Fish
The biggest clue is finding the right river bottom. Areas of transition between shale and river rock are most productive. River rock covered with silt seems to attract the largest fish. Cast to current breaks and eddies. Even a small ripple on smooth water is a sign of a depth change.
Tactics
I focus on topwater lures like wakebaits, buzzbaits and the Berkley Choppo. Ned rigs and tubes work well, but the biggest smallmouth love topwater lures. I use faster topwater lures in the morning until the fog burns off. I throw a buzzbait or Choppo at wood cover and current breaks. When the sun comes out, a wakebait imitates a cicada struggling on the surface.
Tackle
Rod: Medium-heavy action casting rod
Reel: Daiwa Tatula-SV 7.3/8.1 gear ratio
Line:
- Buzzbaits and Choppo: 40-lb Sufix 832 low visibility braid
- Wakebaits: 14-lb Sufix Advance monofilament
Lures: Wakebait, Whopper Plopper, Berkley Choppos. 1/4-ounce 412 Bait Company spinnerbait in dreamsicle color.
Kayak
Native TitanX has solid stability and it’s light enough to drag through shallow water. The new drop-down rudder improves tracking to cover more water and pound the bank.
Expert Tip
A Power-Pole Micro anchor system allows me to stop the kayak on a dime. With the kayak secured, I can work an area with finesse baits. Smallmouth are pack hunters. Always follow up a catch with another cast to the same spot.
Smallmouth Story
One of my best days was during the Hobie Bass Open tournament. In mid-July the weather was warm with high temperatures in the eighties and sunny skies. It was late morning, the fog just burned off, and I was working a spinnerbait focusing on wood cover. After two hours, I only had three fish in my stringer. Looking at the online scoreboard, I noticed anglers were scoring decent fish. I was losing hope and getting frustrated. Just for fun, I switched to Jackall Cherry Zero Footer 56 wakebait. I found an area with very calm water and I noticed a fist-sized rock covered with silt. The bottom looked perfect for cruising smallmouth searching for an easy meal. The ominous buzzing of cicadas echoed from the towering hardwood trees. I felt like I was in the right place at the right time. Sure enough, my first cast in the shadows produced the bite I was waiting for. A couple of spectacular aerial displays made my heart skip before I netted the big smallmouth. On my Ketch board, the fish measured 18.75 inches. I knew I found a good spot. After catching a few more fish, including a 20.75-inch smallie, I moved up to sixth place in the tournament.
9 Great Miami River, Ohio
Brad Hicks | Loveland Canoe and Kayak pro staff, Bending Branches regional team
I love to float the river from point A to point B with a buddy. We target deeper water and structure and faster-moving current.
Conditions
In fall, cool weather encourages big smallmouth to bite. The worse the weather, the better the fishing. I really enjoy a chilly spring or fall day in the rain. In challenging conditions, I slow down my finesse presentation to get a bite.
Find the Fish
Look for fast-moving water, eddies, seams and deep banks with riprap.
Tactics
I use a Strike King Caffeine Shad fluke. I find water above riffles and let the fluke drift while twitching two times and then letting it drift again for a couple of seconds.
Tackle
Rod: 7’2″ Douglas Rods XMatrix medium, extra fast, spinning
Reel: 2500 Shimano Stradic FL
Line: 15-lb high-visibility yellow PowerPro braid
Leader: 12-lb Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon
Lures:
- 1/2-oz black and blue Z-Man JackHammer chatterbait
- 5″ baby bass color Strike King Caffeine Shad
- Green pumpkin Blue Rock Custom Tackle Stupid Tube
Kayak
Crescent Kayaks Shoalie and Jackson Kayak Coosa have rounded hulls to slide over rocks and maneuver through rapids.
Expert Tip
YakGadget’s horizontal rod stagers keep my rod tips from catching in low-hanging trees. I use a Deeper Smart Sonar CHIRP +2 fish finder. The transducer fits on a flexible arm and displays the sonar image on my smartphone.
Smallmouth Story
One of my best days on the river was a couple years ago during a tournament. The air temperature was 40 degrees, the wind was whipping and rain fell all day. I caught a five-fish stringer of smallmouth measuring 90 inches and ended up finishing the tournament in second place. The other competitors were targeting largemouth in Kentucky and Indiana, which put me at a disadvantage as smallmouth are generally smaller fish. But the bad weather worked out and I cashed a check.
10 New River, West Virginia
Coy Lehman | Wilderness Systems Team, 2022 West Virginia State Champion
Just outside Hinton, West Virginia the Greenbrier River meets the New River combining two world-class smallmouth fisheries. In eastern West Virginia, near Romney, the Potomac River runs through The Trough, a section of the river squeezed between two mountain ranges. These two destinations are easy to access, super fishy and amazingly beautiful. Everything that makes smallmouth fishing fun.
Conditions
In spring, smallmouth move into shallow pockets to spawn. The fish are hungry and aggressive. Late fall, smallies transition to deep pools in search of warm water. During the heat of summer, the water is clear and shallow. Get up early to beat the heat, then fish shade pockets through midday.
Find the Fish
Early in the morning, smallmouth bass drive bait into rocky shoals or grass beds. When it’s hot and sunny, I hit shade pockets, deep holes, logs and boulders. A river eddy near a shelf or pocket is a great spot.
Tactics
Fish the river backward. Let the lure fall downstream with the current. Smallmouth hunt by facing into the current. To fish upriver, I use a Torqeedo electric outboard.
Tackle
Rod: 7’ medium-action Dobyns Sierra Series spinning and baitcasting
Reel:
- Baitcasting: 13 Fishing Concept A Gen II
- Spinning: 2000 size 13 Fishing Creed X
Line:
- Baitcasting: 17-lb Seaguar InvizX
- Spinning: 20-pound PowerPro braid
Leader: Spinning: 14’ of 10-lb Seaguar Red Label
Lures: Z-Man Big TRD in molten craw or green pumpkin goby color, Texas rigged with a 1/16-oz pegged-down tungsten worm weight. River2Sea Whopper Plopper size 90 bone color.
Kayak
The Wilderness Systems Radar 115 is nimble for the rapids. I match the Radar 115 with a pedal drive or electric motor. The boat is wide for stability and still compact to drag around creeks.
Smallmouth Story
During the 2022 West Virginia State Championship, my son was fishing with me and we had the best day ever. I was stressed out preparing for the tournament. We got a late start and we were fishing a new area. We only fished a few hours, but in that time my son and I laughed together as we caught 15-inch smallmouth bass one after another. I ended the day with a limit and the win.
11 New River, North Carolina & Virginia
Jameson Redding | Host, Road Trip Angler on Bally Sports and YouTube
I love chasing smallmouth in swift rivers. I fish sections of the New River that run along the North Carolina and Virginia border. A typical day on the river starts with organizing a shuttle or putting in and heading upstream to shoals or a dam. I fish moving baits in moving water, so I use spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits and topwater lures. To target high-probability areas, I pull my kayak onto a shoal and wade the river while casting upstream.
Conditions
Fall and spring are the best times of year. In spring, the fish are moving for the spawn. In fall, they feed heavily before winter. Either season, the best conditions are cool nights with a big warm-up during the day. I like a little color in the water from recent rain to make the fish move. Wind also encourages smallmouth to eat, but wind is also an angler’s worst enemy.
Find the Fish
The river tells me where to find the fish. I target current seams and eddies; I even cast my lure into the whitewater. I look for shoals where the river is flowing over shelves and fish are resting from the current with the ability to ambush bait. I cast upriver and bring the lure downcurrent through promising areas. Smallmouth push bait against a dam. If the dam is running, the oxygenated water fires up the smallmouth.
Tactics
Anchoring from the bow or holding position with a motor increases the number of casts and the number of hookups. However, anchoring can be dangerous. Avoid swift current and stay ready to release the anchor in an emergency. A stern-mounted motor with foot controls makes it easier to hold the kayak in the current. Topwater lures and a chatterbaits are my favorites. I throw a Spook Jr. or a One Knocker. I keep an unweighted soft plastic to follow up a missed topwater strike. To fish the chatterbait, I keep it in touch with the bottom.
Tackle
Rod: 7’ medium-heavy and moderate fast Rainshadow The Judge baitcaster
Reel: Shimano Chronarch G
Line: 30-lb Seaguar Smackdown braid
Leader: 20-lb Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon
Lures:
- 1/2-ounce Z-Man JackHammer in bruised green pumpkin and white and chartreuse with a Z-Man RaZor ShadZ or DieZel MinnowZ trailer
- Zara Spook Jr. and Spook One Knocker in bone color
Kayak
The Coosa X has a 12-inch draft and a slight rocker in the keel with volume in the bow to carry over waves.
Smallmouth Story
Jeff Little, Timmy Dixon and I decided to hit a section of the New River on the Virginia side of the border. It was early spring and right on the edge of the fish transitioning from winter holes to spawning areas. After striking out in the winter spots, we headed up the river to see if the fish were moving onto the spawning areas. After motoring a mile, we found a promising looking spot. I cast a JackHammer chatterbait under an overhanging tree and caught a nice smallmouth. The next tree produced another smallmouth. We worked our way upriver for several miles repeating this pattern and landed feisty smallmouth up to 19 inches. I will always remember this day because our persistence paid off.
12 Dale Hollow Reservoir, Tennessee & Kentucky
Jay Wallen | Hobie Bass Open Champion, two-time Hobie Fishing Worlds Qualifier, three-time Angler of the Year
A typical day on Dale Hollow involves looking for birds feeding on shad or searching for bait with my fish finder. When I visit Dale Hollow, I take time to soak in the rolling hills and expansive lake. The drive to the boat ramp takes me back in time. At the right place with the right pattern, I catch over 20 four- to six-pound smallmouth bass in a day.
Conditions
My favorite conditions occur in winter on a moderately cold, gray day with a touch of snow flurries. Sounds crazy, but that’s when the smallmouth gorge on shad. Toughest days are mild with sunny skies.
Find the Fish
Read the bank and imagine what the bottom looks like. Dale Hollow has a variety of clay banks and points, black shale, gravel and even deep grass. In the winter, I target the red clay, gray gravel and some black shale banks holding heat and baitfish. I keep an eye out for deep grass beds. When all else fails, I rely on deep grass to hold fish.
Tactics
In late fall and early winter, smallmouth are devouring crawfish. When crawfish hibernate, smallmouth switch focus to shad. To imitate a crawfish, I use a spinning rod and light line to drag and hop a small finesse jig on gravel points. The spinning rod and sensitive line allow me to feel a light bite in deep water.
Tackle
Rod: 7’ St. Croix Legend X medium-fast spinning rod
Reel: Shimano Stradic 3000 spinning reel
Line: 15-lb Sunline Xplasma Asegai braid
Leader: 8-lb fluorocarbon
Lures:
- 1/4-ounce Picasso Tungsten Little Spotty jig with a Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw trailer. Best colors are green pumpkin, chartreuse, tiger and PB&J Bling. A green pumpkin and blue zoom UV Speed Craw is my go-to trailer
- 3.8-inch Keitech Fat Swing Impact swimbait in pro blue red pearl on a Picasso 1/4-ounce jig head
- 1/2-ounce SPRO Carbon Blade Tungsten Blade Bait in nasty shad color
Kayak
Dale Hollow is a big lake and the weather is rough. The best fishing is on exposed open water. The Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14 with MirageDrive 360 and Kick-Up Fins is stable to handle anything the lake dishes up. The big kayak has plenty of storage, so I carry tackle options to cover any scenario.
Expert Tip
Dale Hollow smallmouth are notorious for roaming deep, open water. A Lowrance HDS PRO 10 with the ActiveTarget 2 system allows me to pinpoint targets without wasting casts.
Smallmouth Story
One of my best days on Dale Hollow was in December. I was practicing for a tournament by fishing the main lake points. After I caught five fish in just a few minutes, I moved across a large creek. I was casting to a point when my jig got slammed. For a second, I hesitated to set the hook. What if this is the fish that would win the tournament? I couldn’t help myself; I set the hook. The smallmouth was 22 inches and weighed over six pounds. A replica of the fish hangs on my office wall. By the end of the practice day, I caught over 30 smallmouth on finesse jigs.
13 Kings and Illinois River, Arkansas
Jay Kincy | Tournament angler and content creator @kayakfishingfocus
The Kings River and Illinois River have crystal clear water and healthy populations of smallmouth bass. I look for two things: pinch points and deep holes. Pinch points create a stronger current. I float a Yum Hellgrammite or Ned Dinger along current breaks. If the fish aren’t directly in the current, I search areas along the edge with a slower flow. Second, I look for deeper pools where I throw a fluke-style bait, small jig or a Pop-R. Arkansas also has great lake fishing for smallmouth. My favorite lake is the lower end of Beaver Dam. The lake features deep, clear water with rocks and pea gravel along the shoreline. I concentrate on water between 20 and 30 feet deep. I slowly work a Carolina rig, drop shot, jig or wobble head around chunk rock. In the summer, I run into schools of smallies prowling the middle water column and surface. The fun starts with a Heddon Super Spook Jr. or a three-inch Scottsboro swimbait I retrieve through the school of fish.
Conditions
In summer, I turn my attention to smallmouth. The river is a nice place to escape summer heat and the lake water is deep and clear. A bright, hot day with no wind is a great time to jig for smallmouth on the lake. In the river, I catch smallmouth regardless of the weather. As a general rule, go to finesse tactics when the bite is tough.
Find the Fish
In the river, I look for rocky areas or pea gravel. The best fishing is associated with depth changes and mixed-size rocks. Smallmouth also hold against concrete walls and bridge pilings. In the lake, clear water with a hard rocky bottom is a good place to start looking. Deep water with big boulders and pea gravel points are a gold mine.
Tactics
I use a Super Spook Jr. or small Pop-R topwater lures. No color is too wild. Chartreuse, pink and orange seem to call in smallmouth bass.
Tackle
Rod: 7’ Dobyns Fury FR 702SF spinning rod for finesse fishing, 6’6” FR 664C for jigs, wobble heads and single-hook baits
Reel: 200 size baitcasting reel, 3000 spinning reel
Line: 8-lb P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon
Lures:
- Yum Hellgrammite
- Yum Spine Craw on a Carolina rig
- Great Lakes Finesse Flat Cat or Snack Craw
Kayak
For river fishing, a Crescent Shoalie has a shallow draft that doesn’t get hung on rocks while the wide beam maintains stability. The kayak has convenient built-in features and a comfortable seat. On lakes, I use a Hobie Pro Angler. I can’t beat the comfort, storage, stability and rigging options with big water capability.
Expert Tip
Paddling the river, I absolutely need a Bending Branches Angler Pro paddle. The carbon fiber blade handles rocks, logs and gravel. The paddle only weighs 31 ounces, making it extremely easy to manage. Electronics are critical when fishing for highland reservoir smallmouth in deep water. I use a Garmin display with side-scan and live-view sonar to search for rockpiles, drops and underwater points.
Smallmouth Story
One of my favorite river outings was Memorial Day weekend, floating the Kings River with my cousin. We did a seven-mile trip and took all day to really work over productive areas. We caught smallmouth many different ways. Eventually, we started competing. In the end, my cousin beat me. On the lake, I remember a day in August when I put in at the dam and intended to drop-shot in the deep. Instead, I ran into a school of smallmouth that would surface every 20 minutes. Over a couple of hours, I had fun catching almost 20 smallmouth on a Zara Spook and a Cotton Cordell Red Fin. Topwater and swimming plugs are a fun way to catch smallmouth and an unexpected surprise.
Hometown smallies hit harder. | Feature photo: Jameson Redding
