Smallmouth Bass Lures & Bait
Harder fighters than their largemouth cousins, smallmouth bass also have a reputation for being harder to catch, but this is not necessarily true. The most important thing to remember when fishing for smallmouth is that they behave differently from largemouth bass, and can be caught on different lures presented in different ways.
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Grubs
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Smoke-colored grub with jig heads Curly tail grubs are one of the most popular and versatile lures for smallmouth bass, and are often responsible for catching the greatest numbers of fish, if perhaps not the biggest. Smoke, chartreuse and pumpkin-pepper are useful smallmouth colors. Try a 4-inch grub with a 1/4-ounce jig head fished horizontally by swimming it close to the bottom, or let it fall all the way to the bottom, pause it, then bring it back with a start and stop retrieve.
Crankbaits
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When covering large amounts of water to find fish, diving crankbaits can be effective. Models in silver or crayfish patterns are especially popular, and fire tiger is another good color in lakes where perch make up a significant part of smallmouths' diet. Try retrieving them over shallow rocky shoals, and remember that different crankbaits are made to dive to different depths.
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Topwaters
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A floating minnow in fire tiger color There are a variety of topwater lures of various types on the market today. The most popular are floating minnows, which can be used with a twitch and pause technique. Topwaters are particularly effective on smallmouths during summer, any time bass are suspending near the surface in deep water, or in shallow water in the early morning or evening. Other types of topwaters include chuggers, poppers, torpedos, and buzzbaits.
Tubes
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Tube jigs are perhaps the quintessential smallmouth bass lure, often said to look like everything in general and nothing in particular. The best way to fish these squid-like lures in most situations is on a jig head or Texas rig. Tubes can be dragged or hopped on rocky bottoms to imitate crayfish, or swam near bottom to imitate bait fish. Dark, natural colors work best. three-inch tubes are considered standard for smallmouths.
Jig n' Pigs
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A classic lure for smallmouth and largemouth bass alike, the jig n' pig is probably the best crayfish imitator on the market. Try a variety of retrieves on sandy or rocky bottoms and around weeds with jig n' pigs. They are also highly effective on river and creek smallmouths, as they can be made to look like crayfish being swept away by the current. Shades of green, brown and black are good colors, but also try jigs with a touch of orange.
Live Bait
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A classic nightcrawler The simplest baits can still be the most effective. Nothing is more tempting for smallmouth bass than a live nightcrawler wiggling on a hook. Live bait can be used anywhere smallmouths are found, and is especially effective when bass are less active and disinclined to chase a lure. Crayfish, leeches and live minnows are great bait choices. Try them on a drop shot rig near bottom, or suspended under a bobber.
Considerations
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Smallmouth are simply wired differntly than largemouth bass. They prefer rocky areas while largemouth prefer weeds; smallmouth may patrol open water while largemouth prefer to ambush prey from cover; and smallmouth are often more likely to be found in schools. Perhaps most important, the smaller mouths mean that smaller baits are often required. If the lures you use and the way you present them reflect these differences, your chances of successful smallmouth bass fishing will increase exponentially.
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References
- Photo Credit twister image by Simone van den Berg from Fotolia.com lure image by Brett Bouwer from Fotolia.com worm image by Ksenija Djurica from Fotolia.com
