Raritan river MEGA float 8/10/18:

[thmyorke1]

I try not to complicate smallmouth lures. Put something on a jig and work it however the fish want it. Smallmouth, of good size, seem to have eaten anything I've thrown at them. From big to small to bright to natural colors.

Originally Posted by FASTEDDIE29

That’s a lot of water in a short amount of time. Sounds to me like you rushed to the end. Should’ve worked those holes a little longer to see if there were monsters willing to cooperate. Great day for a float!!!

You know Andy, Tasmanian Devil. If it was up to me it'll be a week until Im done fishing to riverside park. So many holes and runs, let alone all the good bass we got out of seemingly vast space, that Id say it's best to keep a rush going but also balance it with focusing on the good points, which we did.

[AndyS]

Thanx for the feed back on lures to use, very helpful.

[bulletbob]

All you need for SMB anywhere is plain old Mr Twister tails on 1/8 to 1/4 oz plain unpainted jig heads.. Thats been my best lure for them for decades.. best colors have been chartreuse, or a brownish/crayfish color... small FinS or Sluggo style plastics in a natural shad/silver are almost as good, and provide a bit of variety that help in certain water/weather conditions..
Also have found small plastic crayfish clones deadly as well, natural color.

Slow is often the best retrieve for them, some days painfully slow. Right in the rocks.. You will hang up a lot of course, but thats where the fish are. The smallest,lightest jig heads that will get to the bottom will hang up a lot less.
I have had several days when they would hit best in streams/rivers on an almost non moving lure.. Throw it out let it sit barely moving and they snap it right up.. Especially when the water starts getting cold..
SMB are active predators when they have to be, but in most rocky steams they eat crayfish and various nymphs almost exclusively. Stuff that resembles little stone dwelling critters are deadly for them.

Yes at times they will nail spinnerbaits, or blow up on surface lures, but small jigs are the most successful lures for them under most conditions simply because they resemble what they actually eat most of the time.. bob

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

All you need for SMB anywhere is plain old Mr Twister tails on 1/8 to 1/4 oz plain unpainted jig heads.. Thats been my best lure for them for decades.. best colors have been chartreuse, or a brownish/crayfish color... small FinS or Sluggo style plastics in a natural shad/silver are almost as good, and provide a bit of variety that help in certain water/weather conditions..
Also have found small plastic crayfish clones deadly as well, natural color.

Slow is often the best retrieve for them, some days painfully slow. Right in the rocks.. You will hang up a lot of course, but thats where the fish are. The smallest,lightest jig heads that will get to the bottom will hang up a lot less.
I have had several days when they would hit best in streams/rivers on an almost non moving lure.. Throw it out let it sit barely moving and they snap it right up.. Especially when the water starts getting cold..
SMB are active predators when they have to be, but in most rocky steams they eat crayfish and various nymphs almost exclusively. Stuff that resembles little stone dwelling critters are deadly for them.

Yes at times they will nail spinnerbaits, or blow up on surface lures, but small jigs are the most successful lures for them under most conditions simply because they resemble what they actually eat most of the time.. bob

Thanks for the input, Bob. Getting down into rocks is definitely something Ive noticed about catching them.

[Jigman13]

Originally Posted by thmyorke1

Thanks for the input, Bob. Getting down into rocks is definitely something Ive noticed about catching them.

My biggest have been from ripping 5.5-6.5" stick baits that dive 6" deep in slow and fast stuff. Predominantly at nite.

Try the Trd tubes. They wont disappoint. Elaztech floats. The jigheads present them vertically. Smallies inhale them. The keitech spider jigs work too but the trd tubes are deadly.

[thmyorke1]

Originally Posted by Jigman13

My biggest have been from ripping 5.5-6.5" stick baits that dive 6" deep in slow and fast stuff. Predominantly at nite.

Try the Trd tubes. They wont disappoint. Elaztech floats. The jigheads present them vertically. Smallies inhale them. The keitech spider jigs work too but the trd tubes are deadly.

Thanks. Must be a good edge if the plastics float. I'll pick em up at sporting life.