Early summer smallies!

[Bassboss]

**Newbie alert**


I know it's early to be asking, but I wanna get as much info before the 2010 event and Dale Hollow! So since most likely it's gonna be held in early may when they're coming beds, I'd like some info for fishing small mouth then. Am I gonna need to use like a tube or drop shot and a shaky head, or since I'm guessing they’re be aggressive than, will I be fine using my bait caster? So right now all I want is some pointers on what I'll catch them on, so I can have lots of time to stock up on stuff I need, or get a new spinning out fit.

All right so what do I need to catch smallies?

[rodnreel]

A baitcaster should work just fine. I don't see any reason to change much in terms of rod/reel for the 'ol brown backs. I would recommend tubes for soft plastics when fishing the beds. Craw those things through there and you'll get hammered every time. If I'm smallie fishing, it's usually on a river. And topwater poppers produce the best in that environment for me. I'd definitely have a few of those on standby. I've also caught plenty of them on spinnerbaits. One of those 3 lures should be able to put fish in the boat.

[BassMoJo]

Jerkbaits...dropshot...tubes...chigger craws...there prolly isn't much that time of year that there not gonna bite. Oh yea spinners an cranks

[BigBassin144]

lol, Early summer. That's a florida guy for ya.

While it may already be 80 and "early summer" in Florida, in that part of Tennessee, I think they call it spring, lol.

But yeah, I think cranks, spinnerbaits, dropshot, maybe some jigs, jerkbaits, and maybe even some swimbaits will be working good around that time.

BB

[MIbasser]

It all depends on water temp what the fish are going to be doing. I've never fished DH so I can't speak for that body of water but a little about MI waters. Bed fishing in MI is almost too easy. If they are locked on anything tossed around the bed they will attack. Typically you want a color that you can see in the water: clear I use black or purple, stained water - white or another bright color. I use spinning gear when bed fishing, tubes, drop shot & shaky head.

Other baits that work: Jerk baits (I use LC pointers 78 & 100's suspended), traps, cranks, and pop r's. Those are thrown on baitcasters.

So start saving some money!!

[Bassboss]

Thanks to all for the tips! I'm glad to know I can basically not have to worry about getting a better spinning outfit!

Originally Posted by MIbasser

So start saving some money!!

lol! for sure!

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

lol, Early summer. That's a florida guy for ya.

While it may already be 80 and "early summer" in Florida, in that part of Tennessee, I think they call it spring, lol.

But yeah, I think cranks, spinnerbaits, dropshot, maybe some jigs, jerkbaits, and maybe even some swimbaits will be working good around that time.

BB

What? what, what, what? Spring? That's SPRING up there?!? No way? For real? You ain't crappin' me? Wow! I gotta move up north! Down here temps are already in the 90 or so, spring goes away around feb - march!

Told you it was a **newbie alert**

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

What? what, what, what? Spring? That's SPRING up there?!? No way? For real? You ain't crappin' me? Wow! I gotta move up north! Down here temps are already in the 90 or so, spring goes away around feb - march!

Told you it was a **newbie alert**

C'mon up!

Average daily high in central MN in early May is low to mid 60s, average low is mid to upper 30s. Sometimes the ice isn't even completely off the lakes until early May.

Predicted low for next Thursday night is 28.

[WTL]

In my very humble opinion, people psyche themselves out when pursuing just smallmouth. I don't think when selecting lures you should ask the question "will a smallmouth hit this"...

They arent THAT different from largemouth. The same thing that triggers strikes from lm triggers smallies.

The areas they hold in are sometimes a bit different. But the lures are often the same. I think you should worry more about the depth and clarity of the lake than the species name., The cover will be different from what you are probably used to. But a bass is a bass, even a brown bass.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by WTL

In my very humble opinion, people psyche themselves out when pursuing just smallmouth. I don't think when selecting lures you should ask the question "will a smallmouth hit this"...

They arent THAT different from largemouth. The same thing that triggers strikes from lm triggers smallies.

The areas they hold in are sometimes a bit different. But the lures are often the same. I think you should worry more about the depth and clarity of the lake than the species name., The cover will be different from what you are probably used to. But a bass is a bass, even a brown bass.

Cool! Thanks a lot WTL. I've been kinda worried about the depth though, I really don't know how to fish it that well. I'd be different if I knew what depth the spawned at. I mean as far as I know, they stay in 10-30 feet of water most of the time, and only come shallower when they're OFF the beds, am I right here? For me, I don't really know what do use for deep water around rocks and stuff, I know Football jigs, and crankbaits, but that's about it. I can't really think of my self throwing a spinnerbait in 10 feet of water fishing it at 8. That would just feel so awkward to me, and I'd have a hard time keeping it deep 'nuf. Will a small mouth come up from 10, to hit a spinnerbait a 5 or even 3 feet? I was thinking about getting a small 1/4 (if I can find them that small) butter fly jig and jigging that, seems to me like it would do pretty good.

Right now, I think the biggest optical is gonna be mental, getting out of my shallow water, with vegetation, to deep water with rock and gravel. I just can't really relate to this as easy as I can relate to vegetation, or wood I KNOW is deep.

Man this is gonna be harder than I thought, I'm glad I'm gonna be fishing with one of y'all!

[WTL]

Relating is gonna be the challenge. I dont do well with these type of lakes either.

Don't assume that you are gonna have to be in 10 feet or more of water. Smallmouth will go shallow, often actually. Dale Hollow has the reputation of them being deep and on points, but I have never seen a lake devoid of some shallow fish.

I think you are doing well preparing yourself for this. Its true there will be some differences between s florida and north tennessee. If you are looking to expand out your techniques in preparation for this trip, might I suggest learning to split shot soft plastics? I say this cause I have experience with it in florida being effective, and experience with it work for deeper and clearwater bass as well. Also if you can get out and throw cranks, jerks and senkos that might help when you get up north.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by WTL

Relating is gonna be the challenge. I dont do well with these type of lakes either.

Don't assume that you are gonna have to be in 10 feet or more of water. Smallmouth will go shallow, often actually. Dale Hollow has the reputation of them being deep and on points, but I have never seen a lake devoid of some shallow fish.

I think you are doing well preparing yourself for this. Its true there will be some differences between s florida and north tennessee. If you are looking to expand out your techniques in preparation for this trip, might I suggest learning to split shot soft plastics? I say this cause I have experience with it in florida being effective, and experience with it work for deeper and clearwater bass as well. Also if you can get out and throw cranks, jerks and senkos that might help when you get up north.

Cool! Thank WTL, what size Shot will I have to use? Probably pretty heavy, 3/16th oz? I'd LOVE to start throwing some cranks, and come fall, that's about all I'm gonna be doing. and since I can't buy a crankbait reel at the time, I'll have to load my reel half way with 12lb test, that why I can get reeling slowly, better for cranks. But right now, I really don't have he patiance to use senkos, every time I use them I end up not getting them on the bottom, and fishing them right through the middle on the lake. I'll probably split shot senkos and kill two birds with one stone!

[WTL]

The split shot has to be big enough to get it down. Dont know the size cause I always know them when I see em....they might weigh 3/16...

I wouldn't underfill your reel just to get yourself reeling slowly. It affects the casting distance, and with crankbaits, especially balsa ones, its hard enough throwing them. Just work on the feel. Throw them a lot and you will get used to how they behave in the water. Don't be afraid to question what the consensus normally is, I throw my cranks on braid and if I were in Florida I'd really thwo them on braid so that I can know exactly when I am picking up moss and losing that wiggle. I find the strike king pro model 3 cranks cast pretty well and have a very distinct wobble on braid that gives you a good idea where you are. Its a feel thing.

Also, I fish my senkos pretty fast. Some people let them sink and deadstick them, and I will do that if I am casting to a particularly likely spot, but they are excellent when fished like a soft jerkbait as well. I know if you take a 4" white senko and start darting it around rushes, arrowhead grass and hydrilla you will hook up. I also know that smallmouth will devour the very same lure when you come north.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by WTL

The split shot has to be big enough to get it down. Dont know the size cause I always know them when I see em....they might weigh 3/16...

I wouldn't underfill your reel just to get yourself reeling slowly. It affects the casting distance, and with crankbaits, especially balsa ones, its hard enough throwing them. Just work on the feel. Throw them a lot and you will get used to how they behave in the water. Don't be afraid to question what the consensus normally is, I throw my cranks on braid and if I were in Florida I'd really thwo them on braid so that I can know exactly when I am picking up moss and losing that wiggle. I find the strike king pro model 3 cranks cast pretty well and have a very distinct wobble on braid that gives you a good idea where you are. Its a feel thing.

Also, I fish my senkos pretty fast. Some people let them sink and deadstick them, and I will do that if I am casting to a particularly likely spot, but they are excellent when fished like a soft jerkbait as well. I know if you take a 4" white senko and start darting it around rushes, arrowhead grass and hydrilla you will hook up. I also know that smallmouth will devour the very same lure when you come north.

way cool WTL! Thanks for the cranking tips too! You're really right about using braid with the cranks, I never thought of that, and It would REALLY help out with that!

Ya, I'll have to get some 4 or 5 inch dingers or senkos, try them out, I've always used the 6" ones.

[MIbasser]

Bassboss, here is a little about our (Michigan smallmouth)

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/f...ory?id=4285756

and a couple more from a little while ago but still a great lake....




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I Found this video from 1992 of KVD on Lake Charlevoix. Enjoy! **somebody from another forum found these**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR2WkEaNU14 (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbQXekkoa3w (part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_VnQDirSkM (part 3)

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by MIbasser

Bassboss, here is a little about our (Michigan smallmouth)

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/f...ory?id=4285756

and a couple more from a little while ago but still a great lake....




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I Found this video from 1992 of KVD on Lake Charlevoix. Enjoy! **somebody from another forum found these**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR2WkEaNU14 (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbQXekkoa3w (part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_VnQDirSkM (part 3)

Hey thanks for the videos.

Here's what I learned:

Small mouth will be in water as shallow as 4' after they spawn out

look for changes on shallow flats like rocks gravle, mossy patches, logs, and sand edges.

Seems like some solid info to me!

[BassinBandit]

That time of year on a Tennessee lake can be very interesting. It could be cold all day or it could be a beautiful day, it might also be hot but if your from down south it may not be very hot for you. The big thing you got to remember is the limits on Smallies in Tennessee which is 20 inches to keep. (all though someone said that changed to 18). I have fished Douglas Lake several times around that time of year and found the fishing can be great or rough. It will also depend on the water levels due to the dropping of lakes during winter. You will want to keep up or find out about the lake levels because they can only fill so much before rain is reqiured to do the rest

[BassMoJo]

I used to be in the same boat as you boss, but you have to look at it a different way. Fishing in say 20 ft of water is not that deep at all look at your boat say its a 16 footer than imagin that with the bow in the air its not all that deep its more of a mental barrier than anything. The most important thing is not to just fish deep blindly but to fish deep structure where you know fish are it only takes one fish to gain a little confidence. If I were you I'd start getting comftiable with the drop shot rig, I have found that this is my confidence bait in anything over 15 ft and up to say 40ft.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by BassinBandit

That time of year on a Tennessee lake can be very interesting. It could be cold all day or it could be a beautiful day, it might also be hot but if your from down south it may not be very hot for you. The big thing you got to remember is the limits on Smallies in Tennessee which is 20 inches to keep. (all though someone said that changed to 18). I have fished Douglas Lake several times around that time of year and found the fishing can be great or rough. It will also depend on the water levels due to the dropping of lakes during winter. You will want to keep up or find out about the lake levels because they can only fill so much before rain is reqiured to do the rest

Thanks, so keep the lake levels in mind?

Originally Posted by BassMoJo

I used to be in the same boat as you boss, but you have to look at it a different way. Fishing in say 20 ft of water is not that deep at all look at your boat say its a 16 footer than imagin that with the bow in the air its not all that deep its more of a mental barrier than anything. The most important thing is not to just fish deep blindly but to fish deep structure where you know fish are it only takes one fish to gain a little confidence. If I were you I'd start getting comftiable with the drop shot rig, I have found that this is my confidence bait in anything over 15 ft and up to say 40ft.

Wow, you're right, I've never really thought about the water depth like that.

Ya, I pretty much know that you have to find structure.

What's the main forage at Dale Hollow? Anyone know? Gobbies?

[BassinBandit]

Originally Posted by Bassboss

Thanks, so keep the lake levels in mind?

Oh yeah Tennessee lowers the lake big time for the winter and if they dont get much rain the lakes will be really far down. I fished Douglas lake one year at full pond and then the next year it was probable 10-15ft low. It was crazy. We couldnt even fish some of the places we caught fish at the previous year.