Favorite Lures for River Smallies

[John Sheehan]

Here are some of my producers for small stream: 

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/favorite-stream-spinner?context=album&...

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/p1013077?context=album&albumId=203...

Pictures include the 2" Keitech 'Easy Shiner ' rigged with a Colorado blade and cinched with bead and two rubber eagle Claw stops meant for slip float use , and a Burke Hellgrammite fished on a flyrod .Also pictured is another Greg Sheehan beaded Nymph and a Hildebrandt Flicker .Other choices that have caught Smallmouths  ,not pictured here include,,#2 Blue Fox Spinner and Mister twister Twister mite hellgrammite imitation.

Here are successful fish getters in bigger River waters: http://bigbluegill.com/photo/p1012110?context=album&albumId=203...

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/2nd-annual-delaware-river-trip-1?conte...

Hope to hear from members about their choices .

[jim cosgrove]

 my first is  half  of  a 4" brown senko on a jig just heavy enough to bounce along the bottom.the other is a blade bait.if i know they are there and not biting is a live crayfish or hellgramite  if i can find em

[John Sheehan]

that all sounds great Jim!

[JWinpisinger]

I took my Nephew who was about to turn 18 and graduate from HS, on a guided trip on the upper James river here in VA. We went out Near Scottsville VA.  We targeted only Smallies. We used what appeared to me to be Herring or Shad colored swim baits. Plastics! The guide had a little jet boat which was very cool. We basically would position just downstream from some rocks creating a small rapid. We cast above the rocks and let the bait go with the current into the various holes, nicks and crannies created by the boulders and current. Most of our fish were around 2 lbs. But I did catch one that was 3 lbs. I cannot tell you guys how surprised I am at how hard they fight and pull. The whole experience was a lot of fun. 

[John Sheehan]

Welcome to the group JW! That sounds like a great trip .I always wanted to fish the James River !A 3 # Smallie is great! Not sure I ever got one that heavy ! On Thursday Brother Greg ,his son and me are meeting a nephew at Grand Isle Lake Champlain for some fishing .Hoping to get in on Big Smallmouths ,Pike and Walleye . We don't know the area so it may be a humbling outing .We'll see.