Top Lures for Smallies

[John Sheehan]

I'm interested in what you guys choose as essential go to Smallmouth lures . My choices are ; Black Jitterbug, Pop R, Tiny Torpedo ,Keitech ribbed worm ,1/8th oz.Chartreuse spinner bait in Muddied water ,a #2 Blue Fox Spinner ,  Bomber 4F Crankbait Brown Crawfish color ,Rapala F09 model, Purple or white 2" Mister Twister grubs on 16th oz. jigheads, Rattletrap, Bill Norman trolling Crank(10-12' diver), Storms ,'Wiggle Wart' Crankbait.

[Chris Roberts]

I like me a tube in purple/pumpkin.  That and I like a jig with an actual pork trailer.  I dont know what it is about the pork... I just seem to do better on smallies with real pork trailers.

[John Sheehan]

Hey Chris! I've done well dragging Purple tubes over sand and gravel for Largemouths but haven't tried them for Smallies .Been a long time since I used a pork trailer ! Thanks for your choices .Do you have smallies only in the creeks and Rivers or are you finding them in lakes in Maryland  also? I have a few small rivers that hold smallies up to around 10"-12" haven't seen them bigger .There are a few lakes I fish that I catch smallies in and get bigger and heavier than the ones I catch in the rivers .Here in NJ I've caught Smallies in Greenwood Lake(The north end )Erskine Lake ,Waywayanda lake , Sterling lake New York just over the border from here .Smallie  rivers near me are the Delaware River, Pequannock River and the Ramapo. There are some smallies in the Shenendoah River in Virginia I fished for once .  Love these fish ! Just saw an Al Lindner video the other night and up in Ontario they were blasting smallies on topwater baits !

[Chris Roberts]

In all honesty I typically catch them on a pond when I'm fishing for Largemouth.  That and my pond on my property has smallies.  Though you can catch them on anything, it seems like you can catch them on tubes even on the slow days.

I don't get to fish rivers much any more because my buddy who fished them has moved.

Also... we used to use jerk baits to help locate active fish.