Favorite Smallmouth Lures and Baits

[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, Rebel Wee R, Purple or white 2" Mister Twister grubs on 16th oz. jigheads, Rattletrap, Bill Norman trolling Crank(10-12' diver), Storms ,'Wiggle Wart' Crankbait. 4" Black worms at times fished quickly, Carolina rigged 6" Plastic Salamanders . 

[jim cosgrove]

rolling the bottom i like 4" brown senkos.texposed or in half on the appropriate jig.i use a 1,8 bitsy bug with a senko half or a brown power worm.i smaller water i fish power bait micro craws on a jig fished in a reel and twitch can be deadly.a white pearl senko rigged texas with no weight and paused and twitched.blade baits are awesome in the boils below dams or heads of pools with a lot of current.tiny torps and pop r on top.i also like the dalton special and darters if you can find one

[John Sheehan]

Thanks for the great input Jim . Half worms is what nephew Orrin uses a lot out of a canoe on the Delaware River trips we've taken in August . He does well. Who makes those Dalton specials again? That's an old name I haven't heard in a while .You're an old Geezer I can tell! LOL I see you regognize the effectiveness of the Tiny Torpedos and Pop R's ,yes the words out on those !

[jim cosgrove]

the half senkos are work great as they get torn in the middle and the way they are tapered that kind of wag like a hot dog on the jig.dalton special was an old top water lure.with a kind of fat head and tapered tail with a prop on it.they sit kind of tail down at rest.one of those let it sit then pull it just enough to spin the blades.i have one but there are several on ebay.the ones in good shape are collectible so pricey.pop r's are the way to go.might make some fly rod versions.the whistler is a good smallie fly.

[Slip Sinker]

John you mention a black jitterbug as one of your favorites... i presume you fish at night with this setup... it brings back fond memories of my Dad and Uncle fishing at night for trophy largemouth on the lake that we owned cottages and spent summers together. what great memories... and yet i have never tried this since the early eighties... need to get out and hit the hot summer nights with that strategy... it is a true trophy setup.

[John Sheehan]

Smallies like hitting on top .That much I've learned Slip.

[John Sheehan]

yes, the Black Jitterbug took the smallie in the profile pic of this group .I got her an hour or so before sunrise. The cast after I released her got a largemouth a bit smaller .

[John Sheehan]

Good slim profile which Smallies like . Pics of the aforementioned 'Dalton Special' https://www.google.com/search?q=dalton+special&biw=1920&bih...

[Slip Sinker]

[John Sheehan]

Thanks Slip! Those sizes ,profiles, and  shape choices look perfect !