smallie question??

[d-mack]

I'm thinking of trying to reserve a campsite up at jordanelle for memorial weekend and was wonderin' if anyone has fished the smallies with any success that early in the year?
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[Lundman]

Watched a Angling Edge show this weekend about fishing smallies a few days after ice-out.
Al was fishing in 38 degree water with 3 weapons - Area - shallows where the water was a few degrees warms -

Weapon
1) Husky jerk bait in white - secret was too reel steady 2) Rapala Shad Rap - secret was to work the lure with the pole and not the reel. Pull lure 3' with the pole then reel line up.
3) White 4" Gulp white worm on a jighead. Reel this lure steady. No jigging.

Go into an area and work the weapons in sequence.

Naturally Al caught 7 smallies in the 3 pound range. He inspired me so much that I went to Sportsman and tried to buy the 4" Gulp worms but they only had 3" worms.

Next weekend I'm heading to Lake X and deploy my weapons....

If anyone is ready to try these methods - please shoot me a PM with results. I have to get my smallmouth hat out of my closet and get me that 5 lber....

See you on the water...
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[cat_man]

The smallies are hitting good at Deer Creek from late April on through May. Jordanelle is a bit higher and a bit colder, but I would imagine by labor day it would be hot action as well.
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[UTBASS]

I would have to say ... Dropshot, Dropshot & Dropshot. Find some ledges and dropshot 3" baits. Fish slow and steady.
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[d-mack]

Thanks guys!

I'm dyin' to get some "x"-factor worked into my regular rounds of fishing this year.
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[cat_man]

I would add to that a wacky-rigged senko (white on DC, chartreuse on Lake X) with no weight near structure.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Hey cat man, I'm a pretty new Bass fisherman. I was reading an article in In-Fisherman last month that was all about wacky rigging worms. Question: When you rig your wacky worms, do you use those O ring things, or do you just attach the worm strait to the worm without those rings? Also, do you use circle hooks, or which kind?
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[cat_man]

I'm actually fairly new myself. Last year in May was the first time I used stick worms (senkos) before. I took them out for my first try at Deer Creek near the island, fished off of shore with them and caught several small smallies and two huge largemouth on them in an hour or so one morning! I rigged them wacky, weightless, no o-ring. I was using smoke sparkle, 4" worms. Each worm lasted me a couple of fish or 10 to 20 casts without using o-rings. They actually held up better than I thought they would. When I noticed it was starting to tear, I would take the hook out and move it to a new spot, slightly to one side of center, that seemed to prolong the life of the worm.

I actually just used standard baitholder type worm hooks used to fish nightcrawlers. Never tried a circle hook with them.
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[Out4Trout]

[cool]Thanks for the tips, catman. I'm pretty new to Bass fishing like I said before, but I can't wait to get a lot more serious about them this year!
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[maniac]

You can catch smallies as soon as the ice leaves. You just need to fish slower! The month of may can be pre spawn to spawn depending on weather and water temp! I personally don't go bass fishing without an arsenal of plastics, in drop shot worms, stick worms, curl tail grubs and tubes. stick to basic greens browns and some colors that represent perch and crawfish! and always a few white or smoke colors to represent minnows,like chubs or red sided dace!
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[d-mack]

Thanks James!

I am totally jazzed to get into some smallies this year. I've been catching tons of tiny ones at the 'gorge and can't believe that I've been missing all this action at deer creek and lake X the last couple years.
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[Hellsangler69]

I gave it a try for a bass at Pineview this weekend but didn't get lucky . Wish I would of brought my tube and I might of have better luck . Water was much higher than I thought it would be so I couldn't fish where I wanted . They should be hitting better by Memorial Day weekend .
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[iconoclasticPaul]

Catman, I can see that I am a very bad influence on you... now that you're hooked![]
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[cat_man]

Absolutely. I should've never listened to you Paul. Oh wait, I should've "met" you sooner! Not only am I excited about bass fishing, but now I live like 10 minutes from Lincoln Beach, so I'll be chasing Walleye often too I imagine, starting with right after graduation at the end of this month!![cool]
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