What is your best smallmouth bait for early spring?

raptorschild · 02-06-2009, 12:42 PM

My most effective is a slowly worked 4 inch Yum lizard with a big 1/8 split shot 3 feet up the line. If that's not working, I'm usually in trouble.....

What tactics do you guys when things are tougher early in the year.

rob allen · 02-06-2009, 12:47 PM

1/2 oz rattle trap red or craw colored

Super Fluke · 02-06-2009, 01:23 PM

I would say a fluke

BuKuBass · 02-06-2009, 02:03 PM

Suspending jerkbait, either a Lucky Craft "FlashMinnow 95" or a Megabass "Ito Vision 95". The key is to work the shade/light edge such as a shadow on the water or a mud line. When the flow is high such as during the spring run-off, I usually find smallies in the shallows trying to find warmth and a spot where they can feel secure from predators while lying in ambush for their own predation.

ExBassGuide · 02-06-2009, 03:37 PM

Drop shot!!!

flippinbaits · 02-06-2009, 05:05 PM

i dont ds too much, but when i do it's when its cold in early spring/late winter

MikeN · 02-06-2009, 07:28 PM

Dropshot a wacky rigged pumpkin or green 5" Sinko or Arron's magic roboworm!

tnj8222 · 02-08-2009, 08:57 PM

seems like they will bite anything early in the year. i tend to just texas rig or split shot a soft plastic.

built2fish · 02-09-2009, 09:17 AM

How early? Late March/early April early? If so, 1/4 oz. Fire tiger Speed Traps, hands down. That is only given that the fish are holding very shallow though.

There are probably 5 other baits that are equally as go to for me in early spring, but I love the Speed Traps when I can get them to go.

salembassin · 02-09-2009, 10:32 AM

3" senko with 1/8 or 1/16 oz. sinker fished slow.

retaliate · 02-09-2009, 01:31 PM

Worm(s)

.

stayer · 02-09-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retaliate

Worm(s)

.

I don't know why I would try anything else. I never have enough time to drink my beer when I use worms.

Hunt'nFish · 02-09-2009, 03:59 PM

I've always gone w/ tubes early spring when they are still deep.
Senko's in the shallows once it warms up a bit.
Hunt'nFish

Chad S. · 02-10-2009, 05:42 AM

Early spring is kinda vague? Once the water hits 48 (usually early to mid april) i'll throw deep diving cranks for smallies. once it hits mid 50's then jerkbaits will be more productive. for now, it's still grubs and trolling jointed cranks out deep. once the fish become a little more active, i'll switch over to drop shotting a little more.

1bigfish · 02-10-2009, 05:51 AM

Last year my most consistant producer was a split shotted brush hog during the early spring. The year before that was a yum dinger on a dropshot for early spring. Both years I also caught fish on lipless crankbaits. But I am not afraid to toss the entire tackle box at them till I find what they want. Every year the Willy (as with most rivers) changes just a little bit from the year before so I never can tell just what they are after till I get there. Last year at this time the water level of the Willy was low and didn't come up till later in the spring (in Late April acording to my calendar) but one it came up it stayed high till mid-late June.

raptorschild · 02-10-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad S.

Early spring is kinda vague? .

You are right....that is vague.......what do you usually throw march 3rd or 4th, when the sun is highest in the sky, yet you can still view the moon....the wind is blowing an odd number in between 5 and 9 knotts, from the SE at 7:54 am, there are cumulus clouds on the easterly horizon, and the barometer is "slightly" falling, you notice there is a caddis hatch going on, and there is a good amount of debris in the water, the clarity is 19.5", and the tide is in-coming creating an influx of water that could vary the depth by approximately 2 feet. Water temp is 42.6 degrees, and their is a crappy tournament going on. Your motor has a tendancy to not start when motoring downstream, so your only options are some rip rap 5-20 feet deep, and a mudflat with some sunken islands at aprroximatley 35 feet deep?

1bigfish · 02-10-2009, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raptorschild

You are right....that is vague.......what do you usually throw march 3rd or 4th, when the sun is highest in the sky, yet you can still view the moon....the wind is blowing an odd number in between 5 and 9 knotts, from the SE at 7:54 am, there are cumulus clouds on the easterly horizon, and the barometer is "slightly" falling, you notice there is a caddis hatch going on, and there is a good amount of debris in the water, the clarity is 19.5", and the tide is in-coming creating an influx of water that could vary the depth by approximately 2 feet. Water temp is 42.6 degrees, and their is a crappy tournament going on. Your motor has a tendancy to not start when motoring downstream, so your only options are some rip rap 5-20 feet deep, and a mudflat with some sunken islands at aprroximatley 35 feet deep?

Depends on the river you are fishing.

Chad S. · 02-10-2009, 11:10 AM

not only does it depend on what river it is, but how close to the equator the river is. yes there is 1,000 variables that go into fishing, but my previous post denotes with what i would start with.

raptorschild · 02-10-2009, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad S.

not only does it depend on what river it is, but how close to the equator the river is. yes there is 1,000 variables that go into fishing, but my previous post denotes with what i would start with.

I'm just ribbing ya.....your post was informative.....my intent of the post was to get some people jacked for the spring that is rapidly (at a slugs pace) approaching!, not necessarily for specifics.....

I got the Cabin fever!

Dan360 · 02-10-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raptorschild

I got the Cabin fever!

I have the cabin fever big time! I've been re-spooling all of my reels and doing an inventory of my gear and writing up a "need" list. I got my new pontoon thinger put together. I was actually going to use it today but it started snowing like heck. I might have to get it out of the truck and bring it back inside.