In this article I'm going to reveal 5 smallmouth bass fishing tips that will help any angler catch more smallmouth bass on their next fishing excursion. Although most of these tips can be modified to help you catch smallmouth in many situations, they are particularly effective when used in the flowing waters of both streams and small rivers. If you never realized it, these fish can be caught in much the same manner as trout, and this is the type of
fishing I'm referring to.
Smallmouth Bass are widely considered to be the hardest fighting fish, pound for pound, that swims in freshwater. If you throw the current of a river or stream into the mix, the results can be as much fun as a person can have with their clothes on! These hard fighting fish have an uncanny knack for using the current top their advantage during the fight, which can make landing them that much more challenging.
In any case, let's get down to business, shall we? As far as I'm concerned, the tips below are the top 5 smallmouth fishing tips (in no particular order).
Use Light Gear - When fishing for smallmouth, especially in river and stream situations, we want to use fishing gear that's as light as possible. When I refer to the word 'gear', I'm referring specifically to your rod, reel, and line. I personally prefer ultra light action rods and reels, spooled with four-pound test. Light action gear spooled with six-eight pound test is passable as well, but anything heavier than this should not be employed. Using light gear will result in more bites, and more bites will result in more fish being caught, it's that simple. Be Efficient - Being efficient when your on the water is important, because the more efficient you are the more time you spend with your line in the water (where the fish are), rather than searching for gear and/or bait. This is especially true when wading and fishing the flowing waters of a river or stream. This is where things like retractors, rod rulers, and bait bags come into play. All of these products make you more efficient, which means you get to spend more time with your line in the water. Being as efficient as possible when smallmouth fishing is always a good idea.
Pay Attention To Your Hands - This tip is especially true for bait fishermen. Smallmouth have a sensitive sense of smell, and if they detect unnatural scents on the bait your using, they will tend not to bite. This is why you need to make sure that you don't have any unnatural scents on your hands that might transfer to your bait. A good practice is to grab a handful of grass or dirt and rub it in your hands periodically. This will help to eliminate any unnatural odors (that might be on your hands). Pay Attention To When You're Fishing - The time when you're fishing is very important. Did you know that natural occurrences such as the weather and moon have an incredible impact on the behavior of fish? They truly do, and fishing when these factors are in your favor is a great idea. Very few things will have as big an impact on your catch rates as the weather and moon. That's why a great tip is to familiarize yourself with the weather and moon and how the two affect fishing. It will help you catch more smallmouth, I promise you.- Use Gang Hooks - When fishing for smallmouth, you want your bait to look as natural as possible. The best way to accomplish this is through the use of pre-tied gang hooks. Gang hooks allow live bait (especially live worms) to be presented in the most natural way possible. Don't you think a live worm should look like a live worm, rather than some sort of worm ball? Of course, it only makes sense, which is why pre-tied gang hooks should always be employed when using live bait to fish for smallmouth.
These top 5 smallmouth fishing tips will help you catch more bass on your next fishing trip. Employ one or all of them, and find out for yourself. How am I so sure that these are the
top 5 smallmouth fishing tips? Because I've personally been using every one of them to catch more smallmouth for more than 20 years, and know they work. And if they work for me, they will work for anyone.
Trevor Kugler is co-founder of JRWfishing and an avid angler. He has more than 20 years experience fishing for all types of fish, and 15 years of business and internet experience. He currently raises his three year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country.....Montana!
The Best Way To Measure Fish -
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