Do you use a different lure and/or presentation that most people don’t use in the Boundary Waters? If so, please let us know. For example, I recently started to use wake baits for smallmouth up there. I've never actually seen anyone else use one before and when I asked on this board if anyone uses them, I only received a couple replies.

Perhaps it is more common than I know, but I have stopped using an egg sinker/split shot, swivel and plain hook on my slip bobbers. The past two seasons I have been using just a jig under the slip bobber and have not had a decline in success. Not sure if it's because they see less pressure or what but the jig has been beneficial because it is less tackle and I find casts easier, with less chance of getting tangled during the cast.

I had good success with a Jackall Pompadour Jr in Chartreuse Gill (I'd like to get one in Black Bone too). Its a fun topwater crawling bait that makes a bit of a racket when reeled in.

Jackall Pompadour JR

I did throw a Megabass iLoud wakebait (in white python) for a bit and while its a cool bait and generated a lot of interest, it didn't put a lot of fish in the boat. I want to try it again. I didn't commite a ton of time to it.

Megabass iLoud

What wake baits are you messing with Mike?

I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad to use at my river in the backyard just before my last trip to the BW, but after looking at it I figured I would throw it in the tackle box and try out in the BW first. I really wanted to use it as a shallow running crank bait in my river.

It has a big profile and since most of my river isn't any deeper than three feet in most of the river I figured it would make a great sub surface crank. When cranked it goes about 18 inches deep, which is perfect for the river. I threw a few topwaters on my last trip but wasn't getting a ton of hits on them and decided to try the wake bait and see what happens. It caught 4 out of my 5 largest smallmouth.

I wrote an article about my experiences and it will be published in the Boundary Waters Journal in the next issue. When I got home from the BW and tried it the river it had the same stellar results, both cranking subsurface and topwater.

QueticoMike: "I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad..."

I'm a QueticoMike disciple. I just bought 3 for my arsenal...

We are big fans of Texas rigged lizards. Natural colors.

BigDadE: "We are big fans of Texas rigged lizards. Natural colors. "

Yeah, you don't hear of lizards being used up there too often. I took a guy to Quetico back in the mid 90's who threw lizards. He did OK with it, but other presentations seemed to work better for him. I don't do a lot of slow moving, bottom oriented finesse presentations, never been my forte. I am sure if I practiced these presentations I would be better at it, but I detest getting snagged and having to spend time tying on a new lure. I know other people don't have this issue because they work this presentation all of the time. I will throw a tube when things are slow, but I tend to swim it more along the bottom than jig it slowly along the rocks. I wish I was better at it, practice makes perfect.

Some years ago Al Lindner put out a smallmouth video. He had some good info in it. His top secret, go to smallmouth bait was a T rigged Power Bait lizard.

I tend to use standard methods. Last year I had a few days of good catching using a light emitting crank bait. My son gave it to me as a joke but it did produce.

~JOE~

I have good success with wake baits both in the BWCA and elsewhere. I like storm subwarts (no longer available--glad I stocked up), bandit footloose, and others. They can be great on days when they aren't fully committing to topwaters.

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad..."

I'm a QueticoMike disciple. I just bought 3 for my arsenal...


"

I bought some natural shad colored ones when I got home from the last trip. I think they will work even better up north because they do look like a cisco.

QueticoMike: "

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad..."

I'm a QueticoMike disciple. I just bought 3 for my arsenal...



"

I bought some natural shad colored ones when I got home from the last trip. I think they will work even better up north because they do look like a cisco."

Sure. Change recommendations after I pull the trigger and the original color is heading to my house.

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad..."

I'm a QueticoMike disciple. I just bought 3 for my arsenal...



"

I bought some natural shad colored ones when I got home from the last trip. I think they will work even better up north because they do look like a cisco."

Sure. Change recommendations after I pull the trigger and the original color is heading to my house."

Hilarious. :) Cash those commission checks QM!!! :)

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "

Mad_Angler: "

QueticoMike: "I bought one KVD 2.5 wake bait in the chartreuse sexy shad..."

I'm a QueticoMike disciple. I just bought 3 for my arsenal...



"

I bought some natural shad colored ones when I got home from the last trip. I think they will work even better up north because they do look like a cisco."

Sure. Change recommendations after I pull the trigger and the original color is heading to my house."

I'm sure you will do just fine with those. I'm definitely taking two chartreuse sexy shad on my next trip and at least one natural shad. I wish I knew you were interested in purchasing wake baits. You can always email me at queticomike@yahoo with any questions you ever have. You know I'm always happy to help!

I don’t see it talked about much, but we always throw some Rebel craws. SMB along rocky shorelines, and they somehow rarely get snagged. Will catch a few random pike with them too.

Abbey: "I don’t see it talked about much, but we always throw some Rebel craws. SMB along rocky shorelines, and they somehow rarely get snagged. Will catch a few random pike with them too. "

The Rebel Craw is a great smallmouth lure. I have caught tons of smallies in my river on those things. I always have at least one in my tackle box. The biggest smallmouth I ever caught out of my skinny waters river is 21 inches on a chartreuse Rebel Craw.

I have used a powerbait worm with a very lightweight hook to swim over the top of submergent vegetation. The action has brought some hellacious strikes from smallies.

Basspro69: "I have used a powerbait worm with a very lightweight hook to swim over the top of submergent vegetation. The action has brought some hellacious strikes from smallies."

Hard to beat that!

Basspro69: "I have used a powerbait worm with a very lightweight hook to swim over the top of submergent vegetation. The action has brought some hellacious strikes from smallies."

Sounds deadly.

I’m picturing a long Texas rigged worm with a curly tail. Does that sound about right?

QueticoMike: "

Abbey: "I don’t see it talked about much, but we always throw some Rebel craws. SMB along rocky shorelines, and they somehow rarely get snagged. Will catch a few random pike with them too. "

The Rebel Craw is a great smallmouth lure. I have caught tons of smallies in my river on those things. I always have at least one in my tackle box. The biggest smallmouth I ever caught out of my skinny waters river is 21 inches on a chartreuse Rebel Craw."

+1 Great stream/river lure that I should use on lakes more than I do but I usually go with a crawfish pattern Shad Rap or square bill on lakes.

tarnkt: "

Basspro69: "I have used a powerbait worm with a very lightweight hook to swim over the top of submergent vegetation. The action has brought some hellacious strikes from smallies."

Sounds deadly.


I’m picturing a long Texas rigged worm with a curly tail. Does that sound about right?"

Straight or curly tail they both work great !

I am thinking about using the drop shot this year vs. jigging for smallmouth that might be deep during the day.