Going through and feel like I’m forgetting something for smallies.

I have choppos, ploppers and torpedos for top water. A couple of buzz baits and spinnerbaits, plenty of zulus, ned rigs and a decent assortment of drop shot stuff. I have plenty of my double tail and hula grubs I make.

Just seem like I’m forgetting something else, any ideas?

cwallace: "Going through and feel like I’m forgetting something for smallies.

I have choppos, ploppers and torpedos for top water. A couple of buzz baits and spinnerbaits, plenty of zulus, ned rigs and a decent assortment of drop shot stuff. I have plenty of my double tail and hula grubs I make.

Just seem like I’m forgetting something else, any ideas?"

I won’t pretend to be any kind of expert but I always have a couple rapalas with me when after smallmouth. I particularly like a joined rap.

shouldertripper: "

cwallace: "Going through and feel like I’m forgetting something for smallies.


I have choppos, ploppers and torpedos for top water. A couple of buzz baits and spinnerbaits, plenty of zulus, ned rigs and a decent assortment of drop shot stuff. I have plenty of my double tail and hula grubs I make.


Just seem like I’m forgetting something else, any ideas?"

I won’t pretend to be any kind of expert but I always have a couple rapalas with me when after smallmouth. I particularly like a joined rap. "

Got those in the walleye boxes haha!

My favorite smallmouth bait is a Senko style bait.They can be fished wacky style,Neko rigged or on a jig head. Watermelon black flake is my go to color.

Nightcrawlers

You are forgetting Senko worms, Heddon Lucky 13, Zara super spooks jr’s, and PopR’s. You have a great start with the ploppers and spinner baits. Glad luck

X -rap or other suspending jerk bait is great if you get a cold front and need to really slow down.

moray: "My favorite smallmouth bait is a Senko style bait.They can be fished wacky style,Neko rigged or on a jig head. Watermelon black flake is my go to color."

Are you rigging them weighted wacky style?

Savage Voyageur: "You are forgetting Senko worms, Heddon Lucky 13, Zara super spooks jr’s, and PopR’s. You have a great start with the ploppers and spinner baits. Glad luck"

Forgot about them, I have spooks, and some skitter pops. Don’t have any lucky 13s

MidwestMan: "Nightcrawlers"

Picking up 3 boxes and some leeches if available.

KarlK: "X -rap or other suspending jerk bait is great if you get a cold front and need to really slow down. "

I have a couple of Mavriks, visions, krejs and finishers packed on the walleye side of things but I’ll try to not forget about them!

OK, here's a solid answer...

Fish horizontally with Whopper Ploppers, X-Raps, whatever gets you through the water column from top to bottom until you get on the bite.

Only then do you switch to a vertical presentation like a wacky rig with Senkos, etc.

Don't forget to use some heat shrink in the middle of your Senko to extend the life of your bait.

IMO, you're overthinking this. They hit everything and anything. No challenge to catch smallmouth!

I had fantastic luck with a deep diver (don’t remember the brand) that was dark. Used it like a top water lure. Jerk it to make it dive about a foot, then let it go slack and float up. It looked like a wounded fish and we were nailing them! It also was great for trolling as we traveled.

Hoaf: "IMO, you're overthinking this. They hit everything and anything. No challenge to catch smallmouth!"

I certainly am over thinking it. I’m currently in the middle of a career change and away from home for the last 7 weeks. So my time spent in the hotel room after hours is researching, planning, going to scheels, cabelas, Omnia and local bait shops ha.

Crawler or leech on a jig, they hit it on the pause

cwallace: "

moray: "My favorite smallmouth bait is a Senko style bait.They can be fished wacky style,Neko rigged or on a jig head. Watermelon black flake is my go to color."

Are you rigging them weighted wacky style? "

If I am using them with a weight I like to fish them Neko style. Unweighted I will fish them wacky style.

cwallace: "Just seem like I’m forgetting something else, any ideas?"

Other than jerkbaits (that others have already mentioned), you could add hair jigs, inline spinners and crankbaits....but this all seems like overkill to me. With the baits you mentioned you already had, you should be all set to catch fish.

#3 mepps spinners

The yamamoto fat ika.

Hoaf: "IMO, you're overthinking this. They hit everything and anything. No challenge to catch smallmouth!"

+1

1/4 ounce jig with a twister tail.

Agree.. If they are hungry they will hit it.

Hoaf: "IMO, you're overthinking this. They hit everything and anything. No challenge to catch smallmouth!"

The shadows of down trees in the water , these are my 2 favs for this application.