Lures

    With this post, I decided to divert from my normal format to present some of my favorite lures for Smallmouth fishing!

   My goal for a few years now has been to catch a 20" Smallmouth Bass in the Ozarks. This goal is by no means trivial, considering it takes 8-10 years for a Ozark smallie to even reach 18". My persistence to achieve this goal has resulted in me trying to learn as much as possible about how to catch big smallies. Over the years, I have heard MANY theories for what lures work best on Smallmouth. Most of which, I've tried. So with this post I am ranking the most effective methods, in terms of quantity of Smallmouth that can be caught, as well as quality. This post is bound to be controversial considering the sheer number of ways to catch Smallmouth. Feel free to add any that you think I missed, anything you disagree with, or simply any thoughts you have. I am anxious to learn more so I can someday catch that 20 incher!

Lure Rankings:

11. Rapala Minnow 

Although this isn't a go-to lure of mine, I've always liked its action. When the bite is good in the top water column this lure is bound to be deadly.

10. Rapala Crawdad

I'm a believer in any crayfish imitating lure. Even though crankbaits aren't my favorite, I do think they can be can be effective especially in cloudy or murky water. I also really like how much ground they cover and how easily they bounce over rocky bottoms.

9. Zoom Fluke

The fluke is an excellent lure. Whenever the bite is in the top water column, this lure can provide the "dying fish" action that bass love.

8. Bass Pro Hellgrammite w/ football jig head

For those who prefer ned rig fishing but want to try something more realistic, the football jig w/ hellgrammite body should be the kind of natural food option that smallies crave.

7. Football-head blue Jig-&-Pig w/ Rage Menace Grub trailer

Football jigs are my favorite style of skirted jig. They feel very natural and don't get caught on the bottom quite as often as other jigs. Slowly bumping the jig on bedrock or gravel usually works best and occasionally pausing is a good idea. As for the blue color, I would not recommend it normally. I have since read that blue coloration works well in murkier water. 

6. Finesse head Jig-&-Pig w/ Rage Menace Grub trailer

Not quite as effective as the football jig head for fishing rocky bottom's but still a necessary addition to the fishing arsenal. The Rage Menace Grub trailer provides more subtle action making it easier to catch timid Smallies. A more steady retrieve followed by pauses should produce bites. The best water for the finesse jig is deeper pools with mixed vegetation and rocks. 

5. Missile Jig Ike's Flip Out Jig w/ Strike King's Rage Tail Space Monkey trailer

When subtlety doesn't matter and the smallies just want a big meal, this setup should work nicely. Based on my experiences throughout this past year, throwing jigs with trailers this size has resulted in some of my biggest smallies to date. I would recommend this mostly in the spring, from March through May (should work January and February too but just not as often). The consistency with which this massive setup was catching me 17" plus smallies made it clear that post or pre-spawn smallmouth want a big meal.

4. Rage Tail Rage Menace Grub (4 inch)

Simple, versatile, and easy to use. The Menace Grub in Summer Craw catches fish on the bottom while being fished slow and low as well as in the middle water column while being fished slightly faster. Without the extra flair of the skirted jig, this compact setup easily attracts smallies.

3. Z-Man Ned Rig Finesse TRD

The ned rig's popularity is certainly warranted. There's no doubt it produces more smallmouth then any other lure or soft plastic. Smaller ned rigs are best in clear, gravel bed streams. 

2. Quiver 4.5 Missle Baits

I tried this exact setup very recently and was certainly impressed. On the day I first tried it, the bite started slow and my normal jigs weren't working. I made the switch to the Quiver on a whim and had almost immediate success. Smallmouth were coming up for it within a second of the lure hitting the water, making for excellent action and a quick bite. One of these smallmouth was 16.5" and another was 18" and 3 lbs.

1. Z-Man Ned Rig Big TRD PB&J (Hula Sticks, another Z-Man product, are also really good)

I tried ned rigs recently per suggestion from a guide who spoke highly of them. Although I was impressed at how consistently I caught fish, most of the smallmouth I caught were under 14". So the solution to this whole "not catching big enough fish thing" was simple, use a bigger ned rig. I must say, this theory has worked out perfectly. Since making this simple change I have more consistently caught fish in the 15" - 18" range.

Honorable mention: Classic 3" watermelon grub and led-head combo

There are also a couple lures that I've recently learned about that I am eager to try. These include:

1. High Def Craws

2. Swimbait with a pancake shaped tail

Hopefully you found this guide useful, now get to fishing!

Rapala BX BRAT 3' Depth