# Need some small mouth advice



## dyeguy1212 (May 17, 2010)

I've got a tournament coming up on a local lake, and I'm predicting the winning stringer will be whoever can catch a limit of smallies. Its going to be the beginning on next month, so I'm expecting water temps to be at least in the mid 60's.


The problem is, I suck at small mouth fishing. I've never been able to locate deep hotspots, as I'm more of a visual target kind of guy. I'm hoping I can find a few spots worth hitting with a crankbait or heavy jig, but other than that I'm at a loss.

I haven't seen any smallies spawning yet, but I'd have to guess they're getting ready. I've hooked into a few while searching shallow flats (5ish feet), but nothing consistent. If they're on a post spawn pattern at the time of the touney I know the large females won't be schooling, making it even harder to get on fish.




So what would you guys recommend for locating fish while prefishing? For some reason it is tough to get on largemouth on this lake, and something tells me all the good largemouth hotspots are going to be crowded come tourney day. So I've gotta pull some out of my rear one way or another :lol:


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## angry Bob (May 18, 2010)

Use a 4-5" grub on a jighead, (I like a 3/16 oz.) for your search bait. Just throw it out, and reel it in, it doesn't get any easier. Colors wont matter that much, but I like the brownish hues, and white can be hot too. If you've located some or even seen some in slack water toss a wacky rigged senko. I've been tearin em up for years with the grub though.


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## bAcKpAiN (May 18, 2010)

Forget the heavy jigs. If you are going for post-spawn smallies I would use dropshots, small shakee heads, small crankbaits, and zoom super flukes. Is it a clear water lake, or is there color to it? Smallies like hard structure: chunk rock, outside weed lines with rock, flooded timber with rock...the key is find the rocks; the bigger the better for smallies. Generally the outside weedline drop is what I try to think of as the "bank" and work out from there. Don't discount topwater and high in the column baits for smallies either. They can and will come up from the depths to get something on or near the top.


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## Dave11 (May 18, 2010)

Zoom super flukes. I like to use a 1/16 oz weighted hook because I fish mostly rivers with a strong current. I like pearl white or bubblegum when visibility is low and watermelon seed in clear water. If you get some short strikes, but they won't eat it, go to a more subtle color.

I look for areas with a lot of rocky structure even concrete bridge supports or walls along the river. I have also had a lot of luck fishing in the shade in the middle of the day.


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