| If you’re looking for some big August fun you might
think about heading for a small river. Even some of the smaller
streams can have solid populations of smallmouth bass that
for the most part are overlooked and under fished. Smallies
are always fun to catch but when you throw in a scenic setting
and the chance that you might have it all to yourself the
good times are about to roll. Now is when the action can really
heat up and is one of the best times to be on a river.
While there are plenty of good ways to hook up with active
smallies; the most exciting method is to get them to go on
top. A big smallie smashing a topwater is absolutely thrilling
and is about as much fun as you can have. Top water baits
are always a good option but mid to late summer is definitely
prime time for working the surface. Jerk baits like the smaller
Zara Spooks or twitch baits like a 1/4oz Skitter Pop, or even
a buzzbait like Northland Tackle’s 1/4oz Buzzard are
perfect for working on top. Even though you can run into four,
five, and even six pound bass you’re usually better
off sticking with smaller sized baits. The smaller lures can
still make plenty of commotion but are easier for a smallie
to grab and hang on to. Jerk baits like the Spook are designed
to be worked with a steady by jerks retrieve which causes
the bait to swish back and forth. To get it started; point
the rod tip at the lure and sweep it down towards the water
which will cause the bait to swing to the side. Quickly pick
up the slack while lifting the tip back up toward the lure
and sweep it down again. With a little practice you’ll
be able to create a rhythmic back and forth action that can
drive bass nuts. The Skitter Pop can be reeled in with a twitch,
twitch, twitch, retrieve that causes it to pop, pop, pop and
spit water out as it goes. You can also combine it with an
occasional stall and wait. There’s no real wrong way
to do it, just as long as you’re getting hit. The buzzbait
has to be brought in with a quick steady retrieve and is a
great way to cover water and find active fish. A productive
starting speed is just fast enough to keep the lure up on
top. St. Croix’s model LTBC68MXF Top Water Legend Tournament
series rod combined with an Abu Garcia’s Revo Premier
reel loaded with ten pound test Berkley Trilene Maxx is a
perfect match for working top waters as the rod has a light
enough tip to allow you to cast the smaller baits.
Big Smallmouth can be a sucker for top waters in August |
Likely hangouts almost always include some
rocks and the more the merrier. Running top waters over
any kind of rocks you can find will get noticed, and sooner
or later get hammered. Most anglers will hit the shoreline
rocks with a top water lure and is certainly a good place
to start, but they just might be missing something. Mid
stream is what we’re talking about and could be
the secret to finding the heavy duty models. Instead of
stopping your retrieve and making another cast make sure
you work the bait all the way back to the boat. And don’t
be afraid to make some casts directly to the center of
the river, especially if you see some turbulence on top
which would indicate a rocky bottom. I inadvertently uncovered
the mid stream pattern by accident while fishing and talking
with a buddy and not paying attention. While working a
Skitter Pop on a small river in east central Minnesota
my in-depth conversation was rudely interrupted by what
sounded like someone dropping a bowling ball in the water.
It was a big smallie that hammered the lure right at the
boat, and what I at first surmised was a follower that
picked up on the lure near the bank and then chased it
out. |
That is until it happened again and again, and when subsequent
casts to the middle of the stream produced much bigger fish.
Besides all of the rocks don’t overlook grass or weed
beds which can be another hot spot, as well as any kind of
fallen timber that creates a current break.
When you do get hit; try to hold off setting the hook until
you’re sure he has the bait. If a fish hits and misses
and you’ll have set too soon probably yanked the bait
out of the strike zone and eliminated the chance for a second
or even third strike. Given a chance; a fish that takes a
swing and miss will come back once, twice, and even three
or more times until it get’s hold of what it’s
after. It’s not easy but if you can control yourself
and wait until you know the fish has the bait you’ll
hook a lot more of them.
Another exciting aspect of hooking into late summer smallies
in shallow rivers is that they tend to go airborne just as
soon as they’re hooked, and may do it again and again.
When you hook a big fish you’ll probably have your hands
full and if you’re lucky enough to get it landed; take
a picture and let it go. A really big smallmouth deserves
a good deal of respect and a quick release is the right thing
to do. See you on the river.
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