# Best river lures



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

This is my first post... I mostly river fish hunting smallies. I was just wondering what the rest of the river dwellers consider their favorite or most productive smb baits for river fishing. I prefer a soft plastic craw tex rigged like a Yum Craw Papi, white spinner bait, or a shallow crank. Thought maybe im missing some good bites not using something more suitable for the river i've not yet tried. Or maybe just a better way of fishing the same lures in the river, the current does add a challanging element to fishing! Open to any suggestions. 

Thanks


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

Sorry for the late welcome to the site, but glad to have you aboard....

but in my opinion, I have caught more smallies while fishing for whitebass than any other time... and they have always come on a rapala husky jerk or an x-rap... although I have caught them on jigs, and spinners, and all sorts of other baits... I would prefer the jerk bait line because it is always more exciting I think


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## WishinIwasFishin (Apr 5, 2005)

Good post.
I have had great success with top water (it may actually be a shallow diver) rapala split joint crank bait. Silver, gold, and black colors. I do a slow retrieve that stirs a wake. Great in shallow or still water.
In currents and rapids I use 3" tube baits-pumpkin works the best for me. I prefer salt flavored Venom baits for these. I try to use weedless jig heads to prevent all of the snags. 
I read a lot of posts that suggest using rooster spinners. I just haven't used them much - but they are said to be good.
My most successful bait are minnows with a cork or strike indicator. I best outing was 40 fish (smallies and rock) in 2.5 hours. Soft craws are the absolute best but expensive/more difficult to come by.

Welcome to the boards!


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## madcrappiekids (Mar 11, 2006)

welcome SMB! good information for me since I am going to try to fish the GMR more this year.


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## carxman17 (Aug 23, 2007)

I have had my best luck with a popr & a small buzz bait on top. also like chart. twistertail on 1/8 ounce jig head also use tubes & always a rebal craw or wee craw. all have worked for me...


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## Lunkers (Mar 8, 2007)

I just keep my baits on the smaller size. People catch them on all bass baits. Really more than anything else, to me, is the ability to fish your strength. It is all in how "You" present your choice to the fish. You hear it alot, but I firmly believe, its not what your fishing, its your ability to confidently present your offering. It just makes you slow down and fish it right. CONFIDENCE, is the one fishing item you cannot buy. You have to build it from the ground up. That comes from many successful outings. I find that Tubes, worms and cranks/jerks work great for me.

Welcome to the site, Tight Lines, Be safe out there.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Great advice Lunker... confidence brings success ! ! !


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## BigSmallieMike (Oct 20, 2005)

I agree with Lunker that you should stick with what you know and enjoy fishing. I prefer to fish more actively thank passively and as such, I fish Rapala sinking cranks or swimbaits a lot and seldom use soft plastics. My dad has a similar approach and leans on his Rebel wee-craw a lot too.

Welcome to the site


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## Flathead King 06 (Feb 26, 2006)

great post Lunkers I dont think anyone else can put it better


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## yakfish (Mar 13, 2005)

SMBHooker, Wlecome to the forum you will find tons of people on here willing and waiting to help. I have learned a bunch in the few years I have been using this forum.

I never go to the river without an in-line spinner of some sort (mepps or roostertails) and a rapala shad rap. As was stated earlier fish which ever lure you have confidence in. these lures are my "confidence" lures with a jig and twistertail following close behind. just a little tip for fishing the gmr the smallies seem to really like lures in a firetiger color. I have caught more smallies on this color than every other color combined. but then again it is a color ih have confidence in.
good fishing.


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

You will never go wrong with rooster tails.Get a couple colors and maybe two different sizes.Stick to a hat and wade until you cant go anymore.I switched to the mepps vibes(about same as rooster tail) a couple years ago great results.


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## WalIkng (Nov 28, 2007)

I totally agree.. you have to have confidence in your presentation to catch fish. I do alot of saugeye fishing in the GMR and catch alot of smallies on Husky Jerks and X-raps especially when i fish the lures slower than normal.


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## ajangsta04 (Aug 7, 2007)

rebel craws

fat crankbaits

various rapalas

and now spinnerbaits.


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## RareVos (Jul 29, 2007)

Depends on what the fish are doing. I take a couple top waters, a couple fast moving middle, slow moving middle, and a bottom dragger. I'm a big fan of draggin craws, either t-rigged or on a football jig. Of course, if I had my way they would be smashing 1/8oz buzzbaits all day. I never go to the river without those baits and some 4" senkos and some flukes. And if none of that works, I tie on a spinnerbait and start picking apart structure.


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## fishingfoolBG (Oct 30, 2007)

This time of year the only thing i throw is buzzbaits. the bass love them.....


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## 14shadow (Apr 1, 2006)

You guys are killing me. It sounds like the rivers really heated up this week and I have not been able to get out one time so far this year! Here are a few suggestions:
1. Tubes, twister tails or other soft plastics.
2. Yum craw bugs
3. Storm swim shads
4. Lazor eyes (bass pro shops). If you are fishing spinners you need to check these out.
5. X-rap was a great lure last fall.


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## kennedy327 (Jul 12, 2006)

1: Rebel craws
2: Mr twister, white 3" grub on a roadrunner or regular jig head
3: Rebel craws


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## pizza (Apr 4, 2008)

I like upsizing lures in October when they are putting on weight for the winter. Rapala 13ish sized lures. And I'm still amazed at the dinks that go for them!


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## elkhtr (Oct 23, 2006)

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=75248

more suggestions


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## Oldlogin (Oct 24, 2004)

The rivers are becoming cleaner and as a result the Hellgrmmites are returning. A close match , in my experience , especially in the Spring, would be a black lead head jig with a black twister tale.....This combo has always worked well for me in the past on any Smallmouth water -----


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks everyone... good advice!

I hit the Stillwater early Sunday mornin and caught about 8 smallies in an hour. One was a good *15"er*. All of them were fat. Right before I liped one smallie he threw up a 2in white minnow and a crawfish. That'll give you an idea on what they were eating. Caught them all on a shallow X-rap, white.
This weekend was a good time to be out.


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

Oldlogin said:


> The rivers are becoming cleaner and as a result the Hellgrmmites are returning.


.......still alittle early in the year for hellgramites...FYI


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## Oldlogin (Oct 24, 2004)

I guess that would depend on the water temperature , stream location, clarity and few other variables-- But then nobody asked the Hellgrammites the question----Just remember I know nutting---


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## B1gDaddyT (May 19, 2006)

I sometimes will use flukes in the river. They are fun once you learn to walk the dog, you can make them dance behind logs and rocks where the smallies hide. When fishing ledges you can let them fall and two or three tugs you can cause them to go under the ledge where they really hide. 
Otherwise, buzzbaits tipped w/ curly tails or roostertails are my go to baits.


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## CatBassCrap (Apr 25, 2008)

Most of the fishing that I have done this year has been on the GMR by the West Carrolton Dam. The two most effective baits have been a jighead with a tube on it. Mostly Chartreuse, and a shallow crankbait. There are so many snags out there but it's what I have caught the most on.


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## newbreed (May 4, 2004)

3.5" Roadkill Camo Colored tubes
YoZuri 2" Pins Minnows
Inline Spinners of various colors and sizes
Rebel Craws

That's my arsenal.


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