# Rocky River Smallie Help



## FightingMuskies50 (Feb 15, 2012)

With this recent stretch of warm weather, would fishing the lower, quicker stretches of the rocky with tubes, jigs and craws be good, or should I go for the deeper, slower moving water?
Thanks for any help!


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## mischif (Jul 14, 2006)

deep pools all day! The best are the ones that have white water running into them but all deep pools will be holding smallmouth right now. Before we had that big rain a couple days ago I was having a great time catching a bunch of smallies over 2 lbs and 2-3 over 3 lbs.


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## FightingMuskies50 (Feb 15, 2012)

Ok, I have a spot that is 3-4 ft deep, is that good? Are jigs with craws working right now, or would swim baits and jerk baits be better?


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## mischif (Jul 14, 2006)

I have been getting all my smallies that are 2+ lbs. on tubes this year. All natural colors and yellow also works. 3-4 feet will work, make sure the bottom is rocky and cast near any large structure in that hole. The bigger ones seem to be biting near bottom with a slow roll. The best holes are the ones that have no other areas around them for smallmouth to hang out in.


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## Bucket Mouth (Aug 13, 2007)

Those fish could be in the whitewash, holding somewhere in the pool behind a current break, or in the tailwaters where it is deeper, like your 3-4 ft. hole. I havent fished the Rocky, but I am assuming it is similar to other areas I fish. I've been catching big smallies anywhere from 2ft-11ft deep, using mostly tubes and the Strike King KVD red eye swim shad lipless crank but also catching some on spinners, and big xraps. Tube colors of choice have been green pumpkin w/ copper flake and smoke w/ purple and gold flake. My numbers haven't been fantastic but the size has been. No 20" fish yet this year, but plenty over 19" and almost all of em over 16".

The common denominator for me right now is good current and rocky bottom, both big bolders and chunk rock.

If you are fishing the head of the pool, try finding well defined "chutes" that have rock islands or emergent weeds on either side of the run and cast right up into the corners where the rapids and the obstructions intersect. Even little 2'-3' deep spots that are 10' wide can hold suprisingly large fish. I also like to fish the downstream and upstream end of islands that have current on each side, especially where there are stalky emergent weeds that aren't real thick. Pitch a spinner into the heart of the weeds and bang it off the stalks as you pull it towards the open water. Those fish that are backed up into the weeds ambushing bait can't resist it. If it's clear water put some good pace into your retrieve so they can't get a real good look at it and you'll get those angry instinctive bites.


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