# Smallmouth fishing



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

New to the smallmouth and really don't have any ideal where to go or even what to use. I have seen the rocky river seens to be a good location. I had to look on the map where it was even located. I mainly muskie fish west branch clear fork Leesville Pymatuning and a couple more in pa. I want to go today and it would be from shore. I only use artificial baits and I don't keep any. It's all for fun. Any advice would really be appreciated.


----------



## Randy G (Mar 31, 2019)

Danny flathead chaser said:


> New to the smallmouth and really don't have any ideal where to go or even what to use. I have seen the rocky river seens to be a good location. I had to look on the map where it was even located. I mainly muskie fish west branch clear fork Leesville Pymatuning and a couple more in pa. I want to go today and it would be from shore. I only use artificial baits and I don't keep any. It's all for fun. Any advice would really be appreciated.


Beaver Creek


----------



## driftfish101 (Jun 25, 2011)

Fish the Tusc. Tubes, jerkbaits and cranks. I hammer them in that river.


----------



## Eyes on te ice (Dec 7, 2018)

Danny flathead chaser said:


> New to the smallmouth and really don't have any ideal where to go or even what to use. I have seen the rocky river seens to be a good location. I had to look on the map where it was even located. I mainly muskie fish west branch clear fork Leesville Pymatuning and a couple more in pa. I want to go today and it would be from shore. I only use artificial baits and I don't keep any. It's all for fun. Any advice would really be appreciated.


They are my favorite fish to battle ! They are fun to target in the rivers but the best strikes and acrobatic fights are when you get them with tubes or twister tails off the breakwalls in the lake or in the marinas! I use the Berkley Gulp Leach a lot ( my Favorite for a variety of fish ). I get a lot of smallies and big rockbass in the Geneva marina. Right next to the boat ramps is a hot spot! It's better when it is a little murky. Good luck, you are gonna love them!


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

I would love to fish the tusc. I heard the pike fishing is great there also. But again as soon as I post this reply I'm going to my maps just to see where the river actually is. So fishing it is like a needle in a haystack. Now I know alittle about fairport around the lighthouse all the way to the little place you can eat at that's on the lake. The rocks in there you think would be good?


----------



## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

All above spots are good at the given time, rivers muddy hit a lake or marina. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## winguy7 (Mar 12, 2014)

They're not hitting yet in the tusc. You'll get a few, but not the same as in a month or two. Wait untill May this year. Last year I was getting them on top water in March. It's just a weather and river flow thing. I would try the big lake if you're more familiar with it.


----------



## Dbrock84 (Apr 26, 2021)

Kitech swim baits on the Cuyahoga in Kent!


----------



## Ron Y (Dec 2, 2020)

Fairport, east end of beach by marina, those rocks are good shore spot.


----------



## jrgraham jar (9 mo ago)

Dbrock84 said:


> Kitech swim baits on the Cuyahoga in Kent!


Danny are they hitting now and where in Kent?


----------



## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I should be making a river walk about in downtown Kent later this week. I'll post up my adventure.

Don.


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

I was out yesterday from 1pm to 4 this morning. Ended up seeing around 20 pike the biggest was 28 to 32 inches. The pike seems almost seems like there spawning. Once in a blue moon they would swipe at my lure and you could tell purposely miss it. Or they wouldn't even look at my lures. I was using ripstops, bullshads, kvk 1.5 hard Knox, other rapala,,lucky, strike king, rattle traps spinners, Maga bass lures, along with soft plastic in tubes crawl minnows, and some Ned's. I couldn't even buy a bite and them pike wouldn't even look my way anyone know why?


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

I was fishing the Cuyahoga around Streetsboro on rt14. I know and seen many difference species of fish and tried many techniques. I guess this week I'll look at the maps and try and find a place in Kent. Are there any place I should be aware of or not aloud to be at?


----------



## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

Probably be high and maybe muddy from the rains. Stick with a lake or marina like mentioned. Put some waders on and hit mosquito lake , may get a walleye also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## JCarp (Feb 1, 2005)

Danny flathead chaser said:


> I was out yesterday from 1pm to 4 this morning. Ended up seeing around 20 pike the biggest was 28 to 32 inches. The pike seems almost seems like there spawning. Once in a blue moon they would swipe at my lure and you could tell purposely miss it. Or they wouldn't even look at my lures. I was using ripstops, bullshads, kvk 1.5 hard Knox, other rapala,,lucky, strike king, rattle traps spinners, Maga bass lures, along with soft plastic in tubes crawl minnows, and some Ned's. I couldn't even buy a bite and them pike wouldn't even look my way anyone know why?


If you hadn't mentioned you muskie fish, I'd think they could have been gar. Everything in your description fits, Gar like twitched floating baits. Cast a floating shad rap near but not on top of them. Long pauses, make just barely dive and stop. Might work for pike... Never done it and wouldn't bother but I've read some guys change out hooks for short pieces of nylon rope when targeting gar. Good Luck.


----------



## snuff1 (May 26, 2015)

JCarp said:


> If you hadn't mentioned you muskie fish, I'd think they could have been gar. Everything in your description fits, Gar like twitched floating baits. Cast a floating shad rap near but not on top of them. Long pauses, make just barely dive and stop. Might work for pike... Never done it and wouldn't bother but I've read some guys change out hooks for short pieces of nylon rope when targeting gar. Good Luck.


The grand. Years ago there was a fishing magazine called The Ohio Fisherman Magazine and it had an article about the best 5 creeks or rivers to fish for smallies in ohio and the grand up ne. was supposedly the best in that area. and the tusc. is good as well.


JCarp said:


> If you hadn't mentioned you muskie fish, I'd think they could have been gar. Everything in your description fits, Gar like twitched floating baits. Cast a floating shad rap near but not on top of them. Long pauses, make just barely dive and stop. Might work for pike... Never done it and wouldn't bother but I've read some guys change out hooks for short pieces of nylon rope when targeting gar. Good Luck.


----------



## southern Dan (Sep 10, 2019)

JCarp said:


> If you hadn't mentioned you muskie fish, I'd think they could have been gar. Everything in your description fits, Gar like twitched floating baits. Cast a floating shad rap near but not on top of them. Long pauses, make just barely dive and stop. Might work for pike... Never done it and wouldn't bother but I've read some guys change out hooks for short pieces of nylon rope when targeting gar. Good Luck.


No I definitely know the difference between a gar and pike. I like fishing gar down in the ohio River. Growing up even had many trips to fish alligator gar. I have even went after big southern flathead and blues and even had a blast on lake Cumberland with the big striper. Cold water fishing is a new thing for me. I love to fish I don't care if its raining storming bad wind or snowing so bad you can't see just a few feet in front of you. It's just the enjoyment of it. That why I only use lures and not troll. So if I can add another fish to go after once the water gets really cold then I can fish all year long. Walleyes isn't for me. Even on a u/l they don't even fight and that's not fun to me.


----------



## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

The grand used to be fantastic for giant smallies. Back in the late 90s and 2000s I'd seine big chubs in early May, then head to the lower Sections and just drift chubs on 6lb test with an ultra light. You'd catch 2-5lbers in most places. The past 5 years or so tho, the smallie population isn't even close to what it once was imo...even in the harbor. Unless I'm doing something wrong, I just don't get large numbers of big fish like I used to


----------



## archerjay1 (Jun 11, 2015)

allwayzfishin said:


> The grand used to be fantastic for giant smallies. Back in the late 90s and 2000s I'd seine big chubs in early May, then head to the lower Sections and just drift chubs on 6lb test with an ultra light. You'd catch 2-5lbers in most places. The past 5 years or so tho, the smallie population isn't even close to what it once was imo...even in the harbor. Unless I'm doing something wrong, I just don't get large numbers of big fish like I used to


Maaan those were the days bro!!


----------

