Tips for River Fishing Smallmouth Bass

Rod and Reel

Go after river smallmouths with a spinning reel rigged with fluorocarbon line. Spinning reels are typically lightweight and cast the types of lures and baits that attract smallmouth from great distances. This translates into less fatigue for the angler and more area of the river covered while you are fishing. Your rod should be a medium action type that bends near the middle but still possesses the strength and flexibility to land a big smallie and cast lures to every setting you encounter. A 6.5-foot rod will suffice for smallmouth.

Fluorocarbon fishing line is tailor-made for river fishing for this particular species. It is undetectable in the water, sinks quickly, stretches very little for solid hooksets and stands up strengthwise to rocks, branches and brush that you will fish near or around in search of a smallmouth. Spool your reel and pole with 6-to- 10-pound test line, with between 130 and 150 yards of line more than enough to get the job done.

Live Bait

Opt for live baits such as night crawlers, crayfish and beetle larvae in rivers with a high smallmouth population. You can catch your own or purchase them from bait and tackle shops. Night crawlers are overlooked as a smallmouth bait, but they work well from the spring well into the fall, rigged on a No. 4 hook with just one or two lightweight split shots up the line about 18 inches to give the presentation some weight and keep it down in the current. Hook crayfish in the fleshy under part of the tail and cast them downstream with a heavy split shot two feet up from the hook, allowing the crayfish to bob up and down as the current washes over it. Wonderful smallmouth bait is any type of large beetle larvae that you can find in rotten stumps and logs. Hook it through the length of its body and cast it out, prepared for a quick strike.

Low Water Tactics

Wade into a shallow river if possible to gain access to the spots where smallmouths congregate. Do not limit yourself to simply fishing from shore if you lack a canoe or boat. The vegetation and bushes that tend to grow along a river can keep you from casting into some hotspots that hold fish. Water levels in the summer months often become low enough to let you walk in large sections of a river. Wear your worst pair of sneakers and old shorts and go right in. Invest in an inexpensive inflatable boat and tie a rope to it. Place your tackle box, an extra rod and reel, your bait and a cooler for your lunch and tie a loop in the line that you can put around your waist. This lets you pull the boat upstream as you fish for smallmouths, after which you can ride it back downstream, stopping wherever you experienced success.