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Myth or Reality
By Jonn Graham
There is little doubt that anglers hold some strong opinions when it comes to their favorite pastime. Stream smallmouth anglers are no different. Of course, these opinions or beliefs vary greatly among each and every smallmouth chaser. It is only natural that these beliefs quite often dictate one's fishing style. Unfortunately, many of these strong beliefs, that smallmouth enthusiasts hold near and dear, are not true and can negatively impact their catch rate.
So where and how do these theories develop? Well, in most cases, one's beliefs can be traced back to angling "heroes" of yesteryear. For most of us, this would be the person who first introduced us to the activity we call fishing. For me, and many others, this would by my father. My initial set of beliefs can definitely be traced back to what my father told me while driving to our stream destination or while standing knee deep in a creek. For some, maybe their initial set of fishing "standards" were gleaned from famous TV anglers such as Bill Dance or Virgil Ward, just to name a few. Others may have acquired their initial stream smallmouth knowledge from a friend who took them to a river for the first time. All of these modes of knowledge acquisition are great and very valuable. But, that introductory set of knowledge and beliefs, though well intended, may not hold true today. Our understanding of the "ways" of the stream smallmouth has improved by "leaps and bounds" the past ten years. Because of this, many of our old beliefs and theories concerning the river smallie have become myths.
In this month's installment I will discuss a few of the prevailing myths among new and "casual" stream smallmouth bass fishermen. In all of the cases discussed, I myself believed in each myth at one time or another. But as my time on the water and time spent talking with other anglers increased, I found many of these myths could not be further from reality.
Myth #1: FISHING FOR STREAM SMALLIES IS A SEASONAL ACTIVITY
I would venture to guess that about 90 percent of all stream smallmouth anglers only fish their favorite stream five to six months of the year. I must admit that years ago I sure would have fallen into this category. As my free time began to rise after my college years, I grew discontent fishing for stream bronze for only half the calendar year. So I began to ask myself why one could not catch smallies out of a river during the cold water season. I also began researching the subject in various fishing magazines along with talking to as many other anglers as possible including many from the Illinois Smallmouth Alliance.
What did I find? Well, fishing for stream smallies is NOT A SEASONAL ACTIVITY. Provided ol' man winter does not turn our rivers into a solid state, stream smallies can be caught during the cold winter months. Of course, some small tactical changes are necessary if you want to hook up with these river bruisers on a consistent basis. First of all one must understand that smallmouth spend much of their winter in what is called a state of hibernaculum. This, in some respects, is like hibernation, but with the river smallie, they are not asleep but in a "relaxed" state. Due to this relaxed state they do not feed as much as they would during the peak summer period, but they still MUST FEED a little to survive. The key is being in the right place at the right time. In other words, if an angler can find where smallies reside and can be there during peak winter feeding times, he stands a good shot of "hooking" up with a winter warrior.
So where do winter smallies spent the bulk of their time? In most cases, this question is not hard to answer. Deep water and cover are what river smallies really crave at this time of the year. Find these two habitats in conjunction with one another, and you are in business! Now, what is "deep water." Well, this is a relative term. I probably should have utilized the term,"deeper water" or "deepest water." Stream smallies will normally seek out the deepest water they can find within the aquatic system they live in. This may be four feet in a small creek, or ten to fifteen feet in a larger river. Whatever the case, find this deep water and you should be headed in the right direction.
Now, what types of presentations are effective during this period and when are the peak winter feeding times? When it comes to presentations, one term reigns supreme during this time of the year - SLOW! In almost all cases, slow presentations are the only way to "trick " a low-metabolism smallie into biting. Also, downsizing your line size and lure size does not hurt. Small jigs (especially hair jigs) fished on four or six pound line is a popular winter set up for me. So, how does an angler go about placing himself river side during peak winter feeding times? Well, it does not take a "rocket scientist" to figure when a cold-blooded animal will feed during the cold months of winter. Any warming trend that lasts over two days is a sure sign of activity. In addition, these warming trends only need to be warm enough to raise stream temps. a degree or two. Those couple of degrees make a big difference to 'ol Mr. Bronzeback and often spur him into feeding.
Myth #2: RIVER SMALLIES = SMALL LURES
I must admit that I definitely prescribed to this theory early on in my stream fishing career. Why was that the case? One reason -- my father. My father, who introduced me to the sport, and I always used baits that were small, usually three inches or less. So, I got into the habit of only throwing "bitty" baits. As my fishing experiences broadened, so did my choices in lures and lure sizes. Presently, I know for a fact that in many instances an angler need not throw small baits to catch riverine smallies. Matter of fact sometimes a bigger bait will be more successful than a smaller one. Now, do not get me wrong, small baits definitely have a place in every stream angler's arsenal. The myth is in thinking that only small baits will catch the attention of hungry bronzebacks. I also believe that in many cases a bigger lure will catch bigger smallies. Not always, but sometimes. When I first started fishing for stream smallies I caught very few nice fish (smallies over 15 inches). I believe the reason for this can be traced back to the fact that I was only utilizing small baits. In the past eight years I have begun to use larger baits during the peak feeding periods such that occur during summer and fall. My big fish rate has skyrocketed and I believe part of it has to do with the "big bait theory." What are some examples of these "magical" big smallie baits? Well, many of them are normally associated with "big ugly greenfish" (largemouth bass), but have proved very capable on any stream where 'ol Mr. Smallmouth presides. Bigger topwaters probably top the list. Walking baits such as the Sammy 100 can be deadly on river smallies regardless of it's five inch length. In addition, buzzbaits regularly account for some of my largest smallmouths. Lastly, one of my favorite baits, the Zoom Super Fluke, is a long, big profile bait that mimics a five to six inch minnow or shad. Though this bait is large, it has become a go-to bait starting in the spring and continuing to be effective all the way through fall. Topwaters are not the only big bait genre that proves effective. Larger plastics also have their place. I used to only throw two and three inch twister-tail grubs, but now have had just as much luck throwing four and five inch models. Heck, I think they appeal to bigger fish and you are able to cast them farther than a three inch model. In addition, larger "spider grubs" can be effective when trying to mimic the appearance of a large crayfish.
Myth #3: SMALLMOUTHS ONLY INHABIT ROCKY HABITAT
I bet many smallmouth anglers, during the early years, relied on this myth. I know I sure did! In reality, the smallmouth is a very adaptable creature and does not solely spend their time in rocky areas. Matter of fact there are many waterways throughout this great state that have very little rock, but are pretty fine smallmouth fisheries. Though areas of rocky bottom are preferred, they are not all that is needed to create a great smallie stream. I will go so far as to say that I believe water clarity, food sources, and deep water may be more important factors in creating a great fishery than that of a large amount of rocky substrate. Smallmouths are very opportunistic! They will use whatever is available for habitat. Downed logs and trees, bridge abutments, old cars and farm machinery (yes, I fish a river where cars and farm implements make up part of the habitat), and just plain deep water holes will suffice. These deeper areas are crucial! If the stream is going to produce smallies year round, it must have a decent number of deep water sanctuaries where bass can retreat to during the heat of the summer as well as the long, cold winter months.
In conclusion, anglers all have a set of beliefs they tend to follow. These theories, in many instances, dictate one's fishing style. In addition, and unfortunately, many of these beliefs are steeped in myth rather than reality. A few of these myths include the misconception that smallies can only be caught during the warm water months, smallies are only caught on small baits, and river bronzebacks only seek out rocky areas in which to live. I myself must admit that, at one time, I believed all three of these statements to be "gospel." Fortunately the more I fished for stream smallies and discussed their habits with other die-hard smallmouth bass fishermen, I learned that these three theories were null and void. Keep in mind, the only thing predictable about fishing and fish is that it is UNPREDICTABLE! Any accepted truth can change at any time and may not apply to where and how you fish. Keep an open mind when reading or discussing new and exciting ways to fish but just do not arbitrarily believe everything you read or hear. I suggest testing it yourself before deciding if it is fact or fallacy!
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