smallmouth can kiss my butt!!

[Lake Erie Dreaming]

Always looking for these fish, but never have any luck. I have very good information but no luck. The hundred mile an hour winds didnt help today either! I will make this my life mission to find these suckers. Arrrrrrrr

[ReelTime]

When we used to fish for them we killed them around Kellys island. Dark green our smoke color tube jigs in 12 to 14 feet of water. Had to just crawl it across the bottom slow. Sometimes all you would feel was the line tighten up maybe like you were dragging weeds. 8 pound CLEAR line no heavier. Lots of other good spots around bass islands too.

["chillin"]

try cranberry creek. they have a website with fishing reports. caught alot of big ones while trolling for walleye there last summer. close to shore...say 12 ft. of water. hope this helps

[7wfishing]

Most of your problem is it to early to be chasing smallies. Best time to gettem is mid may to end of may is hot. Try what was said before around the bass islands and one of my favorite spots south side of put n bay, next to the perrys tower. Also any were on north side of kelleys is good too, I have fished the south side and caught a few but the north side is hot on the right time of year. They will be coming into the shallows very soon to start there spawn so just be patient and keep trying. Lake erie has a awsome smalle mouth fishery. Good luck

[ReelTime]

I second that on the north side of Kellys. We also slayed them one year on the south side right out from the Casino. We used to fish for them last week of April / first week of May but with things being early this year I would think they would be going now.

[boonie]

I guarantee hair jigs will work into May, drag them on the bottom don’t bounce them. Try ¼ to ½ oz Brown or green. Last year I even caught them using walleye heavy thumper 1oz hair jigs "black" without minnows.

Good Luck

[skipper9]

They are there already.. I think the storm front over the weekend or the high winds shut them down. Me and my friends have caught hundreds of them already. You were probably just drifting to fast.... Hope it gets better for you...

[eriepro]

Hey, if you don't want to make any big runs, try niagara, cone, big & little pickerel, just rig up a # 26 or 28 bass hook on a 18 in leader like you would tie a walleye weapon, add a soft craw and BINGO.....

[boonie]

Hey, if you don't want to make any big runs, try niagara, cone, big & little pickerel, just rig up a # 26 or 28 bass hook on a 18 in leader like you would tie a walleye weapon, add a soft craw and BINGO.....

Eriepro is spot on with his rig, however you will need pleny of softcraws because the drum inhale them before the smallies get to em! if you have deep pockets that's the way to go. Good Luck

[DoubleD]

We used to slay the smallies all around middle / north bass with leeches. Rig them any way you want, bare jig and a leech, lindy rig, even bobbers.